Those parts I found earlier this year...

[Guest ZondaC12]

I dunno if anyone remembers but I think I might have already mentioned it...I found a couple old cardboard boxes in my grandparents' shed that had some parts I could tell for sure were for the '38 (or maybe the '37 he had before the '38. I found:

-a regular air cleaner like the one currently on the '38

-the chrome rings on the front of the headlights

-two headlight side chrome strips

-a trunk hold-up bar

-a length of the interior wind-piping

-tail light lenses and 1 parking light lens (i think two of the tails are from a '37?)

-i think its a horn ring and the center section of a '38 steering wheel (i have an incorrect steering wheel--its black and from a '36 I was told)

-one of those cannister oil filters. I think ill put it in next year, probably would help a little and I like how it looks!

-another one of those stinkin tone controls like the radio in my '38 has. still surprises me that it has a "primitive graphic equalizer" i guess you could call it

-these strange thin chrome 3/4 circle rings. not sure what theyre for. if anyone knows feel free to chime in

-and finally a Marvel-Schebler carburetor. Says "C-D-1-8" on it or maybe B instead of 8 couldnt be sure

Wonderin about the steering wheel part.....I dont have the right wheel so eventually I want to replace it. The one that is there right now is in very good shape. The black (plastic?) outer ring is nice and isnt split anywhere, and I think two of the rods going to the middle are snapped right near where they attach, but the wheel is still really strong (ive had to really crank on that before, backing into place at shows!!! whew!!). So I thought maybe I'd ebay this thing, and between that and this wheel (which Ill also sell someday) I could recoup most of the cost it would be to get myself a correct '38 wheel in decent shape).

Thoughts? Any reason to keep this center section insted of just getting a full wheel down the road? At this age obviously I can always use cash LOL. Only one I might want to keep is the carburetor. Seems like this one would be a correct orignial carburetor, its got that big old Delco automatic choke. And, a bracket next to the choke that looks like it would hook directly up to a certain cable hangning in the engine bay, thats attached to a knob on the top left most corner of my dash. Manual choke car or something? Funny. The owners manual really beats into the ground the convenience of the new and revolutionary auto choke. Are these carbs good? I gotta say the auto choke thats on the AAV-16 (or 167 not sure if theres another number there) is really simple looking and the car runs very well with it all the time. Maybe I should worry about getting things back to their original specs down the road....

[Guest 1938McLaughlin]

The Horn ring and center are for a '38, personally I would hang onto them until I had may hands on a better one. Sometimes you're lucky if you find just the steering wheel.

"strange thin chrome 3/4 circle rings. not sure what theyre for."

Not sure what diameter of circle they make. But I would guess they may be for the side covers for sidemounts.

[Guest ZondaC12]

Ohhhhhhhh! Yes the sidemount covers. Haha whoda thunk it? Well you did obviously, thanks. That makes sense though, because the covers arent a complete circle.

[jeff]

The Stromberg AAV167 is the replacement for the Marvel-Shebler carb. Apparently the Marvel Sheblers were awful. Got that info from the guy who helped with my car. He was a mechanic at a Dayton Buick dealership in the 30's - serviced Buick-built B24 engines in the war. He knew his stuff.

So, keep the Marvel as a novelty, maybe put it on the car some day, but don't expect much.

Does your air cleaner fit over a Stromberg 167? It needs to clear the choke housing. I am looking for a more correct air filter - my car has the Stromberg, but not sure if the air filter is correct.

[Guest ZondaC12]

Sweet another mystery solved!!! The air cleaner seems to be the exact same shape as the one currently on the car, which does fit fine over the aav167.

[Only Buicks]

Hi Paul,

Those 3/4 rings are for the side mounts that use to be on your car.

[jeff]

Were you also interested in getting rid of the air cleaner? Post a picture if you get a chance - I would like to compare it to my own, to see if I should be looking for the right one.

I have mentioned before that I am looking for more high speed performance, I have often wondered if my air cleaner is restricting flow.

[Guest ZondaC12]

Jeeez.....cant believe I forgot that!

Attached.

[Guest Tishabet]

I too own a Marvel carb, which wast standard equipment on our '38 Specials. Just to echo the comment above, they have a VERY poor reputation compared to the Stromberg AAV-1 available that year (later years used the AAV-16, which can also be used).

I found it impossible to get a rebuild kit for my Marvel, it seems the only way to have it rebuilt is to ship it off to a pro who can mix and match parts etc. Not worth the money or hassle to rebuild a second rate carb, IMHO.

That's why I bought and rebuilt an AAV-16 for my Special. I can get a rebuild kit easily, and the carb seems to work just fine. I'd say you should do what I did, and put the Marvel in your "mechanical oddities" pile

[jeff]

Anyone know the difference between the AAV16 and AAV167? I have seen both numbers used. My guess is that the 16 was offered to dealers as a factory replacement for Marvel, and the 167 replaced the 16 a few years later, due to a minor change.

Could also be an early production / later production type of thing, as they made mid-year corrections.

Here's a link showing the 167 as a Marvel replacement.

http://www.buicks.net/shop/reference/carburetor_numbers.shtml

[Guest ZondaC12]

yeah i too found that site and was a little confused, i thought it was the AAV-1/2 in '38.

[jeff]

If you are sure that the air cleaner fits over a 167, (needs to clear the choke housing and still let the hood close - unlike the one I bought at Hershey!) I would be interested.

How about a banjo steering wheel, needs a new plastic rim. I can show you what I did with mine to build up a temporary rim, very serviceable, until you sink the bucks into new plastic.

If you want to swap, let me know - I put my e-mail on the private message board.

[Guest Two Roadmasters]

I have been using a Marvel CD2 in my -38 for the last 12 years, simply because there was no Stromberg in it when I bought it. I would say that the carb has in fact performed splendid, I know it sounds odd, but still. Once the car is started it works really good, the acceleration is top and the normal driving is of no problem. BUT, I imagine a Stromberg would be even better, especially from evaporisation and gas economy point of view, if you can talk of any economy when driving these old ones.. Once the car is turned off after a drive you have to open both hoods or the carb is totally dried out of gas. As the float material is cork, the last 70 years has made them some "heavier", thereby keeping the float level a little too high which makes it to sweat out. Like said, parts are also unavailable within normal price ranges.

I have now found a AAVB267, made for the 1953 322 engine which will fit this engine as well. I will change carb and at the same time make a new routing for the gas pipe which is more off from the intake/exhaust area. I am pretty sure that this will also reduce the evaporisation tendencies.

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Just a little note about air cleaners:

Buick, on cars with either export destinations or dealer destinations WEST of the Mississippi River, shipped as standard, the heavy duty oil bath air cleaner. On cars with dealer destinations EAST of the Missippi, cars went with the dry type air cleaner UNLESS the customer ordered the heavy duty oil bath job, for which he was charged extra.

I posted this because I noticed that Zondac is in NY, and there are responses from Sweden and Canada.

I think this comment is applicable from the early twenties to about 1955. The same rule applies to factory installed oil filters, which come out ENGINE color when this is done.

Regads, Dave Corbin

[Bill Stoneberg]

Hi Paul

That bottom picture is a liftgate holder off of one of the station wagons.

The back end were two parts, the tailgate that folded down, and then the liftgate which lifted up with the glass in it.

As you lifted there were these two liftgate holders that would lock intoplace to hold it up. Kinda like the tailgate hinge but in reverse.