1960 Electra 225 Convertible R&R

[Smartin]

Picked up a little project today for a friend...

I'll be doing the work on the engine compartment and trunk to bring it up to snuff for the 2006 BCA national in Rochester. I'll also be working out any other bugs the car has everywhere else. Hoping to grab a senior award for this one!

I'll be asking dumb questions from time to time due to my lack of knowledge with this vintage Buick. I'll also try to keep this thread updated on my progress in the next couple months!:beer


Here's the beast!

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/arriving001.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/arriving002.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/arriving003.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/arriving004.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/arriving005.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/arriving006.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/arriving007.jpg


It fits in the garage nicely:grin:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/arriving008.jpg

[BamaWildcat]

Make sure you pet that Nailhead. :)

[skyphix]

What a nice car!

[Junkman]

I hope to get my '60 convertible looking that nice! I see that one has the bucket seat option. My Chalet Blue project has bucket seats,but no console.The console would be a hard item to find at the swap meets.

[Smartin]

Tore into the trunk yesterday and finally finished stripping the tar paper off the pan and cleaned it up at bit with thinner and a scratch pad. This is a SOLID car!

Before:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/trunk_strip001.jpg


After:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/trunk_strip002.jpg


This is what came out - everything gets replaced....except the irreplaceable printed cardboard trim pieces.

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/trunk_strip003.jpg

[Smartin]

Trunk floor is painted along with the jack parts and the spare tire.

Next in line is the underside of the trunk lid, which is scratched up and a little rusty in spots.


Jack bits:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/trunk_painted001.jpg


Trunk floor covered with Eastwood Rust Encapsulator (I still have the stuff stuck to my fingers)

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/trunk_painted002.jpg


This will all be covered up by new trunk material and original cardboard trim pieces when it goes to the upholstery shop this Winter.

[Smartin]

Weekend progress:

Only managed to break one bolt getting the t-stat housing off. But I was able to wrench on the stud and unscrew it once i soaked it with PB Blaster.



Oh the destruction!!!!

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/core_support_removed.jpg



Oh the beauty:grin:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/painted_parts.jpg


Generator, fan guard, and air cleaner top came out nice..

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/generator_clean.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/air_cleaner_lid.jpg

[BamaWildcat]

You know parts are clean when you can put them on the bed!

Will you be taking the Nailhead out and painting it?

[Smartin]

That's a spare room in the basement that no one ever sees anyway:grin:

The engine will be stripped down to the short block in the car. Heads will be off. Yes, it will be painted, also. This engine compartment is not going to have a speck of dirt in it when I get done with it. The firewall is getting refinished, too...as soon as I can pull all the parts outta there.

[Smartin]

Didn't get too far today, since I broke two sockets and managed to destroy the passenger side exhaust manifold.

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/broken_exh_manifold.jpg


But I got the intake, valve covers, and the drivers side exh manifold off.

I had to make a trip to Sears for a new impact wrench and some new sockets...

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/intake_off.jpg

[Smartin]

When I popped off the passenger side head this morning, this made its way to the floor. I have no idea what it is, or where it came from. Can anyone help out?? It's roughly 5/8" tall and 7/16" wide. It looks to be a plug of sorts, but it has a hole through it.

I can't see anywhere that it came out.

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/mystery_part001.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/mystery_part002.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/mystery_part003.jpg

[Smartin]

Discoveries I made this weekend:

Dead heater core (which explains the mildew problem and the fogging windshield)

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/heater_core.jpg


I also got the passenger side manifold off and found that the heat riser was frozen shut. This would explain the power issue!

The heads are getting rebuilt as soon as I get the gaskets and seals from CARS.


Current state of affairs: waiting for parts.

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/naked_block.jpg

[Smartin]

Got some more random stuff done today...

Did some cleaning under the hood today, but concentrated on getting the heater box cover done, power steering pump, horns, and breather tube clean and painted. Every nut and bolt gets wire wheeled and clearcoated, unless noted a specific color. I love seeing things come together, even if it is just a heater box!:laugh: Everything's clean and spotless. I love it!!


