rocketraider

Well- do you plan to keep the original clutch fan? That will determine if you get a puller or pusher fan. I'd get a double fan and wire it up to start in sequence. One fan running any time the ignition is on, and the second controlled by an adjustable thermostat or the A/C switch. Use a relay in any case so it runs off the battery and not thru existing 37 year old wiring. No need for a toasted Toro. All things considered, if the car has overheating issues (and most early Toro do) an electric fan is only a stopgap measure. There's other things that need to be checked- ignition timing, radiator shrouds and seals, underbody seals and air dams, condition of radiator. Even the wrong waterpump impeller will make them run hot and I can almost guarantee it's wrong if the car's ever had a jobber rebuilt water pump installed. Now, if you're trying to free up some horsepower...

Nope- the 2-door hardtop or coupe decklid is different.

Always remember- 1970-72 Cutlass convertible decklid is the same as the lowly four-door car... <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Went to a local community festival today. They had a cruise-in, several interesting cars, and notably... <span style="font-weight: bold">A 1919 Cadillac 7-passenger touring car, fresh from the barn with 6900 miles!</span> Car had an interesting history from new and had reportedly been out of its home city only twice in its lifetime. Watching that nascent V8 work was fascinating, especially the starter/generator! The thing had dual exhaust- I have soot specks on my khakis to prove it! And as quiet as any modern engine. The guy had done a tuneup and carb rebuild to get it running, and said he had had to clean every grease tube and fitting on the car of hardened grease. Exterior and top were rough, but I really believe a few applications of Lexol would have brought the interior leather back I took the 76 Ninety Eight, which is the largest modern Oldsmobile ever built, and this Caddy dwarfed me damn big Osemobile! And natcherly me without a camera of any description <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Got a letter from Butch DiZuzio today stating that he is closing down COVA/CVAG due to lack of membership commitment and finances. I really hate to hear this because, even though they were primarily a New Jersey-based group, they worked for hobbyists everywhere against crushing programs and stupid local anti-car laws. I guess Butch decided he couldn't do it alone. If he's reading this, thanks for a job attempted. Looks like we have to roll up our sleeves and go to work to protect our interests on our own now. Fool yourselves if you want- our old cars are always an attractive target for misguided legislation, be it extortionary tax rates, idiot zoning, or efforts by gross polluters to get the Feds off their backs. We needed an advocate group, and we've lost one of the best.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">was planning on putting in some 4" speakers in the doors?</div></div> Auugh! Heresy! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Shoot, Will. Put 'em in there and enjoy the car. Saw a 61 Impala at the muffler shop today that had aftermarket tunes in it and it was very professionally done. Car was "restified"- modern wheels and rubber, the tunebox and air suspension. And all of it could be put back original with a very minimal effort. Done like that, I have no problem with such mods. And I gotta admit those 17" American Racing Torq-Thrusts looked really bitchin on that car. I've even thought about a set for the green Starfire, making sure they would also fit the 76 Ninety-Eight.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Has anybody used Diamondback Classics? They vulcanize the whitewalls onto tires to make whitewalls. Do they look goofy? If I can send them the tires I want, they'll put a whitewall of any width on them.</div></div> Matt, I have no personal experience running Diamondbacks, but I saw their product up close and talked at length with them at Spring Charlotte, and I was impressed. If I needed a whitewall I couldn't get at a major brand tire store that's the way I would go. The business owner is a professional rubber chemist/engineer and has been in the business many years. I would have no reservations about their product as the whitewall (or red, or gold, or blue) stripe/lettering is vulcanised onto a new American-made radial tire casing. This can be either a major-brand tire, or a second-tier tire as certain 57-68 GM cars need a BIG 14" tire which the majors don't make anymore- not enough market for them. Thank God for Hercules and Cooper/Mastercraft, who still make a 225/75R14 tire. Jerry Acheson has Diamondbacks on his 62 Electra and has praised them several times in the Forums. RE BFG- I have had several sets of Goodrich tires and only one bad set- a set of Advantage T/As on a 1980 Thunderbird, bought right after that tireline came out. I got some vibration out of those and finally replaced the whole set, no more problems. I've had worse luck with Goodyear tires than any other brand I've ever owned. An uncle went thru hoops with Firestones back in the 70s, and my dad refused to put a Dayton Thorobred on any vehicle he owned, though I had excellent service out of two sets. He ran General and Seiberling tires as long as he could get them locally, and after that generally bought whatever 40000 mile tire was on sale.

If it was either a raised manhole or open manhole due to street repair and wasn't barricaded, then I think you might have a substantial claim for damages against the local government. Of course, you should have brought it to their attention the day it happened.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">With the turbo it was one of the most virile pocket rockets on the market.</div></div> Amazing the ricer crowd hasn't picked up on that... <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Pontiac Firefly Turbo</div></div> Had forgot such a car ever existed. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In the eighties you could buy the earlier, boxier version of the Swift as the Chevy Sprint, at which time GM sold the turbo alongside the economy version.</div></div> A buddy's wife had one of those miserable things. It was constantly back to the dealer for warranty work the whole 14 months they owned it until they hired a lawyer and GM had to buy it back under the lemon law (13 warranty claims including 2 new computers in 14 months, what would YOU have done?) She was really glad to get rid of that thing, gas mileage or not. Jackie always said that going up hills, the first squirrel was near death and the second was screaming for mercy.

Dynaflash, down here in the Southside, my dad used to swear that Danville and South Boston would never start road repair and paving until the tobacco markets opened and everyone was trying to get the crop to the warehouses! Last summer, every main drag into Danville was under construction of some sort. I have worn out a set of shocks running US58 East this year. There's "ROUGH ROAD" signs posted. Understatement of the year. It IS unusual the cops were able to clock much less catch a car running 182 mph. Bet the radar was going nuts!

