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Projects Slow and poor '37 Buick

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Stooge, Mar 15, 2018.

  1. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,605

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Main thing right now, though...
    Awesome project, Stooge!
     
    Stooge likes this.
  2. Stooge
    Joined: Sep 9, 2015
    Posts: 504

    Stooge
    Member

    These arent mine, but belong to someone over on the buick club/aaca site whos body swapping a special body onto a century chassis to make it a century. Primered fender is off of the Century and the black painted one is from a special, close but fairly different mounting edge and pattern DSC_0753.thumb.JPG.71f7b2f3284c3d3ec64384bbe2e236ab.JPG DSC_0754.thumb.JPG.3b6fa7fd3351354051e3c4d918cb9b1a.JPG DSC_0755.thumb.JPG.9aa27ba249df97f39f96cda9f04b9620.JPG
     
  3. Ebbsspeed
    Joined: Nov 11, 2005
    Posts: 6,250

    Ebbsspeed
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Even my bottom of the line Special Sedan with the small eight is a long front end car. I wish it were a coupe but it was a steal, and totally complete, with the only rust at all being in the bottom of the drivers door. The previous owner was a tobacco chewer, and a LOT of the juice he tried to spit out the window hit the window and ended up in the bottom of the door. When I cleaned the inside of the door out I scraped about an inch of tobacco-scented mung out of the bottom of it.

    20171027_102638.jpg 20171027_102656.jpg
     
    MO54Frank, XXL__, mgtstumpy and 11 others like this.
  4. Great looking car. Love that long nose!
     
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  5. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,605

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thanks for sharing that, Stooge.
    Nice Special, Ebbspeed.
    Yup yup yup...beauty-FULL.
     
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  6. charlesf
    Joined: Jan 14, 2009
    Posts: 215

    charlesf
    Member

    Stooge,

    I applaud your decision to use the 320. I've often thought how cool it would be to build a Buick the way it would have been done when the car was nearly new.

    If you're going to fab your own I take don't rule out using a couple of large SUs. They are simple, easy to tune and flow plenty.

    Chuck
     
  7. Stooge
    Joined: Sep 9, 2015
    Posts: 504

    Stooge
    Member

    Thats what im aiming for, big warmed up, easy breathing straight 8 in a simple classy looking hot rod. I've always been a big fan of the old edwardian/ brooklands era style race cars, and although this is a later era car, its a little back of the brain aesthetic for under the hood atleast.

    My first choice were actually going to be 4 SU HS6's, but was looking at dellortos, mikunis and a few other motorcycle carbs. Problem mostly being space, as the having 4 sidedrafts with any sort of runner would have them occupying alot of the same space as the planned header, steering column and hood sides. An elbow shaped runner with a downdraft keeps it a little less cluttered and 97s should work pretty good
     
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  8. 41 C28
    Joined: Dec 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,772

    41 C28
    Member

    That mile long hood is cool. Nice car.
     
  9. philo426
    Joined: Sep 20, 2007
    Posts: 2,097

    philo426
    Member

    So it may be wise not to step on the running boards if you can avoid it .Petite women and kids might be ok.
     
  10. coilover
    Joined: Apr 19, 2007
    Posts: 696

    coilover
    Member
    from Texas

    No, it's all stock inside with factory column. The steering gear was worn out so sent it to Lare's for a rebuild and now with every moving part in the front suspension replaced it drives really well. Even back in 1937 a Buick was known as a long distance road car and many like your coupe were bought by salesmen as they had a huge trunk and secure behind the seat storage.
     
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  11. Interested in what mods have taken place on the top of that shifter for the tranny. I have had several of those large boxes and none came thru looking like that. I have a source for parts for Buicks but it is in the mid west fwiw.
     
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  12. Stooge
    Joined: Sep 9, 2015
    Posts: 504

    Stooge
    Member

    Well I may not be very petite, but I think im probably tall enough to be able to get in and out with out them! :rolleyes: they should be fine, as said they were actually meant for heavy industrial shelving with only side supports. so having 2 full length runners around the perimeter, im thinking maybe some C channel or 1/8" wall 1x2 or 1x3 rectangular tubing , (I think I already have a few sticks of it around here somewhere) with the mounting brackets welded to them to attach to the frame mounts.

    Im probably just misremembering about the steering column. whats strange is my car came with a steering wheel, horn ring and button, but no steering column or box, so that's one of the next vital things I've been looking for, although I may have a line on someone with a few of them.

    As far as a long distance driver, that's one of the plans for the coupe. a buddy down in Alabama has asked me to make the trip down to the Pigeon Forge Shades of the Past show in Tennessee a few times. Its just about 1000miles each way from, and making the trip in the Buick is the goal. I'd like to make it for September 2019, both so I don't get go and spend another 5 or 6yrs building this car to the point that I don't care about it anymore like I did my truck, and to keep it a little more budget oriented if I have some sort of goal and timeline in mind. I think if I can get the buick painted this year, I should be able to make it but we'll see!

