| I have started
up numerous
things, but cannot seem to get anything finished. It also appears that
I haven't had as much time for my project as earlier this fall. Anyway,
I finally got the power brake master cylinder and booster fit into the
confined space between the clutch and brake pedals. I have spent 5-10
times
more time with this step than I should have.
To get rif of the bulky vacuum diaphragm, I even considered what's called "Hydro-boost", a booster that operates off the fluid pressure from the power steering pump. GM used this system in their diesel engined cars, due to lack of vacuum. However my friend just finished his 30 Tudor using a Hydro-boost, and he told me that when you hit the brake, you'll lose some power from steering assistance, making it hard to turn the wheel while you're braking. |
 I
realize that what you see in this picture is rather vague, but in the
middle,
between the pedals, there's a bracket that I made. It bolts on
the
framerails, and it features an adjustable link from the brake pedal to
a lever that connects to another lever through a shaft, and this other
lever, on the left here, actually pushes the booster rod. The
white
nipple behind it is a brake light switch. |
 I
got the the master cylinder and booster combo from a swap, and they
supposedly
came from a 1978-87 G-body, as well as the disc/drum combination valve.
I have to make a cutout on the inner fender to clear the brake pipes,
but
this should now clear the steering shaft. I went thru all this trouble
to maintain the stock under-the-floor pivoted brake pedal. I might have
been able to save some trouble and mount the booster high on the
firewall
like in late model cars, but I wanted the brake pedal movement to match
the clutch pedal movement.
I also made new brake pipes to front wheels, and again, spent too much money on something that I really don't need - the racing style stainless braided brake hoses made by Goodridge. |
| People have
been confused
about what are my plans for the Buick. The restoration folks are upset
because of the modifications and keep telling me "you can't do that
if you're going to get it registered as a historical vehicle", and
fellow rodders are equally upset because they cannot understand
why
I didn't chop the top, why I didn't scrap the engine in favor of an SB
Chevy, or why I didn't upgrade front suspension.
So bear with me and listen. As much as I appreciate and respect the work the restorers do, that's not for me. I just don't have the patience to copy something that's already been done before. I get the kick out of modifying things, trying to turn the good into even better, fabricating my own one-off parts - something that's not available from the aftermarket, testing new ideas, avoiding the usual - pioneering I would say. Maybe applying and adapting the existing things to new combinations. Creating something that stands out and carries my handwriting. And last but not least, I want it to be a driver - a reliable and safe one. That's why I welcome power steering and disc brakes, highway gears and 12 volts. Cut the crap, huh? Okay. What comes to the looks, I want to build a classic custom like they were done in the 40's and early 50's. Body mods should only be done to make the car look better, not just for the sake of customizing. Moreover, I want this car to look as it was made by the factory - say a "factory custom" just like the '53 Skylark or '53 Eldorado. I'm not chopping the top because it's relatively low as is, and not many people, especially here in Finland, have ever even seen a stock '42-'48 Buick Sedanet. Then, I want it to feel and look old - period perfect someone might say. That means No Billet, No Tweed, No SBC, No Front Clip. I'm keeping the stock instruments and seats. I'm keeping the I-8 engine because it's got more balls and character than any modern engine (go hear the I-8 sound of Jdee's 39 Buick), and I'm sure it will keep up if properly equipped . When I'm tuning the engine, I expect my fingers to smell gas, not the smell of a laptop computer. I could have gone with the usual automatic trans, but again I think a 4-speed with a floor shifter has got more "cojones", and fits the period. I'm going to paint it deep rich maroon candy that looks wet as if it was raining (but may end up driving "suede" for a summer or two). I'm not going to dechrome if it doesn't enhance the looks. Yeah, the HOK colors finally landed in Finland, too. |
 My
original idea (well, not so original) was to remove door handles. But
then
I started hearing bad stories from here and there. The 1946 latches
are so heavy to operate that even the strongest solenoids would
occasionally
give up. You would get sticky fingerprints all over the door edge. The
heavy doors would be a pain to open if you haven't got handles. The
annual
safety inspector would give you a hard time. All this is easy
to believe. But most of all, if you want a factory look, you've
got
to have something there. So I bought a pair of repro 1946-48 Lincoln
pushbuttons.
But then I discovered that the 46 Buick latches need a pretty long
travel
and lots of power, and the space between the window glass and latch is
extremely limited. And, I still wouldn't have anything to grab on. And,
what comes to looks, you might just as well have handles there. So I
passed
on these buttons. It's just that the 42-48 handles look boring and
clumsy.
So feel free to offer me a pit-free pair of 49 Buick door handles! |
 While
I'm gaining speed here, preaching about things, I might as well speak
my
heart. Some fellows tell me that a sunvisor is a "poor man's top
chop",
or a "Scandinavian oddity", and "none of the classic
customs
ever had a visor". While I would agree that a sunvisor would hardly
make a radically chopped top look any better, I think it looks spot-on
on a 40's unchopped split-windshield car. And back then, these visors
were
popular accessories on stock cars. And, we see more and more visors on
contemporary American custom cars, too. And, we don't have lowriders
here
in Finland, so there's no risk of being mistaken for one.
Now, this is a Santay split windshield visor. I got one from eBay, but then realized that while it's a 3-piece adjustable width visor with a center post mount, it doesn't have ebough V-angle to fit my Buick. You don't need a traffic light viewer with this visor, since the dark areas are polished, dark green translucent plastics! |
 This
visor is a Comet Skyshield, made by Charles Peckat Co, in the 40's as
well.
It's an all-stainless visor with textured panels. Now this one should
fit
my Buick!
P.S. I first had a "square-end" 800-series Fulton but I thought it was too bulky and didn't have enough shiny parts, so I sold it. I think they are overprized, too. |