Tom, those three classics from the '50s will bring alot of attention and hope everyone has a grand time! Like James said, post some pictures as you don't see that situation every day. Jack
Absolutely beautiful job on the Special! I have a '57 series 48 (two door post), and this is an inspiration! Gets me excited all over again about working on it this Spring. She's roadworthy now, but has a few bugs I need to work out, and hope to get to some aesthetic work this year too. I went with '57 Cadillac hubcaps, but in the end, mine is going to be more of a period correct Hotrod look than original.
Thanks and if I can do nothing more than to inspire someone to make their classic Buick better in a positive way, whether aesthetically, upgrade, or just maintentance..then I've done something worthwhile. Although this car will make a few local 'carshow circuits' after finished, it's going to be driven by the owner. Good luck with your car and BTW, I basically like anything that came with the '57 Caddy. I didn't like it when GM took the 'Crown' and the little 'Ducks' out of their emblem.....but then, I'm from the old school.
Just finished up assembling the front bumper on this car today. The Rear bumper was done first and I'll include a link for it also. Too cold to work in the shop the last few days, so did it at the house.
BTW while it's on my mind...here's a little info to tuck away in your notes if new glass is in your future. On these '50's Buicks, the original OEM flat glass is much thicker than the reproduction stuff, whether it's vent, door or quarter. The original glass setting tape was thin and about 1/32". In general or most cases, you will have to go up to 1/16" setting tape to get a satisfactory fit with this reproduction glass. (On the vent windows, your just going to see what does the best, solid rubber or the rubber/cork style). Now you can have flat glass cut at your favorite local glass installer in the USA and it might be thicker....but we're talking tinted glass here. Cars, Inc. has the setting tape in both sizes and in the 'cork on one side and rubber on the other' style. That's the one to use and the cork goes on the outside of the glass and down into the channel. After you get the glass in the channel and your happy with it, use a razor blade or equivalent, and trim the excess off by going around the glass frame. Don't be afraid you'll cut the glass..you won't, unless your King Kong or something. I'm not a glass man for sure, but it was a different ball game back then and I've done a few. Can get frustrating....However, the 'details' on how to install glass is not this subject and not the purpose here..just a heads up on the difference in OEM glass and tape. Maybe save you taking two shipments from the supplier.
Here's a couple of links for those who like to see before and after pictures, both front and rear bumper progression. It's always good to have this task done and waiting for installation. http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23650829 http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23650833
I guess I might as well include this one too. The grill on this 57 Buick Special is a rare and expensive piece and very difficult to find one for sale. It's also expensive to repair and it's pot metal. There are 101 vertical bars in the grill. Fortunately, this one was in great shape. It comes apart in the middle and that's the way it went to and came back from the plater. Now it's ready to go. http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23650996
Oh, Baby! However, looks like the 'grunt' list would be rear bumper no 1, then the front, and last but not least..the grill. The front end holding up that bumper and grill must have been an exciting time for those 53 years....I'll be using the cherry picker/jack on that rear and probably front too.
Good idea! I thought of that, too; the second time I took my bumpers off and on!! The 55 bumper is 7 pieces. The 55 grill is one piece.
I know it depends on condition to begin with, but do you mind me asking who plated the grille, and roughly how much they charged to do so? I'm hoping to get to some chrome done on my '57 this year and next, and have got a good idea on prices for bumpers, but none for the grille. Loving the updates, that car is a beauty!
Thanks and here's the info you asked for. This grill needed no repairs and was just over $700. Your a long way from Texas, but all my stuff goes to 'Speed & Sport Chrome Plating' in Houston. Owner is Craig Bierman. IMO, they have the fasted turnaround in the business...have always advertized 15 days. Takes 20 some times. I've never had to send anything back.
Before I delete the following post I made recently on another site, I'm going to repeat it here before leaving the subject of glass. May help someone rebuilding their doors or windows in their classic Buick. Many times the window door glass bottom metal channel is rusted out and/or through in spots in the bottom of the channel and needs repair or replacing. For most of these early models, this part has not been reproduced to my knowledge. This '57 Riviera door glass has a distinct curved bottom and continuing to use the original channels insures the important fit between glass and channel. A simple and permanent repair is to clean out the channel of loose rust followed by spraying or brush painting the bottom with a rust preventive or treatment. Follow this by spot mig welding a flexable small gauge steel strip to the bottom of the channel as shown in the pictures. This is a cheap and effective fix.
The dash in this car breaks down to basically 10 structural pieces, not including the instrument package. So after the primer dries we're going to work on getting the dash frame temporarly in the car so we can determine which AC evaporator unit, for sure, is going to fit under there and clear. There's not much room but I understand a '67 to '72 Chevy pickup unit from Vintage will go. We're going to see what Old Air has to offer that will fit. Their not too far down the road in Ft. Worth. "One size fits all" doesn't apply here. After painting the dash and putting the instrument package in it, I'll completely wire the back of it before I put the dash in, and that way the harness to the engine will simply plug into the main firewall grommet. The wires for the coil and carb. accelerator switch go through a seperate location over on the passenger side. Here's a couple of pictures of the dash in primer (some of it) and it's starting to look good inside and under the dash. Will be installing the wiper motor and transmissions in pretty quick now. Lots of detail work going on presently.
