1955 Buick Century

[Airy Cat]

I have a 1955 Buick Special model 46R.  I want to install dual exhaust which means installing an exhaust pipe and muffler on the left side of the car.  I have an exhaust manifold from the left side of a 1956 Buick Century in which I could use on the left side and then install the exhaust pipe and muffler that fits on the left side.  What I want to know is:  can this be done, has it been done before, and what if any difficulties I would encounter?

[JohnD1956]

I thought the left side space was limited because of the brake master cylinder and lines near there?

 

[95Cardinal]

It can be done, Waldron's  even sells a conversion kit. It's a "thread the needle" project.

I used to own Waldron's, but I don't recall if this kit will fit a "power brake" car.

 

http://waldronexhaust.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=61_31_100&products_id=4561

[avgwarhawk]

Your kids will have a great time cruising in the Buick when you are finished restoring.

[Airy Cat]

The 1956 does have power brakes.

[NC-car-guy]

15 hours ago, Airy Cat said:

I have a 1955 Buick Special model 46R.  I want to install dual exhaust which means installing an exhaust pipe and muffler on the left side of the car.  I have an exhaust manifold from the left side of a 1956 Buick Century in which I could use on the left side and then install the exhaust pipe and muffler that fits on the left side.  What I want to know is:  can this be done, has it been done before, and what if any difficulties I would encounter?

Yes this will work on a 56. The M/C is in a different spot. The 55 has the M/C under the floor right where you need to put your exhaust pipe.

[Guest]

On 8/18/2019 at 4:14 PM, 95Cardinal said:

It can be done, Waldron's  even sells a conversion kit. It's a "thread the needle" project.

I used to own Waldron's, but I don't recall if this kit will fit a "power brake" car.

 

http://waldronexhaust.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=61_31_100&products_id=4561

When I called a few months back they said on the phone" we are no longer making a duel exhaust conversion for 55 Buicks." PS, I asked why the add in the paper version of the Bugle doesnt reflect this change? No idea was the response!

Edited August 20, 2019 by Guest (see edit history)

[95Cardinal]

Thanks for the update, 2carb40.

Sorry for the false hope, Airy Cat!

[Kosage Chavis]

On 8/18/2019 at 4:21 PM, Airy Cat said:

I have a 1955 Buick Special model 46R.  I want to install dual exhaust which means installing an exhaust pipe and muffler on the left side of the car.  I have an exhaust manifold from the left side of a 1956 Buick Century in which I could use on the left side and then install the exhaust pipe and muffler that fits on the left side.  What I want to know is:  can this be done, has it been done before, and what if any difficulties I would encounter?

Airy Cat, you are more than welcome to use this thread, but you would get more needed attention in the Post-War technical section.

Edited August 20, 2019 by Kosage Chavis (see edit history)

[Sean Batiz]

Hey; what are your thoughts on how to deal with the cancer that you’ve discovered in the regions of the body where the window seals used to be?

[Kosage Chavis]

8 hours ago, Sean Batiz said:

Hey; what are your thoughts on how to deal with the cancer that you’ve discovered in the regions of the body where the window seals used to be?

It will have to be cut out and replaced with new sheet metal.  Got to learn how to weld though.

[Kosage Chavis]

I removed the rear window.  Mr Willie advised me to cut the gasket rather than try to save it and risk breaking the window.  So I cut the entire lip of the gasket outside of the car.After you cut most of this lip off, you should be able to lift the glass out of the gasket.  A shot of the gasket with window removed.Once you peel the entire gasket from the car, remove the 9 clips at the top shown here.To remove, I used a putty knife, wedged it between the body and clip and pulled down as shown.Showing the site of removal.Showing rear window removed.Overall, a moderate task.

[old-tank]

Save the clips to hopefully use again or to be sure you get the correct ones if you have to buy a new.

[Sean Batiz]

On 8/20/2019 at 1:35 PM, Kosage Chavis said:

It will have to be cut out and replaced with new sheet metal.  Got to learn how to weld though.

