Will It Run and Drive 400 Miles Home? 1959 Chevy Biscayne 1 owner

On this episode, we travel down to Arizona and purchase a 1959 Chevy Biscayne that has been sitting since the early 90s can we get it running and driving well enough to drive it back to Utah 407 miles? 

[@OldCarAlley]

Pull the rubber boot at the shift lever up enough to squirt some oil down into where the lever goes.... that will free it up. I have owned a 59 Bel Air for 45 years with a three on the tree.... I had the same issues with it, when I first purchased the car in 1978.

[@ironcladranchandforge7292]

I swear this was the most frustrating video I've watched in a long time!! Wish I was there in Arizona when you bought the car so I could teach you a few things about 235's (my favorite engine) and how to quickly get that linkage working properly. Also, that transmission IS NOT SYNCHOMESHED in first gear, so please stop grinding the gears. 99% of the time when a 3 on the tree binds up, it's in the linkage under the hood by the brake master cylinder. The bushings probably need replaced at that point. Regardless, if you would have lifted the hood and put a little oil on the bushings and linkage connections it would have probably worked fine. Also, you could have grabbed the linkage rod under the hood and worked it up and down and it probably would have came unstuck. EVERY old 3 on the tree I've had, and I've had MANY, was stuck and usually took me just a couple of minutes to fix. My 1960 Chevy Apache that I've owned for at least 25 years now was stuck when I bought it. A little oil, a little moving the rod up and down, been working great ever since. I don't mean to ridicule you, but damn that was painful to watch. I was screaming when you put that pipe on the shift lever!! Now, of course the problem may be in the column. If so, I apologize. But I've only seen that happen once.

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Take a deep breath buddy, everything is going to be ok, well except for the column it’s screwed but everything else will be fine! Thanks for seeing the video though and don’t sue me for your upcoming therapy bills that you are going to need because of me!😬 no in all seriousness I do believe it’s the column because after the video was taken I looked a bit closer and someone has welded on the linkage under the hood. No worries I’ll fix it. Thanks for watching

[@ironcladranchandforge7292]

@@Seewhatyoustarted 🤣🤣!! Look, I've been driving these old cars and trucks for over 50 years and work on them myself. If you're seeing some cobbled up welding on the column then fine. That just tells me a previous owner didn't know what the heck he was doing. Thank God you didn't break the shift lever off using that pipe. I wouldn't have done that in a thousand years. But hey, it's your car and I'm still a subscriber and will watch. I'm just a sentimental old man that hates seeing younger generations tear these fine old cars up. I just watched a video where these two young guys took a fine old 1953 Ford that was in good shape with decent ORIGINAL paint and slam the car to the ground, then sanded various spots on the paint down to bare metal to give it a "patina look". I just about vomited on the computer screen.

[@davesaylor5135]

​@@ironcladranchandforge7292l watched the same ford video don't know why people like the patina look

[@hgj2019]

@@davesaylor5135I think they are too lazy and/or cheap to do a paint job. Personally, I don’t care for the rustier patina looks. It is ok if original paint is just a little thin, but anything worse needs a paint job, IMHO.

[@davidolson9475]

You read my mind!!

[@GreaseMonkey1958]

I have owned several 3 on the Tree Chevy's and have never had one that wouldn't jam up at some point. The secret to shifting them is in the 1st to 2nd shift, go almost all the way to reverse holding the lever to you, then come back down to Neutral then over and up to second. 2nd to 3rd was never an issue but the 1st to 2nd was tricky. Good luck with it! John

[@joerusso9990]

You should try greasing the shafts on the column underneath the hood were the shift rods are it's probably just dried up it happens from sitting I really love the car what a sweet ride I'd leave it as is and drive it😊

[@glenbo2464]

First gear probably isnt synchronized so you have to be almost at a stop to go into first . What a good runner though.

[@aftershock2222]

Yup, GM didn’t synchro first gear till the mid sixties.

[@hgj2019]

…full stop or double clutch. 😄

[@vernebrown4441]

A note in shifting keep the lever keep it pull toward you till "N" then push over. Secord and third are synchro BUT first and reverse are NOT synchroed. so full stop before putting in first or reverse. Take the lever's out of the trans grease all the pivot points Be sure to get the levers at the bottom of the column are line up the lever's there and put in a drill bit to be sure they are line up as they should be. Family car in high school was a 59 wagon with the 6cly and 3 speed.

[@hgj2019]

I had a 59 Brookwood wagon. Did yours ever hang the shifter if you tried to pull away too quickly in first? Ours did. We would have to get out, raise the hood, thd get the linkage lined back up before it would shift. Loved that car.

[@vernebrown4441]

It was Moms car. I had the joy of a 56 Ford vic. That was a fun car.

[@matta5534]

If it were me I'd be super stoked to just clean it up and drive just like it is! For a 59' it's stellar in my mind! Stay blessed!

