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Thread: Just a few thoughts

  1. #1

    Talking Just a few thoughts

    I am the proud ownwer or and 1953 special 3 speed on column, 262 straight 8, all stock.
    I am planning on restoring it but not to the spoint of a show car, I want a driver, something we can hop in on the weekends and cruise the streets. maybe run to som car shows. I am even thinking of making her a rat type car because I am not finding any ideas that excite me. That would be my last reort.
    My car has some rust and dings but she still looks good to me.
    The one thing I want to do is make her a little more highway friendly and safe.
    The suspinsion seems really soft, kind of like being in a boat, you dont hit the dips hard you kinda roll up amd down and side to side.
    The radio doent work and I am looking into that but its a 6 volt system and havent made my mind up on what to do.
    I would like to make it kind of a "hot rod" but seems these straight 8's dont have much available to make them hot..LOL
    I am new to restoration and the old car world in general and have a few questiona for you old timers.

    1. As far as suspention, does anyone have any ideas on upgrades that are affordable? I mean I would like the car to be safe and handle as good as one of these old girls can be. Not looking for a race suspention but something that will help stop the boat feeling when you drive,

    2. Can anyone help me decide on converting to a 12 volt system. I am worried it will be too technical and costly for a new person to accomplish. Are the pros worth it? Or is it not that hard or exspensive to do?

    3. Does amyone have any ideas on ways to sup-up these old straight 8's (262) She starts good and runs really smooth, but I remember my ubcle having a true hot rod with one of these cars back in the day but he is gone and I have no idea where to get or what to get as far as reasonable engine upgrades. Again I am NOT a mechanic. I would love a fast good sounding street car.

    4. The brakes: They suck....
    Should I do the disk brake thing or with a good brake job are these brakes possible of working good enough to be safe?

    5. The body, I have some , what I call minor rust, I am sure a bidy man would say its worse. I am not buiding a show car are there any shortcute to rust without spending alot of money replaceing panels or using a lot of bondo?

    I would love any onfo on places where I can get parts for this car, any pictures of projects that you have done with this car. Any ideas on wheter this car can be a hot little street car ot=r shouls I cut my loses and sell her to get something elses.

    I LOVE this car for personal reasons but I cant feel safe to take my family in her for any distance.
    I am looking for advise, ideas, and help.

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    !BT3uU,!Bmk~$(KGrHgoOKj4EjlLmY+TiBKKt2Fz5-Q~~_1.jpg

  2. #2
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    Nice '53! Here's some links that may be helpful...
    12V Conversion:
    http://www.webrodder.com/article.php...5&SID=60&CID=8
    http://www.webrodder.com/article.php...9&SID=60&CID=8
    (I'd think about upgrading your ignition while you're at it...the 12V conversion would allow you to upgrade your radio to boot).
    Brakes:
    http://www.scarebird.com/index.php?id=1

    As to suspension, you could go with air bags but while it ain't cheap, you get what you pay for.

    As to speed...you have to ask yourself--how much do I want to spend? Do a search on this site, there's tons of good info. A dual carb setup would be a good start, you can lose the Dynaflow but swapping to an open rear (non-torque tube) is a pain but certainly doable if you want a modern transmission. The top end of your engine will respond to some TLC.

    Rust...well, how much do you love your car? Is it part of the family? Rust is like cancer, no matter what companies claim can encapsulate it or make magic fairies come and wish it away, the bad metal has to go. If a family member had cancer you wouldn't cut corners, right?

    Parts:
    http://www.bobsautomobilia.com/
    www.buickfarm.com
    www.oldbuickparts.com
    www.kanter.com
    ebay store Bell Buick

    Good luck!
    Last edited by krinkov58; 09-21-2009 at 06:42 AM.

  3. #3

    Thanks!

    I have gotten more info from you than I have from the hundreds of boars I have posted on.
    I was getting a little frustrated. Most boards were telling me that this model car was a waist of time.
    As far as speed goes I don't want a street rod, I just want it to run and sound good.
    I cant help but believe that these old straights 8's were hopped up in the day.
    But I don't want to get crazy. The engine although hard to start runs really good.

    I have been looking everywhere for a dual carb setup with no results as of yet.
    This has to have been a fairly popular car in 53 but I don't find much on it.
    All my friends have fords are Chevy's and I wanted something different, they all laugh at me but I don't care I think this car will look great cruising the streets.

    Thanks

  4. #4
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    Look in the classifieds here, someone has one for sale. The car looks good. And tell your friends when better cars were built Buick built them.

