JohnD1956 Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 @Lance sounds like the small wires on the solenoid are touching the battery cable post? Thats a classic symptom. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 10 hours ago, JohnD1956 said: @Lance sounds like the small wires on the solenoid are touching the battery cable post? Thats a classic symptom. You mean on the starter solenoid? They looked to be insulated well but lighting wasn't the best so I'll certainly check! Thanks for the tip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 57 minutes ago, lancemb said: You mean on the starter solenoid? They looked to be insulated well but lighting wasn't the best so I'll certainly check! Thanks for the tip. Probably would be the yellow wire. If not touching the big lug, check for voltage there...the only time it is "hot" is during cranking to bypass the ballast resistor for hotter spark. As a test you can disconnect that wire. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 19, 2019 Author Share Posted August 19, 2019 She lives! Old-tank was spot-on (thank you!). The terminals on the replacement starter solenoid were just a bit different such that the well-aged bend in the battery wire needed to be modified so as to not touch the adjacent terminal. It was making contact just below the edge of the insulation and causing my issues. After I corrected that, it fired right up and shut down with the key in off position! After that was corrected, I proceeded to do a quick clean up on the interior. It's not fully cleaned yet, but looks worlds better! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 19, 2019 Author Share Posted August 19, 2019 The dash chrome cleaned up nicely... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 19, 2019 Author Share Posted August 19, 2019 (edited) Finally, it was time for a test drive! I took it to the hardware store to get some fasteners for the license plate, then to the gas station for a few extra gallons. It got lots of looks and comments on that short drive! It ran pretty dang well for being off the road for so long. Speedo cable sounds just a little noisy, brakes need to be adjusted a bit, turn signals checked and a few other nagging items, but overall it was a great run! It has tons of power and accelerates well! Edited August 21, 2019 by lancemb (see edit history) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted August 19, 2019 Share Posted August 19, 2019 The interior looks like a different car! It was pretty gross in there. What are you using to clean the vinyl - like the door panels and dash pad? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 20, 2019 Author Share Posted August 20, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Smartin said: The interior looks like a different car! It was pretty gross in there. What are you using to clean the vinyl - like the door panels and dash pad? Yeah there are still some aged spots (like Big Blue) and carpet still discolored in a similar fashion, but most of the vinyl cleaned up pretty well. It still needs a second round though. I used Simple Green with a small brush and toothbrush for hard to reach spots, followed by a wipe with glass cleaner. Edited August 20, 2019 by lancemb (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 Curious Lance, How is the foam on the seats? My Limited seat foam is hard and afraid it will crumble when I start using the car which will allow the material to shift and pull stitching out or worse tear the material. Obviously getting them reupholstered/foam replaced at a minimum is the answer but need to look into a place that might be able to save the upholstery and get a price. Recent events have me motivated to get at the car this winter. (as does the progress on your '57's) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 20, 2019 Author Share Posted August 20, 2019 9 minutes ago, dei said: Curious Lance, How is the foam on the seats? My Limited seat foam is hard and afraid it will crumble when I start using the car which will allow the material to shift and pull stitching out or worse tear the material. The foam in front was crunchy...it has all been replaced. Back is a bit stiff but not totally so. You are right though... if stiff you'll definitely want to replace it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 14 minutes ago, lancemb said: The foam in front was crunchy...it has all been replaced. Back is a bit stiff but not totally so. You are right though... if stiff you'll definitely want to replace it. So from what I see in your pictures the foam was able to be replaced and you used the original seat material which you cleaned up using your magic solutions? The '58 and '57s share the same seat designs so trusting the foam replacement would be the same type construction. I didn't take many good pictures of the parts car seats to recall the type of foam construction but finding a reasonable place to do the work (short of something like RM) will be my challenge. Your work on the cars are an inspiration and look forward to your posts! Keep up the good work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 20, 2019 Author Share Posted August 20, 2019 2 hours ago, dei said: So from what I see in your pictures the foam was able to be replaced and you used the original seat material which you cleaned up using your magic solutions? The '58 and '57s share the same seat designs so trusting the foam replacement would be the same type construction. I didn't take many good pictures of the parts car seats to recall the type of foam construction but finding a reasonable place to do the work (short of something like RM) will be my challenge. Your work on the cars are an inspiration and look forward to your posts! Keep up the good work. Thanks Doug. I rely on many others' expertise though! I did replace the inside fabric on the front seat as it was torn up; the leather surround and the rest is original. I did not replace anything in the back or elsewhere. It's a bit stiff in back seat, but not as bad as the front was. Upholstery guy said it would be no problem to replace just the foam on the rear though and keep original material, if I wanted to. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 (edited) My battery was kaputt, and was way too small anyway, so last weekend I ventured to a couple different parts stores with my hold down bracket in hand to attempt to find one that fit well without having to order a reproduction style. I was happy to come across one that fit nearly perfectly, except for 3 things. 