rocketraider

Did they come off a vinyl roof car?

The J-I is a desirable Oldsmobile but after 40 years there aren't many left of the original 16,000 or so built. Put it this way- at an Oldsmobile National meet, you might see one or two. A 65 (6552 made) is even scarcer.

Went to an estate auction yesterday, I had been to the house once years ago with a couple of friends but boy was it back in a hole. Nearly a mile off the paved county road through a pine forest. Anyway- seems this old retired welder and steamfitter never threw anything anyway and in addition to piles of junk metal and no less than 14 Volkswagens in assorted styles and condition, had a running 1923 T touring that found a new owner for $4200. Solid fenders and body, new headlights, radiator shell and tires, and a shed full of spares. Hopefully the new owner will join AACA and the forums.

If the J-I still has its chambered pipe/front & rear resonator exhaust system and it is salvageable at all, keep it on there or at least save it if you have storage room. The rear resonators are not hard to find, and a LOT of digging might produce the front resonators, but the chambered sections are unobtainium. A good muffler shop can make the chambered pipes out of stock tubing and some Walker Turbo-Tubes if you can convince them what you want to do. Otherwise, you'll have to settle for stock tubing custom bent and a pair of good performance mufflers. If the muffler guy hasn't done an early 60s Olds, he might comment about the exhaust pipes being two different sizes. No fear, it was SOP at Olds.

If the 394 will run without pinging, you can probably get away without it. If you intend to run it the way it was meant to be driven, you probably need it. It is a 10.5 CR iron-headed engine that was designed for 100+ octane. I have to mix a potion every time I fill up my 64 Starfire. For that matter the Toro wants it too. It is so nice to pull the Hurst and Ninety Eight up to an 87 or 89 pump and they're happy with it. My experience is that high compression Olds engines need more than 93 octane. You can try running one heat range colder plug (AC 43 or equivalent vs the 44) or experiment with the advance curve, but there aren't as many proven curves for those distributors as there are for 65-later versions. You may find that installing a Mallory, Jacobs or Pertronix electronic ignition module and an MSD control box will help.

What body style? That will help us narrow things down. If it's a convertible, check the fabric gutter between top and trunk as well as the drip cords ahead of the rear wheel openings. Closed body style- if vinyl top, check the mounting studs for the roof trim mouldings and seal them appropriately from inside the trunk. Some dum-dum or DuxSeal will work well here. Non vinyl- it's probably coming in around the rear glass pinchweld. Remove the mouldings and clean out the channel. May require some metalwork if the channel is rusted thru. Check your rubber seal too. Water could be running between it and the trunk lid, or underneath it between the rubber and the weatherstrip channel. Easiest way to find it is to put someone in the trunk with a flashlight, close them up in there and run water over the back of the car.

It's working per design. Olds used a "compressor hold-in relay" 68-70 which, once MAX or AC are selected, keeps the compressor clutch engaged until the ignition switch is turned off. It comes in handy for defogging windows if you're aware of how the system works. Not sure why they did this. Probably to save some wiring changes between Custom AC cars and Comfortron cars. Comfortrons kept the AC compressor engaged all the time in 66-67 whereas Custom AC did not. Could have also been to reduce current going thru the compressor engage switch on the control head. You can bypass the hold-in relay so the compressor will engage only in an AC position, but I'll have to look underhood of the Toronado to see how I did it (it was done years ago <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />).

You know Steve- I can appreciate the work that went into the car and don't deny that it looks good. But it has totally ripped apart what a Toronado should be. With an owner the caliber of Leno, it is effectively telling the world that the ORIGINAL MODERN FWD American car doesn't cut it in today's world. Now if they had updated a 425/455, or even kept the FWD and adapted the Chevy engine, I'd be much more receptive to this car. What would have really been impressive is an Olds-driven AWD system. Sorry. I don't believe that a generic GM/Chevrolet crate engine is the answer to everything. I have long considered that a Chevy 350 is the most boring engine on the planet, and I'm not so sure the fat-block Chevy isn't right there with it.

They're STILL just used cars- but what stylish used cars <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />! Both cleaned up well and will be stunners once restored. I never realised the upholstery was such a BRIGHT blue. I wish I had a storage room like that. I've got cars strewed all over. Hopefully I'll have a 30x50 garage built by next year, though I wonder if I should go 30x60. Nuthin' fancy- no Horsepower TV stuff for me. Just room to store and work on them out of the weather all in one place, though I may spring for a two-post lift. Again, thanks Brian for sharing neat stuff.

www.hurstolds.com(the Hurst/Olds Club website). They should have the production breakdown of 1983 sunroof cars.

