Look at this Buick!!

[Bopeye]

I don't know why I am running across all these cool things lately, but when I do, I like to share it with my internet family.

I went for breakfast this a.m. at my wife's aunt and uncles house. Went outside to release some........uh......fumes.  I was just walking around and stepped inside his garage to nose around a bit. That's when I saw this little gem. Talk about "American Pickers", I feel like one lately. Setting in here was an old 1939 Buick that he is completely restoring. I went in to get him and began asking a few questions about the car. This car has been in his family since 1939. His grandpa bought it new and then sold it to his dad when he got back from Korea. His dad drove it several years and then it was left under a tree for many years. My wife's uncle started driving it some in the 60's, but he bought another car and this car went back under the old shade tree. Now here it is, 70 plus years later and ole' Uncle is getting sentimental in his close to retirement age. He has decided to restore this thing back to its past glory. Take a look at his progress so far. He isn't putting it back completely original due to hard to find parts, but he is trying his best to do so.
Hope you enjoy. 








Here is the old straight 8 motor that came in it.

[Bills Custom Calls]

What motor is in it now? That is an air cleaner I see covered up behind the fender and grill isn't it?

I love seeing these relics that's why I go to car and steam shows 

Thanks for sharing the pics

[alscalls]

 

[Hawks Feather]

That was back in the days when cars were build from steel.  Not thin stuff like now.  Looks like he is well on his way.

Jerry

[FinsnFur]

  Ya made Al speechless again.

That thing'll be worth some jack when he's done. I'd love to have a little project car like that, or even from that era.

[Bopeye]

It's funny you asked that Bill. Not sure what it is, but he said one of his relatives had dropped it in there sometime in the last few years and he wanted to pull it out and put it in his truck. He covered it up so he wouldn't get any overspray on it I guess. It was some sort of V8, but I wasn't interested in that. He said he would leave it in there just in case he can't get that original motor going. The original is in pretty rough shape, so he's not sure if he can get it done, but he's gonna try.

[FinsnFur]

It'd be cool if he did get the old motor running again. Those straight 8's were initially produced to reduce vibration and crank shaft torsion, and thats exactly what they did.
They were one smooth runner

[msmith]

Another cool find Bop! 

[vvarmitr]

I am sooo envious of people that have the ability, money & especially the time to do that stuff!

Thanks for sharing.

[Bopeye]

I hear ya. Back in 1972 my dad bought a brand new Pontiac Lemans, but he had them put a GTO front end on it. Kind of a special deal package. I was 3 years old when he bought it and it is one of my earliest memories. I bought it from him in '86 and fully restored it in '88. Time passed and my wife and I got strapped for cash in 2000 and I sold the car. 

I very seldom get sentimental about stuff. Everything I have except my kids and wife is for sale. I just never got attached to things, but I must admit, I miss that old car.
We were on a bridge crossing the Mississippi River when she rolled over to 100,000 miles, so technically we weren't in a state at the time. My brother cut his teeth on the dash. He and I played a game of tic tac toe on the trunk with a rock once. Got whipped good for that.
That was the only thing I ever sold that I truly regret selling, but at the time the baby needed food and the electricity had to stay on. So if I had it to do over again, I still would have sold it to insure my baby girl ate. I think most dads would agree. 

[JohnP]

Bopeye - We have a "junk" yard full of cars from that same time frame not to far from us.  If'n he should ever need a part you can't find let me know and I'll check to see if I can find it out here.

[Bopeye]

Hey thanks John. I'll let him know that. You're a fine fella.