Is the choke working properly? If it's closing off like it should, the next thing I'd look at would be spark plugs to make sure they're not fouled- you may have spark at the wire, but the plug itself not firing. Also consider soured gasoline. How long since the car has been started or filled with fresh fuel? I don't think gasoline has the shelf life it did even a few years ago. I've seen this with the lawnmowers this year. After a few weeks, the stuff starts smelling funny and the mowers don't start as easily. And then El Toro could simply be having owner withdrawal symptoms! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> BTW- welcome to the forum.

Yes Rick- I remember that kindness! With a total of eight cars on the road right now, I don't think I dare get another one! I'm trying to persuade my Pontiac buddy to look at it, but with 5 vehicles he's just as car-poor as I am. He drools over my 64 Starfire and I tell him his 66 Bonneville Brougham needs a 66 Olds companion...but he's also slobbering over a 66 421 GP in TX, so who knows what he'll do. Bof'n us would be better off to fix what we've got properly instead of accumulating more! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> We got the iwannits bad.

Unless some of the stuff crosses over to Nova, I doubt you'll find much for the Omega interior. You can probably get the seat fabric thru SMS or somewhere like that but be prepared to pay for it. You might luck up and find a trim shop that has some. Door panels? may be next to impossible. I can't remember how different 79 Omega door panels are from 79 Nova. You've got a neat and interesting car though. Four-speeds were definitely a rare breed by then even if they did have 2-barrel Chevy 305s. The little Oldsmobiles get overlooked because they are so much like the Nova.

4GC- the bane of the GM restorer's world. Almost as bad as Dynaflows and SlimJim HydraMatics <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />. There's a gentleman named Don Monroe in Washington state who does quality rebuilds on these and may have some parts. He ads in the OCA's <span style="font-style: italic">Journey With Olds</span> monthly magazine and did a 64 Starfire carb for me. 253-566-8488 evenings, PST. Hopefully he won't mind me posting his phone number...

This car WOULD come up for sale right after I've bought a 97 Bravada... <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

How many miles since you installed it? I've read that it takes a minimum of 50 miles driving to work the additive thru the clutches, and experience with a 1980 TransAM bears that out. That rear would start clicking and popping about every 40k miles. Put the GM additive in, drive it 50-100 miles and quiet again.

Richard's is not worth the effort anymore. There's another one, Bingham's, a few miles down the road that has more and better quality stuff and is easier to deal with. He has several 50s Roadmasters. We were down there yesterday and noticed Richard's gates were closed and locked at 11:30 AM. He may not be open anymore. He's threatened to sell out and close half a dozen times over the years. White's Auto Salvage in Germanton NC (near Winston-Salem) also has a bunch of older stuff but I haven't been there in a couple of years.

Was down in Asheboro NC today at Bingham's junkyard and there were two 4bbl 348s setting in the shop floor- one stick with bellhousing attached, other I'm not sure. Mr. Jim has some neat stuff in that yard if you're ever nearby, all separated by make and not overgrown too badly. We were looking for 60s Olds/Pontiac and found a couple goodies. On NC 49, about 15 miles south of Asheboro. You'll get to Richard's first, but I don't think that yard's even worth stopping in any more- all he has is gold-plated rust. The gates were locked this morning at 11:30, so he may not even be open anymore. He's threatened to sell out and close half a dozen times.

That is one of the coolest websites I've seen. I remember family having some of those, including that way-cool 1962 Frigidaire "Flair" stove. Between cars and appliances, I often wonder what it would have been like to be a young up-and-comer in the early 60s and able to afford some of that nice stuff.

I'll be there with an Oldsmobile of some description. The Olds Club is in the pit area near the big pavilion tent near turn 1. I have the showfield map if anyone wants to know where specific marque clubs will be located. Agreed the flea market is mainly musclecar/streetrod/tri-5 Chevy stuff, but there are vendors with prewar sheetmetal and parts. Some interesting cars for sale usually turn up in the swap meet area, off the car corral beaten path. As far as it being worth the drive, I say try it once and hope for dry sunny weather!

56= 1956 model year 3611= "88" two-door sedan. "D" suffix would indicate a Super 88 BC1608= Fisher body plant sequential number 361= black and white pattern cloth interior w/Ivory Morocceen vinyl bolsters S52-60 is the paint code but my paint charts don't go back that far Hope this helps.

65-68 on the sunvisor support. Take it you're after a rear bumper?

Do the rear turn signals themselves work? And have you tested for voltage on both ends of the stop lamp fuse? How about corrosion on the stop lamp fuse clips? Do the dome lamps and tail lamps work (all those feed off the same bussbar in the fuse block)? How about loose clips in the turn signal connector at the base of the steering column (half-moon shape)? If these all check out PM me a mailing address and I'll send you a color copy of the 1967 wiring diagram and some of the service info. There are 4 different switches listed for 67-8 depending on tilt, cornering lamps or no. There are also two different manufacturers, Delco and Boyne, and their switch housings on the column are not compatible with the other's design. It's a long shot and shouldn't have anything to do with the brakelights, but check the turn signal flasher before you go tearing into the column.

I have seen these both semi-gloss gray and black. I think it depends a lot on which plant the car was built, and possibly on jack suppliers.

As far as I know, an Edelbrock or other AFB-derived design carb will bolt right onto the 1965 intake and easily connect to the throttle rod. Get an electric choke model and wire it into a switched power source. You could try a smaller (600-735 cfm) Holley squarebore but I've never seen a Holley that got decent gas mileage. None I've owned ever did! With the issues most older 4GC have, I don't fault you for using a different carb. I wish it were as simple to upgrade 64-earlier 394s to more modern carbs. I think I have it figured out, but still have to put it together.