1940 Buick Special Business Coupe

[1964 Impala]

Just purchased this 1940 Buick Special Coupe out of Indiana. According to the license plate it has been off of the road since 1950. The engine is complete but is unfortunately stuck. We tried to break it loose by taking the plugs out, filling the cylinders with diesel and letting them soak. We then put it in 2nd and towed it around the yard with dad’s Gpw…not something you see everyday. We’ll let it soak a little longer and see if we can get anywhere but I am hopeful because the top end is very clean after removing the valve cover. I’m also missing the grille, so if anyone knows where a broke teenager like myself can buy one let me know. I’d like to keep the car stock besides possibly adding a factory 1941 dual carb setup. More news to come.

Thanks,

TR

[MCHinson]

While the diesel might work, The best way to break one of these Straight 8's loose is as follows:  Use a 50/50 mix of automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Apply it liberally through the spark plug holes (I would suction the diesel out to make sure that it does not float on the diesel fluid.) Drop the oil pan and flywheel inspection cover. Make sure the starter drive is not stuck in the flywheel locking the engine up. (You could also remove the starter but as long as the starter drive is retracted away from the flywheel, that is not contributing to the problem, and you are going to need the flywheel inspection cover off anyway.) Inspect the cylinder walls below the pistons after you have removed the oil pan. LIberally spray the 50/50 mix of ATF and Acetone on the cylinder walls, especially any with visible rust. Reapply the 50/50 mix daily for a few days until you are convinced that the mix on top of the pistons is flowing down past the pistons. (Fluid no longer puddling on top of the pistons is your clue). Take a short prybar and pry the engine by prying on the flywheel ring gear against the transmission bell housing until the engine moves. Pry back and forth to rotate the engine a bit each way until it is turning easier. Then, I would use the starter with a good strong battery to spin the engine for a few minutes.  (12 volts would be good for this, although you are better to leave the car 6 volts for operating purposes). (Be prepared for the leftover fluid to go everywhere around where the car is sitting.)

 

I would also suggest you check out the 36-38 Buick Club. Despite the name, the club accepts all Straight 8 era Buicks. http://www.3638buickclub.org/. If you send me your email address via the contact the webmaster link on the 36-38 Buick Club website, or a private message on this forum, I will be happy to email you a recent sample copy of the club newsletter. 

[Tom Boehm]

Welcome to the old car hobby. You might get more views for the grill you need if you post in the general parts wanted section or in the Buick section of this forum. 

[MCHinson]

I forgot to mention, The best source for the grille would be Dave Tacheny. You can best reach him by calling 763-427-3460 between 4 and 7 pm Central Time Zone. His prices are very reasonable. He might also have the parts for the dual carb conversion, but as a broke teenager, I would probably recommend waiting a while. Those parts are very expensive and they are just going to make the job a lot more complicated. The original setup will likely serve you well for a while. 

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Welcome, TR, to the world of straight eight Buicks.  As well as to this forum.   

 May we see a picture of the drivers side of the engine?  I believe I see a "tell" this may be a 1948 or 1949 engine. You are in luck if it is a 1949, as it will have insert rod bearings as opposed to poured babbitt as the original had. Engine number, just in front of the distributor will tell as well, if it was not changed.

 

 I will go one step further than Matt. I would remove the rocker arms and with a brass hammer, tap each valve to be certain they are not stuck.  Might save some headaches later on.

 

  Good luck.

 

  Ben

[1949Huntsman]

Nice! Are you thinking of keeping the patina for a while? My friends and I had a 49 Coupe DeVille that had a great layer of surface rust all over it, similar to a Derelict by Icon. 40s cars have so much character in that stage.

[DonMicheletti]

Other important items to clean up and go through are the entire fuel system and brakes.

Especially breaks. Unlikely they will still work. Parts are redily available and inexpensive.

 

You'll fine the AACA - Prewar Buick site very helpfull

Edited September 8, 2022 by DonMicheletti (see edit history)

[1964 Impala]

Thanks for all the helpful insight, I just may have to use the atf and acetone mix but only time will tell. I don’t plan to drive it with the patina, not really into the rat rodding thing. Hopefully you’ll be able to tell from these photos what year the engine is. Also included is a picture of the floor all cleaned up. Not too bad overall, much better than my Impala’s floor was when I started. 
 

Thanks,

TR

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Great.  Not a 1950.  Either a 1948 or 1949.  

