Hot Rods New member and the proverbial "Barn Find."

Those radios have tubes in them that require time to warm up. What a nice car you have to begin with. Don't use a Brillo pad to clean up your chrome.

 

Evil - that's a time capsule. A -Freaking-Mazing. Steering wheel is classy.

 

Wow! Awesome!!! That never happens!
Now be careful, you still might get a know-nothing DMV clerk who will claim you need new plates. Do NOT give them up!! Ask for a supervisor or gather everything up and go to a different DMV. Good luck!!

 

I agree with Slopok, the radio probably needs to warm up.

 

That's good to know. I just looked into it, and it is indeed a tube radio. I just figured that transistors were being used in ALL radios at the Buick or Cadillac level in '59.

 

Its your car and you can do whatever you want, personally i wouldn't change a thing. A car that original is too much of a time capsule to mess with in my opinion.


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Nice Buick. Hard to change anything on a car like that other than a nice set of pipes & maybe Riviera wheels. When you get it up & running, remember to never put it in reverse until completely stopped - it rips the ear off the reverse band.

 

The more I look at and think about it I feel the same. I think I'll clean it up really nice. Maybe replace the carpet and various rubber parts, get it running really well and reliable and safe and call it good. I think I'll end up keeping the factory wheels because they're special wheels held on by bolts rather than lug nuts. All 4 wheel covers are there and I'll prolly find a set or two of some cool ones to change looks. In all reality I'm not going to drive it to work and shit, only to weekend car stuff.


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I was impressed with how nice the body was...but that interior looks amazing. Can't wait to see how well everything cleans up.

 

I think 63 was the first year for transistors.

I can't tell from the pic of your interior, but if it's a "wonderbar" , there will be a "bar" type switch above the dial that says "Wonderbar". This was an automatic tuner, click left or right and it would find the "next" station strong enough to trigger it automatically. There is a motor in the radio that will physically turn the dial. There would also be a switch on the floor under the carpet so you can do it hands free.

I have one in my '60 Cad. It only received stations when the mast (antennae) was all the way up. It worked great, Even the Wonderbar. I used to cruise around listening to Red Sox games on AM, then one day a loud pop, and that was that. To make your power mast go up or down you pull or push tuner knob.

Cool piece of over the top crazy complicated luxury accessory involving several motors, relays and who knows what else.

Once you get that suspension tight, with new tires properly balanced, that thing will cruise at 110 mph and feel like you are gliding on ice.

 

What I find most amazing is how that car managed to avoid MICE for all those years in a barn! Congrats big time and keep us posted on your Sleeping Beauty's awakening.

 

A little more info on the radio - those old tube-type radios had a thing called a 'vibrator' (no childish comments needed) that, I think, converted DC current to something usable for the tubes. They were a common failure back then and could be found in any auto parts store. They were either 6 volt or 12 volt and I think they are still available.

 

Sweet ride and awesome find. That looks so amazing. The interior almost looks new.

 

I thought the same thing. Until I noticed there were a few cats roaming around the place we found the car.

 

Also according to real audiophiles,vacuum tube equipment gives better sound.And here`s a real kick in the nuts.They prefer RUSSIAN vacuum tubes because they are of a superior quality to all others.Think I`m kidding?Research it.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

That's a awesome find , and about the chrome if you don't already know use a ball of aluminum foil and Coke it will get your bumpers like new I've done it and it works


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This is a great find. I, too would just clean it up real good and drive it as is. Congrats.

 

For a grand, I would clean it up nice and drive
it to work as much as you can!

 

Boy, she cleaned up super- you're a lucky dude!!

 

With that color, "Starship Enterthighs" might be more appropriate.

Sometimes I just can't help myself, sorry. That car is just too kool and too original to mess up. Love it...

 

Sorry for the long times between updates. This working 50+ hours a week and being an adult really puts a hamper on things at times. Anyway, got the nailhead to fire up and I must say I'm happy so far.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0g8fD4xOVbJeUhQNGNfMWlWTTJSbW5ydUVnUnFwNkJDMUZJ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0g8fD4xOVbJNUpmeWNQMTBLMXh6VVFheTN2TjNPbHhvdWlF

 

Wow, what a time capsule. Love it and the interior. I could handle that in my garage. I recall another member had a similar YOM Chevy long roof and wiped it over with CLR before clear coating it. All original and looked great when done. Here's an example how CLR can rejuvenate old original paint.





A white roof maybe, tawny rose with arctic white?

 

I'll have to remember the CLR trick, but I don't really have much bad rust. What I do have is the paint is flaking off badly on the hood exposing metal. I figure clean it up, treat it appropriately and clear it to protect. Someday I'll probably paint it, but would love to drive it around for some years in close to original condition.

 

The deal with the radio, you get in the car, start the motor and turn on the radio, when the radio comes on and music comes out of the speakers, you can put the car in drive and get going. This is the method used to make sure that the motor is warm up and ready to go.

 

Don't forget, you have to mash the gas pedal to engage the starter. Well, anyway the one my neighbor kid had in high school was that way.

 

It's a pretty car, congratulations.

 

run it out in low and shift to drive you will get a big bang out of it .

 

Great find! I just picked up a 51 ford club coupe that has been sitting in a garage since 1967. All i did was some polishing. mine is not quite as nice shape as yours but the paint was pretty grimy. Simply Green seemed to do a good job, just spraying it on, then washing it off.

 

Pipes,

When you get done cleaning your coupe up please start a thread and show us some before and after pictures and tell us the story of how you came to find it. It is looking really good.

 

Thanks! I added my thread to my signature, should have it mostly polished up this weekend and more pictures.