Jetfire

[Guest]

I saw a 1964 Olds Jetfire at a recent car show with a ultra high compression engine.I got a book out of the library Olds buyers guide and there was nothing about it in the book.Are these cars rare? Where can I get info about them?

[Guest]

Jetfires were only produced in '62 and '63. They came with factory turbo-chargers which were troublesome. Olds had a special policy and replaced many of the turbos with 4bbl carburetors. If you saw a '64 maybe it was a Jetstar? A Jetstar would have had an ultra high compression engine.

[rocketraider]

The high compression 330 engine in both F85 and Jetstar 88 series was called "Jetfire" 1964-67 and announced its presence on the aircleaner trim plate. This may be what he's seen. The Turbocharged 215 1962-63 was known as Turbo-Rocket; in tamer versions it was "Rockette".<P>Olds Engineering's refusal to lower the 215's 10.25 compression ratio in the turbocharged application was the biggest reason the engines were regarded as troublesome. The little monsters simply detonated themselves into oblivion and finally were fitted with a fluid injection system to decarbon the engine and cool combustion temps to where detonation ceased. It used a mixture of alcohol and water called "Turbo-Rocket Fluid". Still a novel idea and way ahead of its time, along with the turbocharged Corvair Spyder, which gave us the original turbo muffler.

[Guest]

The car was a 1964 Jetstar with a Jetfire engine.The body style looked a lot like a Cutlas F-85. Was it in the cutlas line or an early version of the delta 88<BR> I really liked the body style and have not seen a lot of them out them out there.

[66400]

The '64 Jetstar I is a full size car based on the Starfire body shell. It also used a 394 cid big block engine. The '65 Jetstar I also share the Starfire body shell along with the new 425 cid big block engine.<BR>The Jetstar 88 were offered as a 2dr hdtp, 4dr hdtp, 4dr sedan, and a convert in '64 and '65. In '66 the last year of the Jetstar 88 the convert was no longer offered. This series was only available with the 330 small block and used a small 4 X 3/4" wheel bolt pattern like an A body car. Henry.<p>[ 12-26-2001: Message edited by: 66400 ]

[Centurion]

Was the '64 Jetstar referred to as "Jetstar I"?<P>The "Jetstar I" was continued in 1965 as a kind of poor man's Starfire, and I have always thought that this was a very interesting and attractive car. Am I correct in thinking that the 425 cubic engine was offered in this car for '65? The car has the same clean-lined appeal as, for example, a '65 Pontiac Catalina 2+2. To further confuse matters, the entry-level full-size '65 Oldsmobiles were called "Jetstar 88".<p>[ 12-26-2001: Message edited by: Centurion ]

[Guest]

HI, I have a complete turbo setup for the Jetfire, including the rocketfuel bottle. I am a buick man at heart and don't follow the oldsmobile parts too closely. I am looking to sell this setup. DOes anyone have any idea what these setups usually sell for. As I said, it is complete and in nice shape. Any help would be appreciated.<P>Thanks<P>Bob

[rocketraider]

There were Jetstar I and Jetstar 88 in 1964, the JI being a lighter trimmed version of Starfire with the same 345hp 394 and SlimJim HydraMatic, the J88 being the entry level full sized Olds. It shared the new for 64 330 cid engine and 2-speed Jetaway automatic trans with the F85 and could be ordered with 4-speed floor shift, which couldn't be got in the Jetstar I. The J88 had Chevrolet suspension and brakes and used the small bolt circle wheels. The new PRNDL Jetaway caused a lot of grief in the Lansing motor pool, who were used to PNDSLR HydraMatics in big Olds and would instinctively yank the selector all the way back and nail it to back up. They replaced a lot of parking lot fence that year! <P>1965 was much the same except the JI now had the 370 hp Starfire 425 cid engine and could be ordered with 4-speed floorshift, around 150 of the total 6552 production were so equipped. J88 continued with 330/light duty underpinnings in 1965 and its last production year 1966. In 1967 it was supplanted with the Delmont 88 series, which could have either 330 or 425 power.<P>Whew! Confusing, ain't it?

