Projects SA's 1957 Buick Super Build

The good stuff starts on Page 2 (Post #28), I'd recommend you go there now.

Hey everyone, a few of you know about my '57 Buick, but I'm sure a lot of you don't. I've been putting off working on it because life has been so busy. Now I think I've come to the realization that life may never slow down, so I just have to knuckle-down and build this sucker.

Here's a little background: I bought this car (from a guy off the HAMB) with the help of my dad was when I was 15. (I'm 17 now.)

I had always wanted a '60 Caddy prior, but once I sawthe Buick I fell in love with the lines.

Anyway, I figured I'd start a build thread to get a little motivation from my fellow HAMB'ers. God knows ya'll the best.

Now then, here's what we're doing: the car had a 364 Nailhead, but it was pretty unhealthy, (i.e wet and bent pushrods) so, after much deliberation, we pulled the motor. I've been contemplating motor choices, and I think I'm going to go with a 500 Caddy. This way I can get a modern rear-end and completely bypass the pesky torque tube. That is, if we can get it all engineered.

Right now I'm going to take the existing exhaust out of the car.

So tell me what you think, and if you have any bright ideas let me know, I know I could use some.

 

Nice shop!! When I was 17 I was building a rotted out 79 nova in a dirt driveway with chinese swap meet tools. Good luck with the build!

 

Ya really! Thats shop is the ticket. I would lean against the caddy motor. Id want to keep it all buick. A wildcat motor would be just as good and then it be true to the car. And of course, youve got to have a set of lake pipes on that car.

 

Thanks Albie, my dad bit the bullet a couple years back and built a nice building. It's funny because at the time he thought it was going to be so massive, and we've managed to fill it up and now he wishes he made it bigger!

I'm really grateful he did build it.

Thanks for the comments, Tin Indian. You talking like a 455? Or like a 401 or a 425? If so, I've got a funny story...

Still throwing around whether or not to do lake pipes. When I first got the car I was sure that's what I wanted to do... now I'm not so sure. I'll have to do some digging.

 

You've got enough work cut out for you with the rear end, I'd rebuild the 364 or find a 401/425 to bolt in, the amount of work and frustration you save will be well worth it. Get yourself a ST400 or SP400 from a 64-66 Buick for a transmission.

 

Another vote for Buick motor. You always want to see valve covers vertical when you look under the hood of an old Buick. Did you get all the trim that belongs on the car? Keep us posted

 

I got an idea. Instead of working out with the weight set I saw in the pics you could just bench press the bumpers. Man those things weigh a ton. I know i had one. Looks good. Keep up the good work. I vote for a buick motor.

 

Thanks for the advice, zman. It means a lot coming from a guy with such a nice '57. Which transmission do you like better? The ST400 or the SP400? I've got to admit I don't know a lot about them. Also, the 401/425 has an open driveline, so won't I have to swap the rear-end anyway?

deadendcruiser, yeah I have most of the trim.. I think the only thing I'm missing is the grille. I haven't bought one yet because I don't know if I want to do the stock grille. Other than that, I think I have it all.

193257, yeah they do! The car had the rear bumper inside when I bought it, it was in the backseat (you can see it in the above pics.)

 

The ST400 will be easier to find, the only difference with that and the SP400 is the switch pitch torque converter, and they are TH400's inside, they were the first ones for Buick and Caddy. If you get a ST400 or SP400 get the yoke with it, they're hard to find, though you can put a regular TH400 tailshaft housing on and run a regular TH400 yoke as well.

As for the open driveline, you can find an early 60's full size Buick and get the pumpkin out of the differential. It'll bolt into the 57 rear end, then all you need to do is fab some trailing arms and mounts, leave the stock coils and panhard bar. Not so hard....

 

I see what you mean. But if I swap to a different rear end, all I'm going to have to fabricate is the panhard rod brackets, I'm going to have to make trailing arms and all that jazz no matter what I do, unless I opt for the 364, which looks pretty doubtful at the moment.

The reason I'm looking at a 500 Caddy is because it's a pretty healthy motor out of the box, I know it's not real traditional, but you have to admit it'll be a juicy motor.

My dad also mentioned using a 454, but I don't think I want to go that route.

 

If you swap a differnt rear end in, you got panhard bars, spring mounts, adapting brake lines, a lot more than you think. Swapping the center section of the differential leaves you with trailing arms and that's it. You know you have the correct width rear.

As for the other engines, just remember that the Nailhead was designed to replace a straight 8, it's narrow at the bottom, kind of tall, and long. If you go trying to put a Caddy 500 or BBC in there you got a world of fabrication to worry about, clearances will be tight or non existant, mounts have to be made, you'll have to change out the radiator, it will nickle and dime you to death. You won't gain any power over the Nailhead either, maybe a little over the 364, but nada over a 401/425, which you can always bolt in after the 364. 401 and 425's were over 400 ft. lbs. of torque stock.

