Bill Stoneberg

Aww Shucks Hal, now you made me blush. :-)<P>I just get after it. I am lucky though that I have a couple of hours after work to spend on it every day and no other vehicle I HAVE to work on. It also helps that I am on a 2 year plan. I want to be done in time for the Buick Nationals in 2002 because I hear they are going to be close to Texas.<P>Yes, I love the digital cameras. I bought a cheap one to use in the shop and now have a second digital video camera. That is really cool. I use a Mac to edit it and it turns out really good.<P>But, I am still using my 30 year old Nikon F for any real important pictures I need to take. You just can beat the quality of a Nikon.<P>Bill<BR>

Rick,<BR>The camera is Digital, all it needs is batteries and lots of those.<BR>Bill

Rick, While I was at a show this weekend there was a 1950 Super unrestored that I was able to crawl all around and I took lots of pictures.<BR>I now have a much better idea of colors and bolt styles etc.<BR>It was neat a little old lady and her husband bought this brand new and is still driving it. Just cant give it up. She has had it since she was 23. It was her and her husbands first car. She lives in a small town and the car has 56K miles on it. They had to do a valve job to replace the exaughst seats with hardened seats but other than that and batteries and tires nothing has been replaced. Still in good shape for a Daily driver.<BR>Bill

Chris,<BR>Funny you should mention this. We had scheduled to go to Central Texas for a Buick show this past weekend. I prepped my '47 last weekend and drove it about 50 miles just to make sure. We left Friday and returned on Sunday. No problems unless you count the rain and vacume wipers. Rainx takes good care of that.<BR>A friend was going also in his 95 Chevy pickup and he made it about 1/2 way before the dreaded "Check engine" light came on. He pulled over stopped the truck and looked and then was towed home cause it wouldn't start again.<BR>Just goes to show you that it can happen to anyone anywhere. <BR>Take the trip.<BR>Bill

Rick,<P>Thanks for the reply. I am trying to avoid asking the color of everything. What I would like to find is a source (besides you or this forum) of this information. Obviously the shop manual doesn't tell this kind of detail and neither does the dealer literature. <P>The only thing I have to go on is what I find when I take it apart and that is mainly rust colored. <P>How do you know or how did you find these things out for example ?<P>Next, and probably more important, question is the advisability of reusing the 50 year old bolts and nuts. They have been coming apart without breaking and fairly easily. They clean up real nice but I wonder about them being 50 years old.<P>What is your opinion ? Do you replace them when you restore a car ? If so, do you use modern hardware or where do you get original style hardware ?<P>Normally, when building a car, I will use the Arp stainless nuts and bolts. But those cars aren't a restoration either.<P>Long winded with lots of questions in this post. Thanks for your help.<P>Bill

I have the handbook and it doesn't help but thanks for the suggestion.<BR> <BR>Sometimes I get an answer over in the Buick forum, sometimes not. <BR>I almost always get help here which is why I post it in both places for something like this.<P>Bill

If the Buick Club would use the capabilities of the Internet and computers to the their full ability we caould really have something nice.<BR>Imagine that as you buy a new or old Buick you could get online and update the roster. Same if you moved, changed phones etc.<BR>Then if, for example, you are looking for anyone who owns a 1950 Estate Wagon in Texas, you just do a search and you can pull up as much information as you need. Or if you are driving from Texas to Buffalo NY you can get a list of people on the way.<BR>This is all possible nowdays. I would much rather have something like this, then a paper roster.<BR>For those without Internet access but a computer you can send the same capabilitie out on a CD. Its only about a nickle apiece to produce them once the programming is done.<P>Those are my ideas.<P>Bill<BR>

Bry,<BR>What I had meant to say was to pull it ONCE the brakes weren't locking anymore. If you are pulling it uphill it should work. Downhill it is a different story. May be able to use your truck as a brake ??<BR>Just ideas.<BR>Bill

I am at the point now where I am about to start putting my 1950 Estate wagon chassis together. I have everything clean and degreased and the frame powdercoated in the correct color.<P>Now, how do I find out what color the nuts and bolts are that hold it together ? Are they the shiney silver like new ones are now days or are they black ?<BR>How about the shocks and the steering gear ?<P>Where can I find this information or does anyone on the forum know ? I know some of you have done Buick restorations before.<P>I want this restoration to be authentic as it came from the factory. I am using all the original hardware, just need to know the color.<P>Thanks for your help.<BR>Bill

I am at the point now where I am about to start putting my 1950 Estate wagon chassis together. I have everything clean and degreased and the frame powdercoated in the correct color.<BR>Now, how do I find out what color the nuts and bolts are that hold it together ? Are they the shiney silver like new ones are now days or are they black ?<BR>How about the shocks and the steering gear ?<P>Where can I find this information or does anyone know ?<P>I want this restoration to be authentic as it came from the factory.<P>Thanks<BR>Bill