    As far as I know its a stock transmission, although partially disassembled as I need a new counter cluster gear and the top cover is not bolted down and may not be orientated right in the picture. there is a little separate top plate that is not attached to anything that is sitting around the shifter stick itself, but I assumed it was something associated with the securing the boot to the floor? the rear torque tube joint is also on backwards but I think that was to do with shipping. the case number is the correct number for it as well. I believe in '39 they were moved to a side shifter mechanism to accommodate a column shift, but the 37 atleast was a top shifter.
    39842768814_3942706281_z.jpg
     
  13. patmanta
    Joined: May 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,872

    patmanta
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Woburn, MA
    1. MASSACHUSETTS HAMB

    Those running boards are great, nice job!

    I do have a suggestion though. Since you've got cardboard, I'd mock it up to see how they would look pulled in 3 or 4 inches. I think they might look faster of they stop around where the rear fender begins to curve. That way the space is filled but you don't have the large, full running board and you accentuate the shape of the fenders a bit more.

    [​IMG]
     
  14. ^^^I 2nd this idea,...here's a 37 Chev with abbreviated boards, a good look...
    eyeball 14 003.jpg
     
  15. belair
    Joined: Jul 10, 2006
    Posts: 9,013

    belair
    Member

    Great thread, great car(s), this one is going to be good. Great to see you, Rickbop.
     
  16. Stooge
    Joined: Sep 9, 2015
    Posts: 504

    Stooge
    Member

    that's the idea, I left the backside/ frame facing side long so I can trim it back accordingly, (a lot easier to remove material than add!)and pull it, and just follow the inner curve of the fenders a bit. I will also be making about 1/2" gap between the fender facing edges to make it easier to align and also so I can fit a ribbed rubber mat too. This is still pretty rough and is just propped up with some jack stands to get an idea and make sure I wasn't a million miles off. Based on some measurements and reference pictures I've received from some of the 37-38 buick guys, I have a pretty good idea of where its headed so i'll start some trimming this weekend.
     
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  17. philo426
    Joined: Sep 20, 2007
    Posts: 2,097

    philo426
    Member

    I always did like thst character line on 37 Chevies.Makes it easy to I'd the year.
     
    Stooge likes this.
  18. I have some parts for the closed drive section on the rear of that tranny you can have just to get them out of the shop. My contact in the Midwest has gears and things. I just bought a 37 large box from him for the case as it has rusted gears. I am going to be putting in a 57 Olds gear set in side it with a open drive line.
     
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  19. Stooge
    Joined: Sep 9, 2015
    Posts: 504

    Stooge
    Member

    A 37 Chevy panel truck that a buddy owns was the first prewar car I had worked on, unfortunately/ fortunately, he started a paint and refinishing company and moved the car to his shop and its sat pretty dormant since. Also the first set of doors I started to rebuild
    Camaro clip and sbc
    panel1.jpg

    paneldoor.jpg

    sitting off in the corner is '37 Plymouth with air ride and a mustang front clip, that is being put back to front coilovers and rear leaf springs plymouth.jpg

    And although its an off topic chevy truck so I wont post pictures of the outside of it, the dash of my truck I finished up last year. Scratch built sheet metal dash and center console using 49/50 Ford Gauge cluster and clock painted in a heavy metal flake.

    dashraw.jpg

    dashoutside.jpg

    dashpaint1.jpg

    dashpaint2.jpg
     
  20. Hnstray
    Joined: Aug 23, 2009
    Posts: 12,355

    Hnstray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Quincy, IL

    My pal, Rich, has a '37 Chevy Coupe and thought he would like a narrowed running board and asked if I would do the work. We discussed various options and decided to narrow the leading section little (not much there anyway) then following the front fender curve, narrowed the running board a couple of inches and then did similar at the rear
    fender. I'll try to get a pic and post it today or tomorrow.

    The Buick fender doesn't have the running board extension along the front fender lower skirt, but would still lend itself to contouring the front of the running board to maintain the original intersection of board and fender.
    Another close friend, Bob, Has two '38 Buicks and built his own running boards and they too are contoured. I get pics of those too, and post them just to illustrate the variations of an appealing theme. Chevy 1.JPG Chevy 2.JPG Chevy 3.JPG Buick 1.JPG Buick 2.JPG

    Ray
     
    Last edited: Mar 18, 2018
  21. Hnstray
    Joined: Aug 23, 2009
    Posts: 12,355

    Hnstray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Quincy, IL

    ^^^^^^^^^^^Got the pics I promised uploaded..........
     
