1925 Buick master 55x restoration

[1924 6-55 Sport Tourer]

25 Buick,

FWIW, I had my chassis sandblasted and painted in a 2 pack primer and top coat from a local blasting business.

Cost, $420-00. I was happy with the finish. Very shiny and durable.

Photo shows it on the trailer when i bought it home (please forgive the mess in the background - man can't have to many projects )

 

David.

 

[25 Buick]

I have been busy respraying an old jag for a relatives wedding. But managed to get a bit done on the Buick. Repaired and painted the side step hangers noticed they have a little mark stamped in them. And continued working on the many bushes that have worn shafts and some even worn through the bush and into the metal parts. I will have to weld repair and mill these parts out before getting the bushes installed again. Slow process.

 

Is there detailed clearances for these bushes parts? I have been adding clearances depending on the application but can adapt correct tolerance if there is any documented from now on?

 

also the snake that eats all the rodents turned up to spend the night in the tree hunting bats. You can see the tree trunk going down is actually still the snake! Fat one.

[ROD W]

Brendan

I always found the most wear in the front break actuating levers,   which required welding,  re-drilling  or re-bushed.   Is that the 27 Standard in the background.    There,s   a  27 Master in  S.A  for sale at the moment  in Just Cars,   but I,m not buying the magazine in case I get tempted.

Brought the body of my 25 up from NSW  last month and putting the new wood into the tub.

[ROD W]

Here,s  a correct  gauge cluster for your car on US Ebay  if your missing yours

[25 Buick]

Yes rod, that's the 27 standard for sale. I also have one of those gauges. cheers. 

Yes it's a time consuming job I will be doing for a while these darn bushes. 

Timber is looking good on yours!

Edited August 11, 2017 by 25 Buick (see edit history)

[25 Buick]

Finally I am back to spending my spare hour or two a week on the Buick! 

Not much has happened because I have been messing around with bushes and cleaning and painting everything .

 

put the step rails on and moved the chassis into the house next to my American car. Much to the wife's disgust.

 

assembled the brake assembled and installed to the chassis.

 

question.. the part that has a ball on each end that attaches to the end of the brake pedal lever. Does it have a clearance in between both ends or is there something that goes on the end to stop them twisting? Once the exterior clamps are on which will limit movement and twisting but still seems like bad engineering.

 

Fourth photo.

 

im not sure how to make the pictures go into my writing yet.

 

Hard to explain.

 

 

Edited August 23, 2017 by 25 Buick
More photos (see edit history)

[Hubert_25-25]

You are referring to the "brake equalizer bar".  (Shown is left hand drive).  Put grease on both ends where the bar pivots.  It is pulled by the clevis and rod from the brake pedal.  When you are all adjusted, it should move away from but basically be parallel to the frame crossmember.  Hugh

 

[Taylormade]

As to the pictures, you should drag the photos you want to use into the bottom strip (choose files.). When you want to use one, place the cursor in the text where you want to place the picture, then click on the plus symbol on the photo and the photo will be inserted where you placed the cursor.

[25 Buick]

Thanks Hugh yes that is what I was referring to. And thankyou Taylor made I'll try that next time.

[Peter P]

Any updates to this great thread?

[25 Buick]

I'm back, I welcomed my first child two and a bit months earlier than expected and nearly lost mum in the process. All on track now and with zero money (baby's are expensive... more than cars! )

 

but there is is never a good time to have a project so I figure I will work on it when I can. 

 

Got new radiator and core completed, with nickel plated top. Not happy with the top some splatter and scratch marks from the platers. I may see if I can get it nickel plated again while attached?

 

i went with a core style that looked old, as mine was not a honeycomb but large horizontal. I will be painting the rest black and mix a silver colour for the core to mimick the original solder. Hope to continue working on bits whenever I can.

