rocketraider

The Oldsmobile History Center can do it for some cars, but they are in the middle of a forced relocation and not sure when they'll be completely up and running again. Stay tuned...

That thread about the GS340 and radial tires on the BCA Forum should be all the proof anyone needs that Buick offered radials that year. I wish I could find some documentation like that for Oldsmobile.

Hi all- I prefer that you don't post leads on ebay items here in the OCA Buy/Sell Forum. Those often provoke flame wars and vendor-bashing, neither of which I think have a place here. If you want to post an ad for a commercial service, please post it in the Forum we've provided for those. Also- if you have a comment about any vendor, pro or con, keep it civil and factual. Trying to make it more enjoyable for us all! (and save me from having to moderate every post on here! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> )

The 1981 radio is simple to remove, so you can remove it and take it to a radio repair shop. If you don't have one close by, I recommend Todd Electronic Radio Service in Greensboro NC, 336-292-1227.

Streets, if there's anything out there I don't know about it. Your best bet may be to get a set of east coast door panels. We Easterners sure love y'all's desert sheetmetal and chrome, but we know there's always a flip side to the coin- in this case, rubber and plastic don't hold up against the sun.

I haven't heard whether they even did one. Daryl Bureski produced them for many years. Try linking to the GCNKY Chapter website thru the OCA main page and see if there's still chapter contact information. The GCNKY folks could tell you if a video was made. Brian- when the frickin' website has barely been updated since 1999, how can you expect current year's Nationals pictures to be on it? I raised hell with the webmaster my last two years as a Director about that website never being updated and got nowhere, except to be scolded by the then-president of OCA for harassing a dedicated volunteer (who just happened to be one of his political appointees). The website was initially developed by Brad Nicholson under my Board sponsorship after the 1997 Centennial, and once it got off the ground both of us had words and disgust about the way it was handled under a different OCA administration. We are now under the third president since the website was first established and it's still stagnant. I really think that's part of the reason we don't have as much OCA participation in the Forum as we should- people have given up on the website and don't visit. But then I must shoulder a little of the blame myself for not getting word out in JWO as I should.

Do you have the old radiator? Have them measure it and see for sure if they can get a core or if it's just that they don't want to fool with it. I had one of the highly advertised shops here tell me they couldn't get a core for my 64 Starfire, and went to another, slightly out of the way shop and the guy had it ordered and installed in two days. Guess who has my radiator business now, and guess who I talk trash about at cruise night?

327 were available 1962-69 in several performance levels. I think your best bet is to find an old Chilton or Motor general service manual that covers those years and look up the engine code in that (I have a 69 Chilton Professional Edition that I can check if you can give me the engine code). The V8 engine code is found on a machined pad on the right front of the block, just under the cylinder head. There'll be a T or F (or sometimes a C), followed by numbers, followed by a two-letter code. The two-letter code will tell you what the engine was originally installed in. Other than being a little expensive to buy internal parts for now, the 327 is an excellent engine choice AND AT LEAST IT AIN'T A 350!!! I get SO tired of seeing crate 350s stuck in everything...

That IS pretty good! I'd forgot those Interceptors. Hmmm- let's think a minute- there were also TVRs, and those beasty Triumph Stags and TR-8s from Leyland. The ebay ads that make me howl are the ones aimed at idiot riceboys. I've seen a a blowdryer advertised as an instant electric turbo kit and wornout tires advertised as "special shaved tread high speed tyres". What's frightening is that they SOLD! And I can picture some teenage boy sending these charlatans the money he sweated to earn. Live and learn- ya gonna be dumb, ya better be tough.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I used BumperBoys -in California. Good Service and Good Work on my 57 T-Bird bumpers. You can pre-arrange and exchange at shows like Hershey and Carlisle to save on shipping. </div></div> Just wondering how long ago you used their service? No one I know who has used them in the last six years has been satisfied. I know of many examples (mostly bought at Charlotte AutoFairs) that started pitting and peeling less than a year after the work was done. Or do they do a lesser quality job on their swap meet bumpers vs a commissioned job? I can also vouch for TriCity, but they do only bumpers now. They quit the small parts and potmetal about two years ago.

You're sure the temp gage is accurate? Is the engine showing physical signs of overheating? Smoking gaskets, boiling coolant etc.? How about your pressure cap and thermostat? Make sure you have the proper type, not mixing an overflow-jug type cap with an open overflow or viceversa. Also antifreeze concentration. If the (I assume) clutch fan is working, do you have a fan shroud? Try baffling the radiator to direct all possible airflow thru the core. That means sealing the bumper to the core support, covering all openings between the radiator itself and the support, and using a fan shroud. What weight oil? How about fuel mixture? Excessively lean carburetion will make it run hot. Check your available gasoline; that oxygenated garbage will unsuspectingly lean the carb. Check the exhaust temps at the top of the header. An overbored 455 is going to run a little hot, but it should cool down when stopped. BTW- my own experience with Pontiacs says any engine larger than a 389 will overheat willfully! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> A buddy with a stableful of them will tell you the same thing.

I'm glad to see someone is doing a 4-door sedan. The 4-door cars are too often overlooked in the old car hobby because people think they're worthless except as a parts donor. I've found that some of the overall best cars to start with are four-doors that are still in the hands of their original owners or are being sold from their estate. Case in point- the 1976 Ninety-Eight was bought from original owner. A nice looking running driving car, all service records from delivery, and the biggest thing I've had to do is replace the rubber taillight extensions and put on new bumpers- which I got NOS for $150 the pair, simply because they were for a 1970s big car and the seller figured they were worthless. But that old worthless four door 70s big car gets all kinds of looks and thumbs-up when it's sailing down the road. Only problem is it has a personality crisis; people think it's a Cadillac <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />.

