Guest Mike1953 Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 (edited) Greetings.My name is Mike, and I hail from Colorado Springs.I have been into vintage cars for a while now, I had a 51 chevy truck that I drove literally every day for 4 years. Rain, snow, shine...It was an inline 6 and still 6 volt...Well I sold my truck and stepped up to a 53 buick special...Family car was what I had in mind...Currently I am sorting out all of her quirks as she is bone stock...I am looking to learn all about the world of Buicks...Any one in the Springs?I intend to make this inline 8 my daily driver...I just need to get her sorted out...Thanks!!mHit me up..I'm always down for drinkin a beer or soda and talkin cars.. Edited November 9, 2009 by Mike1953 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Mike,We just had our National Meet in Co Spring. The host chapter and chapter closest to you is the Pike's Peak Chapter. For their info go here BCA - RegionsI am certain there are many members in CO Springs, but they may or may not be on the forum. Look forward to having you in the club! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike1953 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 New plugs and she is doin a bit better, I had to order points, condenser, cap, rotor, you know the usual suspects from FLAPS...I suspect my starter needs to be rebuilt, it is acting like it has a bad spot... and the exhaust mani has a crack in her...carb needs a rebuild....but she's runnin pretty good...daily driver here we come... my 3 year old wants to cruise to pre school in it immediatly...I will be hittin you guys up for questions on the vacuum system for the wipers...these things are a bit more advanced than my 51 chevy was...Oh and here is the beauty that caught my eye... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Sweeet old Buick. Nice ride dude. Wecome to the Forum. Same sort of thing happend to me a few years ago. I bought my 15 Buick, found this site, and the national show was not that far from here that year and was already over. But I made it to Flint in 2008 and what a time we had. :cool: Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike1953 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 And this morning she is giving me battery problems in cold weather...new batt freshly charged, no start, drained right down after a few tries...I think the choke is not setting right...she does not want to start Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Mike, Check your battery cables. They should be much heavier than 12V cables for the original 6V system. Also a second ground from the starter to the frame often solves bad ground problems.Welcome! Enjoy the ride..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike1953 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I got her started with a manual close of the choke...It was like 28 degrees this morning...I switched the ignition on and closed the choke with my hand while yanking on the throttle cable....she fired right up...Time for a carb rebuild I guess...hopefully the kit will have a new choke element...drove to work listening to the AM radio...This car is really growin on me...much more refined than my 51 chevy truckI would like to score some vintage performance parts...dual exhaust mani and dual carbs...gotta be period correct though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rodney Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Hi Mike,I live in the Springs. I own a '51 Roadmaster. There are a lot of shows and gatherings in the area. Pretty much every weekend once Spring roles around.Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike1953 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Hi Rod! I am friends with the Lonely Knights here in town so I hit up many of the shows..til now in the old 51..Paint and Primer down in Fountain is one of my favorites..I'd love to meet with you sometime..pick your brain...A few of the systems on the 53 are a bit baffling for me..I am working with the vacuum system right now, trying to get the wipers functional. There appears to be a line missing out of the top of the canister...yet I cannot find a vacuum line missing from the carb or intake..There also appears to be a pump on the fuel pump that functions as a vacuum pump? MAybe?I work at Palmer High School and my 53 is out at the Borriello Brothers lot across the street... You will probably see it any day school is in session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike1953 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 HA! the starter gave up the ghost tonight!I will be yankin it and getting her rebuilt in the morning...I had to push start the 53 in the parking lot to get her home...I knew that starter was kinda sketchy, but now it's dead.Gotta love sorting out old cars..This 53 sat for a few years...She has a mess of quirks but I am getting them figured out right quick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Only one vacumm line powers the wiper motor. The other line is a vent. Often they have a screen / filter on the intake side to keep bugs and dirt out. Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Welcome to the wonderful world of Buicks Mike. It's great that you are jumping in and sorting things out...I wish I could do that.We really enjoyed Colorado Springs this summer...a beautiful part of the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike1953 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 (edited) Lots of puzzles. It's been a blast so far. I yanked the starter this morning and dropped it off at my rebuild place. While under the car I followed some coolant lines and discovered that my car has the "heated seats" found on many 50's Buicks...Now to figure out if those work. Carb rebuild kit and tune up parts are on order..they should be here by this week. She smells a little rich....Once I get the starter back in I can start messin with the wipers, the heated seat and the blower for the heater which appears to be on the fritz...MY only regret was that I was diggin on drivin her around and now I have to wait for the starter to return. Glad to see that all of you enjoyed our little city here.Here's my helper...HE loves tellin everyone under the sun that we have a Buick<a href="http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/mikelamphere/?action=view¤t=buickdude.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/mikelamphere/buickdude.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>And as you can see the apple does not fall far from the tree<a href="http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/mikelamphere/?action=view¤t=duderfix.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l129/mikelamphere/duderfix.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> Edited November 11, 2009 by Mike1953 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Mike, I have a similar photo of my son (then 8, & now 27 years old) on a creeper under a 29 Buick with goggles on using a putty knife to scrape gunk from the underside of the car. Now he owns that Buick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike1953 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Old cars are in his blood. He's helped disassemble a few small blocks in his 3 years along with a mess of other odd jobs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Pull that young Buick man into the fold, and don't let him get away. :cool: Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike1953 Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 I'm a tryin...he delights in tellin everyone he knows that we have a Buick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Hi Mike and son. Great team! and a great 53 too. Would like to help some but I only remember 53's, I never owned one. That being said though I wanted to ask about the starting system. does your car still use the gas pedal start system? If so, you may want to get some detailed information about the relatively simple starter switch on the car BEFORE you take it off. The switch is activated by a cam on the throttle plate linkage, and it is adjustable with shims. If it was ever rebuilt before it may be out of adjustment, and not allowing the choke to close before starting. Also it generally has a top and bottom that are very close in appearance. If you put it on upside down, it typically will result in the engine spinning over as soon as the key is on, or if the engine stalls. So watch for the orientation.Let us know what other quirks you may have. I'm sure a lot of people will jump in to help.Good luck. See you in Iowa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mike1953 Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 John,I am having starter issues, I have "most" of them sorted...That being said, there is a voltage drop at the starter (skinny wire) of about 2 volts....I sorted out the two wires from the switch on the carb being taped together and shorting the switch...now I need to solve the voltage drop...the 53 refused to start at the video store, I could here the solenoid "pop" but no turning over...I push started her and drove her home...after this experience I can attest that buicks are "full figured" beauties. When I got home she refused to start again...giving the "pop" noise and that was it...I ate dinner, watched a movie and obviously she did not like being in the driveway while it was snowing...she started and pulled into the garage just fine...So, I have a new starter and intermittent starting...yet the switch on the carb shows 6 volts on the business end when the starter switch is engaged... I am thinking the wire from carb to starter is bad...as it is showin it's years...I will replace that tomorrow and go from there...I despise intermittent problems...the 53 started all day just fine, I go to the store and whammo, no start.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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