53 New Yorker Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 (edited) It seems like this should be an "easy" task to accomplish, but usually when I think that something will be easy, it turns out to be the opposite. I've looked in the 1940 Buick Shop Manual, and it seems vague and Chiltons was useless..... Can anyone shed some light on how I go about removing the radiator from a 1940 Buick? (before I end up breaking something...LOL) Cheers, and thank you! Bill W. Edited September 16, 2022 by 53 New Yorker would like to follow this (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daves1940Buick56S Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 Nice car! Remove hood. Drain radiator and remove hoses. Remove water pump and bypass housing. Put cardboard or similar on core face to keep from damaging. Remove 6 bolts (3 ea side) holding radiator to body. Tilt top of radiator towards engine and lift out. Takes 2 people. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgreen Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 Boom - done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
53 New Yorker Posted September 16, 2022 Author Share Posted September 16, 2022 (edited) OK....... GREAT ADVICE! Thank you Dave's.... I've been looking the situation over for a few days now... and it is the Hood Removal part that has me scratching my head. I found a nut, way up under the cowl at the front of the vent opening, just like the book says... for the rear anchor point... BUT... it is at the front end that I am confused. I'm not sure how to get the stainless-steel trim piece to disconnect (you know the one, it runs from the cowl all the way over the front "nose" and down behind the front emblem. Remove the emblem too? Do I have to take off the hood ornament too? How many fasteners are under the front end of the hood.? What is actually holding it down? I do see the 6 bolts along the sides of the actual radiator, and they seem pretty straight forward. I've drained the system, and I've taken off the pump and that housing with the bypass valve and thermostat and removed the hoses. I guess I really should have asked about Hood Removal... as opposed to radiator removal..... thanks in advance.... Edited September 16, 2022 by 53 New Yorker added more to the question (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 My '38 has a break in the stainless trim right behind the hood ornament. The front bolt sticks down and goes through a hole in the support bar that passes over the radiator (the one you need to tip the radiator back to clear). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgreen Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 The stainless center hinge stays with the hood. There are three attachment points at the front, you indicate that you found the one in the rear. One attachment point in the front has two bolts, actually sheet metal bolts (?); one on each side of the hood and two others further forward with just one bolt. It is best to secure moving pads or quilts across your fenders and to have two or three people help with hood removal. The loosened hood will want to fold back on itself if you aren't careful. One person is best on each side of the hood and anther working the center section to keep it from folding. Of course, prepare a place on the floor to set the hood down before you have all three people holding the hood. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 Be careful of the emblem, when I removed the radiator in my '40 Special I screwed it up, broke it somehow and it was never right again. Be careful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daves1940Buick56S Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 I second all that. Once lifted off the hood is very...dynamic. Two people minimum, 3 is better. Dont set it on the nose as Morgan said. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
53 New Yorker Posted September 20, 2022 Author Share Posted September 20, 2022 On 9/17/2022 at 10:22 AM, Morgan Wright said: Be careful of the emblem, when I removed the radiator in my '40 Special I screwed it up, broke it somehow and it was never right again. Be careful! Hi Morgan, The emblems are available through CARS, LLC their web address is www.oldbuickparts.com Part # GE40 Not a cheap part, but if you have a perfect Buick, and want a perfect emblem, you can have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
53 New Yorker Posted September 20, 2022 Author Share Posted September 20, 2022 Thanks to everyone, the hood is off, and the radiator is out for a cleaning at minimum, or a re-core at worst. It didn't pass the flow test! Could hardly get any water to drain through it... a gentle trickle isn't what Buick intended, I'm sure! LOL This is absolutely a 2 person job... and when it is time to put the hood back on, I'm going to get a 3rd involved. 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 Good luck. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted September 20, 2022 Share Posted September 20, 2022 The "Before & After" video shows the radiator from my '38 Century... https://www.caparadiator.com/video Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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