The sponge foam headliner doesn't exist. Might as well put 1960s GM vinyl in it. OCA is aware that the stuff is not reproduced and does not take a point deduction for it. The color you want for the emblems is called Oldsmobile Purple Poly (yeah, I know, it looks red). If you have a small sample a paint supply should be able to mix you a spray bomb. If not, I've found that a Testor's model paint color called Ruby Red Metallic works well. It may not be as durable on exterior trim as an automotive paint. Olds actually had a brass masking template to paint the 1963 spinner wheel covers (as well as 58-62). I've known several people over the years who owned them, but they've gotten rid of the cars and all parts and don't know where the templates went. All dealerships were supposed to get one as service wheelcovers weren't painted and had to be sprayed to match the car. The sail panel courtesy lenses are reproduced and most all GM vendors should have them. They were used on all carlines except Cadillac for many years. There are two types- one has concentric ribs, the other is smooth. www.fusick.com if you haven't already contacted them. More details on the car? Color, options etc? I'm guessing black, white, Regal or Rose judging by Regal Mist wheelcovers.

I don't understand why the SC/Rambler post was moved especially for the reasons stated. I saw nothing confusing about it and considering it addressed a fairly rare and significant specialty production car (as <span style="font-weight: bold">ALL</span> Hurst conversions are) it was certainly relevant to this Forum. The Hurst conversions are hard enough to document and save without having them totally dissed in a major collector car Forum. The fact that GM, AMC and Chrysler ALL used them to produce (now highly collectable) specialty cars speaks volumes for Hurst/Campbell Corporation and their Demmer Engineering subsidiary. I suppose any discussion I would initiate concerning my 1974 Hurst/Olds Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replica would also be taboo in this setting? Or have we forgotten that the "Jaws of Life" tool that is standard equipment on almost every EMT and crash response ambulance in this country was also designed by George Hurst?

There should be provision for up/down and fore/aft adjustment where the hinge bolts to the fenders and body. Scribe a reference line at the current hinge location so you can back up and start over if needed. You need a helper- adjusting hoods is an awkward operation. The front edge height can be adjusted using the hood bumpers. They're threaded into the core support and can be screwed up or down as needed to set the front edge and reduce hood "flutter" at road speed. Recommend purchasing the factory shop manuals. They're invaluable and I think are available on CD-ROM. You need the 1961 manual and the 1962 supplement. My bet is that you have really worn hood hinges after 42 years. Adjusting them may help but replacement is the real solution.

Tony- first, find out where that GrandVille came from. It looks and is optioned an awful lot like one a friend's dad had 10-12 years ago and sold for nearly nothing in an Alzheimer's episode. Does it perchance have a set of General AmeriTrac tires? RE door courtesy lights. Those are an Oldsmobile design first used in 1964 and continuing thru 1976 on all the higher-line cars- Starfire/Jetstar I, Delta, 88 Royale, Ninety-Eight and Toronado. Matter of fact everything I own except the Hurst/Olds has them. The 74-76 Regency door lights are a little different, but the LS used these. Pontiac used them only on GrandVilles. I've never seen them on any other Pontiac carline. OTOH, Pontiac used a door reflector in 63-64 that found its way onto A-body Oldsmobiles in 1970. You'd be amazed at the corporate parts-bin raiding that went on back then.

Don't know Tom, but the 2000 OCA membership directory shows a Thomas E. Neill in Phoenix. PM with reason for contacting and I'll send you the address and phone that were listed at that time.

1962 <span style="font-style: italic">Oldsmobile Body Parts & Accessories Catalog</span> shows Grp 12.116 Molding, Rear Quarter Wheel Opening- Chrome; 1959 Ninety-Eight, 575210 RH, 575211 LH. So yes, any 1959 Ninety-Eight can supply the molding you need.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ITS MINE <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Woohooo... my wife, my friends, noone understands why this monstrous old boat makes me so happy, but it does. I should pick it up on sunday....I cant wait. </div></div> Look in my sig line. <span style="font-weight: bold">I understand.</span> For some reason 1975s don't show up much, even though there were about 25,000 coupes built that year. 74s and 76s are fairly common. They had the misfortune to be big, heavy and thirsty during a time when people demanded gas mileage, and GM quality was not the best in the early 70s so a lot of them simply rusted away or were driven into the ground. They are elegant automobiles. May I suggest finding and installing a set of Super Stock IV Polycast wheels? Even though they are technically correct only for 1971-72 Delta 88s, they really set off a 71-76 Ninety Eight.

