1936 Special restoration questions

[Pete Phillips]

I stopped in at McPherson College last week, where they are restoring a 1936 Special 2-dr. sedan. Knowing I am in the BCA, the instructors asked me a couple of questions to help guide the restoration work. Since I don't own nor have I restored a '36 Buick, I'll post the questions here.

1. Can someone with one of these cars post a photo of the side or lower ends of the headliner. It appears that it stops 2-3 inches above the rear quarter window, at a seam made with half-round windlace or fabric-covered rubber seam? Does this seam and windlace continue with the top of the door, and is there windlace around the door openings? A photo of an unrestored or properly restored 2-dr. '36 Special or Century would answer everything.

2. How is the air cleaner supported when mounted on the air cleaner. On my '48, there is a triangular bracket attached to left front of cylinder head, and this is what holds the bottom of the air cleaner.

Any help appreciated, and will be passed on to the right folks. This is a car that has been apart for many years at McPherson, and the people who took it apart have long since graduated, including me.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Sherman, Texas

1948 Roadmaster model 71

1949 Super model 59

1950 Roadmaster model 76-R

1963 Wildcat conv. 4-spd. 425

[groselle]

Pete,

I'm currently restoring a 4 door 1936 Special. Unfortunately, my headliner is long gone so I can't answer your first question but I'll take a stab at the second one. For the 1936 Specials there were two different air cleaners offered. The "regular" one that just sat on top of the carburator and a "heavy duty" version that was on cars sold in dusty environments. My car originated in Arizona so it has the "heavy duty" version. These attached extended to the front of the engine where there is an "L" bracket that attached to the front two left head bolts. I've attached some pictures. You can also see that cars with a heavy duty air cleaner had a bent cowl to radiator rod. I believe on the cars with normal air cleaners that both of the rods were straight.

[img:left]http://home.earthlink.net/~36buick/images/AirC_1.JPG

[img:left]http://home.earthlink.net/~36buick/images/AirC_2.JPG

[img:left]http://home.earthlink.net/~36buick/images/AirC_3.JPG

[groselle]

Lets see if I can actually get the pictures attached.

[Pete Phillips]

Gregory,

Perfect photos, thanks so much! Yes, they have the same air cleaner on their car. I'm told that if the Buick was sold new anyplace west of the Mississippi River, it came with the heavy duty air cleaner like yours, and if east of the Mississippi River, it had the standard and smaller air cleaner.

Pete Phillips

Sherman,TX

[Mark Shaw]

All those western movies made in the thirties must have convinced the boys in Flint that the wild west had nothing but dusty trails....

and no paved roads...