Well, try to remain optimistic about the current state that the body is now in, as I’ve had to do, in that now, being as there’s no longer any layers of parts/materials making direct contact with the metal of the body’s window mounting areas to trap water moisture, what cancer or rust exists will henceforth be greatly minimized from spreading moreover, until such time comes whereas you can officially address its removal, once and for all. Water moisture will from now on, dry up (evaporate) much quicker than before; no place for it to stagnate & fester against the steal. Oh and, GOOD LUCK ON YOUR UPCOMING NEW FOUND WELDING SKILLS ‼️

Edited August 23, 2019 by Sean Batiz
Additional thoughts (see edit history)

[Kosage Chavis]

This time, I removed the remaining sweep spear assembly.The other portion of sweep spear is still mounted on the front quarter panels and doors.  The remaining portion shown here is divided into 3 pieces.  I started with removing the forward piece.3 threaded clips hold this piece in place which are accessed inside the car through this structural opening.Unbolt here.Carefully pull off body of car from front end.  Next, I removed the rear portion.2 clips hold this one in place.  Both are accessed from under the car just inside of the body.These bolts were somewhat seized onto the threaded clips.  So, I loosened them enough to slide the rear piece trim off of its clips.  I then took a dremel tool to grind off the clips from the car.  Finally, the last portion of trim was removed.5 clips hold this one in place and the same things were done to remove.  All are accessed from inside the wheel well.Repeat steps for opposite side.  Showing the site after removal.Showing rear portion of sweep spear assembly removed from car.Overall, a moderate task.  However, if your bolts do not seize on the threaded clips, the task becomes easy.

[Kosage Chavis]

Today, I moved the car into the driveway to finally remove the engine.  Had to move the other Buick out of the way.Looking foward to this new phase.

[Kosage Chavis]

Over the weekend, I removed the driver's and passenger's side inner fenders, front apron and radiator mount.  There are too many photos to add for one post, so I will split this up into two post.  First, I will start with the passenger's side inner fender and then the radiator mount.  Here's a shot of the passenger's side inner fender before removal.First thing I did was remove other parts that are clipped to the fender...a heater house (radiator to heater core) and wiring that feeds to the generator and passenger's side exterior lights/horn.  I labeled and unclipped the hose at 2 spots on the fender.Next, I labeled and unclipped the wire at 2 places along the fender shown here.I then pulled the wires from this terminal shown here.Once all wires are unhooked, I carefully pulled the wire bundle from the penetration shown just to the left of the terminal as shown above.  I then pulled the wire bundle from the penetration on the radiator mount shown here.I also had this relay mounted to my fender, which feeds the electrical fuel pump that was installed to bypass the original mechanical fuel pump.  This was removed.The fender should now be free from all miscellaneous components.  Remove both of the bolts shown here towards the bottom of the fender.Remove 3 bolts shown here.  2 bolts thread into the bottom/side of the radiator mount and the other one penetrates the car frame.Be aware that the bolt that penetrates the car frame needs a ratchet on both ends to remove and that there are 2 rubber pads on both ends.  Finally, remove the remaining 3 bolts that hold the inner fender and radiator mount together shown here.Lift the inner fender up and foward.  Keep your eyes on the metal brake line so that you don't hit it.  Showing the area of removal.Showing the passenger's side inner fender removed from the car.Overall, easy task.

 

 

The radiator mount was removed next.Pull wire bundle through this penetration shown here.Remove both bolts at the bottom/side of the radiator mount.Then remove the 3 remaining bolts shown here that holds the inner fender and radiator mount together.Remove the radiator mount.  Showing the area of removal.Showing the radiator mount removed from car.Overall, easy task.

 

Part 2 will come soon when I get some time to post.

[Sean Batiz]

Fantastic progress! You oughta show a young hipster a montage of  ONLY the pictures of everything you’ve done so far and tell’em, “This was what people used to have to do, JUST TO CHANGE THEIR OIL!”

[Kosage Chavis]

...part 2...

 

Removal of the driver's side inner fender.Detatch the wire ends from this terminal.  Pull wiring harness from this penetration shown here.Remove 3 screws on this wire harness hold-down bracket shown here and remove bracket.  Unscrew all relays and modules mounted on this inner fender. 

