56Roadmaster

5'20, Can you e-mail me with the part numbers and a jpeg image of one. I may be interested in the set.

Hi all, Does any one know who supplies a PCV breather tube- rubber tube on pass valve cover and connects to PCV filter in air cleaner? I know I can make a rig but I would like replace it with an original direct fit. Thanks in advance

Hi Leif, Have not heard from you in a while. Door safety lock is tumbler in door handle. You can also find the code on the trunk lock cylinder-much easier to get out. It may be on the cylinder or on the extension bar which engages the actual trunk lock mechanism. I had keys made for one my convertibles and the hardtop from the trunk lock cylinder, one number for one car was on the cylinder, the other was on the extension bar. A hardware store in New London, CT had codes still! and was able to make keys. how is your convertible? I guess you must have it stored for winter? If you have trouble getting key I will get the name of the store again for you over here.

Hi, Well, I'm telling you again, check the timing chain.

Yes, That bolt behinf the inner fender is a pain. I have measured in before and bored a hole with a unit-bit (step drill) large enough to get ratchet through, but standard size (i.e. 3/4") so I could put in push in hole cover avialable through most hardware stores. Good Luck

Well, I have done some time in the junk business as well as antique cars. I'll tell you another big driver in disapperance is WEIGHT!!! Nothing better than a load of high priced HEAVY marques to make a days pay! Like at lot of old timers ( I know quite a few junk men 75+) said when you had to cut in the days before torches with a hack saw the heavier and better, as for the bodies...usually they were burned, crushed and buried. I have personally seen several remote yards in CT heaped with bodies of convertibles and coupes from the 30's and 40's just piled in mess with all the frames missing, you can tell that 50 or 60 years ago there wasn't much wrong...but then they were just another old car. Don't forget the countless cars that had an after life as saw rig prime movers, and tractors.

I have a 1983 Regal with T tops but no console, it is a factory original.Column shift, would be interested to know what the console option looked like.

Hey UZ just to give some help on a very hard to find part. If your RM has power brakes they are Delco and the correct MASTER cylinder overhaul kit GM part # is 5455147 CARS INC has a few NOS kits left I bought two they are VERY VERY VERY hard to find as this is one year set up, NOT available at parts stores and the brake guys in Hemmings won't sell you a kit or give suppliers. It took me over two years to track down the right part number. I have the 56 Master Parts Book now so if you need any part numbers feel free to email me. If you have standard brakes master cylinder kit GM # 5455765. Wheel cylinder repair kits are still available as well as hoses through NAPA, you just have to get the guy to look in the books not in the computer. Good Luck

If its a 401 look at the front top surface of the engine block (a thin horizontal area of block showing and running between the heads)infront of the valley pan (lifter galley cover) you will find numbers and a code stamped there for 1960 401 4G, '61 4H, '62 2I or 4I '63 JR or JT doubt 63 cause it has open driveshaft. '60 364 3G '61 3H Head numbers for 56 are 1170801 & 1392351, block assy. appears to be 1392586 these numbers are from 56 Buick Master Parts book. i also have an original 55 engine the exhaust manifolds are smaller and don't look like the header type on the 56 engine hope that helps.

Yep, The 4dr HDTP is a nice looking car. I had one of those as a donor for my 2dr HDTP it was sea foam green. Good luck with your engine rebuild, too bad it's stuck with such low miles I bet it ran good. I'm sure you've already considered this, but did you try unsticking it? If it has been garaged it probably is not stuck that hard. Try soaking cylinders and valves with a good penetrating oil such as Kroil or PB Blaster. Then after a week you can get a bar on the flywheel teeth through the access plates on the tranny and between bar and jogging the starter you may get her loose. I have had substantial luck with many engines this way including some of my 322 nailheads. Just carefully tap the valves on the rockers too to loosen them up. You may even have a mouse nest it the bell housing and believe me nuts and hair will bind the engine tight. Just a suggestion, as I can't see a 35K engine needing such major work like you plan. unless it was burned out by severe misuse or out side with the hood up.

Since the jetstar is hot topic this month, any one have a source for a rear Bumper for the 88 model. I have a '65 that I am getting ready for a driver. Have had it a while 330 auto runs good just been sitting so bumper has rotted, surprisingly frame is still good! In order to pass inspection will need bumper. not ready to buy yet but just looking for source. Thanks.

