2011-11-22 56X BUICK

BUICK CENTURY 56X - Work Session for November 22, 2011

Volunteers: Jim Baker, Al Batts, Bob Boorsma, Del Carpenter. Ron Elzinga, Don Feutz, Don Mayton, Art Meidema, Ryan DeVries, Dick Saddler, Chuck Snow,

Ryan worked our gas pedal at home removing a hinge pin that had broken off. He discovered it was a drill that had broken off in the hole. Obviously it had broken off when someone attemped to clean out the hole in the pedal. Being a broken drill it was very hard metal and that is probably the reason we could not get it out here.

Jim Baker continues to work on the two front power swivel bucket seats. He still has a lot of work to finish this project.

Al continue to create a photo catalog of our restoration capturing the progress.

Bob has pretty much disassembled the original and now is identifying the parts that need restored or replaced. We are in need of a speedometer bezel. Our parts car one is bent and the original is badly rusted. Too rusted for chrome plating.

Ron and Dick Saddler continue to work on the two bumper bomb driving light bezel and light housings. This work will require a lot of repair prior to chrome plating. We did not suceed in getting the chrome removed by sand blasting. I will be taking both of the bumper bombs to a chrome plater the next Thursday for removing the chrome. In the meantime Ron and Dick are modifying the inside to accept the new bezels.

Don Feutz has been patiently preparing small interior trim parts for the chrome plater. He also has been adding the necessary prongs for attaching these parts to the upholstery. He is fastening these parts using solder.

Art and Dick Chambers resanded the inner front fenders for accepting a final and second coat of color. They felt the first coat needed another sanding. This will be applied at next Tuesday work session.

Chuck Snow has make the plates for the foundation of the interior floor trim at the location of the driver's and front passenger's feet. This will prevent future damage of these parts as have occured in the current car. We have a set back on the floor trim that was repaired last week as the solder joint repair did not hold up. We will be going to weld these delicate parts.

This car had aluminum rocker trim that extended from the bottom of the front wheel opening all the way back to the dual side exhaust. These pieces are

1/4" thick X 3-7/8" wide X 63-5/8" long. The original metal and aluminum fasteners were in 1/2" slots and grooves on the back side. Because some of the fasteners were

metal they corroded causing the aluminum to corrode and expand and cracking the outer surface. Also some previous owner elected to drill holes in these aluminum trim to hold them in place as the original metal fasteners had probably rusted away.

With all the damage to these two aluminum rocker trim pieces they will have to have major repair by a welder that can weld aluminum. I took these to a local welding shop and the owner, Tom, stated that he could do a good weld repair. He gave me instructions on how to prepare these pieces in order for him to make the repairs.

Special tires. Stay tuned!

Don