2014-03-18 56X Buick

Subject: 56 X BUICK MARCH 18 2014

VOLUNTEERS - Jim Baker, Al Batts, Del, Connie, Ron Elzinga, Don F., Don M., Art Miedema, Dick Saddler, Ryan DeVries, Chuck Snow

Photo #1 shows Dick Saddler working on the 1956 grill. Ron originally started working on the grill and had removed all the external imperfections and then Dick took over removing many of the pits. However, some of these pits were so deep that I went looking for a better original. Remember I have in my barn the equivalent of 3 1956 Buicks. I managed to find a grill that appeared to be in better overall condition for chrome plating. Dick is now preparing that one for chrome plating.

Photo #2 shows Don Feutz's hands as he polishes the Carter YH Side draft manifold. This is just a slow job as Don M. also works on it during the week. However, it looks better every week.

Photo #3 shows the 1917 Buick gas tank that is being prepared for painting the correct black. Art and Connie with a little assistance from Chuck have been taking on a lot of the individual paint jobs working as a team.

Photos #4, #5, #6, & #7 shows a progression of parts being assembled. This is a over a years worth of work that has involved many of our 1956X team starting with Al Batts doing all the photo history. These assemblies are the two bumper bombs that are located on the front right and left of the 1956X Buick, VP Bill Mitchell's custom car.

The Bill Mitchell bumper bombs had a driving light in each of the bumper bombs. We had one original cast bezel that fits inside the bumper bomb. Ryan DeVries cast us a pair of new bezels.

Ron then took these two bezels and hand finished them.

The original bumper bombs as we received the car had huge rusted out sections that could not be saved. Because of the other parts cars we took the best candidates for converting these production parts into the Bill Mitchell bumper bombs with the driving lights. The big job was for Ron to figure out how the GM Styling Studio altered the production bumper bombs be able to fit the new polished bezels in place. He cut the inside flange of the original part and then metal worked in inside of the original bumper bombs, hand filed the new bezels, and after many many hours had them fitting like a glove. During the process he had to build new driving light buckets, create how the wiring would be run, and tap holes for doing the installation.

Photo #4, #5, & #6 shows Ron E. starting the assembly of the various components. He has already installed the ribbed decorative casting onto the production stamping piece.

Photo #7 shows the entire assembly of one of the bumper bomb assemblies. There are 5 hand made parts plus one altered production part in each of these assemblies plus wiring, and fasteners.

Each assembly is different as the bumper bomb holes are not a circle but oval. Plus these are two symmetrical parts with no parts interchanging except for the light bulbs and fasteners.

Of course once Ron had these assembled we had to light up the bumper bombs and they are a piece of jewelry.

This job was a team effort with Ron being the lead.

Photos #8, #9, & #10 continue to show the results of the entire team with Ron's direction of the completion of the two unique bumper bombs and their installation. Notice the other one-of-a-kind parts of this vehicle including the wire wheel spinner, the blue painted lower 1/3 of the bumper and the red frame, and the red wheel.

Photo #11 shows the restored heater radiator. Just a note on heater cores. We had three 1956 Buick heater cores and all had been frozen and none repairable from the freeze. We were able to use a Chevrolet new heater core as it fit and had the correct inlet-out let.

Photo # 12, #13. & #14 shows the parts being fitted that are part of the heater and vent ducting. Notice the engine sides of these parts are painted black while the interior side of these parts are painted blue. Chuck, Connie and Art are putting together these parts to make gaskets and then will be installing these parts.

The original firewall insulation pad was also painted blue in the car as we found overspray paint on parts around the insulation pad. We were going to attempt to fix the insulation pad but Chuck Snow found a new replacement on the web.

Fusick has these available for 1956 Buicks. The pad was a high quality piece and it now has also been painted the blue that VP Bill Mitchell used. In order to duplicate all the special blue colors VP Bill Mitchell used we have taken numerous parts to the paint store to get the mix exactly.

1917 Buick work has also carried on. The gas tank and gas tank hangers are now the correct black. Del had determined that the carburetor had to be overhauled and it is back from our local engine builder CD's engine service. They determined that all the jets were clogged with debris. Next week will be carburetor installation and then starting up the 1917?.

Don