gregleck Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Back in 1980, I was headed off to my junior year in college up in Boston. It would be the first year I would have a car at school, as underclassmen were not permitted to bring their vehicles. I bought a light blue, 1962 Olds Dynamic 88 with just 38,000 miles on the odometer, from the estate of a little old lady who drove it only on Sundays.. That car carried me (and my gang of college pals) all over, then through graduate school, countless trips between schools and my parent's home, to job interviews, on dates, and through four years of my first job. Along the way, I tuned her up, replaced the rocker arms, survived a cut brake hose (no dual master cylinder on this model), replaced generator and water pump, endured a balky vacuum based heating and ventilation system, replaced brake pads and rotors, changed shocks, and performed a dozen other task both routine and non-routine, to keep her on the road. 72,000 miles later, with a bad torus gear and a cracked frame, I parked her behind my office, where she sat forlornly until the day my business partner, along with my office manager and my wife, performed an "intervention" and forced me to sell her for $100. I have mourned her ever since. Just last month, with only 48 hours notice, I found another. Same year, same model, even the same color, going for auction in Greensboro, NC. Just 22,000 miles on the odometer. I had actually seen this car a year earlier, in Concord, NC. Crawled around and under it, listened to the engine, and sat in the driver's seat. The memories came flooding back, but the dealer wanted too much. This time, I resolved, I wouldn't let it get away. And so now I am the proud owner of what was described as "the best conditioned 1962 Olds Dynamic 88 sedan on the planet." Yes, it is a family, four door sedan, not a Starfire or convertible, but for me, there is an incredible nostalgic attachment. I'm planning to flying down to NC and driving it back to Pennsylvania. But I don't think it has been run much - maybe not since I had the dealer start it for me over a year ago. What should I be planning on doing mechanically before I put it on the road? Lubricating the engine cylinders, checking fluids, belts, and battery, checking points and plugs, putting new gas in the tank along with a stabilizer, checking tires (the original spare is still in the trunk), pulling the wheels and looking at the brake shoes - so much comes to mind that I don't want to miss something. What would you do? And no, don't suggest a trailer - I bought this car to drive. Not every day, but on clear, clean days, as when the hint of autumn is in the air and my mind drifts back to a September in Boston and I am twenty years old again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 The absolute worst thing you can do to a car is to NOT drive it. Seals dry out, rubber parts deteriorate, fluids evaporate, machined parts rust. The most important thing to do is check the brakes completely. That means verifying the condition of every rubber part (seals and hoses) as well as ensuring there is no rust in the brake cylinders. The latter is tough to do without complete disassembly, unfortunately. Brake fluid absorbs water, which causes parts to rust internally. The next thing to do is to check the condition of rubber parts in the fuel system. Between ethanol in today's fuel and deterioration from age, rubber hoses, diaphragms, and gaskets deteriorate. Also, if the car has been sitting, fuel in the carb will evaporate and clog small passages. As with the brakes, the ethanol can absorb water, which can be a problem with the cast iron body parts of the carb. A trailer is sounding better all the time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Where in PA? My advice is stay off Interstates as much as possible on your return trip. If your trip takes you up US 29 there are several of us along that route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuntzNSam Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) Ditto what Joe said about the trailer, unless you have lots of time and money. Until you have had time to work out the issues yourself, they will bite you. We bought an online 71 LTD,429, convert in Tucson. Low miles, great shape, but had been sitting. Had a long-distance shop look it over and give the A-OK. Flew out, looked it over, and started the trip home on a tight schedule. Halfway to Las Cruces, the rear trans seal blew. A 100 mile tow into town was not cheap or quick, and AAMCO had an all or nothing option. Thousands of $$ and two days later, back on the road. Alamogordo gas stop, a no start. Installed a starter & battery, back on the road. Got to hustle now to get back to work or get fired. Roswell, limped into town late at night. Dropped the car at a station with a note, found a rental car, and drove all night to Albuquerque for a flight home to save our jobs. Hired a car hauler to drag it back to Chicago. At home, a new alternator and a carb overhaul got it running sweet. Got lots of time and money, drive it home, and enjoy the adventure. Otherwise, make it a driver AFTER you have had the time to work out the bugs. Good luck, HuntzNSam . Edited March 24, 2016 by HuntzNSam (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregleck Posted March 24, 2016 Author Share Posted March 24, 2016 6 hours ago, rocketraider said: Where in PA? My advice is stay off Interstates as much as possible on your return trip. If your trip takes you up US 29 there are several of us along that route. That is me. Last summer, I drove my 1937 Buick Special coupe up to Saratoga Springs and back, to Hershey and back, and to The Race of Gentlemen in Wildwood, NJ, and back, without any interstate travel. It is a practice known as shunpiking and I have followed it for 40 years. http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2016/01/07/the-shunpiking-specialist/ Route 29 from Charlotte, NC to Charlottesville, VA, looks like a great route. I live just north of the Lehigh Valley, PA - Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldsfan Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 I am all about driving cars. I'm driving my Starfire to Colorado Springs in June. I bought it on eBay and drove it back from Michigan to PA. The seller said his wife drove the car regularly. He must not have liked her very much. I would never do that again. We got it home, but I was white knuckled the whole way. The trans was over full and puked fluid all over the hot manifold, making everything on both sides and in back of me disappear. When we got home, we touched the coil wire and it disintegrated in our hands. I'd find another way to get this thing home and then get it sorted and start driving it close to home. You're close to me. National Antique Olds Club meet is in Reading next year... Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Yaros Posted March 25, 2016 Share Posted March 25, 2016 I say give it a shot and drive it to its new home. No problems, or resolving problems enroute, it will be an adventure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregleck Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Damn. Talk about raining on the parade. I was ready for an adventure. In college, I used to drive the 200 miles home to my parent's house with a full tank of gas, a tool kit, and $2.00 in my pocket, $1.10 of which went to pay tolls. However, wiser and older now, I am going to take other's advice and get it shipped to me. thanks, Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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