rocketraider

Found it in the trusty Rand McNally... it's a suburb of Dallas TX, a little bit SE of the metro area. All the streets mentioned are right on the D-FW city map! Dang, that was fun... <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> It could have been anywhere from Duluth MN to Laredo TX, which are the northern and southern termini of I-35.

Another great site and already bookmarked! I'm gonna ask the guy about floorpan clearance on a SlimJim car, and if that problem is solved, a certain 64 Starfire may have a modern tranny quicker than planned.

I'll explain the details in a PM later, Parm. I do not think this forum is an appropriate place to discuss this issue, and ask all participants to respect that. No need to divide the Olds Club all over again here.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">must be politically correct,mustn't we</div></div> Thhpphttt! The politically correct would outlaw a car like this as non-egalitarian. BTW Stellite- who is the new portrait? Do you still have the drunken pit bull?

Hee-hee.. I just dug out a 1969 printing of the 1961-64 SlimJim parts requisition sheet- the one the dealer mechanics used to order parts for these things. From 1961-64, there were NINE different valve bodies used in them. Nine different part #s over 4 years, and all but two were revisions trying to get them to shift smoother. 1961 alone had three revisions. But looking at the exploded drawings in it convinces me I could rebuild one, as long as there's no special HydraMatic-only tools involved. That might be my project in the local community college's DIY auto shop class this summer, if the state government cutbacks don't get it.

I think it's a J-I too. Can't see front fender vents or tailpipe outlets, so it's hard to tell. There's a dark Starfire convertible towards the back. A guy in IL has a 1970 455/3-speed Delta convertible that he's documented as one of two, and he's been chasing the other one for years. He might also know something about the 69s. PM me and I'll give you an address and phone.

The choke hot air tube connects to it. There should be a 1/4" diameter or so tube going from the choke stat to the intake manifold. There is another tube in the intake manifold that runs thru the exhaust crossover passage and is open to atmosphere on the other end. I think 58 used the intake manifold for choke heat. The tube may go to the RH exhaust manifold. What happens is: There is a small vacuum port inside the choke housing. This vacuum draws outside air thru the heat tube in the manifold to the choke stat housing. The heated air heats the choke coil spring which relaxes and opens the choke flap. If the tube isn't connected, that could have caused the original hard start/flooding out problem. Might explain why the choke was disconnected too. Try www.fusick.com and see if they have a reproduction heat tube. It's possible the heat tube in the manifold may have rusted out or burned thru, or even got plugged with carbon. It's a straight tube so you can probably rod it out. Try blowing it out with compressed air and if it's plugged that might get it out. If the manifold tube is rusted out, until you can replace the tube or manifold, you can get a hand choke kit that will allow driving the car. Plus the kid learns how to use one. Or you could even install an electric choke if you want to keep the automatic choke and fast idle working.

General Motors is in no real position to take anyone down anymore. They're too worried about keeping what shrinking market share they have left, but they should worry about what this car could do to Cadillac. Who is backing this Packard adventure? Estimated price? If the engineering and marketing keep up with the styling, most middle-range luxury cars might need to worry. That said, what about this car's styling does GM not get? This car is elegant, substantial and looks like 100 mph sitting still. GM builds Azteks and Avalanches, and everything else looks like a melted jellybean.

I've been looking thru the 1961-64 service manuals and the HydraMatic sections are thoroughly screwy. These things are supposedly 3-speed units, but 1961 is the only one that functions as a 3-speed. 62-64 are called 4-speeds in the factory manuals and go into detail about four different stages, with 1st gear ratios from 3.56:1 to 3.32:1 depending on the year. 2nd, 3rd and 4th appear to be fairly constant at 2.93, 1.56 and 1.00. It doesn't say when or where the deep first gear is used or if it starts in 2nd, or skips 2nd (a good reason for the shudder-clunk-lurch shift), or what. I've never felt one shift more than twice, and I've driven Starfires, 88s and 98s from that time period, as well as a couple of SlimJim equipped Pontiacs. They all do the same thing. It's no wonder nobody wants to work on one of them <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Yes. 1976 horsepower ratings were NET ratings measured at trans output shaft with all engine driven accessories installed and operating. The 1971 specs were GROSS horsepower measured at the flywheel off pretty much a bare engine.

How did you hook up the throttle and TV rod linkage? I bought a new in the box Carter AFB for the blue 64 several years back but found that the linkage worked backwards from the stuff on the car so I never installed it. Does the Edelbrock version of AFB connect different? Guess I could use a Lokar cable or something. Actually my floats tested good. Good thing because they're no longer brass, they're unobtainium.

