Paul APPEL Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 (edited) Hello the AACA, I just got this car from an old women, her husband died and he owned several old cars. I see on a plate on the car that it is a :"Buick Coupe Opera 1930". But I can't find any informations of the car on the web. So I am here to find more informations : the exact model of the car, a value of the Buick (almost nothing has been changed apart from some parts under the hood ) the motor is the orginal, and I don't know how to start the car ! If you have any tips or clue you will be very gentle. PS: There is some picture of the car Edited June 21 by Paul APPEL (see edit history) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 2 hours ago, Paul APPEL said: Hello the AACA, I just got this car from an old women, her husband died and he owned several old cars. I see on a plate on the car that it is a :"Buick Coupe Opera 1930". But I can't find any informations of the car on the web. So I am here to find more informations : the exact model of the car, a value of the Buick (almost nothing has been changed apart from some parts under the hood ) the motor is the orginal, and I don't know how to start the car ! If you have any tips or clue you will be very gentle. PS: There is some picture of the car Where are you located? France? Location accounts for a lot of the value. Here is a reorientation of a couple of the pictures. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pont35cpe Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 I always thought the firing order started with #1.. Is it read right to left? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul APPEL Posted June 21 Author Share Posted June 21 32 minutes ago, Larry Schramm said: Where are you located? France? Location accounts for a lot of the value. Here is a reorientation of a couple of the pictures. Thank you for redirecting me! Yes, I am in France. In a company : "FARDIER AUTOMOBILE" located in a town in the north-east of France called SARRE-UNION. The address is : 10A Rue de la Gare ZI Bruehl, 67260 Sarre-Union. If you have any other clue or contact, I'll take it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nat Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 2 hours ago, pont35cpe said: I always thought the firing order started with #1.. Is it read right to left? It is weird to start with "5". Google has it that pop rivets were invented in the late 1930's. I doubt Buick would have used different rivets for each tag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 1-6-2-5-8-3-7-4 The firing order for a Buick Straight Eight engine is 1-6-2-5-8-3-7-412. To set the cylinder #1 at TDC with both valves closed, adjust them. Then turn it 90 degrees and adjust the valves for cylinder #6, and so on2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzBob Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 I count six (6) plug wires. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 Weren't there still Buick sixes in 1930? As for #1 location, #1 is the furthest cylinder toward the front of the engine almost always. This means that if it is a "V" engine, and it does not have fork and blade rods, one bank will have a cylinder slightly more further forward than the other. That is why many GM and Chrysler "V" engines have #1 on the left, and many Ford engines have #1 on the right. The cylinder is a little further forward. What happens with the rest of the cylinder numbering is a crapshoot depending on who made the engine. Note that it is the front of the engine, not the front of the car. Old Saabs, some French cars, and a few other less commonly seen models may have the engine in backwards in comparison to what we would consider normal in the US. On an old Saab 99 or 900 for instance, cylinder #1 and the front pulley are at the firewall, but the flywheel and clutch are right behind the grille. On rear engine cars it is the same. On a Fiat 600 or 850 #1 is toward you when you open the hood, but the hood is at the back, so even though #4 is the furthest forward on the car, the flywheel is also forward, so the #1 cylinder facing you at the very back of the car is still at the front of the engine. On transverse engine cars, it still holds even though the engine is in sideways. If you are facing the side with the front pulley and belts, the cylinder closest to you is #1. Like any rule there are exceptions, but follow this and you will be right 99% of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oregon Desert model 45 Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 This looks to me like a 1930 Model 58 4 passenger coupe which has a 124" wheelbase. Buick sold 5275 of this model. There was also a model 68 coupe on a 132" wheelbase, pictured below, which had a longer rear window, but I think we can rule out model 68 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin The Kid Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 1931 is first year for the 8 cylinder, 1930 would be 6 cylinder. The riveted tag is odd, I wonder if it is simply labeling which plug wire is going to which cylinder. Definitely not original. Very cool car! Looks like it's been converted to 12 volt- see alternator, new coil, aftermarket modern heater blower 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 21 minutes ago, Edwin The Kid said: The riveted tag is odd, I wonder if it is simply labeling which plug wire is going to which cylinder. Definitely not original. The firing order. (Like you said) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 1931 was the first year of the 8 cylinder engine. As noted above... check the wheelbase and that should establish the series. On a 90 year old car little things might be from another year because the correct year part is not available. From reference material the 1929 would have 3 horizontal components to the bumpers. The 1930 has 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28Buick Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 Bonjour: If you refresh the engine paint it should be green. An outstanding find! Congratulations on a remarkable car and welcome to the pre-war forum. This place is full of accurate advice and candid opinions. Bonne chance mon ami. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Stock Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 Lovely car. https://forums.aaca.org/topic/400705-1928-buick-standard-28-20-now-running-sorting/ claims 142635 for 1928. Bloo's advice about different conventions seems to have the answer to the firing order poser. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul APPEL Posted June 24 Author Share Posted June 24 (edited) On 6/21/2024 at 9:51 PM, Oregon Desert model 45 said: This looks to me like a 1930 Model 58 4 passenger coupe which has a 124" wheelbase. Buick sold 5275 of this model. There was also a model 68 coupe on a 132" wheelbase, pictured below, which had a longer rear window, but I think we can rule out model 68 Yes, I think you are right ! I just verified the wheelbase, and it's 124". So if I resume, I have a Buick 1930 model 58 coupe. But with the 5275 in this model, is the car rare or not ? Edited June 24 by Paul APPEL (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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