dei Posted March 3, 2020 Author Share Posted March 3, 2020 Light rain with 50 degree weather is doable so after completing a few errands went back to the Special. The headlight switch is out and have it beside the shelf one. The '58 one has the rubber end whereas the '57 has the chromed knob. They are interchangeable so no worries there. This is a process but will move one step at a time. Figured I'd remove the radio next for more access. Nice thing about the huge glove box is that I could put a small radio inside and hide it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 3, 2020 Author Share Posted March 3, 2020 There are two bolts that secure it to brackets that need to be removed. Then it is a matter of sliding it towards the windshield and turning it upwards to remove. With wiring tagged I decided to clean up the radio face a bit. This was a radio I took out of the Roadmaster since it worked. (for awhile) Having the Wonderbar feature was nice but not the Sonomatic that should be in there for the 40 Series cars. The dial knobs for the '58's are different from the '57's so will swap those out. They actually cleaned up well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 3, 2020 Author Share Posted March 3, 2020 Called it a day and headed home to look at the dash cover. Pulled the speaker off to see what condition it was in after all these years. No cracks at all but should I be looking at replacement? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted March 3, 2020 Share Posted March 3, 2020 12 hours ago, dei said: Called it a day and headed home to look at the dash cover. Pulled the speaker off to see what condition it was in after all these years. No cracks at all but should I be looking at replacement? Sound quality would be the determinant. When I had my 56 radio repaired we kept the original speaker as tone quality was very good. But my speaker did not live in the face of the sun. In this case I would consider a new speaker depending on how difficult it is to access. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 3, 2020 Author Share Posted March 3, 2020 Distraction today as we had to take our neighbours to the Metro Airport in Detroit for a 2pm flight. On the way back after saying goodbye I asked my wife if she wanted to try a restaurant I heard about for a late lunch. Since we were going by Dearborn pulled in to show her this. It's located on Michigan Ave near Oakwood Blvd in the heart of FORD Country. In fact, behind this building across the railroad tracks is The Henry Ford (Museum) and Greenfield Village. The Model A's parked there have darkened windows and don't have seats or door panels but sure look the part. The inside is just as theme oriented as is the naming of dishes on the menu. I love a bar that has that "man cave" appeal! What guy wouldn't want this bathroom sink with motion spray in his man cave? Maybe I could re-purpose one of the old tires off the Limited? LOL The menu had a bit of everything "pub food" for anyone and was good and filling. I was surprise (but pleased) they had a liquor and draught beer selection with Henry's name sake associated with it knowing he was a teetotaler. Back to the Buick's tomorrow. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Buick 80C Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 Been to these down in the Gulf Coast of FL (where they started) and the food is great on of my must stop places when I go to Tampa for work. They were supposed to put one in here around the corner fomr the house ( and down the street from the 2021 National site) but I guess it fell through has we got a strip mall of useless retail instead. I live in hope... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elpad Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 Been on the Orlando one. Shop rags for napkins! Nice 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 4, 2020 Author Share Posted March 4, 2020 2 hours ago, Elpad said: Been on the Orlando one. Shop rags for napkins! Nice The nice touch with the well worn napkins was the stainless steel hose clamps used to hold the knife and fork wrapped in them. I'll bet there are a few of them that walk out of the place. Will most definitely go back and with the Special parking it for a picture or two in front of those gas pumps! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBP Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 If it's really a Ford-based restaurant, do you get a recall notice instead of your bill at the end of the meal? 😉 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 5, 2020 Author Share Posted March 5, 2020 Brought the dash top out to the garage today to see what I could do. I had gone to Dad's garage (at Mom's) and saw he had an old school hair dryer and brought it home to try and heat the glue holding the vinyl. While it took awhile, did a nice job. i was able to get the black vinyl loosened and lifted leaving only some of the cotton padding. With this dash being padded noted the speaker grill is covered with the cotton too. Continuing with the hair dryer I carefully used the scrapper to remove the balance of the cotton padding. Flipping the panel over it didn't take much to loosen the insulation on the underside and will be able to glue it on again after painting the metal. Surprisingly the bit of paint you see on the underside and edge where the black vinyl was glued is the same colour as the painted dash panel on the Limited parts cars. (the good Limited has a padded dash with the same colour material). I then unbolted the speaker grill cover after giving the nuts a soaking of PB Blaster. Will need to remove the remaining contact cement / glue and then refinish the metal before gluing the insulation, top side padding and vinyl back on. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 7, 2020 Author Share Posted March 7, 2020 I put a little more time in on the dash top tonight. Figured with it being padded / covered up going at the rust with a brass wire wheel wasn't going to be a problem. With the top side looking not too bad went at the speaker grill. Continued doing the back side. Then took a can of black and shot both sides. While waiting for it to dry noticed this stamping on the dash top. Assuming it's a part number... Once it was dry enough to set aside I flipped the dash top over and gave it a bit at the wheel. It's going to be a bit more effort than the top side was as it has a bit more rust. Will continue with it tomorrow. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted March 7, 2020 Share Posted March 7, 2020 Looking good! If you did want to put a Wonderbar back in, they were an option on all series so it wouldn't be incorrect... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 7, 2020 Author Share Posted March 7, 2020 Thanks Lance. Since it came from the Roadmaster which has the foot selector switch I'm OK putting an operating Sonomatic in the Special. Imight keep the inexpensive AM/FM in the glove box for a bit of FM music if I can figure where to put in better speakers (out of sight) for a better sound. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 8, 2020 Author Share Posted March 8, 2020 Started with with the intention of cleaning around the raised metal as getting in close was a pit of a challenge. One thing led to another, three hours later and three wheels... Had just enough time to spray a coat of black on before supper. Will let it dry completely before flipping it over and painting the top. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 1 hour ago, dei said: Started with with the intention of cleaning around the raised metal as getting in close was a pit of a challenge. One thing led to another, three hours later and three wheels... Had just enough time to spray a coat of black on before supper. Will let it dry completely before flipping it over and painting the top. With that bare metal did you shoot it with self etching primer first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 The F19 is likely a date code. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 13 hours ago, dei said: One thing led to another, three hours later and three wheels... My most useful and most used tool is a blast cabinet... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Yep. Fairly large investment and takes up some real estate, but pays in (large) dividends. You will wonder how you ever survived without it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 2 hours ago, Smartin said: Yep. Fairly large investment and takes up some real estate, but pays in (large) dividends. You will wonder how you ever survived without it. I should have bought one a couple years ago when I thought about it vut I keep telling myself my days of needing it are waning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Although, I think the biggest reason I didn't buy a big blaster to begin with, was because I didn't have the proper air compressor to handle it. Both of those items together cost me about $3k 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 9, 2020 Author Share Posted March 9, 2020 On 3/7/2020 at 9:55 PM, JohnD1956 said: With that bare metal did you shoot it with self etching primer first? Being that it is under padding and not seen underneath (unless lying on one's good back) I used a paint listed as a rust encapsulator before applying the black. I've had that top off once before many years ago and never noticed any paint on it then as evidenced (I believe) by the surface rust I found today. My thinking at this point is any covering / paint is better than none at all. Should it be a problem some time down the road,,, I'm leaving that for my sons to deal with (or not if it's sold). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 9, 2020 Author Share Posted March 9, 2020 (edited) 13 hours ago, Smartin said: Yep. Fairly large investment and takes up some real estate, but pays in (large) dividends. You will wonder how you ever survived without it. 10 hours ago, lancemb said: I should have bought one a couple years ago when I thought about it vut I keep telling myself my days of needing it are waning. Adam, I can see with the amount of cars you deal with it would indeed be a blessing (aka time saver). Space and costs are the reasons I'm not there... Lance, Other than getting at the Roadmaster one day, my days of doing extensive work are numbered, even if I had more space... I actually have a small table top sand blast cabinet that needs to be tried out for small, I mean small pieces. It was a gift from my son thinking it help me out but a couple of things: it's not big enough to handle my 15 inch rims and my upright portable compressor I don't think has enough capacity for it plus I only have 110 to the garages. (another cost right?) So, will plug along with the stuff I can do with what I have. Talked to the