Hey H.A.M.B.ers! I just picked up a 50 Buick Super and had it shipped down from Idaho to Florida. I figured I might as well start my build thread now! The car had a nice matching hood when I bought it, but sadly it got smashed by the transport company. I found one in Minnesota off an early 1950 Buick Special and had shipped down. The inner braces were slightly different because there are two different typed of latch mechanisms...early style and late style from the looks of it. Swapped out the braces and it fits like a glove! I will keep updating with pics and info as I do more work, but here's some of what I've done so far! "Take your LS swap somewhere else!"
Choptop40 they do for sure! And the come right off when you pull both latches and it's nothin but wide open spaces! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Pain in the **** for one man to install, though. Sure gets a l of attention when opened. Nice looking car. How is the engine? Interior? Ben
@firstinsteele it's definitely a two man operation to remove and install. Engine ran on 4 cylinders when I got it. Rebuilt the carb, cleaned the points, put a set of R45s in her and she ran on 7 but still had one cylinder with no compression. Turned out to be a broken intake push rod on cylinder #2 and a bad lifter. Got a new pushrod and lifter from Kanter and she was good as new. As for the interior, the door panels and carpet have been redone at some point. The front mat is still pretty intact. The seats had two sets of covers over them and the OG upholstery is nearly perfect, as well as what appears to be the original headliner. I'll post some more pics tomorrow for you! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I think my next step is to pull the engine and freshen her up and clean up and paint the engine compartment. As well as pull the trans and rear end and clean and, reseal and paint it all up. I've ordered some 3" lowering springs from Jamco as well. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
beauty for sure! what is behind that 8? I had a 50 but with a 3 speed on the column. Was going to convert it to floor shift using a 37 Century box but sold the car.
My wife has a 51 Roadmaster, restored stock, nice car, be prepared for many conversations about family vacations, Dad, Uncle had one, etc, she has more attention, conversations about her Buick than any car I've ever owned. It surprises me how few have survived, just don't see many anywhere, 0 here in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Enjoy !
a word of caution ,those hoods have a way of flying off when interacting with semi trucks on the big road.thread on here somewhere, nice car.
Beautiful car! Yes, watch that hood - in the pic with the blue hood it looks like the p***enger side front isn't seated all the way. Make damn sure the locking C cams fully engage, especially in the front or it will go airborne. Mine flew off unexpectedly a short time ago and since then I've found more than a few articles in vintage car magazines telling similar stories as mine - hood fine, fully engaged - p***ed semi - hood goes ballistic. That tells me it was not an un-known problem. I read one road test report on the '53 Buick that talks about the 'new' hood design that 'solves the well known problem of Buick hoods coming off un-expectedly'. I haven't posted to my thread in a while, but I'm looking into ways to beef up the latch system and add some extra 'insurance'. When I figure it out, I'll share with the community. Just my two bits, again, gorgeous car!
Yeah, I really want to, but the bottom end sounds a bit loose. I wanna catch it now while there's not a catastrophic failure! "Take your LS swap somewhere else!"
Yeah man, I've read a lot about that as well. Even saw one with Jeep hood fasteners in a junk yard. This is my second 50 buick and my last one had the hood replaced years before I bought it. I'm also. Im also thinking of an incognito way to fasten it down securely...I'd love to see what you come up with! "Take your LS swap somewhere else!"
Mine is a three on the tree as well, even came with a spare trans when I bought it! "Take your LS swap somewhere else!"
I love the 50 Buick, I have one as well. Had it since I was 18. Pulled it out of the local junkyard and been driving it ever since. One car I'll never get rid of. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Awesome! This is my second 50 Buick Super Riviera actually. I sold my last one to buy my 66 VW Bus...it was a killer deal and a good investment and had to do it, but I didn't really want to sell it. So I told myself I'd have another. I finally found this one, same exact model, but with a manual instead of the dynaflow so I jumped on it. I had to have the 50. It's the best year of the body style! And this ones a keeper! And way nicer than my last one too! "Take your LS swap somewhere else!"
We need a 1950 Buick thread on here! My '50 Special is my third 1950, starting with a Super convert in 1954. About 1962 had another, a Sedannette. 1950 Super had the first 263. I have "Hopped UP" a 263 and installed in my Special. WOW! Ben
Awesome Ben! I plan on finding another 263 eventually and hopping it up a bit for mine as well, but for now, a stock rebuild will suffice. A 1950 buick thread would be cool! I'd love to see how many are out there on the H.A.M.B.! "Take your LS swap somewhere else!"
I think the early 50 had the key you used to unlatch the hood from inside the porthole....the later type was a cable. I had a early '50 Super Sedanette, that I sold....I miss that car. Good running 263, bad dynaflow. I love the body line, the toothy grille and the way the dash curves into the door. I was looking for a '50 Olds 98 fastback (same car with different grille, gauges, tail lights with a 303 V8) or a Roadmaster Sedanette with the 320.
Yes, I think you might be right. That would explain a couple of the extra brackets and holes on the bottom side of the hood by the port hole closest to the rear hinge. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Forgive my lack of Buick speak.... but what is the significance of the 3 portholes? Does that mean it is a 6-cylinder? I think the grill says it's an 8. (?) In any case, it's a beauty! The condition of the interior is a big plus..... the original seat material, a plus-and-a-half!
Actually, three portholes [ venta ports, per Buick ] were/are the Special and Super models, which had the 248 and starting in the Super in 1950, the 263. Four port holes were reserved for the Roadmaster, which did have the 320. Prestige? Beginning in 1955 only the Special had three, all others had four. Ben
hey guys , i am fairly new here . live in Belgium in the far away europe lol i own a 1950 roadmaster 4 door riviera so the biggest there is ( type 72R ) we are working on the car to give it new paint now . verry hard for me is the fact that i do not find some parts that i need unfortunatly its compleet but the front driver side bumper guard is bent out off shape so needs replacement and i can not seem to find one ( if you guys have a lead please let me know ) car runs good , shifts ok ( dynaflow ) brakes work ok ( it hase a BENDIX Vintage HYDROBOOST hydraulic Booster Power Brake system ) thing i am missing on the car is spark plug cover plate and aircleaner .
I’ve been driving mine every day for the last week! Pretty awesome car...AM radio works awesome still as well. Been outta the loop. Last time I was on I said I’d post some pictures of the interior. I’ll get around to that a little later today for you guys! "Take your LS swap somewhere else!"
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