Krooser: Thanks for the comments. I hear what you're saying about a pile of parts. I'm building a big garage with a lift so at least I'll have a good work area sometime soon. Right now my Buick is in storage dead. I took the carb off to be restored and picked up a rebuilt fuel pump. But I didn't want to put anything back on since the gas in the old carb was rust brown and full of dirt and rust bits. I need to get the tank re-done. But, I backed her into my 10 x 20 storage when I removed the carb and pump and and now I need like 10 guys to help turn her around. The winter and not having 10 buddies to help is messing with my plans. Of course, now I've changed my mind about what direction to go. I was driving the car a lot before working on the fuel system. There's a lot of things that bug me so I'm having a hard time really enjoying the thing. Before me, she sat in storage for almost 25 years with the last 14 in moth balls - literally. Smells like one of Grandma's closets, but no mice! Scotch's ideas on building the Straight are great. But, I'm keep leaning toward an old 401 or 425. The idea of rodding a 4 door for me is still and issue. But, I've been making some sketches and a slammed and shaved 4 door jetback looks pretty cool. It would be a great family rod..... or maybe I should just find a 2 door? Oh well... Gary
Gary...Let me tell you that I'm not AGAINST you doing a full-bore re-do of this car BUT I'm telling you to drive this ****** awhile until you are fully prepared to do the conversion....shop, tools and a little experience. I like the idea of a all-Buick drivetrain...after all my F-1 has a Nailhead and I'm partial to out of the ordinary motivation. What you would do to this TODAY, I guarantee, will be different ten years from now. This comes from experience...I had a '35 Ford sedan in the mid-90's that was getting (get this!) a Lincoln power moonroof, Cougar leather seats, a MII front suspension, Thunderbird IRS AND a hot Flatty...what the hell kinda drugs was I on? Thank God I hung a for sale sign on the car and some sane person rescued it from my grasp! Today the car would still have the Flatmotor but not the other ****. Clean your fuel tank, rebuild your carb and get a little black chauffer's hat and pretend your Morgan Freeman in "Driving Miss Daisy"....have fun.
Gary, your car is in much better shape than mine. It runs as it sits, yes? Krooser's got some great advice. I need to get mine at least to the point where it runs (actually HAS a drivetrain) before I can even think about doing any mods on it. Way I look at it, these old Buicks are made for crusing, not racing. Enough power to get where you're going, and enough to where if you need to punch it to get out of harm's way, it's all good. Lots of steel on these cars... makes 'em solid and HEAVY. 2 door vs 4 door aside (and I see the value of both types), I think the 4 doors hold their own in the style department, especially in the 50 Buicks. Just gives the car that much more length to carry out the lines that were designed into it. Oh, and thanks for posting the additional pic... that's a beautiful car!
The Jalopy Journal
