David Scranton Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 A last year i made a post about what i belived to be a 1920s buick that had been sitting at my grandmother's for quite some time. Ian pleased to say that in the year and a half of inactivity ive managed to take a look at it and begin doing research on it amlnd talking to the local antuiqe car clubs before I begin the teardown. So the car is a 1931 Buick series 50 with the Valve in Head straight 8. The car specifically is the model 57 5 passenger 4 door sedan. The car is in pretty decent shape and the frame is solid. The car was last used in 1968 and has sat under a canopy next to the barn since. I have met many wonderful folks who all wish to help teach me how to do this restoration. Below are some pictures i took. I had more but my phone was destroyed at work before I could upload them anywhere, these are the handfull that I had left. Work has had me tied up the past year and gas prices made it hard to travel, but now that im living on my own and have the space, time, and soon a job change, i hope to get going on this project. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Scranton Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 An edit here: The cars name is Lucile, Lucy for short. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usnavystgc Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Have the windows been rolled down forever? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Scranton Posted August 4, 2022 Author Share Posted August 4, 2022 18 minutes ago, usnavystgc said: Have the windows been rolled down forever? As far as i know yes they have, at least since 1968. Since most of the windows are damaged anyway I just assumed they were removed or broken at one point, so i never bothered to check. Ill have to take a look next time I go down to work on the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted August 4, 2022 Share Posted August 4, 2022 Here are some stats on your car http://www.carnut.com/specs/gen/buick30.html And some pictures of restored 1931 Buicks http://www.carnut.com/photo/list/buick/buick31.html By the way, you don't need to tell us it's valve in head. I think most of us would have guessed that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
critterpainter Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 In your efforts to move the car to a new location do NOT attempt to crank or turn the engine over. Keep it in Neutral!!. Remove the water pump before trying to turn the engine over. The Water Pump may be stuck or frozen and it is driven by a Fibre timing gear. If the water pump won't move then the cam gear is the next weakest link and hard to replace, 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pont35cpe Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 How about that hood prop, special order? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Scranton Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 14 minutes ago, pont35cpe said: How about that hood prop, special order? Custom made just for this car, hand selcected by me from the finest wood pile 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 Those 5.25 x 18 tires are easy to find......not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Scranton Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 7 hours ago, critterpainter said: In your efforts to move the car to a new location do NOT attempt to crank or turn the engine over. Keep it in Neutral!!. Remove the water pump before trying to turn the engine over. The Water Pump may be stuck or frozen and it is driven by a Fibre timing gear. If the water pump won't move then the cam gear is the next weakest link and hard to replace, Thank you. I will keep this in mind when I go down to visit my grandma and work on the car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Scranton Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 8 minutes ago, Morgan Wright said: Those 5.25 x 18 tires are easy to find......not. Ah wonderful. Ill look forward to hunting a set down then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Engle Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 1931 was a transition year for Buick. The early straight 8's had bronze cam bearings which were subject to engine seizure. Part way through the year they went to synchronized transmissions and a different clutch mechanism. Bob Engle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 33 minutes ago, David Scranton said: Custom made just for this car, hand selcected by me from the finest wood pile Looks to be over-engineered. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janousek Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 As a happy 31' Buick owner a smart man would leave it there. I never want to discourage anyone but the value isn't in this old girl. From my experience of restoring cars the past 25 years a lot of money will disappear and then you'll become discouraged. It's a vicious old car cycle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 First step should be to evaluate the condition of the structural wood. At least the car seems to have been stored under cover and looks dry... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 (edited) Some of the '31 model 50's had an open (driveshaft) driveline and non synchro transmission. I had one. Is yours open drive or torquetube drive line? Edited August 5, 2022 by DonMicheletti (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Scranton Posted August 5, 2022 Author Share Posted August 5, 2022 5 minutes ago, DonMicheletti said: Some of the '31 model 50's had an open (driveshaft) driveline and non synchro transmission. I had one. Is yours open drive or torquetube drive line? Im not actually sure. I will take a look under there next time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave39MD Posted August 5, 2022 Share Posted August 5, 2022 Looks like fun! Lot's of posts on this site on how to carefully get it reawakened without causing more harm. Things like completely clean the fuel system, drop the oil pan, check the water pump as mentioned above and others I can't remember. As many have said before get it going and stopping, clean it up and drive it as you work on it. The key is of course the condition of the wooden frame work the sheet metal is attached to. I love driving my 31 Buick. Enjoy! Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&J Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 22 hours ago, Dave39MD said: Looks like fun! Lot's of posts on this site on how to carefully get it reawakened without causing more harm As many have said before get it going and stopping, clean it up and drive it as you work on it I agree. Especially the "fun" part which will turn to despair if you tore the car all apart and then it looks like junk and hopelessness. I agree fully with just getting it to run, yard drivable, for your main goal (as a newbie) I'm 70 and had many prewars, (when I was "virgin to prewar cars") back when I was a teen I found a "same condition" decayed 34 Buick in a farm field for 5 dollars!, and the farm owner hauled it to my parents place for 10 dollars more. I somehow got it to run, and one day several friends came over... I showed them that it did run run good.... They said "lets go for a ride!!!". We piled in, one kid was even standing on the running board. It drove so nice and lots of power, and as typical teens, we drove all the way across the rural town to another friends home. Brake cables all frozen, muffler rotted off, smoked a bit, no license plates ... but I will say positively: That car ride was the most pure fun I have ever had with a prewar, Look at how many disassembled prewar cars have been coming up for sale now; the owners took them apart with good intentions but then reality set in, and it sat again for 40-50 years more. Not all cars like this need to be restored. A "fixed up" version of a car like this one seems to draw more attention and favorable comments than a restored trailer queen. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted August 6, 2022 Share Posted August 6, 2022 1 hour ago, F&J said: I agree. Especially the "fun" part which will turn to despair if you tore the car all apart and then it looks like junk and hopelessness. I agree fully with just getting it to run, yard drivable, for your main goal (as a newbie) I'm 70 and had many prewars, (when I was "virgin to prewar cars") back when I was a teen I found a "same condition" decayed 34 Buick in a farm field for 5 dollars!, and the farm owner hauled it to my parents place for 10 dollars more. I somehow got it to run, and one day several friends came over... I showed them that it did run run good.... They said "lets go for a ride!!!". We piled in, one kid was even standing on the running board. It drove so nice and lots of power, and as typical teens, we drove all the way across the rural town to another friends home. Brake cables all frozen, muffler rotted off, smoked a bit, no license plates ... but I will say positively: That car ride was the most pure fun I have ever had with a prewar, Look at how many disassembled prewar cars have been coming up for sale now; the owners took them apart with good intentions but then reality set in, and it sat again for 40-50 years more. Not all cars like this need to be restored. A "fixed up" version of a car like this one seems to draw more attention and favorable comments than a restored trailer queen. What Frank said!! Thank you , sir Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Scranton Posted August 7, 2022 Author Share Posted August 7, 2022 11 hours ago, F&J said: I agree. Especially the "fun" part which will turn to despair if you tore the car all apart and then it looks like junk and hopelessness. I agree fully with just getting it to run, yard drivable, for your main goal (as a newbie) I'm 70 and had many prewars, (when I was "virgin to prewar cars") back when I was a teen I found a "same condition" decayed 34 Buick in a farm field for 5 dollars!, and the farm owner hauled it to my parents place for 10 dollars more. I somehow got it to run, and one day several friends came over... I showed them that it did run run good.... They said "lets go for a ride!!!". We piled in, one kid was even standing on the running board. It drove so nice and lots of power, and as typical teens, we drove all the way across the rural town to another friends home. Brake cables all frozen, muffler rotted off, smoked a bit, no license plates ... but I will say positively: That car ride was the most pure fun I have ever had with a prewar, Look at how many disassembled prewar cars have been coming up for sale now; the owners took them apart with good intentions but then reality set in, and it sat again for 40-50 years more. Not all cars like this need to be restored. A "fixed up" version of a car like this one seems to draw more attention and favorable comments than a restored trailer queen. And thats exactly what I hope to active! As nice as it would look, im not interested in a show room quality restoration. All i want is for the car to run, even if its just once. All the other kids my age have all their 60s and 70s muscle cars but I wakt to be the only guy my age to come into town in the antuiqe 30s car that I fixed myself. 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8014haar Posted August 7, 2022 Share Posted August 7, 2022 Be very careful when removing those wheel bolts. They break easily and nearly impossible to find. Make sure you soak they with Kroil or a deep penetrating oil. It helps to heat them a bit with a propane torch, slightly and tap lightly with a hammer as you are doing it. A brass hammer is preferred. You will also need to borrow or have a fear hub puller made to get the rear brake drums off…..FYI 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8014haar Posted August 7, 2022 Share Posted August 7, 2022 Also, something looks amiss on that left front wheel and steering🤔 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Scranton Posted August 8, 2022 Author Share Posted August 8, 2022 16 hours ago, 8014haar said: Also, something looks amiss on that left front wheel and steering🤔 Thank you for the tip on the wheel bolts. As for the steering, i belive it mightjust be the camera angle. The day i took that picture I had moved The steering a bit to check if everything was good and left it turned a bit, but next time ill take a closer look just to be sure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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