If Ben Barlage and Richard Harrell don't quit posting cars for sale on here, they're gonna make ol' Raider do something stoopid... <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I keep telling myself, "you don't have anywhere to keep another car, and you don't drive the ones you have enough" Believe me when I tell you this car is nice and well worth the asking price.

The Toronado Chapter of OCA accepts the Aurora, but I'm not aware of any club dedicated specifically to the car. Several companies are adapting RWD Turbo HydraMatics to the Northstar block. It involves relocating one of the transmission bolt ears to mate with the Northstar bolt pattern. Not cheap, but adds another dimension to a very capable engine. Now, if they could just get a Northstar to run without its computer...

Try www.automobilearchives.com . They have a good selection of GM electrical stuff. Be aware that there are two different switches and actuators- Boyne and Guide, and they are not interchangeable. The stuff can be serviced with the column in the car. If it's a Tilt-Telescopic you may need a special tool to remove the tilt pivot pins before you can get at the actuator or switch. Link back to the OCA site from here, and I think there's a link to the Toronado Chapter. You'll find the Toro e-mail list there. It may also link off 442.com .

Oil restrictors are designed to keep oil on the crankshaft and cam bearings at high rpm instead of allowing it to the valvetrain area where it's not needed and cannot drain back to the pan quickly enough to prevent oil pump starvation. They have nothing to do with idle oil pressure unless bearing clearances are excessive, in which case you've got problems restrictors won't solve.

I've seen a few of these on 53-4 Chevys in junkyards, so I think we can safely assume it was offered for those years. Not sure on 55-later- never seen one with it. Since all GM cars used similar electrical systems, I'd say it will work on the others too. There might be some difference in the eye-pod's mounting bracket to accommodate different dash contours, but the electrics should be the same as long as car uses same voltage.

Actually, Wayne, the law allows you to pleasure drive the car up to 250 miles from your home at any time, in addition to all the usual old car stuff AS LONG AS IT'S NOT BEING USED AS DAILY TRANSPORTATION. That still doesn't explain how one got on a motorhome. There's an old Ford truck running around here that is beat all to pieces and has black'n'whites and no inspection sticker. I'm sure some helpful DMV clerk mentioned he could save money by registering said beat-up Ford as an antique. It's obvious that truck is never going to be used and maintained as an antique. Guy gets away with it though- yet almost every time I take one of my properly registered and licensed antiques out some rookie cop hassles me about the tags and lack of inspection sticker and city license. I keep a copy of the law in each car, and just hand it to them. Had one tell me that paper didn't mean sh*t to him and he wrote me an improper registration ticket anyway. Hizzoner scolded the cop in front of the entire courtroom for 1) not knowing the law and 2) for being rude and unprofessional. It was worth taking up the whole day in court for that. I went to DMV this morning to renew my Mama's handicapped parking card. They were closed Thursday and Friday and back to normal 8-12 Saturday hours today <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />. I got there about 9 and they said there was a two hour wait- the hell with that! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> What sticks in my craw is this was the third trip I've made down there to renew it. We were first told it would automatically renew. Then we were told her doctor had to fill out the renewal form. Took that down there mid-November and they said it couldn't renew before 60 days prior to expiration. Went back mid-December and they said I had to turn in the old one. Picked it up Friday morning on the way in from work, went over there, closed. And now that c-f this morning. And they wonder why they get poor customer service ratings.

We've had a couple of discussions about this. Search "Rocket Circle" using the toolbar above and you'll find it. It was a dealer recognition item for long-term Olds customers back in the mid 50s.

Try replacing the valve stem seals first, since it's doing it under high vacuum conditions. EZ enough to do on the car if you have an air compressor and a spark plug hole adapter fitting. If new seals don't help, then it's ring time. Unless the car is using an excessive amount of oil (more than a quart every 500 miles or so) I'd leave it alone. My 64 Starfire does this same thing, but at 800 miles per quart, it's not worth the aggravation and expense of rebuilding a 394. Going to 15W40 Rotella isn't a bad idea anyway on an older engine. Modern gasoline-rated oil formulas don't have the anti-scuff additives they used to; the Rotella (or other quality diesel oil) does. Just look for an oil that carries an API gasoline rating as well. Rotella 15W40 is currently CH4/SL rated. Another idea is a high detergent additive like Rislone or Marvel Mystery Oil. These dig in and clean sludge and varnish deposits, but not aggressively enough to plug the filter like a motor flush type product will do. The Rotella itself will begin cleaning the engine.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Only 4 more years until the first AACA Senior Delorean appears! Only 6 more years until the first AACA Senior Merkur appears! Only 7 more years until the first AACA Senior Yugo appears! </div></div> I can actually see the possibilities of the DeLorean and Merkur as they are not run-of-the-mill cars and have some current collector interest. The Yugo should qualify just on survival! If there are any left...

To add some friends' "affectionate" names- One guy has a 64 Grand Prix he calls "The Chief" and another had a 64 Imperial named "Milburn" (as in Drysdale).

The Toronado has been known by "T.Rex" as long as I've owned it. The wagon is the "Gray Ghost" and I usually refer to the Hurst/Olds as simply "the Pace Car". What I call the others depends a lot on what I am having to fix at the time! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Something I just thought about- that was about time of the big UAW and supplier strike. It delayed the 1973 colonnade cars a year and may have had some effect on what was installed. If there were 72 parts there, and no 71 left, they'd have put the 72 stuff on and got it out the door.

Y'all know by now that the Oldsmobile folks can't resist that greeting this time of year... <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Hope all of your holidays are meaningful.