Well UZ, Felpro still makes the complete engine gasket set FS 7613 SH-2 this includes the original style high compression "tin" head gaskets. I bought bearings and rings from Kanter, the rings are Grant brand. Kanter is ok to deal with, aslo check Cars Inc. in New Jersey-very good to deal with have NOS parts. Really you should use your engine rebuilder to get the parts he will or should know where and who to buy from, and price is practically the same-that's the best route. One last note NO PART for this engine has to be custom made so run away if you hear that! These were very popular and made from 53-56 and also used in the GMC trucks, so the parts are out there still. PS what kind of Roadmaster do you guys have???!!! 56 Roadmasters are COOL!!!

Well, you have to be careful with the water- the idea is to thermally cycle bolts (expand and contract) which might work only trouble is if you heat near red hor you are near the temperature which result in forming a very hard and brittle material when you quench it the microstructure changes thus more chance to break. SO if you do the heat and cool keep the temperature at 200-300F max. Heating red and cooling slowly goes wrong too this time you soften the bolt too much with same end result (breaks) If you are talking about manifold to pipe studs if they don't feel right they will break so cut off and leave enough to grab with vise grips the manifold can then be removed and heated red (cast iron structure is not affected in the same way as steel-which is iron with very very low carbon content while cast iron has very high carbon content) AROUND the stud hole when all it cherry red stud will back out like butter. Other wise you will have to drill in that case cut bolt flush and carefully center and drill to a step below thread size and clear out with a two flute tap. If you are comming off the engine v-8 is easier than inline engines, v-8 usually spin out if you can get on the bolt head. Sometimes you will require a metric size below that you force over the rusted head size. For any manifold if it doesn't come off realtively easy be sure you check for hidden bolts like under the center- especially true of in line engines. try and work evenly from center out to ends. If you break a stud in the head be careful when drilling not to go into a water jacket or oil passage, generally studs bolts are threaded in about 5/8" Some cars have sutds going into water jacket from factory but I don't think Buick did.

I have found Benchwick's in Ohio to be helpful and reasonable in procuring parts and literaure. They are listed in Hemmings in small ad under services.

Peter, That BUICK is nice looker I guess you are carrying a family? The artillery wheels are less work to clean!!! The Buick just has been a step ahead on everyone at least in sound engine design for a long time. As for insert bearings yes they can handle a higher load, but properly set and adjusted with a good grade of oil that gets changed as suggested, the poured babbit will keep right on a-going. Buick supported their engines on the maximum number of main bearings too. If the Buick gives you any kind of major trouble you can BE SURE that it was INCORRECTLY REDONE or was beaten HARD. I like the Ford A too but unless you had the engine updated i.e. balanced and pressure feed oil added you won't be able to get any long life at 50+ mph. I had a little coupe in high school that i refurbished it had an old engine an we kids used to push it hard 65mph but that resulted in reshimming my bearings ALOT (like a monthly thing) of course we were REALLY pushing it. Final notes having worked on the supposed CLASSICs i.e. 31-33 custom imperial , Senior Packards etc. -- nice body and all but the engines are flat head, an inherently poor combustion chamber type, and the Packards have those dam odd ball cam followers that like to break if the valves stick. The buick has a better combustion design, roller lifters (some) and a valve train that is basically still in use today in every major brand. And again parts are available, and to top it off GM WAS SO CONFIDENT IN BUICKS ENGINE DESIGN THEY WERE USED IN THE GMC TRUCKS. lASTLY FOR THE PRICE OF THE SEDAN YOU MIGHT PAY NEARLY THAT FOR A MODEL A ANY HOW. N'UFF SAID.

Rich, the 29 model 75 we are working on has the "Delco Love Joy" cast into them, I don't if Ed got in touch with you yet but perhaps you could ask him for the numbers on those. BTW any luck with trying Steele about the spring bushings?

Bama, like the last post it is safe to park with a block. What probably has happened is that the ratchet pawl (metal on those type 300 tranny used by Buick, Olds, Pontiac) has either broken off or the linkage mechanism inside or outside the tranny has come out of alignment. I hav e rebuilt three of these units myself and had the same trouble with one. the only difference between park and nuetral is the ratchet lock, a spring loaded pawl engages a notched ring attached to the main drum to lock the tranny. chances are if your other gears coincide with selector position the problem is internal. check the linkage outside first, it may be the bushing that aligns the shift crosshaft to the frame is worn out this sometimes causes alot of slack and it won't go in to park you can compensate by adjusting the sliding nut on the shift linkage. other wise it is inside. If i remember right you can get to the pawl just by removing the pan. It may be the spring on the pawl shaft is broken which would prevent engagement. This same tranny is used in alot of GM cars so spare parts are not a big deal. if the pawl, spring, or shaft broke the part will more than likely dropped into the pan and its highly unlikely they could get into moving parts.