 

need to source a restorable surround now or painstakingly rebuild the one I have

 

brendan 

[ROD W]

Brendan,   good to hear things worked out safely for mum and bubs.  Continue to  keep us informed on the progress of your 25 -55.  Its always good to see progress being made.  I,ve done very little on my 25 recently as I,ve been working on the 20 roadster,  renewing all the suspension and changing from LHD  to RHD.

[dibarlaw]

Brenden :

 Congratulations and we are grateful that your family is well.

The radiator looks great.. A word of caution. My filler neck was very nice and I did not have it re-plated before I had the unit re-cored. 

 I did have my shell re-plated.  When I was finally able to get thing back together the neck and the  hole in the shell was a tight fit. So now there is a nasty scratch on the neck.

[Hubert_25-25]

Brendan,

    Congratulations on the new family member.  I appreciate seeing the photo of your radiator.  Larry's looks very sharp as well.  I am trying to preserve the look of my honeycomb radiator, and this is a challenge.  If you have watched how they build a honeycomb radiator, they use a 1/4" depth of molten solder and dip the 2 faces of the radiator core in it.  So all of our radiators were solder colored.  The solder does get a darker grey with age.  They make black radiator paint which does a better job of heat transfer than regular paint, but it does not come in silver.  Many of the silver high temp paints are also used for insulation, so they are not good choices.  Another option could be Silver galvanizing spray.  I have been looking for a silver/gray paint that also conducts heat, and so many paints reduce the heat transfer.  I bought some grey conductivity paint, but it is looking more copper colored than I want.  I am still looking at paint options.  To rejuvenate an old radiator and not get it to leak at all the solder seams, I have also thought about if it could be electro plated with anything as well.  There are some home electroplating kits.   

The big problem with my radiator is there is some sort of road dirt that is like concrete that will not come off the solder easily.  I have been painstakingly removing it with a pin, but it takes forever to clean out of the radiator.  

 

Edited August 25, 2018 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history)

[AussieBuick]

20 hours ago, dibarlaw said:

Brenden :

 Congratulations and we are grateful that your family is well.

The radiator looks great.. A word of caution. My filler neck was very nice and I did not have it re-plated before I had the unit re-cored. 

 I did have my shell re-plated.  When I was finally able to get thing back together the neck and the  hole in the shell was a tight fit. So now there is a nasty scratch on the neck.

Good result nickel plating ?

[25 Buick]

I will be painting mine with automotive enamel most likely. As is what new radiators are painted with and while suffer heat transfer losses, not enough to render any major issues with temperature. Trick is to paint on heavy angles as to coat only the outer edges of core fins and not straight on to advoid excessive paint build up internally. 

 

Each to their own but the large air gaps and minimal paint can't see a major effect. I will also be using waterless coolant in this car to advoid any boiling issues.

 

benefit from heat paints is great however I'm thinking more along the lines of durability and ease of cleaning and the heat paints while thinner won't last and since the core is the grill of sorts and on display I will take the slight effect of heat if any over the ease of cleaning anytime.

[25 Buick]

I have a honeycomb radiator here from a 27standard, and they stopped some of the leaks with , yes concrete! I will get a photo for your enjoyment 

 

[Spinneyhill]

14 hours ago, 25 Buick said:

I will also be using waterless coolant in this car to advoid any boiling issues.

 

Can you tell us about this please.

 

I have looked at these sorts of claims before; the specific heat of the coolant used was about 75% of that of water so it wasn't a particularly good coolant, contrary to the claims in the advertising.

 

I am also interested in these claims about paint inhibiting heat transfer. I am skeptical and intend to look up the maths about it. Yes, it might inhibit radiation, but in a radiator we are interested in forced convection and it should have no effect on that.

Edited August 26, 2018 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[Spinneyhill]

8 hours ago, 25 Buick said:

they stopped some of the leaks with , yes concrete!

When they scrapped one of our little warships a few years ago, it came out that concrete had been used to repair leaking cracks in the hull! Apparently, there was quite a bit of concrete in it!

[25 Buick]

Here is the 26+ standard on a master rad honeycomb. Concrete sealed in front lower but not back. 