fellow who has agreed to do the inner panels for the Limited today and going in the morning to pick up the ones I dropped off earlier. Now I have to figure a place to store them safely till ready for installation. Edited March 9, 2020 by dei (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 9, 2020 Author Share Posted March 9, 2020 (edited) Used changing the clocks ahead 1 hour and the batteries in the smoke detectors and CO2 detectors to switch out my Buick Shelf. The details with this are excellent! it has the Steer Head with horns on hood round chrome like the actual car. It also has the pistol door handles and the rifles that go in the consul. That chrome piece on the shelf is actually one for the Limited hood in the garage. I can take looking at this for awhile. Some people count sheep to sleep at night... (I think you get it right Lance?) 🤩 Edited March 9, 2020 by dei (see edit history) 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 9, 2020 Author Share Posted March 9, 2020 Picked up the first set of panels for the Limited today. Going to dig out the rad cradles and the lower splash pans to see which ones will be the best to do next. Cleaned up parts are giving me incentive to keep moving on the car but will be going to the Special tomorrow to remove that hidden bolt for the speedometer removal next... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 14, 2020 Author Share Posted March 14, 2020 Exercised the back today and finally removed the last nut holding the speedometer in place. What a struggle reaching that bottom nut! With my arm reaching over the dash and at the same reaching from under (basically hugging the dash) I was able to direct this combination and carefully loosen it off... Hard to see but there is minimal room to wiggle the unit out with the stiff wiring harness and that vent tube behind it!! I had undone the trip odometer reset cable from the dash before so once out (and accessible) disconnected it from the case as it will be used again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 14, 2020 Author Share Posted March 14, 2020 With both units side by side, looked them over carefully. With the replacement unit having had the wires cut will compare to my existing harness and place the cut wires/bulbs in the old head to put them in the correct spots for reference before tightening everything up. Upon closer inspection don't I see something sticking out of the cable port... It came out with ease but what happened there? It might explain why the drum recently started to jump (roll up and down) upon take off then record smoothly but what would cause it to suddenly break off like that? Going to check my shelves and see if I have another cable handy otherwise... Does anyone have a new cable for a 1958 Buick Special? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 The one in my 57 was snapped off too. I replaced it when I did the transmission swap. Works like a charm now. What I did find out, was that the speedometer was so gummed up that I could hardly turn it by hand. I removed the cluster as you did, and took it apart. Lubed it up and reinstalled. It's the smoothest 57-58 speedometer that I've ever seen. The cable I bought was from CARS. If you go this route, I would recommend replacing the entire cable/sheath through the firewall. The old inner cable vs the new one are slightly different lengths. I replaced only the inner cable on mine to try and save time. It didn't quite engage the speedometer once installed. I did some modifying to the inner cable stop, and it fixed the issue. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 14, 2020 Author Share Posted March 14, 2020 Thanks for the feed back Adam. So you know what my hands look like tonight reaching down in there. LOL! Would you have any idea if the Limited cable is any different than the Special? I believe I have the housing/cable from the Limited parts car. Will be digging into the shelves/boxes tomorrow. I tried turning the speedo once out by hand and it actually rolled easily and started to register the mile on the trip odometer but as in the past didn't move on the actual odometer. With having replaced the transmission with the rebuilt unit last year wonder is that might have had something to do with it (other than age...). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 I would remove the cables from the housings and compare. Easiest way to tell if they will work or not. It comes out through the top, at the speedo.If it's broken at the speedo, then you may have to push it out from the bottom by unhooking it from the trans. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 The one cable feeds the speedometer and the odometer and the trip odometer. Since your trip odometer worked it is likely that the cable broke as you removed the cable housing from the instrument cluster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 14, 2020 Author Share Posted March 14, 2020 (edited) It's logical as you state it John but thought (at least in my mind) I was careful pulling it out after unscrewing the large sleeve holding it in place. Either way I need another inner cable at the vary least so out to the garage I go to dig around for a cable and housing I believe I have saved from the Limited parts car and compare lengths. I should be so luck they are the same length?? Edited March 14, 2020 by dei (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted March 14, 2020 Share Posted March 14, 2020 1 hour ago, dei said: It's logical as you state it John but thought (at least in my mind) I was careful pulling it out after unscrewing the large sleeve holding it in place. Either way I need another inner cable at the vary least so out to the garage I go to dig around for a cable and housing I believe I have saved from the Limited parts car and compare lengths. I should be so luck they are the same length?? They should all be close enough to work. Isnt the limiteds extra length in the rear quarters? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 The big cars are wider and longer...and the Limited is even longer. Here is the one I bought...states it is for all of them https://www.ebay.com/itm/1954-1958-Buick-Speedometer-Cable-Correct-Armored-Case/182499153024?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 One nice thing about having four 1958 Buick's all these years and collecting parts at swap meets, I know that somewhere, something I want and have saved, just has to be around... Spent a good hour sorting through boxes before realising I would not have coiled that cable / case up that small taking a chance on kinking it. True to the phrase "it's always the LAST place you look". I tried turning the cable and found it to be free with no resistance. Headed on over to the Special to see if they are the same length and while passing a fellow car guy's home noticed the two garage doors open so stopped to see what he was up to. He has a 1972 Corvette hardtop/convertible that he picked up reasonably last year as a driving working project. I found him laying on the pavement part way under the back and said he was having trouble getting his floor jack to raise the car higher. As we chatted he was fiddling with the jack when suddenly it dropped! FORTUNATELY between the jack height & the rear spring perches it didn't come down on him at all. See, he didn't have the tires on and hadn't put jack stands under the car last night when he called it quits being frustrated (and walked away) with not getting a decent brake pedal pressure... Once we both started to breath again we slowly worked out getting the car back up enough to put those all important "safety" stands in place. With that done he moved over to his wife's car that he wanted to change the winter tires for the new summer ones (hence needing the jack under the Vette). I stayed and helped handing him things till all four tires and rims were changed out. Finally headed down the street to the Special to look at the speedo cable. By now I'm a bit chilled as we were working just inside his garage with both doors open and while the forecast was to be in the upper 40's... they were wrong. Thought I'd at least pull the cable out of the housing in the Special and be sure if they were the same length. With it broken off it was below using my cold fingers to pull up and out so went looking for my needle nose pliers. The more they didn't jump out at me the colder it seemed to get so put the Limited cable on some cardboard, closed the door and went home for a hot coffee. Tomorrow is another day and I'll dress warmer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 23 minutes ago, Smartin said: The big cars are wider and longer...and the Limited is even longer. Here is the one I bought...states it is for all of them https://www.ebay.com/itm/1954-1958-Buick-Speedometer-Cable-Correct-Armored-Case/182499153024?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Thanks Adam! Guess you were posting while I was typing. That seems reasonable rather than using a used unit. I really only want to do this once... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 It's simple enough to pull the old cable out and slide another used one in. I would do that before buying a replacement. If you can't get to the old one because it's broken off just inside the sheath, remove the other end at the transmission and push it back through. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 With locating my needle nose pliers at home here, heading over to the Special soon. Any suggestions as to lubing/cleaning up the cable? What is the recommended lubricant? I recall reading something about not to get too much in the speedo head as it will gum things up? Appreciate any and all guidance. (I'm not to old to learn something new - yet... 😏) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 I'm not sure what's officially recommended but years ago I used a lightweight lubricating oil with graphite in it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted March 15, 2020 Share Posted March 15, 2020 One of the specific products: Dorman 03344 Graphite Cable Lubricant Lubriplate 105 works as good 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted March 16, 2020 Author Share Posted March 16, 2020 With a bit of work I was able to get a grip on the speedometer cable in the Special. Seems like a lot of none hard lube in there so pulled it out carefully to compare lengths. Happy to confirm they are spot on in length. Will wipe down the old Limited cable before applying new lubrication and then re-install it. Thanks gentlemen for the feedback. First order of business after that will be to test the headlight switch now that there is a bit more room there and ensure I have dash lights... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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