Projects '47 Buick Super Sedanette project

This isn't so much a build thread, as it is personal motivation to get this thing rolling. Most of the "building" is done. Just a bunch of necessary stuff to button up (finish some wiring, shift linkage, gas pedal, etc.), and some stuff to make it prettier (repaint the dash, paint window mouldings, maybe some interior), if that's even an attainable thing on this homely beast.
So, here she is. 1947 Buick 2 door torpedo back, powered by a 500 Cadillac from an El Dorado. Originally from OK. Tried to fire it up after putting gas in the tank, but no gas to carb. The fuel pump, isn't. So, it's laying on the floor in front of the car, and I'm waiting for a delivery from RockAuto.

 

Great to see another Buick with a big block Cad in it.

 

Thanks @BJR your is a beauty! Today's project: So, just what the hell are we looking at here? Mating an old Cadillac steering wheel to a newer (sorry) GM steering column. I cut about half of the center hub off w/ an angle grinder and had to mate it to the center I removed from the wheel that was on the column. Had to drill out the center of the Cad hub, so the other one fit into it. tacked it together and test fit. That's when I realized I couldn't put the nut on. So, hogged out the wheel center more and re-tacked it. Test fit. Voila! Welded it up. Last pic is the wheel w/ the chrome trim on. Now, I gotta restore the steering wheel. PC7 ordered tonight.

 

Funny I saved parts to do the same thing, just never got around to it.

 

Looks good. A good bath and a fuel pump and it sounds like you'll be in business. Are you planning to hook the heater back up? If you like the patina look, I'd make sure you put something on it if you are going anywhere with it before the spring thaw. If brine gets on the patina it will be all out rust in nothing flat.

 

@snoc653 It had the under-seat heater, and I had to take it out, or there'd be no room for a muffler. Not sure if I'll add one inside, or not. Originally planned to paint the whole car, and so I painted the dash - flat purple. Changed my mind. So, I'll be repainting the dash in a candy teal to better match the outside - that I'm leaving as is.

 

Git 'er done!

 

Got the new fuel pump today & installed it. Got gas to the carb. Thinking the carb isn't great. It starts, doesn't want to keep running. It's a Chevy carb that's been sitting for 10+ years. I have another to try, but probably should find a Qjet that's correct for the Cad motor. I had to add a 1" phenolic spacer under the Chevy carb so the linkage would clear the manifold. Anybody know how the trans kickdown was hooked up on these? All I see is an electrical connection on the trans (TH400) and no cable or mechanical lever.

 

Ill be watching this! I have a ‘47 Buick Sedanette Super as well in the same colour. Sometimes I think I should sell and other times
I think I’m going to keep it.

Ipickup I’ll be sending you a PM

 

There was an electric switch on the carb linkage.

 

Thanks @BJR . That's what I was assuming. I should probably look for that & the correct carb instead of the Chevy one I have on it. I have a different BOP carb, but the linkage hangs low on that one too. Is yours a Chevy carb? It looks like the fuel inlet is on the pass side, like a Chevy. I thought all the BOP & Cad ones were straight out the front?

 

Mine is a stock 70 Cad carb.

 

Digging around the web now, and I see that the Cads have the side fuel inlet too. Learned something today.

 

Started repairing the steering wheel by grinding out the cracks.

 

consider using PC-7. It's a bit gooey to work with, but it doesn't shrink.
Clean areas with lacquer thinner before applying.
Allow at least a day for each layer to cure. Easy to file and sand.

 

I have used PC7 on about 10 steering wheels at work, and all turned out great.

 

What radiator are you going to use to cool that 500 inch Caddy & are you going to run AC?

 

So, on the side of your transmission, do you have one or two electrical terminals? If you have two, one is for the "kickdown" and the other is to shift the torque convertor stator to the high stall position. Shifting the stator gave you a sort of part throttle downshift when you got on the throttle (but not floored) in high gear.