PS pump: purrrrdy!

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/ps_pump.jpg



Heater Box Cover - this should look good when mounted again:TU:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/heater_box.jpg



T00B...nothing special here..

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/breather_tube.jpg



I got the heater core out last night and it is TOAST. When I say TOAST, I mean it must have been leaking for 5 years. No wonder everyone was complaining of mildew problems.:Dou: I hope it can be recored!

[Smartin]

CARS order came today.

Does anyone else notice that they use hydraulic hose for their power steering hoses? Not to mention the fact that they sent the wrong one...

I think I'll be going to the Bobcat dealer with my old hoses and have them make me two hoses that are identical to the old ones. Don't want to waste another month trying to get the right ones from CARS.

Everything else looks right except the head gasket kit. Where is the valley cover gasket??? There are what looks to be two sets of valve cover gaskets and NO valley cover gasket. WTF??

Heads are getting taken to the machinist tomorrow for a cleanup and rebuild, along with the exh manifolds to be hot tanked and blasted for cast iron paint.

BTW, the Buick Green paint is really nice!! It goes on thick and dries VERY fast. And so does the chassi black paint. I love this stuff! I got a bunch of little parts stripped and painted tonight, so I actually feel like I made it somewhere on the car. I feel like I've been sitting idle with this thing waiting for this one shipment from CAhhhhS.

[BamaWildcat]

Yep, good old CARS. I haven't had near the trouble out of them that some folks had, but at one time my car had to wait at the body shop an additional two weeks waiting on gaskets CARS said would get there "in a couple of days".

Did you buy the Chassis and Buick Green paint from them?

[Smartin]

I did...and it's really good stuff.

[Smartin]

Hokay,

Got somewhere tonight! yay!

I painted all the engine brackets and such...(forgot to include the fuel filter housing in the picture:error: )

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/engine_parts.jpg



I also shot the firewall tonight. It needed very little touchup, and much more general cleaning than anything. There were a few spots where the paint had chipped off and started to rust a bit, so I cleaned that up along with the rest of the wall. Masked everything off and bombed it with some paint. Came out very nice! It's starting to look like a car again:grin:

This is the part I really like - when I can actually see progress being made. HOPEFULLY, I'll be able to make it to the machine shop tomorrow to drop the heads & exhaust manifolds off, and also to the Bobcat dealer to make some new power steering hoses.

Here's the firewall:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/painted_firewall.jpg

[Smartin]

More paint..


Block is done:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/block_painted.jpg

Intake:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/intake_painted.jpg

Valley Pan:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/valley_pan_painted.jpg

Core Support top bar:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/core_support_painted.jpg

[Mister T]

Looking good Adam, you going to get that battery tray as well?

[Smartin]

Yes, all the black parts will be getting a fresh coat of chassis black when I can get everything cleaned up, sanded, and masked. There's a lot of black under that hood!:laugh: The battery tray looks worse than it is. It's just dirty from me using it as a parts tray when disassembling.

Heads and manifolds are still sitting in my truck waiting to be dropped off at the shop. They weren't open yesterday, Go figure.

I also have to take the distributor up there so they can press out the roll pin. I fought that thing until I was blue in the face yesterday. The vac advance can is dead, so I have ot take the whole thing apart to replace it.:Dou:

[flynbuick]

Adam

That is great work. Could I rent you for a couple of weeks?

[Smartin]

How's the food in NC?

You'll have to help me figure out what to say to Jon when I tell him I'm leaving for a month to go play with cars on the East coast:laugh:

[flynbuick]

Tell him that you began hearing the Theme from Deliverence in your mind and you have developed a craving for pickled pigs feet.

[Smartin]

pickled pigs feet - where do I sign up??

[flynbuick]

Adam

If you can slide one of those pigs feet that has been mellowing in a 5 gallon jar of golden mystery elixer for a couple of years down your hatch then you will surely qualify to be an honorary North Carolinian in no time.

