1956 Buick Front Springs

[Budd]

Well -- was powdercoating my front springs, and taking note of the part numbers stamped into the springs themselves.

What do I find? I have one spring listed as a 1956 Series 40 C.T. (meaning convertible, I think-- heavier car) with 200lb overload, and the other as the correct 1956 Series 50 A.T. less A/C. I don't recall my car ever listing one side or the other, but I found this interesting.

If I go and buy new front springs from a vendor, they will not differentiate at all, no separate part numbers for a wide range of years, yet GM had different part numbers and load ratings for individual years and series.

No question here-- just an observation. You never know what you are going to unbolt from the car and find is correct or not !

Budd

Edited June 11, 2010 by imported_Budd (see edit history)

[Guest NikeAjax]

I think your car has a left hand fragellium; it's to compensate for the dihesion of franastanic gonkulator, hence the two different springs. Check your February, 1956 bulletin! What, you don't believe me?

Jaybird

[Airy Cat]

I think that the C.T. stands for conventional transmission (manual trans.).

[MrEarl]

I think that the C.T. stands for conventional transmission (manual trans.).

Good catch!!!

[56Roadmaster]

Did you ever think that the issue came from the assembly line? To most of the guys assmebling a car it was a job, and I'm sure that every now and then the wrong spring or another part got in there. I had a 55 super that I cut up for parts for my 56, I drilled out countless spotwelds to save panels and braces that you can't get. In the left rear side of the car where the floor, trunk and quater panels were attached, there were signifcantly less spot welds- probably because someone didn't care.

I think things like this cause a lot of trouble for the "purist"; the fact is, no matter what the books say is "supposed" to be in there, it may not be right. Plants used up left over parts before putting in a design change, workers put it together as fast they could- they were not going to hold up the line because one part number didn't match (if they even looked at the number or knew it).

I find it funny how much time we often spend (me included) putting back together cars that were assembled in a few hours. Especially how painstakingly people copy the inspectors crayon marks, that took less than a second make on the fire wall or chassis.

Truly restored cars are really not out there; tributes to individuals talents are.