NC-car-guy Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Hi all! Forgive me if I'm not in quite the right spot. I am a first time AACA forum poster. I have two 1955 Buick Specials. One all original older restoration and wrecked, one not so original and far from being road worthy. Thinking one needs to be a parts car for the other, but having a hard time coming to terms with "scrapping" one car....the wreck:the mod: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Welcome, and yes this is the right spot. Ther e are plenty of BCA people in the Charlotte area. You possibly know, you just miised te BCA National Meet in Concord last summer. We hope, if you are not a member of the BCA, you consider joining.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 21, 2013 Author Share Posted May 21, 2013 Cool thanks John! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
55 SURVIVOR Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Welcome;If you have A question or A comment hop in!! Mark M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thriller Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Hi all! Forgive me if I'm not in quite the right spot. I am a first time AACA forum poster. I have two 1955 Buick Specials. One all original older restoration and wrecked, one not so original and far from being road worthy. Thinking one needs to be a parts car for the other, but having a hard time coming to terms with "scrapping" one car....Welcome. It is always a tough choice. Assuming you have parts to get one back on the road, the one sacrificed may continue to supply parts to others who need (and potentially fund some of the repairs). So, one car can help several to get (back) on the road.Good luck. There are a number of knowledgeable '55 guys here who may be able to help you out with technical issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 70WildcatVert Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Welcome. It will only hurt for a minute then you will be well on your way to cruising down the highway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Maybe we can help you make a decision about parting one out. It would appear the tri tone blue/white/black one hit a telephone pole, and it's possible the frame is bent. What you could do is scavange that one for the stuff you need for the green one, and in the process strip that one to the core with the intention of saving the body for a future project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 22, 2013 Author Share Posted May 22, 2013 Maybe we can help you make a decision about parting one out. It would appear the tri tone blue/white/black one hit a telephone pole, and it's possible the frame is bent. What you could do is scavange that one for the stuff you need for the green one, and in the process strip that one to the core with the intention of saving the body for a future project.The tricolor car was fully restored sometime in the 90's (frame off) the green one is untouched before I got it. The green car needs a lot more finish (body, interior, underbody, etc) work and I was thinking of putting the frame from it under the tricolor. This is the frame under the green car is now set up with a 6.2 diesel backed by a 700R4 and chevy truck rear with triangulated 4 link... All the original mounts are still there though. Do I swap that whole new running gear set too? Or use the rebuilt but original 264 stuff in the other car? A couple guys have suggested just replacing the front section of frame on the tricolor and having it put on a frame machine..... Sheesh! I have titles to both cars ( in NC, not having a title makes the decision easy). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Well, this additional information really changes up the picture. Knowing all this the next question is : what's your pleasure? A modified car or a stock car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 23, 2013 Author Share Posted May 23, 2013 I'm a diesel freak! However I love the original 55 like I had in college.... gas pedal start, weird shift pattern on the automatic and quirky "nailhead" that no one's heard of. I also love diesel, biodiesel was my senior research in college. Part of why I want to fix both!! HA HA HA I'm not making this easy am I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 No, it is not an easy decision. All I can think is the 55 Special 4 door is not so rare and the chances of finding a new used frame/car is very good, so maybe you should just look for another one and then fix the two you already have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 23, 2013 Author Share Posted May 23, 2013 Any clues how to get the steering column out to pull the body off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Remove the bolts....................Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 23, 2013 Author Share Posted May 23, 2013 Thanks Bhigdog..... many old cars require the steering box to come apart to get the steering out and get the body off.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 (edited) Nope. It's pretty intuitive if a pain in the ass. The box and column are one piece and so must be fished out the top or bottom. Remove the wheel, disconnect wires, unbolt section of floor panels. Unbolt/unscrew whatever is holding it in and fish it out. Book says out the top, I like out the bottom if you can get it on a lift for clearance. BTW, if you don't have a shop manual you are just beating yourself up. There's no shortage of them..............Bob Edited May 23, 2013 by Bhigdog (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 23, 2013 Author Share Posted May 23, 2013 Yea that's what I meant.... They come as a unit.. HUGE pain in the rear! HA HA Oh well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 30, 2013 Author Share Posted May 30, 2013 I've decided to part out the green car. I am using the body front clip to repair the tri color car. I am also using a couple odds and ends that are in better shape on my green car. It saddens me to dismantle one, but I've already got a big list from a couple folks so I know it will help me get one car going and a couple others get their cars going. Better to have one good running sharable (is that a word) piece of history than two pieces rotting in the driveway waiting for funds/time. I will start a new thread detailing the progress on the car I am putting back into service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rob McDonald Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) Gee, that was fast! Most of us car guys take years to make such life-altering decisions. You've getting good advice here. Looking forward to watching your thread on the crash repair. And to hearing how it happened.When you do start that new thread, I suggest you put it under Me And My Buick. Edited May 31, 2013 by Rob McDonald (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 Gee, that was fast! Most of us car guys take years to make such life-altering decisions. You've getting good advice here. Looking forward to watching your thread on the crash repair. And to hearing how it happened.When you do start that new thread, I suggest you put it under Me And My Buick.Thanks! Yes I will post in "me and my Buick". I've spent the last 15 years taking a long time to make choices about cars..... inevitably I end up losing interest and finding something else.... I've decided that if I want something I will actually enjoy, I need to make decisions a little quicker. believe me if I had more space, money, time and lived out further from the city I would probably hold on to them all! as it is between the Buicks my truck and my daily driving car, I'm crowded out and likely to have a citation from the city! