BudBeard's Buick

[BudBeard]

Hey everyone how's it going BudBeard here. Figured I would introduce myself and my build, plus this seems like a pretty good way to keep track of my build for myself.
Anyway I'm building a rusty old ****box of a 61 Buick electra 225 4door with a healthy carb'd LS nicknamed Pappa Smurf. Plans are for more of a patina build to showcase those bumps and bruises he's earned over the years. Only metal work will be patch work on the driver's and passenger front floor pans and the brace that runs underneath the front seat area on the bottom side of the floor pans other than that only plans are to make it run and drive without issue as I plan to daily this pig in the summer. I guess making it stop should be a priority as well ��. For that I think I'm gonna go with a set of disc conversion brackets from scarebird. These brackets will allow me to run 11.5 in(I believe) rotors off of 88-98 c1500 series Chevy trucks and calipers from a 71-75ish Cadillac deville.
I have almost everything needed to complete this build, I would say about 95% of what I need so most things should progress relatively quickly, not always though as I'm partially handicapped due to a back injury from a rather nasty car accident. Some days I feel like a million bucks a some days I can't control my hands enough to close around a wrench so bear with me.

 

[DozerII]

Welcome to the site, I will be following your build.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Welcome! Post away, we'll follow and help if you need any.

.

 

[BudBeard]

Thanks guys I appreciate it.
I started on cutting cancer from the floors this afternoon once I got the couch of a front bench unbolted. The driver's side of the seat has seen better days, it has been exposed to the weather for some time. At some point while it was parked someone hit the driver's door hard enough to put a pretty sizable dent in the door and knock the window off track. So while I'd love to keep the bench it's out in favor of a FREE yes you read that right FREE set of power leather buckets from a 03 monte carlo , that are damn near mint for 17yr old seats. At least until I can afford to recover the bench.
Fyi the beer signs covering the flintstone sized holes in the floors were not my doing that was the previous owner, they will be removed and floors patched properly. I guess I'm not positive you could really call my methods proper as I have what I would consider limited "fabrication" tools AKA a bunch of hand tools a bench vise, a body hammer/dollie set, and a flux core mig welder (that I can't weld with to save my life I might add so take it easy on me) but I'll get it there one way or another

 

[MercuryMac]

Welcome aboard, from Northern Alberta.
Keep those pictures coming.

 

[BudBeard]

Picked up this B&M pro stick a few weeks back for 75 bucks came with cable. I have to order a 4spd gate and the transmission side brackets to work with my 700r4 but I figured I couldn't go wrong either way lol

 

[BudBeard]

Welcome aboard, from Northern Alberta.
Keep those pictures coming.

Damn man you're up there a ways. I'm from Michigan, north but not quite that far north lol.
The Buick was actually built here in Flint Michigan shipped to Chicago where it spent most of its time with 1 owner until sometime in the early 2000's when it was brought back home to Michigan and sat until I got my hands on it

 

[BudBeard]

Here's my fender patch job from back in September. For some reason the previous owner hacked a hole in the inner fender for his "cold" air intake. I was just getting used to the welder man those booger welds are terrible. Still have some work to do. You'll realize as my build progresses nothing I do is perfect but that's not who I am and not what this build is about. This build is about having the most amount of fun possible for the least amount of money possible.

 

[Torchie]

Damn man you're up there a ways. I'm from Michigan, north but not quite that far north lol.
The Buick was actually built here in Flint Michigan shipped to Chicago where it spent most of its time with 1 owner until sometime in the early 2000's when it was brought back home to Michigan and sat until I got my hands on it

Welcome to the site FROM Northern Lower Michigan.
Where are you located as that car looks familiar?
Don't worry about members busting your chops over your skill level. Friendliest car site on the internet. Everyones willing to help out on questions and will only gently point out something if we thinks it's unsafe.
Sounds like you are using about the same tools as me and I'm in the process of a chopped and sectioned 49 Dodge. The right tools can make a job easier, but you can also accomplish alot using what you have and some determination.
Post lots of pics as that's what we like.[cl
[P [P [P
Torchie

 

[soltz]

Wecome from SoCal.[cl
Should a fun project [
OhYa, pictures are great[P

 

[BudBeard]

Welcome to the site FROM Northern Lower Michigan.
Where are you located as that car looks familiar?
Don't worry about members busting your chops over your skill level. Friendliest car site on the internet. Everyones willing to help out on questions and will only gently point out something if we thinks it's unsafe.
Sounds like you are using about the same tools as me and I'm in the process of a chopped and sectioned 49 Dodge. The right tools can make a job easier, but you can also accomplish alot using what you have and some determination.
Post lots of pics as that's what we like.[cl
[P [P [P
Torchie

I'm located in Mt Morris just about 10 minutes north of flint.

 

[Torchie]

I'm located in Mt Morris just about 10 minutes north of flint.

I'm up North of traverse City.
I lived in Charlevoix for 38 years then moved a bit south.[ddd
Torchie

 

[BudBeard]

I'm up North of traverse City.
I lived in Charlevoix for 38 years then moved a bit south.[ddd
Torchie

Ah gotcha. Yeah I love it up north I'm a born and raised country boy lol. I have 10 acres on the other side of the state from you in harrisville. I hope some day to move up there

 

[Burgerman]

Welcome. Like your Buick. Cool project. [cl [P

 

[BillM]

Welcome BB, you'll like it here. Thanks for joining and posting the pictures of your cool old Buick.

 

[Old Iron]

Welcome to the site
[P[P[P

 

[36Binder]

I love this picture. Hub cap on front and painted wheel with spike lug nuts on back.

And post lots more pics. We like pics

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

and a flux core mig welder (that I can't weld with to save my life I might add so take it easy on me) but I'll get it there one way or another

Old rusty sheet metal is a miserably good teacher! [

I've been welding all my adult life and trust me, I was a professional grinder long before I could call myself a welder.

.

 

[BudBeard]

Old rusty sheet metal is a miserably good teacher! [

You can say that again. Progress has been relatively slow today I woke up feeling like a mac truck ran my ass over so it took me awhile to get the ambition to get outside.
Anyway I got to grinding in preparation to do some floor patches and as it always does that revealed some more problem areas in the rocker box that needed attention. At first I honestly thought about just cutting the rot out and leaving it, but as this is a x frame car it gets a good amount of it's rigidity from the rocker boxes I figured I'd attempt to patch it. Still a good amount of work to do on it but I had to come in take a break and medicate (I'm a medical marijuana patient. That's honestly the only way I make it through the day most days). I'm hoping to get back out to the garage and tinker yet tonight. I really need to work on my air compressor before I get back on the Buick so I can use my 90° angle grinder instead of my big ass 4½" electric grinder in these tight spots.

 

[BudBeard]

I love this picture. Hub cap on front and painted wheel with spike lug nuts on back.

And post lots more pics. We like pics

Lol I kinda like that picture as well. But the blue wheels are gone asap and I'm not sure how I feel about the spiked lug nuts, that's all the previous owners handy work. He didn't realize the lugs were left handed thread and had himself one hell of a tool throwing party until he eventually figured it out at the expense of a few wheel studs. Apparently regular lug nuts just wouldn't cut it for him