If you dont want to bid and take your chances, Bob's Automobilia has them for sale.<BR>Make sure you buy a 49 too because some colors carry over.<BR>Bill

If you dont want to bid and take your chances, Bob's Automobilia has them for sale.<BR>Make sure you buy a 49 too because some colors carry over.<BR>Bill

<BR>Last thing you want is to have a well behaved car with a rear end that growls.<P>Seriously, if you have gone through the engine and tranny, I would spend the time to go through the rear end. Bearings, seals, gaskets, thrust washers, etc. Shouldn't be more than a weekends worth of work and you will know the condition then.<BR>Look at your gears real good and replace any that have abnormal wear.<BR>You ought to be good for the rest of the cars life after that.<BR>Bill

Bry, Its good to see you are still having fun.<BR>Are you pulling the darn thing up or down a hill ? If not why do you need brakes at all ?<P>I have moved my non runner with a chain and a pickup truck and that works well too. Helps the body if you put an old tire or 2 between them so if it hits....<P>Bill

Hal,<BR>You are wrong about needing both bays. You really need 3 or 4 once it comes off the frame. <BR>I have taken the body off my Buick and now have parts all over the shop and even in the garage at home. What I wouldn't give for a covered football field for a shop.<BR>I have had my frame powdercoated and really feel that is well worth it. It is beautiful, you may want to think on that as opposed to paint. I should have pictures next week on my web site.<BR>Bill

I want to take a Torque Tube apart so I can powder coat the housing and the struts.<BR>Can this be done ? What is inside of that tube besides the driveshaft ?<BR>Do I have to disconnect it from the pinion gear ?<BR>It is off of the car and the rear end needs rebuilding so I figured I should do it all at once.<BR>Bill

This just goes to show you that you have to be careful what you buy on E-bay.<BR>You can get some deals but you can also get ripped.<BR>I am glad I dropped off. Hope you do too soon Hal.<BR>How is the "A" coming along ? <BR>Bill

To The Old Guy,<BR>You mean I can replace the guts of my rear end with a 53 - 55 rear end and get a lower gear ratio ?<BR>No problems with the Torque Tube or axels ?<BR>I have my 1950 apart right now and need to replace the guts so if I am going to do that, a smaller gear would be nice. Less torque, better hiway gearing.<BR>Bill<p>[This message has been edited by Bill Stoneberg (edited 10-14-2000).]

You will probably have to have that made special. I have never seen a kit for that car.<BR>Try suzyq22222@aol.com. This is Suzy Carr and they do some really nice work on wooden cars.<BR>Also look at <A HREF="http://www.nationalwoodieclub.com" TARGET=_blank>http://www.nationalwoodieclub.com</A> <BR>They have links to other wood car sites and woodworkers.<BR>Good luck.<BR>Bill

Huey,<BR>Thanks, I just got done bidding on it.<BR>Model A Hal, best get going on this, Only 8 days left. ;-)<BR>Bill<p>[This message has been edited by Bill Stoneberg (edited 10-11-2000).]

Yes, I admit it. I ashamed too but I fess up. I painted a Vega. But Mom, I only did it once and besides all my friends were doing it.<BR>Bill

Scott, I have done the same thing and now I have one fender that has faded less then the rest of the car. Its Ugly. Thank goodness its on my Vega and not on the Buick.<BR>I dont know what else to do though when you cant get the exact same paint as the other coats.<BR>Bill<BR>

I dont know about Hershey, but down here in Houston its wet and wonderful. Down to 60 degrees and raining, I love it. It has been 90 -112 all summer with no rain, so this is a welcome change.<BR>I was going to pull the rear end of my Buick apart but it is so wet, I actually watched football instead.<BR>Enjoy Montana.<BR>Bill

So if you dont want to spend 40K but still want to get a Senior award at the Nationals is there any hope ?<BR>Bill

Tom,<BR>I posted the same question a month or so and if you look throught the threads you can find a person who knows someone in Northern Illinois.<BR>Didn't help me cause I am in Texas.<BR>I looked and found the post<P>Here it is.....<P>There is a fellow in our area that has rebuilt many Dynaflow Transmissions for the Chicagoland Chapter Club members. I highly recomend him.<BR>He is Tom Kasper Sr., with A-1 Transmissions in Elgin, IL. He is semi- retired, he now only works on the old Dynaflows and Jetaways and leaves the new stuff to his son. Phone him at 847-888-4200 or <BR>847-622-9225. Make sure you talk to the old guy.<P>He disassembled mine right in front of me and told exactly what it needed. He also said that 75% of the transmissions he repairs, somebody else had already tried and failed.<P>Scott<P><p>[This message has been edited by Bill Stoneberg (edited 10-07-2000).]