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Fr. Buick

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Everything posted by Fr. Buick

  1. Keep in mind that there are an earlier and a later design. The differences are that the later ring is bolted to the carrrier, the old one rivited. One will not swap to the other. The other difference is in the pinion, which is shaped differently on the shaft and uses different bearings, spacer and seal. Once all assembled, the pinion and everything on it will fit into the old housing, but the old pinion can not take the newer bearings etc.. If you can find a whole pumpkin that is good, it will bolt right in, new or old syle, to whatever axel housing you have. I spent a good bit of time and cash to get a set for my '54 Super with your same ratio just months ago, so this is how I know. You and I are screwed for a few reasons: First, a lot of diffs are bad due to trans oil leaking down the torq-tube and, without ever making a mess, ruining the rear end. Second, these complete pumpkins swap into older Buicks back to 1940 without much fuss, giving the older cars longer legs for the interstates, so everybody with Buicks back to 1940 has been looking for 54-55 gears with your ratio. Third, Specials and any car with a manual trans will come with gears with shorter legs. They can be found more easily, and will make your Century really fly of the road, but will rev the engine more on the freeway. Hope that helps, and good luck, Doug Doug Cook
  2. Big M is definitely worth a trip. If for no other reason than to take a look at any GM trunk lid from the 50's to see how the trunk lock works from the inside. It could well be that yours is rusted solid and neeeds some good torq to get open. Keep trying to use the key while wiggling the trunk up and down if you can. But be careful, a brass key will only take so much. If that doesn't work, take out the back seat. The bottom part lifts up from the bottom, the upper part takes a bit more work to undo attaching points. With a very long flat-head screw driver - You will see how when you visit Big M - reach in and turn the lock from the inside. I hope this helps, Doug Cook
  3. The Dynaflow will let you know when there is a problem... The only way to tell is to drive it and be attentive to noises and how it performs. But for casual driving, I don't think you did any harm without the DF cooler. Hook it up as soon as you can, and be sure to run a strong blast of garden hose water through it before you do to really clean it out. And keep an eye on the fluid. If you see signs of moisture in the DF fluid, then you have a problem. Happy wrenching, Doug Cook
  4. Two-tone paint was only for the roof in '54. The lower half of the car was all one color. Color-change below the sweep-spear side-trim only came in '55. It is a common modification, and not bad looking either, but not factory correct. It is also harder to do behind the rear wheel on hard-tops and converts in '54 because the trim does not have a clean ending with the tail-light like it does in '55 and '56. Check out the 1954 Buick web site - very helpful info there, especially of you take the plunge or are thinking about it... Happy wrenching, Doug
  5. Thanks much, I will dig up a copy of that Life Magazine issue. Doug
  6. No exorcism, thank you. Those scare me... But the fuel pump failed just the day before, so that had to get "driven out" with some effort and prayer. Fortunately, just a few months ago I rebuilt an NOS pump I had on hand, so it was ready to go when I needed it.
  7. I am enjoying a largely original '54 Super Riviera that I brought home last year from Texas - the odomoter just passed 66,666 miles today. The car has an applique sticker on the dash, just above the radio, advertising what I assume was the dealership where the car was bought brand new. The sticker reads "Remensperger Bros, 2145 Market Street, San Francisco" in a very cool 50's style of logo From what I can find, Market Street was the place for many car dealerships for a very long time in SF. A Google Map search shows a building on the site, but aside from a car ramp going underground, I see no remnants of a dealership. Anybody have any history? Finding a license frame or any memorabilia would be very exciting. Grateful for any help, Doug Cook Orange, CA
  8. I would take the drain fittings on the sides of the block out completely. They are a brass fitting with pipe thread, and no risk in removing them. Anyway I did that on a low-miles '54 Super and got a bunch of rust sediment out that way, and it never would have made it out the little holes in the pep-cock. Run water with a garden hose through every possible hose and hole, even plugging things up in different ways to get the water to flow. Do this even for the heaters (valve open) and Dynaflow cooler. Fill it with water and drive for a few outings. Flush again, fill and drive. If cooling is still a problem, try the radiator cleaning and filter as mentioned above. Keep a very good eye on the heater valve uder the dash and the defroster core, as they may start leaking in the process. Hope that helps, Doug Cook
  9. NO!!! I looked under the hood on my '54 Super Riviera, in very original condition, just to be sure... Rotate the coil so that the positive terminal is on top. The pink wire and the yellow wire of the same thickness go to the starter switch at the base of the carb. It makes no difference how these two are put on. One for each side. The other yellow wire, the thicker one of the bunch goes to the top of the coil (Pos), along with a condensor wire. The condensor itself is mounted ontop of the coil bracket. The other wire going to the coil, and attached at the bottom of the coil (Neg), is a short black wire running from the side of the distributer housing. I hope that helps, and happy wrenching! Doug Cook
  10. The lid does not have to be air-tight. All it does is keep the washer fluid in. The vacuum noise sounds like a hose is loose. I would look at the back of the wiper switch to see if a hose is disconnected. There would be two hoses to the switch, I believe: one from the switch to the vacuum source, and the other running from the switch to the washer pump. I hope that helps, Doug Cook
  11. I have seen it that bad and worse before on a friend's '50 Buick and my ownm '54. It cleans out easily enough, and does not seem to harm the pump in any permanent way. It looks like some strange reaction of the alloys in the pump to whatever contaminants are in the gas - water and otherwise. Just think how well it will work once it is all spiffy and clean! Doug Cook
  12. Dibs on #35, please. I will send you a private message, Doug Cok
  13. We are more and more becomming a society of individualists. Just ask the Elks, the Masons and every other social group. DVDs, Internet, take our guess as to the latest causes. But nothing replaces relationships: learning how to do things, where the parts are, and how to enjoy this hobby. I have met very fine people, done some very fun things, received - and hopefully offered back - very generous and patient help. And gone to some fun nationals and regionals. None of that, and even this chat room, would have happened without the BCA. Some folks are really hurting, but for the vast majority, dues are simply a favorite gripe and not the real issue. To make a club work you have to show up ad pitch in, and that is the central issue. I don't understand how folks in the old car hobby can fail to appreciate that. Maybe the should pick up video-games as a hobby instead. You can sit on the couch and never leave your front door. Thanks for a fun and benefical club, everybody!
