carlisle1926 Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 I recently purchased a 1949 Buick Roadmaster Riviera hardtop. I found the car on Craigslist near San Antonio, TX, and almost didn't make the 4 hour drive because it looked so bad in the photos. When I got out there, I was surprised at the condition of the car. It does have rust issues, but overall, I'm pretty happy with it. I scrubbed the badly weathered paint, and spent two days buffing the paint just to see what it would look like. All four tires were blown out, so I found some lightly used radial whitewalls tires just to roll the car around. It is amazing how much better the car looks with just a few days of effort. The engine isn't locked, so I expect to try and start it after I inspect the engine. Is anyone currently reproducing floor pans that are accurate? The driver's side floor is bad. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 Wow! Can't believe it's the same car! Very nice color too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialEducation Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 She's pretty, great find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 It went from Green to blue by just scrubbing? Dang. Looks good though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) That my friend, is MY all time choice car. I think I would keep cleaning, MAKE IT SAFE, and enjoy, the patina is so cool. Show it with the picture of it sitting in the grass/weeds. Love it, Dale in Indy P. S. I would consider a first class updated interior in the car, and ride is style, IMO Edited June 17, 2016 by smithbrother (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlisle1926 Posted June 17, 2016 Author Share Posted June 17, 2016 5 hours ago, wndsofchng06 said: It went from Green to blue by just scrubbing? Dang. Looks good though. Blue often oxidizes into an almost olive drab color. As I was loading the car, I could see where weeds had scrubbed the side of the car and it was obvious that the car was blue. A scrubbed the entire car with 0000 steel wool and that got most of the rust streaks and green oxidation off. I then used multiple polishing compounds on a buffer with a wool pad. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kanman Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 carlisle" got a nice surprise, you might try oldbuickparts.com they offer some floor pans for buick, don,t know if they have them for your car or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 17, 2016 Share Posted June 17, 2016 (edited) Beautiful car and love the naturally oxidized and cut and polished paint, great job!!! Do hope you plan on posting to the Me and My Buick forum as it will gradually fall to the bottom here. Would love to follow that. Also maybe post a picture in the Favorite Pictures of my Post War Buick. Oh and CONGRATS on the find!!!! Edited June 17, 2016 by MrEarl congrats (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Phillips Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 What a beautiful beast! You did well to rescue it and give it a new lease on life. If you need outside door handles, I have a few, but they would need replating. I agree with "Smithbrother", give it a nice interior (LeBaron-Bonney carries the correct material) and leave the exterior pretty much as-is, if you want my opinion. I LOVE the straight eight Roadmasters. This 76-R, plus the '49 Sedanet, and the '52 two-door hardtop are the ones to have, in my opinion. Well done! I'm going to Houston next week to pick up a '51 Super that needs another engine. I have some experience with the Hydro-E-Lectric power window and power seat system, and would love to work on this 76-R if you decide you need some outside help with it. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Leonard, Texas 1932 57 1932 57-S 1932 56 1948 76-S 1948 56-S 1949 51 1949 59 1949 56-C 1950 46-SD 1954 41-D and other Buicks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 OH MAN Pete, you are in trouble, YOU didn't mention the FITTY FO's. Dale in Indy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlisle1926 Posted June 18, 2016 Author Share Posted June 18, 2016 1 hour ago, Pete Phillips said: What a beautiful beast! You did well to rescue it and give it a new lease on life. If you need outside door handles, I have a few, but they would need replating. I agree with "Smithbrother", give it a nice interior (LeBaron-Bonney carries the correct material) and leave the exterior pretty much as-is, if you want my opinion. I LOVE the straight eight Roadmasters. This 76-R, plus the '49 Sedanet, and the '52 two-door hardtop are the ones to have, in my opinion. Well done! I'm going to Houston next week to pick up a '51 Super that needs another engine. I have some experience with the Hydro-E-Lectric power window and power seat system, and would love to work on this 76-R if you decide you need some outside help with it. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Leonard, Texas 1932 57 1932 57-S 1932 56 1948 76-S 1948 56-S 1949 51 1949 59 1949 56-C 1950 46-SD 1954 41-D and other Buicks Thanks for the offer. It will be some time before I work on the power window system. I have both the exterior door handles. The passenger side one was removed for some reason and was on the front seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick man Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 … Very nice find !!!! However, next time before ruining any possibility of saving the paint patina or not by using using 0000 steel wool on factory lacquer paint, simply flood and rub Marvel Mystery Oil over everything top, sides and bottom. About 2-gallons worth. Then let it set for about 2-months. All that blush will rub off and it will preserve the paint. LIve n learn. Also before starting you will want to drop the engine pan and clean it out. Take off the valve cover and expose the lifters. Take off the engine case mounted oil filter boss from the engine block and clean out the no doubt frozen oil psi valve located inside of it. Then take off the oil pump assembly and attach a 1/4 inch clear tube and stick it into the hole the pump came out of up and into the engine block. This is the main engine oil passage way to the engines main oil gallery routes. Then attach the other end of the 1/4 inch tubing to a cheap drill pump submerged into a 2 qt bucket of cheap oil mixed with Marvel Mystery Oil. Place a large plastic concrete mixing box pan that usually measures 2.5 x 3 ft under the block and start the drill. Oil will flow through and flush throughout the engine and rocker assembly. Make sure to lock off the oil filter block boss as oil will flow from there and you don't want that. In the end, you will have flushed the engine and all the oil passages. By this time after sitting they will have become completely "Gummy Bear" and clogged. If you do not do this and attempt to start the engine after sitting this long as you see all those cowboys doing on youtube high on Miller Lite, then all you will be doing is milling the engine as it sets thereby ruining it. Good luck and once again a great and rare find with lots of preservation and restoration potential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 I don't think MANY are going to WAIT two months for that process to work. I think WHAT he did was very smart, 0000 steel wool on 'that' paint job didn't hurt it one bit. The buffer took care of any 0000 issues. I have this feeling he knows what to do to get it running, and make it safe. I wish him well on a great car, and find. Dale in Indy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buick man Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 … Good for you…. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 9 hours ago, buick man said: … Good for you…. NO...Good for HIM.... Dale in Indy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 That's enough children. If I have to stop this car on the side of the road and come back there ........ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstyle Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 I've been looking for pans for my 49 Roadmaster also. So far no luck but I may end up using something close. https://www.c2cfabrication.com/search?q=1949+buick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 Well, it is good for HIM, he has received info/opinions from MANY. That's why this site is so good, IMO Dale in Indy P. S. My dad DID stop and get in our faces, all five of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithbrother Posted June 18, 2016 Share Posted June 18, 2016 I would imagine a 40 series floor pan could be modified to work in a 70 series. If you like the price, buy it, and go from there. Of course many of us are metal men, and some aren't, but there is ALWAYS a WAY. Dale in Indy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlisle1926 Posted June 19, 2016 Author Share Posted June 19, 2016 11 hours ago, oldstyle said: I've been looking for pans for my 49 Roadmaster also. So far no luck but I may end up using something close. https://www.c2cfabrication.com/search?q=1949+buick DO NOT DO NOT use those guys. I had a super bad experience with them. They are hand making those pans using a simple bead roller, and the bead rolls are extremely shallow and nowhere near as deep or sturdy as original beads. I bought a set of pans from them off of Ebay 2 years ago for a 1957 Plymouth. I threw them away and hand made them myself---- they were that far off! It also took them 4 months to get them to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlisle1926 Posted June 19, 2016 Author Share Posted June 19, 2016 22 hours ago, buick man said: … Very nice find !!!! However, next time before ruining any possibility of saving the paint patina or not by using using 0000 steel wool on factory lacquer paint, simply flood and rub Marvel Mystery Oil over everything top, sides and bottom. About 2-gallons worth. Then let it set for about 2-months. All that blush will rub off and it will preserve the paint. LIve n learn. Also before starting you will want to drop the engine pan and clean it out. Take off the valve cover and expose the lifters. Take off the engine case mounted oil filter boss from the engine block and clean out the no doubt frozen oil psi valve located inside of it. Then take off the oil pump assembly and attach a 1/4 inch clear tube and stick it into the hole the pump came out of up and into the engine block. This is the main engine oil passage way to the engines main oil gallery routes. Then attach the other end of the 1/4 inch tubing to a cheap drill pump submerged into a 2 qt bucket of cheap oil mixed with Marvel Mystery Oil. Place a large plastic concrete mixing box pan that usually measures 2.5 x 3 ft under the block and start the drill. Oil will flow through and flush throughout the engine and rocker assembly. Make sure to lock off the oil filter block boss as oil will flow from there and you don't want that. In the end, you will have flushed the engine and all the oil passages. By this time after sitting they will have become completely "Gummy Bear" and clogged. If you do not do this and attempt to start the engine after sitting this long as you see all those cowboys doing on youtube high on Miller Lite, then all you will be doing is milling the engine as it sets thereby ruining it. Good luck and once again a great and rare find with lots of preservation and restoration potential. I like your ideas for flushing the oil system. Very sound advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted June 20, 2016 Share Posted June 20, 2016 (edited) Have you looked at classic fabrication over in the carolinas ? I bought floor pans for my 1950 wagon and were happy with them. http://www.classicfabrication.com Nice car, you should have fun with it. Edited June 20, 2016 by Bill Stoneberg (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlisle1926 Posted June 20, 2016 Author Share Posted June 20, 2016 10 hours ago, Bill Stoneberg said: Have you looked at classic fabrication over in the carolinas ? I bought floor pans for my 1950 wagon and were happy with them. http://www.classicfabrication.com Nice car, you should have fun with it. Thanks for the tip! I had not heard of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Wonderful find. I looks pretty much complete and ready to restore. I saw a parts car advertised someplace, today.....and, I think it was in the current Hemmings. Pick it up and make a run for a National. This car is the last one I've wanted all of my life and never been able to own. Before I could ever get one, they were more expensive than my resources, or I was too old to restore another car. GOOD FOR YOU!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buicknutty Posted June 27, 2016 Share Posted June 27, 2016 Neat find of a beautiful car! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeBurgess Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Wonderful car. I just hauled my Roadie Rivie home today. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlisle1926 Posted July 6, 2016 Author Share Posted July 6, 2016 Well, I don't like it, but I guess things happen this way. I just put the 49 Roadmaster up for sale on Ebay. Time to liquidate a few things around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 eewww, the L word, I hate it. Sorry you have to let it go. Hope you make a few bucks. Great job representing the car. Will you be putting it in the buy/sell forum? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Buick-Roadmaster-/361633606004?forcerrptr=true&hash=item54330ae974:g:fIAAAOSwzJ5XfH7O&item=361633606004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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