Customs 1949 Buick Sedanette build--Picture heavy

Setting up the Power Steering, alternator and AC compressor. I had an extra 455 in the shop with original brackets but wanted to switch the Alt. over to the left side. I used the original PS bracket and pump from the 455. The PS bracket bolted to a cast aluminum bracket that must have held the smog pump originally or maybe a vacuum canister. The original brackets left the PS pump and AC comp. to far out. They wouldn't fit inside the stock inner fender panels. So, I cut a square hole in the left fender panel. I will make a blister with enough extra space to accommodate the PS pump and attach it to the inner panel between it and the tire.


The PS pump sits under the Aluminum bracket and I will come back to it in a minute.

You can see in the above picture where the pulleys on the crank and water pump are. Since the PS pump is going to mount in its original position I ordered a stock belt that comes from the inner most small pulley on the crank to the pump. That left me the outer two big pulleys on the crank that line up with the inner two large WP pulleys to drive the alt. and the compressor.

Now if you look back at the 1st picture you can see the unaltered aluminum bracket with the ears on each end that I wanted to use to mount the alt. over the PS pump. I had to try about a 1/2 dozen belts to find one that was the exact length I needed. I can furnish the NAPA numbers on the belts if anyone is interested. Since the distance between the ears on the aluminum bracket was greater than the stock larger mounting ear on the 90 amp GM alt., I started out by using some different spacers to get the alt. pulley to line up with the back larger pulleys on the crank and WP. Then I discovered that the head of the bolt that went through all the tabs and that the alt. pivots on was in the way of the drive belt. So, I pulled out one of the spacers so I could line up the alt. pulley with the crank and WP. It meant that I had to move the front ear on the cast aluminum bracket back about 3/4 of an inch.

I didn't trust myself to weld the cast aluminum so I took it to a local shop. You can see the result here and in the second picture.

With the alt. and PS now installed and in line I moved to the other side and mocked up the compressor location using the original right side alt. bracket. Once I had the belt lined up, again using spacers to take up the gaps on the mount, I pulled the bracket off and cut away any thing that didn't affect the strength of the bracket and that would allow side to side movement in the compressor so that I could tighten the belt.


The next step is to make a spreader bar to go from the alt. to the compressor to put tension on the belts.

 

I really enjoyed your build on the 49 buick, you gave me some really good idea's on the frame work.
The trialing arms ,did you make hangers for them on the front? I am going to put the same rear under my buick.
I am going with s Nova front clip for the front. Love the dash work too ! Thanks for the Info.

 

"my 49 buick", Thanks for the feedback. If you go back to the first page of this thread and look at posts 3 and 14, you should be able to see the grafts of the original trailing arms to the ones off the Caprice. We used the front hangers off the Caprice and welded them to the X member.

I haven't been very active for the past four weeks. I will try to get back in the shop and makes some progress this week. I did receive the wide white's I ordered from Diamond Back and painted the original rims the same color as the car. Hopefully, I will get the tires mounted on the rims and on the 49 this week and post pictures.

 

Very nice Walt.

 

OK, so after several months of inactivity (Knee surgery, terrible Winter, age, etc.) I'm back on the sedanete. Still trying to remember where I was at when I went AWOL from the shop so I have been jumping around a bit.

Ran the gas line from the tank to the fuel pump and realized there were three fittings on the pump: one going to the carb; one coming from the tank; and a 3rd 1/4" nipple that I hadn't encountered before. While I did put a new pump on the 455, I guess I didn't look at it then. After a little thought and some discussion with some guys at coffee it was determined that for several years in the 70's (my 455 is a 73 model) the engines had a return line to the gas tank. Since my new tank had no provision for a return line I had to drop it back out, drill a hole in the top corner and build a new nipple. Even though the tank was new I was worried about welding a fitting in the thin medal but good friend, who is a great medal man came the to rescue and brazed it. This allowed me to run a line back from the pump to the tank.

Next I ran the 400 turbo cooling lines to the Walker radiator, bottom of the engine side. Having had trouble with trannies over heating in the past I added an after market cooler under the pan between the radiator and the grill and incorporated it into the tranny cooling system

Next, Max and I positioned the rubber hose brake line that exits the T fitting on the rear end and built a bracket to hold it in place and ran a hard line up to near where I will put the MC and booster. Still haven't completely thought out that yet. Space is pretty crowded so I may have to search the parts books for a smaller booster, maybe a dual 5" if I can find one.

I have the wiring harness laid out and a bracket built to mount it over the stock emergency brake pedal but have to cut some wires off the back of the fuse panel that I will not use to give me a little room for the mounting. It had been so long since I removed the emergency brake cable I forgot how it was routed but a couple of HAMBers with 49 sedanets came to the rescue with some pictures. Thanks

I think I will be able to use the stock oil pressure and temp gauges but will have to add some copper line to the mechanical pressure line in order to reach the sender location on the 455. I am still trying to figure out what the dual spade sender like fitting on the back of the passenger side head is for. Anybody know?

I took some more pictures of the above progress but left the camera in the shop so I will try to post later.

 

Lots of brake boosters around that use steering pump pressure for power. They are very compact compared to vacuum boosters. Quite a few Fords used them and I believe most all of the GM diesel pickups and Suburbans since the 90's have them. I have a couple on the shelf in my shed and a couple in service. They work great.

