buick man

I did a pretty extensive back search on Kepich and the others. Seems in the late nines (last century), some had issues with Kepich but it appears most if not all had to do with fit problems relating to complete systems with the piping and not the mufflers. To be fair, Waldon's had a few of their own as well. Most had good to things to say about Kepich's mufflers however even when they had complained about some pipe or how he had sounded on the phone or whatever. To each his own. All in all my take is the muffler's Kepich makes should be up to snuff. Look at it this way, At least he is attempting to offer us a complete and correct looking muffler setup for the 1957-58 Buick that he claims is to complete stock specs except the dual wall design of the muffler. As far as I know you cannot find that anywhere else and he has them ready to ship both in aluminized steel and 304 Stainless. If anyone knows another place then please let me in on it. Some other things I found on my search about exhaust systems: - Stainless Steel gives your system a somewhat raspy non stock canny ticking sound compared to aluminized steel and transfers more heat. - Some of the GM years offered double walled pipes in an attempt to further quiet and mellow the sound of the exhaust systems. This does work and double pipe is still available but you will have to bend it yourself to custom install. - End piece exhaust Resonators work very well to quiet your system and that is why makers of upper end automobiles like Buick, Cadillac and Packard installed them as part of the correct system back in the day. - Most agree that to get things done right, order the mufflers and then have the pipes done on site at your local favorite muffler shop for proper fit and not at one of those big box muffler stores but a good small shop that can take the time and do it right cause most of the bad mouthings resulted from pipes not fitting properly - not the mufflers themselves. - Make sure your muffler is at least 14 gauge or heavier. - Watch out for pour welds and seams. - If you are buying a cross over pipe some are very restrictive due to crappy welding and bending techniques which has been known to greatly reduce and restrict flow. - If you have a lot of bends sometimes it is a good idea to oversize the diameter of your pipes by a 1/4 inch from stock to insure good flow. - Make sure you get a spec sheet detailing the flow of the muffler design and the number of baffles and a written statement that the complete construction is to OEM specifications and design criteria. That way if you xray the system and find that all you have is a can with two pipes and no guts then you have a good claim. Also a lot of the Buick systems were back or reverse flow design, not a Cherry Bomb type straight through design. - Wagner made mufflers as an OEM GM supplier. They can be had through Napa today. But I do not know if they are crap like everything else mass produced these days so find out about the specs as noted above. Let me know if anyone would be interested in a group buy with Kepich.

Do you have the leak down and compression numbers available for the engine? That would help sell it as well as any receipts and docs pertaining to the rebuild and who did the work.

Flattop - What kinda problems were you having with Kepich, was the system any good or not or was it a service issue? Please explain if you can. I started this post cause I was having trouble finding a good Authentic system. On a separate note: Are there others out there that provide a correct OEM craftmanship product? The correct dual muffler per side setup. One with the correct gauge of metal, original reverse flow dynamics, correct baffle orientations and dual wall insulated construction which greatly reduces "canning"? Kepich wrote me and explained he provides all of the above except for the dual wall construction but uses a heavy gauge for his single wall build. I would think one would have to use a substantial gauge sheet metal if you are not using dual wall construction. Julie Tonietto the Director at Waldron's Antique Exhaust wrote and informed me they do not make the complete correct OEM 1957 Buick dual muffler setup. They only quote the aftermarket replacement design which was the single long main mufflers and the rear resonator can muffler on each side.

Martinos: When you say new do you mean the correct dual muffler setup per side or the aftermarket single long muffler per side and are the pipes new as well?

I hear you, but just do a search and set a price. The zip code has nothing to do with you setting a price for the item itself. Put your zip code location on the posting and the buyer can get a rough idea on shipping costs. With that said, if you want to conduct an auction and or are fishing for highest and best possible, then use ebay to sell your parts as it appears you are doing. If you are gonna use this site, it is kinda of the accepted procedure on club sites to post your part with pictures and full descriptions with a stated price with a statement that shipping is extra to where ever it goes. A lot of folks, like to contribute to the hobby and come here first to offer their parts to sell and help out a fellow enthusiast's quest for much need parts to keep the hobby alive and well. With Ebay it is a different mantra altogether - for a completely different purpose.

Hey not to sound sour here, but isn't one of the Buick - Buy/Sell Forum rules here is that if you post here, you state a price for your parts? I suppose that since this is a car enthusiasts hobby site I would guess this rule helps to keep everyone within that overall purpose and decorum.