[Smartin]

Took the heads, manifolds, and distributor to the machinist today for some attention. I also ordered a fitting for the pressure power steering hose and ordered the valley pan gasket.

I got the valve covers painted this evening. Those took over 3 hours to strip and prep, so nothing else got done tonight. I wanted these to be perfect, since those are what is noticed first. Same goes with the wheel wells and all the highly visible black parts. No chipped paint or cracking under the fresh paint - just clean metal. To me, that's what makes the difference between a good job and a great job.

[BamaWildcat]

Do you have any pictures of the masking job you did in the engine compartment? I'd like to see how you got such good results without painting everything around the motor. :pp

[Smartin]

The only thing I covered was the firewall, since I have just finished that. I hung a blanket over the top and let it drape. That's it:)

[Smartin]

Machinist found a burnt intake valve and a bad valve guide. Replacing 9 valves and doing a valve job.

Exhaust manifolds are there for some R&R and new stud installation.

They were able to press sthe pin out of the distributor so I can change the vac advance can, also.

Moving right along!! Only about $700 at the machine shop :Dou:

[SharpSabre455]

Adam:

Just found this thread, my computers been broken. Great car - nice job. If you have spare time, I know of a 70 LeSabre that needs the firewall painted... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

-Paul

[Smartin]

Bring it over:Brow:

[Smartin]

Progress!

I finally jumped in and got the actual surrounding of the engine painted yesterday. (more like around midnight last night)

All the black is done, and the master cylinder, power booster, brake lines, and transmission cooling lines are finished. The washer jug is back where it is supposed to be. The horns and a few other non-invasive items will be bolted back on tonight. These pictures don't do the car justice, it looks really nice. I'm very pleased with the progress so far.

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/black_painted001.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/black_painted002.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/black_painted003.jpg

[flynbuick]

Based on that level of work I am pleased to inform you that you will be entitled to all the complimentary pigs feet you can eat while on loan here in NC.

[Smartin]

Supply the pepsi and I'll be on the next flight out:grin:

[BamaWildcat]

I need a garage! :ball:

[Smartin]

Some progress while I wait for heads:

Distributor is repaired & installed with a new vac advance and a cleaning. Valley pan is installed, along with the breather tube.

I think I'm hosed for work until I get these heads and exh manifold back from the machine shop.

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/valley_pan_installed.jpg

[BamaWildcat]

Does the transmission dipstick get painted red? I've seen a few 60's era Buicks with a red dipstick. Did not know if it was factory or not.

[Smartin]

I have not seen any red trans dipsticks. This one and others I've seen are bare metal. The oil dipstick is engine color.

[Smartin]

Got a few little things done this weekend. Most of the weekend was spent wiring a buddy's new house for phone, cable, and internet. We dropped almost 4000 feet of wire in that house :shock: At least he has the comfort of knowing he can surf the internet while sitting on the john. :rolleyes:


Heater core and firewall box are installed. I also tackled the mess of relays and voltage regulator on the drivers side.

I talked to the machine shop of Friday, and they said that the place they order their valves from had sent them one wrong valve...and it set them back almost a week. :rant: And now I'm set back a week....great! Still nothing to do!!


http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/heater_box_installed.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/relays_installed.jpg

[poison heart]

wow! That looks great. In a little while, when I get more brave (braver?), I am gunna repaint all my stuff. What is CARS? -Rob

[BamaWildcat]

CARS is a company in NJ that specializes in vintage Buick parts. Do a board search on them, as people have varying opinions on how they treat their customers. Their website is www.oldbuickparts.com, and they have an online catalog.

They have parts for your car!

[bhclark]

Adam. The car is looking absolutely incredible! Please keep the pics coming. I wish i had to tools and knowledge to tackle something like this.

[Smartin]

Thanks Brian!!


I got the heads and exh manifolds back from the shop Tuesday. They installed all new exhaust valves and one new intake valve, did a valve job, knurled the guides, and installed two new guides. They removed the old studs from the exhaust manifolds and cleaned them up for me to lay some nice cast iron grey paint on them. I just haven't had a chance to get into the garage to even paint anything yet! I'm getting anxious....

