We have all heard the stories and experienced most of them ourselves about marriage, family, jobs, and life being life. Irvin was no different. He would wait until retirement in 2015 before really finding the ample time this project would require. Fortunately for Irvin, he now had the time and a list of friends who were always there to jump in and help with the project. With the likes of his brother, Philip, and close rodding buddies George Knight, Bill Mudd, Leroy Sultzbaugh, Jim Simmons, Ken Musgrave, Dennis Riffle, Bob Saderstrom, Justin Moriarty, and Kevin Brady, the 1939 Buick Special came into its own. We saved the best for last—his wife, Lynda, was there throughout the process, willing to provide whatever assistance was needed. We are guessing she will thoroughly enjoy riding “copilot” on this fantastic ride.

The body began life as a 1939 Buick Special, and as it evolved into a street rod, additional effort was made to repair all the body panels that showed rust. Extensive rust forced Irvin to make new rockers, floor, and refit the bottom 4 inches of the trunklid, which required fresh sheetmetal, as did the gutters and fender patch panels. From here, the body was channeled 2 inches in front and 1 inch in the rear. The top was chopped with 1-1/2 inches removed from the front A-pillar to 0 inches at the rear of the C-pillars while the driprails were removed and then replaced with a “character line” using 1/4-inch rod. The running boards were shaped from a 1-1/4-inch EMT conduit (electric metallic tube). Note the area where the vent windows once resided, which have now been removed, giving the side glass a “clean” appearance. Aiding in this appearance, all handles were also removed. The front and rear bumpers were shortened 6 inches and tucked into the body. Regarding the rear bumper, the surround of a 1950 Chevy license plate was reshaped to fit the Buick bumper contour. The front bumper also required “cutting” and was reshaped to follow the contour of the fenders and grille. He also made a new core support, scraping the original, to accommodate the crossflow Griffin Radiator cooler and a Derale electric fan to fit the available space. The stock Buick hood was reused, but its center trim and trim down the sides are made of stainless steel by McMillan Rod & Custom. The next stop was at Advanced Plating, which handled all the brightwork on this ’39 Buick.

The interior is based on a 1939 Buick Special. Still, a 1940 Ford instrument gauge panel was added and filled with Dakota Digital HDX gauges linked to the remainder of the car’s electrics through a Coach Controls Coupe-23 wiring kit, all handled by Irvin. The wiring kit can handle 23 circuits and comes in either a standard or long version. An ididit steering column, topped with a Billet Specialties Impact wheel, is dash mounted, and below the dash proper is a sub-panel that houses A/C vents and power ports. The Vintage Air A/C system has its controls dash mounted where one might have found the original radio. In the back, the rear seat was displaced. Instead, a custom box now houses the electrical panel, air suspension operating system, battery, tool bag, and other comfort items. Irvin also built the custom center console that houses the Lokar shifter, Kenwood touch screen stereo, storage compartment, and the obligatory pair of cup holders. It should be noted that the pair of bucket seats come from a Toyota Celica and feature seat heaters, all from Vintage Fabrications Upholstery, which covered the seats and other panels in Sunset-colored leather. They also handled the headliner, the dark blue Daytona Square Weave carpeting, and the fit and finish of the trunk.

The stock 1939 Buick Special frame was retained, and a Fatman front clip was grafted to it, plus Fatman spindles, along with Ridetech ShockWave air shocks, a Thunderbird rack-and-pinion, and an Ididit steering column, Wilwood drilled-and-slotted rotors, and polished Dynalite calipers. Moving the power rearward, the next stop is a Lincoln rearend massaged by John’s Industries and filled with their custom 28-spline axles and 3.25 gears equipped with Wilwood braking. All the braking is operated by a Wilwood 7/8-inch bore master cylinder and an underfloor homemade pedal assembly. A Ridetech four-bar holds the rearend in place along with more Ridetech shocks. Also in the back is a Tanks 16-gallon unit. Found at the corners are polished Schott Americana wheels with three-spinner knockoffs: 17s in front and 18s in the rear. The rubber is made up of a combination of Hankook and Maxxis, with 225/50R17 fronts and 245/55R18 rears.

Irvin tells a story about completing the build only to have one of those bugaboos pop up. The first time the 1939 Buick Special hit the road, it took only 700 miles before the Buick 401 Nailhead succumbed to a crack in one of the cylinder heads. This forced the engine to come apart, leading to the reality that it might be a lot easier, quicker, and, given budget constraints, make more sense to “go modern.” After looking for an appropriate cylinder head and having no luck, he installed a low-mileage Gen IV 6.0L LS truck V-8 dressed in a Corvette intake, a K&N air filter, Summit valve covers, and a Holley mid-mount serpentine accessory belt system. A Howell Engine Developments computer, wire harness, and a Corvette drive-by-wire throttle are used. The “juice” is supplied by a trunk-mounted Optima YellowTop battery through a 150-amp chrome alternator. The exhaust system is based on Summit exhaust manifolds, 2-1/2-inch stainless steel tubing, and a pair of Flowmaster HR-2 mufflers, all fabricated for use by Irvin. The transmission is a 4L60E controlled by a Lokar shifter and a center console–mounted cable. A pair of in-series coolers are used along with Derale thermostat-controlled fans; one fin-style cooler is underneath the fender, while the second fin-style cooler is in front of the radiator. The shifter is surrounded by a custom-made center console that also houses the Kenwood touch screen stereo system.

Having survived the initial engine disaster, it was back to driving. Major changes like this often lead to other changes. In this case, a few modifications had to be made to the frame, exhaust, and cooling system, as well as some serious rewiring. Yep, this isn’t a quick fix, and it took about a year to complete. Once the A/C was recharged and the LS tuned, it was back on the road, enjoying the freshly minted street rod.