Yeah to all of this. But I would like to make a constructive suggestion so as to keep this a constructive, informative and friendly "hobbyist" website. Suggestion: How about requiring an asking or sale price up front for all parts posted. The last time I looked this is not ebay and should not be a forum for ebay. Here are my thoughts. If you want to sell to your fellow club and hobby minded companions to help in ridding yourself of your stock pile of parts that you don't really need anymore, fine that is what I feel the spirit of this site is all about. On the other hand, if this is just a "halker" card to direct attention to your full time ebay account where you are squeezing the nut for every cent then stay there. - Just my humble opinion.

... new label, same soup? - Someone hip me in here.

Just thought I would give everyone a "heads-up". Found this site on ebay. This guy has been making mufflers for apparently a very long time. He now has the complete exact copy of Buick's OEM dual exhaust system for 1957 Buicks. Check it out. Here is the link: 1957 & 1958 BUICK MUFFLER & RESONATOR ASSEMBLY - SS - eBay (item 230588132470 end time Mar-21-11 12:55:20 PDT) Maybe us Dual exhaust fans could team up and get a group buy going? Let me know if you guys would be interested?

Good points. Mike, I asked that because I thought perhaps this may have been an isolated goof up or something like that. I always thought you could also remove the largest percentage of chrome off of pot metal as well through a polarity bath then fine abrasive removal of remaining plating remnants and then off to the copper baths. I did not think you had to grind the whole thing off. But I suppose it would react with the zinc that way in the pot metal. Perhaps sand blasting the part gently would be the way to go to get the old chrome plating off.

I think the top mat has a crest that does not say buick but rather an emblem that has the Fisher Coach on it?

So Bill, how did the other parts and bumpers you had done by Superior turn out? They told me they do the old Hexavalent method. What is the type chrome method used by the other two you mentioned?

Good advice Bob. That's why I started this post so everyone could express their opinions not only on who they think does the best job and why, but also the best way to go about getting something chromed. What to look out for, how to tread and deal with these guys and the best chroming processes as well. Thought this would be a great place to put it all down right here. Whatever anyone has to say or add on the topic. On a side note, For myself, I am in the process of gearing into that chrome corner and would like to see who does what, where and how good. This economy ( or rather lack of ) is throwing a wrench into the usual business model analysis of things and I would think there may be a lot of pit falls out there to be avoided or opportunities to be embraced.

My vote is a Vacuum advance problem. This can be checked with a vacuum meter. If it runs fine under minimal torque conditions but bogs down under torque that would be the first place I would go to since your fuel system is OK. Your compression is OK since only off by a few lbs of each other. Again a vacuum gauge can confirm leaking valves as well at Top Dead Center of each cylinder. Lean mixture will cause pops and white smoke and too rich will cause black smoking. Blue black smoke is oil. Vacuum test the intake manifold system as well even if you have to take the carb off the top and plate it shut to test.

Yeah your probably right on there. That's probably why NOS 57 OEM ball joints are so hard to find even though they were year/model specific. Sometime back I came across a really great 1957 Popular Mechanics Magazine article explaining the operation of upper and lower ball joints. As these were new concepts at the time. It was comparing this with another type of newly designed concept center supported suspension system that was being touted to eliminate any geometric angle changes in the steering suspension during cornering and such. It went on to say in an upper/lower ball joint suspension system, just like our Buicks, camber and toe-in during tracking, suspension travel and cornering, the majority of vertical load flexing is taken up by the upper ball joint where the pivotal and flex forces are taken up and managed by the lower ball joint during cornering where camber comes into play. So this is probably why the lower ball joint must be checked by a lateral movement method. With that said, I would think then that the pry bar method under the tire would not be sufficient or "iffy" for the lower ball joint check but would work for the upper ball joint as this is the designed stress axis for the upper ball joint. It's too bad they do not go into a proper designed method to accomplish this lateral movement checkout. Another factor is when checked on the vehicle the ball joint cup is filled to capacity with axle grease and not dry as may be the situation on a bench test out of the vehicle. So how to best design a method to create an accurate test procedure to test for In Vivo lateral movement? I will have to think about that one.

That's it, they go onto say somewhere else about measuring 1/4 inch lateral play with the suspension supported with a jack under the lower control arm thereby taking off the upward force of compression or some such rhetoric. - I am just going on my total recall capabilities here ( yeah right). However with that said, I still do not fully comprehend how to go about this. Move what and measure where a 1/4 inch. Besides you had yours on a bench. The book calls for doing this mounted in the car. One would think the different variables here would tend for different readings? So Does that mean grab the hub at 9:00 and 3:00 and move pulling back and forth first with the right hand then the left all the while watching the ball joint for movement in the cup?? or grabbing the hub and just pulling toward your chest with both hands then pushing toward the car and watching the movement??? - Geezz a german mechanic would gasp on " Dos highly teknical" procedure. So could anyone clarify this.

