2013-02-26 56X Buick

56X BUICK SESSION FEB 26 2013

VOLUNTEERS – Jim Baker, Al Batts, Jerry Bush, Don Mayton, Art Meidema, Dick Saddler, Chuck Snow.

Weather affected our work session again. The prediction was rain turning to ice and for a change the prediction was true. We worked up until mid afternoon and that is exactly what happened so we shut down to get to get everyone home before the roads got too bad.

Photos #1 & 2 shows lots of progress on the rear bumper. Art (like his name) is doing an outstanding job of fixing all bumps and bruises on this one-of-a-kind 57 year old bumper. Dick Saddler lent a hand in doing fine sanding.

Photo #3 shows Don M. preparing one of the chrome front head light rim pieces for the chrome shop. One of the puzzles on this the head light rim is; Why is one side made in two castings and the other side in one casting? Any 1956 Buick owner out there know why? The head light rim pieces are from a 1956 Buick Roadmaster rather than a 1956 Buick Century? Another difference?

Photo #4 show the placement of a piece of cardboard in order to make a template so that the trim foot pad assembly can be mounted on a flat surface. All the remnants of the foot pad assembly were broken and in pieces. We determined this was because the foot trim pad, being made of a thin metal, was then mounted directly onto the carpet which was on top of the uneven floor pan. So we knew that to prevent this from recurring we had to support all four of the foot pad assemblies with a flat surface for mounting purposes. Chuck is in charge of all the interior minus the seat mechanisms so he is making these supports along with lots of other parts.

Photos 5 through 10 shows a series of shots as Jerry gathers up the components for the top convertible mechanism. As you can see Jerry looks daunted in all the work that has to be done to make all these parts look like new. But progress is being made as he identifies each and every part and where it is located plus the process he is going to use for disassembly, restoring individual parts, and final reassembly.

Jim is in the process of changing the gearing of the 180 degree passenger seat to give it more power and to slow its rotation down. He is patient as this is the third time he has taken these rotating seats apart in order to make improvements. Engineers are always engineering!

Al as usual does an outstanding job of the photo taking for our photo library.

Don