You should be able to get that stuff at a junkyard out your way (unless you already went that route and don't like price) However, out here in Connecticut you van try Mt. Tobe autoparts, they do have some 56 specials with the parts you require, They are located in Plymouth, CT i don't have the number use att or what ever. May be hard to deal with but they do have such parts i was there about a year ago. 56 parts are hard to get in general. Also Desert valley in Ariz. has good stuff $$$$$ However i suspect you will get it locally for the special models.

In the 48 shop manual there are pictures of the engine in various spots in the book, they look the same as 49,50 etc. This shows only the lines on the engine. Even though these forums are the clubs everyone tries to do there best to answer questions which they know so don't be discourged. Each person has some knowledge about some area. The one that can help you may not have visited for a while so post agian and see what happens. I think the ratio of guys that have vast literature collections to those who have for their can only is very small. As a positive suggestion start going to your area swapmeets and look carefully at those guys with all the books and literature and start buying books about your car. You can usually find quite readily info about most stuff fromthe 40's up at such places. Also strike up some conversation with the old junk yard guys (hard to do) but if they think you're alright they will often let you take pictures of stuff it helps if you buy parts too AT THEIR PRICE. Good luck be patient, some one will come through

Thanks OC I didn't check the stud pattern yet. The distibutor is the early '36 style but I guess that would come off and be put on another engine too. By the way is there any body number on the cab or a number on the frame. If I can't find an engine number I want to try and find something for registration otherwise i can get DMV tag issued.

Well, I played with tempest and GTO 64-67 for along time. In any case the tempest is worth much much less than GTO, In this order GTO>LEMANS>TEMPEST. In 1964 and 65 The GTO was and OPTION PACKAGE, and 64 it is harder to decode the Vin tag where as 66 (when it beame its own line you spot a fake right off if the first numbers in the Vin are not 242. BECAREFUL of THE FRAME they have a nasty habit of rotting out just looking at moisture convertibles are worse because of boxed frame. Look at frame under front fenders,and just before rear wheels, and mid section those are typical rot spots, Also rear body mount braces just behind rear wheel and the center floor brace and floor to toe pan joint. Trust me thsese are the spots. I've owned about 8 of these cars and looked at many. If its got the cancer and you can get it under $500.00 you would be ok for parts car. If it doesn't have the rot just been sitting I'd say $2500 is limit unless it was a REAL CLEAN under 60K miler. You could sit for a while. on the otherhand the 6 banger in that car is pretty peppy I think that is a 215 like the chevy design, and it is pretty reliable, and fun to drive. My 4cents Long and short it isn't a quick sell unless near perfect

Thanks LI I will see if i can find something on the speedwell. That sounds like what i am thinking of. To anonymus, yes the butter fly does rotate on a shaft as such but that is not what i had in mind. Picture a thick disk with a port drilled or cast into it which aligns the int/exh ports to the combustion chamber as it is driven around similar to a cam shaft.

Ken, Well maybe this will help my AC catalog shows only 18mm with 1/2" reach C88L, C88,C87,C86, C83,C82, C81 in order of decearsing heat range. AC designates the first number to mean thread size ie in R44 the first 4=14mm where as C88 would mean 8=18mm OH HEY I just looked at the Suffix L means long reach that is 3/4" for the 18mm SO TRY THE AC- C88L which crosses to a Champion D23, KLG TMT50,Autolite BT10, This catalog is from 1974. let me know if this works!! This doesn't help with plugs, but rest assured the temperature and forces experinced in the exposed threads will not damage them. The temperture is well below the melting point and the worst area heat wise is around the exhaust valve. At worst some carbon deposits will form on threads. As for the gas for your engine the change is negligible, if you had a high revving engine it might be, and for emission reasons. on the other hand some engines made use of a recess leading to the plug, which you have effectivley created , to concentrate fuel in that area to ensure smooth ignition and combustion.

This is directed to you first L.I. Stellite ( by the way do you affiliate yourself with the Cobalt alloy (trade name stellite) used in valve and valve seat applications and a source of lingering radiation in reactor plants from Co-60?) Have you ever seen an engine that used some form of rotating disk to take the place of the poppet valves?- Willy's 'sludge' valve doesn't count. I mean like a cicular disk with a port through the disk either parallel or perpendicular to the drive axis. Reason I ask you first is that judging from your posts you have had the wonderful opportunity to run a wide scope of some very early and interesting stuff. I being much younger have only had the privilage of working on some of it.

Hi all, I have 1929 Larrabee 2 ton (model 40) looking for a rear axle. The axle is Brown-Lipe single wheel. Also interested in a good radiator shell, and windsheild frame. would also like correspond with other Larrabee owners. Thanks