usnavystgc Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 (edited) Are you guys ready for a stunner? Some of you may already know that I purchased this 1956 Buick Roadmaster. The original ad listed the car with no title but, the title was found. The car arrived yesterday and I had a chance to scope it out and take some pics. The bad 1) The person I bought it from (4th owner) was a widow who knew nothing about the car. Her husband had about 30 or more cars and all kinds of motorcycles and it appears he did nothing with the car but put wide whites on it. It has been stored outside since 2017 but, with a thick tarp over it. With nothing to go on from the widow, I was able to track down the 3rd owner who had a lot of info. Based on hearsay from the third owner, the car has a tragic history (like most of these cars in the $3K range). It was originally purchased in Monmouth, IL. The original owner was a wealthy businessman and was having engine trouble (circa 1965), he brought the car to a shop to have it fixed and was told the engine needed rebuilt (75k miles). He told the shop to go ahead with the work so they pulled the engine and tranny and to his knowledge never did anything else. The owner had other cars and wasn't paying close attention and put too much trust in the shop. While the car was there with the engine and tranny out, the shop went bankrupt and the engine and tranny were sold as part of the bankruptcy. The owner was contacted and told to come get the car which he did. The car was stored indoors and eventually sold to the second owner. The second owner did nothing with it but, did store it indoors. The third owner purchased it and also did nothing with it but, did store it indoors. In 2017 he sold it to the 4th owner. 2) The rear quarters have rot in the front part of the wheelwell and the drivers side rear wheelwell 3) Front seat fabric is shot 4) No engine, no tranny, no PS pump, no generator, no radiator, no AC compressor 5) Windshield glass film is separating in the top left corner The good 1) Since the car was stored indoors most of its life, much of it is in like new condition. Some of the things on this car literally look brand new including the horn ring, the horn center button, the radio dials, the ashtrays and vent cover, the power antenna and switch, the brake vacuum canister, the whole dash really looks brand new, the back seat appears to have never been sat in, the carpet is not trampled, the brake pedal literally looks brand new. IDK how else to convey it but, there are just some things that look untouched. 2) It is a highly optioned RM with 6 way power seats, power windows, factory AC, power antenna, wonderbar radio, rear speaker with fader control and of course all the standard options that come with a Roadie 3) All glass is there and not cracked or broke. w/ the exception of the windshield, all glass is perfect 4) Wheels look brand new but likely original to the car 5) Floorpans and trunk pan is/are rock solid. Most of the original undercoating is still there and in great shape. 6) All but the drivers side doorskin are in excellent shape I was not looking for another car but, this one came up, it was cheap (by todays standards), it was well optioned, it was a RM and best of all (for me). It was a 4 door post sedan (which is exactly the same as Beaut as you all know). Since the original ad listed the car with no title, I enquired about the car thinking I could us the car as a parts car for Beaut. Since the title was found, that may flip flop. This is where my current dilemna begins. At this point, IDK what I'm gonna do. The car is here and I'm now responsible for it. As I see it, I have 4 choices 1) Use the car as a parts car for Beaut (probably the least likely scenario at this point but still a possibility) 2) Use Beaut for a parts car 3) Resell the car 4) Keep both cars, Beaut as a driver and this one as a restoration You all may have more options for me that I didn't think of. #2 probably makes the most sense but, I have been having a lot of fun with Beaut and in the near future, I'm gonna continue to move forward with her. I'm also not ready to embark on a full on restoration. #3 is a very unlikely scenario at this point since I didn't buy this car to sell it. So, with all that in mind, why did I buy this car? Basically because its a highly optioned RM 4 door post in the 3K range in overall good condition. I've always wanted to restore a car and I think in the future, this will be the one. I bought it now because, where else are you gonna find one? It was really just an opportunity that came my way and I took it. Was it a good decision? Only time will tell. I would love to hear any and all thoughts (even "boy you really screwed up"). Here are some pics. 6 way power seats Factory AC center vent Wonder bar switch Missing the O in Roadmaster, If anyone has one, I'm a buyer. Power antenna switch looks brand new, brake pedal hardly worn Let me know if you wanna see something else Edited January 14, 2022 by usnavystgc Upload (see edit history) 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 (edited) One more pic. Edited January 18, 2022 by usnavystgc (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Wow! The nice thing about these cars is the fact that there is no extreme value to having a numbers matching combination. The other nice thing is that a lot of people seem to be yanking perfectly good 56 Engines and Dynaflows for their project cars. So I would imagine getting another engine and transmission should be something that can be accomplished. Also, almost every part of your two cars is a bolt in swapable. The Roadmaster side trims are different and the chrome trim on the trunks is different but the doors and trunk lid will bolt right onto your Super, and vice versus. BUT Considering the rust thats already visible on the RM, I would suggest comparing the two cars in the areas of visible rust and then parting the worst of the two. Yes it would be neat to have two 56's but unless the human race evolves in the next year or two, you can only drive one at a time. Respectfully submitted. 