Both my Starfires are all stock. The green car's Slim Jim works great. The blue one has a couple bad leaks and does a really weird 1-2 shift sometimes (weirder than the normal 1-2 shift <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />), and a chronic 4GC carb problem aggravates it- sometimes it will stall completely shifting from 1st to 2nd. I should just toss the carb and replace it, as I've been thru it half a dozen times. It'll work well for a while, then the same old float level problems will start cropping up. An old-time carb guy told me last summer that newer rubber tipped needles don't work well in those carbs and you have to set the float 1/8-1/4" higher using them. It's also one of those carbs that if you set the choke to specs, or even to where it just functions, it never kicks off fast idle. Set it to where fast idle kicks off normally, the choke never closes. This with all the adjustments made and an NOS choke thermostat. When I got the car in 1982, the secondary throttle plate choke lockout had the secondaries physically locked out, so I think the thing was junk from the git-go. The old gentleman I bought it from said the carb had never been touched since he bought the car new. Right now, even with a new fuel pump and filter, and all new rubber fuel lines from tank to carb, I can't get any fuel to the front of the car so the blue one just sits. I guess I need to take my own advice and drop and clean the tank. That may have been part of the carb problem all along too. But that car is stored in a shed at my parents' place, and in winter I just don't feel like messing with it.

If you've found an oily residue at the carb, that means fuel has deteriorated into varnish. Do you also have a nasty soured gasoline smell anywhere? BTW welcome to the world of Old Cars... netherworld that it is. In addition to rebuilding the carb and fuel pump, I'd drop the gas tank and clean it, and replace all rubber fuel lines. I'm bound to think it has some varnish in it after all these years, and current fuel formulations have solvents that will immediately start eating it off the tank and dissolving it into the fuel. When it makes its way to the carb, you have a mess. And if it gets to the intake valve stems and guides, you got a big mess. I've heard of the stuff gumming up valves to the point of bending pushrods and jamming valves into pistons. Also possible that modern gasoline has started to eat the rubber fuel lines or fuel pump diaphrams from inside and the residue has fouled the carb. Sparky's one of the finest Q-Jet guys I've ever met, but I don't know if he's started tackling 4GCs yet. A couple years ago he hadn't.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">After reading your post, I did a little homework and came up with the following site: http://www.autotran.us/rhmkits1.html </div></div> What a great website! I can get a used 64 Starfire SlimJim easy enough. This website might convince me to try rebuilding one myself! Rebuilt a PowerGlide and a Turbo 350 for auto-tech school years ago, and since then I always found it easier to let a pro do it. But when the pro sez, "I don't know a thing about them" you do what you must. The pro's daddy could rebuild the things in his sleep, but he died too young.

It's official name was Roto-HydraMatic 375 Model 10 in the full size Olds and Pontiac and Model 5 in the Olds F85. Olds used it across the board 1961-64. Pontiac used it only in the Catalina and Grand Prix, and Cadillac would have nothing to do with it. MasterWrench, these transmissions are a different animal. They have planetary gearsets, valve body and governor, but shifting is controlled by throttle valve position instead of a vacuum modulator, same as a Chevy Powerglide or later 200-4R. The carb-to-trans linkage adjustment is critical to proper operation. The torque multiplier or Accel-A-Rotor as Olds called it, functions similar to a torque converter and operates only in 1st and Reverse. As the drive torus spins at engine speed, it directs oil to the driven torus blades and spins it. The driven torus directs some oil back to the Accel-A-Rotor, which then directs it back to the drive torus and assists the engine in multiplying engine torque. The 4-speed HydraMatic was even wilder- it had two separate fluid couplings to accomplish the same thing. But it was a lot stronger and more reliable than the SlimJim. As far as putting a later type torque converter on one of these, I'm gonna say it won't work without a whole lotta modification. You could probably get a Turbo-HydraMatic case modified to fit the early Olds engine as cheap as doing all that.

Other than the 69-70 steering column lock/ignition and the difference in the steering wheel itself, any 66-70 Toro column will bolt into the car. Get the whole column including the intermediate shaft. Then you'll have two keys to keep up with! 2230 EST <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> Just got some updated info on the 66-7 interchange. There is some difference in the underdash mounting bracketry that will require modification to make a 67-later column work in a 1966 car. I also had forgotten to mention the 67-later columns are collapsible as required by federal crash protection standards. So based on that, Streets, it looks like you will need a 1966 column. Thanx again to my 66-67 reference people for helping me make sure my info is accurate!

