1958 Buick Caballero

That does looke EXTRA clean for it's age and considering it's how many years(?) of neglect.

Glad to see you got a start on it.... not like me and my dreams

 

Never had heard of a Buick Caballero until last month, and now one's being posted on. Cool!

I'll be watching.
Tom

 

December 13, 2014 update

I was able to remove all the trim and the headlight buckets from the fenders. I can't believe how solid the metal is on this car!
On both fenders, all the mounting tabs and holes for trim clips are in great condition, except where someone apparently ripped the "bull's-eye" emblem out of the fender!


So far, the only rust I've found is in the doglegs at the rear of the rear doors. There are a couple of pinholes in the passenger side rear floor pan where there was a pile of leaves and junk laying on the floor, but otherwise it all looks excellent.

The die-cast headlight housings and the eyebrows are almost perfect!


The headlight buckets are a little rough on the back side, but they look like new inside!

Once all the front end sheet metal was out to the way, I borrowed a friend's engine lift to pull the nailhead.

After a couple of false starts due to some air in the hydraulic cylinder, I was able to begin lifting. This engine is no lightweight!




I thought I had disconnected everything, but I missed one of the transmission shift linkage brackets. Luckily, I caught it before destroying the pivot bracket.


Engine out and on its way to the open garage bay.

Had a VERY scary moment when the engine swayed "downhill" and the whole shebang started to go over. I was able to control it and keep everything from tipping over, but now my back is a little angry at me.
Sorry; no pics. I had my hands full at the time!

I have an old welding cart that worked perfectly as a "nest" for the engine. I left the lift connected so nothing can tip or roll while I proceeded with a preliminary inspection.

I pulled the rocker covers and didn't see any obvious valve train problems. There is a little condensation visible, but that's the only issue I see.


The crossover manifold came off easily, but the water pump is being obstinate. One bolt won't budge; I'm going to let the PB Blaster soak for a day or two before I try again.


When the engine was still in the car, I had tried to roll it over and I couldn't get it to move more than a few degrees. I had not removed the spark plugs yet, so I was hoping it would move freely after I got the plugs out...

After pulling the plugs, I poured a few ounces of MMM in each cylinder.

After a few hours, I tried to turn the crank but it still won't move more than about 10 degrees. I was hoping it would be free, but no such luck.

I'll try moving it again in a couple of days, but it looks like I need to have a pro go through the engine. Only thing I've ever built was a stock 283 for my 1957 Corvette, back in about 1981. Not sure I want to tackle this one...


Back to the chassis; I removed the Y pipe; it is very heavy and it looks like the original Buick part! I hope to find the stamped part number after it's been cleaned up.


Now that the engine is out, I'll let it sit for a few days before trying to move the crank again.

In the meantime, I will start working on the tailgate hinges; they are stuck solid.
Probably won't have much more to report until January.

 

Thanks for the great photos and the progress. A lot of work ahead but a great Buick to work with. Amazingly good condition considering sitting outside so long. It wouldn't have stood a chance in Illinois where I am from or here in Florida.
Of course Michigan would have killed it too!

 

I like all the pictures and dialogue that you have been sharing. Thanks
Things are looking great so far.

 

I once threw a rod on a '63 Riviera nailhead, because I made it run, despite there being a rust spot somewhere. It looks like there's no way out of pulling at least one head to inspect for a rusty cylinder wall. Tossing a coin or playing "Eanie Meany Miney Moe" for selecting which head to remove might get you lucky at removing the head from the faulty bank. If you find any, it might be just enough to hone off the rust. Then, assemble the engine again, without a major teardown. Those old Buicks engines were reknown for their longevity

 

I love the 1958 Buicks, my Uncle Dutchie had a '58 Special 4 door sedan, that he kept until the 1965 Buicks came out. I would love any model of one. He'd love this car! I can't wait to see how it comes out myself.

 

Didn't you just say "any model"?!

 

Sorry, but nice hood ornaments. Just don't scratch the paint.

 

Joe, I love that avatar....kinda looks familiar. Man, there's a ton of desert dust on that engine. You look like you'll be well on your way to have it ready for the Detroit Autorama in March....!!!!

What do you think the weight is on a fully dressed nailhead like that?

 

I'm not going to take the chance.
I just uncovered the VIN stamp on the block; this is the original engine.
I'm going to have it checked out by a professional and we'll take it from there.
It looks pretty clean; I'm hoping it can be refreshed with a hone, rings and bearings. Hoping it doesn't need to be bored.

Autorama in March...of 2018, maybe! LOL.

Complete engine weighs about 560 pounds, according to info on the H.A.M.B.

 

It depends on the ridge. If it's within tolerance, there's no need for boring and rings. A hone can remove rust which will not require a new set of rings. We used to rent a ridge reamer, to get the piston out. I don't know how it is on those 58's. The 57's and older didn't require pulling the mill, to get the oilpan off. If the ridge is minimal, new rings are a waste of time and money. With only minimal wear, you'll have compression, guaranteed. On the other hand, if the crank is within tolerance, new bearings and seals couldn't hurt.
An engine is only a pump in reverse. There's no magic to it and you don't need professionals to determine if a major rebuild is necessary or not

 

Hanswurst von Plumpskloh wrote:"On the other hand, if the crank is within tolerance, new bearings and seals couldn't hurt.
An engine is only a pump in reverse. There's no magic to it and you don't need professionals to determine if a major rebuild is necessary or not."

I agree.

I chose to pull the engine so I could get full access to the chassis and I knew the engine needed (at least) fresh gaskets and seals. There is about 1/2 inch of grime and dirt on the exterior of the engine; it appears to have been a leaker.

I'll be looking into the cylinders with a borescope this week. I will know more then.

I don't want to waste any money, but I also don't want to try to run this engine with any hidden issues that will cause a catastrophic failure in short order. I plan to do only what is necessary; I won't bore it or replace any of the rotating assembly if it's not required.

 

Then again, if you can get your hands on one of the last nailheads, to substitute that tiny one, a set of these alone would cost you plenty of tire rubber, when combined with a 425:



Or you could pull the plug, if you're lucky enough to get your hands on one of these:



A 455 in a '57 Caballero:

http://www.prewarcar.com/index.php?option=com_caradvert&view=ad&section_id=4&id=168278&Itemid=294

 

That 455 sure does look good in there....