41 buick special

[Guest buickkuhn]

I just got back 13 hours (one way ) from hartford connecticut ,my wife and I drove straight there then straight home . Someone else scored this 1949 248 complete rebuilt .030 over pistons , all new springs valves plus valve guides . The motor completely rebuilt by NIZEN motor parts in new Haven connecticut.  I scored this on ebay for $800 with the thought that it was just a re-ring build  - nope . It is all new and I thanked the owner for buying the wrong motor for his project . I love this hobby 

[Buicknutty]

Nice find. Also, that's a neat triple carb setup too.

Keith

[Thriller]

Love it. Your car's paint scheme looks to be the same as my '41. 

 

[Guest buickkuhn]

7 hours ago, Buicknutty said:

Nice find. Also, that's a neat triple carb setup too.

Keith

Thank you , I built the tri power set up + headers myself with flanges from "hells gates hot rods " . I went threw many single - and compound carb original set ups with cracked exhaust manifolds . I was shocked that direct linkage with 3 holley 94's was not too much CFM for the stock 248ci .

[Guest buickkuhn]

6 hours ago, Thriller said:

Love it. Your car's paint scheme looks to be the same as my '41. 

 

Mine has white house paint on the roof (what's left after all these years)  , But I did want to keep it as original as I can . Since 2000 I have just been keeping it mechanical sound . I think I have seen pictures of yours it is beautiful .

[Morgan Wright]

What are you going to do with the new engine?

[Guest buickkuhn]

On 3/28/2016 at 8:12 AM, Morgan Wright said:

What are you going to do with the new engine?

I am putting it in my 41 buick , I will have my old original 248 from my buick out this summer for sale will need to be rebuilt . 

[Thriller]

On March 28, 2016 at 4:56 AM, buickkuhn said:

Mine has white house paint on the roof (what's left after all these years)  , But I did want to keep it as original as I can . Since 2000 I have just been keeping it mechanical sound . I think I have seen pictures of yours it is beautiful .

 

Thanks. It's a great car. One of the things I like is that there are enough imperfections that there's no worry about a scratch or stone chips in the paint. 

 

Enjoy your car. These are a lot of fun and attract a lot of attention. 

 

[Buicknutty]

With a beautiful, perfect car, or one nearly so, you gain and lose. Sure its' beautiful to look at, but like Derek said, you can enjoy it more, as you don't have to worry about nicks and scratches all the time.

Keith

[Morgan Wright]

6 hours ago, Buicknutty said:

With a beautiful, perfect car, or one nearly so, you gain and lose. Sure its' beautiful to look at, but like Derek said, you can enjoy it more, as you don't have to worry about nicks and scratches all the time.

Keith

 

I'm going to take mine to a car show with a sign that says "OK to touch, but don't look"

[Guest buickkuhn]

No reason to cut your old beauty down , Most people that go to car shows need to see the different "money" levels involved in this industry . I love the fact that mine is in the condition it is along with me and my wife covering the seats with painters drop cloth from harbor freight ( thick tough material that can hold on with hog rings ) . I find myself these past years walking a little faster right by the perfect trailer queens worth over $50,000 . Please feel proud that baby still runs and drives to shows and if there ill feelings being talked about your way , ask them where there original 75 plus year car is ! This is what I told the people for years . I do believe some how we as owners are picked for these vehicles . ENJOY

[Morgan Wright]

20 minutes ago, buickkuhn said:

No reason to cut your old beauty down , Most people that go to car shows need to see the different "money" levels involved in this industry . I love the fact that mine is in the condition it is along with me and my wife covering the seats with painters drop cloth from harbor freight ( thick tough material that can hold on with hog rings ) . I find myself these past years walking a little faster right by the perfect trailer queens worth over $50,000 . Please feel proud that baby still runs and drives to shows and if there ill feelings being talked about your way , ask them where there original 75 plus year car is ! This is what I told the people for years . I do believe some how we as owners are picked for these vehicles . ENJOY

 

 

All I care is if it's safe to drive. The brakes have to work, the steering, it has to start every time, run smooth, and charge the battery. The tires have to be new, and real tires not the show tires they sell. It has to have seat belts, which I put in mine (bolted to the FRAME not the flimsy floor pan). All the lights have to work, the horn, and it has to pass inspection. . I'll find out tomorrow whether mine does! Wish me luck.

[Buicknutty]

Morgan, I wish you Good Luck!!! The same to everyone else as well.

Keith

[JohnD1956]

5 hours ago, Morgan Wright said:

(bolted to the FRAME not the flimsy floor pan).

Here's my thought on this.  For these old cars, bolting to the floor pan is preferable, even if it is flimsy.  Consider that no one really knows how these cars would stand up to a crash. If the floor pans are truly flimsy, then there is a chance in a bad crash that the body and frame will separate.  In this situation, to prevent the lap belt from dissecting the user I'd much rather have the belt go with the body than with the frame. Of course in a serious situation, either way it will matter only to the first responders.

 

If the floor is flimsy, put larger diameter washers on the bolt.

