Buy New Parts & Accesories Oldsmobile 1957 (I'm from Chile)

[Carito]

Hello everyone:

My name is Carolina Gómez, I´m texting from South America (Chile). First of all, It’s a pleasure to find this Oldsmobile Forum, and I hope that you can help me. Me and my father are going to restore an Oldsmobile 1957 (we’re not pretty sure if it’s an 88 or 98 model) and as you know, these cars weren´t popular as other brands like Ford or Chevrolet, at least in Chile; on the other hand we don’t have any car’s factory so restoring this car is like a challenge for us, a beautiful challenge of course. After that short story, I have been searching on different webpages from USA for buying accessories and parts that we need to get and bring them to Chile but I haven’t found a right page or place for getting accessories. So according to this, I’ll appreciate that you can help me about my request of getting some place or some good webpage or factory that me and my father could contact for our challenge to restore this beautiful classic car.

 

Best Regards!

[The 55er]

Contact Fusick Automotive Products and get one of their catalogs. I am not affiliated with them in any way but I highly recommend them. 

[Walt G]

Start to make a list of exactly what you need. If you can get a parts book with numbers it may assist you in getting a exactly correct part - you will look at the number on the inside of the part you have and perhaps then look for one in better condition? You need to be very specific so you do not buy the wrong part , then pay to have it shipped etc. Let us know how yo will proceed - work on all the mechanical parts first and wiring, then start to look at how to restore the paint, upholstery, chrome etc. You need a plan............

[lump]

Welcome to the AACA forum, Carolina. We applaud you and your father for wanting to preserve a vintage vehicle. And the 1957 Oldsmobile is a beautiful car. 

 

The advice above from Walt G is very good. It is easy to make a mistake by just ordering lots of expensive parts, before you have a plan. You'll need to carefully photograph thousands of small details about your car, which will help you to remember which fastener goes in which hole, and how the wiring is run, and so very much more. You'll need to be certain that the frame and undercarriage are solid enough to serve as a foundation for the body that you plan to restore. 

 

You have made the very best possible first step, which is to join this forum, and seek advice and support here. There are many wise and experienced car collectors and restorers here, and they are happy to share good advice with you. I hope you have also joined the AACA, which is a wonderful car club. There are also Oldsmobile oriented clubs. I recommend joining them too. 

 

Wishing you the best of good luck. 

[Tailfins Forever]

Carolina, Welcome to the AACA Forum. Any easy way to determine

Which model you have 88 or 98

Is to measure the Wheelbase

Or distance between the center of the front and rear axle hubs.

A 1957 Olds 98 is 126 inches

An 88 or Super 88 is 122 inches.

 

If you can locate the

GM Dataplate under the hood,

It is on the cowl just ahead of the

Windshield

It Should List the STYLE No.

 

88 is. 57-3639

Holiday Hardtop Sedan ( no post)

 or          57-3669 for the 

Standard Post Sedan 

 

SUPER 88 Uses same numbers

Followed by letters SD on Holday

Or followed by S on 4dr post sedan

 

For 98 Series

57-3039SDX. on Holiday Hardtop

57-57-3069D 4dr post sedan

 

Also 98 models have a Chrome

Script molding on rear of trunk

I don't see that on yours . so

probably an 88 or Super 88.

 

Note the regular sedans have a door frame around top of side windows

And a full height Door POST or

"B" Pillar between front and rear drs.

 

Holiday Hardtops have  NO upper door frame and only a half height

"B" pillar.  With the windows rolled down, it is one long opening from front to back on a hardtop.

 

In any case all '57 Oldsmobiles 

have fantastc styling.

Your first purchase should be a Factory Shop Manual to guide your

Restoration. ( Look on E-Bay )

Congtadulations on such a worthy

Project.

The AACA  and the Oldsmobile clubs are the Best place to get advice and answers from experienced restorers

[Tailfins Forever]

Also if the Dataplate is Missing...

But you can find the Serial Number or VIN...It maybe a stamped plate on the LF Driver's Door frame ?

 

A  Series 88 will start with...

577...   a Super 88 .   578...

and a 98.    579....

 

This is Followed by a single

LETTER that tells the Location of

the Assembly Plant it was built in,

A, B, C, K, L, M, T, or W

 

(Let us know which your car has ?)

 

That is followed by a six digits of numbers that are the build sequence for that plant.

 

Keep checking back for more information...

[Tailfins Forever]

Looking more closely at your photos it appears to be

a Standard Post Style sedan as the doors include an upper window frame. This is an advantage, as th bodies are more rigod than hardtops and easier to align the doors on the openings.

