My 1958 Limited 750

[lancemb]

Yes, I am back in the 58 Buick world, unexpectedly.  Somehow I manage to find cars I can't pass up by talking to people.

 

I just visited the car for the second time today and made the deal, it's not home yet and won't be for a little while.

 

I don't think I stole the car, but got a fair deal on it.  It wasn't the price that got me, it was the car.  I've regretted letting my last one go ever since I did, so when I had a chance to get a pretty good one not too far away, I had to jump on it.

 

It's got just under 76k miles, original paint, interior, and engine. 

 

The paint is not perfect, but good enough that with a little touch up I'll be happy with it as a survivor, at least for some time.  It does have a few cancer spots, mostly hidden.  I think I know someone who can take care of those spots and touch it up a bit though. 

 

 

Edited March 23, 2021 by lancemb (see edit history)

[lancemb]

Interior is not too shabby, and I can't wait to clean it up (but I'll have to).

 

 

 

 

[mobileparts]

Congratulations on the chrome heaviest car on planet Earth !!!!

A 1958 Buick weighs 4500 pounds naked, 7500 pounds with it's chrome !!!!

Talk to you tomorrow, Lance.... Yours, Craig.....

[dmfconsult]

I guess you are going to help @dei find a home for all his spare 58 parts and reduce his storage whoas!  LOL

[lancemb]

24 minutes ago, dmfconsult said:

I guess you are going to help @dei find a home for all his spare 58 parts and reduce his storage whoas!  LOL

dei has an awesome stash I would be happy to help whittle down, but I'm pretty sure he's got a couple ideas for them already!

[dei]

26 minutes ago, dmfconsult said:

I guess you are going to help @dei find a home for all his spare 58 parts and reduce his storage whoas!  LOL

 

If only @dmfconsult! LOL

 

Trim and firewall  back are different than the 2 doors but mechanically they share about everthing.

 

Congrats Lance on the purchase! 

Now I know for sure there is some reorganizing to be done to fit her in with all those Roadies.

I'm envious, enjoy the ride.

Edited March 23, 2021 by dei (see edit history)

[Smartin]

Awesome!  Glad you made the deal.

[Centurion]

Wow, Lance!  A fabulous find in an excellent color!  This is just fantastic.  Congratulations!

[MrEarl]

What a find! Love original condition. Congratulations on a great find! 

[sebastienbuick]

Superb purchase !  , congratulations! she is very beautiful  

[Centurion]

This one, finished in the same color scheme, appeared at the BCA's 50th Anniversary National Meet at the Nicola Bulgari facility in Allentown, PA during 2016.  It was among my favorite cars at the event:

[Bill Stoneberg]

That should of won the award for most chrome and stainless 😂

[lancemb]

I am always looking for 1957 license plates with my county code on them, because you can register your car to them in Indiana and use them. 

 

I decided to check Ebay for a 1958 one and wouldn't you know what I found?  A sample plate, brand new in original envelope, with my county code on it.  Perfect!

 

[dei]

So cool and love that # !

[Bill Stoneberg]

Great Plate....

[kingrudy]

Great looking plate, been looking for 1940 NC plate, but everyone I find is either over priced, or has issues. This one is mint. 

[avgwarhawk]

Nice 58.  Green like my 60 Electra.  58 was a less desirable year for me when I was looking for a classic.  But over time and seeing the 58 in person I have really grown to appreciate/love this year Buick.  I mean sheesh, the 58 just has this commanding presence.   Enjoy your Buick.  She is a beauty.         

[lancemb]

I finally got this car home, for awhile anyway.  I decided to drive it home over 200 miles on Friday, and it was an adventure.  Shortly after I got started it developed a bit of a miss.  I stopped to check the wires because one had come loose when I initially looked at the car.  This time, they were all tight.  The wires did look old though so I figured I'd keep going and do a basic tune up when I got home. 

 

Most of the ride was uneventful  until I got about 35 miles from home and the miss got worse and I began to hear what sounded like a leaking valve.  I didn't hear any scary metallic sounds so I tried to make it home. 

 

When I got about 10 miles from home it got much worse and then it would barely run about 7 miles from home, and then it died at a light.   I started it back up and barely made it off the road into a lot.

 

Luckily my tow was covered by insurance, and I was glad to have made it most of the way and safely.

 

This morning I pulled the valve covers and found 2 mangled pushrods at the number 5 and 7 cylinders.  The pushrods have been replaced, and are not like the originals.  They are 3-piece, with the ball portion being attached to a rod on either end, and there is not a flat spot on the end as the originals have.  I am speculating that this flat spot served to retain some oil and the rod moved within the rocker arm.

