want to buy 2 Buick Frame Off's in Progress: 1936 Special 41 and 1949 Special 40

[DrivenRestorations]

Good evening everyone! 

 

I'm a first time poster, long time lurker. Thanks for all the help in the years past! My name is Molly, I own a restoration shop in WI where we are currently working on 2 complete frame off Buick restorations and are in need of hard to find parts for both. I work on the cars, hunt for parts, do research on our projects and manage the shop, and it has become apparent that we have attracted a couple of the rarer Buick's when it comes to finding parts to replace the mostly missing/broken pieces of these beauties. 

 

The first one is has been in progress a LONG time. The 1936 Buick Special, series 40 is nearly done with paint and body work, but we are going to be starting on assembly of the interior in the coming months. Does anyone have detailed photos of the original seat assembly? The car was brought to our shop in pieces with *some* of the parts and very little hardware. Long story short, we aren't sure what we are missing when it comes to seat frame assembly, door parts and under dash brackets/parts. Any detailed interior photos of the car and possibly leads on parts are appreciated! 

 

The big 1949 Buick frame off was just recently started.  The original Straight 8, 248 is already done and re-built. While this one started out complete there were some major issues with the door latches and some of the trim. This is a 4 door Special, 40 series. Here is our blog post with a few photos of the car for reference https://blog.drivenrestorations.com/2017/11/a-closer-look-at-1949-buick-special.html We need at least 2 door latch mechanisms and at least 2 door handles. I'll have to verify which ones but since it's a long shot to find them anyways I just thought I'd ask for some leads!  

Here are the top priority questions for now:

1. Are there other years/models that may have used the same door latch mechanism? 
2. We will also be having the original radio re-built. Any suggestions on a reliable radio re-build service for the HUGE dash mounted radio with speaker?  
3. The sill plates and rubber sill covers were beyond repair. Leads on someone that makes them?
4. Fender skirts: photos of how they mount would be great! Someone removed them and did extensive repairs with body filler on the rear fenders. Now we're fixing  them correctly and going to try to make the skirts fit again, but some reference of how they are supposed to mount will be helpful since the body manuals and fischer body repair books are mostly useless

I know...this is turning into 20 questions, but mostly I'd love a "short list" of top specialty suppliers that might be able to come up with some of the hardest to find parts and any info on parts from other makes/years/models that might fit the '49 would be a BIG help! Here's the Buick before we brought it to our shop in Randolph WI. This was an Oklahoma car (read our blog in the link above for more of the story)

Please help! We want to get these Buick's back where they belong, cruising the back roads one a warm summer evening.

Thanks everyone!

 

~Molly

Driven Restorations LLC

www.drivenrestorations.com

Find us on Facebook!

[retirednow]

Radio repair

Alan Kriss

416 Norris Brook Rd

Middlebury Center, Pa. 16936

(570) 376-3952

 

 

[MCHinson]

For the 1936 Special, the best source of parts is Dave Tacheny. He specializes in 1936-1941 Buick parts.

He is old school. The best way to contact him is to call him between 4 and 7 pm Central at 763-427.3460.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

1 hour ago, retirednow said:

Radio repair

Alan Kriss

416 Norris Brook Rd

Middlebury Center, Pa. 16936

(570) 376-3952

 

 

 

 

  I will second that. Does great work.

 

  Ben

[John_36]

I also Have a 1936 Buick  Model 48 Victoria Coupe Series 40 - Body style 36-4411  - you haven't run across any doors in your search have you?  I need a drivers side door. 

If you know of one please give me a call.         John   774-230-8216        Thanks

PS. already talked to Dave.. no luck

[pont35cpe]

Molly, I also have a `36 40 series coupe(Business), I`m starting on my paint now. I have done all the wood, making and installation. My car was also completely disassembled and piled inside the car, it`s been quite a puzzle. Take pictures of your doors and explain just what you`re looking for, same with dash. I`ve just ordered headliner kit, sun visors, and panel kit from LeBaron Bonny, my car had no seat, so I may order an Ez-Slider seat from LeBaron, when I get that far. Take your trim number from the cowel tag and LeBaron can match original color, or color of your choice, and all right down to the original stitching design on door panels. Only thing I`m aware of that mounts under dash is map-light and instrument lights, controlled by the same switch, and the cowel vent open/close handle. There could be other switches added below dash for options like heater.  By the way, your coupe looks good, I`ll be glad when I get the paint on mine.. Tom

[DrivenRestorations]

Attached are 2 photos of the door latch mechanisms that we have. They screw that holds the handle in place within the latch mechanism was so corroded, it was basically part of the door handle so 2 of our door handles broke off at the end when removed and 3 out of 4 of the latches are shot because we had to drill out the screw. 

 

I'm looking for this style mechanism. If you have this style please let us know! I'd like to buy all 4 new (well, not new, rather used and functional). I think I can get the handles pretty easily, but the latches are what i'm struggling to locate, probably because it's a common issue to have them stuck in place.

 

Thanks everyone for the help so far! We already have the body and doors in epoxy and primer and we're in the process of block sanding the body panels, rebuilding the radiator and heater core,  have about 1/2 of the trim and chrome plated and polished, and the transmission is being re-built this month. We are finished with the engine already and have the paint selected and ready to go and I'll be in touch with the radio guy this week. 

 

Fingers crossed for finding the latches!

[DrivenRestorations]

On 12/5/2017 at 4:26 PM, John_36 said:

I also Have a 1936 Buick  Model 48 Victoria Coupe Series 40 - Body style 36-4411  - you haven't run across any doors in your search have you?  I need a drivers side door. 

If you know of one please give me a call.         John   774-230-8216        Thanks

PS. already talked to Dave.. no luck

I haven't seen anyone with doors for sale at all. We had to re-build the door frame on the hinge side and the bottoms in order to salvage the ones on this car. Do you have a door at all? or is it completely missing?