  14. OK, Ladies and Gentlemen, here is what I can surmise from the pages posted by Mr. Earl, who came through as always... There are some serious differences: --'55 ring gear is bolted onto the diff carrier, requiring a '55 diff carrier and the special bolts. --'55 pinion assembly is notably different, but will fit into the the '54 diff case. It will need, however, the '55 bearings, lock sleave, spacer and oil seal, which were all redesigned. Assembly will be somewhat different too, due to the design change in the bearings. I am informed by Old Tank that bearings for the '55 pinion are getting hard to come by, so this should be considered as well. Long story short, I will go with a used '54 ring and pinion, since my mechanic has all the other bearings ready to go. I guess I will just have to start collecting a few rear ends for future needs. Thanks to all, and hope this helps. Caveat emptor, Doug Cook
  15. Has anyone ever put the later-55 bolt-on ring gear onto an early-55 or prior rivet-style differential carrier? I have an angle on NOS gears for my '54, but the ring is the late '55 bolt-on type. SO, can I modify my stock differential carrier, or do I need to find another to suite the bolt-on ring? Grateful for your help, Doug Cook
  16. I am in need of NOS or near perfect ring and pinion for a '54 Super, 3.4 ratio. Group #5.529, part #1391656. Any help is much appreciated, Doug Cook cell 714-48-1664
  17. Thanks, I got through by way of a phone number in my Buick roster. Turns out I mis-typed my own, so he coud not reach me... All is well, you may return to your usual activities. Happy wrenching, Doug Cook
  18. I placed an internet order for parts for my '54 Super with the Buick Farm six days ago, and have heard nothing by email or phone, nor has there been a charge to my card. Anyone know what's going on? Is the company still up and running? Thanks, Doug Cook
  19. I was amazed to find it, and hope it helps somebody out there. A '53 Roadmaster sedan at the pick-your-part yard just north of Madera, in central California on route 99. Good front clip, though bumpers and grill are gone. No hood ornament or side trim. Dash guages all there, faces have slight cracking, but not bad. Power stering is all there but for the pump lid. Engine mostly there but for rockers, carb, distr, gen and water pump. Wheels gone, brakes all there. Dynaflow stll there but cooler is gone. Hope that helps, and happy wrenching, Doug Cook
  20. Looking for the following, and willing to travel to most of Midwest or Southwest to bring it home: -Rust-free hood -Rear-end assembly -Factory AC parts or complete set-up -Power-Steering gearbox -Dynaflow cooler Grateful for any help, Doug Cook cell 714-488-1664
  21. Please rotate around - East, West, Mid-West, South, etc. Chapters can learn to expect a little variety like this, and plan to make a bid accordingly. Keep it simple, as said before, and inexpensive. And when push comes to shove, some gratitude should be shown for those chapters willing to do the work. So show up, help out, and don't gripe about imperfections. Looking forward to Aimes, Doug Cook Orange County Chapter, SoCal
  22. My Pop picked up an early Nailhead the other day... Block # reads V7801345. It has been modified for hot-rodding - Ford frame mounts, aluminum flywheel and what I think is a big-series Buick clutch, a WCFB four-barrel with the Buick starter switch, and a cast pully on the front with no harmonic balancer. Any clue on what we have here? Grateful for any help, and happy wrenching! Doug Cook
  23. Thanks to all, I appreciate the help. I don't have my FSM with me, so had to rely on failing memory and friendly help... Wish me luck, and happy wrenching, Doug Cook
  24. I am looking over a '54 to buy, and the owner's mechanic informs me that the brake drums measure as follow: Front 12.153 Rear 12.163 Is that not a little high? Without my FSM in front of me, I seem to recall 12.120 as a max for turning the drums - or am I confusing iron drums with the later aluminum ones? The car is supposed to be a 30-40K original mile wonder. Drums don't lie, so what should the numbers tell me? Additional info: Compression on the engine is 85-90 psi. As well, the front bearings are after-market "Timken" brand and not the factor "New Departure." Comments appreciated, Doug Cook
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