Kosage Chavis Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 Parts car engine is completely disassembled.Now, I need to make another set of crates. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specalist John Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Hello Kosage...I've been checking you out..I have NADINE at the Beauty Shop, I have to finish it for my Dad. With his passing away few weeks ago REALLY put a fire in me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted January 15, 2021 Author Share Posted January 15, 2021 23 hours ago, Specalist John said: Hello Kosage...I've been checking you out..I have NADINE at the Beauty Shop, I have to finish it for my Dad. With his passing away few weeks ago REALLY put a fire in me Man John. I really hate to hear that and I extend my condolences to you and your Fam. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted February 4, 2021 Author Share Posted February 4, 2021 (edited) I haven't posted much lately, but I have been working on the parts car. Mainly, working on whole new set of crates for the engineand a dolley for the transmission. I then moved back to removals. Here's something I thought was interesting. Whoever drove this car decided to bypass the original temp gauge and installed a temp gauge from a 54 Roadmaster or Super and installed it where the original clock goes.When I looked at the original temp gauge, I could see the the tubing line had been either broken or cut. Here's some of the progress I am making on the parts car.My hope is to get this parts car fully parted out by the spring. Edited February 4, 2021 by Kosage Chavis Pictures uploaded upside down. (see edit history) 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 After a brief haitus, I was able to get back on the parts car. Got the dash out.I also got the hood off. The springs were challenging to get off. It took a lever, hook and chain to do the job. Then, after unbolting, I laid the hood on a slopping 2 x 4 and carefully slid it towards the front of the car until I was comfortable enough to pick it up and move it.The rear seat is out and the front seat is unbolted. I will worry about how to get it out later. Transmission will probably next. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specalist John Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 Hell yeah 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2carb40 Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 (edited) On 4/5/2021 at 9:57 PM, Kosage Chavis said: After a brief haitus, I was able to get back on the parts car. Got the dash out.I also got the hood off. The springs were challenging to get off. It took a lever, hook and chain to do the job. Then, after unbolting, I laid the hood on a slopping 2 x 4 and carefully slid it towards the front of the car until I was comfortable enough to pick it up and move it.The rear seat is out and the front seat is unbolted. I will worry about how to get it out later. Transmission will probably next. I saw a post with photo that showed flat washers thick enuff that they had to be tapped between coils when the hood was up to keep the spaces open lowering the hood somewhat let the extended springs off the hook so to speak. Edited April 7, 2021 by 2carb40 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fr. Buick Posted April 7, 2021 Share Posted April 7, 2021 Or nails. Or an engine hoist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 11, 2021 Author Share Posted May 11, 2021 Some more updates on the parts car. I am making progress, just not at the pace I'd like to go. I finally was able to access the under seat heater and I was pleasantly surprised by it's condition.The heater core is actually in better shape than the one from my main car.I also found a couple of small documents underneath the front seat.One looks like a time card from someone's job and then an inspection form. Looks like this car spent most of it's life in Elizabeth City, NC. Also, I got the transmission out and placed on it's roller.Got the steering column off with a bit of trail and error, and a little help from my friends here on this forum.And finally, I was able to remove the steering gear assembly.That Pittman arm is a huge "B" to get off. The car is getting close to being finished. I can't wait to make some room in the workshop and get started back on the main car. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 15, 2021 Author Share Posted May 15, 2021 Rear bumper off and wiring harness removed.I also took a trial run at lifting the body off of the frame. Everything worked pretty smoothly. Much easier than I thought. Just need to remove the 2 rear doors and the body will be ready to come off. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specalist John Posted May 15, 2021 Share Posted May 15, 2021 Hello Kosage..Keep up the OUTSTANDING Work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 16, 2021 Author Share Posted May 16, 2021 Major step taken today. Got the rest of the doors off and was ready to remove body from frame.Don't know if I will ever need these, but retained them anyway.I don't have a car lift yet, so I had to improvise with what I had...some old school jacks, a couple of work horses and 2 x 4's. Don't laugh.I was extremely careful, but almost dropped it. Regained stability and cleared it from the frame. I knew that a decent gust of wind would knock the body down, so I went ahead and started to lower it back to the ground. I lowered the back end with no problem. Then when I tried to lower the front end, the body fell straight to the ground. No worries. It's getting scrapped anyway. However, I will definitely NOT use this method on my main car. Now I need to tear down the frame. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted May 16, 2021 Share Posted May 16, 2021 Swift work! That's a pretty clean-looking frame there, too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 17, 2021 Author Share Posted May 17, 2021 (edited) Started tearing down the frame today, but not without taking note of some things. First, getting a record if the fuel line layout. Then, the layout of the emergency brake cable. @lancemb, I wish that I could keep the frame. It's rough but pretty solid. I just don't have the room. Edited May 17, 2021 by Kosage Chavis (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 Amature suggestion here... Save as many frame clips as you can, if you can. Bag and tag them as I'm sure they might be hard to find? 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 3 hours ago, dei said: Amature suggestion here... Save as many frame clips as you can, if you can. Bag and tag them as I'm sure they might be hard to find? By the way Kosage is picking this car apart, I doubt he'll leave any scraps behind! Great suggestion though, and same is true with body. Get any clips for trunk boards, wiring, etc. because if you come up short later it will be a PITA to procure one. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fr. Buick Posted May 18, 2021 Share Posted May 18, 2021 And at least save all wiring connectors and terminals... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 19, 2021 Author Share Posted May 19, 2021 @dei, @lancemb, @Fr. Buick, I am doing just as you suggested. Even items, big and small, that are broken get saved. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 21, 2021 Author Share Posted May 21, 2021 Just got this in the mail...factory rear speaker cover with hardware, compliments of Mr William from facebook.Had no clue the screen was separate from the frame. The screen seems to be made from a wire impregnated mesh or something. Either way, it is in ver good shape! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted May 21, 2021 Share Posted May 21, 2021 Have a close look, it might be flocked. If it needs redoing you can get flocking kits online. I bought one 3 years ago for something unrelated. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 21, 2021 Author Share Posted May 21, 2021 1 hour ago, Bloo said: Have a close look, it might be flocked. If it needs redoing you can get flocking kits online. I bought one 3 years ago for something unrelated. I didn't know anything about flocking before this. Thank you for that. The flocking on my grill looks older. I can tell because on the other side, there is an imprint of the rear shelf cut out for the rear speaker left on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 24, 2021 Author Share Posted May 24, 2021 Front end suspension is all removed.All that's left is the rear end and power braking system. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 26, 2021 Author Share Posted May 26, 2021 Just a detail of the entire power brake system before I remove it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1953mack Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 On 5/25/2021 at 11:05 PM, Kosage Chavis said: Just a detail of the entire power brake system before I remove it. Kudos for putting this great video together. This video shows what Buick failed to show 1953-1956 Buick owners (and mechanics) with power brakes in their Shop Manuals. The routing of the vacuum and hydraulic lines to the Power Brake Cylinder and the four wheels are very similar for the four years; the vacuum reserve tank was added in 1955. Any chance of posting a picture(s) showing where the Car Serial Number is stamped on the topside of your frame rails? Thanks again. Al Malachowski BCA #8965 "500 Miles West of Flint" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 28, 2021 Author Share Posted May 28, 2021 (edited) 11 hours ago, 1953mack said: Any chance of posting a picture(s) showing where the Car Serial Number is stamped on the topside of your frame rails? Thanks again. Thank you. I will take look tomorrow and report back. Edited May 28, 2021 by Kosage Chavis (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 28, 2021 Author Share Posted May 28, 2021 A detail of mounting points on the frame for power brake components. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 29, 2021 Author Share Posted May 29, 2021 I am finally at the end with the parts car. The entire power brake system was removed. I was able to fully save all of the hard lines to template new ones with.The rear end is removed.And the frame is fully disassembled.The body is already placed to the side.Now I need to organize and box all of the remaining parts that I intend on keeping. Everything else will be put up for sale very soon. Can't wait to resume work on my main car again. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 30, 2021 Author Share Posted May 30, 2021 @1953mack, I looked at the specific locations on the frame as you suggested and look what I found. I had to sand and clean the area well, but I found it in this spot, just below the blue flashlight shown in this photo.Here are a couple of shots at different angles, but you can somewhat make it out.The VIN on my parts car is 6 B6010190. I could only make out 8 stamps. Out of those 8 stamps, I could only read the last 6 which says 010190. The first stamp is impossible to read while the 2nd stamp looks like it could definitely be a 6. So there you go. 1955 Buick frames do carry a stamp on them...at least in my case. I will look for this on my main car and report that when the time comes. Also, for those with little resources but need to move a frame around without help, it can be done. It was time to move the parts car frame out of the garage. I decided to take the rear end and use it as a dolly. I placed a 2 x 4 on top of the frame to rest the front of the torque tube on while I rested the very ends of the frame on top of the shaft housing of the rear end. I put on my work out belt for my back and some gloves. The frame is extremely heavy, but I was able to lift the other end and roll it where it needed to go. After you park it, just back the rear end up and roll the rear end from the frame. On to the next thing. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1953mack Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 (edited) 13 hours ago, Kosage Chavis said: . . . I looked at the specific locations on the frame as you suggested and look what I found . . . The VIN on my parts car is 6 B6010190. I could only make out 8 stamps. Out of those 8 stamps, I could only read the last 6 which says 010190. The first stamp is impossible to read while the 2nd stamp looks like it could definitely be a 6 . . . Thanks again for taking the time finding and taking pictures of the stamped Car Serial Number located on the topside of the frame rail near the rear of the passenger's side of the frame. There might be a second "hidden" location somewhere else on this frame to keep honest people honest. Not stamping the first digit "6" (designating a Buick 60-series) on the frame rails makes sense since 1955 Buick 40-60 Series Models used the same basic frame. Here's my best guess of the eight characters. Al Malachowski BCA #8965 "500 Miles West of Flint" Edited May 31, 2021 by 1953mack (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted May 31, 2021 Author Share Posted May 31, 2021 6 hours ago, 1953mack said: Here's my best guess of the eight characters. I totally agree. And you are very welcome Mr Al. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dstratton Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 On 5/21/2021 at 6:56 PM, Kosage Chavis said: I didn't know anything about flocking before this. Thank you for that. The flocking on my grill looks older. I can tell because on the other side, there is an imprint of the rear shelf cut out for the rear speaker left on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted June 2, 2021 Author Share Posted June 2, 2021 Bought this power brake set through facebook.I have been buying Buick parts off and on for the last 5 years and I must say, this one was a bad experience. There was no care taken in boxing up the parts. I was missing a couple of parts and one of the parts was damaged. Thank God I didn't pay much. Power braking parts, compliments of facebook. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted June 20, 2021 Author Share Posted June 20, 2021 A Father's Day gift from my Wife. The clock was made to look similar to a dash clock on a 55 Buick! Happy Father's Day to all. 10 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted June 25, 2021 Author Share Posted June 25, 2021 I am very happy (and relieved) to say that I am finally done with the parts car. All parts that were kept are boxed and stored while all other parts will be sold for cheap! If anyone is interested in some parts, I created a thread in the Buick - buy and sell forum. Just click here. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted June 27, 2021 Author Share Posted June 27, 2021 (edited) Now that I am done with the parts car, it's back to the business with my main car. Next order of business was removing the hood springs shown here.First thing you need to do is to secure the hood as shown. I used a 2x4 to hold it open. I don't have any special tools to remove these springs. I just had to be resourceful with what I had. Both my Daddy and Grandaddy both would say, "More than one way to skin a cat". I used a light weight chain, a pole from my old carport and a double sided locking chain loop. Here's a picture of how I set it up.Lock the chain loop at bottom of spring. Make a loop out of the chain and lock it to bottom end of chain loop. Stick something rigid through the chain loop and rest one end of it under the frame to create a lever. Rest the other end of the lever against the tire for stability. Use your body weight and gently push down on the lever with your foot.Once the spring's hook clears the body of the car, slowly lift your foot back up and your spring should be free. Repeat these steps on other side. Here's a shot of the site after removal.A shot of the hood springs after removal.Overall, this was an easy task. Next, I removed the hood as shown.The hood is pretty heavy and I was removing it by myself. So, I placed a couple of 2x4's under the hood and rested them on the body and the front end of the frame, creating a slope. Keep in mind that the 2x4 holding the hood up is still in place.Next, remove