Doug1414 Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 When I got my Buick a couple months ago I received many, many boxes of parts. Lucky me!! I have worked through the parts and rebuilt the carb and the fuel pump. Emptied the gas tank and put 10 gallons of vinegar in it and it worked very nicely. Now I am working the electrical and I seem to not have the switch for the floor to start the car. I found two mounting holes beneath the gas pedal but nothing is there. Not even wiring from the starter and ignition. Any ideas? And maybe who might have such a switch. I do not even know what it looks like!! I am getting antsy to drive it. Front seat reupholstered and ready for me to break it in. Thanks for your help!! Doug peedolomi@hotmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron65 Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Buicks didn't have a floor switch; they used a microswitch on the carburetor and the commensurate wiring. If you have the right carb, you should notice the switch on the side. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackofalltrades70 Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Should look something like this. When the accelerator is pushed to the floor, with the key switch turned on, this switch closes contacts and engages the starter motor. This is a picture of the carb on my 56' Matt 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug1414 Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 Thank you gentlemen. You are right. The 2 connection switch on the side of the carburetor is definitely there and the wires were hanging down the firewall which lead to the ignition and one to the starter solenoid. Do you know why your switch has 3 connections? Since getting the car I have spent most of my time on the fuel system, rear end and changing of all the fluids. I happened to be reading the shop manual when I read about starting the car when pushing on the gas pedal so my mind went back to a vehicle I drove many years ago which had a starter switch right next to the gas pedal so that is what I was looking for. I have lots to learn about cars before 1961. I took out the front seat the other day and realized there is a fan underneath the passenger side. I have not read about that yet. Having a ball and cannot wait to show pictures. Body extremely straight. Need to install the two front fenders and the hood which goes up from either side. What a great idea that was. Why did they ever quit on that method of hood opening? Thanks again Doug peedolomi@hotmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Doug, the fan under the passenger seat is the heater. The hood opening from the side was from 1941 through 1952. Packard used that for a few years as well. It can be good or bad, depending on circumstances. If you have a shop manual,, good for you. The wiring diagram for each model is in there. Answers a lot of questions. Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 12 hours ago, Doug1414 said: Thank you gentlemen. ... Need to install the two front fenders and the hood which goes up from either side. What a great idea that was. Why did they ever quit on that method of hood opening? Thanks again Doug peedolomi@hotmail.com This may not have been the reason they stopped making the hood that way but over ten years ago I saw a book by newspaper photographer in California. Apparently in the 50's the police department did not have their own photographers so newspaper staff would double duty for the task. Anyway, this particular guy published a book of accident photos he took in California, and one particular photo sticks with me to this day. In this particular photo, the driver exited through the windshield, and was lodged between the fender and the engine, under the hood, which lifted on the drivers side and settled on his back. I didn't even drive my 56 for several weeks after that till I got my seat belts installed! I figured chances are I would not survive any type of hit like these photos showed, but at least they will find me behind the wheel. Never could finish that book either. Just thinking about it now gives me shudders! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Here are pictures from the 1939 shop manual showing the operation of the "start" control at the carb. I looked at the 1938 manual and that model is much different....so how many designs did they have? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron65 Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 (edited) 42 minutes ago, Barney Eaton said: Here are pictures from the 1939 shop manual showing the operation of the "start" control at the carb. I looked at the 1938 manual and that model is much different....so how many designs did they have? The style of switch depended on the carburetor. For example, my '53 could have come with either a Carter or a Stromberg, and they both used different switches. Edited May 13, 2017 by Aaron65 (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemon Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 21 hours ago, Doug1414 said: Do you know why your switch has 3 connections? I saw this question did not get answered. There are only two connections on the switch, the third screw pictured is just the switch mounting screw, as there is an identical screw underneath. It doesn't matter which wire goes to which terminal. Good luck on your Buick project! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug1414 Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 Two things I have learned from this topic. Number one is: What a blessing it is to have gentlemen such as yourselves responding so quickly to everyone's automotive issues. Some of us could never do it without you. And the other thing I have learned is: I will start looking for a source to buy and install seat belts. I certainly don't want to lose my wife, the love of my life, to a stupid decision. That would take away from all the fun I am already having with my "NEW" Buick!!! Thanks guys, Doug peedolomi@hotmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1939_Buick Posted May 14, 2017 Share Posted May 14, 2017 (edited) Download the 1942 Buick shop manual. All of it section by section. The pdf link does not work. It is very comprehensive and has information that can be used with all straight 8’s. It has more information than was included in older “Shop Manuals” before 1942-41 http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/manuals/Buick/1942/Shop%20Manual/ At times people have replaced the carb switch with an extra switch in/under the dash. Seat belts are only as good at the anchors to the body/chassis. Be careful. Edited May 14, 2017 by 1939_Buick (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted May 15, 2017 Share Posted May 15, 2017 Look at http://www.julianos.com/Seat-Belts-s/96.htm for a good source of seat belts and the anchors you will need. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug1414 Posted May 16, 2017 Author Share Posted May 16, 2017 Thanks for the seat belt information. Question: The switch on the carburetor closes when the gas pedal is pushed and activates the starter. But after the car is going down the road what happens? When I depress the gas pedal, how does the switch know not to activate the starter again?? Lots to learn. Thanks again. Doug peedolomi@hotmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 The switch will only work when there is no vacuum. . It is controlled by a little ball in the switch that gets sucked out of starting position by the vacuum in your engine. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted May 16, 2017 Share Posted May 16, 2017 5 hours ago, Bill Stoneberg said: The switch will only work when there is no vacuum. . It is controlled by a little ball in the switch that gets sucked out of starting position by the vacuum in your engine. ...and the starter relay which finds ground through the armature during cranking loses that after charging starts (2 safety features). 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daves1940Buick56S Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 On 5/13/2017 at 3:14 PM, JohnD1956 said: This may not have been the reason they stopped making the hood that way but over ten years ago I saw a book by newspaper photographer in California. Apparently in the 50's the police department did not have their own photographers so newspaper staff would double duty for the task. Anyway, this particular guy published a book of accident photos he took in California, and one particular photo sticks with me to this day. In this particular photo, the driver exited through the windshield, and was lodged between the fender and the engine, under the hood, which lifted on the drivers side and settled on his back. I didn't even drive my 56 for several weeks after that till I got my seat belts installed! I figured chances are I would not survive any type of hit like these photos showed, but at least they will find me behind the wheel. Never could finish that book either. Just thinking about it now gives me shudders! Back in the "good old days" newspaper photogs were often only paid if the pics were published, so to keep from starving they did a lot of side jobs like doing forensic work for the police. This was how Weegee (Arthur Fellig) worked before finally going full time on the night crime beat. He made a lot of interesting images. Cheers, Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daves1940Buick56S Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 On 5/14/2017 at 1:30 AM, Doug1414 said: Two things I have learned from this topic. Number one is: What a blessing it is to have gentlemen such as yourselves responding so quickly to everyone's automotive issues. Some of us could never do it without you. And the other thing I have learned is: I will start looking for a source to buy and install seat belts. I certainly don't want to lose my wife, the love of my life, to a stupid decision. That would take away from all the fun I am already having with my "NEW" Buick!!! Thanks guys, Doug peedolomi@hotmail.com Right, seat belts was one of the things that had a high priority once I got my 1940 car to run reliably. Now I am trying to solve the seatbelt issue on my 1957 TR3. Not as easy on that one, a lot less "floor space." Cheers, Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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