[@terryjohnston7162]

Great find! As far as the shifter goes from sitting for a extended time the linkages will get sticky or even stuck so I would start with soaking all the swivel points with a lubricant such a PB blaster but you probably need to do a little adjusting of the linkages. There is a few good videos on KZbin to show the procedure. Good luck and enjoy, she’s a dandy!

[@careysavage]

Go under the hood and oil the shifter column it will make it work much better

[@Moondog7974]

How about checking the plug gap before installing or at least looking at them but nope straight from the box to the engine then he will wonder y its not running right sooo frustrating

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

It ran fine, sorry for the frustrations 🤷🏼‍♂️.

[@rickgaine3476]

I like what you are doing and how yougo about it. Many other content creators have gotten to big and their content is more annoying at this point. I enjoy the reality in your videos.

[@jeffscott8323]

Seen about a million of these 59s growing up. Haha.

[@ShelbyBunton]

THe shift linkage under the hood needs probably adjusting and lubricated.

[@phillawrence3633]

Good to see a video that all isn’t perfect 👍. Enjoyed it

[@Im.Richard]

To only be one year is a shame I think these have got the best looking tail lights of any year Impala hopefully you do more with this car it deserves it

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Yeah it’s definitely a cool looking car for sure. Probably my favorite year of chevy cars lineup. I’m going to do a few things to it to make it a better driver but not a full restoration on it.

[@66skate]

Someone who might know whats' going on with the trans is Ryan from Iowa Classic Cars. He just posted a video a few days ago about a 59 Impala he's working on. He's really into them and has a garage full of them.

[@Raycr]

The 59 Chevy is Ryan's most favorite car!

[@monterreymxisfun3627]

This issue with the turn signal is a pot metal cam that gets disfigured out of shape. Repros of those used to be readily available.

[@wattsd12]

Brings back memories. We had one back in the mid sixties and my brother was running around the car and hit his head on one of the fins sticking out and wound up having a steel plate in his forehead. I kid him about it every time I see one.

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Dang!

[@wattsd12]

It also vapor locked a lot.

[@garywilson12]

check the shift forks under the hood, they can bind uo

[@hgj2019]

GREAT CAR! One of the greatest cars I owned was a 1959 Chevy Brookwood 2- door station wagon. I bought it from my parents, and did a paint job and minor bodywork on it the summer between high school and college. Drove it to college my freshman year. God old 235 with three on the tree. I’d give just about anything to have it back. Try to find yourself an oil-bath air filter to make it authentic. Easy with the blinker lever. They are kinda fragile Like others said, you need to live up those shifting linkages - grease or heavy oil. It’s just dry.

[@MadBashRC]

Not going to lie, when I seen the pipe I got nervous. I didn’t think it was going to end well. 🤣

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

🤣 it’s not dumb if it works 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@hgj2019]

@@Seewhatyoustartedsorry, but you were VERY LUCKY. I had to skip over the cheater part. PLEASE just live it. The cheater is a REALLY BAD IDEA!

[@lindarankin6963]

First, If the directionals are flashing, pull the flasher can out of the fuse box or the inline. Second, you are not supposed to shift into 1st or reverse while that car is moving!

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

First, I pulled the flasher out in the video. Second, and this is important……. Grind it till you find it!

[@danielrivera5858]

First things first make sure your linkage are even on the trany and by the fire wall if they aren't along it means your linkage are off pull both levers on the transmission itself make sure the gears are not engage then check your linkage by the fire wall the should be parallel to each other if they are not your linkage need to be adjusted

[@user-vl5wl1oq9e]

The column under the hood is where they lock up try just putting some loob on them it is most likely they are dry and some times the bushings wear out and you can replace them

[@Raycr]

Very cool find! If you need any advice or maybe even some parts, i might be able to hook ya up. I only had 15 or so 59s and daily 2 of them in the summer.

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Cool, thanks

[@henrycopeland133]

Put a little grease on the lingage under the hood it will shift a lot better and make sure they are in adjustment with the shifter being in neutral

[@pltanner2981]

also check trans oil level. put trans in neutral , the links should be parallel or directly even with each other. there should be threaded links or pins on the linkage . some time the links are bent from someone forcing the shifter. if you can't get to a functional position . unhook the links at the trans. neutral should be easy to find . 1srt and reverse will be on the back lever. 2nd and third on the forward lever.with the levers in the center position. each you should be able to move each lever easily both directions . but if one of them is not in neutral the other shouldn't move. other wise one could lock up the trans. there are balls and springs inside the trans to prevent lockup. there is an H cutout in the column clean it up and check for damage. the center of the H should be even with the shift lever when in neutral. (cliff notes version). good luck

[@davidcoudriet8439]

The fact that you are yanking on the lever with a full fist means nobody ever lubricated the column or linkage.

