Buick Straight Eight gets detailed and then some

I love my Buick and the straight eight is always a great conversation piece everywhere I go, so I thought it was only fitting to make the big O'chunk of iron presentable and clean off sixty years of grease, oil and grime. Also chose to add a little flavor, found a 41-42 compound carb/exhaust set up to put on it. So here are some pics of the event to date. Its almost ready to go back into the frame rails. I keep posting as I continue.

 

Looking good!!

 

Buicks are great. Yours is a nice-looking car. Good job on the engine. Is the exhaust gonna clear the motor-mount? As far as I've heard, the '41/'42 exhaust wont clear the driver's side motor-mounts on later cars.

 

Yeap, already modified the motor mount tower on the frame and also the bracket on the engine.

 

Here is a before and after pics on the modified engine mount for exhaust clearence.

 

Anyone that has done dual exhaust on one of these cars, where is the best place to cross over to the passenger side to run it out the back? I'll be ready to do exhaust in a couple of weeks

 

G.M. man that's one fine buick, one thing you and i know is that nothing rides like those old buick's. young man your doing a good job, and i THANK YOU for saving that old hoopy. and please post more pic's, as i'am watching closely. brother it warms my heart when the younger geniration show's this much CLASS...POP.

 

looking good K!! took the chevy downtown last night...its 1st public event!!

 

I love your Buick...

 

Motor is in and bolted down. Good progress this weekend.

 

looking forward to hearing it and going for a ride in September!!

 

On the exhaust on my 53, we crossed over below the trans, but mine is a 3 speed so my tranny is smaller. I wonder if you could cross over just behind the tranny just below the torque tube. I should have my car in the air in the next couple of days, I can take pics if you like.

 

Just wondering if you changed any of the freeze plugs. They may not be leaking now but since you had it out??? Great looking ride!

 

That would be great, Thanks

 

I did'nt, but should have.

 

GM
I noticed that while on the engine stand, you still had the hoist chains on the block, was that safety move, that big 'looonnng' straight eight almost looked like it would have tipped forward without the chain?

 

Yes it was a necessity, the engine is to long and heavy to be on the engine stand alone. To much forward weight. I had to use a 2x4 at the front of the oil pan to the floor for support when I took the cherry picker away.

 

I will remember that, 'if' I ever get into Buicks .......LOL

 

looking good when just finshed geting my ladys buick running today, im doing the brakes in a week and then it will be on the road. the intake you have is thats a aftermarket one right??, i hav acess to geting a factory dual single intake for the straight eight, i was told that it was a police addition package. shes looking good man

 

My set-up is a stock factory from a 1941-42 Buick 248. But I ditched the strombergs for the Holley 94's

 

ah ok i love the way it looks ive been thinking of making a spilt manafold for her 50 when we get to puting the duals on, i just think it would sound great

 

G.M...I may be beating a dead horse, but i simply admire this young WHIPPER SNAPER! HA!...POP.

 

Looks great, it's amazing how details can really spruce up a car.

 

Holeshot, Though i am young at the age of 37, the boy in the pics is my son. He's 14. he was helping me clean it up. I love to get my kids involved helping me on my cars. My 8 yr old daughter loves coming to the garage and smelling gear oil and other aromas that linger in a car guy garage.

 

Looks real good keith. I remember when that car came up for sale and the ad was so bland that I didn't get real excited about it. I kicked myself after knowing how good of a car it was. I know you have brought it back but man what a buick to start with. Excellent. Try to make it to the club meeting tomorrow if you can, Joe

 

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner with these pics, I forgot all about it till today, they are a little dark but it the best I could do with the lighting I had. Hope they help

 

I currently have a one into two setup, but my split manifold is almost ready, my exhaust guy set it up to add the split later, so we should have to change very little.

 

nice..

 

Thanks for the pics, that was helpfull. I ordered 30"in Smithy's and have a appointment to have the exhaust done next week. I simeesed the holes in the Xmember to match the drivers side. I had to ditch the original dynaflow trans cooler that was mounted on the side of the trans, so there would be room for the pipe to run down that side, I will just put a generic cooler in the front of the radiator as its replacement. Getting closer to having it back on the road.

 

Been working on this project some more, getting closer to firing this thing up, just picked up my chrome stuff from the chrome shop today. Here are some new pics.