Hi ladies and gentleman, I'm a new owner of a 56 Buick special Rivera and I want to take this thing back to original mostly with some upgrades. Yes it's a 4 door hardtop which I know more doors are looked down on. It's what I wanted but it needs some help. Hoping you guys can lead me to the promise land with this beauty! Where do I start? It runs, ****** leaks bad, visibly the rockers and floors are shot. Other than that on the surface it's just fine. Again I'm new to this world and want this thing safe for my family to enjoy. I'd like to do what I can on my own but I have very little experience and I'm very green. Anyone like to take the time to try to help me out please let me know. I'm not rich by any means but I can afford to pay for work that I can't do, or shouldn't do, on my own. Thanks!
You got a real good complete car which is a help from the get go. Just from the photo's it looks like you will need rockers, probably floors or part od them at the least, front bumpers will need to be chromed. I had two 56 Buick Century convertibles and loved them both. They both seemed to have the same problems on rust in the rockers, lower pans behind the doors, and also at the top on both sides just behind the convertible top. The engines would go all day and I drove them non stop 11 hours each way back and forth to college near Buffalo which had really rough winters to say the least. You might try the Buick Club of America. This might be a good source for contacts and parts and also our fellow Hammers of course. Good Luck on your project
Welcome! Looks like a neat project, those vintage Buicks make Kool cruisers. Like 2 tone and the chrome. Good luck w/ your project. John
Thanks. I feel like I'm in it for the right price, I have next to nothing for this car. I've owned a couple I bought as drivers but I've sol those to invest in this one. My wife likes this one so that makes it easier! Anybody in the Louisville area wanting to do the floors and rockers for me? Also would like someone to do a trans swap and rear end swap. Gonna stay with the 322 I believe. Don't want anything crazy, just something safe and something to enjoy with my wife and kids.
Howdy! I'm having a hard time navigating this site but I'm sure there are some members with these old buicks like ours on here. Hope to learn a lot and get hooked up with the right people to get her safely back on the road!
Nice looking car. Are you intending to do the body repairs yourself? I am sure you can buy panels for the car. Post your question on the main board with luck someone will come on and tell you were you can get panels and other parts you need. Oh and welcome to the hamb David
looks like a bit of rot on that car...i had some on mine and when you think you got it all ya find alittle more...but take it step by step and dont think of it all at once..and you will be very happy when ya see the progress...just take tons of pictures now and after..and show us
I have never done more than minor dent repair, as much as I'd like to say "yes, I'm planning on doing it myself", I'm not sure yet. That's what I'm hoping you guys can tell me, is it a job a rookie can do, or should a pro do it?
let the learning begin ! ! ! You will be surprised how much you will know how to do. When you are finished.
56: Hi and welcome to the Hamb. Yep, you have a lot of work to do. Someone suggested searching the Hamb for fellow Buick owners. Great idea!! They will have lots of good sound advice for you. You mentioned keeping the engine, I agree. If the rearend is in good condition I would keep it too, you can't hurt it!! I don't know what trans is or what they were like. May be worth changing, may not. I think I would work on the mechanics and get it driveable so you can have a little fun with it. Do easy things at first but don't be afraid to try things. These can get expensive real quick so think through everything before doing it....especially if your paying someone to do the work. Feel free to PM me with questions. Maybe we can hook up and look the car over. Tim
Here's a thread http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=602553 Chris hasn't posted in a while, but he has done some work to the car, for sure.
Welcome from the south side of Louisville...I agree with Tim, get the thing running, driving and stopping safely and then worry about the outside. I planned on getting my rockers done three years ago and it's still on the list every year. Throw some seat belts in the back and take the kiddos for a ride...one thing I've learned, kids don't care about all the rust!
Thanks guys! Your right, kids don't care about rust! But they care if their feet hit the road LOL. Car needs floor work so I thought I'd just get it done all at once. I can't wait to get to drive her!
this site and YOUTUBE will become your favorite friends...im the type that likes to see it demonstrated in action like the welding thats where youtube came into play..that and the body working...i watched one after another after another..then read and read..but then there comes a point ya just dive in and do...only way to learn...course it would of been nice to have a pro by myside directing me so i didnt have to learn by my mistakes but that wasnt a option...but at least i can say i did it all...make you and the car become one
I love youtube but the problem with the bodywork is a lot of the info is just bad and if you are a novice you will not know the good info from the bad. David
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