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Thread: 1956 Buick Century Project

  1. #31
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    1956 Buick Century Project- Air Conditioning

    Played around with air conditioning some more this week. I will be selling my factory AC parts- evaporator, evap housing, and condenser if anyone is interested. I'm far enough away from original I would rather have great working AC over great looking AC. The car in the pictures is a friend's century, using it to test fit all the parts.



  2. #32
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    1956 Buick Century AC condenser replacement

    I removed the original condenser and put the new aluminum one in today. I put them on the bathroom scale just because- the original weighed in at a whopping 37 lbs! new one was about 7 lbs LOL. also, with the slim new condenser, and sitting a little more forward, I was able to put a 14" electric fan behind it, sandwiched in front of the radiator and transmission cooler. The mounting brackets came out pretty good, I used the factory bolt holes as templates to make some flat pieces that the condenser is screwed to. No cutting or drilling planned for this project. I will be using a trinary switch to automatically turn the fan on and off. Here are some pics:






  3. #33
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    1956 Buick Century Project

    Got some more work done on the AC today. The air box looks the same in the previous pictures but I've had to make many adjustments to get it situated just right, and fit the evaporator well. This has turned out to be a lot more in depth than I first thought. Today is the first time I've had one of these boxes functional and installed. I have the blower motor hooked up and there is plenty of air flow through the vents, can't tell any difference from the factory ac for air volume. I have the warm side of the ac lines plumbed in, just need to finish the cold side. I'm debating putting the accumulator where it is in the last picture or putting it behind the passenger inner fender. Either way I should be able to get it pressurized this week and test it out!















  4. #34
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    1956 Buick Century Project

    Heres a shot from a few days ago in Portland, OR


  5. #35
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    1956 Buick Century Project

    I'm glad to report that the AC is a success! I finished the lines today, and ended up installing the accumulator in the area underneath the heater control valve. I had the system vacuumed out, then filled it with 2.65 lbs of refrigerant. its blowing significantly colder than the factory system ever did! I couldn't be happier. On the last picture you can see the condensation forming on the cool line.







  6. #36
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    1956 Buick Century Project

    Another day, another engine down the drain. I've noticed slight power loss and significant oil consumption lately, and it would appear that I have a ring (or all of them) going bad. look at this blow by! I have had a few hundred full throttle runs and Im guessing a combination of that and pushing the original pistons well past their factory power output has damaged a ring land. Time to save up for some forged pistons and rods! I still plan on bringing it to a couple car shows. this will likely be a winter project.



  7. #37
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    I got a new sway bar installed recently. it looks about the same but made a big difference in handling. This thing is starting to handle like a regular modern sports car... plus or minus a few hundred pounds haha




  8. #38
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    I've been playing around this week with air conditioning. I was able to make a bracket setup that worked on an original 322 nailhead and uses a modern pump. I didnt use an electric fan this time, and there was a surprising amount of air flow through the condenser even with all the gaps around it, so the air stayed nice and cold even when the car was idling at a stop. You can see my hokey support from the top of the ac pump to the manifold. just temporary LOL, I have a nice aluminum threaded tube and ends in the mail.




  9. #39
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    Look who's famous! Of all the car shows I've been to, the one that ends up with a picture getting taken is at a show with hondas, nissans and subarus...

    http://www.wweek.com/culture/2017/07...-by-thousands/

  10. #40


    I found a picture of me on the web a few years ago, but I am not certain if it was good or bad
    https://bangshift.com/general-news/b...e-competition/


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