[86 2dr.ltd]

O.K. then what was the 63 Super 88 Holiday thats on eBay untill tomorrow. That doesnt look like a lower model. What was the deal with Olds and the 88.There were so many models with the 88 attached to it I become unclear as to what an 88 actually was.

[rocketraider]

Boy, Limited- you're opening a can of worms for sure. OK- here goes. The Oldsmobile B-body car is generically referred to as "Eighty-Eight". From 1959-63, the base car was marketed as "Dynamic 88". 1952-64 the next step up was "Super 88" with a little hotter engine and higher trim level. 1964-66 the base model was "Jetstar 88" with smaller engine and light duty chassis. Dynamic then became the middle 88. 1965 the "Delta 88" took the Super's place in the lineup. 1967-68, the Jetstar 88 morphed into the "Delmont 88" with either small or big block power. There was also a Delta Custom those years which were effectively Starfires under another name. 1969- everything became a "Delta 88" in one of three trim levels- base Delta (corresponds to earlier J88 and Dynamic), Delta Custom which was Super/Delta equivalent, and the high line Delta Royale which was close to earlier Starfires and often had buckets/console and hot 455. It was the start of the custom rear window and roof treatment ala Formal Coupe thread on the BCA forum and to best of my knowledge it was an Olds exclusive in 1969.<P>Now that I've thoroughly confused the hell out of everyone...

[86 2dr.ltd]

So in the late 60's there was both Delmont and Delta's?<P>Did the Jetstar have the same body panels? It looks like a smaller car. Its so much easier when you can see cars parked side by side.<P>I originaly became aware of these Oldsmobile confusions when looking at pictures of late 60's early 70's Cutlass , 442 , Cutlass convertable. It seemed they had different and inconsident sheet metal. Then didnt the 73 - 76 Cutlass's have different bumpers grills and tail lights for the S and then the Supreme(not to mention the rear window)Then in the late 80's the Supreme and the Chalais, Ciera were not the same car at all. Why'd they have to do that? <P>You dont half to explain this Cutlass thing too. It will take a long time to figure out the 88's. I guess I'll have to travel to a Olds club show someday. Seeing many would help.

[rocketraider]

Yup- 67-68, Delmonts and Deltas. Where they ever came up with "Delmont" I don't know, probably one of them soothing generic names that just appeared one day. They were getting away from the "Star" names by that time too. Strange considering the NASA program was in full roar then; you'd think they'd capitalize on the space race connection.<P>The Jetstar 88 was identical to the Dynamic/Delta bodywise. The underpinnings and drivetrain were the differences, and they had much less trim which is probably why the car looks smaller than its siblings. For the most part, any big Olds option could be spec'ed on the J88 though once you started loading them up, the price leader aspect went out the window.<P>It seems Olds always had too many model names from about 1964-on. And yes, the 74-77 Cutli used detail trim differences like head and tail light ass'ys, some years the front bumpers were totally different between S cars and Supremes. Then when you throw in a Hurst/Olds, that used parts from different series all thrown together, it gets hairy (no pun intended).<P>Marketing had its way with the Olds lineup and the results weren't always good. GM's late 70s and beyond cookie cutter approach to car building didn't help much either.<P>Had Olds been allowed to stick to its traditional market (as Buick is now doing) I think they could have survived. Current propaganda I get from GM indicates Corporate intends to do the same thing to Pontiac they did to Olds- position it as the import fighter. Wonder how much longer Pontiac will be around once they embark on that ridiculous program?

[Guest]

Thank you all for the info.I now Know what I am looking for. If any one runs across a good deal on a Jetstar I 1964 with the big block engine please e-mail me.A car that needs little or no body work is better for me I can do anything mechanical but hate body work. To many years smelling bondo and hardener has fried my sinuses.