Projects Up in the air 51 Buick

I have a 51 special and I’m also trying to make a decision. I want to put a 455 big block in mine so I am looking at doing a frame swap or front clip.

 

The torque tube design pushes the car forward through the engine mounts. With a straight 8/Dynaflow/torque tube Buick of that vintage, it's all about the floating ride. That's why they have the unique horizontal knee shock primary rear end - there is no 'up and down' bounce when you hit a bump, the shock is transferred to a less perceptible side-to side motion. With a Dynaflow/torque tube it's not how fast you can get off the line, but how smooth the feel once you get up to highway speed....that's why a '51 Roadmaster has such features as an independently sprung front bench seat, a vibration dampening steering wheel and a dual dash-pot dampened gas pedal....The torque tube transmits the force by directly coupling the axle differential to the transmission and therefore propels the car forward by pushing on the engine/transmission and then through the engine mounts to the car frame. In a standard Hotchkiss type drive, the traction forces are transmitted to the car frame by using other suspension components such as leaf springs or trailing arms, neither of which are found on a '51 Buick. The stock '51Buick frame, however robust, was not designed for this amount of thrust. If you are going to drop in a 455 and a performance transmission and you don't want to turn your frame/recycled battleship/panzer- tank steel sheet metal into a pretzel, you MUST beef up the frame and completely redesign the rear end. Keep that in mind when guestimating your projected budget. If you don't believe me, use your Google-Phu skills to look up old articles from vintage Hot Rod mags of guys who tried to covert their straight 8 Bucks to V-8s on a budget and failed. It is not as easy as it first appears. It takes a lot of creative fun-gineering and $ to pull it off.

'51 Roadmaster.

 

Torque tube drive transmits power by pushing against the frame crossmember where the universal meets the transmission. This also controls the fore and aft movement of the rear axle. On Buicks and other coil sprung cars there is a transverse rod called a Panhard rod that controls sideways motion.

If you use a 455 or other non stock engine you pretty well have to use the trans that fits the engine and that means doing away with the torque tube rear axle.

 

Looking at the pics I think someone sprayed primer over the original black or dark blue paint as it's the primer that looks like it's peeling. Might try to remove a small area of primer to see what's beneath. And by the way, that drum on the back seat, right hand side, is not a brake drum. LOL

 

On the lighter side, I think they have a very cool grill! That said I like original and sweaty. Once changed on going back.

 

Well after reading thru the 341 page Kustoms thread....I think I will paint it after all. I’m thinking a satin dark blue. With a glossy silver with blue metal flake roof. I tried to post some pics. But it keeps saying security error?

 

Also I talked to FatMan fabrications and this is what he suggested for the rear suspension. He said they have done this on several of these old Buicks. Basically beef up the suspension. He said you basically have a truck arm suspension, you just need to make it stouter. I don’t have all the details yet because I told him I’d call him back when I got to that point. But I know you box the stock arms and then he said I’d need some rod ends etc... Super nice guy. Talked to me for a while and have me these pics of one that they did.

 

Well she’s home now

 

Whatever you do, plan on 2X the money and 2X the time. Just a general equation that fits everything that I do. Look to keep some balance in the car, a Gambino 4-link rear doesn't go with a stock Buick drivetrain. You could swap in a more traditional open rear for a 1/4 of that cost.

 

I've got some pictures of how I did my 350 swap into my 4 door 53 special. The old girl cruises great all day long.

 

Yes sir, I would love to see those pics!

 

That's the great thing about reading these replies from the wrenches that have " been there, done that ". You save time and money and get a starting foundation to go forward on. I feel smarter already and saved money on not staying at a Holiday Inn express last night

 

Here is my 49 Buick frame after I "Worked" on it. Rides and drives great.

 

Love these Buicks. I’ll have one one day.... till then don’t mind my drewl, lol


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