buick5563

I might have made that up.

I have installed seatbelt a in a bunch of cars. Most all of them done very much like Eric shows. My theory is if it goes through the seat two things are possible. The fabric will eventually tear. The seat springs will not be as solid as the seat bottom when holding somebody back in the event of a collision. I agree that it looks a little janky.

I have both versions in my garage and I have never seen a rivet.

If Wiperman rebuilt your motor, it will be more than sufficient. Mine is still working after 12 years.

Outstanding Al. The only thing I would like to address is why Buick changed from 53-54. I would say it is probably because the 53 was large series and 54 was small series.

Always:

Cheers.

Sure would be nice to have a 53 / 54 Skylark owner or restorer tell us how they overcame these glaringly obvious atrocities.

It's the last post on page one. Keep looking, Joe

Another hero chimes in. Thank you Adam.

Shame on my two biggest heroes in the hobby.

AACA Senior Grand National First and Meadowbrook Concours invitee. Same plastic firewall pad and incorrect trunk cardboard.

BCA 398 point car with available firewall pad (plastic) and incorrect pattern painted cardboard.

Original trunk cardboard:

And those Coker Classics are bias ply. Not radial hybrid.

Gee Mike, Not as concerned with originality on the interior? Guess not Mr. Middleton

Me either, but it says Coker Classic really big on the side. It is a very obvious flaw that GM (or Ford) never could have had on the sidewall. At least Firestone and Goodrich could have been on the car. So is using a brand that didn't exist at that time considered lazy? Jake, you and I have been sideways in the distant past, right? Not to the point of name-calling, but we have always at least (if I recall) had arguments about differing opinions. Just reiterating that discourse lets us grow. Plus, I respect your opinions even if we don't agree.

Sorry Willis, I wasn't clear in my post earlier. I posted the picture of the BFG as what I personally interpret as the correct rib pattern of mid-50's tires. This rib pattern is shown in the service manual as well as various period literature. The Coker branded tire was the rib style in question, along of course with the fact that there was never a company at that time called Coker. They are obvious from ten feet to be incorrect, but if they are bias ply and the proper size They are allowed in BCA judging. I don't know about the AACA. Look, I am not even arguing this point. Merely trying to give more food for thought. Much like the other thread I started yesterday. We have jumped on one issue that (IN MY NON-BCA SANCTIONED OPINION) is more difficult to notice versus other much more glaring errors in restoration. I have heard and even made the "argument" that if "this" is incorrect, then what else did they scrimp on. Anybody who has ever restored a car can tell immediately if a car was done correctly. There are cues. C'mon...you guys can tell within a minute of walking up to a car the degree of restoration. We, as restorers, don't get fooled by shiny paint. We see the stainless line up. We see proper headed fender bolts that weren't bought at Lowes. We see tight seams in upholstery. We see different sheens of black in the engine compartment. You AACA peeps know this to be true. I want to know these answers because I have been a team captain before. Perhaps I was just handing out high medals for no apparent reason. I do know that I had a Senior car not repeat because it was painted an incorrect color, which of course put me on the hard-ass judge side of the argument.

I chose to match the lighter tan color (custom matched at a paint store) of the two toned original. The flash from my camera lightened the color. I assure all of you that it is exactly the color of the original. I then sprayed the custom made plastic made for me by the guy who makes the kickwall pads. I preferred the texture on his plastic to the plain cardboard available at the time from my local upholstery shop. Oh...speaking of which, what do you guys do about the firewall insulators that were originally flat molded cardboard, but are now this textured jet black ABS plastic?

Isn't the point that upon close inspection that a knowledgable judge can tell an inauthentic reproduction? From ten feet away, you can tell a Coker tire has a completely wrong rib pattern in the sidewall, but I have never heard complaints of bad reproductions.

Can somebody please enlighten me with the authentic way to restore a mid 50's trunk interior? 1954 Skykark pictures below show one restored and one original. In the pictures it appears to be the same patterned cardboard as 55 small series Buicks. The restored one is clearly not the same material. I would gladly welcome other people's photographs of how the lack of available correct material has been addressed. Thank you in advance for your insights.

May I ask what you guys feel about Coker Classic tires?

With all due respect and ZERO antagonism: (Asking questions is how we all learn) How much different are the wheels?The hub is not different. The only difference is that the repros don't need to run a tube, so there is a smaller hole at the air stem. This is more of an antagonistic statement than anything that was said prior. You are coming in my house and taking a dump on the floor. Did you read this? I know for a fact that every car at a concours level does not use lacquer paint. What about the stickers I mentioned? I am not an expert on FoMoCo production, but I am reasonably certain that there wasn't some guy putting stickers on air cleaners.This is the kind of restoration that we have to do on Buicks because we have two aftermarket vendors. We don't have eight catalogs like the TBird, Mustang and Corvette folk. None of the years that originally wore these wheels have a trunk cardboard reproduced. They don't make it. Skylarks are incorrect, too. Jenkins is inauthentic. That is a much more glaring error, but NOBODY makes it. So we use regular black cardboard and paint it tan or brown or cover it with fabric. Ya know what I do when I judge one? Judge on workmanship, because not one... NOT ONE Skylark has correct trunk cardboard. Ever. We do strive for authenticity and respect history. We also have fun with our friends at the Nationals, hanging out shooting the breeze and having an adult beverage at the end of the day. We are family. Yes, we get defensive when we feel attacked. I have brought up Wheel Vintiques several times in this thread. Not as an endorsement, but as the example of the only vendor who makes authentic reproductions of the 40 spoke wheel. They make entirely acceptable wire wheels for Buicks AND Thunderbirds, as well as Packards. They are acceptable reproductions, because we can't all find good cores to re-chrome. That is why a company chose to reproduce them in the first place. Nice, well done restorations should be given some benefit of the doubt. FYI, You implied earlier that I thought you were a young girl. I had no idea who you were until somebody said your name. I surf on a phone and the mobile app doesn't show signatures, so I had no idea what your name or sex was, but then saying you didn't want to know me made me realize your true colors. What do I care about Internet forums? This is where I come to ignore the real world and hang out with my friends. Peace. I'm out.

You're killing me Dianna, You have 39 posts here, so you are new. That is the only reason I am asking this question (not to be crappy). I don't know your background, so may I ask what level your Rangoon Red Mustang has been shown? Assuming it was at a concours show, did you restore it? I'm not even being uppity and asking if you had a hand in it other than writing checks. What other cars have you owned and restored? Again, don't get defensive, I'm trying to get to know the new folks here. It's what I do http://forums.aaca.org/topic/157115-please-introduce-yourself/ For your viewing enjoyment to show that I can appreciate cars that have several massive catalogs that you can buy reproduction parts from. BTW, not always exact in my experience. I am attaching three more pictures, one is of some original KH wire wheels for 55 Buicks (Because they are 6 not 6.5") Second is a 62 Bulletbird I just sold for a friend. And third is a 62 M Code that was brought to me to fix after another restoration shop couldn't finish the car to the level that I can

Thunderbird judges allow Wheel Vintique wheels. Just sayin'