  22. I've always thought 37-40 GM cars were super good looking and the 37 Buick was the prettiest. The Century coupe was the prettiest of them all IMHO. Congrats, I'd love to someday have a nice 37 Century coupe. The later motor/trans is a great idea. I knew a guy in DesMoines with a 50 special fastback with a 3 speed and he ran dual exhaust on the straight 8 with no mufflers....sounded outrageous! Don't know if Gary is still around or not. 50buickgarymathern.jpg
     
  23. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,605

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    You can SEE me?!?!?. Uh-oh. Lol.
    Thanks, Belair...I really appreciate it. Same to you.
    Excuse us, Stooge...I haven't been posting much for the last 4 years or so. A lot of the guys know why, and they're being nice enough to make me feel welcome.
    Back to your beautiful Buick.
     
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  24. Stooge
    Joined: Sep 9, 2015
    Posts: 504

    Stooge
    Member

    I'm really liking the swooping corners of the boards on the tan one! I have a few ideas of how and where Im going with mine, I just need some free time to get to it, thanks for the pictures!

    As much as I wanted a late 30s chevy, theres just something a little more special about stlye and size of the giant buicks, and I am really happy I grabbed this one, although it would've been nicer if it wasn't missing so much, but in the same regard, it might've then been out of my price range. The transmission is still for a '37, but the engine is 10yrs newer, same style, just a 47. Supposedly there was slightly more compression and although I have heard conflicting info and i haven't opened it up yet, some of '47 was a year they changed from Babbitt style bearings to a little more contemporary precision insert bearings, but we'll see. either style is still sort of readily available if I decide to go for a larger rebuild.

    I used two 2.5" Porter Steel Packs for my last truck with a warmed up 350 and really liked them, so I'm leaning that way for this, but maybe just 1 of them since its a bit tight under there. Should sound pretty good I think

    No worries here, more thread activity is a good way mask my snails pace! Appreciate you guys taking a gander at my cobbling together and giving me some input while I guess my way through some stuff!
     
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  25. Hnstray
    Joined: Aug 23, 2009
    Posts: 12,355

    Hnstray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Quincy, IL

    Stooge.....to the best of my knowledge, which may not be much reassurance, the change from babbited rod bearings to insert style occurred with ‘49 models. However, there are two ways to deal with that on earlier babbited rods.......either use the later rods or have the original rods machined to accepted the insert bearings.

    I believe the latter option is available on an exchange basis from some of the Buick parts suppliers. In any case, I think the Buick babbited rods proved considerably more durable that Chevy 6 rods because of the Buick’s full pressure lube system and, of course , because they were Buick in the first place...:D

    Ray
     
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  26. charlesf
    Joined: Jan 14, 2009
    Posts: 215

    charlesf
    Member

    Stooge,

    How is the project going? Enquiring minds need to know.

    Chuck
     
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  27. Stooge
    Joined: Sep 9, 2015
    Posts: 504

    Stooge
    Member

    Its going and its going slow! My clumsy ass slipped down some icy stairs last weekend and ive been dog sitting most of this week, i did manage to get some stuff done yesterday!....then accidentally deleted any of the interesting work pictures:(
    Finished up the driver side door, and the edges trimmed and folded over and welded to look stock, just needs a good sanding before i start bodyworking it.

    Trimmed 1.5" off of thr frame side of the running board, .75" off the rear side and an inch or so and reshaped the front side a bit so it didnt curve around the fender as much, of course the only picture i dint delete doesnt show any of this. Pretty happy with it so ill retrofit the cardboard to the metal one so i can make a matching one for the passenger side.

    20180325_122816.jpg

    And a year too new for the hamb, but the last bits of exterior metal work before cutting out the front floors out of the '66 GTO

    20180221_182440.jpg

    And a temporary little buddy! A buddy (edsel wagon owner) has a dog walking business in boston and i help out and take some of his boarding dogs when he has 1 too many or 1 that doesnt get along with another. This one is over quite a bit and makes sneaking off to the garage a bit harder, but the pay is good! Shes going home tonight so and my back isnt so sore from falling so i should have some Buick stuff to show this week!

    20180324_080247.jpg
     
  28. woodbutcher
    Joined: Apr 25, 2012
    Posts: 3,310

    woodbutcher
    Member

    :DHi Stooge.Looking good Sir.Please keep the updates coming as you are able.
    Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
    Leo
     
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  29. cshades
    Joined: Sep 2, 2011
    Posts: 554

    cshades
    Member
    from wi

    I have the same GTO (year and color) except the roof goes down.
     
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  30. Stooge
    Joined: Sep 9, 2015
    Posts: 504

    Stooge
    Member

    There was a time i was half trying to convince the owner to make it a roadster of sorts...but mostly because it was mostly rust
    20150718_085514.jpg 20160102_180358.jpg
    20150606_112302.jpg 20150619_191400.jpg
    20150503_101332.jpg 20180221_182514.jpg
     

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