I recently came across a well kept 64' Buick Wildcat sedan I am interested in buying, but I have a few questions about how many parts interchange between 64' Buicks and other GM full size cars. First up would be brakes, I would like to upgrade to front disc brakes and I am curious if a kit meant for a 64' Impala would be applicable? I think the only option I found here is from Scarebird. Same goes for suspension parts (springs, ball joints, tie rods, etc), I may be interested in running an air-ride kit in the future and I know the chevy platform is a popular candidate. I have seen a ride tech suspension kit for 59-64 full size chevys that might cross over.
64 would still be n Xframe. If it fit's s chevy It should cross over. I had a 64 electra 225 for a while. Love those old cars.
Back then there was very little interchange between the different GM divisions. Chassis and suspensions were pretty much unique to each division - Chevy was the only division that used an X frame, all the others used a perimeter frame. From the beltline up they shared window glass, and various small knobs and fasteners, but that's about it. it wasn't until 1971 that they started building off a common chassis.
Scarebird is your best bet for brakes, I'm not aware of any air suspension kits for specific models other than Chevy but those companies can probably build something custom.
Having assumed the same thing before tackling a catalina wagon for a customer, I can tell you that the assumption is dead wrong. Stock rebuild parts are about the best you can find, though the cpp drop spindles look promising. Id wager that they'd be similar enough that with slight machining theyd work. Impala front springs were the same, and pst had a full rebuild kit for the front. No rear bushings were able to be found.
Great cars though. And bags are easy due to the chassis design. Addco makes sway bars.
Alternatively, you can buy ceramic shoes for a lot of old drum brake cars now. Or look at late 60s full size Buicks in the junkyard, you might find later disc spindles that will swap directly judging by the ball joint and brake parts interchanges.
My 64 Buick was 100% an x frame.
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/automotive-history-an-x-ray-look-at-gms-x-frame-1957-1970/
But beginning in 1961, Buick fell in with the X crowd, even touting it as the “Safety-X-Frame”. Full-sized Buicks stayed with the X through 1964
I believe the 64 Wildcat has the 5 on 5" bolt pattern so keep that in mind if you start swapping things thinking that the Chevy 5 on 4 3/4" stuff will fit the Buick wheels etc. I have a 70 Wildcat with power assisted 12" drum brakes, I never felt a need for discs. Dunno what the 64's had.
In reply to Rad_Capz:
Yeah, I think many of the drum complaints come from people who don't set them up right, one of those things that takes a certain high degree of mechanical sympathy not everybody has.
Learn something new every day...I didn't know Buick stuck with the X frame that long. I knew Olds and Pontiac (like my 61 Bonneville) had perimeter frames.
In reply to stuart in mn:
Flex probably gave a softer ride.
Kenny_McCormic wrote:
In reply to Rad_Capz:
Yeah, I think many of the drum complaints come from people who don't set them up right, one of those things that takes a certain high degree of mechanical sympathy not everybody has.
drum brakes are fine if you don't do a lot of repeated hard stops and if you use the brakes to come to a full stop when backing up to keep them adjusted. they are actually better for fuel mileage than discs since they don't drag at all when not engaged like discs do.
Major interchangability didn't happen until 66 for BOP and 71 for Chevy.
64 will have some things cross over like bearings, shocks, springs, but for the most part you'll have trouble with off the shelf stuff matching up.
