Staring a 1955 Buick Super

I have read in several places about starting a buick with the gas pedal, but i have a start switch to the right of the sterring wheel that looks factor. before i took the car apart I used this start button thinking this was correct and only method to start the car. I am guessing that both are factory and both can be used to start the car.. Am i right?:idea2:

 

No. Originally gas pedal start only. This was used from the 30's up to 1960 on Buick's.

 

how do you convert it back to original?? assume disconnect start switch from inside start button and run thru the firewall back to switch on Carb??

 

The switch on the carb usually gets carbon in it and the ball won't move to make contact. the switch is black carbon or plastic .remove the switch and try wd40 to free the slide or ball. Haven't done one for a long time so I hope I'm not steering you wrong
Good Luck

 

Thanks for the info!!! The carb is brand new rebuild... I just need to know how to wire it. I understand it has two wires, but not sure where those wires are/supposed to come from. I have a start button inside the car. My wiring harness has been spliced and re-spliced, painted...I would guess that I could take the wires off the start switch and run them thru the firewall to the Carb switch, not sure if this would work Or if I would need something else.

 

Re: Starting a 1955 Buick Super

I have a '55 Buick Super myself. It is correct that the pedal is what starts your car. To the right of your steering wheel, you should have the ignition switch that I believe should say "LOCK" and "OFF". Also says either "ON" or "START"
Turn your ignition key to the "ON" or "START" and simply press on the gas pedal. It should start right up and the starter knows to stop automatically once the car is on... Pretty cool technology.
But if this feature has been disconnected and a start button has been installed ( which I had to do when I replaced my carb), you need only to disconnect the two wires and reconnect to that little black box you guys were talking about on the back of the original carb.
On a side note.: something cool about the ignition swith, you don't need to have a key all the time. You can turn it off and simply turn it to the "on" position by hand to restart. You'll of course need the key to "lock" the ignition later.

 

Air Force Guy

Here is a link and discussion on the same topic which may help. I have a 56 Workshop manual I can refer to but am unsure if the wiring circuit / loom colours are the same on a 55.

http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=136130&highlight=carb+starter+switch

Hope this helps.

Ross

 

Buick for 1955:
Now you can start your car by just staring at it....!!!
Wouldn't you rather stare at a Buick....???

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

There should one lead going from the ignition switch to the starter switch on the carb. The other lead off the carb goes to the starter. When the car isn't running the ball inside the carb switch is springloaded up to complete the circuit. Once the car starts, and there is engine vacuum, the ball gets pulled out of the way, breaking the circuit. On these old Buicks vacuum has to be good, meaning no leaks, otherwise the starter could conceivably grind itself to dust because the circuit isn't broken. What usually goes wrong is the bakelite plastic around the switch starts to deteriorate, or the ball passageway gets filled up with crud and starts to stick. Finding Buick-only carb casts is very difficult, most have disappeared long ago. As far as I know, Buick was the only company to use this set up, and it ran through to the 1960 models. I've seen some older Buicks with a retrofitted Chevy or Olds key-switch once the original unit failed.