rodneybeauchamp Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Hi all, bought this home just before midnight last night after an all day road trip from Melbourne to Adelaide. Sat on 55mph on most of the highways and went fine. A few gremlins, but nothing I can’t fix. Need to buy some candles to put in the headlights, make em just a tad brighter. Any way will post some more as I go. It it is a series 40 all enclosed coupe, Australian built Holden body, one of only 43 produced in this style. Back seat folds forward to provide a flat floor for travelling salesmen. Was restored 17-20 years ago and still looks smart. Still 6V system, steering key lock switch, coil springs all round and 248cu inch straight eight. Definitely needs a 4 speed gearbox ( overdrive on fourth) but it was happy at 55mph. So was I on the cross ply tires too! cheers Rodney from “down under” 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stooge Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Handsome! I really like the slant back style it has, and looks to be in really good shape, congratulations on picking it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1939_Buick Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 (edited) A very nice Aussie car For those in US of A Melbourne to Adelaide is 750km/466 miles. Good you drove https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Melbourne/Adelaide/@-36.2962737,137.291902,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x6ad646b5d2ba4df7:0x4045675218ccd90!2m2!1d144.9630576!2d-37.8136276!1m5!1m1!1s0x6ab735c7c526b33f:0x4033654628ec640!2m2!1d138.6007456!2d-34.9284989 A higher ratio Century diff would help cruising speed a little, if you can find one. LED globes? Keep it 6 volt There is a forum thread on slopers. Will keep looking for it 1937 model 44 Fisher vs Holden below Edited March 4, 2018 by 1939_Buick (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937-44 Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 Rodney you have a beautiful car! Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRHaelig Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 That is a fantastic looking car. Rodney. The business/opera coupes are already great looking, and WOW - I love that sloper look. Congrats and many (more) happy miles..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Phillips Posted March 4, 2018 Share Posted March 4, 2018 (edited) Very nice! Love that unusual body style, not seen in U.S. I have an extra '37 Century rear end, but shipping to Australia would be outrageously expensive. Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Leonard, Texas Edited March 4, 2018 by Pete Phillips (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Rodney, You bought a very nice sloper! 55 mph is not a bad, but as big as your country is, and how far it is to major cities, I understand why you would want to get more speed out of this car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuicksBuicks Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Instead of searching for a lower ratio rear end you might just use larger tyres. The tyres on my 37 Special give me much improved higher speed without straining the engine. With Firestone 6.50x16's, my Buick moves at 50 mph (80KM) while the speedometer is around 40 mph. The larger diameter reduces the acceleration rate but yields a greater speed. I don't have tyre diameter specs but hopefully someone will chime in with data. Your car is BEAUTIFUL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39BuickEight Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 What a great car! I love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilgrim65 Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 2 hours ago, 39BuickEight said: What a great car! I love it! You should very nice smart car , enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodneybeauchamp Posted March 6, 2018 Author Share Posted March 6, 2018 Many thanks for all the compliments, I’m pretty pleased with it all. Intend to enjoy the car as much as I can and sort out each problem as I go. Driving one one of these makes you realise how much cars have progressed in 80 odd years in all aspects of steering, brakes, power, fuel economy, performance and safety. But no one stops me at a gas station in my Subaru Forrester and says “ I used to have a 1936 Buick similar to yours” ????? Or pulls you over on the freeway and says “ I got a ‘36 and ‘37 one of these at home, got time to have a look?” And that’s only “Day One”, just love it! Rodney from down under????? 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingrudy Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 Very nice looking car, you might consider changing the rear end gears as a simple option to give you a few miles an hour higher on the highway. I just spoke to a fellow Buick Club of America member last night about doing mine. He stated that the Roadmaster gears are about 3.70 and mine are a 4.10. I have the same size engine as your car and I am going to make this part of my build. Good Luck Mike BCA 44810 1940 Buick Sport Coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenz38 Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 Haven't seen this model before....very nice.... wish you much stressless fun with it. I think the Century has 15 " wheels ? I would switch over to 16" and ride, like mine ,also with 7.50 tires on rear. My special with 7.50 -16", runs 5 miles faster with the same revs instead of the original 6.50 gums. Greetings from the other Side of our World. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 On 3/9/2018 at 9:44 AM, kingrudy said: Very nice looking car, you might consider changing the rear end gears as a simple option to give you a few miles an hour higher on the highway. I just spoke to a fellow Buick Club of America member last night about doing mine. He stated that the Roadmaster gears are about 3.70 and mine are a 4.10. I have the same size engine as your car and I am going to make this part of my build. Good Luck Mike BCA 44810 1940 Buick Sport Coupe I would do some research to make sure it will work before buying any parts. If I recall correctly, the Roadmaster differential gears will not fit in a Special differential. The Century 3.9 gears are the most common swap as they will fit the Special differential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenz38 Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 Yes....,the most wanted plug-n-play-Part of many Specialowners ..,the rear Axle ratio from a Century..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingrudy Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 I may very well be incorrect on this, Jim Nelson has a very thorough post on the conversion to a 3.9 gear ratio with over drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Nelson Posted March 24, 2018 Share Posted March 24, 2018 I just finished up grading my 37. I’ve done both over drive and replaced the third member to get the cruise speeds up to keep with /normal traffic. If you would like what i did and how and costs etc. e-mail me at. Oldbuickjim@gmail.com. I get carried away with details so if you would like - -, e-mail me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEarl Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 I like that!!!! Congrats!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Nelson Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 The tire size change is the least costly way to get your car traveling enough to keep up with traffc. When you change tire size like that, you need to get the spedo change gear box by matching the new rpm’s with the spedo. You just give them your GPS speed vs your spedo read out, they will keep you from a ticket plus give you a bit more mpg. I have not heard of anyone trying this and the results according. Please let me know if you know of anyone who has. Most of us want to try to keep up with traffic in todays world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buicknutty Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Very nice looking car. A neat looking body style for sure. I know this is a bit newer, and there are more choices, but last year I upgraded the gears on my '41, and just love it. No OD, just a taller rear gear, with an adapter to match the speedo. Well worth the time and money. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiKi5156B Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 On 3/5/2018 at 8:31 AM, BuicksBuicks said: Instead of searching for a lower ratio rear end you might just use larger tyres. The tyres on my 37 Special give me much improved higher speed without straining the engine. With Firestone 6.50x16's, my Buick moves at 50 mph (80KM) while the speedometer is around 40 mph. The larger diameter reduces the acceleration rate but yields a greater speed. I don't have tyre diameter specs but hopefully someone will chime in with data. Your car is BEAUTIFUL! I didn’t know we had acceleration rates with these cars.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Nelson Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Acceler-what ? I think they started 10-60 in the early 40’s. I think I saw some thong like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Nelson Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 If you have a 40 or later, you have a much easier task to get the better rear ratio’s. The 3.6 became more available just by swapping third members. Its just us older lovers of Buicks that have a hard time movin down the road and not getting run over. Same goes for the Dynaflow 3.4 ratio in the early 50’s (of which I have partaked). I still prefer the over drive for its flexability Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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