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted January 14, 2022 Author Share Posted January 14, 2022 Thanks JD, yes the compatibility between the two cars was a major factor in my decision to purchase. If we're considering visible rust as the major factor the Roadie definitely wins that race. The Super has much more visible rust than the Roadie. Front floors are totally gone, both quarters aft of the wheel well, parts of the front fenders and the list goes on. I haven't shown you the bad about the Super but here's a sample. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAD36 Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 (edited) Congrats! Drooling over the 6 way power seat. My vote is horseshoe a 401 into the roadie and make it a sleeper. BTW your Super is still capable of “carrying watermelons”, which is in some vernaculars is reflective of a restorations starting condition. See it ain’t so bad…… Edited January 14, 2022 by KAD36 (see edit history) 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-tank Posted January 14, 2022 Share Posted January 14, 2022 Restore the best one (RM) and drive the other. An assembled car is invaluable in putting another back together. And when the process seems to get overwhelming, jump in the runner and drive the tension away. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Great buy! I think it's a great car. I've never bought an old car that I was looking for beforehand. The best deals come along when you're not looking. Fortunately for you you were in a position to buy! Here is what I would recommend. Parting that Roadie would be crazy - it's way too nice. 1) Solve the issues with the overheating on the Super this year, and then rebuild that engine and put it along with other needed components into the Roadmaster, replace all the consumables including whole brake system including lines, and get the car in good driving order. 2) Buff out the paint on the Roadmaster and drive it as is until you're ready for more. It looks to me like a good cleaning and buffing will really bring out the potential in that car. 3) Buy a set of the reproduction J-bars off Ebay for the rear bumper before they sell out. There was only a small run made, and I highly doubt they will ever be made again. For the price, you could hardly rechrome a good set of cores and they rot out easily. Just look at yours compared to the overall condition of the car. 4) Enjoy like hell! 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 Congratulations on the new old car! Since you asked for others' thoughts, I'll contribute too. I recommend restoring the new Roadmaster for its advantages: (1) It has less rust, so you're starting off well. (2) Its color, unusual for a sedan, gives it an extra "wow" factor that will be good for conversations at shows. (3) Being a Roadmaster, it's a model higher in the line-up. (4) You know its history, which adds interest to the car. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 I'm with Lance on this one! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 3 hours ago, lancemb said: 3) Buy a set of the reproduction J-bars off Ebay for the rear bumper before they sell out. There was only a small run made, and I highly doubt they will ever be made again. For the price, you could hardly rechrome a good set of cores and they rot out easily. Just look at yours compared to the overall condition of the car. What are the "J-bars" for a 1956 Buick's rear bumper? Can you or anyone point them out in a picture? I'm already benefiting from others' expertise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 16 minutes ago, John_S_in_Penna said: What are the "J-bars" for a 1956 Buick's rear bumper? Can you or anyone point them out in a picture? I'm already benefiting from others' expertise! You can see here in a picture I reposted from above, the small curved bumperette which is on each side. Note that even given the very good condition of the chrome on this car in general, this bar is rotted through. These trap water and rot quickly from the inside out. If I was to install a nice pair on a car, I'd seal the edges upon installation, personally. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 I am not sure sealing the edges to the bumper would be helpful. But sealing the inside surface would help. Seeing how this part is very subject to temperature changes i would not want to trap any condensation. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted January 15, 2022 Author Share Posted January 15, 2022 (edited) As you all know, this car has no engine or tranny so that means the rear is only being held on by the panhard bar. It was tied up for transport but that's not a good solution so for now it's sitting on jack stands with the wheels just touching the ground. What is the best way to secure the torque tube so I can roll it around? I'm told this had been solved on here before but, I can't find it. I can't even think of what to search for. Edited January 17, 2022 by usnavystgc (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted January 15, 2022 Share Posted January 15, 2022 4 hours ago, usnavystgc said: As you all know, this car has no engine or tranny do that means the rear is only being held on by the panhard bar. It was tied up for transport but that's not a good solution so for now it's sitting on jack stands with the wheels just touching the ground. What is the best way to secure the torque tube so I can roll it around? I'm told this had been solved on here before but, I can't find it. I can't even think of what to search for. Jus use ratchet straps to secure it to the rear of frame. It will want to move forward, not back. I've done this on my car while trans is out and even transported it this way and it's all good. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 I tie the torque tube to the frame with something, your choice, where it goes through the "X" of the frame. Ben 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 Is it possible to build a structure of 2x4s to mimic the torqueball location and then attach the torque tube to that piece of wood? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted January 16, 2022 Share Posted January 16, 2022 3 hours ago, JohnD1956 said: Is it possible to build a structure of 2x4s to mimic the torqueball location and then attach the torque tube to that piece of wood? Sure would be, JD. A few strands of bailing wire works as well and quicker. IMO. Ben 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted January 17, 2022 Author Share Posted January 17, 2022 Well I used Ben's ratchet strap idea just because it was easy. She rolls fine now. Thanks @Ben Bruce aka First Born. I want to say thank you to all that responded. So much good info and advice there. Although I haven't decided exactly how to proceed, it will likely not be parting out the Roadie or selling it If I'm being honest, the most logical way to proceed is to restore the Roadie with parts from BEAUT. That will be tough because I'm emotionally attached to beaut but, I'm sure I'll get past that. There will def be a tribute to beaut somewhere in the car if I go that route. It'll be subtle but it will be known by me. I'm trying to think of how to do that. My thoughts are to put the dealer emblem from beaut on the Roadie or something like that. I put a battery in her today (no name yet) and to my surprise, all the windows worked, the 6 way power seat worked in all directions, power antenna works, fuel gage works, ammeter works, done lights work, map light works, headlights and tail lights work, and right turn signal works. The following does not work; left turn signal, radio and wonder bar functions, horn but relay is clicking, lighters, Overall, I'd say that's a pretty good result. 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted January 18, 2022 Author Share Posted January 18, 2022 It looks like I forgot to give credit to @lancemb for the ratchet straps idea. In rereading these posts, I ended up using a combination of Ben and Lance's ideas. Either way, it is secured and rolls fine. On another note, more good news regarding this car. Almost all of the AC equipment is still intact including the evaporator, condenser, receiver dryer, charging ports and all the associated plumbing. It looks like the only thing I'm missing is the compressor. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 Alright, I'm pondering different things for this car and a question came to mind. The original rear view mirror on this car is in great shape minus the mirror itself. Is there any way to cut another mirror or is my best option to order a new mirror from CARS? Has anyone attempted this? I know it sounds cheap but it's not really about the price but more about doing what I can myself. One of the reasons I get a bad taste in my mouth when I hear about someone restoring a Chevy is, they can simply buy anything they need from one or more distributors. It doesn't seem like much of a challenge to me. Part of the fun for me is restoring what you got. I know you can re-silver a mirror but those kits are more expensive than a new mirror from CARS. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAD36 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 No glass help here, experience is limited to breaking windshields. If it’s a day/night mirror unsure where to find that type glass assuming you or a glass shop cuts it to fit the housing? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 The day/night mirror is a unique piece of glass. It is thicker at the bottom than at the top. Any glass shop mirror will likely be flat glass, and not a day/night piece. Re silvering the original is one of the options but I had mine done years ago and there was an imperfection in the glass that the processor could not remove, so I have a blury blotch in the view which is especially prevalent in night mode. If there is a new unit available then I'd just opt for that. If you want you could try removing that new mirror and installing it in your original mirror frame. That would be about the same as re slivering your original mirror. Then you could re sell the re popped frame less the glass to recover some of your costs. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted January 21, 2022 Author Share Posted January 21, 2022 Great insight about the mirror. I never thought about the day/night function. Buying a new one seems to be the answer. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 Are you saying the silvering is bad? I had two re-silvered. $30.00 each , if I recall correctly. If that is the problem, I can look up the gentleman's phone number. Ben 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted January 21, 2022 Author Share Posted January 21, 2022 1 hour ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: Are you saying the silvering is bad? I had two re-silvered. $30.00 each , if I recall correctly. If that is the problem, I can look up the gentleman's phone number. Ben Yes, it just needs resilvered. I would love to have that phone number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 5 hours ago, usnavystgc said: Yes, it just needs resilvered. I would love to have that phone number. Ron's Corner Mirror Resilvering 660 749 5473 ronscorner@yahoo.com Been about five years, I guess. I have one available. Maybe. Don't know if it will work. Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted January 31, 2022 Author Share Posted January 31, 2022 On 1/21/2022 at 6:19 PM, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: Ron's Corner Mirror Resilvering 660 749 5473 ronscorner@yahoo.com Been about five years, I guess. I have one available. Maybe. Don't know if it will work. Ben Do you want to sell the mirror you have? Is it rectangular with rounded edges? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted January 31, 2022 Author Share Posted January 31, 2022 (edited) Well, with Beaut (the 56 Super) running and driving so well, I figured I'd pull the Roadie into the garage and do some things to it. I figure since the engine and tranny are gone, now would be a good time to take care of any lines that need replaced. So, my brother and I began the work on brakes and brake lines on Wednesday. I feel like its deja vue like, didn't I just do this a couple of months ago? Lol. Anyway, so the fun begins with this car now. This car is not in near as bad of shape as Beaut but, as always, it still needs a lot of work. I have some questions for you all. 1) How hard is it to take the hood off? My biggest fear is breaking the windshield. Has anyone done this before? How many people do I need to get this done safely? Is there any best practices or lessons learned? 