the 3 bolts shown here (both sides).Once removed, you can set the ends of the hood on the sloped 2x4's as shown.You can now remove the 2x4 that was holding the hood open and lay the hood down on the sloping 2x4's as shown.You can now gently slide the hood down the set of 2x4's. You will probably need to keep shifting the hood hinges forward to clear obstructions.Once the hood is close to the ground, stand the hood up on the 2x4's and walk it down the rest of the way until the hood clears the 2x4's. Hood is removed. Showing the site after removal.Showing the hood after removal.Overall, this was an easy task. Edited June 27, 2021 by Kosage Chavis (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Great ingenuity! I can tell nothing will stop you from this project. I can relate to having to use physics to accomplish tasks alone! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted June 30, 2021 Author Share Posted June 30, 2021 This time, I removed the steering wheel as shown.I took the center nut and screwed it back down about 2 or 3 threads.I then used a steering wheel puller in conjunction with a socket as shown to avoid damaging the grounding button for the horn.I sprayed a little WD-40 into the splines to help. Slowly tighten the puller. The steering wheel will either slide off or snap off. Showing the site after removal.Showing the steering wheel after removal.Overall, this was an easy task. Next, I removed the item shown here. I don't know the proper name of it. So, I will just call it the steering column seal and firewall vent assembly.Remove 3 nuts along the curved brace below the steering column penetration.Remove the curved brace. You will then remove the 2 screws shown here on either side of the column.You can now carefully pry the seal and vent off of the firewall until separated.Showing the site after removal.Showing the vent and seal assembly after remova.Overall, this was an easy task. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted July 9, 2021 Author Share Posted July 9, 2021 (edited) Removing the steering column here, as shown.Loosen the clamp bolt shown here.Go back inside the car and remove the screws that holds down the steering column rubber seal at the firewall. Next, simultaneously pull back on the steering column while firmly wiggling it out of the socket. Take your time. Once you pull it off the socket, turn the steering column counterclockwise until the shifting arm clears the firewall opening.Now, you can pull it out. You will also remove 2 different steering column seals with the steering column itself. Showing the site of removal.Showing the steering column after removal.Overall, this was an easy task. Onto the power steering gear, as shown.Remove the pitman arm nut shown here.A pitman arm removal tool is necessary for this.My tool wouldn't fit, so I had to hammer the tool into place until centered. Tighten the tool until pitman arm pops or slides off the spline.Now, remove the 4 bolts shown here.These bolts hold down 2 pairs of clamps on the opposite side. While removing the 4th bolt, hold the power steering gear in place so that it doesn't fall off of the frame to prevent injury and/or damage. Once both clamps and bolts have been removed, pick up the power steering gear off the frame. Showing the site after removal.Showing the power steering gear after removal.Overall, this was an easy task. Just take note that this part has a decent amount of weight on it to be prepared. Edited July 9, 2021 by Kosage Chavis (see edit history) 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosage Chavis Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 This time, I removed the entire wiring harness from the car. I usually go step by step with associated photos when explaining the removal of any part. This time, I created a video that pretty much explains what I did in an orderly manner to remove the wiring harness. I will also add on some photos to add some more context. So, here it is... Everything starts from the back. None of these bushings are any good. All are dry rotted. Showing where the harness branches off to feed the fuel sending unit in the trunk. The harness branches off here in the trunk to feed the dome light in the interior of the car. Detach. After working my way to the front of the car and before I pull the wiring harness from the firewall, I decide to move the other cables out of the way first. This photo shows the speedometer cable. Pull speedometer cable from here. Unclip speedometer cable here. Showing the emergency cable here. Remove bushing and then pull from this location. Unclip emergency brake cable just below from where I am pointing. Just leave the cables hanging. I will completely remove after removing the body from the frame later. Remove both screws to remove the high beam floor switch shown here. Push out the switch. Unclip the last of the wiring harness here. Remove 2 screws at this firewall penetration. One at the top and one at the bottom. Push the major bushing out from the firewall. Be sure to slowly feed the wiring harness from the firewall, as not to damage anything. Showing part of the removal site. Showing the entire wiring harness after removal. Overall, this was a somewhat easy task. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Looks like a solid car! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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