Hello my name is Austin i am 16 and i got my first car last saturday,its a 1957 Buick Roadmaster,and i was wondering if anybody could help me with just general knowlege ,as to how to fix certain thing and where to find inexpensive websites for parts
Welcome to the HAMB! Congrats on your first 57 Buick....I hate to break it to you, but you bought a Buick. Just like I bought a 56 Lincoln, parts are rare and expensive. Get a hemmings catalog and look up junk yards with Buicks. I also check ebay here and there and find things at times.
Try and find a factory 57 Buick shop manual for it. One printed by GM, (or a reprint, if available). Even if it's $50 - $60 , it's well worth it. If it prevents one piece of stainless trim from being damaged, it will pay for itself. The factory ones are MUCH better than a Chiltons or a Haynes, etc. A shop manual will cover just about everything on your car,.... wiring, brakes, suspension, sheetmetal, etc. These older shop manuals are easier to read and understand than ones for new cars. Good luck with your Buick, and post some pics when you can.
Austin, Hello & Welcome to the HAMB from South Texas. Have you been to Teambuick.com ? I like Buicks.net much better . Good Luck. Lucky667
www.v8buick.com for knowledge and do a google search for bob's automobilia for parts. i think its www.bobsautomobilia.com . welcome and good luck.
I wish I still had mine. I loved that car. FYI you can get pretty much any part you need for it through a GM dealer that has a restoration parts center in it. There is one in wheeling illinios. I don't remember the name of it but if you google Chevy dealer in wheeling Illinois it will be the only one. They will ship it and if they don't stock it they will find it in a salvage yard and get it to you. If you have any questions about it feel free to PM me.
Congratulations Austin! I hope the ball joints are in good shape as they go for huge dollars, but I'm told there is a way around that problem by using '59 or '60 A arms. I think I have a '57 factory service manual...I'll find it tomorrow and send a PM your way. Good luck, Frank
Here's a few sites for you, Good luck with the Byooick http://www.classicbuicks.com/ http://www.wheatbeltbuick.com/ http://www.oldbuickparts.com/commerce/index.php http://www.bobsautomobilia.com/ http://www.teambuick.com/forums/index.php
I got a 57 special good luck with your build do a search for project getlow and you can see pix of my car
hey, good to have another young-un on here. Gotta keep the spirit alive! We're rare these days. Just went an picked up a 60' Buick with a friend of mine from a 17 year old kid. Dad bout it as a project for his first car, and his friends made fun of him for having an old car, so he hated it. Sold it to us for $700, and bout his kid a mid 90's gran am. You will get discouraged, but just keep on pluggin.
Hemmings? this isn't the 80's... Everything you need is on the web. What parts do you need. I have a 57 and a bunch of Nailheads, I can probably help you find the parts. The factory service manual is a great tip. What are your plans for it?
Seconding BuickBorracho's v8Buick site. Lots of Buick help there. Good luck with the 57 - love to see a picture or two.
Welcome and congratulations! A '57 Roadmaster is a pretty damn cool first car; stick with it. Don't get intimidated or discouraged and trade it for a Honda Civic like most kids who get an awesome car dropped in their lap.
Welcome Austin. If, or when your car is drivable, take it to the next local car gathering. We had a 16 year old kid show up at a weekend antique car show here recently driving a late 40's Dodge complete with original body patina, rust, and weather checked bald tires...He said he wanted to make a ratrod out of it.....As soon as he got the money....Long story short, The old dinosaurs (guys over 50) were falling all over themselves trying to help the kid out with advice and connections. That's the name of the game in this hobby, MAKE CONNECTIONS. You're starting in the right place here. We have all been where you are, and have also had to build a car on sweat equity with little finances. GOOD LUCK and again welcome and congrats on your 57. Bob
Good to have u on board. 57 Buick, well I am sure u will find all about the wonderful torque tube setup and how u pull the dynaflow transmission. I have a 57 dynaflow transmission if you need the main box. One of the other Hambers is still waiting on me to get my lazy butt off the sofa and get him the torque converter for it. Check out all the links that the previous posts mentioned. All are good sites. Another is: http://forums.aaca.org/ubbthreads.php/forum_summary They have a Buick forum on there. I would definitely check for the manuals on EBAY. U should be able to get a good deal on your shop manual. Have fun, good luck!
I bought a 57 Buick Roadmaster 2dr, ht. for $100 when I was in the Army 1965, I woud drive it 400 miles each way to my home town when I would get a three day pass. The transmission was slipping a little, having fluid and a new screen was almost as much as I paid for the car. It didn't help but having another transmission would have been way more then I could have afforded to replace it. Sure would like to have it today, dark green, light green. Good luck with yours, post some pictures when you get a chance.
Congrats, bud. those are great cars. I love my 55 Buick. Hang on to it, be patient, and you'll have a great ime and learn a lot.
Austin, Welcome fron North Texas! Like everyone else said, DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED! You got a killer car. It is harder to get some stuff for, but that always makes for a unique ride, not like all the cookie cutters at most shows. Good luck with the car and post some pics when you get a chance.
Can't believe nobody has asked for pictures yet. Let's see them. Great score for a car. Good luck. Neal
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