2) When I brought the front brake drums to O'Reilly's, they said they couldn't turn them because of the bearing hub still mounted on it. I'm not sure why this is but, i did not have this issue with the Super. It looks like the hub is riveted on. Are they just incompetent? Will a competent brake shop be able to turn them with the bearing hub on? Edited January 31, 2022 by usnavystgc (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 I didn't have to remove mine. I will try to get pictures of the mirror. Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 3 hours ago, usnavystgc said: When I brought the front brake drums to O'Reilly's, they said they couldn't turn them because of the bearing hub still mounted on it. They did you a favor. Take them to someone who knows what they're doing. 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 I am sure a lot of us have removed the hood. I did so as well, back in 1975, and likely had the help of at least two others. One for each side at the hinge, one for the center in the front. I would have disconnected the hood from the hinges, and pulled it forward. But if I was going to try this myself, I think I would remove the hinges from the body with the hood attached. That way the hinges could act as stops to prevent the hood from slipping backwards towards the windshield. But it will still be tough to maneuver by one's self. Do you have an engine hoist that you can employ to lift the hood? And I would also cover the windshield with a piece of plywood if possible. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 14 hours ago, JohnD1956 said: Do you have an engine hoist that you can employ to lift the hood? And I would also cover the windshield with a piece of plywood if possible. I don't have an engine hoist but, I can get plenty of people to help me. Three does sound like a good number and the plywood idea is solid advice as well. Thanks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 15 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: I didn't have to remove mine. I will try to get pictures of the mirror. Ben Whenever you get a chance Ben, it's not a hurry. Thank you for even offering that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 RE: brake drum turning: Most of the stores around here can't do the front drums with hubs attached due to their machines not accepting them. I have one place local that will do it, but you have to remove the grease seal on the inside. They're the only ones that will do it close by. There is a guy about an hour from me that actually arcs the shoes to the drum, and also has the machine to turn the front drums. But he's double the distance. So, moral of the story, keep calling around to some of the older "better" shops around town. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 Thanks for that insight @Smartin. I must have gotten lucky when I did the Super because the first shop I took it to said, ok, no problem and did them. Hopefully I can find a shop that can do them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAD36 Posted February 2, 2022 Share Posted February 2, 2022 On 2/1/2022 at 10:59 AM, Smartin said: but you have to remove the grease seal on the inside. They're the only ones that will do it close by. Ditto - that’s usually what’s requested when mine have been turned. There’s no one left I know of in my area that will arc the shoes to the drums any more - I’ve gotten by with 80 grit glued to the drum, and run the shoe by hand along the drum to get it pretty close and wear it in on the car the rest of the way. Not the best but works plenty good enough for the few times new shoes are installed. Car stops straight - gtg. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted February 15, 2022 Author Share Posted February 15, 2022 I managed to get the rear shocks installed on Bittersweet (that's what I've named her). It was not an easy process but, I got it done. I could not remove the top bolt with the shock in place so I removed the brackets and used brute force and a BFH to get the bolt out. All threads on all bolts are fine thread so it took a while to remove them. All had a thick coat of undercoating as well. While I had the brackets out, I painted them. I also painted the windshield washer reservoir, voltage regulator and starter relay. The other voltage regulator is from Beaut. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted February 15, 2022 Share Posted February 15, 2022 58's have those horrible top shock mounts, too. I gear up for war every time I have to do a set. I'm a lot faster than I used to be, though 😀 I think my first set took me 4 hours to install one pair of shocks. I learned the heard way that you have to remove the brackets to get the big bolt out. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted March 7, 2022 Author Share Posted March 7, 2022 I'm in the process of replacing the front shocks and I ran into several issues. I managed to break a bolt on the lower control arm on both sides. The bolts just would not turn, soaking with penetrant and heating them up did nothing. It was the front bolt on both sides. I could not remove it with an ez out either so, I had to take the lower control arms off (drilling and tapping them in place just did not seem possible). Since they are off, I figured, why not have them and the front coil springs sandblasted and powder coated. So, both are at the powder coater now. I also ordered all new rubber seals and bushings for all. Since all of them are out, I'm gonna go ahead and continue on with the upper control arms, seals and bushings, stabilizer link bushings and steering arm bushings. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 Ah, the inevitable "scope creep" rears it's ugly head. Nothing is ever as simple as it seems... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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