old-tank

blown nailhead2 blown nailhead Links to 2 photos of a 1953 Buick Skylark at the recent National meet in Bellvue. A McCulloch supercharger blowing through what appeared a stock Carter WCFB...this ain't supposed to work without a shrouded carb, but apparently it does. A few years ago there was a thread on twin turbos on a nailhead. As I remember a pair of used Chrysler 4 cyl turbos were used...don't remember if the final report was ever posted. A few months ago I was at a rat-rod show where twin turbos were blowing through twin 2bbl carbs on a Ford flathead...it too seemed to work without a shroud on the cards. So boosting a nailhead can be done, so show us ... Willie

Thanks for the tip Lamar, but please respond by PM, email or call me...seems some other F-er just bought the part...I just hope it was not someone from this forum... Willie

WTB: 1955 ignition switch, Gr. 2.189, p/n 1116505. I want NOS; I already have some used ones and since this is going to be a large pain to replace, I want the best. Thanks, Willie

WTB: 1955 A/C compressor clutch bearing Gr.9.181 p/n 5911820. NOS, NORS, or good used considered. Thanks, Willie

Gary The bearings are not very tight but you need some sort of tool to remove. I use a puller with the arms reversed and have the screw engage a flat piece of metal spanning the end of the axle. I have seen a slide hammer tool used that had expandable hooks. Most auto parts stores have tools to loan or rent. I have a friend with a 54 that left out the inner seals and has had no trouble for 10,000 miles...apparently enough lube will get to the bearings unless racing a circle track. If the inner seal is still good just add some grease and replace the outter seal unless you think the grease installed was many years ago, in which case there may be compatibily problems. I have not bought shock links from CARS...try Bob's Automobilia, since they seem to have better products ( and attitude ). Willie

Lamar The engine has 45,000 miles. Willie

Tom There has to be some play or looseness in even a new part. Sounds like your new part has normal looseness and maybe your old part was OK too. A very worn part will have much more looseness and there will be a definite wear pattern on the threads of the idler arm bracket. Pages 251 and 252 of the service manual details the adjustment. Willie

Ken I'm a little late getting to this tread since I have been playing in the streets between central Texas and Seattle. Lots of sound advice so far. Before you start the engine be sure the machine shop did not install shims under the valve springs... if they installed generic shims that cover the recess that the inner valve spring sits in you will get spring bind after the lifters pump up fully after starting. This has happened 3 times on heads that machine shops serviced even after alerting them. The first time resulted in bend push rods, broken rocker arms, bent and broken rocker shafts and a bent cam. I check that and all machine work before assembly and installation due to sloppy work and poor attitudes: "it's just an old car that will be driven in parades a few miles a year, so it need not be perfect"...that is one excuse I got for substandard work! Willie

Gary When you get the gasket from CARS, glue it to the differntial cover with 3M weatherseal cement and then use some silicon sealer on the other side before you install. That is what was on before as a sole sealant and is used that way on modern cars...that is what the dealer used on my 97 F150 10 years ago. That skinny gasket from cars will not seal well by itself. Teflon tape or any other thread sealant is not a bad idea...it will not leak badly without but seeps and is always messy. If the shocks are only leaking and functioning well after filling try my tip: http://forums.aaca.org/ubbthreads.php?ub...true#Post428742 Willie

I have the 1954 book that you need. Send me a PM or email and I will get you a copy if you still need it. Willie

Lamar, I'll let you know about the PS bearing when I tear into it. All of these parts have been replaced or serviced in the past, but for some it has been up to 65,000 miles. Willie

After arriving home yesterday evening, we too had to have some Mexican food. Bill beat me on the miles driven, we only did 5238. For me that was "The mother of all roadtrips" (should have been the title of this tread). Overall ecomony(?) was 15.5 mpg and 5 quarts of oil. I had planned on changing the oil on the road but it still looked clean and no one would change the cartridge filter even though I had one and offered to 'help'...so it got changed this morning. The oil still looked good and there was no debris in the filter canister...I've seen dirtier oil and more debris on a yearly change on a 500 mile car. This was the first trip using a Garmin GPS, which agreed with the odometer exactly on the way to Seattle, but recorded 50 more miles for the return trip, even though it was not in the car for for one short trip to go eat.(???) The speed displayed by the Garmin and the speedometer in the car was in exact agreement...until late in the day where the Buick speedometer was reading 2 mph slower. More trivia: average moving speed was 58.3 mph overall...trip to Seattle it was 62.8. The Pilot station in Ontario OR where the attendant failed to replace my gas cap sent it to my house, so now I can remove that red shop rag that served me for 2/3 of the trip. Driving the roads of the Northwest on bias ply tires was a chore due to the grooves worn in the road from studded tires and chains...even the concrete on the bridges and overpasses was worn to the point of casting shadows at lower sun angles. I have a few things to fix before the next roadtrip: ignition switch, A/C bearing, power steering pump bearing, paint the water pump that I replaced on the road, find a Carter WCFB carb with a front fuel inlet in hopes that will eliminate vapor lock, replace the wiper motor, and the usual degrease the engine and underside in addition to wash and wax the exterior. I will try to post a few pictures and some more comments later. Willie

