2011-02-14 56X BUICK

1956X BUICK CENTURY RESTORATION - After our Futurliner meeting we continued on with the restoration of the Buick. Mike however is doing the detail work of organizing the details for our Futurliner visit to South Bend, Indiana National Antique Truck show at the St. Joseph County Fair Grounds. This show is on May 26 - 28, 2011. For all of our 2011 Futurliner shows check our web site www.futurliner.com.

Volunteers - Mike Ball, Al Batts, Jerry Bush, Del Carpenter, Dick Chambers, Connie DeJong, Don Feutz, Don Mayton, Art Meidema, Dick Saddler, Chuck Snow, Rick Sorgen.

As the photos (Al doing the photographing) show we have the differential - axle assembly and brake plates in the final color of Semole Red. Nice paint and color!

Dick with Jerry's help continues to work on the trunk letters. Del is assemblying the componets on the painted frame one item at a time and making good progress. However, he is headed to Florida for a few weeks so his job will come to a stop. Chuck has been gathering up the upholstery components and washing each piece and then identifying it prior to taking off all the hard trim parts like chrome strips, ash trays, electric window lift buttons, etc.

ROAD AMERICA - Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

Rick again has hit gold with his continued research regarding the history of the 1956X Buick Century. I had been told shortly after I purchased this car that it had been taken to Elkhart Lake in the summer of 1956 for VP Bill Mitchell. Rick's research has discoved actual GM Special race propared Corvette's also taken to this race track during the summer of 1956. He has discovered that there were three specific events and has managed through the SCCA National Newsletter to find the list of cars and the race drivers. Of course our 1956 Buick did not participate and is not on any of these lists. Rick not only has found the dates of the events but found actual film footage of the September 30, 1956 race. Rick set up his lap top and we managed to watch not only the special prepared Corvettes as they came around the track but a special prepared 1957 Ford Thunderbird as well as a lot of foreign race cars.

The dates of the three 1956 races were:

June 23 & 24 June Sprints

August 12 & 13 NASCAR Race

September 9 & 10 Six Hours

APPEAL - If you know of anyone in the historical racing community here is what we need. Any old photos of these events. We are looking for at least one photo of the 1956X Buick Century that was at ROAD AMERICA, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin in the summer of 1956.

Don