1) I had to cut some plastic sprues off the top on one side and about 1/4" of the handle to make the bracket fit correctly 2) It was about 1/2" too tall for the bolts 3) The posts were threaded studs. Issue 1 only took about 3 minutes to correct with a utility knife. Issue 2 required ordering new bolts (had to order 25 of them, so if anyone else wants to do this I have bolts). Issue 3 required ordering post adapters (about $10 delivered). The end result is quite nice. For a total investment of about $170 I have a nice-fitting, super-powerful battery that fits well! Even the very short (original length) positive cable reaches perfectly! Plus I've got 23 spare bolts! Edited August 30, 2019 by lancemb (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 Nice work! On your battery hold down bracket there are those rubber corner pads, I know I have seen them offered somewhere but cannot remember where. Yours look to be new, mind sharing where you got them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 1 hour ago, dei said: On your battery hold down bracket there are those rubber corner pads, I know I have seen them offered somewhere but cannot remember where. Yours look to be new, mind sharing where you got them? CARS has them. 2 are new and 2 are original. Apparently this is a farm fleet battery size. I remember with the 58 the only place I could find one of those batteries was at a farm and fleet store. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 I use that truck/bus group 31 battery in my 55's, but did not have to trim anything. Not as cosmetically pleasing but I just cut the bolt and spliced and brazed a section of tubing to stretch to fit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted August 31, 2019 Author Share Posted August 31, 2019 I have listed the car for sale on Ebay. If it doesn't sell, I'll either hold onto it for awhile and work out a few bugs maybe, or explore other options to sell it. I really need the space though, so something has to go before long. https://www.ebay.com/itm/293207799776 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 Good luck on the sale Lance. She sure looks good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted September 29, 2019 Author Share Posted September 29, 2019 (edited) No sale on the auction a month ago and haven't done anything else with the car. Came up just a tad short of what I'm willing to let it go for. I've been busy organizing the garage a bit to make a little elbow room before the coupe comes back. I'm also getting a 2nd lift installed, so there will be a place to keep the convertible out of the way until it's turn, and a spot for another car so no big hurry space-wise to sell this car, but it would give me extra room to work on the coupe. After sitting I've encountered no parasitic drain so that's good, and it starts easily! Edited September 29, 2019 by lancemb (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Our67Rivi Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 Hello Lance, I have been following this thread from the beginning, missed that you had put it on ebay. Is the '57 still available? If so please PM me with your contact information as I would like to discuss it with you, Thanks, Rich Kahnberg BCA# 45757 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted October 3, 2019 Author Share Posted October 3, 2019 6 hours ago, Our67Rivi said: Hello Lance, I have been following this thread from the beginning, missed that you had put it on ebay. Is the '57 still available? If so please PM me with your contact information as I would like to discuss it with you, Thanks, Rich Kahnberg BCA# 45757 Hi Rich, PM sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Desert Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 I'm starting to feel like I should only buy old Buicks that Lance owned first. It is always a treat to watch the meticulous care put into getting these cars back in good order. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 12 hours ago, High Desert said: I'm starting to feel like I should only buy old Buicks that Lance owned first. It is always a treat to watch the meticulous care put into getting these cars back in good order. Lance indeed is the type of car owner one does well to buy a car from! Dad taught me early in life that he would buy a Buick or Oldsmobile from an older gentleman in a heart beat even if it had 60,000 to 70,000 miles on it because he knew that man would have taken care of his car and he could drive it with confidence. Not that Lance is old (LOL), it's just that in this hobby most true Buick guys are indeed dedicated to bring cars back up to their factory standards for the love of the marque. Lance is one of those guys. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted October 10, 2019 Author Share Posted October 10, 2019 13 hours ago, High Desert said: I'm starting to feel like I should only buy old Buicks that Lance owned first. It is always a treat to watch the meticulous care put into getting these cars back in good order. Well thank you! I will likely not be going through then selling any in the near future though. I am confident your 76C will be in good order soon enough! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted October 10, 2019 Author Share Posted October 10, 2019 45 minutes ago, dei said: Lance indeed is the type of car owner one does well to buy a Not that Lance is old (LOL), it's just that in this hobby most true Buick guys are indeed dedicated to bring cars back up to their factory standards for the love of the marque. Lance is one of those guys. Thanks Doug! The car will be going to a new owner soon. I've fulfilled my "Buick duty" to resurrect the car and stay true to it's originality, but there are still a number of minor items for the new owner to tinker with. This was most certainly not a money-making venture for me, but I saved a beautiful 57 that has a new lease on life, and I am satisfied with that! I am sure the new owner will be glad to see it when it rolls off the trailer. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Desert Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 1 hour ago, lancemb said: Well thank you! I will likely not be going through then selling any in the near future though. I am confident your 76C will be in good order soon enough! True, but my teenage children are already arguing over which one eventually gets the car. Wouldn't it just be easier if I had one for each? It is good to know another Lance-brand 57 Roadmaster will have a home with someone who appreciates it. Thanks for the inspiration! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dei Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 2 hours ago, High Desert said: True, but my teenage children are already arguing over which one eventually gets the car. Wouldn't it just be easier if I had one for each? That's good to hear but isn't it even more special to know it has history in the family? My issue is sort of the opposite, two sons and three cars... All the best for getting her on the road again. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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