Guest slyhog022056 Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 (edited) Well, today I made a decision to do whatever it takes within reality to keep this engine and trans in this car!! 6-28-12I have a 1952 Olds 98 i am building. I originally wanted to keep the original 303 and hydramatic that is in the car but it is going to cost me more to rebuild them both than it would be to buy a crate engine and aftermarket trans. The engine is the original one, a little over 44,000 miles on it. It spins over and has good compression (175 to 185 all cylinders). The coil is bad and i am putting a new one on this weekend to get it fired up and test the transmission. the car had been parked since 1975 so it amazed me it cranked over so well. It still had oil, trans fluid and even had freon in the A/C unit. Generator is good. I will not sell the batwing oil bath air cleaner with it though. Does need a water pump. The original owner said it got parked in 1975 because they hit a dog and it knocked the exhaust off of it and they just never got around to fixing it. Starting price is $3000, which is negotable. The entire A/C unit is for sale also, it is a ARA president unit Trunk mounted. Edited June 29, 2012 by slyhog022056 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PONTIAC1953 Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 i would advise, and ask you to reconsider doing this, by removing the original engine and trans, you will greatly lower the value of the car, 1952 olds 98's are not very common. you could find a 324 engine that olds used from 54 to 56, no one would know the difference unless you told them. i would like to see pictures of the rear a/c unit, early a/c unit are a favorite subject on mine. charles coker, 1953 pontiac tech advisor, charlessdv8@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest slyhog022056 Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 I am still thinking about the engine / trans swap. just didnttexpect to have to spend $3000 just to do the engine and another $1000 in the trans. they probably dont need rebuilt but if i am going to go thru the trouble of rebuilding this car i might as well do everything right. And the engine and trans are the 2 most important things to me. guess i will have to check with CTC Autoranch about a newer engine or at least 12v generator and starter. As for the A/C unit, i will take some pics this weekend. The compressor is a york piston unit with the isolation valves and schrader valves on the compressor. I checked with the manufacturer, who just happens to still be in business here in the dallas / ftworth area. They said it was a president unit and sold installed for $295 back in 1953. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I think that by time you "made" a modern engine/transmission "fit" you'd have as much invested as rebuilding the original stuff. Even then you'd have all the attendant problems of a swap, like keeping up with what came out of what so you'll know what to get when parts need replacing. Those old HydraMatics are hard to kill and are actually pretty efficient units in spite of being a fluid coupling design. Plus it's a rush to feel one going thru the gears.Your car, your money, but modern (read GM crate) drivetrains are not the solution to every old car problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Yaros Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I will join the chorus. Once you swap out the eng/tranny whatever you have left is not an Oldsmobile. Yes body and interior speak olds, but nothing talks Oldsmobile like the 303 engine coupled to the hydra-matic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest slyhog022056 Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 (edited) I will join the chorus. Once you swap out the eng/tranny whatever you have left is not an Oldsmobile. Yes body and interior speak olds, but nothing talks Oldsmobile like the 303 engine coupled to the hydra-matic!Well i have been doing a lot of thinking and reconsidering, this is a shared project between me and my grandson he is 11 now and it will be his when he gets a drivers license. My biggest hold back is if something goes wrong on the road somewhere parts would have to be special ordered. I mean he is a good welder, fiberglasser and painter and has got great mechanical skills already from our last 2 projects.It took me 3 hours to talk him out of flat black with flames. I made the executive decision its going to be charriot red. Edited June 28, 2012 by slyhog022056 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkyardjeff Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 If you were a little closer I would be interested in the motor and trans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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