[NC-car-guy]

2 hours ago, JohnD1956 said:

Here's my thought on this.  For these old cars, bolting to the floor pan is preferable, even if it is flimsy.  Consider that no one really knows how these cars would stand up to a crash. If the floor pans are truly flimsy, then there is a chance in a bad crash that the body and frame will separate.  In this situation, to prevent the lap belt from dissecting the user I'd much rather have the belt go with the body than with the frame. Of course in a serious situation, either way it will matter only to the first responders.

 

If the floor is flimsy, put larger diameter washers on the bolt.

Very true John!

[old-tank]

Lap belts won't help much in a front end collision, but will keep you from getting ejected in a roll-over.  I too did one of mine to the frame, but noticed much more road and drivetrain noise transmitted into the body...I changed it.

[Morgan Wright]

In an accident so severe that the body and chassis are going to separate, the point is moot because I'll be dead. It's the less severe accident, the one that usually puts people through the windshield, that I want to stop. I don't see how bolting a seatbelt to what seemed like 16 gauge sheet metal can stop anything. The seatbelts came with 2 inch washers. I was not impressed. I bolted them to the frame. I'm sure this will puzzle a future restorer who wants to do a body-off.

[DonMicheletti]

Many years ago, as a kid, I saw a '40's Pontiac involved in a head on with a truck. The body came entirely off the frame.

[Morgan Wright]

In the 40's most people died because they were thrown through the windshield.

[Guest buickkuhn]

I can provide these first hand photos and experience by me and my family in 2005 a jerk fighting with his kids 9 am going to a car show the jerk ran a stop sign on a dirt road . The police estimated he was going 70 mph I was going 50 (on the main paved road ) . This is why I did my own body work to get the car back on the road . My kids in the backseat were coloring in a book to keep busy and didn't even know we go in a accident until I lost it and the only words that came to mind were BAD  . What upset my kids was me on the side of the road crying on the wrecked fender . That torque tube system takes a lot of the impact . I only have one seat belt in mine for the baby's car seat ( both my kids used that ) . I did start the car and backed it on the trailer . 

[Morgan Wright]

Ok maybe I'll change the seatbelt hookup. Thanks for the tips.

[NC-car-guy]

2 hours ago, buickkuhn said:

I can provide these first hand photos and experience by me and my family in 2005 a jerk fighting with his kids 9 am going to a car show the jerk ran a stop sign on a dirt road . The police estimated he was going 70 mph I was going 50 (on the main paved road ) . This is why I did my own body work to get the car back on the road . My kids in the backseat were coloring in a book to keep busy and didn't even know we go in a accident until I lost it and the only words that came to mind were BAD  . What upset my kids was me on the side of the road crying on the wrecked fender . That torque tube system takes a lot of the impact . I only have one seat belt in mine for the baby's car seat ( both my kids used that ) . I did start the car and backed it on the trailer . 

Holy cow!  I'd cry too!

[Buicknutty]

Quite the accident, glad everyone was alright.

Keith

[Guest buickkuhn]

8 hours ago, Buicknutty said:

Quite the accident, glad everyone was alright.

Keith

Thanks - Had Tim Hortons coffee's  on passenger floor that didn't even knock over even know the back of the car came off the ground , with all 4  3" wide tires locked up . After the accident my kids loved old cars even more , because they didn't even know the accident happen (one child in a car seat - no other seat belts in the car ) . Know my kids are older and excited about the family baby getting a new engine .

[smithbrother]

You may recall the VW that had the passenger side front floor pan, NEARLY GONE, while driving, a small child standing on the floor, hanging onto the dash, well the floor gave out, he fell through the opening, and was killed.

 

Seat belts would have prevented this.  In 1956 I had a 53 Studie with Caddy engine, bought seat belts at the Army Surplus store, saved me in roll over, both my passenger and I were NOT hurt. I used large square steel plates under the body to spread the impact load, I won't leave my drive WITHOUT my belt in place.

 

Our 9 year old grandson has never ridden in a car/truck without belts being hooked.  We had him in the car and was just going to drive across the parking lot to another store, he WOULD NOT ALLOW me to drive until he hooked up.  He hollered, PaPa, don't go, I'm not hooked up.  It's all about getting in a routine, huh!

 

Dale in Indy

Edited April 6, 2016 by smithbrother (see edit history)

[Guest buickkuhn]

5 hours ago, smithbrother said:

You may recall the VW that had the passenger side front floor pan, NEARLY GONE, while driving, a small child standing on the floor, hanging onto the dash, well the floor gave out, he fell through the opening, and was killed.

 

Seat belts would have prevented this.  In 1956 I had a 53 Studie with Caddy engine, bought seat belts at the Army Surplus store, saved me in roll over, both my passenger and I were NOT hurt. I used large square steel plates under the body to spread the impact load, I won't leave my drive WITHOUT my belt in place.

 

Our 9 year old grandson has never ridden in a car/truck without belts being hooked.  We had him in the car and was just going to drive across the parking lot to another store, he WOULD NOT ALLOW me to drive until he hooked up.  He hollered, PaPa, don't go, I'm not hooked up.  It's all about getting in a routine, huh!

 

Dale in Indy

That is what makes the world go around , different views along with thoughts. I am a no seat belt person myself ,if it wasn't the "law" I would not wear one daily.  I do wear a 5 point harness when racing at the dragstrip - also a rule .