1951 Buick RIVIERA SEDAN ? 6 volt battery where?

[ajordanbuick51]

First Off let me just say I just joined and I see there is tons of info on this site?wow!

I?m working on my finance?s grandfather?s (he recently passed away) 51 Buick Super 8 RIVIERA SEDAN series 50/w dynaflow drive (Model 52) s/n 514519. Let me just say wow what a beautiful car! I?ve been trying to find a place that I can buy a 6 volt battery from. The shop manual calls for a 15E6-W Delco Remy. Does anyone know where I can get one? The car has been sitting in an enclosed garage for 30+ years. It was last started in late 1990?s before he fell ill. I know I need to take the spark plugs out and put some marvel mystery oil in the top of the pistons and let it soak over night and drain the old gas out. My question is, what type of gas additive does it need to make it leaded gas (or do you guys recommend)? I assume you can find this at advance or auto zone. I?m going to rubberize the out side of the gas tank as well. I saw on the forum that you guys recommend dextron III . What about engine oil? Shop manual recommends 20-w SAE, but I saw on the door the last oil change 10w-40 was put in. What do you guys recommend this Straight 8 engines have? This car has everything original in it!! My fiancé wants to drive off in it for our wedding may 19 2007. I will post up pictures as I work on it (not really a whole lot to do to get it running).

Oh I have the battery that is in it. It looks like it has been replaced. Not sure if I should try to charge it or not before I just buy a new one. I think this is enough questions to get me started. I?m going to go join some of these 50 Buick groups on this site to.

[Bill Stoneberg]

Welcome to the group.. Sounds like you have yourself a fine car to work on.

You can get the batteries at Interstate Batteries or at a tractor supply house. If you are a stickler for original, do a search on Antique Auto Batteries and you will find the place that has original looking ones.

I run 20 w -50 in my straight 8's and never have any issues. As long as it is good oil, you shouldn't have a problem. Lead additives can be found at most auto supply places. I am sure someone eles will reccoment one, both of my old cars have hardened valve seats so I dont run it.

Check your brakes too, chances are that the wheeel cylinders are frozen along with the master cylinder. The master cylinder on that car is on the frame way down low, you almost have to stand on your head over the fender to get to it.

I would let the pistons soak longer then overnight in either MMF or auto trans fluid. It works well. Change your oil and filter and then spin it till you get pressure. Then put the plugs in and see if it will start.

Does the engine turn by hand ? Stick a 1 inch socket on the crank bolt and give it a try. Turn it clockwise with the plugs out. It should turn with a long breaker bar.

Hows the water pump and the cooling system ? Are the floors rusted through ?

To get parts, Bob Automobilia (http://www.bobsautomobilia.com) is a good vendor. Cars in NJ is ok, but a little slow on shipping.

Have fun, there is nothing like bringing a car back to life after a long slumber.

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Come on Bill aren't you gonna advise him as to HOW MUCH MMF to put in..... <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Welcome aboard Jordan. Where you at in Georgia. You joined the Dixie Chapter yet? Let's see some pictures of that Buick. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

[imported_buick5563]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Come on Bill aren't you gonna advise him as to HOW MUCH MMF to put in..... <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

</div></div>

Lamar,

Who you calling MMF?

Mike <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

I suspect that's what Bill had to say when the MMF shot all over the garage when he and Willy were crankin the Riviera over the first time.

[Pete Phillips]

You can also get the long, narrow, 6-volt battery from NAPA, at least they can order it at the NAPA stores around here.

Pete Phillips

Sherman, TX

[ajordanbuick51]

Welcome to the group.. Sounds like you have yourself a fine car to work on.

I looked at your other post. I may have thought the same thing about putting that much oil in each cylinder. It must have been a site to see ATF shooting up. I appreciate you guys? quick feedback. I was wondering how active this site was. That?s funny you mentioned the brakes because my father was just telling me to be sure to check those before someone steps down on the break pedal. I thought about playing golf this week end, but after viewing your home page I think I will go oil those cylinders up and take that battery out for measurements. Thanks for the motivation ?Bill Stoneberg?! I'll get you guys some pics too. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Bill Stoneberg]

Lamar,

It wasn't in the garage, it was in the driveway and Willie was lucky he was standing in front of the car and out of line of fire from the oil.Otherwise he would have been the one saying the "Choice" words.

Dont make the mistake that I did of splitting a quart of tranny fluid between 8 cylinders and then adding oil for good measure. It made a mess and was hell to clean up. Good thing was it forced me to clean my engine bay. A little goes a long way.

