I lived in cold Victoria (Australia) for 6 years with the Buick. Finally fixed the factory heater after freezing every winter and the wife up and moves us 2200Km north to the Sunshine Coast (equivalent of Florida). Heater is basically as useless as tits on a bull. I think I've used it maybe once in 3 years here. That said, summers OMG the humidity is crazy and I am constantly soaked with sweat. So that's it...after market air con. I will keep a project update going in this tread as it will be an interesting project. I am tossing up Vintage Air or RestoMod Air. I like both, but size and ducts will be the biggest determinant. I am putting 55 Chev side vents in each side of the dash and a Clayton machine works single oval vent in the centre. I have bought a radio delete panel for that. Switches will go above the vent. But I like my tunes, and it is a daily driver that gets left everywhere. Today it has a basic "old style" looking Retrosound radio that works great. But it will have to go. So I am buying a 7" "fold out" Pioneer deck with apple car play and all the bells and whistles. It will go where the ash tray currently is, my plan is it will sit behind the lid that opens and closes for he ash tray. When closed it will look like it has no radio, when opened, the 7" screen will fold out and tunes galore !! Lots to order, lots to do, but parts on the way....pics and updates to follow
Awesome project....I'd love to build one from scratch like that...mine is just getting small upgrades here and there, after this project...redo full interior
Alrighty, heater out. Measured up and have decided to go with a RestoMod Air system. Smaller than I probably should, but I actually want to tuck it way up under the dash and the bigger systems sit lower in passenger foot well. Yes I am running an SBC in this (daily driver and too hard to get parts locally in Australia if it breaks. I can buy SBC stuff easy) As with all great/fun/normal car projects, so finding a compressor bracket that will fit is a challenge. I need to change alternator to other side etc etc basically change half my accessory pulleys location....so when in Rome ...let's turn this into a biggest more expensive project. I am now going to run a CV Racing black anodised serpentine kit. I've also decided that I am going to strip the engine bay, do a full respray of the engine bay and tidy up and neaten it all up. with the shitty FX rate to the AUD and massive delivery fees (to get air con and serp kit my delivery costs are nearly $1200) I'm already at nearly AUD$8K to add some air con....but hey go big or go home...oh and I still have the new stereo to add also. I can see this turning into a chassis off rebuild if I'm not careful (just to get some cool air)
Nice one, it's only money,, you can always make more I just sweat it out in Western Sydney like a pleb
Wraptor pulley system arrived today.....parts coming in by the day. Electric fan, relays, etc. Radio delete plate arrived...not a 61 (argh !!!). Going to fab my own and either get it chromed or paint it.
OK, so a bit of an update. I found out why SBC's don't belong in Buicks. Engine is at 13 degrees. (yes Pinion angle is set right, they at least did that - that is the shop that did the conversion). Remember engine leaning 4 degrees to the right and off centre chewing engine mounts and the off centre bearing. So I cut out the frame stands. I buy 3 different ones. Short and wide, tall and skinny etc from the GM range (Nova's Camaro, Chevelle). Well none of those work. I can get it level side to side, but I can't get it below 11 degrees. The cross member on the Buick is narrow and deep. Even if I have it sitting in the motor mount (no frame stand) on the cross member, best I can get is 9 degrees. So I'm thinking OK I need to cut the cross member, notch it and lower the engine. Well can't to that. Oil pan hits the steering linkage. So now I think what now. So I shim the trans up at the cross member by 1". Now I can fab some new frame stands (really low) and I can get it to 8 degrees. That's with oil pan clearing steering by 1/4" and trans / yolk clearing tunnel by rough 1/4" also. And doing this I don't need to notch the front cross member. What an exercise. Tomorrow's job is to start mocking up the new frame stands. Air con has not arrived yet. Back ordered, so plenty of time. Another while I am here....I am thinking I need to replace the body bushings....any advice. It's at home in my garage. can I do it with a trolley jack and some jack stands?
Everything is here. New frame stands welded and bolted in. Fully degreased engine bay. Scuffed all surfaces of engine bay. Will paint late this week. Going semi gloss black inc firewall. the reassemble and drive
Thats funny! Looks like a nice car, I'd rather deal with a hot sticky climate than a cold one. SBC I understand your reasons tho ESPECIALLY in todays world, Buick (and other) makes are sketchy as far as obtaining parts, mainstream powerplants are getting there too