 

Very good advice, once again. That was actually my original idea, that's why I ended up buying the '63 Electra, but the car turned out to be too nice to scrap, so that ship has sailed. Maybe it's time to look at another donor car?

 

Still throwing around whether or not to do lake pipes. When I first got the car I was sure that's what I wanted to do... now I'm not so sure. I'll have to do some digging.[/QUOTE]
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Here's a
photo of my 57 Buick with lake pipes on it,it's a smaller
Special not as big as yours.----------TwoChops
--------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Thanks for the pic, twochops. It's really a beautiful car.

I don't think I'm gonna throw lake pipes on it. I'll probably just run duals out the back.

I really like the grille on that car. It's not stock is it?

 

I have a Cad 500, 454 Chev, and a turbo 400 if your interested. I'd be happy to trade for a Harley motor (Pan, shovel, or Knuck) if you have any lines on one.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
stock grille with emblem removed ,top is chopped 2-3/4"
TwoChops

 

Let me ask ya buddy, how busy can your life really be at 17? Just wait 'til you hit 43. Then you can tell us about life getting in the way of your plans to relax. Just my humble opinion.

 

i like the idea of the 475/500 caddi (you can then use a 700r overdrive trans)... if it will fit around al the crap on the fire wall.......lol....

heres a pic of my 55 buick.... channeled 6in...
most on here wont like this but i channeled mine over a late model frame and floorpan.... reason being,, the motor trans and rear susp werent in the buick when i got it......
i have two weeks of work and $800.00 in it...... lol......

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's a
photo of my 57 Buick with lake pipes on it,it's a smaller
Special not as big as yours.----------TwoChops
--------------------------------------------------------------------[/QUOTE]
I dig the 57 Buick. You don't see many of them chopped. It looks killer. Some traditional striping on the car may let the lake pipes work but with the clean look it has the lake pipes stick out. Just my 2 cents. Either way it's nice..

 

when you ditch the torktube try mid 60s chevy truck trailing arms atach them to the x member! and for the motor keep it buick! kool car by the way it looks nice!

 

Sorry, not really into motorcycles, well, at least I don't have any parts laying around. Feel free to send me a PM about the 500 Caddy. I'm not really interested in the 454.

I just didn't take everything off the firewall, because I don't know how much of it I'll have to use again, I believe most of it is going to come off, though. And I'm not really concerned about there being enough room. If there are people out ther putting V8's in Miatas, then I'm sure I can figure out how to put a 500 Caddy in a whale of a Buick.

And cool car by the way. Are you already selling it or was that the previous owner?

Yeah, I'll probably just fab some up, but that sounds like a good place to start, and thanks.

 

Looks like a great start on a kool car...I likes them '57 Buicks...and if you need some ideas of how much work is entailed in going thru the car from stem to stern, check out my build thread:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=329070&highlight=the+best+55+caddy+build

R-

 

Thanks for the link, that's an awesome build. This one isn't going to be nearly that caliber.

 

Well, I managed to get most of the exhaust on one side off. Had to go at it with the saws-all. Would have posted pics but the camera is out of batteries or something or other. So I'll work on getting those up. Also managed to save some of the exhaust, it's really solid metal, the muffler was just a little soggy.

 

Ok, I know it's been a while and most of you (if not all of you) have forgotten about this thread.

Here's what's been going down: I got all the exhaust off the car.

Unfortunately it was, for the most part, shot.

I also put the front clip back on, and rolled the car out into the sun for the first time in almost two years. I almost forgot what it looked like.

Later I might lower the frame and put the wheels under the wells to see what it would like low.

 

Looks good hope you get it done.

 

Ya got any build pics to post? Please share!!

 

Alright, it's been a long time. Here's the deal: I got an education on traditional, via the HAMB and not only am I running a Buick motor, I'm running a Nailhead.

I bought a '57 Roadmaster (affectionately known as the Rustmaster) in Louisiana from a fellow HAMBer a few months ago, low-mile car (under 50k), thing runs like a top, super-quiet. Sorry I didn't think to film it, was too excited. I dig into the rest of the car, looks like it has a lot of NOS parts already installed recently. New brake shoes, cylinders, etc. New exhaust (OEM) from manifolds all the way back. Also a very complete car, the pics were taken after some dissembly of the front end had already ensued. It was a great deal. I'm parting out most of it, so if you want something shoot me a PM.















I pulled the motor out and was just messing around, finally got around to degreasing the sucker and all that, and am in the process of painting. It's raining today so my aerosol rebuild is getting put on hold, so I thought I'd revive this thread just to bother you guys.

 

Progress has been slow. My older brother's clutch went out on his '00 SVT Contour, so I've been helping out with that. FWD is a beast.

Yesterday I ordered valve cover gaskets, should be here sometime early next week. Motor is pretty much painted, Dynaflow too.

 

Looks so much better cleaned up like that. Nice job. Keep us updated.