80 hours into the project so far. Without my labor charges, the total cost for parts and materials/repair, etc has been around $1400 ....Could be worse, I guess. The machine shop bill is half of that, so assuming the heads didn't need to be done, we could've gotten away with much less. I'm glad I had to remove the heads...who knows how much power I was losing with all the exhaust valves and an intake valve problem! Although, I made the decision to remove the heads when I discovered that the heat riser valve might have been stuck shut on the passenger side exhaust manifold. The only way for me to repair/remove it was to remove the manifold itself. I thought for sure I was going to break a bolt or two. Little did I know, I was going to break the whole manifold apart trying to get it off!


That's all for now..

[Smartin]

Hit the proverbial "wall:"

Need to know what way the thermostat goes in! :confused:

I don't want to install it upside down...

[Smartin]

Got a couple parts back on this weekend :Brow:


http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/engine_together001.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/engine_together002.jpg


Still stumped on the thermostat position question, though..

[Smartin]

doing some putzing before I try to turn the key for the first time..

I have to change the oil and charge the battery before I let it rip.:beer

I have some cleaning up to do after I get it all together, but it's lookin' pretty good now.

For some reason, no one has 7/64 vacuum line.:Do No:

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/engine_complete.jpg

[Smartin]

SHE RUNS!!!!

:grin::grin:

I smoked myself out of the garage when all the paint started cooking, but it was worth it :cool:

Minor fuel leak at the filter, but that was my fault for not tightening the nut :Dou:

It sounds really strong. I will change the oil one more time, and set the carb and timing. She should be good to go for a spin here soon. Too bad it's raining :spank:

[Smartin]

I took it for a drive this afternoon.

When I first started it, the car would not want to stay running. I looked at the choke and it was not engaging, so I flipped the choke plate shut and let it warm up that way. It stayed running with the plate shut. When it was warmed up, I flipped the plate back open. Talk about manual choke! That's obviously a problem I need to look into, along with the stumble off idle when I touch the gas. Since EVERYTHING else is new and replaced, I am assuming it is the carb/accel pump since that is the only part I did not inspect before I reinstalled it. Looks like I need to get it rebuilt. I may just have someone do it...not sure yet. That's not real high on the priority list right now though.

[STAGE III]

Adam!
:shock: :shock: :shock:

Dang dude! Wish I had seen this post earlier but I wanted to compliment you on some excellent work :TU:

Gives me some excitement to do my doggy engine compartment.

Very very nice..........oh and I'll raise Jim's pig foot offer by two, throw in a dozen pickled eggs, and a mess O crawdads (Disclaimer: you will need to stay away from sources of ignition for several days afterward :laugh: ).

BTW mine is currently in the paint shop WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooo!

[MikeM]

My brother had the identical car, colors and everything, back in the 60s when he was in the Navy, and temporarily stationed in California while his aircraft carrier was in dry dock repairs. I actually showed him these pictures and he confirmed that to him it looked exactly the same. Told me that he sold it when they went back out to sea again (Vietnam days) to another Navy guy from South Carolina. That's one stunning car and you're doing great with it. Do you know any history on it? Did it happen to ever be a California car?

You know, I like your Centurian but seems to me with your skills being demonstrated here that you should consider something a little more exotic befitting your talents. A red and white '69 Wildcat convertible comes to mind since you like the big cars.

[Smartin]

History on the car:

I'm sure Hank knows more than I do, but it was bought by him early this past Spring from a guy named Clarence Gooley (sp?) in Indianapolis, IN. The car had undergone a cosmetic restoration in 1994 and got a senior award at the BCA national that year. That's all I know about this particular car.

There are TWO others just like this one. Rick Schick, the head BCA judge has one, and there is one close to Buffalo, NY with 21,000 original miles....which was bought new by that guy. Rick's car has A/C and a bench seat. Hank's car and the 21xxx mile car both have no AC and bucket seats.

[Smartin]

Fritz!