 

I don't know if there is an oiling problem on that rocker bank, or if the pushrods are blocking oil since they don't have a flat spot on top as original, or both.  The oil pressure from the pump is good, but I don't know if it's reaching all parts of the rocker assembly as it should.

 

 

 

This car will be going to Smartin for some work after the coupe is painted, so I'll let him address this since it won't be too long and I'm going to try and hit a few more car shows before the season is up, and he can get it going in probably half the time it would take me.  There is also plenty of cleanup and other things to address in the meantime, time permitting.

 

So, I put the valve cover back on and left everything else loose on that side, and started cleaning the car up.  There are plenty of warts on the car, but I think after replacing much of the chrome, fixing a couple of the worst spots in the body, and buffing it out a bit it will be a nice "10 footer".

 

I completed an initial cleanup on the outside, and will further polish the bumpers and rear extensions better later since those will stay.  Most of the rest of the chrome will be upgraded.  I'll also do a light buff on it to see if it looks like the paint will shine up a bit.  Also, I put the WWW radials on it that I took off the blue 57.

 

A long way to go, but it looks way better than it did yesterday!  The eyebrow trim for the front of the fenders have been fully restored as they were cracked in the middle (very common) and had a few dings; they have not been reinstalled yet.

 

 

 

I haven't done any cleaning on the interior yet.

 

[Wayne R]

lancemb---Wonderful find --when i was looking at your photos i noticed  a couple of

the  vertical   chrome  moldings missing on passenger side, and i thought i think i have one of those in

my  40 year old  Buick junk box,---i may be wrong but if it is correct   its yours  if you would like it ,not perfect  and has 1 pin missing and

one  has half  a pin  at other end , middle pin good,--has numbers on it   one end25820   in photo next to that has number

4728201,-its 8. 11/16  long.---i remember in was in the trunk of a 53 Skylark i purchased  in 1987.---If its not correct forget it.

If Yes ---  just  PM me your address and ill post it to you, no cost----regards Wayne.

 

[dei]

Just how many are missing Lance?

I might be able to help too as I have a few that might pass muster for you.

I bought the complete set years ago for my Limited knowing they are not 100% correct due to being cast thicker than the originals but still going to use them anyway. 

Let me know and I'll shoot you some pictuers.

[95Cardinal]

Lance, 

Congratulations; it's a great looking car!

 

There are several different length push rods used in that era; those could have been replaced using incorrect parts, or the lifters could be bad. Lots of possiblilities.

It doesn't look like a total disaster, as long as there is no debris circulating through the engine.

Hope it's an easy fix!

 

[lancemb]

4 hours ago, dei said:

Just how many are missing Lance?

I might be able to help too as I have a few that might pass muster for you.

I bought the complete set years ago for my Limited knowing they are not 100% correct due to being cast thicker than the originals but still going to use them anyway. 

Let me know and I'll shoot you some pictuers.

Hi Doug, I didn't realize there was a significant casting difference and was going to order a set.  Would you be able to post a comparison picture?  I will probably take you up on a few even if I buy new ones, because I wouldn't put the new ones in until I get it painted down the road since these pegs break so easily and I don't want to take them off again.

Edited August 22, 2021 by lancemb (see edit history)

[lancemb]

5 hours ago, Wayne R said:

lancemb---Wonderful find --when i was looking at your photos i noticed  a couple of

the  vertical   chrome  moldings missing on passenger side, and i thought i think i have one of those in

my  40 year old  Buick junk box,---i may be wrong but if it is correct   its yours  if you would like it ,not perfect  and has 1 pin missing and

one  has half  a pin  at other end , middle pin good,--has numbers on it   one end25820   in photo next to that has number

4728201,-its 8. 11/16  long.---i remember in was in the trunk of a 53 Skylark i purchased  in 1987.---If its not correct forget it.

If Yes ---  just  PM me your address and ill post it to you, no cost----regards Wayne.

 

Thanks Wayne, I'll check.  Thanks! 

[dei]

1 hour ago, lancemb said:

Hi Doug, I didn't realize there was a significant casting difference and was going to order a set.  Would you be able to post a comparison picture?  I will probably take you up on a few even if I buy new ones, because I wouldn't put the new ones in until I get it painted down the road since these pegs break so easily and I don't want to take them off again.

 

OK Lance here you go.

Right off let me say I bought these many years ago and have had them in a wrapped box all this time. If they are using the same molds now the slight differences could likely still be there.

 

The first thing you will notice is the thickness of the new one on the left.

The other is that it likely was done to accommodate the screw stud which replaces the very thin post the twist nut goes onto of the original. Obviously the pot metal gets brittle over time anyway but the fact it is exposed to the inner fender with road dirt, snow and wet doesn't help with their survival and break usually when trying to take that twist plate off.

