buick5563

1955 had shrouds with auto transmissions, otherwise they got the finger guard. Your Electra always confused me since it had AC but no shroud.

That happened to me the second time I ever changed oil in my 55. I guess I got cocky after the first time when it was so easy and it was slightly askew. I was in a rental house at the time and my brother still refers to that house as the Exxon Valdez. It will also happen if you have two gaskets in there. I have missed that fun, but my ex-employee did that one.

I watched a video online that says to clear coat in urethane, then dab “One Shot” enamel into the letters and wipe off with mineral spirits. The spirits won’t affect the urethane.

When my career was restoring cars, I never wanted to work on my own automobiles. I was around them all day and when all was said and done, I just wanted to get in a car and drive without messing with them. I NEVER got as frustrated working on other people’s cars as I did on my own. So I bought a new Fiat Abarth. I eventually folded that business (cuz I realized I was a terrible businessman) I sold my little green 48 Buick hot rod to your truck driver and my three 55 Buicks sat in my garage, untouched and undriven for two years. I bailed on this forum because there was too much political BS going on in addition to the fact that I “didn’t like cars anymore”. Since you “have to be” around old cars for your business, maybe take a break from driving them for a week or two. Don’t let it go two years (they really turn to crap). Go drive a new Mustang or Mini Cooper or something “cool”. That will work until the first time your two year old Abarth drops you on the side of the road, and then you will be back to old cars.

The main drag of a car cover is that sometimes my laziness makes me decide not to drive it since “the cover’s on it”. The advantage is that every time you DO decide to take off the cover, you remember why you love the car I the first place.

Where’s the pat on the back emoji? Its a frustrating hobby that makes you punch things and throw stuff for a relatively balanced dude. Hang in there Matt.

Fantastic

Get something like this. I don’t know what size you need. https://www.jjautofabrics.com/tack-strip-3-4-x-7-32-sold-by-the-yard/

Geez Willie, I wish somebody would finally respond to you. 😜

56 four door sedans are WAY less frumpy than 54-55 once they gave the rear wheel a full opening.

I use bicycle inner tubes cut lengthwise. Two strips for under $5.

I desperately wanted it to work for me. It’s conceivable they work on other cars in other situations. Points ARE a pain in the butt. If they weren’t, nobody would have invented something to replace them.

Ben, I believe the rotor was the initial culprit. Perhaps caused by Pertronix. I installed a new coil (the bad one) when I replaced the distributor with new points installed.

Update number 2: Got NOS parts at the same time I received some Rockauto parts in addition to having various “new in box” parts on the shelf. Rebuilt and “pre-timed” two different distributors I had. One was my travel spare that had old parts of unknown vintage and the ex-Pertronix that was already in the wagon. Both got NOS Delco loaded breaker plates (with points and condensers). Filed the points to make sure there was no corrosion. Set gap to between .012 and .014. New coil. Checked to make sure resistor was working. Easy, yeah? Nope. I did everything to try and get the car to start. Pulled and adjusted BOTH distributors numerous times each (which as you know is not a fun job to do at the back of an engine compartment). Somehow I even reversed the distributor one time so I got an awesome backfire that made me poop myself. Made sure I was at TDC and stuck it in again. Still no dice. Mind you, this is the third day I am working to complete this one hour job. Checked spark again. Where’d the GD spark go? Bad Standard coil right out of the box. New (old) coil started immediately. No hesitation upon acceleration, so that wasn’t a carb / accelerator pump issue after all. Who knew? Leather pump might eventually wear out, but this one is still healthy. Thank you all for your advice. Wave as I pass you. Mike

I was going to post a link to the guy in south Texas who does great work but discovered he closed his doors at the end of last year. Post where you go, Lance. The list is getting slimmer.

I have used Rockauto for years for all of my customer Buicks. The rotor I installed is a Delco. I would have had no way of telling that there was an issue if I had just installed the rotor and cap. It would have just jammed.

A couple of NOS Niehoff caps and NOS Delco rotors in addition to loaded Delco breaker plates are currently on order from eBay. I guess I will not smash the Pertronix, but anybody who wants it can have it. I’m also kinda bummed that I can’t buy ignition parts from Rockauto since I had become a huge fan of that platform.

Exactly @avgwarhawk

UPDATE: This is a weird development. I was trying to fit the new cap and rotor and they wouldn’t turn. I wonder if the newer caps are “universal fit” because the nub is bigger than the distributor notch. I widened the notch, and then the rotor would stop spinning. This happened on all three distributors I have with the new rotors I have. It didn’t happen with older used Delco rotors. I will wait for the NOS parts I have on order. I wonder if the rotor expanded in the heat and was grinding against the cap. I took video of it but I guess the file size is too big. I will text or email to anybody who wants to see or help me post it.

The Pertronix HAS worked for some people. I ran one of the first gen versions for a long time. I can’t explain why they appear to live shorter lives now. Maybe the gas is worse (it is). Maybe the summer is hotter and longer (it is for me). I’m not going to try and change anybody’s mind. BUT this is the second violent failure in the second car I have used one in. It sure seems like a good idea. Points are a straight up pain in the butt to install and even more so as you get older and have to hunch over the fender. Damn, that’s the first time I have admitted on the internet that I feel old sometimes.

Don’t like. Take it easy, Lamar

Oh, and you know it wasn’t the carb after rebuilding it with one of those fancy kits from Eldon, Mo!

I ordered a smaller Carter. I had the one Matt shows and it was way too loud. It worked fantastically without my factory mechanical pump when I wasn’t running one in another application, but I decided to go back to the quieter electric pump. I also got a couple NOS loaded breaker plates, caps and rotors. Drum roll please.... Wait, drum rolls are my job. Combo of ignition and mechanical pump. The rotor was starting to chew itself up like I have seen before on Pertronix cars. This also shredded a new distributor cap. The mechanical pump was letting go and seeping into the engine. I got a rebuilt Mech pump from Willie yesterday so will install that. Carb was fine. Tank and lines also clean and fine. Rebuild a distributor tomorrow with fresh NOS parts and then have a nice day. Oh yeah. I will check and see if the car runs ok with these repairs before ditching that sweet, sweet ethanol free gas. Gracias amigos! Dump that fugging electronic POS if you are running it. Smashing video will be posted separately.

Dang dude, You’re heading to the back of the rack today!

Open or closed? I bought a really nice open trailer from Magnum on 620. In hindsight, I would have bought an aluminum bed for weight savings and maybe a longer ramp since 4’ ramps sometimes are too short to load lowered cars. Check Craigslist if you want a closed trailer. Buy somebody else’s pain. I’ve seen them go for almost the same price as new open flatbeds.