I have just purchased a 1937 Buick Special. It needs a lot of work but the engine starts and it can be driven. The metal mites have done a lot of damage to the floors and running boards. Any advice would be appreciated. Where to start?
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I have just purchased a 1937 Buick Special. It needs a lot of work but the engine starts and it can be driven. The metal mites have done a lot of damage to the floors and running boards. Any advice would be appreciated. Where to start?
Re do all the wiring!! The old stuff is probably rotten.
its been my experience to survey the car in miniscule detail. every panel, every system, etc. making a list of all the items needing attention. i have found an extensively detailed list to be helpful to me, because the repair events are in smaller steps or sequences. in the end, the list is pages and pages long, but i wind up with a very useful work sheet. its nearly impossible to touch the car without completing a task and when i finish for the night, there is another line item that can be crossed off. really keeps me motivated.
Is there a good wiring harness available for the Buick or do I have to make it from scratch?
I have started one an it is getting really long? Not sure this is good!
:waving: Hey Thayes,
I see that YOU are a NEW MEMBER!
WELCOME ABOARD! :thumbsup:
New Wiring Harnesses are available from several Vendors/ Suppliers.
Being that Your 1937 Special does run. That's a Good Sign!
You can still have some fun driving it around as you are doing different projects.
The First thing I would suggest is that you obtain any / all literature on your car that You can get your greasy hand on. Starting with a Service Manual.
I don't know how hand you are but with a manual you should be able to do a lot of the work yourself. It simplifies projects and explains how to do things.
Every used car, weither it is a '97 or a '37 there are certain items that always require attention or replacement. Tires, Brakes, Shocks, an Exhaust System, Belts and Hoses ETC. So don't let a list scare You.
What type of '37 Special do you have! Trunk Back or Slant Back!?
The '37 is quite a popular model in fact the Buick Club of America has a '37-'38 Division all its own. Those models are the real deal and obtaining parts are not a real issue. The Straight-Eight is a nice and rather popular power plant.
It's quiet and dependable and produces a nice sound like bees in a bottle!
Any car with a lot of wiskers on it will require additional attention in regard to interior and finish.
You have to remember that you are saving another piece of Buick History from Extinction.
After all that is why You bought it and to have some fun driving and fixing it up!
Tell US more about Your Car and then We can properly address the problems that You face.
There is a LOT of History behind that '37 of Yours and I'm sure that Fellow Buick Enthusiast's will HELP! You out any which way we can. If we can't answer a particular question, I'm sure We can at least steer you in the right direction to somone who can.
I suggest "Checking-Out" the '37-'38 site of the BCA and do some research on the history of your car. Not only will you gain knowledge and useful information but you may be able to pick up some tips and find a list of Vendor/Suppliers for Parts & Services.
Regards :beers:
Tom Gallagher