 

 

 

 

The other thing is the ends have a slightly different curve than the original but... having said all that, it really is nit picking (IMHO) when these are like hens teeth to locate 30 original good ones.

 

I feel with a set of new ones on most of the general public wouldn't know any difference. 

Of course, a true Limited guy would likely be able to tell...

 

Let me know how many you need and I'll see what I can do for you.

The one pictured here has one end stud broken off but suppose you could put it on using a good adhesive or silicone. The surface chrome on it is very presentable and will have to look in the trim drawer to see what else others might be in similar condition. (I never throw anything out....)

[lancemb]

@dei, thank you for explaining the differences in the louvres.  I am a sucker for originality, but not necessarily when it means inferiority.  I think making a more robust stud is a good idea, even if it means a slight tweak in the ornament design.  That said, I have 5 that are missing, although I have 3 of them but they have no studs on them.  I could use adhesive, if needed, to get me by until I paint the car but if you have some with a couple studs remaining I have interest.

 

@Wayne R, I will take the one you have since the 1.5 studs is 1.5 studs more than mine have.  Send me a PM with shipping to 46321; first class should be fine, thanks!

[lancemb]

I spent some time polishing on the body some more, and it's about as good as its going to get for now.  There are some touched-up spots that look pretty bad, and most of the paint looks pretty bad from up close.  However, I got a little bit of shine on most of it, but the trunk lid has been at least partially (poorly) repainted and won't shine on top.

 

It looks much better in pictures than up-close, but I really didn't have any expectations beyond it being a 10-footer until I can get it repainted.  Until then, I'm going to upgrade most of the chrome.  When it comes time to paint it, the chrome should still be in nice shape.  I already started today by replacing the door mirrors.  I think nice chrome on paint with a fair amount of patina looks a lot better than the reverse.

 

It was so blazing hot out, I worked around my junk in the garage instead of sliding it into the driveway.  So, pictures not great.  I'll get better ones next weekend because I hope to have it in the driveway with all doors open to start cleaning up the interior.

 

 

[EmTee]

Lance, what did you use on the paint?  I had good results on my GP using Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze (https://www.meguiars.com/professional/products/meguiars-mirror-glaze-professional-show-car-glaze-m0716-16-oz).  The finish on my car is 95% original lacquer and appeared as 'flat white' when I got the car.  I applied the #7 and let it soak-in overnight a couple of times.  Since then, I have applied it as directed once a year.  It actually has a shine to it now.  The good thing about this stuff is it isn't abrasive, however, it doesn't do anything about removing stains in the paint.

[lancemb]

3 hours ago, EmTee said:

Lance, what did you use on the paint?  I had good results on my GP using Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze (https://www.meguiars.com/professional/products/meguiars-mirror-glaze-professional-show-car-glaze-m0716-16-oz).  The finish on my car is 95% original lacquer and appeared as 'flat white' when I got the car.  I applied the #7 and let it soak-in overnight a couple of times.  Since then, I have applied it as directed once a year.  It actually has a shine to it now.  The good thing about this stuff is it isn't abrasive, however, it doesn't do anything about removing stains in the paint.

I used Collinite 845.  It's amazing stuff, really slick.  Did as much to add shine as the polishing did.  I wonder if it's similar consistency to the stuff you referenced.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Collinite-845-Insulator-Wax-Fluid_Ounces/dp/B000JK2D06/ref=asc_df_B000JK2D06/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312202698398&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18170625124465317359&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016188&hvtargid=pla-422424326378&psc=1

[lancemb]

Another thing I got done was get the rear bumper looking better.  I had the car part way up on the lift and it was practically staring me in the face so something had to be done. 

 

The striped panels had been polished and repainted, but the stripes weren't painted correctly and the paint was flaking off anyway (below). 

 

 

I had an extra unmolested set of striped panels, and just painted over the faded stripes and clear coated it (it appears that was done originally).  It's not flawless, but I'm happy with it as it looks pretty close ton how it should. 

 

 

It was also missing the trim around the license plate, but I have since procured those, although I am looking for another set to have restored better, and one of the side pieces was dented badly.  I managed to straightenn it out about 90%, and in the meantime, it is passable.

 

To finish it off, I installed the original license plate I had acquired earlier this year, which is now registered to the car.

 

Finally, I removed the license plate lights, as they were painted sloppy black and the paint had sealed them shut.  I'm going to replace them with some good ones.

