My '56 Buick build *or* How to completely destroy a car

Well same here... now that my '58 and '49 are pretty close to road worthy I can start thinking about making progress on my '55 Special. I've got the body off and torn down, but blank about which way to go. I like this thread.. it's very motivating.. especially when it comes to front end rebuild..

You're doin' a great job. Understand about the $$$ and how that can hold up a project. Like that your doing other things to the car in the mean time like cleaning and painting. You're going to have one fine ride there. Keep it up! Subscribed.

 

I'm following this one. good luck. Although you seem to be going the right way about it - so shouldn't need much.

 

Oh man, so many people subscribing. You're all going to be dying laughing at me when i inevitably wreck everything. Haha.

But really, if you guys with 50s Buicks keep progress threads, give me links so i can subscribe and read. Pretty much everything i'm doing is built on a foundation of reading what others have done, and asking dumb questions.

 

Last week i dropped off my steering knuckles at a shop to get the king pins knocked out. It took me a couple tries to find somewhere that would do them. The machine shop i was recommended point blank told me he didn't mess with them, and i finally took them over to Sterling Hot Rods, because i knew they dealt with old equipment like this. That probably wound up being more expensive than it should have ($187), but they've helped me out in the past and i'm down to give money to decent businesses.

They weren't in terrible shape:


In my previous yard sale trip, i bought a set of punches, and you can see here where i used them to mark which side of the car the knuckles went with. D for driver, P for passenger. Any more complicated than that and i'd probably mess it up.




Here's something. You think this is gonna be a problem? The king pin kit comes with stuff to replace these, but how do i make sure it actually gets used when the shop puts it back together?



I spent some time over the weekend cleaning the knuckles and spindles up with a wire wheel, then prepping and painting them with the POR-15. I gotta say, they cleaned up pretty easily and after the paint they look alright. I'm not exactly sure if i can get away with painting the surfaces that rub against other parts, so i kept those clean for now.



You can see these markings really clearly now:






I also threw some paint on the gas tank straps, because i don't think those are easily found or replaced. I do need to track down at least one, possibly two, of the hooked bolts that hang the straps on the frame. Anyone know where i can find those?

While the paint was drying, i tried to put some of the bearings back on the control arms. HOLY CRAP, that was tough. I really thought i was a decently strong guy, but these bearings proved me wrong. I had a long ratchet, took the zerk fittings off, pre-greased the threads, and had to wedge a screwdriver in the holes on the control arms, wedged into the spaces between boards on my porch, to even be able to turn them slightly. And even with that, i had to fight for every fraction of a turn. No wonder they were so hard to get off. I know Roadsterpu, you suggested not using an impact gun...but i don't think i have a choice here. Woof.

Beyond that, it looks like everything is coming along pretty smoothly. I can start reassembling the front suspension soon, i've just got to order my Jamco springs and wait for them to get here in order to wrap it completely up.

 

Like I said they were not easy to put in. You got to do what you need it with what you have. Just be careful you are not cross threading anything or tighten them too much with the impact gun. Go slow. Are you following the manual perfectly? It is critical that these go back together just as the manual says.

I am assuming you are planning on taking out the bushing on the bottom of the uprights, right? Or are those the new ones?

As far as the J bolts for the tank straps, you can make them out of all thread if you can not find replacements. just bend them to shape.

If you can,order the springs as soon as possible. If I remember correctly, it took about a month for the springs to be drop shipped form the manufacturer.

 

So far, i've been following the manual. To be fair, i've only put two bushings in, one side on an upper and a lower control arm. So i've barely even started the steps. haha.

Bushings on the uprights? I'm not sure what part you're talking about.

Do i need to go to a shop or something to get all thread bent? Or is there another tool i can rent or something?

Hopefully springs are getting ordered this week. Should give me some time to get to fastenal and replace the bolts i need.

 

Chris, the bushings he speaks of are the parts you were concerned about being replaced by the shop of your choice. Also, Fastenal may have the J-bolts you need for your gas tank straps. Good work mister, keep it up.

 

Oh! Yeah, those should be replaced. I've got them in the kit. I guess i'll ask to get the old ones back to make sure they've actually been replaced?

 

This si the part I was talking about. It the one the lower out shaft goes through. You can take them out prior to sending them to the machine shop.


I am assuming you are sending them to the machine shop to have the kingpin bushing pressed out and have the new ones pressed in. They will also need to fit the kingpins to the new bushing. THey will ream them until everything fits well.

You can bend all-thread with just your hand and a vise. Just put it in the vise and use your hand to bend it around. There are also other ways to bend it but they are not hard to bend. You cna by the all-thread at any hardware store, like ACE.

