Grant Z

Hello, I have an update for my garage. On December 1st 2022, I purchased a 1941 Roadmaster Convertible Coupe 76C which was first advertised 2 years ago in Perth, Western Australia. This car was an original Lancaster Gray (Paint No. 565) with Red Leather (Trim No. 919). The car was owned by Bernie Fritshaw in Ontario, Canada from 1979 until 2014 when it was imported into Perth, Australia by the previous owner to me (who sold due to health issues). Bern Fritshaw purchased the car from New Jersey in 1979. I believe this would be the only 1941 Model 76C in Australia, as I'm led to believe there may only be 50-60 left in existence (correct me if you know differently). Due to losing both my parents in 2021, I have received an inheritance enabling me to do something special, so this is it. At 60 years old, I've never carried out a full restoration before, but I have the right people around me with the skills and I intend to hone my own skills by being fully involved wherever I can. I'm certain some of you would have seen this car advertised. It came with a long list of parts including; All die-cast chrome done in Canada (in addition to what is fitted to car). Rebuilt suspension for all 4 wheels (in addition to what is fitted to car). All new date-coded glass. New complete exhaust system. New wiring kit. New front & rear floor sections & sill panels (by Doug Seybold). Restored stainless rocker moldings. New body to chassis mounts and all associated hardware. Many NOS items including front fenders, clock, fog-lights & bumper brackets. The original door trims with original leather suitable to take patterns from. Original workshop manuals. Lots of spare parts. Plus a serious amount of 'optional convertible floor rust'. 😩 I am wanting to document the build of the car online so will post updates from time-to-time, however my regular (more detailed) log will be via a Facebook page titled 'Forty One Buick Roadmaster Build'. The page already has 267 'friends' after being created just 24hrs ago. I know a huge amount of people here in Adelaide (South Australia) through the American Car Cruise Nights I have been organising for 34 years. I am also well-connected to car people on Facebook within Australia, the USA and other countries. I greatly value the interaction I have had with a number of you regarding my green 1941 Special Series-A Business Coupe (you may remember). Regards & blessings, Grant Zippel

Hi Joseph, yes I agree with you when you say that the 248 engine is not under-powered. I'm very happy with mine after having driven a '48 Chevy with a 216 Stovebolt. I cannot imagine what I'm in for when I get my Roadmaster and finish restoring it. No wonder they call the Roadmaster Convertible "the Banker's Hot Rod".

I’m not wishing to put a ‘big’ trans behind my 248. I’m just interested in knowing the differences as I’m in the process of purchasing a Roadmaster which of course has one. Thanks anyway. Cheers Grant

I’m not wishing to put a ‘big’ trans behind my 248. I’m just interested in knowing the differences as I’m in the process of purchasing a Roadmaster which of course has one. Thanks anyway. Cheers Grant

Can anyone tell me what are the differences between the two different transmissions used behind the 2 different straight 8 engines (248 & 320) in a 1941 Buick (and perhaps other years)? No doubt the big 320 used a significantly stronger transmission than the 248 engine, but what made it stronger internally? What engineering differences were there and how are these 2 transmissions identified. No doubt they had different cases etc. Did the big 320 use a similar or same transmission as was in the Cadillac?

Fabulous! Your car look stunning. I'm in the process of purchasing a 41 76C here in Australia from a guy who is unwell. It requires a full restoration but is well priced, 100% complete and comes with an enormous amount of parts including all chrome & die-cast fully restored, new glass, wiring harness, 5 x new tires, complete exhaust, all rust repair sections required (from Doug Seybold), restored suspension, enormous list of NOS parts, complete trunk tools. Needless to say I'm very keen to get stuck into the restoration. Where are you located? Cheers, Grant Adelaide, South Australia

Hi, did you end up selling/swapping your '41 76C? As I'm in the process of purchasing one here in Australia which needs full restoration but is extremely complete with LOADS of parts including all chrome & pot-alloy done, wiring kit, glass, suspension rebuilt, 30K worth of NOS parts etc (I could go on), I'm interested in following the value of other equivalent cars and where they are located. Regards, Grant

Yes John, it is different to others but looks 'correct' due to it's design. I just have no idea what was actually correct. Cheers

Me again, I have managed to make contact with Skip Boyer who after research and advice from others I believe is the best and does the most 'authentic' engine turning work for the 1941 Buicks. I've decided to go ahead with getting my dash panels engine turned after saying earlier on this post that my car is on the road and being used often so didn't wish to remove the panels and not being able to drive my car for possibly many months - or worse they get lost in the post. This would be a very real problem as my car is RH-Drive so the panels are a mirror image of the American produced dashes. I've now managed to source a spare LH side glove box lid and 2 RH side instrument panels. Now that I have spares I decided to see if I could have my panels engine turned, but only if they were done superbly. Skip Boyer's work is not cheap, so I would only settle for 1st class work and I'm assured by Bill Anderson that Skip’s work is just that. Watch this space (or possibly a new post) when it's done. It won't be until next year I expect.