Also unclip wiring harness at 2 places on the inner fender as shown.You should now be able to move all of the wiring harness out of the way for now.  I then removed 2 bolts shown here.Remove the bolt shown here.  This one penetrates the frame and should have rubber on both sides.  Again, you will need a ratchet on both ends.Finally, remove these 2 bolts shown here.To access these 2 bolts, I had to hold back a few heater hoses that come off of the water pump and reach down towards the inside/bottom of the inner fender.  The inner fender is now detatched from the car.  Lift up and move forward.  Be sure to watch the brake lines when removing.  Showing the site after removal.Showing the driver's side inner fender removed from car.Overall, easy task.

 

 

After both inner fenders are removed from the car, it completely frees up the front apron shown here.Showing the front apron removed from car.No work required here.

[Sean Batiz]

I tend to have this bad problem of thinking that I have a photographic memory, which I don’t! Your latest update montage has been like I was thumbing through my mental pictures of each of these same steps! A refresher! I’ll DEFINITELY be referring back to the various disassembly pictures you’ve posted, in assisting my reassembly process, whenever this eventually occurs, even though yours is a Century.

[Kosage Chavis]

On 9/12/2019 at 10:03 AM, Sean Batiz said:

Fantastic progress! You oughta show a young hipster a montage of  ONLY the pictures of everything you’ve done so far and tell’em, “This was what people used to have to do, JUST TO CHANGE THEIR OIL!”

Thanks Sean and I am trying to do my part in getting young people interested in these cars, not scare them away😉!

 

[dei]

I appreciate greatly the documentation you are doing to be able to refer to it when the time comes for re-assembly!

 

With having had 4 "58 Buick's in various states always figured I had reference as to how things went together but... realised awhile ago that time is passing by and heaven forbid I don't get them back together, my boys would be stuck trying to figure out what goes where. 

They have their lives to live and are busy, but have kept them involved when I can and have been documenting things much like you have been doing from the start of your project.

The issue for me now will be to back up that data (for that just in case electronic failure...)

Keep up the good work.

[Kosage Chavis]

12 hours ago, dei said:

I appreciate greatly the documentation you are doing to be able to refer to it when the time comes for re-assembly!

Thank you Mr Dei.  Lord forbid anything should happen to me, but if it should, I want one of my kids or even my Father to be able to come behind me and to easily finish what I started.  I want this Buick to be the family heirloom that my Dad's (and Granbad's) should have been.

[Sean Batiz]

Maybe someone else out there can correct me on this but, if my memory serves me correctly, when you attempt to  divorce that nailhead from its dynoflow, you’ll want to be sure to mark, peen, or paint some sort of matching mating locations of the torque converter to the starter ring flexplate for correct alignment of reassembly.

[old-tank]

37 minutes ago, Sean Batiz said:

Maybe someone else out there can correct me on this but, if my memory serves me correctly, when you attempt to  divorce that nailhead from its dynoflow, you’ll want to be sure to mark, peen, or paint some sort of matching mating locations of the torque converter to the starter ring flexplate for correct alignment of reassembly.

Not a problem.

[dei]

I do not know if this applies to the '55's but when I had my '58 rebuilt by Jim Hughes he sent it back with these markings saying it was the proper way to connect the flex plate.

Edited September 15, 2019 by dei (see edit history)

[lancemb]

On 9/14/2019 at 8:34 PM, Sean Batiz said:

Maybe someone else out there can correct me on this but, if my memory serves me correctly, when you attempt to  divorce that nailhead from its dynoflow, you’ll want to be sure to mark, peen, or paint some sort of matching mating locations of the torque converter to the starter ring flexplate for correct alignment of reassembly.

As fsr as I know the purpose of this is to prevent balance issues.

[Sean Batiz]

Yes. This balance issue is what I recall about this particular topic but, I just can’t recall the exact publication of the TOO MANY items of original literature that was published in 1955, from which I read it from & can’t recall the exact specifics about it, other than this posing some sort of balancing issue if re-married differently. But then again, seeing as I do have other original literature of later Buick models, this might have been more relevant to dei’s 58 or, 56 & up? Idk. Maybe just go by Old Tank’s advice of there being no problem in this regard. I marked mine, “just in case”!