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 .... as it is between the Buicks my truck and my daily driving car, I'm crowded out and likely to have a citation from the city! LolThose small town folks can be a PIA too. I have the misfortune to live in the same neighborhood as one of the Town leaders, who took issue with my cars. She got the warden to cite me for my temporary garage, and then went after my unlicensed Electra. I got the last laugh though. I licensed the car, got it to pass inspection and then left it at the end of the driveway in all its rust and primered glory. Every day she came around the corner and could easily see it's bright shiney license plates, and I had a nice year of driving a funtastic car which I adored to boot. I probably should have sent her a thank you note for getting me to put it back on the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 Good job JohnD. My neighbors are pretty cool, no one bothers me about it, but I live in city limits and the city folks are always prowling around for something to tax. I cleaned enough space out in the garage to get the Buick that I'm parting out, wedged in there! HA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhclark Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 I had a project car parked up next to the house one winter. Twp came and threatened to fine me $500 for parking it on the grass. So I parked 4 cars on the street for the rest of the year, making everyone drive around them, especially the snow plows. No one complains anymore.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 70WildcatVert Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 We suffer fom the same small town woes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 Small town? I don't know that Charlotte is small town... it's certainly not LA but.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Doug Burton Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Larger towns/cities have been this way for quite some time now, but this is fairly new to smaller towns as they struggle to emulate the larger ones. Usually started with some busybody's complaining at council meetings. I had my Buick in the side yard where I used to live, imagine the town police officer's embarrassment when he told me he had a complaint and I told him the car was properly registered. He never even bothered to look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan at larescorp Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Thats why I love living out in the sticks. 23 cars - 0 complaints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Caribou Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Thats why I love living out in the sticks. 23 cars - 0 complaints.All my complaints come from INSIDE the house. I think I'd rather fight the government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted June 3, 2013 Author Share Posted June 3, 2013 @Caribou.... That's funny as all hell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 All my complaints come from INSIDE the house. I think I'd rather fight the government.No you don't, I bet you can reason with those inside the house. The Govt never gives up no matter how wrong they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Maine Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Sure glad I live where there's not any zoning or HOA's. Our town manager who sometimes comes to Hershey with us lives down the street from me. He's currently working on a '42 Ford Stake Truck that he bought off someone. He's got it running, but no brakes, etc. Sits in his driveway in full view. At other times, he's had a 40's International pick-up that he pulled out of the woods and managed to get rolling before he sold it. He also bought a '77 Dodge pick-up with an ambulance body on it that he spray painted army green, got running and sold for twice what he paid for it. He's a great guy, not a mechanic per se but loves to tinker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 54fins Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 (edited) now I'd like to see that frame with the diesel. The 700r4 is great, you can get a nailhead adapter. I like diesel too, but in a 50's Buick I would have to say not a good match. The wrecked car is likely to have a tweaked frame, so for what its worth, my thoughts. Strip the wrecked car down. Lots of nice stuff and the engine looks good too. You will need to get brutally honest about rust, on a sedan you can't justify any major body work. Figure the wrecked frame is toast but the drive train and body look good. Anyhow, you will get 1 car from the 2 but a lot of good parts to sell. Definitely a good idea to have a friend with a farm that owes you money if you are going to drag home old cars. figure you'll have more ideas than time.The modified frame definitely needs some photos posted Edited June 7, 2013 by 54fins (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 HA HA HA. :-) The wrecked car was restored in the 90's motor runs so well you can barely hear it running even with the front end off.... The body is completely undercoated and was stripped bare before paint. The one rust spot is the lower front edge of the driver's side back door. The other car has a lot of surface patina but nothing a good sanding wouldn't fix. Both cars have titles. I find it hard to believe the frame is all that tweaked, and I HATE the idea of a body swap on something this large and heavy. I'm a diesel freak because of the ability to run veggie oil. The unwrecked frame would have to be stripped, primed, undercoated, etc etc. and move the body, engine, trans, etc etc.... just not sure I'm ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 70WildcatVert Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Small town? I don't know that Charlotte is small town... it's certainly not LA but....I was working off of Sugar Creek, in Charlotte, last summer. My town is small. And a PIA. We are remodeling our home. If I leave the saw horses and saw set up on the front porch for more than a few days I receive hate mail. The guy next door was reassembling a 67 Impala, in his yard, for a friend of his last summer. I got a 30 day letter and threat of fines if I did not get it tagged and/or removed. I went to the town office to tell them it was not mine or on my property. They said that it was probably mine because it was old. LOL. Brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 54fins Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 That's a tough one. Once you dig in you get mighty committed or just never finish it. The body is very heavy and you need a lift to raise it off the frame. The diesel really needs to be in a truck to haul car parts- and cars. I would shoot to get one car operational fast. Then you can play around while you decide what to do with the rest. If the wrecked car can get by with just control arms it might be a quick car to get together. The motor transplant isn't too bad either, I see an engine lift ready to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 ... The guy next door was reassembling a 67 Impala, in his yard, for a friend of his last summer. I got a 30 day letter and threat of fines if I did not get it tagged and/or removed. I went to the town office to tell them it was not mine or on my property. They said that it was probably mine because it was old. LOL. Brilliant!LMAO... That is funny!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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