The pad down on both sides with the four bolt holes first appeared in 1948 for the new side motor mounts.  First 1949 engine number was 5,220,972   4.   The final separated 4 indicates installed in Special.   Will be a 5 if it came in a Super.

 

  Ben

[1964 Impala]

Here’s the number off of the pad, but I don’t see where the separated 4 or 5 is. Am I looking in the wrong spot?

 

Thanks,

TR

[Mike "Hubbie" Stearns]

I like the project. Good luck. Mike

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

17 hours ago, 1964 Impala said:

Here’s the number off of the pad, but I don’t see where the separated 4 or 5 is. Am I looking in the wrong spot?

 

Thanks,

TR

 

 

LOL!    Nope, it is not there.  Back in those years, many states used the engine number on the title. When an engine was changed/replaced the original may be ground off on the replacement engine and , in this case, something that made sense THEN stamped in.    

  I probably opened a can of worms unnecessarily. The only reason you will NEED to know the exact year of the engine is in the event of needing parts.  The only parts I KNOW are different between 1948 & 1949 are the rod bearings.  Poured versus insert. Obvious which it is if you have dropped the oil pan.  The original engine number is stamped under the water pump as well as the normal place.

 

  Ben

[kgreen]

Just an idea, take your fan belt off when you try to turn the frozen engine.  Water pumps can really get nasty, and a frozen water pump will keep your engine from turning over.  You might be in for a surprise, hope so.

[1964 Impala]

Lots of progress, was tired of pulling th car around trying to get it to break free, so we decided to pull the head. Pretty good overall, though as suspected number 8 was pretty ugly. However once we broke the piston free the walls should clean up with a good honing. We’ll re ring and put new bearings in…that is as soon as I can afford them. The engine is in fact a 49 model with insert bearings, so that makes things a little easier as well. Almost have the brakes sorted out, we have the rear wheel cylinders but the front ones we have been unlucky in trying to source. Anyone have an autozone cross reference number or similar? The rear fenders are also off now as well. 

Thanks,

TR

[Barney Eaton]

Those boards going into the trunk are interesting.........  looks like some sort of a sliding shelf so the salesman could get to items in the back of the trunk. 

Post a photo of what they look like from the trunk side. 

[1964 Impala]

Brakes are now almost completed and the emergency brake is freed up after much fighting. Does anyone have a spare bottom spring for the drum brakes? It goes right above the brake adjuster and an unbroken one can be seen in the photo below. Also got the valve cover cleaned and decals installed. Now on to more patching and wire brushing in the mean time.

Thanks,

TR

 

[vintage1]

Great looking project !  Looks like your making good progress.

 

[Fr. Buick]

You will want to clean up those adjuster on the bottom of the brake mechanisms.  They get turned to adjust manually as the brakes wear, and that procedure every few thousand miles really helps.

[zeke01]

19 hours ago, Fr. Buick said:

You will want to clean up those adjuster on the bottom of the brake mechanisms.  They get turned to adjust manually as the brakes wear, and that procedure every few thousand miles really helps.

I’m not sure that the spring above the adjuster is correct. It looks like the spring would interfere with the adjustment wheel when you to try to adjust the brakes. Zeke

[MCHinson]

16 minutes ago, zeke01 said:

I’m not sure that the spring above the adjuster is correct. It looks like the spring would interfere with the adjustment wheel when you to try to adjust the brakes. Zeke

That spring is correct. It is designed like that to hold the adjuster in position. The adjuster will turn just fine and the spring keeps it from turning freely and changing the adjustment after you set it.   

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

YES. Matthew and Douglas are correct.

 

  Ben

[1964 Impala]

More updates! The brakes are now completed, with brand new lines all the way around. We installed the piston rings and pistons after some honing and should have the bottom end of the engine buttoned up soon. Relapped all of the valves as well. Also had to replace the front engine mounts which had turned to goo. Should be running before long.

 

Thanks,

TR
 

[63RedBrier]

Hi, TR!  Great progress so far!  I'll be following along...  Good luck!  Greg

[Porsche 68]

1964 impala My 1934 dodge coupe sat since 1967 motor was seized also pulled the head and the oil pan bonded the cylinders new rings rod and main bearings motor was a real rusty mess took my time got everything cleaned up runs beautifully and quiet I now drive it just about everyday just make it safe to drive John 

[Porsche 68]

[1964 Impala]

Beautiful car, glad you’re enjoying it as it was meant to be!

 

Thanks,

TR