[old-tank]

On 9/14/2019 at 9:12 PM, old-tank said:

On 9/14/2019 at 8:34 PM, Sean Batiz said:

Maybe someone else out there can correct me on this but, if my memory serves me correctly, when you attempt to  divorce that nailhead from its dynoflow, you’ll want to be sure to mark, peen, or paint some sort of matching mating locations of the torque converter to the starter ring flexplate for correct alignment of reassembly.

Not a problem.

If you take the torque converter apart, you need to mark.  Attaching torque converter to the flex plate:  align the relief holes for the 2 drain plugs and the 3 attachment points and you will be correct;  I have seen some that were attached with the drain plugs covered (somebody had their head "up and jammed");  it would not hurt to mark, but if you pay attention it is "not a  problem".

[RivNut]

On 9/14/2019 at 9:30 PM, dei said:

I do not know if this applies to the '55's but when I had my '58 rebuilt by Jim Hughes he sent it back with these markings saying it was the proper way to connect the flex plate.

It appears that mounting the plate in any other configuration would cover the two drain plugs.  

[Kosage Chavis]

Last weekend I removed some more parts from the Buick.  I mostly removed the small things that are in the way.  I started with the fuel pump/filter and associated wires/tubing.  As you can tell, nothing about this is original to the car.  The original mechanical fuel/air pump must be shot because the previous owner capped every connection off and bypassed it with an electrical fuel pump.  Whoever did the job obviously just wanted the car to run with minimal effort.  Just look at how the gas line ran.Pretty sloppy.  I just went ahead and disconnected the fuel line here right before it runs under the body of the car.Out of curiosity, I looked over my parts car that has a more original run of its fuel line.  If it is correct, that fuel line should penetrate the frame through the hole shown here.I just cut the electrical wires off.  The wires were rigged anyway.  I am not going to document this because I plan on going back with the original fuel set-up.  However, I do plan on taking Mr Willie's suggestion of adding on an electrical fuel pump to prevent the infamous vapor lock.  It will instead be mounted towards the rear of the car, just foward of the fuel tank.  Showing the fuel pump, filter, wires and tubing removed from the car.Overall, easy task.

 

 

Next, I removed the power steering hoses.Just remove at the flare nuts shown here.Showing area of removal.I am not sure if it is necessary, but I sealed up the outlets with some 6mil plastic and some zip ties.  Showing the power steering hoses removed from the car.Overall, easy task. 

 

I also removed the negative battery wire/terminal.I removed a single bolt shown here.Area after the removal.Showing the negative battery wire/terminal removed from the car.Overall, easy task.

 

I also removed the spark plug wires, but no need to document that.  I have one more removal to add, but I will put that on my next post.  It was a little more involved.

[Sean Batiz]

I must have just overlooked this little detail over the vast assortment of pictures you’ve provided thus far or, simply forgot about it but, I’ve noticed that from one of the pictures above, that your Nailhead was definitely manufactured within the earlier portion of 1955, if not at the tail end of 54 due to it still possessing the solid styled valve/rocker covers, rather than the revised breather type that were released for production @ mid 1955 and later. I’m still trying to decide on which style I oughta attach to my Nailhead in whichever one of my two Buick’s gets drivable first. Better ventilation of the crankcase is obviously the right way to go to prevent oil viscosity breakdown from hydrocarbon blow-by but, as per originality, how big an issue would this “upgrade” be for use on my early 55 Buick?

[Sean Batiz]

Great progress on your latest dissection stage, by the way! I’m still baffled by how many of the original fasteners, especially those found in the regions your getting involved with now, I was able to loosen on my Buick, WITHOUT them breaking! A true testament of the quality of said fasteners? Idk.

[Kosage Chavis]

7 hours ago, Sean Batiz said:

how big an issue would this “upgrade” be for use on my early 55 Buick?