@#$%^&*!!! Howzat for comment?! <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I'd love to find someone within a couple hundred miles who can rebuild one and not take an arm and leg in exchange for the work. I've heard some folks say one properly set up can hang with an old 4-speed Hydro, but as quirky as the things are to adjust and with that outrageous 1-2 shift RPM drop, I don't know if they have the same performance potential or no. But Hurst made Dual/Gate ratchet shifters for them, and the one in my green Starfire works pretty well (the blue one is a royal pain in the patoot), so maybe there's more to them than I realise.

I've read about this show many times in <span style="font-style: italic">Cars & Parts</span> and it sounds like a great one- too bad it's two days drive away, which is also the excuse I've used for not attending the Woodward Dream Cruise. I have 288 hours of vacation and holiday time this year, so I ought to be able to do something I want to do, eh?

A fitting last ride for someone's final launch into the heavens, I think. Other than Brooks Funeral Service here (who has handled burials for my family for at least the last 65 years) this is the only light metallic colored hearse I've ever seen. Theirs have been light green since the mid-50s. Most here now use silver or white Cadillac conversions. One uses deep metallic red with matching vinyl roof cover on all their cars. And forgive me saying this, but with that bustle-back roof, the rear view of the car reminds me of a 57 Ford station wagon <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

I've found that the only thing worse than the original GM sockets is an aftermarket replacement <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />! Scott, I think you either got a bad socket, or you have a ground problem where the socket isn't making good contact with the taillight pod, esp since you say it's rusted. I've gotten replacement sockets where the metal contact strip was bent or crinkled and the bulb didn't make good contact, or the strip was out of line with the grounding sleeve and when you turned the bulb to lock it, then there was no contact. I've got a Chevy friend who I rag all the time about his 65 Impala's "winking" taillights. He calls it Chevy-curse.

The dash panel floodlights that light the A/C control and radio areas are underneath the dash pad and can be changed by removing the floodlight assembly and replacing the bulb. You need to try to get the right bulb #564 as some other similar ones (esp a 211 or 561) are too hot and will melt the floodlight lens. A 212 is a little hotter than you really want but can be used if you can't find the 564. The speedometer and idiot lights aren't easy to get at. You have to remove the padded dash and reach down behind the cluster from the top. You can do it from the bottom if the lower dash panel is off, but it's easier to R&R the pad than the lower panel. To get the RH dash faceplate off- remove radio knobs, then grab it inside the radio opening and pull straight out. It's retained with ribbed studs that push into barrel clips on the dash structure. If you're trying to get the radio itself out, that's more involved and the lower dash panel has to come off. Let me know if you need that procedure. Several companies make ABS plastic reproduction bumper filler panels. I have a pair from Musselman Distributing in TX musselmandist@usa.net on my Regency, and there's others who advertise in <span style="font-style: italic">Hemmings Motor News</span> . Try CR Plastics 1-800-551-3155 or North Yale Auto Parts www.northyaleautoparts.com and see what they have. If you're going to do much work on this car yourself I recommend getting a 1976 factory Chassis Service Manual and a 1976 Fisher Body Manual. They're on e-bay frequently and go fairly cheap. Is your Ninety Eight dark blue or light blue?

Not sure on cost as Cutlass stuff can get expensive, but you'll need: Floor shift steering column (69-72 will work) Bucket seat floor brackets (available reproduction) Bucket seats (from 69-72 GM A, E or AH-body car, 66-68 will fit but the backrest locks are different) Console, shifter, and cable, plus the backdrive linkage from the trans to the steering column to operate the steering column lock Floor shift speedometer (no PRNDSL) (1970-72 will work) Lot of people have made this conversion, though I see way more Supremes with buckets than I do with a bench. You could get 'em either way, it was what is called a delete option. Have fun!

Where in NC? Mid Atlantic Olds Club is reasonably active and based in Greensboro/Charlotte corridor. I can put you onto a couple guys in Raleigh area too if that's where you are. 68-72 cars were all the same body shell so should be just about the same width, give or take a tenth. I think the inside of the garage will be wider than 7', just the door is a 7 footer. I can get all of my stuff including the Ninety Eight into 10' wide garages with 8' doors, and have enough room to get out of the car without whacking the door into the wall.

"Bad to the Bone" on bagpipes? As me Scots forebears might have said "Ah dinna ken aboot tha'" <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

MasterWrench, can you post us a link?