Pete Phillips

If you are talking about the tiny part of the sweep spear moulding, yes I have one of those, but it will need replating to be nice. It is not stainless steel, it is pot metal, I think, and so it gets pitted. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, TX

I am looking for a complete temperature gauge with sending unit attached, for a 1956 Buick. New, or used. Any leads appreciated. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, TX pphillips922@earthlink.net

Look for the tabs in back that are bent over the edge of the rim to hold it in place. You just have to keep prying it apart from the back, with a thin screwdriver blade. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, Texas

Difficult to answer you without more information or a photo. Does it run? How many miles on it? Right here is a pretty good place to sell it, or an ad in the Buick Club's Buick Bugle magazine, of which I am the Editor. Pete Phillips 314 N. Walnut St. Sherman, TX 75090 pphillips922@earthlink.net

Location????? Shipping could be high, depending on how far away you are. Pete Phillips Sherman, TX

Greg, No, the only angle is front to back, with the back being lower than the front of the motor. You must have something fouled up. Are the motor mounts in place on each side? Are the hold-down studs sticking up through the top of the motor mount braces? Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Please explain how a 2-1 downshift is supposed to occur on a Turbine Drive or Dynaflow transmission. That is news to me. You have enough Dynaflow-equipped Buicks that you must know what you are talking about. I've owned and driven about 20 Dynaflow-equipped Buicks and never heard of a downshift on one of those, other than manually shifting the lever from D to L. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, Texas 1948 model 71 1949 model 59 1950 model 76-R 1959 Electra 2-dr. 1962 Electra 225 4-dr. ht. 1963 Wildcat conv. 4-spd.

Matt, Thanks for the numbers--I figured you would know, and I was pretty sure it was more than single digits. I also confess to having an ulterior motive in asking the question, because I want to do an article in the Bugle next year on 4-speed Wildcats, and this was an easier way of pulling the information out of you! Now, when are you and Ted Nagel (and anyone else who has one) going to send me info and photos of your cars? Jake, I agree with Matt that the value of that car is somewhere around the $20,000 that it was bid up to--maybe just a bit more. Had the car been running, the seller could have gotten a bit more, although it looks like it would not take much to get it running. And, yes, they are worth that. If you ever drive one, you will understand why--it is such a different experience from driving the average Buick, and they are unbelievably fast. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, Texas

I was under the impression that there were a few dozen 4-speed Wildcats (of all body styles) produced for 1963. Matt or anyone else, do you have those figures handy? I thought there were more than what was quoted in the ebay listing. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Wheel bearing? Universal joint? Rocker arm? Where is the noise coming from? Under the passenger compartment? Under the hood? Is the pavement rough when it does this? Does it do it when car sits still but engine speed is raised to what it would be at 45 mph? I would do that, and take the valve cover off to see if anything is loose under there. Pete Phillips 1949 Super Estate Wagon 1948 Roadmaster 4-dr. 1950 Roadmaster 2-dr. ht. 1959 Electra 2-dr. ht. 1962 Electra 225 4-dr. ht. 1963 Wildcat conv. 4-spd.

Juergen, You have good taste in Buicks! I love all 1933 Buicks, and the 1930 64-C is a rare and desirable car. There are only two 1930 model 64-C Buicks listed in the membership roster of the Buick Club of America. There may be a few more that exist outside of the Buick Club, but probably not more than 2 or 3 additional ones. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, Texas

I've just been informed by Bruce Kile that long-time BCA member and parts vendor Al Bell, of Bell Buick Parts in Sarasota, Florida, died last night. Condolences go out to his wife Ann. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, TX

I don't really want to, but am putting my 1959 Mercury Park Lane 4-door hardtop up for sale to fund another restoration I am doing. This is an amazing unrestored car, with 90% of its original paint, all of its original upholstery, 94,000 miles, runs and drives very well. Never hit, never wrecked, driveable anywhere as is. 430 V-8, power steering, power brakes, AM radio, clock, rear center armrest, original carpet, original door panels, recent tires 9.00 by 14", recent exhaust, brake lines, wheel cylinders, master cylinder rebuild, power booster rebuild, recent water pump, battery, new battery box, recent headliner. Clock and gas guage not working. There are some small rust holes in the rocker panels, but the moulding covers most of them and a pair of new rocker panels go with the car, as do all of the manuals. This is a very rare car; Mercury's top of the line in 1959 and one of the largest Mercurys ever made. Multi-Drive automatic transmission works perfectly. Much of the exterior chrome could stand to be replated, but car is completely operable and enjoyable as is. Paint is much too nice to consider repainting the car, in my opinion. They are only original once! Few of these cars were saved--here is one that is almost completely original. $7995. Located in Sherman, Texas. pphillips922@earthlink.net

Lubricate the wiper transmission cables where they loop over the pulleys under the dashboard. Lubricate the center of the pulley, too. Mineral oil, if you can find some, is good for lubricating the inside of the vacuum wiper motor. For rubber-sheathed cables, find the end that is highest, spray WD-40 on that end of the cable, and it will run down the inside of the cable via gravity. If you can't do that, then you have to remove the cables from the car, hang them upside down, and put lubricant onto the top of them. Nice car, by the way. I went to a local car show on Saturday near here, and was dismayed that only 10-15% of the 200 cars in the show were not street-rodded or modified in a major way. It was an all-makes show, and I only saw two Buicks in the whole show. So, you have something that not many other people have or even know about. I got so depressed, that I didn't even stay for the end of the car show to see who won. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, Texas

Sounds like a bad neutral safety switch to me, too. You could also take an insulated screwdriver, and touch it across the large and the small wire terminals on the starter solenoid, if you can get to them safely, and get the car to crank that way. There will be a big spark when you do this, so don't light any matches, don't do it if there is a gas leak anywhere, and don't touch anything else with the screwdriver. And make sure car is in neutral, emergency brake set, etc. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, Texas

I think this is from a 1925 Buick. Anyway, the soft, gray, metal piece is broken. I've tried gluing it back together but the whole thing is cracked in many places--probably has been dropped or fallen. Does anyone have a spare piece for this, or will buy the whole speedometer if I must. I think one from 1924 through 1927 will be pretty much the same. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, Texas pphillips922@earthlink.net

Jayson, The North Texas Chapter has a web site, and you can reach it by going to Buick Club of America - BCA - Welcome, then clicking on the "find a chapter or region or division near you", and then click on the North Texas Chapter listing, which takes you to our web page. We did have a question and answer forum on that web page, but it had to be changed recently to a new hosting outfit, and I am not computer savvy enough to know if a new forum got added to that as well, but give it a try. If no dice, send me what ever you need to discuss, and I can pass it around to most of our other members whose email addresses I have. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, Texas North Texas Chapter member (and founder)

As Adam says, you need to verify that you have the original engine to the car. Engine # and VIN on the driver's door/windshield post should be the same. 401s were green in the '63 LeSabre, Wildcat, and Electra, but they were silver in the '63 Rivieras, as others have noted. You might have an engine transplant from one of those cars. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

And here is a photo of "Old Tank's" 1955 Century at a recent car show. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

It looks like a 1933 Chrysler to me. Dodge did not have the split windshield, and DeSoto's grille was more rounded with horizontal, outward curving lines. It also resembles a 1934 Franklin that I once owned, but those late Franklins did not have the split windshield. Pete Phillips Sherman, Texas

Wow, this is fairly close to me and I already own one of these, so would be glad to go look at this one if anyone is seriously interested. I have the piece of glass that the car is missing (no, I didn't steal it from this one!), and I have quite a few extra parts for one of these. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, Texas P.S.: Someone needs to go and buy this before I do. I don't have the space, I don't have the time for another project, but this one is gnawing at me. Don't know whether to thank or curse "Jake" for pointing it out!

I have a rolling parts car, 1964 Rambler American 440 convertible, with the 196 overhead valve 6-cylinder engine, automatic on the column, factory A/C, odometer shows around 80,000 miles I think; engine will run if gas is put into the carburetor. Car is missing some parts but could be restored if these parts are found: seats missing, top is missing but the top bows and frame are there; I took the gas tank to use on my nicer car; wheel covers are missing; spare tire & jack are missing; and the elusive hood emblem is of course missing. This convertible has most of its original black paint but would need a repaint. There is minor rust in both rear quarters and a 2-inch by 1/2-inch hole in the floor, but other than that, the car is very, very solid. Windshield has a crack and there are a couple of light dents here and there, but not bad. I will sell the car for $700 as is, or else it will be parted out. Pete Phillips Sherman, Texas pphillips922@earthlink.net

Derek, That sounds promising-thanks for the info. Mine is 58" from rear corner to rear of front cross brace as well. I can't compare your other measurement because the hood ornament is gone, but it is 62.5 inches from front to rear, measured along the center of the hood. Pete

What is the seller's real name? I might be able to help if I knew that. If the seller is so secretive that he can't put his real name out there somewhere, I would hesitate to do business with them, unless I started out with a couple of small purchases first. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

A friend is looking for a hood for his 1941 Special. Another friend has a hood for a 1941 Super, but I know they are not the same, since the Super has the hidden cowl in '41. I have a 1941 hood here in my garage, but I do not know which body style or series it fits. Once upon a time, someone told me that there is a number stamped under the hood that tells what series and style it fits. Seems like mine was a #5--I haven't pulled it out to look lately. Does any 1941 expert know the code on these hoods? Or is there any other way to identify which hood fits which cars? Thanks for any help. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Sherman, Texas