  5. #5
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    The dual carb set-up was a factory option on the Specials and I think stock on the higher end cars in 1941 and '42. I have a set for sale on this site that would fit your 263 but honestly man, they need some work to restore them so I'd keep an eye on eBay--saw a set for cheap in awesome condition on there recently. The exhaust manifold for the same years are split so you could run duals through a set of glasspacks and sound like you mean business but you'd need to modify your engine mount on the driver's side--it's been done, though. Re-reading your post, I guess you're not stuck with a Dynaflow but I've never driven the Synchromesh so I have no idea how they perform. I think your gearing in the rear ain't too bad if I recall correctly. Do a search on this site...there's plenty of knowledgable folks on here doing crazy things to their Fireballs. Again, don't neglect the head, these things need to breath, bigger valves perhaps. I'm working on a 320 right now with the same end in mind. Check out this thread...these people are completely nuts in the best possible way:
    http://www.teambuick.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12146
    Many people on other boards think the best solution is to drop a Chevy into everything, throw some finned valve covers on there and call it hotrodding.
    It ain't.

  6. #6
    1st. thing to check is the oil in ALL 4 shocks. This alone will make a big difference the way the car rides & handles. They do have a tendency to leak. A good hydraulic oil is all that's needed. If the shocks are real leakers you can install "Heavier" hydraulic oil. If they leak the heavier oil they can be rebuilt. There are services that offer this or you can try to do it yourself. Do a search & see if it may be something you would want to tackle.
    Next, if the oil in the shocks is not enough is sway bars, front & rear. Huge improvement over the stocker front bar.
    Be very careful with that 5 bolt top cover trans. Especially if you start adding "More Power". They are very weak & I think the gears are made of "Glass". You could convert it to the 6 bolt top cover trans. but this can get expensive as these trans. are getting harder to find & you would have to fab up the original linkage to work. I did it on my '55 Special many years ago.
    Next are the rear end gears. You will have a 3.90 ratio. Not great for highway cruising. A DynaFlow rear gear will give you better "Cruiseibility" & keep the RPM's down at highway speeds.
    As for more power. The straight 8's are very acceptable to more CFM carbs. On the 320 straight 8 we ran the more CFM's we through at it the faster it went. Higher compression by milling the cylinder head, but then you need shorter pushrods. Re-curve the distributor advance, both mechanical & vacuum. Add electronic ignition for reliability. This will give the most bang for the $$$ invested.
    12 volts is not a major problem. The wiring is more than adequate for 12 volts. 6 volt wiring is heavier gauge/thicker than 12 volt wire so all you need to do is change bulbs. The radoi now becomes a problem, but that's easily solvable by hiding a remote radio/CD deck/JP3 or some other device. Thre are MANY options out there today. The 6 volt starter will last for awhile with 12 volts on it if the engine starts pretty quickly. The amp gauge reads amps, not volts, so nothing needs to be done there. The oil pressure & temp. gauges are mechanical, so, again, nothing needs to be done there. You need a 12 volt ignition coil & add a resistor inline for the points BEFORE the + side of the coil if you keep the points system. Otherwise, if you convert to electronic it becomes a non-issue. The blower motor for the heaters need to be changed to 12 volts. These are simple, early cars, get a spec. book & compare the old motor to 12 volt equivalents. The only other thing is the fuel gauge. Now this reads ohms, but you need to cut done the voltage to the gauge itself. You could find a gauge from a '53 Super or RoadMaster as they would be 12 volts.
    As for the brakes. There are many options you have available. 1st. is to rebuild what you have. Even though the brakes are old they can be made to operate satisfactorily if gone through properly. You could also find a '63-'70 Riv. or full size car & swap over the aluminum drums & brakes from it. You could also install the aluminum drums & front brakes to the rear & still keep your original wheel cylinders. I did exactly this on my '55 Special & it made a HUGE difference in braking. OR, you could go through the expense of converting to discs. The drums were made for YOUR CAR. The discs are an adaptation so there will be some compromises that always have to be made. Then you have the problem of the master cylinder. Not an overly difficult problem, but you need to be sure of yourself or take it to someone you trust as now we are talking yours & others lives.
    As far as rust. If your not going to do it right, don't bother. If you bondo it up it will make problems worse as it will hide & hold water. On these old cars we mess with WATER IS THE ENEMY!!!!!!!!
    Hope I've given you enough info for the thoughts you are pondering.

    Tom T.
    Tom Telesco
    Classic and Muscle Automotive
    12 Cook St.
    Norwalk, CT 06853-1601
    Day Phone 203-324-6045 ET
    NailHead Mini-Starters '53-'66
    Adjustable Roller Tip Rocker Arms - All NailHeads
    Custom forged pistons
    Front & rear neoprene seals
    Many other "Nail" parts
    "If I can't get it, you don't need it!"

  7. #7
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    1953 Special brakes

    I converted my 1954 Special by installing Roadmaster brakes to the front wheels.
    You need to find 1952 through 1956 Roadmaster backing plates.
    Kanter has the drums for '52 through '56 Roadmasters (series 70).
    The brake shoes are from 1960 through 1967 front Cadillac.
    You can use your wheel cylinders and hardware.
    You need to use 1/8" longer retaining pins.
    The whole conversion costs about $400 to $500.
    Airy Cat

    1954 41D
    1955 46R
    1956 63D
    1998 Jeep Wrangler
    2007 Corvette Coupe

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