I was wondering when you would chime in on this thread:beer

I could be the "traveling resto guy":laugh:

Depending on how things continue to go, I may be able to do this on a more serious scale soon. Our irrigation company was looking into leasing a building that had enough room for the irrigation PLUS a VERY large paint booth/shop for me and my Buicks. It was an unfortunate thing that the place had so many code violations that we'd rather start from ground zero....so on to new places to look at! I really hope I can get some space in the new building to work. The garage isn't working out....especially when I need to keep MY car out of the elements on a regular basis.

[STAGE III]

Dude!

Yeh, I missed it for awhile but I was on yahoo DETERMINED to find the exterior trim I need for mine (minor hail damage) and way down the list I got forwarded here on this topic.

Glad it did :TU:

I don't know how much you'd charge to do an engine compartment up like that but if I could afford it I'd put my 60 first in line (for real) :TU:

I still love the thought of doing things myself but 3 children, wife still recovering from the cancer side effects and 5 acres to care for and a family business have kinda taken the wind out of my sails.

There will be better days though.

BTW mine has the factory A/C, Auto-Tronic Eye,Bucket seats AND the very rare console.We love our car!

Now if I can get a written quote from someone for the stainless repairs we can proceed . The appraiser figured only 12 ft of stainless repairs at $20 per linear foot.
Problem is I have already counted 81 FEET of s.s. trim on this beast!

The appraiser said to just They refigure it and just"Go ahead and we can figure it all later" but my bodyshop wants them to send the check to AT LEAST cover the R&I (remove and install) of the trim, which I agree with.

I wish I could write my own quote,do the trim myself (or buy used buffable parts) and spend the extra money getting bumpers rechromed or something.

[Smartin]

Sent you a PM..

[BamaWildcat]

Adam,

It looks like I gave you bad advice regarding the direction of the thermostat. I just looked at my parts motor again, and the cone is pointed done, opposite of what I told you. The attached JPG is the only area in my 64 FSM that shows or mentions the position of the thermostat.

Sorry :Dou:

[Smartin]

I'm pretty sure I got it right, Joe:grin: I posted the same question on the BCA forums and someone posted a picture of how it is oriented in the housing.

Does anyone agree that these cars really need clutch fans??

[Smartin]

I give up on this hesitation/bog problem. Time to let the pros dig into the carb this time.

I pulled the accel pump out of it, and it obviously needed to be changed. But "apparently", the carb was rebuilt a week before Hank bought the car (this Spring). Possibly worn throttle shaft bushings is my guess now. I ran the car this evening after the pump change, and NO difference. And there is a real big bog when the secondaries open up. At first, I thought I was dealing with a qjet with this bog problem :grin:

Anyway, I'm throwin' in the towel with this carb. And now the generator is making noise.

[Smartin]

Apparently, the solvent(s) I used to clean up the frame and power steering gear box were too much for the shaft seals. Another order and another $64 to Classic Buicks.. I was hoping I was done with the engine compartment.

I was under there a few minutes ago trying to find the source of the steering fluid RIVER, and I wiped the boxx clean, and could easily see it seeping out of the shaft seal. It dripped on the floor about 6 times in the 5 minutes I was on the floor. It's almost like the seal is completely gone. No wonder the steering wheel felt weird when I was driving it. I kept sucking air through the seal!

[Smartin]

How about some more pictures?

The BOX. I guess this will give me a reason to make it look good now. The seal kit came to the office a 3:30 today, but the USPS didn't leave it. Someone should've been there to take the package. Oh well....maybe tomorrow!!!

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/steering_box001.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/steering_box002.jpg

[Smartin]

Ahhhhhh progress again....finally.


Trunklid is finished, with the exception of the matting that is inside the lid itself. I'm unsure of if I want to rip that old stuff out or not. It looks like more of a chore than it's worth. I may just leave it int there until a judge tells me to rip it out and replace it :grin: I think the paint turned out a SMIDGE darker than the rest of the car, but It looks like it'll be ok, since it's separated from the rest of the car. :rolleyes: (I hope so, anyway.) I figured this would be the hardest thing to do, since the paint is 12 years old....and lacquer.

