newbie/1939 buick eight special

[thadri]

Hello all,

New antique car owner and new to the forum.  I am looking for general advice on how to maintain a family heirloom 1939 Buick eight special.  It still runs.  Some general questions I have are:

 

1.  How often do I start the car? How long to let it idle?  

2.  Winter is coming.  Do I need to winterize the car at all?  How does one go about this?

3.  Looking for any other general advice people can give

 

Thanks and looking forward to reading some responses!

Thad from Rhode Island

[caddyshack]

Welcome Thad.

There are some pretty standard winterization to follow, but for your 1939 Buick you might want to post these questions in the Buick forum to get advise from similar owners. I typically pull my batteries out in the winter and store them in a heated area. Antifreeze, if used, should be checked or even changed to suit your worst winter temp. 

Check the other Buick forum site and good luck. 

[old car fan]

Welcome ,with a fine car,post some pictures

[michel88]

If possible store the car in a dry garage.  Old cars deteriorate quickly if left out in the weather.  Make sure to at least check the antifreeze level of freeze protection.  Changing the oil and filter would be a good idea.  I'm not sure where you live but I start and drive my '40 Buick at least once a month and drive 10 miles or more so it is completely warmed up.  Even in the winter if the roads are dry and salt free it helps to keep it running.  If you are in a state like Minnesota you won't be able to do this.  Get a 6v battery tender to keep the battery charged. I think its better to drive the car which keeps the rear end and transmission lubricated rather than letting it sit idling.

[MCHinson]

Welcome to the AACA Discussion Forum. I have moved your post to the Pre-War Buick Forum. You should find great advice in this forum from those who have the most experience with similar cars. 

[Spinneyhill]

Idling an engine doesn't fully warm it and can leave condensation in the engine and fill the muffler with water. It is best to drive it.

 

I think cars make poor heirlooms unless someone is interested in the car(s). They require maintenance, esp. old cars.

[papafarms]

Hi Thad, welcome to the AACA forum, there are a bunch of good people on these sites, and all seem to be more than willing to help if you have any questions or need help to solve any problems, I own a 40 Buick Special myself, the 39 and 40 are pretty much identical from the firewall back, all of the advice given before my post is good advice, i start mine at least once a week during the winter and drive a short distance as long as there is good weather etc.  If your car is kept inside, a hint to use a 15 watt bulb inside the car, believe it or not , it keeps any condensation from forming inside.   Hope all advice here can help, take care

[billorn]

Dont run it unless you can drive it 10 miles. Just starting it and letting it run only fills it up with water. Better to leave it alone until you can drive it. Use antifreeze and either disconnect battery or keep it on a charger. Change the oil before storing it. Inflate tires to 60 psi to reduce flat spots or raise it off the ground. Use a cheap box fan to keep air moving around in your garage. Crack windows to let air move around inside. I also put a old gym sock over the tailpipe to keep animals out. Dont be tempted to start it just to see if it still runs. Let it sleep.

[BuicksBuicks]

If there's a chance that the battery will be getting weak, you must remove the clock fuse located in the back of the clock. A low battery condition will automatically blow this fuse if it's the same as other Buicks of the era.

[Dynaflash8]

An oil filter was an accessory on the 1939 Buick, and I've had 12 of them, and not a one had an oil filter.  I installed one; it got in the way of replacing a fuel pump, which ethanol caused frequently, so I took it out again.  I try not to use ethanol, but there is only one station in the three county area, so if I  take the car on tour I'm often stuck with ethanol.  I use Startron, but in hot weather that will not stop vapor lock with ethanol.  Day before yesterday I filled one of my '39 Buicks with REAL gasoline 8 miles from home at $3.799 per gallong.  I drove it to a show yesterday 159 miles round trip.  I'm in Florida and it was mild for Florida, but the temps got up to 85 coming home.  The car ran perfectly, no vapor locks or hard starts.  Drive 60 according to the speedometer, so was probably driving 50.  I don't have a smart phone and the car is 6 volt so the GPS only works for a short time on its own battery.  Ohhhhhhh, for emergencies when I have to use ethanol I've installed 6v electric fuel pumps on a toggle switch under the dash for all my 6v Buicks.

