Mr. Flower's car

[Plyroadking]

20 something years ago Mr. Flower bought the mobile home next to my patent's house, I was 8 at the time and with growing up next to my grandparents appreciated the knowledge that could be gained from a person with more life experience. He was a single man that was very smart and had countless degrees. At some point he had a brain tumor that left half his face paralyzed. He and I became great friends over the years as I grew up. One day I was doing yard work for him and he told me to go get a shovel out of his garage. I forgot about the shovel when I opened the door and saw his grandfather's 1941 Buick sedanette inside. It took me quite a few years of talking and pestering till he finally admitted that he wanted me to have the car when he passed. He had grown up with the car and his grandfather willed it to him. It was a dealer promotional car that his grandfather bought in 1942. His grandfather drove the crap out of the car. Mr. Flower drove the car while he attended orange county college in California. Around 1954 the girl was ready for her 3rd engine and was put in storage. He kept aquiring parts for the car and in the late 70's had a 1950 264 rebuilt, he also had the trans and front end rebuilt. The car had electrical problems and he started rewiring the car. Eventually it got moved to the back burner and sat. 20 years later I saw her and had to have her. He said the car was mine when he passed. It took me another 10 years of pestering till he decided that I wouldn't have to wait that long. He gave me the car this spring, along with all the parts he had collected though out the years.

I pulled the motor and tore it down to check it out. He wasnt kidding when he said it was rebuilt and never started. I emptied the trunk this afternoon and attached is a picture of some of the stuff inside.

I plan on getting her running and adding to my other daily drivers.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Plyroadking (see edit history)

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

  Great story. Get it running and take Mr. Flowers for a drive.

 

  Ben

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

I agree with Ben, it would be great to take Mr Flowers for a ride.

[Plyroadking]

Eventually I'd like to drive it out to CA and give him a ride, I hauled it out to Des Moines this spring. I have been working on it since the middle of July. I put a scare bird front disc kit on and rebuilt the rear drum setup. I swapped in a 3.6 third member and ran new brake lines. I fabricated a mount and installed a wilwood dual chamber master cylinder. The rear springs were a little saggy so I swapped in the set from my 4 door parts car. Mr. Flower installed a floor shift conversion kit and I would like to switch back to the column shift if the linkage will fit by his exhaust and throttle linkage. He gas welded a dual exhaust system together and installed some long glass packs. When I first looked under the car I saw muffler clamps every 16 inches going up both sides. I have a friend that ownes an exhaust shop in CA and took it over for a new system. Once we got the car on the lift he couldn't believe the quality of Mr. Flower's work. He used muffler clamps to bolt the exhaust to the frame. The exhaust was very solid and it's ridiculous how ridged it is. He said there was no need for a new system as he doubted he could have run it that well. He did agree to cut it close to the manifolds and install two flexible sections to allow the engine to torque. Mr. Flower never got the car running to try out his exhaust work, and to keep it from rusting he dumped oil down it.

I'm having the radiator recored and then have to get enough electrical ran to try starting the engine. This winter I will hopefully rewire the entire car and try redoing the upholstery.

[Guest Backyard Buddy]

Great story!

[Plyroadking]

Pushed the car out today after bolting the rear end in and removing the jackstands, I also needed to clean the floor beneath the car. There is a 3/4" rake with the 4 door springs, much better than the 1.5" reverse rake that was there before.