My 1948 Businness Coupe Project

[kabic]

I may have posted a picture of this car once before, but I'm going to start a thread just to post general updates and ask questions.

 

Here is a picture of the 1948 Business Coupe as I was trailers it home.

 

 

It did come with a hood, which is in back of the truck.  It has a Ford Explorer rear end a d Scarebird front disc Breaks.

 

What it doesn't have is an engine, a floor, firewall or viable rocker panels.

Edited January 23, 2025 by kabic

[kabic]

I started this project with rebuilding a engine, mostly because I had it before I bought the car.

 

It is Buick 350 I took out of 1976 Lesabre.  It is probably  not a conventional choice, and honestly probably something I wouldn't recommend.  Parts are expensive.  It's wider than a sbc which makes fitting into the car a challenge.

 

You can also see the firewall in the background I picked up.  Not sure I can use it but it wasn't too expensive. 

 

I'm trying to offset to the passenger side to better line up with the rear end and leave room for steering The challenges  are the oil filter location and header hitting the frame.  I did get a remote oil filter to deal with the filter issue.

 

 

Edited January 23, 2025 by kabic

[kabic]

I decided notching the frame would be necessary to get the engine where I wanted.  

 

I marked out where I thought I needed clearance and cut it out.

 

 

 

I found ALOT of dirt inside the frame.  I cleaned a lot of it out with compressed air.  I'm afraid I'm going to have to  cut a spot open on the drivers side to check for and remove dirt.

 

Anybody have any ideas of treating inside of frame for rust?  I'm thinking maybe I could use a fish tape and pull through a rag soaked with something 🤔 

[Los_Control]

I have never lived in the rust belt or have to deal with rust prevention like others need to. ..... From what we see it looks pretty good for its age.

 

I know one guy uses bar and chain oil for chainsaws. He thins it down with paint thinner and sprays it with a pump up garden sprayer.

He likes that oil because it is sticky and clings to the metal .... and it is cheap! .... The paint thinner allows it to be sprayed and will evaporate over time leaving just the oil.

 

I imagine there are many holes in the frame you can poke the sprayer into ... anything would be better then nothing.

Probably using a pressure washer and blasting accumulated dirt out of the frame would be most beneficial .... or just leave it alone.

 

Looking good.

[MikeMalibu]

May I trouble you to describe what you did for the remote oil filter? I need to do the same for my engine swap. 

[vintage6t]

On 1/23/2025 at 2:42 PM, Los_Control said:

He likes that oil because it is sticky and clings to the metal .... and it is cheap! .... The paint thinner allows it to be sprayed and will evaporate over time leaving just the oil.

 

That stickyness will also allow a lot of new dirt and debris to cling to the inside of the frame. Possibly trapping moisture.

 

I think you'd be okay doing nothing. The frame lasted this long. I'm guessing your not going to be driving it in the rain and snow to the point it needs some kind of rust prevention.

 

If you want to protect it, I'd continue to clean it best as possible with compressed air. Scaping with whatever tool will fit though any frame holes. Then using the same idea of a garden sprayer, thin down rustoleum enough to let it flow through the sprayer. Covering as best as you can though available holes will be good enough. 

 

 

 

 

[kabic]

10 hours ago, MikeMalibu said:

May I trouble you to describe what you did for the remote oil filter? I need to do the same for my engine swap. 

The Buick 350 the oil filter is in front passenger side corner.  First I tried a Ford Racing Style 90 degree adapter but that still didn't give me the room I needed.  I had to tap the threads out to match Buick thread.

 

What I'm using now is remote oil filter from Canton Racing (bought on Amazon).  This is a two part system.  First piece screws on to where the oil filter goes.  You can see the black piece on picture above.  It has two 1/2" npt ports. You can spin the adapter to point the ports in the direction you need.  They sell different versions, you just have to find the one that works with your engine thread pitch and gasket size.

 

There is second piece you can mount where convenient that also has two 1/2"  npt ports and let's you screw on a filter.  They have different options depending on what filter you want  to use.

 

I then got npt to 8 AN adapters and going to join the two pieces with AN hose.  I.e you have a feed and return hose.

Edited January 25, 2025 by kabic

[kabic]

When I bought the car it came with two different steering racks.  The that was mounted I think is from a Caliver which I know is a popular option.  I did have to remove.the bracket for it because it was in the way of where my engine mounts will probably have to be welded in.

 

 

Here is the second rack.  If I remember correctly the previous owner said he was going to use this one instead.   I don't remember the reason.  Does anyone recognize what  car it may be from?  It has one mounting  point cast in, but the other side has a rubber mounting strap that rotates.

 

Edited January 25, 2025 by kabic

[DJ194950]

The first one sure looks like it is from a Mustang 2.

 

2nd. one may be the Cavalier. ?

 

No idea really.