I like originality, but I don't see how that small change messes up how the engine works.  I could be wrong though.

Edited September 23, 2019 by Kosage Chavis (see edit history)

[Kosage Chavis]

Next thing I removed were all of the heater hoses along with the splash guard for the starter.I made sure I labeled the ends of each hose before removal so that I know how to route when installing new ones.  There are 4 altogether.  The picture above shows the 3 hoses coming off of the water pump and coolant manifold.   I started with the middle hose that runs on the driver's side.It runs through this front body mount here as shown above.The run is sandwiched between the floor pan and frame on the driver's side as shown above. After that, the hose bends inward towards the center of the car as it is again sandwiched between the floor pan and frame as shown above.Here is that same run just on the other side of that part of the frame as shown above.  This hose terminates here and would attach to the under-seat heating assembly.  This hose is removed simply by just sliding it out.  Next, I removed the hose on the passenger's side shown here.This hose attaches to the ranco valve before it runs aft.As shown above, unclip here just before the hanger assembly for the exhaust.The run continues aft pass the hanger assembly for the exhaust.As shown above, the run continues aft just above and in between the exhaust pipe and transmission dip-stick tubing before it is sandwiched (along with a smaller hard tubing) a structural member of the frame.As shown above, looking further down at the same run while looking forward (in respect to the car). The hose then bends toward the center of the car.The hose continues above the torque ball flange as shown above.  Unclip here.The same hose then runs down slightly and penetrates the frame as shown above.After the penetration, the hose terminates here and would also attach to the under-seat heater assembly.  The photo shown above is taken while looking towards the driver's side.  Again, the hose can just be pulled out to remove.The last 2 hoses shown above are saved for last.  These hoses run just to the side of the engine on the driver's side.  They then bend towards the center of the car before they run between the power steering unit and frame.  The hoses then bend down and then aft.The hoses are clipped to this starter splash guard as shown above.  The photo looks towards the driver's side.  You will need to remove this part to gain easy access to the hoses.  Remove the 4 bolts and then remove 1 more bolt on the front arm of this splash guard.The photo shown above is the continuation of the same run after passing between the frame and power steering unit.The photo shown above shows the hoses running aft.  Unclip the hoses from the splash guard and remove splash guard from the car.The hoses continue aft and penetrates this part of the frame as shown above.Showing the hoses on the other side of the penetration.  The hoses then bend toward the center of the car and both attach to the transmission cooler as shown above.  Detach here and pull the hoses out.  Showing the starter splash guard removed from the car.Showing the heater hoses removed from the car.Overall, easy task.

[GARY F]

That looks like a plumbers nightmare. Good thing you have all those pics.

[old-tank]

2 hours ago, Kosage Chavis said:

Thanks for posting the picture of the heater hose next to the fuel line.  Driving in the winter with the heater on and using the highly volatile winter blend gas will result in vapor lock.  Until I installed an electric fuel pump, I had to leave the heater off...drove me crazy!

Throw your old hoses away and use THIS when replacing...but keep you pictures and description of routing.

[Sean Batiz]

Thank You VERY MUCH for including the picture of that starter splash guard in its mounted orientation! I found mine just lying in the cabin area of my Buick and, this same part was always missing on my other Buick. I was never able to find a single image of it in ANY of the mountain of literature I have, to show it’s correct orientation! Also, I hope that you’ll find the fallowing shop “Pin-Up” chart handy. Something I’ve had for quite awhile; shows the exact length that each section of heater hose needs to be.

[Sean Batiz]

Too funny! I just clicked on the link provided by old-tank; SAME CHART! Oops 

[Sean Batiz]

On 9/26/2019 at 2:37 PM, old-tank said:

Thanks for posting the picture of the heater hose next to the fuel line.  Driving in the winter with the heater on and using the highly volatile winter blend gas will result in vapor lock.  Until I installed an electric fuel pump, I had to leave the heater off...drove me crazy!

Throw your old hoses away and use THIS when replacing...but keep you pictures and description of routing.

I as well, had this exact same problem; VERY FRUSTRATING TO DEAL WITH STUPID VAPOR LOCK!