 

@southerncad It's got a Corvette 4 core installed already. Should be plenty of radiator, but I'm a little concerned about the electric fans I used, as I hear that the Cads tend to run a little hot. Guess I'll find out when I get it running and let it idle. If needed, I can upgrade to a better fan & shroud. As for AC, I don't think there's enough room left under the hood for a compressor.

@jaracer Only one terminal. I'll have to find the corresponding part that goes on the intake manifold to make it work.

@gatz First coat of PC7 is on it. We'll see how it works. I used JB Weld on the last one I did - it cracked again, so hoping this is the answer.

 

This is not necessarily true. My 1970 Cadillac TH 400 has 2 terminals and one is for the kickdown, and the other is for the Transmission Controlled Spark advance (TCS). The pink wire goes to the pressure switch on the valve body which is also part of the TCS. None of that has any effect on the shift points. All it does is not allow vacuum advance in 1st and second gears. I only use the kickdown one, nothing is connected to the TCS plug.

 

You are correct, I'd forgotten about the TCS setup.

 

Buicks had the kickdown switch located under the gas pedal. You could also use one of those manual brake light switches with the arm, just mount so the arm engages the throttle linkage at 3/4 to full throttle.

 

Started sanding the first coat of PC7. It doesn't spread nicely, and sands weird. I'll keep at it & hope it works out.

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2HjQTULrW75o2m7z6

Since I'm an idiot, I can't post a video. Tried everything. Says the 14 second video is too large to post. So, here's a link to the 500 Cad motor running in my Buick. Gonna need to figure out the choke situation too. Not getting fuel from the tank & it's running off a small container. Lines are clear to the tank, so next up is dropping the tank to see what's up there. Exhaust would be helpful as well. @BJR

 

You're not an idiot !
You did the right thing by posting the link.

How's the PC7 working out?
I modified the steering wheel on the 40 Chrysler from 18" od to 16" od. Lots of PC7 used but it turned out good.

 

@gatz I sanded down the first coat of the PC7. Not sure what the best thing to do is, but I was using 80 grit paper, after knocking the high spots down with 80 grit on the little air sander/die grinder. After I get it shaped, I'll use something finer. It's a little odd to work with, but I think it'll be OK. Been working on some other stuff lately & will get back to that next week. Going w/ my bro tomorrow to pick up his new purchase - a '51 Ford Panel!

 

I haven't finished the steering wheel project yet. Too many other things going on, but I have made progress on the Buick. Just looking ahead to actually trying to drive this, I can't decide. Buick Road wheels or the Caddy caps. I'm too cheap to spring for WWWs, even though if I did, the caps win hands down. Maybe some Port-A-Walls? The wheels may win out on the blackwalls. I'm guessing they are HAMB friendly, as I think they were introduced in '64.

 

Progress. Got the front of the engine put back together after finding it already had steel timing gears installed. Got the correct length PS pump belt, so it isn't crowding the distributor. Changed the intake manifold. Out with the EGR infested '76 & installed a '69 472 intake. Made a throttle cable bracket & am currently working on getting the cable cut down to the right length & made an interior bracket for the other end.

 

Some GM cars had the kickdown switch mounted on the gas pedal. One time I used a motorcycle brake light switch mounted on the throttle linkage.

 

Found my fuel delivery problem. Pick up tube did just that. Picked something up & it got stuck in the tube. Blew it out with air. Gonna put a filter/sock on the tube (waiting for that to arrive). The tank had been sealed/coated inside by me a long time ago. I'm not impressed. Looks like it was probably a piece of that sealer. The sealer looks like it has some cracks in it. Cleaned it out as much as possible. Only looked like a very small amount of dirt/rust came out. By adding the sock, I'll have a filter to keep that crap out & more area to suck fuel if it does try that again. Changing the tank out is pretty easy, so if this doesn't cure it (it should), I'll find a replacement tank.