Impossible to own a car like these without also having the correct workshop manuals. While the car has basic mechanics overall, there are some tricky bits here and there. The dynaflow in particular needs the manual for any kind of work. First introduced in 1948, this is a box full of THOUSANDS of parts racing around in fluid.
I am not very fond of shifting from low to Drive at any kind of speed. Even though the handbook says you can change gear at speeds up to 35Miles per hour. All those 55+ year old parts being chunked from one gear to another is too scary for me.
This very rare booklet has technical
information about the car, as well as information about preparing and
shipping the cars to dealers.
Specifications 1 Specifications 2
All of this to change a light Bulb! This was a very simple job that just kept going.
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1950 BUICK ID NUMBERS |
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Serial numbers (all series) according to plant of manufacture:
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GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS |
| Model Designation: Special 8 - Series 40; |
| Wheel base: Special 8: 121-1/2 |
| Valve Location: In head |
| Bore and Stroke: 3-3/32 x 4-1/8 |
| Piston displacement, Cubic Inches: 248 |
| Compression ratio: 6.6; with Dynaflow: 7.2 |
| Maximum Brake Horsepower: 115 @ 3600 RPM; w/Dynaflow: 122 @ 3600 RPM |
| Maximum Torque Lbs.Ft. @ RPM: 212 @ 2000 RPM; w/Dynaflow: 215 @ 2000 RPM |
| Normal Oil Pressure Pounds: 35 |
TUNE UP SPECIFICATIONS |
| Spark Plug Make: AC 46X |
| Spark Plug Gap, Inch: .025 |
| Firing Order: 16258374 |
| Ignition Timing: ADV. Timing mark on Flywheel |
| Engine Idle Speed, RPM: 450 |
| Cylinder Head Torque Lbs.Ft.: 65-70 |
| Compression Pressure & Cranking Speed: 114 Min. |
| Voltage & Polarity: 6 volts, negative ground |
PISTON AND RING SPECIFICATIONS |
| Fitting Pistons with
Scale: Piston should fall on a .0015 feeler and stay on a .00225 feeler |
| Ring End Gap:
(Fit rings in tapered bores for clearance
shown in tightest portion of ring travel.) Compression: .010 Oil: .010 (no fitting necessary with Flex-Fit oil rings) |
| Clearance in Groove: Compression: .0015-0035; Oil: .0015-.003 (Flex-Fit oil rings: .0015-.0035 |
| Wristpin Diameter, Inch: .8124-.8129 |
VALVE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Operating Clearance: Intake: .015 Hot Exhaust: .015 Hot (with hydraulic lifters clearance is 0) |
| Valve Seat Angle, degrees: 45 |
| Valve Timing:
(BTDC = before top dead center; ATDC = after
top dead center) Intake opens: 13 degrees BTDC Exhaust Closes: 22 ATDC |
| Valve Spring
Pressure Pounds at Inches Length: Inner Spring: 52 @ 1-5/16; Outer Spring: 119 @ 1-19/32 |
| Valve Stem Clearance: Intake: .0025; Exhaust: .003 |
ENGINE BEARING SPECIFICATIONS |
| Connecting Rod
Bearings: Journal Diameter, Inches: 1.998-1.999 Bearing Clearance, Inch: .0005-.002 Rod End Play, Inch: .005-.010 Rod Bolt Tension: Lbs.Ft.: 40-45 |
| Main Bearings: Journal Diameter, Inches: No. 1: 2.3105 - 2.3115 No. 2: 2.3735 - 2.3745 No. 3: 2.4355 - 2.4365 No. 4: 2.4985 - 2.4995 No. 5: 2.5605 - 2.5615 Bearing clearance: .0005-.002 Shaft End Play: .004-.008 (Thrust on Bearing No. 3) Main Bolt Tension: Lbs.Ft.: 90-100 |
CAPACITY DATA |
| Cooling System: Without heater: 13 quarts (with Dynaflow 14) With heater: 14-1/2 quarts (with Dynaflow 15-1/4) |
| Fuel Tank: 19 gallons |
| Engine Oil: 5-1/2 quarts |
| Transmission: 1-3/4 w/auto 9-1/2 qts. |
| Rear Axle:
4 pints Passengers 5 |
DELCO-REMY DISTRIBUTOR SPECIFICATIONS |
| Distributor part number: 1110815 (distributor rotates counter-clockwise) |
| Cam Angle, degrees: 21-30 |
| Breaker Point opening, Inch: .016 |
| Condenser Capacity: .18-.23 Mfds. |
| Breaker Arm Spring Tension: 19-23 Oz. |
| Centrifugal Advance:
(degrees at RPM of distributor) Advance starts 1 degrees @ 250 Full Advance: 13 degrees @ 1500 |
| Vacuum Advance Data: Inches of vacuum to start plunger movement: 5 - 7 Inches of vacuum for full plunger travel: 10 - 12 Maximum vacuum advance, Dist. degrees: 5-1/2 |
DELCO-REMY GENERATOR SPECIFICATIONS |
| Generator Number: 1102709, (generator rotates clockwise, 6 volts, Negative Ground) |
| Generator output: 42 @ 2500 RPM |
| Brush Spring Tension: 25 oz. |
| Field Current: 1.75 - 1.9 at 6 volts |
REGULATOR SPECIFICATIONS |
| Regulator Number: 1118364 |
| Cutout Relay:
Voltage to close points: 6.4 Armature Air Gap: .020 |
| Voltage Regulator Setting: 7.4 volts |
| Current Regulator Setting: 42 |
| Current and voltage armature air gap, Inch: .075 |
DELCO-REMY STARTING MOTOR SPECIFICATIONS |
| Part number: 1107078 (starter rotates clockwise) |
| Bush Spring Tension, Ounces: 24-28 |
| No Load Test: 70 amps, 5.65 @ 5500 RPM |
| Torque Test:
550 Amps, 3.25 volts, torque: 11 |
WHEEL ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS |
| Caster, Degrees Limits: -1/4 to +1-1/2 Desired: +5/8 |
| Camber, Degrees Limits: -5/8 to +7/8 Desired: +1/8 |
| Toe-In, Inches: 1/16 to 1/8 |
| Toe-Out on Turns,
Degrees: (If toe-out is incorrect,
when other adjustments are correct, look for bent steering
arms.) Outer wheel: 20 Inner Wheel: 20-3/4 to 22-1/4 |
| Kingpin Angle, or
Steering Axis Degrees: (If king pin
or spindle support angle are incorrect, but camber is correct,
look for bent suspension arms or steering knuckle support) 4-1/4 @ +3/8 Camber |
The Blue car has not given me any problems since I have owned it. The only thing I can not solve is the moon wheel covers will not stay in position. The original covers had very few marks on them so I put these away and replaced them with others from ebay.
It is a well known problem that these covers rotate around the wheel rim after about 50 miles of driving. Given that I use my car every day, this is more of a problem for me than infrequent users.
A sydney owner said he had success keeping them still buy putting some contact adhesive on the rim before putting the cover on.
However I believe that the covers are not only continuing to "travel" as the car stops or slows, but the rim is also flexing and pushing the big covers off the rim.
The car had 16 thousand miles on it when I bought it. I use it every day at the moment, so I have clocked up more than some of the previous owners did the whole time they owned it. This is a very comfortable car and drives beautifully. The dynalflow is smooth as silk, and will go like a rocket if in low. As I have said before I do not like shifting from low to Direct Drive. Though I do spoil myself and use low getting in and out of the multi-story car park at work.