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Restoration Advice

220 messages,  Last post on May 31, 2009 at 5:49 PM

You are in the Classic Cars Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright

What is this discussion about? Performance Mods, Auto Body, Auto Repair, Classic Cars, Coupe, Convertible, Truck, Sedan, Wagon


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#179 of 220
Re: Compatible engines with 1954 Buick Special [Mr_Shiftright] by andre1969
Apr 20, 2009 (8:25 am)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Apr 20, 2009 6:52 am)

The B-O-P lineup (Buick Olds Pontiac) are engine-specific and there's nothing that's going to "bolt in". It's possible I think for you to use the 322 cid version of that engine, also available that year in the higher trim lines and models of Buick in 1954.
 
Didn't B-O-P engines at least use the same bolt pattern for the transmission? I'm pretty sure they did in later years, but maybe not in 1954.
 
Of course, even if another engine lines up to the transmission, you still have to deal with everything else that connects to the engine.
#180 of 220
Re: Compatible engines with 1954 Buick Special [andre1969] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
Apr 20, 2009 (8:27 am)
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Replying to: andre1969 (Apr 20, 2009 8:25 am)

Not to my knowledge, not in the 50s. You can't even bolt up a 60s or 70s Chevy trans to a Pontiac motor, even though it's the same basic trans.
#181 of 220
Re: Compatible engines with 1954 Buick Special [andre1969] by hpmctorque
Apr 20, 2009 (12:08 pm)
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Unlike in the latter '60s and after, when the GMs brands shared various transmissions, only Buick used Dynaflow in the late '40s and '50s. The only exception I know of is the short period after the big fire at the Hydramatic factory, when, as I recall, some Pontiacs were equipped with Powerglide and some Oldsmobiles and Cadillacs used Dynaflow.
#182 of 220
Re: Compatible engines with 1954 Buick Special [hpmctorque] by andre1969
Apr 21, 2009 (6:18 am)
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Replying to: hpmctorque (Apr 20, 2009 12:08 pm)

Also back in the old days, sometimes the floor pans of similar cars would be different, to accommodate the different transmissions. For example, in 1961-64, cars that used the "slim jim" hydramatic had a smaller transmission hump than cars that used the older 4-speed hydramatic. I don't know how big the Dynaflow was in comparison, but I imagine its floopan was different, as well.
 
Back in the 1950's though, car bodies sat on top of the frame like a truck, rather than between the frame rails, so maybe there's more room underneath, to accommodate a wider variety of transmissions?
#183 of 220
Re: Compatible engines with 1954 Buick Special [pvtbailey] by burdawg
Apr 22, 2009 (6:22 am)
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Replying to: pvtbailey (Apr 20, 2009 6:39 am)

Buicks of that era used a torque tube driveshaft which is a fixed tube running from the back of the transmission (via a moveable joint or "torque ball) to the differential with a solid propellor shaft inside of it. While I've seen different engine /trans combos in some, mostly Chevy 350/400 turbo, the rear end also needs to be changed out for the tube driveshaft. Many find it's easier to put the original body on a different frame alltogether.
#184 of 220
Need some advise... by tbird8
May 26, 2009 (11:27 pm)
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I am looking to buy a 1966 thunderbird, would like a rag top, but will end up most likely with a landau. My question is, if i can not find color and options i would like to have, would it harm the resale value down the road if were to change the exterior color or interior as long as my choice was offered by ford on that car in that year? And what about adding options that the car dose not have,but were offered?
#185 of 220
Re: Need some advise... [tbird8] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
May 27, 2009 (7:11 am)
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Replying to: tbird8 (May 26, 2009 11:27 pm)

I don't think it would hurt value unless you were planning to have the car compete in serious car show judging--sometimes winning awards adds to value but you'll probably never win with a color change.
 
The color change might turn off the occasional purist but these people never buy anything anyway.
 
As an appraiser, I don't deduct value on a later T-Bird for a color change, as long as it is a bare metal respray. If you have a blue car with a red interior trunk lid and door jambs, well then, another story....
 
On a '57 Bird with an E code, yeah, I might deduct value, as these are far more rare and valuable cars.
 
And if you can add factory AC, all the better for value.
#186 of 220
Re: Need some advise... [tbird8] by texases
May 27, 2009 (7:33 am)
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Replying to: tbird8 (May 26, 2009 11:27 pm)

Also, just make sure you've priced out what a color change will cost before you buy - done right, it is VERY expensive.
#187 of 220
Re: Need some advise... [texases] by Mr_Shiftright HOST
May 27, 2009 (7:59 am)
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Replying to: texases (May 27, 2009 7:33 am)

Probably $7500 for a high quality bare metal respray---$7500 and UP I mean.
 
that means glass out, trim off, upholstery out, and maybe engine out--can't recall if that year's engine bay is black or color co-ordinated.
 
Might be worth doing if you found a really nice car with a ruined paint job or something that say got rear-ended and that you could buy dirt cheap.
#188 of 220
Market Value by hpmctorque
May 27, 2009 (8:50 am)
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What would a '66 Thunderbird Landau with a new $7,500 paint job be worth? Intuitively, I don't think it would be worth spending that kind of money on a '66 Bird, unless, maybe, if it were a convertible. Maybe. I say this only because the supply of this type of car will continue to shrink, and in, say, 20 years it'll be rare. By then, the collector market will be even more globalized, which should further increase demand. Also by then, all this stimulus money will likely have reduced the value of our currency, which would further support prices in nominal terms. That said, though, the future value issue should be a distant second consideration to how desirable this car is right now to a particular person.

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