1956 Buick Special Project

This is my plan for getting the original gauges to work with this engine. The sensors are of course completely different and there is no great way to Tee in.

The oil pressure sensor on the chevy engine uses a M12 x 1.75 threaded sensor, which is a fairly unusual size. I plan on using the parts below to make a makeshift T. the AN fitting will go into the M12 engine threads, a T fitting will go on that which the factory oil pressure line will attach to, and the chevy sensor will then go on the other side of the T.

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For the temperate gauge, I plan on drilling into the water pump and tig welding this plug.

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I'm in the process of moving shops and got the 56 coupe moved this weekend. you don't realize how much junk you accumulate restoring a car until you have to move it all mid project haha

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'56 Buick Special

I have followed your work from start to finish. Different than most. I really like it. You have good foresight. Keep it up.

Race between the two when finished?

Ben
 
I have followed your work from start to finish. Different than most. I really like it. You have good foresight. Keep it up.

Race between the two when finished?

Ben


Well thanks! And "finished" is as close to accurate as any other F word is for this car haha

And you can bet there will be a race! Summer 2019 at the rate I'm going with the coupe.
 
not really a complaint, but you seem to have two different threads with the same title in the same sub-forum.

it's not nice to confuse the elderly, we're easily befuddled.
 
It's been over a year since I've made a post here! I've been working a lot on my 74 Ford Highboy and remodeling my home. This virus scare has put me out of work for a couple weeks. It's unfortunate what's going on but the freeing up of time was welcomed. I'm feeling optimistic, I went out and purchased some paint! Stay tuned for some hopeful progress!

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I made some progress plumbing in the brakes and fuel line. I also fabricated a new firewall plate that accepts hydroboost. Not just any hydroboost- Ford Super Duty parts. This will be quite the overkill braking setup but why not? It helps with clearance quite a bit.

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I will be switching to a different accessory system that uses an SD508 style AC pump as well. still undecided what to do for the heating and AC. factory heater and I can fab up firewall AC, or go vintage air.
 
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I was cleaning up the trunk and was surprised to find what appeared to be the factory original trunk mat and under that a good condition jack instructions! When I bought this car, the previous owner had never been able to open the trunk and he bought the car in the 80s he told me. Also on the bright side is that the trunk floor is pristine!

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The factory radiator support is this big U shaped piece that pushes the radiator towards the engine while leaving all of this dead space. I used that as a template to create a radiator support that holds the radiator in the middle of it. I need to finish welding it and figure out a way to more securely hold the radiator in there, but so far so good!

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I am starting on cleaning up the floor and trunk. an angle grinder and die grinder with wire wheels do wonders! This floor is surprisingly solid.

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Another day, another day closer to this car's first speeding ticket in 40 years. Cleaning up the floor, removing interior (shockingly good original door panels!) and figuring out some plumbing for the intake.
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This factory opening can work something like a cold air intake. I will fab up a surround for the air filter to shield it from the hot engine bay air. I think realistically this factory opening can feed the engine ok enough. Prefer not to cut, I don't like modifying these old Buicks ;)

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I fabbed up a passenger side air box replacement with a heater and AC line bulkhead. I made it out of 12 gauge- complete overkill but it makes for easy welding and no warping. Those huge factory air boxes sure are handy. I won't have to do any cutting and maybe just a little drilling. I plan on going the vintage air route.

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Painted my new firewall plates and radiator bracket. I made a new driver side brake bracket- I moved the brakes 1/4" to the passenger side for better firewall clearance.

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I barely remembered at the last minute, but I painted my bolts!

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The firewall brackets turned out great, I even started some plumbing for the AC

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The radiator bracket blends right in, you don't really see it. I used 3/8" weatherstrip from home depot on the radiator bracket on all the surfaces the radiator would otherwise touch.

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Mounted my condenser and power steering cooler. I'm not sure if the PS cooler is necessary but the hydroboost may contribute to more heat. I was actually going to use that cooler for ATF in conjunction with the radiator ATF cooler. I have another one of these swaps in an F250 and it has only the ATF cooler in front of the radiator. Even when towing the ATF temp doesnt get very hot so this car should be perfectly fine with only the radiator cooler.

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I'll order some plumbing for the drier and condenser now that I have measurements.
 
That is a lot of work and fabrication coming along nicely! I have a stock hydroboost on my 2003 Mustang and there is a cooler. HD truck units may have needed it even more because of the weight upon and size of the steering components.

I had used a hydroboost off of a mid 80s diesel Buick Regal in my 67 buick at one point. It did not have a cooler as part of the system.
 
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That is a lot of work and fabrication coming along nicely! I have a stock hydroboost on my 2003 Mustang and there is a cooler. HD truck units may have needed it even more because of the weight upon and size of the steering components.

I had used a hydroboost off of a mid 80s diesel Buick Regal in my 67 buick at one point. It did not have a cooler as part of the system.

Thanks! It's been fun for me to not be rushed on a project like this. Yeah better to play it safe. Also this car will be mostly driven on warm days and will probably see some spirited driving. It will hopefully see Las Vegas and Arizona in the summer too. On my other 56, I got stuck in traffic on a 110 degree day and did not regret going overboard on my radiator haha
 
Got some dirty work done this week. Yuck! I am using the angle grinder and different size / shape wire wheels to clean up every surface on the inside. I have filled up, clogged and cleaned out the shop vac a few times now. This is the only way I have found to give good adhesion with a new coat of paint. I will weld up the floors soon and then paint it all.

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Wire wheel work done on the right, not done on the left.

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I bought a vintage air dummy test fit piece. these are really handy, they dont weigh much, theyre cheap and they let you mock up the system. I'll have to do a little bit of cutting on the firewall but I should be able to mock it up and make sure it clears the dash soon.

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Plumbed in the air intake, made a little shroud for the air filter. Made a block off plate where the factory heater core was and also where the heater valve was.

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