I got the air cleaner base painted, also. Hood insulation is installed, too.

There are a couple shots of the finished engine bay, just for $#!+$ and giggles.

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/trunk_lid_painted.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/engine_detail001.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/engine_detail002.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/hood_insulation.jpg

[flynbuick]

Just lovely work there brother.

[Smartin]

There is about 5000 hours left of nothing but cleaning to do now. There is dust everywhere. I'll rub the paint out and give it a nice coat of wax to get all the crap and any overspray that might have gotten on it. Lots of chrome and stainless to polish!!! JEEZ

The metallic paint really does a good job of covering everything in sight....workbench, floor, my shoes, hair, :laugh:

[flynbuick]

What is the story on the panels attached to the underside of the hood?

[Smartin]

It's one big piece of fabric-type material. Very similar to the tar paper on the floor, but more of a light waffle pattern. It is only removable by hacking it into pieces and pulling out/shaking it out of the lid. This is why I have not replaced it yet. I really hope I don't have to either.

Apparently, it was installed at the factory before the two pieces were pressed together.

[flynbuick]

I am talking in to front over the engine.

[Smartin]

woops, misread your post.


On the HOOD? They're just wedged in there. The center piece is glued, since it will not stay by itself.

[GoldBoattail455]

Very nice work, makes me kick myself for not removing my heads and having them re-done and re-painted. :Dou: BTW, what is with the green hood springs? :Do No:

[Smartin]

Apparently, that's a stock thing. I've seen a bunch with the engine green hood springs. Weird...

[ncbuicks]

while out crusing the back roads I found a 1960 2drht that the original owner parked 15 years ago. I bought it in a heart beat. needs a hood and small rust hole in right front fender. still has original spare use one time for 15 miles. Iam going to get it tommorrow. His wife has a 59 4drht setting in barn she bought new doesn't know if she can part with it. It is a real nice car.If anyone in the raleigh,nc area knows where i might find a hood for a 60 lesabre i would appreciate the help.

[54Roadmasters]

NCBuicks,
I'm coming up to Raleigh Friday (12/30) from Athens, GA to pick up a 54 Special that a barn fell in on. I may know where there is a hood for ya, not sure if it is a 59 or 60. Hey I'd be seriously interested in hearing more about that 59. Do you know what series it is, Not that it really matters!! What's up with all these old cars in barns up that way.
Adam, sorry to butt in on your thread but just had to make contact re this 59. I've already given you praises over on the BCA board but man it looks even better over here. You did take me serious when I told you to put me on your list didn't you.
I'll ante up a bunch of collards and pot of black eyed peas.
MrEarl

[STAGE III]

You can send me a PM on the hood and I will check on it for you (will be a while due to wifes up coming surgery) so leave me as a back up in case you can't find one.
In the meantime feel free to contact me directly on 60 model questions as I will be trapped at home a bunch for the next month or so taking care of my wife and 3 children and car talk will be a nice change of pace :laugh: .

I'm here in NC also :TU:

electra60@carolina.rr.com

[Smartin]

Welp, it's done.

I did a claybar treatment on the paint to remove any dust or overspray I got on the car while I was working on it. Those claybars do wonders on paint!! It's slick as snot now....and a little show car glaze on top of that does a paint job good.

There is a small vibration in the steering, but it feels like there is still air in the pump/box, and or the new seals are still a little dry. I may end up getting the car back in it does not quit. :rolleyes: The passenger side windshield fogged up when I fired it up this morning, but it quit after a minute or two. I pulled off the cover under the dash, and saw where coolant was coming out. It was at the heater control valve. I watched it to see if it would continue to leak, and I saw nothing. I ran the car a few more times after that and looked every time, and didn't see any more seepage. Maybe it sealed itself back up? I would really hate to have to pull that whole mess out again. Talk about a pain in the butt!!

Just a few pictures for an overview:

This is really a pretty car.