[@billdyke9745]

1st gear? Who needs that..? Seriously nice car, (except where it's not)... Well worth some effort. 🇬🇧👍

[@rayspringer8055]

Replace the transmission throwout bearing...getting it out of first gear into second gear...

[@daviddavis4444]

I"m 64 my godparents had a 59 Impala with a 348 V8 had it till they traded it in for a Chrysler New Yorker in the early 60's.

[@tombob671]

I had a Chevy truck the linkages on the firewall needed cleaned and lubed

[@justinanderson1727]

This guy makes me feel incredibly smart

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Do you feel better now?

[@trevorking-rc9tv]

First gear is a crash gear,second and third are synchromech gear try shuffling the clutch when engaging first and second gear,relax the gear change between first and second

[@RustyInventions-wz6ir]

Just found your channel and Subscribed. Very nice car

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Awesome thank you!

[@robray6408]

I own a 60 Belair, it was repainted to this Roman Red Color, dash is gun metal gray, which was the original color of the car....your might have had the same situation here.

[@jeffscott8323]

When you opened trunk. Color was white. This car was possibly white originally.

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Maybe 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@pltanner2981]

for shifting issues... 3 on tree . the car has been setting a while . find a penetrating oil . sQirt the H linkage

[@MadBashRC]

That car is bad to the bone!!! What a great find!

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Thanks

[@tombob671]

Btw your best move is get a factory 🏭 repair manuel 😁

[@rogerdumais7637]

Nice find always like old Chevy's ya the people live in where their is an association where they can't do nothing they have rules

[@North49191]

I like to take a test drive before I buy it. That's just me.

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

The car was listed as non running so that wasn’t an option.

[@paulmurawski3683]

153624 always I remember

[@tommyjefferson9525]

They gave you two for the coil just in case it's located in a different area I'm sure they're the ones larger than the other longer

[@tommyjefferson9525]

That roof is probably got a lot of mouse houses up in it from the way it's Stained It's probably got a bunch of mouse houses

[@thomasputnam4491]

There is a good easy way to adjust the shifter ..you wrecked the best side of the old car.why don't you slow down and find neutral then shift it from there .best way to adjust it is to find a guy smart enough to work on it. And you stay away from it..

[@LaLaLand.Germany]

He said SLOW! Didn´t kid get the memo? You break it, You fix it.

[@primitivocruz9148]

What you might need is a 4 speed munsie with a floor shifter.

[@larryfernow4071]

AC ( Albert Champion)

[@57Banjoman]

I'll take Autolite over Champion any day-cool car!

[@lindarankin6963]

BTW, thats a Biscayne, not an Impala as this title shows.

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

I clearly said that in my first sentence of the video…….🤷🏼‍♂️

[@41chevcoe]

This is a base Model Biscayne not a top model Impala! Fighting with all your force on the shift lever made me cringe and then amazed it survived a 4 foot pipe used on the shift lever! That is the most abuse I have seen exerted on transmission linkage when a little lube at the end of the steering column under the hood would have cured it. No doubt the linkage will need some adjusting after that force. Hopefully no permanent damage has been done.

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

I established that I knew it was a Biscayne in the video…….. and the pipe was 5 foot 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@tommyjefferson9525]

You need to see if the the flashers are stuck on maybe the flashers are on

[@R0MANS109]

Could have the emergency blinkers on, so that both signals are going?

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Only the passengers side was on.

[@kevinvansandt9117]

Should be a fun 400mi I'll ride with you lol

[@vernebrown4441]

Just pull the flasher. Then use hand signals.

[@hgj2019]

Emergency blinkers? On a ‘59? Emergency flashers were not standard, optional, or even dreamed of in ‘59. Directional blinkers only.

[@ronaldfarmer1208]

6Lubricate with some light oil

[@georgemarshall9534]

The link age on the column is bad

[@KiwiStag74]

Thirty years ago, I thought the 58 and 59 were the ugliest Chevys I'd ever seen. Now, being about your age, I look at them and I cannot help but be rapt to see one in any condition, moving down the highway.....and I think time has mellowed its lines for me and she's one of the most beautiful cars ever made. Weird how that happens. Apart from the floors and the bottoms of the rear quarters, that beasty looks damn solid. The engine sounds sweet as a nut and the box has all the right whines with no noise from the diff either. The interior - ok, the hoodlining is disgusting and the door panels are shot, but the seats would come back with a decent shampoo and disinfectant....and that dash! Wow! You know, I'm thinking that beasty is mostly a cosmetic overhaul. Sure - weld in the floors and repair the lower rear quarters, replace the brakes (which is typical for any car sat for umpteen years), adjust the slack out of the steering box and fix the column shift.....but other than that, it's just a bit of dusting in on the paint over the repairs, replacing the door panels and trim, cleaning the crap (literally!) out of the seats, pulling that manky liner down, cleaning up what's behind it and putting up a new one if it cannot be cleaned and chucking in some nice underlay and carpet. Great find, lovely cruiser, easy to maintain, plenty of appeal and a generally good car all round. I'll look forward to seeing what the issue in the column is, but it looks to be something like a collapsed bearing, worn bush or slipring inside the column causing the issue if the selectors and linkages to them move freely enough. My first thought on that would be to get a can of WD40 and drown the insides of the column where I can get at under the bit that moves with the shifter. Hey - maybe take the whole thing apart an have a look, because another thought is that the right blinker stays on, so maybe one of the signal wires has got itself tangled up in the shifter somehow, is shorting out and keeping that turn signal going. It might all be related.....but then, who knows. Either way, it's got to come apart anyway. Good luck with the old girl, matey and all the best from here in New Zealand!