[dibarlaw]

Brenden:

 When I was doing body work in the early 1970s in the Pittsburgh PA. area (salt/rust belt), I knew a contractor who had a 1957 Oldsmobile 88 that was rusted out on the passenger side. Rocker panel etc. damp barn stone wall on that side. We had twice a year inspection at the time. A pin hole of rust could cause a flunked inspection. His solution was to fill the rocker panel and bottoms of the fenders with concrete. He probably ran it that way for around 5 years. I could always tell his car when I saw it as it leaned to the passenger side....

[1967 - 1997 Riviera]

The front floorpans in my Grandfather's 1950 Pontiac "torpedo back" two-door rusted out. The car had the flathead six cylinder and manual transmission. Being a bricklayer, and without any sheetmetal or welding skills, he naturally repaired them with concrete. After that, and depending on how many passengers were in it, the car couldn't go faster than about 55 miles per hour at W.O.T.

[25 Buick]

For the 1925 master 55 sport touring. What headlight is correct. I assume all the same diameter but Nickle or painted outside. But I have a few different internals. One smooth, one with a couple of creases, one with all creases. What is the correct for my model or a 24. Also what lens is correct? 

 

I have a large  amount of lights for 20s models and trying to pick the correct ones while I'm refurbishing other lights at the same time

[ROD W]

Brenden,  The lights for the Master were larger than the standard lights.  On the 25 -55  they were all Nickel.  I would just pick a matching pair of reflectors that fit the drums.  The Lens on mine are 8 3/8 Osgood Lens,s

[Hubert_25-25]

Brendan,

In 1925, the reflectors have "creases", and the glass is just plate glass.   On the other years, the reflector is smooth, and the lens are fluted.  There should be 5 creases on each side of the bulb for 1925 on the reflector.    The reflector with just a few creases may be for an Osgood lens.   Your bezel should be 10 7/8" across and they are held on by 3 spring clips each.  There is no screw hole in the face.  The screw hole in the face of the bezel is 1926/27.   Like Rod said, the buckets are all nickel.

 

You can find plate glass circles online and sometimes on Ebay.   Hugh

Edited September 17, 2018 by Hubert_25-25 (see edit history)

[25 Buick]

I have a early car and happy with 1924 lights if all I have. Currently the top of photo is all the larger diameter. Osgood lenses are 8 3/4. Is there a right and left? 

Mixture of outer rings I'm guessing the one without screw hole what I need. And possibly going with a no crease reflector as none in the larger size. 

 

There is a larger set with only a couple creases on one side. Is this 1924? I also have tiltray lenses and osgood. Which is preferred 

 

[25 Buick]

The rears on the larger nickle buckets are different in where the wire enters. I'm narrowing down the results at least ! ? which is correct for 24/25. Then I will have my pair of lights ready to be restored... hopefully

[ROD W]

On mine the wire enters from the side,  as in the left photo.  There is a left and right drum for 1924 and 1925  but I think the lens,s  are the same.

[Leif Holmberg]

From my 1925 Master parts book.1925 has a "flat" lens just becuse of the other type of reflector.1924 has a Osgood lens with a pattern on it.

Leif in Sweden.

 

[25 Buick]

Thanks for your quick replies,

the set I need to use will require a lot of restoration work but I am trying to go through my parts and 

1. Work out what is correct

2. Fix them

 

many thanks,

brendan 

[Morgan Wright]

I have an easier restoration project. I'm going to convert this into a 1904 Buick model B. The only problem is, it's the wrong bolt.

[michael.stumpf]

I know this is an old thread but never hurts to ask; from initial photos it seemed like you had quite a few wire wheel hubs extra to your requirement? If you have any left over rear hubs for wire wheels and you feel like selling them, perhaps you could drop me a line (Mick 0414 827 276 - I'm in Qld)? I'm chasing Ash A5 hubs, nuts and lock nuts.

Thanks for your time

Ta

Mick