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/car_complete001.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/car_complete002.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/car_complete003.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/car_complete004.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/car_complete005.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/car_complete006.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/car_complete007.jpg
http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/car_complete008.jpg

[BuickLeSabre1960]

They are red on both of my 1960's and on my brothers '66 Pontiac Catalina



Does the transmission dipstick get painted red? I've seen a few 60's era Buicks with a red dipstick. Did not know if it was factory or not.

[Smartin]

Interesting...

What motors are in your 60's? I wonder if it is supposed to be red for all of them, or is a factory specific thing, or a motor size thing?

[BuickLeSabre1960]

They are both 364s, one is the second from the bottom wildcat the other is the normal 2 barrel

[GoldBoattail455]

WOW! :shock: That looks so nice. :TU: I hope my engine turns out half as nice.

[bhclark]

Once again, Adam, let me just say

WOW! :TU:

I sheer piece of art.

[Smartin]

Thanks!:grin:

I may do something similar to the 71 LeSabre I just bought....not sure yet though.

[STAGE III]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4605097656&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ASS%3AUS%3A1 :Do No: :Brow: :TU:

[Smartin]

Are those supposed to be cut into the carpet?

[STAGE III]

Not sure if they are or not to tell the truth.

Just looked like your interior (lemme know if you ever see some black and gray 60 interior items) anyhow looked like yours so thought I'd let ya know.

I was looking at those claybars I was so impressed with how this one turned out then I remembered mine finally got painted! :Dou: :TU:

Yahooooooooooooo for new paint!


Fritzenswartzenaeger :3gears:

[Smartin]

The claybars are amazing! ....particularly for paint jobs that have been in some weather.

[Smartin]

Welp, the 60 is gone. I do have to replace the custom power steering hose with one from CARS, which I'm not too happy about, but that's a 15 minute job.

And a new project comes in! This one is easy, though. Regular maintenance items like fluids and such, and all the rubber on the car is getting replaced. It has a nice new white top though! I will have to adjust the front bumper - every time he drives this car behind me, it crawls under my skin....the driver side is cocked up about an inch.

No engine work on this car....except the power steering pump is making noise....bearings?

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/62_electra_arriving.jpg


My LeSabre is jealous of all the attention the other cars are getting. You can actually see it pouting.

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/hank_d/empty_garage.jpg


I got to visit my convertible today...I miss the power!! and the stereo...

[STAGE III]

Hey man,

Found the answer to our question on those mats.http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4605097656&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ASS%3AUS%3A1

Here is the quote from another more detailed ad:

"These mats were offered by Buick as a dealer installed accessory in 1964 and 1965. They look like the metal-ribbed inserts that came in the 1961 and later Olds Starfire, but are not the same. They have sharp metal prongs around the perimeter that actually go through the carpeting and then are bent to hold them in place. They have a foam material on the back"

To late on the others I guess but next time we'll know :Smarty:

[Smartin]

interesting! Thanks for the info, Fritzenswartzenaeger:beer:grin:

[STAGE III]

Thats MISTER Fritzenswartzenaeger to you pal! :laugh:

Although Mister Fritzenswartzenaegerbrewskimiester has a nice ring to it also :Brow:

[CameoInvicta]

Hey Adam, how hard was it to rip out that old heater core? I'm going to have to fairly soon and just want to know what I'm getting myself into. Thanks!

[Smartin]

It was an absolute nightmare. Sicne you have a 62, it may be slightly different. I have a 62 in the garage right now, and I'll go take a look to see if it's close to the same story....

[Smartin]

It looks the same, but you have much more room than I did in the 60 under the dash to get the heater box out. The core is bolted in the heater box, and the box must be removed partially to get the core unbolted.

I don't think there ever was a car made that had an easy-access heater core.

[MikeM]

Maybe a Corvair. :)

[Mister T]

I don't think there ever was a car made that had an easy-access heater core.
If you'll call a Ferd a car, :laugh: I can tell you that the 65-66 full size were a snap to R & R. I think 4 small bolts to remove after disconnecting the hoses, yank the puppy out, install new one, bolt it up, connect hoses = done in about 15 minutes. :TU:

(my first car was a 66 Ferd Galaxie)

[CameoInvicta]

I don't think there ever was a car made that had an easy-access heater core.