 

DJ

[kabic]

After looking at alot of pictures on Google I think the second one may be from the 1978-83 Dodge Omnis.

[MikeMalibu]

Thanks for the detail on the remote oil filter.

[oldodge41]

Following.

[kabic]

I have the engine positioned about where I want it.  Before I get the engine mounts welded in I'm checking to see how much of the stock firewall I can use.  It looks like a good 80%.

 

I have to make clearance for the passenger side valve cover,  but as luck would have it I can cut about 1 or 1.5  inches below the factory bead.  Almost perfect how it lines up.  I'm not sure of the factory recess is deep enough, but will worry about that down the road.

 

[kabic]

It's been awhile but I finally got the engine mounts and transmission mount welded in.  

 

Working on clearancing the bottom of the passenger inner fender for the header so I can put front clip back on.

 

Then figure out which radiator to order.

[65bcoda]

Liking this build, I have one similar ongoing.

[kabic]

Raditor I got is just a touch too high.  Looks like I'm trimming the bottom lip of the raditor support.   

 

It needs to fit under hood support so the electric fan has space from engine.

 

Building custom cars is fun.

Edited May 20, 2025 by kabic

[Janine]

Great info! I have the exact same car that also didn't include a motor and trans. I am still up in the air about what I want to put in it. I'd rather go easier fitment than something huge that opens a can of worms. I thought about finding an original 230, or 218, but parts are expensive and harder to find. I guess I won't be using a Buick 350...not like I have one laying around anyway. 

 

[Los_Control]

51 minutes ago, Janine said:

I thought about finding an original 230, or 218, but parts are expensive and harder to find. I guess I won't be using a Buick 350...not like I have one laying around anyway. 

So many opportunities out there ... I'm not a purist and a fan of a good fitting engine.

The SBC is a good fit for these cars ... same time a Dodge 360 is just as easy.

 

There are so many donor engines in the wrecking yard today .... I would not install a chebby LS engine .... too many headaches.

A really nice chebby 350 Vorteck engine/transmission would fit fine .... then the LS engines came out .... it is harder to find a decent used low mile Vortek engine in a yard today.

 

Same time, Dodge made the 360 for many years .... think they still do .... Do your homework, you will find many of them can be converted over to carburetor and need no computer.

Or a certain year they did switch and do require a computer .... whenever they removed the distributor.

Really depends on if you want to deal with a computer on this car. ... still switch to a carb, need computer to run the timing.

 

Only point is, these engines are still available at local wrecking yards and they have a huge aftermarket support  system.

The 360 is basically a stroked 318 and is a very good engine. ... they started with the same block, just like the Dodge 218 > 230.

[kabic]

Didn't really do anything all summer, but I got out into the garage today and made the radiator fit.

 

 

Next step is to weld in the bar stock across tbe bottom which should add some strength back.

 

 

Edited September 13, 2025 by kabic

[DJ194950]

The Buick motor is fine but as stated,  parts are limited and not cheap.  Not a high HP motor either.  Price must have been the motivation.

 

Why?  Nothing from a Chev. or Olds. 350 will fit the Buick. Totally different!

 

GM was a mess at times!  Nothing really wrong with the motor though.. If you use a Buick auto trans- same setup. Totally diff.!

 

Get it done, driving and just enjoy the ride.  😁

 

I once built a 1937 Ply. Bus. Cpe. with a Ford 292 CI motor. Why. ? I owned the car (rough but complete very minimal rust ),motor  was in good condition ( already had it) and I was a poor H.S. / Junior College student!

 

Looked good later, ran good, What else was there back then.?  ( about 1970).!

 

😃

 

DJ

 

 

[65bcoda]

Another step forward, looking like you are on the right track.
Sometimes I have a problem making the first step of a new phase, then it just falls into place. I try to break my build into smaller goals in order to achieve the larger ones.

[kabic]

The firewall is mocked on the car.  Next step there is put engine back on to see how much more clearance is needed.

 

[kabic]

This is now a frame off restoration...

 

 

Not really, but there is some repairs I have to do to the body by the frame mounts.

 

The astute readers will see a lack of body mounts on the passenger side of frame.  

 

I will be making some, and will take off the drivers side so i can add matching mounts.

 

[9 foot box]

   I made a couple ways to support and move projects. I wouldn’t trust your setup. Might want to reconsider your plan.

[Eneto-55]

8 hours ago, 9 foot box said:

   I made a couple ways to support and move projects. I wouldn’t trust your setup. Might want to reconsider your plan.

 

 

I supported the body (46 four-door sedan) on beams sitting on four 15 gal drums (instead of jack stands), but also kept the chain hoist and come-along connected overhead the entire time. (Lifted the body that way. Old drive shafts across three truss cradles at both lifting points. Dad's shop - 24' wide, built back when wood was wood.) 

Edited December 27, 2025 by Eneto-55