My Grandfather's '37 Oldsmobile

I've really enjoyed reading this James. It looks like you started with a better car than I did.

My poor car had been hit on every corner. The front fenders each had 10 pounds of lead in them.

Jerry

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Jerry - Thanks for reading the thread, and happy you enjoyed it.

My car indeed had had a fairly easy life, especially compared to yours it seems :-(

But it had had some boo boos that had been filled with lead that had to be cut out.

And a few places that some bad rust had gotten into.

So there was a bit of "lacey" lead that had to be cut out and new pieces formed and welded in.

Here's the bottom of a door.

The picture is the old piece that had been cut out laid back on top of the area under repair.

James

August 2013; Painting Day!

Code 123 - Runnymede Green, painted by me with urethane activated Centari.

I did the jambs & hinges off. I then mounted the doors & taped off the hinges, so I could put the final coats on the doors with them in place.

It was a very difficult car to paint, with so many separate pieces.

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So Jerry, you don't say and my "eye" for some of this isn't as expert as most here...

Is that a '37? Same as mine?

Do you have pictures of the whole process?

If you do and could post any, start your own thread?, I would sure like to see them.

James

P.S. I've got SO much admiration for all of y'all who are able to do your cars yourself.

I'm just not/can't.

Very thankful to have some friends and saintly workers who have made this a reality for me.

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And btw, just one quick one out of many...

We are starting to put 'er back together.

There's a local Oldsmobile chapter that has a "Gathering" a few towns over from me every autumn (Sept? Oct?).

My goal (pray for me!) is to be ready to drive the car over for it this year.

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Looks great James!!

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And btw, just one quick one out of many...

We are starting to put 'er back together.

There's a local Oldsmobile chapter that has a "Gathering" a few towns over from me every autumn (Sept? Oct?).

My goal (pray for me!) is to be ready to drive the car over for it this year.

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I found that part both stimulating ( you can see the finished product taking shape) and stressful (always worried about scratching something). You will make it to your show. Just keep adding...

So Jerry, you don't say and my "eye" for some of this isn't as expert as most here...

Is that a '37? Same as mine?

Do you have pictures of the whole process?

If you do and could post any, start your own thread?, I would sure like to see them.

James

P.S. I've got SO much admiration for all of y'all who are able to do your cars yourself.

I'm just not/can't.

Very thankful to have some friends and saintly workers who have made this a reality for me.

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Hi James,

Yes, Mine is the same as your's; L-37. Pretty common, since it was a good sales year. It's a good thing, because mine has parts from at least 6 different cars. It had a lot of trim missing when I found it. No wheels, caps, trim, bumper guards, on & on. I still need an L-37 hood ornament.

Here is what it looked like when I got it:

Here is a photo from last November.

I'm finishing up the final restoration details, and am now roadtesting it daily.

Lebaron Bonney interior going in. I highly recommend them, if you have not already done so.

I'm taking mine on The Great Race Rally from Maine to Florida in June, and will be driving through Georgia. Look for us!!

I'm keeping the engine all original, but I added an electric fuel pump on a switch, and next week I'm adding an electric cooling fan.

I also added turn signals that work through the fog lights, and seat belts.

The hardest part for me to find so far was 5 original 6 slotted wheels.

I swapped out the stock center diff, for one from a '49 Olds, for the taller highway gears. This is a bolt in swap that I highly recommend as well. It's cheaper, more dependable, and easier than adding overdrive.

Every single thing on the car is now working, including the clock. I'm now just fine tuning, accumulating spare parts, and chasing down rattles.

The total distance we will be driving it is about 4,100 miles. We will trailer to PA. Drive to the start in Maine, run the rally Maine to Florida, and then drive back to the truck in PA.

Jerry

Sounds like that would be an awesome trip!

Keith

She is really looking good James. Beautiful Olds. Looks like you are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

She is really looking good James. Beautiful Olds. Looks like you are seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

I think that you are doing very well. Should be a great car when you are finished.

Here is a photo from last November.

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I'm finishing up the final restoration details, and am now roadtesting it daily.

Lebaron Bonney interior going in. I highly recommend them, if you have not already done so.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]242357[/ATTACH]

I'm taking mine on The Great Race Rally from Maine to Florida in June, and will be driving through Georgia. Look for us!!

I'm keeping the engine all original, but I added an electric fuel pump on a switch, and next week I'm adding an electric cooling fan.

I also added turn signals that work through the fog lights, and seat belts.

The hardest part for me to find so far was 5 original 6 slotted wheels.

I swapped out the stock center diff, for one from a '49 Olds, for the taller highway gears. This is a bolt in swap that I highly recommend as well. It's cheaper, more dependable, and easier than adding overdrive.

Every single thing on the car is now working, including the clock. I'm now just fine tuning, accumulating spare parts, and chasing down rattles.

The total distance we will be driving it is about 4,100 miles. We will trailer to PA. Drive to the start in Maine, run the rally Maine to Florida, and then drive back to the truck in PA.

Jerry

Jerry,

What a great looking car.

1- just for the record, we almost got the same car, your's is an L, mine is an F.

2- I really enjoyed seeing your interior. I've been to their web site and all, but to see the cloth in the car, yep, that looks just right.