 

Oh well damn. I didn't know that was removable. I take it i should get that taken out?

I'm going to try and find a machine shop that will put the kingpins back together. So far, i haven't had much luck with them.

 

Your rebuild kit should have come with new ones.

Most old school engine rebuilders can do it. Put up a post here on the HAMB looking for a good place and I am sure someone can recommend a place.

 

Gonna do that right now.

Mini update: Last night, my neighbor called me over to give him a hand installing a different engine into his boat (the big one's distributor wasn't connected to his oil pump properly, shredded the connection and sent some metal through the engine. scary.), and while i was there, we hammered out the bushings on to the ends of the control arm shafts, and then centered the shafts properly. So i'm getting good to go on the front end. Pretty stoked.

 

Very cool thread!

 

How are things going? Any progress?

 

X 2 whilst realizing good thangs take time

 

Haha, things are moving along. Slowly now, because work got a little crazy and also because i'm just waiting on parts to come in before rebuilding the front suspension.

But i did take a little time to clean parts. First up, i took the wire wheel to the center link, and replaced the tie rod ends with the new ones i got in.



New vs old



Some of that old hardware looks pretty cool.


And then i took the wire wheel to the sway bar, and rattle canned it black.
It looks semi-decent.




So now i'm just treading water. Waiting for my springs to come in. This week, i'm going to drop my steering knuckles off at the machine shop to get them reassembled. Also heading to my local Fastenal to get replacement hardware. Hopefully, by the first weekend of August , i'll be able to rebuild the front suspension.

While i'm at that, i'll be doing the disc brake conversion and replacing a lot of the brake lines in the front. So, question: will the stock master cylinder work fine? Or is there one that's an easy bolt-in replacement that will work better?

 

Keep it moving!!! Your getting there!

 

if it didn't have power brakes you will also need a power booster to run the disk brakes, definitely find out what is required to operate the disk brake setup, and if your master cylinder doesn't have separate reservoirs for the front and rear brakes it will need to be changed, very cool project you've got going there keep up the good work

 

Looking good Chris. Keep up the great work.

If you are putting on disc brakes in front, you should replace the master cylinder. Disc brakes need more fluid volume than drum brakes. Typically drum brake masters do not move enough fluid. You can try it but it is a risk. I have not heard of a replacement master that will bolt in the original spot. Most use a firewall mounted unit. You cna check with Scarebird brake conversions to see what they suggest. http://www.scarebird.com/index.php?id=0

 

Did you make the switch to disc brakes, and if so, what master cylinder did you use? I *think* my Special has power brakes, at least that's what the brake pedal says.

 

I am using the original drum brakes and they stop pretty well. I have no issues. THe problem with the 56 is that it is a one year only brake system. You might have to do a little research on master selection. Do you have a vacuum hose going from a T in the front of the intake manifold over to the brake master? If so, then you have power brakes.

 

Not true. Quite a few cars have manual disc and work just fine. The 2-15/16" pistoned AstroVan AWD caliper has sufficient area to use the stock drum master

We have had no complaints regarding use of the single drum master in this application. We do sell a bracket set to mount a remote dual master - no power conversion I know of will fit..

 

Chris
56 Buick has really great brakes for drums and mine would stop great. Around 59 Buick has fined aluminum drums that will fit front and rear of a 56.

 

Can you provide a little more info on the bracket? Where does everything mount and how does it all work?

 

So i don't necessarily *need* to upgrade my master cylinder? That is good news to me.

But is the remote master recommended? And if so, i'll second Roadsterpu in asking how everything goes together and how it works. Thanks!

 

Have you ever had a case of "BRAKE FADE"? Do everyone a favor and upgrade to a duel chamber MC. Take it from someone who has driven sober through a store front because of brake fade in a 63' ford fairlane!

 

Brake fade is usually caused by the drums, shoes and or fluid getting hot, not the lack of a dual chamber master. One reason the dual chamber is considered better is the isolation of the front and rear circuits. This way if you lose fluid in one you still have pressure in the other. It also allows the master to move different different volumes of fluid needed for disc and drums (at least when running the combination of the 2).

Please correct me where I am wrong in my understanding.

 

Yeah deff get yourself a dual mastercylinder! Its a matter of safety!

 

We have two versions: if your Buick has the 2-bolt side mount master we sell a simple bracket that uses the Wilwood 260-7563 master. Some fabbing will be needed here. 3 bolt masters we mod a Chrysler master to bolt up with a pushrod and remote rez nipples.

 

How are things coming along Chris?