Pre 1950 Owners Report in Please

'41 Buick

I haven't seen this thread before. Glad I found it.

I bought a '41 Buick Model 51-C (convertible sedan) early last Spring. It was in very good condition, but did have a slew of minor imperfections. It drove like a champ, but after a while I couldn't stand the imperfections and commenced a frame off restoration. I'm about 6 weeks from completion (spent a lot on being factory correct), and have learned a ton about why Buicks are special.

I'm looking to acquire another convertible sedan (I like the look of them).
 
1940 Special

I haven't posted on here in quite a while. I have a rust bucket 1940 Special parts car/BIG project, take your pick. The floor is rusted out. It has dual sidemounts, 4 drs and a '51 263 engine. The engine runs, the 3 speed jumps out of gear and EVERYTHING needs attention. I can't decide whether to start it( it's been sitting in my garage for 4 years or find a better car. Does anyone know if Special, Super, and Century body panels interchange? Where do you look for these cars?
 
40 Special

I haven't posted on here in quite a while. I have a rust bucket 1940 Special parts car/BIG project, take your pick. The floor is rusted out. It has dual sidemounts, 4 drs and a '51 263 engine. The engine runs, the 3 speed jumps out of gear and EVERYTHING needs attention. I can't decide whether to start it( it's been sitting in my garage for 4 years or find a better car. Does anyone know if Special, Super, and Century body panels interchange? Where do you look for these cars?

If you were to sell this car, how much would you want?

Gregg Thurman
509/443-5783
 
I own a 49 Super sedan that I purchased my freshman year in high school (84),drove it through school.college,marriage,and children caused me to put it in storage until now.plan on doing a frame up starting this winter.the car is stock,but i have plans to do some updates.I plan to do a trans swap to either a 700R4 or 4L60E trans.also switching to 12 volt system.I love the straight eight although I would like to do some performance upgrades to achieve a little more power.

I am new to this list,love what I have seen so far

Youll be surprised at the power boost a Pertronix electronic ignition system $150 (fits in distributor), with a 6v alternator conversion and an Optima 6v battery will give you. Not as much work, and a lot cheaper than a 12v conversion.
 
1931 Buick 4 Door 50 Series


I bought this 1931 Buick about a year ago, so far I have redone the brakes, and sanded down the wooden wheels and refinished them (they really look good almost like new) It has the first year of the strait eight overhead valve engine that Buick put out. The engine is original and runs real good. I don’t think it has ever been rebuilt. The engine runs smooth and starts right away. The engine has 35 lbs of oil presser. The only thing I have done with it was to change the oil on everything when I first got it. I am now busy sanding down the whole car so that I will be able to paint it this summer.The body and floor boards have no rust and it looks like it was repainted once and the car does not have any bondo on it. I feel that I am very lucky to have ran across it, and I plan to start driving it this summer. One thing that I need is two outside door handles, if anyone has some or knows someone please let me know Lorne Drakeley Phone 253-229-9394 lornedrakeley@comcast.net
 
Buick manuals

I haven't seen this thread before. Glad I found it.

I bought a '41 Buick Model 51-C (convertible sedan) early last Spring. It was in very good condition, but did have a slew of minor imperfections. It drove like a champ, but after a while I couldn't stand the imperfections and commenced a frame off restoration. I'm about 6 weeks from completion (spent a lot on being factory correct), and have learned a ton about why Buicks are special.

I'm looking to acquire another convertible sedan (I like the look of them).

Since last posted I have purchased 3 more convertible sedans. I'm really in need of manuals (1937-1941). Please help. (509)443-5783
 
'49 Super.

:hurray:
I purchased my prize last spring in Staunton, IL. Saw it on the internet, and bought it after a 6 mile test cruz'. I think it'll make an excellent daily driver dispite there are only a few left (6 known according to the BCA). I called the previous owner (from Texas) and got the whole history on it and an offer to buy it back!! It's all original except it's tires and peeling clearcoat applied by the quality professionals @ maaco!! I'm such a fan can ya tell! Anyway it has 52,000 and runs like a top except for the cracked exhaust manifold. I just bought a complete dual intake set-up for a song. I am buying a bolt up front disc set-up in about a month. A new paint job is coming next spring (2007) then an interior. I figuire a new car costs about $30,000 and I have 1/2 that in my buick and it has no computer, no sensors to deal with. Just good ol' fashioned quality american iron, that is, when there was some.

I have one of the six in California. It is an '80's frameoff restoration. It is for sale now because I have too many cars. Contact me for more information.
 
Courtesy light covers

Since last posted I have purchased 3 more convertible sedans. I'm really in need of manuals (1937-1941). Please help. (509)443-5783


Looking for rear seat courtesy light covers for 1940 Buick Limited. Thanks in advance.
 
1948 Super Convertible --- HELP

Good to see there actually are some pre 50's Buick owners here.

I have a 48 Convert. I picked up a few months back. The car had been sitting since 1958, luckily in a garge so it is 99% rust free does have a few dings in it though. I buffed out the original green paint. Great 20/20 car as is!! We got it running and driving. Doing the top and interior now.

My biggest problem is the hydraulic system for the top, windows and seat. I had mine apart, cleaned but it still will not work. Anyone know where I can get a replacement underhood hydraulic pump or somone who can fix mine?

