Thriller

Hi Ron, Welcome to the site and the wonderful world of Buicks. You have a 1940 Model 51, which is the Super line 6 passenger 4 door touring sedan. Original production was 95,875. There are about 60 or so of the same model listed in the most recent BCA roster. Paint #551 is a silver gray upper colour and Monterey Blue lower body colour. My '41 Special (avatar) has the same paint combination. Paint chips can be seen at AutoColorLibrary. These cars are not extremely valuable compared to some other models, but it sounds like you are in pretty good shape for the money you have into it. If the body / paint and interior upholstery are acceptable to you, then I'd say you made a pretty good deal. That is about all the information I can provide. Good luck.

Whimper. I don't have a car from the '30s yet, and I love the '36s. The blasted lottery just hasn't come through yet. Sigh.

Brian - are the photos available without a login? I'd love to see the photos of this car, even though the Minister of Finance might file divorce papers if she knew....

One thing to keep in mind is that the quarter panel emblems changed during the 1966 model year. Early cars had the script like the '65s, and a mid-year changed moved to block letters. I would presume that a quarter panel from a late car would have a lot more holes in it to accommodate the individual letters. You could also search for Wheatbelt Buick - they are a Buick only wrecking yard in Oklahoma. If they have them, they are good people to deal with.

Many automotive writers don't know what the word restore / restored / restoration means either. Restoration - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary I liked it a few years back when the new "word" was "restification", implying that some artistic license is being taken with a restoration project, but the car retains essentially a stock look. So, for example, improving the brakes, adding Vintage Air, non-stock colour or at least non-original colour, etc. are things that fall into that. Some of us are still somewhat of sticklers when it comes to the English language...JD, you aren't alone, at least on this one.

Pretty cool.

I was on the judging team for the older archival cars, so I got to take a pretty close look at the car. Details are fuzzy, but getting to look at original unrestored cars is the main reason I like to judge class U.

1962 Mopars were canted...Chryslers for sure. I remember a fellow who had a number of one of the smaller models.

We know what you are talking about, but you may want to post under the AACA general area, or if there is a Cadillac area, since the expertise here is regarding Buicks. When there are many extra numbers, particularly at the bottom of the data plate, it is likely accessory codes which are related to stuff that needed to be in place at the time of body assembly. Good luck.

I've sent this via e-mail, but thought others may be interested in seeing it. This is how mine is set up. Tim reported that he's seen a couple of other ways.

You are welcome. I just try to do what I can on this site to help others out.

Hi folks. I'm hoping a few will see this and take it as a friendly reminder. If you set up your post here as Want to Buy, please make the subject for what you want to buy and add the applicable year / model. If you say you want to buy a 59 LeSabre, that is different than wanting to buy part # xxxxxx for a 59 LeSabre. Similarly, if you are selling something, please don't put just the year / model of the car if you are selling parts. The readers will think you are selling a car, not the parts. Hopefully that will help to make things a bit clearer and get a better response than if the subject line isn't as clear.

Another car I missed seeing in Ames...sigh. I love the bumper stickers....

I was aware of this car's availability before MrEarl mentioned the eBay auction. I'd like to have it (as would Joseph), but it is out of my present price range. It's a very nice car. I hope it finds a good steward.

Rocket V8? It's a nice looking car. I can attest to the comfort and power these cars have.

1931 Series 80 Model 86 - 2 door coupe - $1535, 4120 lbs., 3579 built Model 87 - 4 door sedan - $1565, 4255 lbs., 14,731 built Entire production for the 1931 model year was 138,965. I do have a book with all the series, but that would be a lot of typing (22 models). I can try to type it up in the next day or two.

Jim, PM = Private Message - click on Rick's name on the left side of the screen and you should get an option to send a message.

Very neat. Welcome aboard.

105 isn't summer to most of us up here...it is a precursor to Hades :rolleyes: I have experienced it myself though...so long as it is dry, it isn't too bad. We're supposed to be back in the 80s again by the end of the week. Today is a fine October morning.

Hemingway's '53 (if I remember correctly) was judged as archival...again, a small detail that I didn't pay attention to.

That car is a '29 Buick from Colorado (same year as the original paint open car).

Jim - sorry if I wasn't clear. I agree with you in that I would not call this over-restoration. Since they wouldn't appear to be different part numbers, it would come down to a question of manufacturing - if the cars had the rear fenders on when the body was painted, then the welting would be body colour. That should also imply that on an original car, removing the fender and welting would reveal an unpainted (or just primered) body. One thing we always need to keep in mind is that different assembly plants had different processes. So, for example, for some years, some plants had the underside of the hood painted black, while others used body colour. My thing is painting an originally unpainted part is incorrect not over-restoration. Using that as a basis, why is painting a part with the wrong paint considered over-restoration rather than incorrect? How is it different to use high gloss black instead of semi-gloss compared to using body colour or engine colour under the hood? I guess I'm looking for the definition the BCA uses for over-restoration, how it has been applied (i.e. what is currently considered over-restoration), and how it would be decided in the future as new cases come up.

It was a nice October / November day here today...about 55, windy and drizzly. Between Ames and the weather we got initially after getting home, I've had enough of heat too, but standing on the sidelines of a football game today may have been a bit too much. I don't mind that, but I'd rather see the rest of the summer first.

What is the definition of over-restoration? That is one thing that has always bugged me. I can understand that "show chrome" is better than original. I understand that new paints and processes mean that most restored cars have better paint than original. For instance, if original black under the hood is supposed to be semi-gloss, then how is gloss over-restored? It isn't just that the paint is better or done better than original, but it is not as original. How can we nitpick over shades of engine colour, but completely overlook some other things? Now, it was discussed at the judging school this year that pulleys (at least some) were to be cad plated to be correct. Discussion ensued and black was deemed possibly acceptable, but engine green was not. So, if painting a part under the hood is incorrect, why should it be any different than painting something else that shouldn't be painted? Sorry for getting off topic. Low mileage original cars with painted welting ought to be documentation enough in my mind that fender welting could be painted body colour. Similarly, Martel's photo from 1952, while not factory documentation, would be enough to convince me. The past 2 Nationals have had very nice original 1952s that I had the pleasure of being involved in judging in the Archival class, but I can honestly say that is a detail that I didn't look closely enough at / remember to be able to suggest it is one way or the other.

According to the BCA Judging Manual, it would be an appropriate engine number for a 1931 Series 80. That is all the information I am able to provide.