New 1940 buick Owner

[bhclark]

I just picked up a 1940 Buick Special last week. It's not quite as far done as I would have liked, but the price was right.

The engine and tranny are supposed to be solid, but the brakes are shot and it needs a battery.

I spent all day yesterday taking pictures and inspecting the car. It has a little more rust on the floorboards than I originally thought, but most of it has been amateurishly repaired with sheet metal, so it will work for now. Interior needs complete restoration as well as new chrome on most of the exterior and 3 pieces of front window glass. (although it did come with a brand new headliner, yards of windlace and wire-on, and brake parts)

I'm planning on checking out all the threads with 1940 in the title to find as much info as possible, but any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

My major points of concern/questions at this point are:

-Is there a transmission dipstick (I couldn't find one and missed it in the shop manual if it's there)

-where's the best place to buy an affordable 6 volt battery (not looking for show quality)

-What is the black cylinder on the front right of the engine, just above the fuel pump?

-it looked like an oil filter, but the fluid in it smelled like gas and was thin?

-any suggestions that would help in locating parts suppliers and model/year information would be greatly appreciated!

[Bill Stoneberg]

Congratulations... You have gotten yourself a nice car.

If you dont belong to the Buick Club of America, please join as you will find a wealth of information in the Bugle along with parts for your car.

As far as you questions go, there is no transmission dipstick, you have to pulll the plug from underneath and check the oil.

6 volt batteries can be bought from the local tractor supply company or an Interstate Battery dealer. Antique Auto Battery has nice reproductions too.

Bobs Automobilia http://www.bobsautomobilia.com has all the parts you will need for that car.

The tank above the fuel pump was most likely a oil filter, did it have an orange top on it ? Pictures would help on that.

Most of your stainless on the outside of the car will polish up real nice with some work on your part. You can get flat glass as needed at almost any auto glass shop.

Have you tried to turn the engine over yet ? You may want to pull the plugs and squirt some oil in the holes and let it sit for a couple of days.

Change the oil and then turn the engine over by hand before cranking it. If you are really ambitious, pull the distributor and turn the oil pump by hand to make sure you have good pressure first.

Those old engines are a pretty strong engine but you can do damage just hitting the key and trying to start it if it has sat for awhile. Get some oil everywhere first.

[bhclark]

Thanks!

I've got a question. My intake manifold has been welded several times and is cracked again.

I've seen several listed on Ebay for 1941-?

Is this a completely different unit, or will it work on the '40 as well?

Oh, and here's a picture of the supposed oil filter? (what could cause gas to enter the oil?)

[The Old Guy]

The exhaust manifolds will interchange from 37-53 in the small series. That is the oil filter, and if it has gas in it ,I would think that someone did not know what it was and filled it with fuel. I can't feature the engine running with a crankcase full of gas, and that is really the only other way it could have gotten there . If the fuel pump was bad, and put fuel into the crankcase, and the engine sat for a long time, the gas would evaporate and leave the oil,so it almost has to have been filled for some reason

[bhclark]

you said exhaust manifolds, did you mean to say intake, or did you mean both, or just exhaust.

The one I'm looking at is casting #1306218 2. I haven't had a chance to pick up an interchange manual yet, but this one is not listed in my 36-60 parts book at all?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[bhclark]

The car Runs!!!!! I'm so happy!

A new set of plugs, 2 00 battery cables and a freshly charged battery and me with a spray bottle of gasoline spritzing it directly into the carb.

I managed to keep it running for about a minute at a time by using the spray bottle of gas.

It started really slow the first few times, but by the time I had started it 5 or 6 times, it fired right up!

i did get a few scary backfires before it settled down to idle. Boy a 1 foot flash of fire in your face will wake you right up!

I seem to have a very slight water leak at the water pump area, so I'll have to check that out.

I've got a new water pump, but I guess I will have to make a gasket, unless anyone has a source?

Next job is to hook the gas line back up, fill up the tank and check to see if the fuel pump works.

Once I can get fuel without manually feeding it into the carb, I can get inside and check out the condition of the tranny to see if she'll move under her own power!

Wish me luck!!!

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Kool!!! nothin like turning these old engines over after they've sat for years and they come back to life. Makes one feel as though they have breathed life back into a drowned man don't it. Congratulations <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

oh yea, and good luck with the tranny and getting it out on the Buick highway

[Bill Stoneberg]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I've got a new water pump, but I guess I will have to make a gasket, unless anyone has a source?

</div></div>

Bobs Automobilia should have one.

Congratulations on getting your car started and running. It always is a good feeling to bring one back to life.

[Guest Tishabet]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I've got a new water pump, but I guess I will have to make a gasket, unless anyone has a source?

</div></div>

Bobs Automobilia should have one.

</div></div>

Yes, Bob's is a fantastic resource for this era of Buick. I've been astounded at the number/variety of parts they stock for my '38.

[bhclark]

I looked on their website and only saw the '38. I'll give them a call on Monday.

thanks!