We made it to Lubbock TX after a little delay trying to diagnose and fix an electrical problem. Seems that I lost all current to switched accessories...probably the ignition switch, which is a bear to replace. Anyhow I have it jumpered, modified and rigged to get us home. Thanks to Mike (buick5563) and Lamar (mrearl) I had enough info to fix it. If only a certain 'dumb a**' had packed the service manual...I had tools and parts to fix it but no guidance. Thanks guys!! Willie

Thanks Lamar I got it jumped, modified and rigged to start and run with all accessories....another reason to have friends on the forum. Willie

Yesterday was spent at Mt Rushmore, Crazy horse and lots of twisting mountain roads...met Bill at Hot Springs SD and after dinner and some brews we sat on a bench in front of the motel and watched the sun go down while taking in the mountain atmophere. It just doesn't get any better. Today we ended up in Pueblo CO ~450miles (plenty for and old fart). Tomorrow Lubbock TX and then home. Car is running great, with no new issues...sorry to disappoint since calamities make better reading. 4400 miles so far and 900 to go. Willie

Mike Happy b-day...now finally you are no better than I am since you joined the old fart ranks. Willie

Fixed the pump, but only made 300 miles to Buffalo WY due to heat and high elevations (vapor lock again). Bill is 30 minutes (60 miles) farther west. On to Mt Rushmore and then charge on home. Willie

We pulled in Bozeman an hour after Bill and as I was pulling into the motel parking lot a nasty rumbling/grinding was coming from the front of the engine. After removing belts one at a time to isolate, it turned out to be the water pump bearing. Bill helped disassemble, but it got dark before we could put it together. 30 minutes more and it should be running if that rebuilt pump I have carried for the last 6 years is any good. The idler pulley bearing on the A/C is rough too but should hold up if I keep the A/c turned on where it is out of the system. Stay tuned... Willie

We also ended upin Moses Lake. Only car trouble is a missing gas cap that an Oregon attendant forgot to replace, and the wiper motor quit completley...there were none at the swap meet, so it will be RainX the rest of the way home. Since we have aleady seen Yellowstone, will head for Mt Rushmore and then south. Great trip, great meet and great people!...it was a treat to finally me some forum folks. Willie

I hope Bill is in a better humor tonight when I get to talk to him. The worst leg ot the trip was across the high desert (100*+) south of Provo UT where we stayed last night. Anyhow we have made 2000 miles to the Oregon border and have about 500 to go. we are averaging 500 miles a day...mileage has been 15-18 mpg with the best in the mountains (go figure). Very good traveling today compared to the last 2. the 55 runs well in hot weather and in high altitudes, but not at the same time. Vapor lock! There is no way to duplicate those conditions back home...I have an electric fuel pump that treats the symptoms but is not the cure. I also discovered that vacuum wipers do not work as well in high altitudes. It should be 2 more easy days of traveling to include some touristy stuff. Is there gonna be some facilities or links to a place to change oil and service the beast for the trip home? Willie

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Originally Posted By: Bill Stoneberg I told Willie I would buy hime one of the 72 oz steaks for dinner tomorrow. That'll almost double his weight Mike </div></div> Not to worry he didn't buy it. anyhow we did 600 miles un 10.5 hours ended up in Amarillo TX....drove thru 100 miles if 'car wash' rain, but still the trip was less stressful: no I35, no Austin, no big ciy traffic., no 18-wheelers. Later, Willie

It's nearly 7:30 am and we are "off like a herd of turtles"...looks like we will be driving in rain for the first 200 miles. Later... Willie

Bill You know my feelings: drive it! Every year we get closer to the last year we will have that opportunity, whether due to fuel prices and availability or health and age. As you know even new parts, rebuilt parts or closely inspected parts can fail. You are still too young to be a worrier. Ask your passengers if they can deal with all imaginable "what if's" and then take it for a 50-100 mile ride tonight. Willie