3- And I'm missing an emblem too, on an F there is a "T" emblem that sits down below the grill, just barely higher than the front bumper.

You can see it in the opening post of this thread, that's the car still sitting in my Daddy's basement before I ever moved it.

Somebody (twarn't me) evidently ran into or got backed into by something that came just over the bumper and tore up some steel and the emblem.

I hope this isn't going to be too hard of a find.

James

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Thanks everybody.

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Hey everybody.

I'm at loggerheads with the issue of getting glass for my car.

For some reason I thought it the thing to do to post THAT question in the

OLDSMOBILE CLUBS -> Oldsmobile - Technical . forum.

Here is the link to it: 1937 Oldsmobile (F) GLASS REPLACEMENT information/help/advice please

My conundrum has to do with logo-ing, legal requirements versus originality, etc.

If any of y'all have any knowledge, opinions, advice about this, please go there and chime in.

I need glass (past time for it) but am perplexed about all this.

Thanks,

James

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I have not heard that the glass manufacturer by law has to put their name on it. The glass needs to be laminated and tempered for safety. Most states regulate what can go on your glass. Stickers and such. My sister was pulled over for a decal on the back glass. At any rate, I suspect the company logo and glass info is small, black and inconspicuous. Similar to what your newer daily driver has.

Have a look at Sanders Glass. They list 37 Oldsmobile in their pattern inventory and they will know exactly what markings are required. They may even have the correct logo markings for your model car

http://www.sandersreproglass.com/inventory.php

Here's a guy in Montana to get a quote from - does great glass!!!!! CBlattie at aol dot com or Private Message me for his phone number. Tell him Willys 77 sent the recommendation.

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Hey Everybody,

Well... on the one hand, it hasn't been a good year, car-wise... very little progress.

On the other hand... some recent events bode well for some rapid progress and maybe a finished car before too long.

(...not in time for the Oldsmobile gathering in Cartersville in October but we'll get there!)

I do have one question about a decision I need to make very soon:

All the wiring on my car was pretty deteriorated, and so I need to get a new wiring harness.

And I'm trying to make a "philosophical" decision here.

- If you're building a show car, you want everything to be N.O.S. or as faithfully reproduced as possible.

- If you're rodding a car, well then there are no rules, do what you want.

I am neither of the above.

I am not rodding the car.

But neither am I building a car to show.

I'm just restoring my Grandfather's old Olds.

But I am trying to do it "right" to the extent I can.

Worked hard to get the original color back on it.

Going to do the interior authentic.

Etc.

But on the other hand... I have taken a couple of shortcuts, for convenience, or to save money.

- I put in a non-original, not to spec, gas tank

- put on an auxiliary electronic fuel pump

- didn't take the engine out and rebuild it (runs great as is!)

- didn't take the body off the frame and do that level of restoration

- etc.

So what about the wiring harness?

I'd be happy to use a gen-u-ine authentic reproduction cloth wrapped wiring harness,

but, man, the first one I priced (YNZ) was $800!

What do most of you guys do when it comes to a wiring harness?

Should I try to respect the car as a piece of history and cough up 8 bills for a cloth wire harness?

Or do you guys just wire it with "good" wire (but not expensive period reproduction wire) and that be just fine?

Opinions?

Thanks guys.

Jim

P.S. This picture has nothing to do with my wiring harness question.

But pictures make posts pop, so here's a picture!

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James, what would Granpa have done?

I did my Buick for a driver. I wired it myself. Not difficult. Being older, your Olds should be easier. Nothing wrong with doing a "proper" harness. But , for the most part, not many will notice.

Ben

I'd go for the original harness. I got mine from Rhode Island Wiring and they did a superb job. All the wires are marked and it's a neat package. I feel well worth the money spent and does save you some time.

On my '41 Buick, I went with one from Harnesses Unlimited, which like the Rhode Island ones, are made from modern materials but duplicate the look of the original.

Also, I restored my '41 to be good driver, not show car, but I wanted the right look. The colour coding on the repro harness matches the original, so that will make things easier if you need to make changes or repairs later on.

My opinion, spend the bucks and go for the reproduction wiring.

Keith

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Thanks First Born, Durant and Buicknutty.

Three good posts, all different!

I hope others will continue to post in with more opinions/suggestions!

All helpful and appreciated.

James

P.S. I love that picture, First Born.

What I think when I see that picture is... that guy must have felt like a king out in that car.

(how different from the tupperware cars of today!)

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That's Ben himself.

That's Ben himself.

Yep, yours truly at the know it all age of 18. That was the newest car I ever owned. Only 4 years old when I bought it. OH the stories it could tell.

Ben

Yep, yours truly at the know it all age of 18. That was the newest car I ever owned. Only 4 years old when I bought it. OH the stories it could tell.

Ben

Ben - So... do you still have it? (I haven't been involved here enough to know everybody and their stories.)

James

Ben - So... do you still have it? (I haven't been involved here enough to know everybody and their stories.)

James

James, I can only wish. But it was the inspiration for the one in my avitar.

Ben

James, right now, I couldn't afford the old rotten wire to install. It would seem that this recession (depression) has finally got to me now.

That being said, if you can afford it, I would get the correct looking wire. I believe that in the long run, it would be worth the extra expense. BTW, good to hear from you again!