MMF Marvel Mystery Fluid... It was early in the morning, what can I say....

[Guest sixpack2639]

Alex, Welcome! The battery I have in my 51 Special is an Interstate and I highly recommend it. It has been in the car for 3 years (that I know of, it was in the car when I bought it) and still going strong. Whenever I have to buy another battery for her you can bet it will be another Interstate! (Now if I could only get them to send me a free sample battery for the great review and free advertising.) LOL

http://www.interstatebatteries.com/estor...571858&js=1

Cheers, Carl

[Gene Brink]

Jordan,

Grew up on a '52 - same model. Great car! Good advice from several others and I'm sure you will get her running. Two suggestions - get a new battery. The old one will have gone dry during storage and I doubt it can be brought back. You probably will have to polarize your generator since the car has sat so long. You do this by momentarly bridging the "BAT" and "GEN" terminals on your voltage regulator after the new battery is installed with all cables hooked up.

Good luck!

[ajordanbuick51]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Jordan,

Grew up on a '52 - same model. Great car! Good advice from several others and I'm sure you will get her running. Two suggestions - get a new battery. The old one will have gone dry during storage and I doubt it can be brought back. You probably will have to polarize your generator since the car has sat so long. You do this by momentarly bridging the "BAT" and "GEN" terminals on your voltage regulator after the new battery is installed with all cables hooked up.

Good luck! </div></div>

Thanks I just read about that in the shop manual. It seems you can do damage to the elect. system if you don't do this....THANKS!!!

Alex

[ajordanbuick51]

Here are some pics of this weekend. I started draining the gas and put MMO in the cyl. and took the battery out.

[ajordanbuick51]

Another pic in the attachments

[ajordanbuick51]

one more

[ajordanbuick51]

Little dusty but I think she will shine when we wash her!

[Guest imported_Thriller]

Very nice...good to see you bringing her back to life. Good luck. Once complete, you won't regret it (pleasing the sweetie and all doesn't hurt either).

[tamara51dyna]

HOWDY BOYS! I just wrote a long [entertaining!] post telling about how I came to acquire my one-wk old, 4-dr, green, inline 8, Dynaflow, beautiful 52 Super that I LOVE, after 26 yrs of driving a '57 Chev as my one-n-only car. And then, when I went to post my blather, it DISAPPEARED. I'm SO peeved. I really can't go thru it again right now, but I will say this forum is right up my alley as I get to know "Dyna." The engine is fabulous -- everything is reachable! Love the shop manual too. MUCH better than the Chev's. I look forward to future gabfests.

[Guest imported_Thriller]

Welcome aboard. As a future note, sometimes when I'm typing a long post (happens far too often for everyone else's liking, I'm sure <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ), before I attempt to post, I will select all and copy before I attempt to post. That way, if I wind up having difficulties, I can always paste it into a text editor or Word and save it for later posting.

Whereabouts in Oregon are you? I have in-laws around Lincoln City on the coast. I presume you are going to try to make it to the BCA National meet next year as it will be in Bellevue, WA...you wouldn't want to missing seeing your car's kin when it is that close to home.

Depending on vacation schedules, we are going to visit with the in-laws either before or after the meet.

[tamara51dyna]

"Godzilla" and I are cruising around the greater Sherwood megalopolis area, SW of Portland, OR.

I'm getting used to the feel and handling quicker than I thought I would. We do turn heads. I thought I was hot stuff (lol) in the Chev, but Dyna demands even more attention. Here's a funny -- ya get used to people who know about cars, then there are the OTHER folk. A woman who sees my car and me a couple of times a wk, saw the Buick and asked, "...Did u do something different with your car...paint it or something?" (Uh yah, changed the color, size, shape, model, make, yr ... } yikes. Let's hope she's never a witness of a crime that involves a getaway car!!!!

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Hey Tamara

welcome aboard. Yea apparently the forum owner tried to save some band width or something by limiting the time folk like Derek here can spend on writing their posts. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Also affects slow thinking folk like me but dem be da breaks. If it happens again just go "back" to your post and copy the text then back to the thread you were replying to and hit reply again and a "fresh" screen will come up, paste the "copied" text and it will "take". Sounds like you and Dyna are having some good times cruisin. Why not tell us more about Dyna and yourself in the "Me and My Buick" forum. In the meantime,

Have a Buickful Day (JohnD said that) <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />