April 6th 2003, 6 pm - IT RUNS !  A tribute to Buick's centennial

 

We started this Saturday by going to a mall, shopping some mandatory stuff, shoes for the kids etc. But I also bought a new 12 volt battery and a bottle of champagne. What are those for, Tuula asked? Well I'm gonna try and fire up the Buick engine this weekend, no matter what. Yeah right - get serious! I'm dead serious. What if it doesn't start, she replied? Well, then I'm gonna drink the champagne all by myself...

I just couldn't bear it any longer. I had to try firing it up to get peace for my soul. I installed the headers and flex members to complete the exhaust all the way to the mufflers under the driver's seat,  then installed the original intake with a NOS Stromberg AAV-26 carb, which I found at a local parts warehouse (same family has run it in 3 generations),  finished the essential part of wiring, run a lenght of tubing from the pump into a canister of gas (I don't have a fuel tank yet), plugged the vacuum port at the intake. Then I poured some coolant into the radiator - until I heard some coolant dropping on the floor. The thermostat housing bolt was leaking a lot. I fixed it with some rubber/metal seals used for hydraulics, and it was still leaking but not that much.  Now's my time I thought, sucked some gas through the line to prime the system, then turned the key to "ON" position, then crossed my fingers and pressed the pedal. It cranks, great, at least something is working. But I see some gas seeping from the gas line connection. I turn some more tension on the hose clamp, then crank again, and now it fires up! I can't believe it's running! I'm so thrilled I forgot lo look at the oil pressure gauge. I keep the revs up to run in the camshaft and lifters (it's crucial to get the lifters rotating right at the start, otherwise they'll start chewing up the cam lobes). I decide to let the revs down to hear the exhaust tone, but the engine is reluctant to idle, and also hesitates whenever I pump the pedal. The reason could be found in the accelerator pump, vacuum leak, retarded timing, anything, but I don't care, as it sure runs now. Hard to say anything about the exhaust tone, there's so much mechanical noise from the engine, and the steel walls and ceiling echo all over. The exhaust fumes are getting at me, and I also smell gas, strong smell. I shut it down, go outside for a moment to get some fresh air, and come back the check the casulties. Well the gas pump strainer gasket is leaking like a garden hose, and there's already a large puddle under the car. Coolant is leaking at the thermostat housing, but also at the capillary tube connection at the cylinder head. Maybe somewhere else too. I check the carb for leaks, as it's been sitting on a shelf for some 50 years. The only leak there is coming from the idle mixture screws. I'm done for today, so I disconnect the battery, dry off the floor, and go pop the bottle of champagne!  Congratulations BUICK, for your centennial as a marque!

Notice the water trap before the carb? It's an inexpensive spare part for a tractor. Some would say it's period-perfect. I quess the only thing that didn't leak was the power steering pump or lines. Think positive :-)   I'm sorry to let you down, but I didn't have anything handy to shoot a video clip, so you have to wait to hear it run, maybe even until summer, when I can drive it out of the hut. Also notice the engine-turned stainless panels on top of the fender wells. I made them up because I like shiny stuff!

Here you see the stainless fluted/braided flex members. I had these custom-made for me, and they connect to the headers with industrial-type screw-on fittings.