Doug Ruth

Per the factory manual diagram the coil gets voltage from the 4 terminal when the switch is pulled out. The s/g wire is attached in parallel with the hot battery lead also part of that switch, as shown in the shop wiring diagram. As long as that wire is attached to the 2 terminal the gen will charge. Putting on the coil terminal is the same as it being on the 4 terminal where it is supposed to be. Ours works just fine except when the sg is connected to the 2 terminal, essentially the same as the battery terminal the starter runs very slow as it is supposed to but it makes it harder to start the car, so we don't attach it and the motor runs happily along at full tilt. We then connect the sg wire to get 6 volts to it and then the gen generates.

For whatever reason our mg does not look like any of the above. With ours the coil gets power from a wire from the #4 terminal on the switch panel on the dash as pictured in our shop manual wiring diagram, which i do not have in front of me here. As mentioned, the third terminal does not seem to do anything as everything works without it being connected to anything. I will look for part number on the unit next time I am in the shop (Thursdays). Thanks to all who have supplied information.

View of motor generator showing 3 terminals, but only 2 of which are shown in the shop manual. See photograph attached. My previous question about the terminal 2 connection was answered correctly in that it makes the motor slow down so as to engage the gears better but is also is needed for the generator to work when the car is running. However, with it disconnected the starter goes a lot faster and makes it easier to start the engine but then it has to be re-connected to keep the battery charged. Am I missing something here? Anyway what is the third terminal for?

The generator on the 1918 Buick has a small terminal that according to the shop manual is to be connected to "terminal 2" in the electrical panel. What function does this serve?

Is there a source for the bronze (brass?) valve cage seals for our '18 Buick 6 cylinder? thx

Simple question- what grade of lube for the rear end differential gears and what quantity for our 1918 Buick? None of my literature addresses this.

Thank you! mystery solved.

What are the two pedals just in front of the driver seat used for? Our basket case 1918 Buick does not have these. -doug ruth

Exemplar 1918 Buick What are the two pedals just in front of the drivers seat for? We do not have these in our parts collection. -doug of the SDAM

Tom- Points received, Thank You! Morgan- Part received, thank you for going to all that trouble. With this one I can copy it for the radiator end.

Doug ruth, 719 8th St., Coronado, CA 92118, with many thanks!

Parts we are missing- 3 hood latches, the ones attached to the hood; 2 hood handles, there should be 4 we have 2.

I'll have to take a closer look at it. I don't have any pictures but I will take some next time I'm at the shop.

THOSE are the exact pictures I have been needing! We never considered that it mounted to the firewall. This clears up my questions. (I do have that part.) Sorry we are so dimwitted about this car but it's been like putting a jigsaw puzzle together without knowing what the picture is and missing some of the parts and have other parts that belong on something else. This restoration was started 20 years ago after being worked on in some prison, none of the original people are still around. If you originally don't take something apart it's hard to know where what goes where many years later. Many thanks to everyone who has responded. Morgan, on that spare firewall I think I see a part we need, that tab the hood-rod sits on. It appears to be bolted to the firewall (?). FYI- My first Buick was a 1933 straight 8 bought from a field in 1956. If anyone out there has it, let me know! Would have been in Hamburg/Buffalo NY.

OK I see where we are mislead- what does the starter pedal mount on?

Perfect photos, many thanks! One other that I really need is the underside of the toeboards showing exactly where/how the pedals are mounted. The parts book shows 1/4" carriage bolts for the gas pedal and wood screws for the starter pedal. We cannot seem to orient them in places that they don't' interfere with each other, or that the lower part of the starter pedal is on the middle toeboard.

I am a volunteer at the San Diego Auto Museum Restoration Shop. We are currently resuming restoration of a donated 1918 E49 Buick started 20 years ago. None of the original crew are available at this time so there is some information missing. My immediate need is for photograph(s) of the bottom of the toeboards showing how the accelerator pedal and starter pedal are mounted/located. We also need pictures of the throttle linkage showing how the linkage goes from the steering column actuator and the pedal actuator up to the carburetor, including where the throttle spring should be located and what it looks like. Someone made new toeboards but never installed them, the old ones are gone. A source for new distributor points would be nice.