DSMtuned

Thanks for the ideas! I appreciate them. -Craig

Does anyone have a recommendation on where I can get a disc brake conversion to fit a '55 Starfire 98? Thanks! -Craig

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have my 47 Cadillac with Grundy, and have been happy with them. I had it with American Family before that. They charged over twice the cost, and when a woman ran a stop sign and hit my rear fender, I had a horrible time getting the claim settled. The adjuster insisted the fender be repaired, not replaced, and estimated the whole repair at $1,800. Because of this low-ball estimate, no classic shop would deal with the repair. Finally I told them they better find a shop that would. The chrome strip alone ran $1,600, and 45 hours labor on the fender. The repair total was $5,800. If they'd been reasonable to begin with, I could have used a classic shop, and they could have saved $1,000. That was what convinced me to switch, and my agent at American Family said he didn't blame me a bit. </div></div> WOW this is enough for me to switch to an antique insurer!! There is no way at this time that the car will be valued for more than $25,000, so Hagerty with no appraisal will work great. I'm going to call them up today. Thanks for all of the input! -Craig

All good suggestions. Thanks guys. I'll try the guy in the Springs and also consider Antique insurances. I have American Family Insurance now and they have been very good to me with claims on other cars. It's actually only $280 per year with a $250 deductible. This is considering less than 1500 miles per year, which is the plan. I bought the car for $10,000, but their book will only insure it for $6,500 without an appraisal. Thanks for the advice. -Craig

I need an appraisal of my Starfire for my insurance company. Does anyone have suggestions on appraisers in Colorado (Denver specifically) who know classic cars? I found these guys: https://www.autoappraisal.com/index.htm, but $250 seems kind of steep. Let me know what you know. Thanks! -Craig

I need one piston for the convertible top in a 1955 Olds Starfire 98. It must be in good shape. Please let me know what you have. Thanks!! -Craig

What fuel do people use in cars that originally required leaded fuel? Do most of you use the lead additive? Is the ethanol in pump gas enough to combat knock? -Craig

Thanks for the response, Ron. I'll check those places. Cheers! -Craig

I am not building a show car, mearly a good looking weekend driver. I would like it as safe as possible and so I'm investigating shoulder seat belts. Has anyone every installed aftermarket seatbelts in a 1955 Starfire convertible? If not, does anyone have leads on where I can find some belts that will not totally detract from the classic nature of the car, yet will function well? Thanks for any suggestions! -Craig

I think I found them: http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/551.cfm Let me know if anything looks incorrect.

Hello, I am the proud owner of a 1955 Starfire 98. I haven't yet found a factory service manual, but want to flush and change all of the fluids right away. Can anyone tell me what the fluid capacities are for this car? (oil, coolant, pwr steering, auto trans, read diff) Also, how do people feel about synthetic fluids in these old systems? Last newbie question for today (sorry for the stupidity): Can I use regular unleaded gas? Thanks for the help! -Craig

Thanks for the responses. Yes I'm looking to buy this car for occassional nice drives and not looking for a full-on restoration. Cheers, Craig

Hello. I'm new to the board here. I may buy a 1955 Olds Starfire 98 convertible. I am new to classic cars, but want to work on maintaining this one for my father-in-law who comes to the States 2-3 times each year, but loves owning classic cars. The problem is, I have no idea where I should start the negotiations as far as price on buying this car. I'll let you know the general condition. Please let me know what you think would be a fair place to start. The car has been repainted and the paint is in pretty good condition. There are a few quarter sized rust spots where the paint has chipped off. There is a 1/2" deep dent that is as big around as a basketball in the rear quarter panel. The rear bumper has been pushed into the rear body work and caused a crease about 8" long. The interior appears original and is cracked, but all pieces are still there. The windshield has two vertical cracks from top to bottom. I have yet to drive it or even hear it run. The engine has a few oil leaks, but really nothing major. The VIN number on the engine and the body are different, so the engine has been replaced. The top is unzipped and water and leaves have been pouring in the back, so the interior is pretty dirty. The top has a 10" rip in it. Let me know what you think. I was thinking of offering like $8000. Does that seem about right? I appreciate your help!! _Craig