I have a 1959 LeSabre 4 door Hard Top that I inherited from my Grandfather several years back. I finally have built a detached garage where I can start wrenching on it, but I'm in a dilemna about what direction to take with this car. I'm not big on 100% originality and I want to be able to make it dependable, but at the same time I don't want to rip the whole drivetrain out and start from scratch. This car has a 364 mated to a twin turbine Dynaflow trans. Behind that is a torque tube that connects to a rear end that I am unfamiliar with. The rear suspension consists of two long track arms that connect to the torque tube and a panhard bar. Because of this unique setup I'd have to replace everything if I wanted to modernize the drivetrain, and I think that would really kill the essence of what this car is. So at this point I'm looking for ideas of what I can do, it anything to modernize the drivetrain? Also, if you have a 59-60 Buick project car with a similar setup please chime in and let me know what you have done with it. Thanks, Mike
If you want to modernize it you may want to set the body on an early 70s Estate Wagon chassis. You currently have an enclosed drive train set up. If you go to an open set up like on the Estate Wagon chassis you will be able to keep the 455 and turbo 400 trans. The Dynaflow trans leaves a lot to be desired and the 455 will be a lot stonger.
Surrender, and hand the car over to me. No, seriously, I have a 59 LeSabre flattop sedan. I just had the Twin Turbine rebuilt and the car runs like a dream. That 364 is plenty strong to move that car if everything runs well. With the original steering and suspension, it handles like a bag of marshmallows, so the last thing you need to do is put a big block with a whiplash tranny in it to make it go even faster. Mine handles like a fine speedboat, and turns heads at every stoplight, and yours can too.
Yeah, that car definately floats. I don't need it to be a high HP screamer, but I still want to feel comfortable driving it in traffic and getting onto the freeway. I heard that the mid 80's Regal master cylinder and brake booster will fit with minor mods and will work fantastic with the stock drums if used with a 68-72 all drum proportioning valve. Has anyone done this? I'd rather convert the front brakes to disc though. I was also going to look into air ride technologies so I can get the ride more responsive.
I have a 455/ TH400/ Dana 60 in my '59 Invicta in the factory frame (the K-section was removed). Everything fits fine, but I will say mine was accordingly build for HP/handling. You could keep the 364 and swap out the trans/rear, but of course some degree of RR suspension fabrication is then necessary. No real reason to swap to discs IMO- the Al-Fins don't fade and you're hard-pressed to go larger with rotors in 15" wheels. Give the car some tread and it'll stop better than a new car.
I just was reading a 1958 article on a Roadmaster with a 300 HP 364 , 10 to 1 Compression. That was able to do 0 to 60 in 9 seconds, not bad at all. And every test with those trannys shows the car was 2 seconds faster 0 to 60 starting in low....
Just starting a 59 Invicta Project myself, what did you decide with the motor trans package? I need a 366 or 401 as mine is motor less. Will bag mine also and modify grill. I am on 59Buick.com also
Oh ya, starting it in low they get up to 60 in a hurry. Even in low, with 28in tires, with the trans kicked down, I only got to 4300rpms before I had to back off for traffic (about 55mph). If you have the room these things MOVE!
Well, I started to take the car apart last summer and stopped there. I got obsessed with building my GN instead. Now that it is complete, it is time to start to look back at the LeSabre. I pulled the whole front clip apart and pulled the motor. Unfortunately it has about .006 of taper in the cylinders which is way too much to just hone and ring. Plus, the block has A LOT of rust in it. I'm worried about how much money it will cost to rebuild the motor, not to mention finding someone who knows Nailheads that won't charge me an arm and a leg. I could probably get a new 3rd member for the diff and get the torque tube eliminator kit and then do a motor swap. If I put in an LS2 or LQ9 at least I can still say it has a 364. :laugh: I want to make sure that this thing is reliable and I can really drive it. Garage Queens are not enjoyable. Thoughts?
Well...I cut my teeth on a 60 Invicta, and they were great cars in their day, they aren't that hot in modern traffic. They're respectably quick, the Twin Turbine is a gas to drive, and a person can get used to the handling. Torque tube drive is neat, there's no undue twisting, clunking or anything, just smooth power. That said, conversions are tough, and from my position as a vintage car appraiser, the conversion better be good, professionally done or at least done by someone who knows what they are doing, and it better improve the car immensely otherwise you're just throwing money into a hole. I've seen lots of kibbled together conversions that work, but they're all a sort of "it works, but you gotta do this or else" kind of cars. You might want to consider Camilla's offer...however, if you have the time and the money to do it right, the results can be quite rewarding. Just remember that a 59 LeSabre in #2 or #1 shape tops out at between 20 to 29K; you could easily dump $40K into it just to get the local motor vehicles outfit to approve the mods.