I couldn't agree with you more!

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it. When you removed the heater core, do you remember having to remove the heater floor pan ducts and the adapter between them and the heater assembly? My chassis manual says that needs to be done before I can yank the heater out from under the dash. Thanks for the help!

[Smartin]

Whatever it takes to get that big metal box out from under there.

If there is a small piece of plastic duct work that needs to come out, then you gotta remove it. Most of the time, these are the easy steps. It's the issue of physically pulling the heater box studs out of the firewall to bring the box back from under the dash. From the engine compartment, there are speed nuts that hold the outer heater box to the firewall. The studs coming out of the firewall are part of the inner heater box. You will be able to see the heater core in plain sight when you remove this cover. It took me a while to remove the heater core in this car due to the cables not wanting to cooperate and holding the box under the dash. It was also much tighter than the 62's dash.

[CameoInvicta]

Alright, thanks again!

I've already attempted to get the heater air inlet case that's in the engine bay off and that's been a pain. I don't really know why it's not coming off, all nuts are off, its dissconnected from the blower itself, but it just wont come. One stud in particular is giving my troubles. Oh well, guess I'll just give it another try tomorrow.

[Smartin]

That can be a bear to get loose, because it's basically glued to the firewall with sealer.

[CameoInvicta]

Oh, thanks for the info Adam!

[Smartin]

If you can get all the nuts off, then I would try to pull the heater box out from under the dash without pulling the outer box off. There's no real reason to, unless you plan on painting it like I did.

[CameoInvicta]

Well, I finally got around to ripping out the old heater core two days ago. It didn't take as long as I anticipated but it was certainly a pain in the butt. Overall, I think it took me about 2 - 2 1/2 hours. I probably could have saved a little time if I hadn't taken out the front seat but I figured it would make the job easier.

After I actually got the core out, I discovered that the padding under front carpet on the passenger side was damp. I figurued that must be from the core leaking. Anybody possibly know where I can get new stuff? Also, where's a good place to go for repro carpet? Thanks :beer !

Again Adam, thanks for the help :) .

[buicks4ever]

Adam, that looks like a beautiful 62 Convertible. My father bought a 62 LeSabre brand new in 62, which I believe was the same color as this one. Do you think the owner would be interested in selling? I'm into the 70's cars as you are, but I'd like to own a car like my dad had. You've got a beautiful Centurion. It's the only year I don't have yet. I've got a 72,73 Centurion Convertible,74 LeSabre Luxus Convertible, and a 73 Electra Limited. One of these days I'll register the Centurions on your website. Nice job on the 60 Buick. Take Care, Mark

[Smartin]

The owner of the car recently passed away, so yes they will probably be for sale sometime in the next year.

[Smartin]

This, as well as Hank's 56, 58, and 62 are at Hyman, LTD for sale:

http://www.hymanltd.com/search/Details.asp?stockno=3313&recordCount=0

Here is the 58 on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Buick-Roadmaster-Show-quality-58-Roadmaster-convertible-from-Hyman-Ltd_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6143QQihZ006QQitemZ 160009984223QQrdZ1

[grnlark]

$58,500? :puzzled:

How about if you only want one? :laugh:

[dmfconsult]

Nice cars for sure... the '60 is a little high on the totem pole, must be the premium for the "Smartin Touch"... would you be the "local Buick Enthusiast" that restored the car? That's gotta be worth $25-$30K alone :grin:

I would like to get my hands on the '58 Roadmaster 'vert, what a beauty and obviously a very well looked after collection. I'm sure this gentleman's family wished they didn't have to sell his collection.

[Smartin]

The 60 will be at auction in Florida on February 9th:

http://www.rmauctions.com/CarList.cfm?SaleCode=FL07#

[jeoliver]

truly fantastic. put me in your will i have wanted 60 -225 covert. for 40 yrs.