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Thanks!

[@damiangillett6443]

Patina is a word that needs to be outlawed. Effed paint is exactly that, rust is exactly that etc I will not look at any old car where I see the word Patina. If the Owner knows that word, he/she is gonna ask a stupid as price\

[@stevenherner298]

Romen

[@stevenherner298]

Women red original maybe my 60s were that color

[@vernebrown4441]

You were in Phx , and didn't stop by in Prescott so we could talk 57 Chevys. Sad face

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Next time for sure.

[@vernebrown4441]

see ya then @@Seewhatyoustarted

[@michaeldaigle3573]

I have to say I totally agree with itonclad' s comment! It was very painful to watch you drive that great old Chevy. You definitely need to do some learning on those old classis! Please! 🙏😅

[@MadBashRC]

Typical old jealous d-bag comment. I hope he sells it to @whistlindiesel and he uses it as speedbump for monstermax.

[@thomasputnam4491]

I could have got it out of first in 5 minutes most simple car in the world to work on people like you shouldn't even be allowed to own an old car.you wreck more than you fix .it's under the hood .watch you wreck it .why do you think that old 4 door peace is so cool .the shifter adjustment is on the end of the steering column under the hood real simple fix I had lots of them in the past

[@carlpistocco1926]

I'm 74 and I don't consider my self old,just saying

[@41chevcoe]

This affirmns my belief that some people should never own collector cars.

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

No, I just shouldn’t share them to the internet.

[@MadBashRC]

@41chevceo where are your cars? Where are your videos on KZbin? Exactly, you just sit in front of your computer trying to be a know it all, but really come across as a jealous, rude arrogant old man who has nothing better to do than to pick on people over the internet. What a LOSER

[@MadBashRC]

Never mind, I just looked ol’ George Windsor up on the internet and he does have some nice cars, but that’s no excuse to be a jerk.

[@71Malibu400]

My dad owned a 3 on tree chevy and whenever that linkage acted up he volunteered me to free it up and that was as an 8yr old. Hard to watch this video.

[@MadBashRC]

Please tell us grand wizard of cars. What a joke I bet a 8 years old you were still breast feeding from your dad. I bet you couldn’t fix crap on a car.

[@Kunt5113]

Mate, you are huffing and puffing from standing up and walking around a car. I've been that way years ago. I started out slowly. I cut out sugar first. At first I ate as much as I wanted still but only good food. I rode a bike and hit a punching bag. Over time I ate smaller amounts. I never pushed myself that hard, I just changed my life. Bad food tastes like shit to me now. I eat lots of red meat, fish and chicken. Nearly all meals I make at home. I very rarely eat shit like McDonald's. It tastes like shit to me now.

[@damiangillett6443]

If it has points, and not HEI... It wasn't starting - don't fool yourself not a hope in hell

[@davidgray5180]

I dont understand why you dont stop and look at the problems, They seem to be simple! I cant watch this!

[@MadBashRC]

David you are so dumb….. he got it running and driving , literally saved a classic car. Grow up and show some support to those people who try and save them.

[@kimkramer5773]

Also, never put lever into first gear unless you are SITTING DEAD, STOPPED, NOT MOVEING. Sell it, Sell it. You don't deserve the car. You don't know how to work on it. I'd bet you've bent one of the shift rods. A pipe on the shift lever? My 16 year old Austic son knows better than that.

[@MadBashRC]

Father of the year

[@dalestewart5670]

Why buy these cars if you dont know how to work on them

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Do you feel better?

[@MadBashRC]

He’s just jealous because he can’t afford them! Keep buying them @seewhatyoustarted

[@Seewhatyoustarted]

Tune in tomorrow….. new video coming soon

[@MadBashRC]

@@Seewhatyoustarted lol can’t wait!!

[@stew6338]

I would just like to say that @ironcladranchandforge7292 you are not alone. I read you comment and you and I feel exactly the same re this video. every time he selected first while moving I was screaming at the video for him to stop doing that.