Customs 1949 Buick Sedanette build--Picture heavy

Looks great!

 

I love '49 Buick fastbacks, and I love that Fiat Green. Nice that they found each other.
Looks like it's gonna be a neat car, but give some more thought to the wheels.

 

BJR: The roof is Dynamat extreme. For the floor and side panels I use either FlexClad or Peel and Seal. Both come in 36" wide rolls. FlexClad was recommended by a friend who has been building rods for 40 years. He was a commercial pipe (duct) wrapper and he used this on his job for 30 plus years. His son still has the business so I get it from him. Or, I order the wide rolls of P&S from the local lumber yard. I use a brush on glue made for these products for the vertical work.

NOW BEFORE THE NAY SAYERS JUMP IN ON THESE PRODUCTS, I've been using them for over 10 years and have never had a problem so save your energy.

50Fraud: Good observation. The chrome rims and black walls are a set of 5 on 5 that I picked up at a swap meet for $50 to use as roll arounds while the car is under construction. I have a set of steel wheels and wide whites with 55 Buick spinner caps that will probably go on the finished product.

 

Worked on the center AC vent today. Started by making a cardboard model then a more specific pattern on paper which traced out on a piece of 18 gauge. Stopped by a friends who happened to have a metal brake and bent the lip back so I can fasten it under the dash. I purposely did not cut out the vent opening before putting it in the brake to avoid possibly bending the face plate part.


Rough cut out for vent.

A little file work, drilling the holes in the top tab to allow attachment to the bottom of the dash.

 

The center AC vent will attach just under the original radio speaker grill. The hole in the middle of the grill is where the AC control will go and the current plan is to put the face plate for the Hidden Audio in the rectangular opening where the original radio dial face and buttons went. I thought about plugging the radio knob holes but I think I will cut the original knobs loose from the non working radio and remount them to give the dash a more retro look. To hide the vent hoses I have cut an inch and a half wide strip of 18 gauge that I will bend to the contour of the outside edge of the vent plate and weld in place. I'll try to post pictures when it's finished.

 

Just an idea,
I always install an ignition switch kill switch on all my cars. So a thief can't Hotwire from the switch. Well, of course they can with a jumper to the fuse box. But still it makes it harder for them.
If I'm just going into a store for a bit I would kill the dash switch. If I am parking somewhere for awhile. I will hit the battery kill switch.
Anyway, one of those radio holes would be a great place to put a security kill switch.


Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Thanks Capt Chap. I will give that some thought.

Disclaimer: I am not a metal man or a pro-welder so there could be better or easier ways to do some of the stuff in this thread but here is how I finished the center AC vent. To hold the main vent case in place while I attach the bottom surround piece (1 1/2" wide strap I mentioned in previous post). I mounted it on a piece of 2x8 scrap I had with two screws attached at the ends of the vent openings. This held the housing in place and flat against the 2x4 and allowed me to press the strap against the edge of the housing . I had rough bent the strap to the contour of the housing so I could hold the bottom edge of the strap against the edge and tack it on the inside. I started at the bottom just under the center cut out divider and worked my way up one side and then the other holding the strap against the edge with a gloved hand.


After tacking it in place I removed the screws, turned the piece over and stich welded the edge seam, taking my time to let it cool between welds. After welding I used a disc sander, then a 1" belt sander and then a file to clean the welded seam. I have a little more filing to do but I'm happy with the initial results. Some final sanding, a shot of filler primer and some paint and the center vent issue is solved.

 

Man you do nice work, read all 4 pages this morning. Really impressed. Thanks for sharing.

 

wow, dig it man. just found this thread. hope to see it in the future.

 

Ford52 and Long, thanks for the positive comments.

Worked Thursday and Friday on the dash. I'm trying to keep as much of the original look as possible. The first step was to take it down to bare metal. As indicated in a previous post, the original radio opening, between the raised knob holes, was the same size as the face plate for the Hidden Audio set up but I wasn't sure how to hold it in place once I slipped it through the rectangular opening. There was a quarter inch lip around the opening so I took my cut off wheel and made six incisions in the top lip then bent 3 tabs out into the opening. You can see them at the top of the opening. The tabs are angled so when you insert the face plate it catches the back of the face plate housing and holds it in place.


You can get a better look at the tabs in the next picture.

The key hole, at the bottom of the center had a second plate behind the dash face for a double mounting of the original key. You can see it in the first picture. It was too small to get a new key housing through it to the face of the dash so I cut it out. In the second picture the backing plate on the key hole is gone.

The two same size holes just above and to the right of the key hole are for the light switch and the lighter. I will replace the lighter mechanism with a charger port. I'm not sure whether I can use the original light switch which is in good shape with the conversion from 6 to 12 volt but if not I will remove the original shaft and figure out a way to adapt it into a new switch so I can keep the original knob. In this picture I haven't yet done the finish work on the AC vent opening. That was the next step.


Last picture is after finish working the AC vent holes and a couple of coats of primer. Next step will be base/clear coat and starting the re-assembly.