 

That sender on the back of the head may be for the "hot" and "cold" dash lights a lot of the GM cars had in the 70's.

 

What front suspension are you using, doesn't look like a stock Cad A arm?

 

Downsize your shop, first time I've ever heard that from a car guy except during a divorce.

 

Downsizing actually prevents divorce.

 

Photos as promised. Added a secondary tranny cooler under the front bumper pan.

Three port fuel pump on the 455 necessitated a return line to the gas tank.
Here is the port on the driver's side of the gas tank that I had to braze in for the return line.



Aluminum plate I made to mount the fuse panel above the emergency brake. Note the sides, rounded to make sure the wires don't catch an edge.

Fuse panel mounted and hole to accommodate wires to the engine.


In addition to the return line, far left, the gas line, middle, I ran the brake line for the rear, right side. A lot of bending to get the lines to run along the frame and not rub on one another.

 

The upholstery guy(great job on the seats and panels) stopped showing up after he made the second headliner and installed it. Wrinkles on the sides and back. He had taken the aftermarket one out saying he could do a better job. Well, the job came to a halt and finally after four months I went by his shop and picked up my remaining material, including cut but not edged carpet. It appears drugs got another person. While I feel sorry that he went that route he left me in a bind. Luckily I paid as I went so I'm not out any extra $$$$$. Max and I are going to see if we and work the headliner and salvage it.

 

Hello, would you happen to have a right rear quarter trim for the 49 buick?

 

"my 49" I may have one left, but probably will need straightening. I will look. PM me if interested.

Installed the steering column and hooked it up to the rack today. Had to make a bracket and weld it to the frame to hold the DD shaft above the Universal. A little paint and that's done.

 

The 472 Cad engine in my 49 Buick had the same looking fuel pump with the return line. I just capped it and it works just fine.

 

BJR----It's my understanding that in most cases you would be OK just capping the return line but older mechanics I talked to said that without a return line the engine tends to suffer from vapor lock on really hot days. Since we have some really hot and humid weather here in the Summer and I am building this as a longer distance cruiser, and travel in places like Kansas and OK. in the Summer I'd rather be safe than sorry. I remember what a pain in the A vapor lock was back in the 50's and that was in WA with much milder temps.

 

Yea, I live in Wisconsin and Minnesota, so not needed here.....yet. I took an old pump apart and the return line just goes into the big gas chamber that feeds the carb. So it bleeds off pressure. Works fine either way. I looked up 1970 Cadillacs and the cars with the pump with return line were air conditioned. Cars without air had a pump with no return line.

 

this is an interesting build.variety is the spice of life.subscribed

 

Must have a pressure relief valve in it or after it or all the gas would return to the tank and the carb would get none. Perhaps these pumps are for pressure regulation.

 

You may be right, It's been years since I took the fuel pump apart. But what you said makes sense.

 

I did forget to mention, which in hind sight is important, that the older mechanics told me that I could switch to a two port pump, gas in from the tank, gas out to the carb, if I wasn't going to run AC. As indicated in earlier posts on this build, I do have AC. So, as BJR pointed out, the return line is used on big block Cad, Buick,Olds engines of that era with AC. I don't quite understand why AC would contribute to vapor lock without a pressure release line but it's added now so better safe than sorry.

 

This is totally out of my pay grade here after all the knowledge shared here but I just acquired after a long search a '49 Buick Super 56S 3 spd manual about 4 months ago from a guy in San Diego. Always loved the post war fastbacks & Harley Earls Caddy from '48 & the Buick from '49 are in my opinion a couple of the the most beautiful cars ever. I am not mechically inclined & could never follow what some of the folks on this site have done but as the caretaker of this beautifuly restored car, I will try to preserve it & keep it as original as possible. It's a joy to drive with thumbs up from people who weren't even born 40 years after this car was made. If anyone is interested, I have an extra '49 Buick driver side door I got with the car. If interested, contact me [email protected]

 

I bought a power steering hose kit from JW Garage which they advertised as all you needed to run from a GM PS pump to a M-II rack. Pressure valve replacement went in fine but when I tried to connect the return hose from the rack to the pump the interior dimension of the hose was too small to go over the pumps steel line. Another live and learn moment. Hopefully the local hydraulic line shop can make one.
I did get all the AC hoses mocked up so I can take them along for crimping at the same time.

Will probably get back on the wiring next and figure out a MC and booster set up that will work with the original pedal and fit in the tight space between the frame and exhaust on the 455.

 

Local NAPA's crimper broke and they don't get enough call for this to justify buying a new one. I have tried several Hydraulic shops in the Indy area and they don't/won't crimp AC hoses. Guess I will start calling AC shops listed on the internet in this area to see if anybody will crimp the lines.

 

The crimping presses were very similar and would usually work with different dies that did the crimping. The dies in many cases were specific to a hose manufacturer and the ends they used. If you know the manufacturer of the hose and what ends you are using that might help you find someone with the correct dies and press.

 

Joe,
It's a vintage air set up and the fittings and hoses are from them. Always had the local NAPA do the crimping and never had a problem. Their counter people also said you have to be careful to make sure that who does the crimping is set up for the kind of fittings and hoses you have. The search is on.

 

I am interested in getting that rear quarter trim. e-mail ([email protected])

 

You might try some of the rod shops in the Indy area our local builder can crimp if your ember my 34 it had barbed firing not to pretty but worked


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