Thanks
 
dealbud57

I have a 49 super that Ibought a year ago. I am just now starting to work on her .I am in the middle of a disc brake conversion from Wilwood brakes.(front only)It s a bolt on kit but had to do some tweeking.I bought it so I can use stock spindals.Kit says its a bolt on but had to shim cal brackets about a 1/8 inch,use 2 shims on calibersto center pads and the wheel spacers are not thick enough ,need to be 1/2 inch ,witch means longer wheel studs if useing stock rims.I am 2nd owner of her and she carries a stock verdes green paint over.everything else is stock (still 6 volt)Have not got to drive her yet due to no brakes but I am closing in on that project. I am doing a dual master cylinder conversion for safty sake.cant wait to cruzzzz her.:car:
 
1940 Buick Super

I have a 49 super that Ibought a year ago. I am just now starting to work on her .I am in the middle of a disc brake conversion from Wilwood brakes.(front only)It s a bolt on kit but had to do some tweeking.I bought it so I can use stock spindals.Kit says its a bolt on but had to shim cal brackets about a 1/8 inch,use 2 shims on calibersto center pads and the wheel spacers are not thick enough ,need to be 1/2 inch ,witch means longer wheel studs if useing stock rims.I am 2nd owner of her and she carries a stock verdes green paint over.everything else is stock (still 6 volt)Have not got to drive her yet due to no brakes but I am closing in on that project. I am doing a dual master cylinder conversion for safty sake.cant wait to cruzzzz her.:car:

I just joined this forum and saw your post about the brake conversion. I (My Son & Daughter-in-Law) purchased a 1940 Buick Super near Williamsport, PA and I am leaving my home in Texas tomorrow to go pick it up. The car runs and drives OK but the brakes don't work. Of course the first thing I have to do when I get it home is to get the brakes fixed. Can you give me leads on brake parts? And other things? By the way, mine is (or was before it turned rusty) Dark Verde Green.
 
Walter

Walter ,Wilwood can assist you with any brake parts needed.They are priced very good andhave just about all you would need .I used a remote fill master cylinder ,made a bracket for it out of a piece of angle steel, heated and bent brake rod to make it all line up.I have a dyno flo auto tranny and the linkage hit a regular bail type master cylinder.The remote master fixes this by putting the reservoir up under the hood and being a dual it s a lot safer .I wanted to use stock rims so I put 1" wheel spacers on to clear calibers.Use the ones that bolt on stock hubs then bolt on rims.They cost a bit more ,but safty first!The Wilwood brake kits use stock spindles with timkin type bearings so you don't need to machine any thing ,and you can always take her back to stock.
 
I've got a '40 model 66 convertible that I picked up from an estate sale. I bought it to re-sell but after getting it home, cleaning it up, and looking it over, I decided to keep it. techzpod mobdro download
 
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I have a 1940 Super 4 door that I bought for $100.00 in August 1969. I has a 1948 50 series engine that was installed possibly about 1960.
The car has been painted twice and was reupholstered about 10 years ago. The engine finally gave up in 2019 and just as Covid hit the car went into the shop. Recently the shop finally had enough help to cleat the backlog and get to my engine. Reassembly has started an I hope to get the car back in the next couple of months. I switched to a 3.90:1 Century rear and 7.50x16 tires and the car will cruise at 70 all day.
 

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I've got a 1946 Buick Roadmaster Sedanet 76-S, which is a "rodstoration" project. It was originally purchased by a lady who owned a dairy farm in New York (state). It had been parked in the 70's and was imported to Finland in 1988 as a total project. I traded it for a boat in 1997, and have been working on it since 1999. It is now running but not finished.
 
I'm plugging away at my BZB (basically zero budget) 40 Buick Special 4 door project. Its history includes being a parts donor, a rear end collision, floods, and mucho rusto. After my 52 263 transplant (in the 80s) was ruined by flood and my failure to speedily address the consequences - that "life intervened" thing - it now has a 250 Chev engine, 200 4R transmission, open drive shaft and 81 Caprice 2.73 rear axle. It can pull itself in and out of the garage, but has yet to venture around the block. The end of the rust repair phase is in sight, through just a few holes - LR door bottom, dog leg and rear roll pan - how hard can that be? The door bottom is on today's program, wrapping up some good progress in 2022. Happy New Year!
 
I started out with a 1939 Special Convertible Coupe that I bought from an old friend. He had bought it right after he got out of the service at the end of WWII. Stolen in 1957, eventually recovered by the original owner. After losing the car in a divorce, I was left with a soft spot for the straight eight Buicks, eventually purchasing another... this one a 1940 Roadmaster Convertible Coupe. (One of 612) I still own that car. Then a third Buick came to me... another 1940 Roadmaster Convertible Coupe. So, I have had the good fortune of owning three prewar Buick convertibles. Rather odd considering I wasn't particularly looking for any of them, they just came my way. Now that I am hooked, I find myself scanning old car ads for a 38 Century Convertible.

I don't need one in any way, but it is an addiction, I swear it is.
 
i wonder of a member in Finland still active?Name? Jyrki? whith straight 8 intressed i loost his converse,
 
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