Does anyone have a fender guide like mine (pictured)? Is it genuine? It does have 4 black rings on it just like so many other items on these cars. However, from old photos I've obtained, it wasn't fitted to the car back in 1989 when it arrived here in Australia.

I’ve been using a 6V Optima since I purchased my ‘41 Special and they are excellent. I drive my car most weekends and have travelled 11,000 miles (18,000km) in the 4 years I’ve owned the car.

That's a good idea. I've been emailing Bill Anderson recently getting advice on Engine turning my dash panels, so I need to ask him. Doug Seybold of course doesn't have email, but I could phone him. Many thanks.

I doubt a brochure would show the lowest-end car available (the Series 40-A [mine] is the cheapest '41 Buick offered). Thanks for your response though. It's appreciated.

Many thanks Neil, I had not discovered that car online. It's the same color, but a different car (dash is painted body color but should be wood-grain). It does appear that its vinyl along the bottom of the door-trim instead of carpet, but I'm not sure what the original would have been - I just assumed carpet. Do you know? Many thanks again Neil. Much appreciated.

Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone has photos (or knowledge) of the correct door-trim upholstery design for a Series 40-A Special 1941. The reason I ask for further photos, or knowledge of correct door-trim design, is because I'm planning a complete restoration of the interior of my Series 40-A Special Business Coupe in mid-2023 (Winter here in Australia). I've just ordered (and paid for) many yards of Tan/Brown Bedford Cord & Tan Broadcloth from SMS Auto Fabrics in Portland, OR. I've found this image on a Mecum auction page (https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0116-230878/1941-buick-deluxe-sport-coupe/). This is possibly the only Series 40-A Special I've found images of online which shows what a door-trim looks like and I noticed is is different to the designs of other 1941 Buicks (Series 40-B, Super, Century, Roadmaster & Limited cars). The attached photo is from a car that was advertised on the Mecum page as a genuine 12,800 mile car, and had 1 owner for 48 years, so it's fair to assume the car has not been restored and is correct. The design in the attached image appears to be a single raised 1/2 in. bead of cloth which runs horizontally just below the quarter vent winder and door handle, but above the window winder. There is another 3 raised 1/2 in. beads (side-by-side) 5-6 inches below this but immediately above the arm rest. There is also approximately 6 inches of carpet along the bottom of the door-trim with a stainless strip separating the carpet from the cloth. My car was re-upholstered in leather back in 1990 (the year after in came to Australia). Originally the car had Bedford Cord according to the Body Tag (Trim Code 900 - Tan & Gray Bedford Cord). The interesting thing is that similar stitching appears to have been done on my door-trims as in the attached photo, and there is carpet along the bottom 6 inches of my doors with a stainless trim piece separating the carpet from the leather. Does anyone know for certain what a Series 40-A Special door trim should look like? Thanks for your time, Grant Zippel

Many thanks for your responses. I have now located a clock from someone in Santa Barbara who is about to send it to me.

It's the lever to open the rear side windows. They only open 2-3 inches though. I use mine all the time in my 1941 Coupe.

Wanted (NOW FOUND😞 1941 Buick clock in restored or able-to-be restored condition. As you can see the hands on my clock are incorrect plus there is a second hand, so I assume the clock has been replaced (it’s battery operated).

I drove my '41 Special yesterday to a special photo shoot (see photo below). It's Summer here in Sth Australia, but it rained all the way there and back. What a strange Spring & Summer we've had/having! I also received from SMS Auto Fabrics in Oregon some samples of Bedford Cord see below. I have a perfectly good leather interior, but really want Bedford Cord so that's my big plan at the moment. The sample with the green tick is the one I will use. Also shown is a pic of the current interior.

I couldn't agree more Paul (regarding collecting clocks).