Edited October 28, 2018 by Dynaflash8 (see edit history)

[Fireball8man]

Storage for collector and antiques vehicles.  Use Damprid and place it inside the floor of the interior, they also come in different scents.  Be careful not to tip or knock over the carton over time because water will be collected at the bottom. The same material is found in the small packets used in packages to rid moisture.   You can purchase this item at any local Walmart.  I am not too excited about using an unattended light on all the time inside a vehicle and/or garage.  Use a 6V battery float charger (Battery Tender, etc.) on the battery and/or remove the battery from the vehicle and store out of the way.  Please use power strips with a circuit breaker in lieu of any extension cords.  Use Stabil or Seafoam to add to the fuel tank for storage during the winter months and if you do not have a car cover for the vehicle; please purchase one from Covercraft, California Car Cover, etc. even for storage in a garage.  I hope this helps.

[Spinneyhill]

If you use a cover, it must be spotlessly clean first. Any dust on the car or cover will scratch the paint when you drag the cover on or off.

[1937 Buick 66C]

Hello Thad,

 

Welcome to our forum.  Below is an inventory of items that I do when I store automobiles.  I store several of my own, as well as have a warehouse where I provide long-term storage for others.  This really does not take as long and is not difficult once you've done it once or twice.  I have good weather here in Colorado during the winter and take one or more of the cars out for a drive, then re-prep them before putting them away.  The entire process shouldn't take more than a half hour to complete.

 

1. Fuel Stabilizer:  Purchase a container of Stabil or similar fuel stabilizer.
2. Fuel:  Immediately prior to storage, drive your Buick and get it up to full operating temperature.  During this trip, stop at a local fuel station close to where you will be storing the Buick.  Put the appropriate amount of Stabil in the gas tank (assume the fuel capacity is 16 gallons unless you know otherwise) then completely fill the tank.  A full tank reduces the likelihood that the fuel will go through cycles of evaporation / condensation inside the fuel tank, resulting in water in the bottom of the tank.  The stabilizer prevents the fuel from turning into varnish, and the fuel should keep for for well over a year.
3. Tires:  Add about 10lbs pressure to each tire so that they are slightly overinflated.  This reduces "flat-spotting" that makes the car drive strangely when you resume use.
4. Vacuum:  Vacuum the interior to make sure there isn't anything hiding in there that will get moldy and nasty while its not being driven.
5. Put it away:  Park the warm car in your storage location.
6. Interior Preservation:  If you live in a humid area, or an area prone to moth damage, use a product like Damprid in the interior, and put a few mothballs in a dish on the front floor where you'll be sure to see them when you get back in the car in the spring.
7. Battery:  If you have electricity where you store the Buick, connect a battery tender (low amperage charger intended to maintain battery charge.).  Tenders are inexpensive and readily available at most auto parts stores.  Make sure the tender is appropriate for 6V batteries;  some are 12V only.  If you have no electricity at your storage location, remove the battery and keep in a heated area for the duration of your storage. 

As some others have noted in response, do NOT start the car and let it idle while in not in use.  This is a bad practice that will ultimately cause you a number of problems.  The most severe of these is water contamination in the oil.  At idle you will never get the engine hot enough to evaporate the water (combustion byproduct) out of the oil.  You will also cause the exhaust system to rust from the inside out, again due to accumulated moisture.  It is a much better practice to leave it alone during storage than to occasionally start it.  As a matter of good practice, you should always plan on taking your car out for a drive, getting it to full temperature, every time you start it.

 

If you keep the battery on a tender while in storage, returning it to service means you will simply get in, start the Buick, and drive it away.

 

For storage longer than one year, I drain the fuel tank, carburetor and fuel pump and removing the battery from the car.

 

Do not store the car outdoors if at all possible.  Even if covered, you run the risk of damage and moisture entrapment that becomes very expensive, very quickly.  Covering the car in an unheated building is ideal to minimize temperature cycles and minimize dust accumulation.  I use simple, loose fitting cheap plastic covers to keep dust off of the cars and prevent roof leaks from causing issues.

 

Feel free to contact me by email (kanas@qadas.com) should you have any questions or concerns and I will be glad to discuss them with you.

[Morgan Wright]

Take the battery out of the car and store it indoors for the winter. Not in the cold basement either, put it in the house.

[thadri]

Thank you so much to those who gave solution oriented advice!  Really helpful! Yes, it is in a garage built just to house it.