 

WOW.... this is good to see, especially since I have spent the last 5 years restoring the same car. I have been working on a 1949 Buick Super 2 door fastback that was my late father's. You can't give up. trust me it is a challenging journey but worth it in the end. I had days I was ready to burn the car. Bit now I am almost done. My challenge now is to fine the last couple of parts I need. I still need to find 12 window molding reveal clips that are used on the windshield and back window, as well as the trunk lid latch lock arms handle trim linkage mechanism. Keep up the GOOD work.

 

Took all the gauges, speedo and switches apart. Polished all the SS and chrome prior to re-assembly and rewired them as well as converting to 12 volt bulbs Will not use the amp gauge, not enough range for the alternator conversion. The oil and temp are mechanical. I saved the lines and sensors and will attempt to reinstall them on the 455.




Radio knobs are original. Face plate in original hole is for Hidden Audio set up. Knob at top of dash is in original wiper button location but mechanism has been replaced with new electric motor switch from Newport.

 

These old Buick's look really good with a mild chop as seen here from a HAMB build.

 

Checking out your build. Very nice. However you are mistaken here. Adding those bars to the top of the rear control arms does not make it a 4 link. You still have a 2 link or trailing arm rear suspension. Very similar to a C10 rear suspension. A 4 link will eliminate rearend rotation throughout the suspension travel, keeping the pinion angle constant. A 2 link will keep the rearend housing at the same angle as the control arms which move in an arc, changing the pinion angle as the suspension moves. You will have to take into account the pinion angles at ride height if you don't want to introduce unwanted driveline harmonics. Unless you plan on using a two piece driveshaft or some kind of CV setup.

 

You caught my mistake. The pinion angle was set at ride height.

 

Also, even though those bars are bolt on, they are not adjustable.

 

Installed the dash yesterday. I had test fit the AC unit under the dash a while back and have all the hangers installed buy haven't stuck the unit up under the dash yet. I pre fit the vent hoses and have them attached to the unit but will wait to install it until I have the lines from the compressor and heater hoses cut and fittings on them so I can see how much of a hassle it is going to be. It has always been a bitch trying to stick all that stuff up under the dash. I'm finally convinced to just use under dash units in the future.

On a bad day at black rock note we (the upholsterer and I) had to take the headliner out. It's the only pre-cut piece of upholstery we were using and after we got it in we spotted some shadow lines in the material we couldn't figure out. After dropping a corner we discovered that the after market vender had marked the back side cut lines with some sort of indelible marker that is bleeding through. In addition there were a couple of spots over the doors on both sides that had too much material and was causing the headliner to gather/wrinkle. The material supplier advertised the headliner availability, but after we discovered the problems we found out they farm the job out. The supplier has ask for pictures of the problems and has indicated they will make it good. We will see. In the meantime my upholstery guy is going to make another headliner in his shop.

 

Fat47, I was wondering about that? LOL. Bruce.

 

Fat47.I love those tail lights.Bruce.

 

40StudeDude, I do it the same way { and throw a chain over the rear end} in my small shop. Bruce.

 

Paul an old timer painter told me something about static electric and it helps with the dust.Bruce.

 

Gatz, Yup.An old timer painter told me about that.Bruce.

 

Never heard of that either. Interesting as I'm getting ready to paint a '63 Impala in my garage...may have to try that...!!!

R-

 

Fat 47 Where did you put your battery? Trying to figure out where to put mine in my 49 with a 472 cad engine.

 

I have a '47 Super Sedanette. Finding this thread has given me some ideas.

 

BJR, haven't installed a battery yet but am planning on putting it in the trunk, on the ledge behind the back seat It will have to go towards the middle to give it clearance below the trunk hinge housing. The cables will route down through the floor pan, along the frame to the starter. I usually install a bolt through the frame by the starter which I hook the ground cable to and then come off that bolt with a ground strap to the engine. That way both the frame and the engine are grounded. Oh, and run another ground cable up under the dash so I can ground all the instruments.

I will make a panel that goes across the back in the trunk just below the hinge pockets to hide the battery. It will have an access door. I plan on putting a hidden audio on the ledge on the drivers side of the trunk with the face of the changer visible through the panel so I can easily insert CD's.

I will also install a set of after market posts in the fender well in case I should ever need to jump it.

 

Hi ...Fat47.....Have a look at the battery on my 41 Cadillac.. the battery is mounted on the outside of the chassis frame..right side....out of site and accessible..... short power cables

 

Hi BJR.... Fortunateson..Fat 47......I also have a 49 Caddy and the battery is mounted in the same position (factory) both cars have BB Caddy motors

 

Looking great! You are farther along than I am. I need to start a thread for mine sometime.





Engine is a 6.0 out of a 2005 Hummer H2. MII front clip from FatMan, Rear suspension is C10 trailing arms. Plan is to keep the car pretty original looking but with modern features hidden. I just got mine back in the garage and have started fitting the front clip. Car was originally a Super but I found a nice 4dr Roadmaster parts car with a nice front clip. I used the Roadmaster frame and clip to lengthen wheelbase by 5inches.

 

Well, I am finally back on the Sedanete. I have the 33 Dodge coupe (build thread here on HAMB) on the road now and the wagon in my avatar up for sale so I am hoping to get the Buick done this Winter and get far enough on my last frame off project---the 50 Ford chop top---so we can downsize our house, shop and rod inventory by the end of next Summer. Yeah, age is finally catching up .