Edited August 31, 2021 by lancemb (see edit history)

[lancemb]

It occurred to me that there are a ridiculous number of parts to the 58 rear bumper.  On the big bodies, if you count the bezels for the backup lights but not the lights and lenses themselves, there are 16 pieces, up from 6 in 1957 if you count the exhaust baffles.  However, the front bumper went from 9 pieces in 57 to just 3 in 58.  There must have been some sort of deal reached between engineering and design to limit the total increase in bumper parts I guess. 😀

[EmTee]

9 hours ago, lancemb said:

There must have been some sort of deal reached between engineering and design to limit the total increase in bumper parts I guess. 😀

 

More likely, Buick wanted to focus the 'styling engineering' on the part of the car that most people would see... 

[lancemb]

Over the last several weeks, I focused on the interior with the Limited time I had (ha ha).

 

i took dash apart and replaced the speedometer assembly with one that had been serviced by an unknown party.  It seems to act the way it's supposed to, so will hopefully work okay.  Unfortunately I realized after reinstalling the cluster that the speed minder doesn't turn and adjust properly; it acts like the wheel is getting hung up on something.  Oh how I wish I'd checked this prior to installation.  As long as it doesn't interfere with the function of the speedometer though I won't worry about it since it's set at over 80 mph.

 

I also replaced the radio with one I had rebuilt years ago and had on the shelf, and replaced the clock with a rebuilt one as well, and replaced the headlight switch with one that I'd already bypassed the rheostat for the dash lights on so those would work as well.

 

I then spent many hours cleaning up the chrome, vinyl, and leather, vacuumed out the floors, and cleaned the glass.  While there are still items to address, it looks pretty respectable now and wouldn't drive me crazy driving it like this (whenever that happens again).

 

This car even has the rare Dinsmore compass in it, but the fluid is gone due to cracking in the plastic.  I have ideas of how to fix it if the time presents itself.

 

One more note - since some specialized reproduction parts can sell out and may take awhile to have a new batch made, if ever, I ordered a set of rear quarter chrome louvres, to use if I one day repaint the car; I'll use originals until then.  @dei pointed out several weeks ago in this thread that he ordered these years ago, and there were some engineering differences.  With his description, I was comfortable with the changes and actually thought it would be an improvement.  However, the ones I got are made exactly like the originals.

 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2021 by lancemb (see edit history)

[Smartin]

I'm impressed at the condition of the soft parts in there.  That dash pad is crisp!

[JohnD1956]

@lancemb that is a royal looking dashboard. You're gonna be a busy retiree what with all these cars to drive and keep lubricated...😄

[lancemb]

Thanks guys, I am happy with the dashboard.  I forgot to mention I also replaced the horn ring with a rechromed one with a new emblem (which was cracked originally).

 

There is a split in the vinyl covering the AC center vent and a few small cracks in the lower pad on the glovebox, but the upper dash pad is perfect.  The armrests are cracked up and there are a couple splits and peeling spots on the door panels, but overall it's quite nice.

Edited October 2, 2021 by lancemb (see edit history)

[Smartin]

Well that escalated quickly.

[Smartin]

If anyone has removed heads (or even a set of pushrods) from a 57 or 58 engine, you will know that the last two pushrods on each head will not come out due to clearance issues with the air boxes.  On AC cars, this is compounded and 4 pushrods are blocked on that side.  Also, the last head bolt on each head will not come out of the head completely.  All of these items must be removed WITH the head as it comes out of the engine compartment.  It's a giant PITA, and requires me to get IN the engine bay to lift them the right way without causing binding while pushrods flop around in the head.  Even the chassis manual states that you need to "tape up the pushrods and remove with the head" ...I tried tape, and it just fell off of the oily metal.  I used small binder clips to keep them elevated and with the head as I removed each side.  Same applies for install.  I've lifted more than one set of heads into a 58 engine bay before realizing the pushrods and head bolt aren't stuck in the head yet.  My old 58 Roadmaster (Laurel Mist) had a hole in the driver side air box in the spot where pushrods were to come out.  It wouldn't surprise me to see that again in a car in the future.

[EmTee]

So, what lead to the engine disassembly?

[lancemb]

8 minutes ago, EmTee said:

So, what lead to the engine disassembly?

Well, short story is wrong/crappy aftermarket pushrods were installed.  My comment from August (https://forums.aaca.org/topic/360410-my-1958-limited-750/?do=findComment&comment=2259019) explains some, and Adam can chime in with more current details.

 

[Smartin]

It appears that the heads of the pushrods are slightly bigger than what the rockers will accept.  So, naturally, on a 200 mile blast home, they welded themselves to the rocker cup.  Then snapped the heads off the pushrods, and proceeded to beat the crap out of the non-hardened shaft of the pushrods.  Also, the pushrods are too thick, causing every one of them to rub on the head where they go through the hole.  There are 3 pushrods still stuck in the rocker shaft assembly on the driver side.  I was able to wrench one out with a pair of pliers, but the others are locked in.  I'll post a pic when I get back to my phone.