OK- digging back deep into the memory banks here. From what I remember there were two different two-tone schemes in 59. Type 1 was darker color on roof and lower body with lighter color upper body, hood and decklid. Type 2 reversed it so the lighter color was on the roof and lower body with darker or accent color on upper body. I think you could also get a white or contrast color roof with solid color body. I don't know the available colors for the deluxe spinner wheel discs, but the ones I remember seeing were usually keyed to the darker body color or sometimes the interior on a solid black or white car. Most I've seen were metallic colors, and I've seen green, aqua, bronze, pink, red and white. I'm sure there are more, but I can't find it in the 59 manuals or the 1962 edition body parts/accessories book.

It's called the Aero/Hurst. Doc Watson converted a few 88's and those are considered to be "the" 1988 Hurst/Olds. Package was also available thru dealers to install on any 1981-88 RWD Cutlass and cars so equipped are simply considered Aero/Hurst. There's enough interest in them that OCA established a separate judging sub-class for them, though most years you don't see even one at the Nats. More info at www.hurstolds.com .

www.fusick.com or other well-known Olds vendors carry reproductions but they are available only in black. If you want colors, you'll have to find NOS or good used. Same mat used 1965-72 in Cutlass and full-size cars.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> VIN# 344870M288937.... If anyone can help me decode this it would be appreciated. Anthony </div></div> 3= Oldsmobile 44= Cutlass 442 87= hardtop coupe Fisher body code 0= 1970 model year M= Lansing MI assembly plant 288937= sequential VIN We can decode your trim tag underhood too- the paint and interior trim codes, build date, and some, not all, options. Looks like there are more of you 70 guys around than I thought. Bet every one of you has scars on the back of your head too... <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

An Edelbrock or Carter AFB carb will bolt onto the 394 intake but WILL require modifications to the accelerator and transmission throttle valve rod linkage to make it work properly. If the TVR is not set correctly, the Slim Jim transmission will do all sorts of hateful things. A QuadraJet will not bolt onto a 394 intake without an adapter, and you will run into the same linkage issues with it. If you were lucky enough to find an NOS Rochester 4GC (not so far fetched, they show up on ebay from time to time) odds are you would have to at least put new gaskets in as the originals would have dry-rotted or shrunk. This leaves a rebuilt 4GC as your option. I ordered one from Fusick (rebuilt by Daytona Carb in FL, supposedly to factory specs and showcar appearance) to replace a leaker I had on my green Starfire, and damned if it didn't leak worse than the original. There were no problems returning it though, Fusick is really good about standing behind their products. I ended up getting one thru AutoZone of all places. They carry Holley's "Factory Reman" line, think it was about $200.00 US. It's an original Rochester carb, not a Holley. Rebuilt, flow tested and recolored and other than adjusting idle mixture just a hair, it was pretty much a bolt-on. www.fusick.com and www.holley.com

Doubt you'll find much help here since we're geared toward restoration more than radical modification. Not even sure where to recommend visiting, since all the other Olds sites I know of get kinda antsy when someone suggests putting a SBC in an Olds body. You wanna talk stuffing an Olds 403 or 455 in there, they'll talk your ears off and guide you thru the whole process. <span style="font-style: italic">Hot Rod</span> or <span style="font-style: italic">Popular Hot Rodding</span> magazines might be a better source of info for this swap. Maybe even <span style="font-style: italic">Super Chevy</span> since I'm bound to think someone has done this swap in a Chevelle.

Far as I know, you're the only one to date. I owned a 70 years ago and remember a little about it, but I don't know how much I could help you on a hardcore restoration. I have a set of parts books covering the 1970 as well as the Tech Bulletins/Service Guild. 442.com and realoldspower.com have pretty steady A-body traffic. Be aware that the 442.com memberlist has been hijacked by viruses and spyware several times. ROP is actually geared more toward racers, but you can usually get a reasonable answer to a restoration question on there. Where are you in VA?

Well- I'll admit to being one of those who snipes in the last few seconds, but I've found that is sometimes the only way to ensure getting the item. Sunday, I had to bid a beautiful 1974 Cutlass dash pad early, and when I checked the auction end found the only other bidder had pecked the bid until he got $1 higher than my proxy. At least I know I made him jump high to get the part, but all he really did was jack up the bid higher than it should have gone, and make mo' money for the seller. I have gotten some really good deals thru ebay as well as some rakings. Of course, except for the Starfires, most of what I'm looking for isn't mainstream or high-dollar so I don't have to fight the 442 crowd for it. I can't imagine B&T thinking there's that much demand for 1963 Ninety Eight taillights, that they're trying to stockpile any remaining stock. Moin, have you tried Paul McGuill at Pacific West Auto Parts in California? He specialises in big Olds stuff and may have a nice used set available. I can't remember his contact info but he advertises in Hemmings Motor News (which I no longer get).