Jim: Here is a photo of a Super/Roadmaster trunk carpet layout. This is the pattern sent to you. Hope this helps.

Thought I would start The Best Of Chrome Shops poll just to see where the best chroming is coming out of. Also very important please include if the shop performs the real original true blue hexavalent chrome process including the nickel and multiple copper coatings processes as needed before the actual chroming is done or just the newer trivalent chrome process? If you can include turn-around-times and ease of dealing with the shop and end quality of workmanship. BTW: Also just wondering if anyone has used this shop: Superior Chrome Plating out of Houston, Texas. In business since 1952?

I think they go on to say how one goes about measuring the runout free play. How did you you measure it to get .060?

I use my regular old guns still but have found in the last 6 or 7 years that the HVLP is pretty user friendly. I restored a car once using satin black with a clear coat matte finish once and it turned out great. Dialed in the gloss content before spraying onto car and did not have to worry about the water spotting issues later that a straight satin finish would have.

Well I posted this because the other day I was cleaning my work shelves and now have a sizable collection of paint cans that just for one reason or another did not work work out and mostly from years ago when I did not know any better. Therefore I am trying not to expand on my dust collection of paint cans if at all possible. Can't tell from the photos, but please tell me, from you guys that have used the ceramic paint, does the paint when viewed from various angles have that certain particular surface twinkle that only ceramics tend to omitt when light hits it just a certain way? If so, I would not use it on my restoration for parts that would be visible like under the hood. For the frame It sounds like a great idea. With that said, I could continue at this rate to compare one current paint with another current paint but then I would only be comparing them against each other but in the end do they actually match the original to a T or not and there in lies my quest for the perfect match. Therefore, I am sending out feelers as to what people have used and how well the results were to matching the original paint rather than if the sheen looks nice or not. According to what I have read on the topic, this then comes down to a few factors. The density of pigment in the paint and the amount of resulting correct retained gloss as a percentage. According to House of Color Paints Tech Talk, you can have two paint products of the same stated color, but the one with more pigment will result in a deeper saturation and supposedly superior depth of finish. All of which effects the color match to the OEM. Oh . . . and my thoughts on rattle cans and non catalyzed paint: Will not use them anymore. For a multitude of reasons mostly because of that very last second of painting drip factor occurring (cans) ruining your really surgical three hour prep job; to the drying time required (non catalyzed) while exposing your parts to any micro spec in the immediate area; to the not so specific spray control (spray nozzles) and finally to the decreasing amount of compressed air in the can as you use it resulting in changing spray patterns and loss of spray control and amount of paint applied. When you know what to look for with experience you can always point to a spray can job project. After all, if you have a good spray gun with various size cups small to large for the job at hand why would you ever use a spray can again unless it is in an area that only your cat can find! :confused: Keep the photos and paint stories coming. This is great.

I have a couple of questions regarding 1957 Buicks: 1) Has anyone used the Eastman product called: "Ceramic Black". This is a catalyzed 2K product? It is suppose to have a pound of ceramic embedded into the admixture of the paint in each can. I am wondering what kind of a sheen would result from it after it cures and if the result would look correct OEM stock? 2) What percentage of gloss is considered right on for the following: - 1957 Buick Inside Engine bay sides over wheels? - 1957 Buick Front Radiator cross member and front apron area supports. The pieces just in front of the radiator and which hold the hood latch mechanism and horns? I know these sections had different gloss as the engine bay sides appear somewhat of satin but what % as opposed to the more gloss front support structures. 3) Perhaps our members could post what paint manufacturer they used what % of gloss and if it was a catalyzed paint or not?

OK. So here is my question. When you are pumping the grease into the zert at each ball joint, just how much is enough? I ask this because my car came with each ball joint completely covered in grease. Looks like they kept pumping until the grease bleeds right out of the sides and then some. Looks like they then wipe the grease around the entire joint so it is covered with around a 3/8 inch deep coating. My grease was rancid and ancient and while I was cleaning the entire front suspension I removed this coating. I will be pumping grease back into the ball joints so I am asking this question as to get an idea as to how much is enough.

Rob if it would not be too much of a chore, could you send me a pm and I will give you my email address as to where you can send me a larger scan photo of that brochure. My email will accept any size you can send. That way I can read the ad copy. Nice find!

Yeah to that. The stock dually sound is one of the nicest tones you will hear. Especially when you are just idling along taking your time like a drive through a park.