 

BTW I have a 1959 to 1949 Olds Parts Manual that has some good diagrams of chassis. and mechanical

Parts plus bumpers...but not other body parts. 

I can try to post photos of some if ypu can reply with what you need.

[The 55er]

In my opinion the Oldsmobile pictured is a Series 98 sedan. It's not the base series Golden Rocket 88 with the trim differences shown in the pics. The side trim on the Super 88s & 98s is thicker and starts at the front door vent window. The 88 series trim is thinner and starts at the rear door on 4-door sedans. The base 88s had no roof moulding  drip rail scalp trim like the Supers & 98s. Also the base 88s used different taillight lenses that didn't have the thicker chrome trim with the bullet centers and the vertical trim just beneath the taillights (gas filler lift-up area) was painted to match the body color and had 88 emblems. On the Supers & 98s those vertical areas had chrome trim like the car pictured. Also the car in question "appears" to have had a three-piece Ninety-Eight badge with a center oval emblem on the front fender just behind the headlight bezel. Supers had a one piece badge and the Golden Rockets had no badge at all. Finally if you compare a few pics of 88 & 98 series cars there is a noticeable difference in length between the rear bumper and rear wheelwell opening, this car seems to have the extra length there that the longer 126" wheelbase 98s would have. Just some thoughts. 

[Tailfins Forever]

Sure can't argue with the Factory Parts Manual !   It does look like a 1957 Olds NINETY EIGHT Series after all

 

Thank You 55er   For looking into it in Greater Detail....I too was looking at a (59 Master Parts Book) Late at Night...

  BUT didn't get past the first section...I hope the Original Poster from Chile, comes Back to see our research....

 

I think the mid Fifties Oldsmobiles are some of the sportiest looking sedans GM ever built especially the '57's !

(Except for the '58 ...kinda mismatched styling front to back in my opinion, but they look better in a two tone paint scheme,

with the darker contrasting color painted on roof and in between the rear quarter horizontal "Strakes" stainless moldings.

[Carito]

On 9/11/2022 at 5:40 PM, The 55er said:

Contact Fusick Automotive Products and get one of their catalogs. I am not affiliated with them in any way but I highly recommend them. 

 

On 9/11/2022 at 5:40 PM, The 55er said:

Contact Fusick Automotive Products and get one of their catalogs. I am not affiliated with them in any way but I highly recommend them. 

Thanks for sharing an useful page for me ! . I'll navigate on it in order to buy some parts perhaps.

 

[Carito]

On 9/26/2022 at 12:04 PM, Tailfins Forever said:

Sure can't argue with the Factory Parts Manual !   It does look like a 1957 Olds NINETY EIGHT Series after all

 

Thank You 55er   For looking into it in Greater Detail....I too was looking at a (59 Master Parts Book) Late at Night...

  BUT didn't get past the first section...I hope the Original Poster from Chile, comes Back to see our research....

 

I think the mid Fifties Oldsmobiles are some of the sportiest looking sedans GM ever built especially the '57's !

(Except for the '58 ...kinda mismatched styling front to back in my opinion, but they look better in a two tone paint scheme,

with the darker contrasting color painted on roof and in between the rear quarter horizontal "Strakes" stainless moldings.

Thank you so much for your response!! , and yes! Our car is an 98 Series 'cause we confirm it with stamped plate on the LF Driver's Door frame. Now, we are on disassemble stage, sandblasted chasis and buying different parts and accessories (only the easy ones) in your country. Soon, I'll let you know news about the process of this beautiful car and if we have doubts or questions during our process I'll ask to you :).

[Carito]

On 9/25/2022 at 10:41 AM, The 55er said:

In my opinion the Oldsmobile pictured is a Series 98 sedan. It's not the base series Golden Rocket 88 with the trim differences shown in the pics. The side trim on the Super 88s & 98s is thicker and starts at the front door vent window. The 88 series trim is thinner and starts at the rear door on 4-door sedans. The base 88s had no roof moulding  drip rail scalp trim like the Supers & 98s. Also the base 88s used different taillight lenses that didn't have the thicker chrome trim with the bullet centers and the vertical trim just beneath the taillights (gas filler lift-up area) was painted to match the body color and had 88 emblems. On the Supers & 98s those vertical areas had chrome trim like the car pictured. Also the car in question "appears" to have had a three-piece Ninety-Eight badge with a center oval emblem on the front fender just behind the headlight bezel. Supers had a one piece badge and the Golden Rockets had no badge at all. Finally if you compare a few pics of 88 & 98 series cars there is a noticeable difference in length between the rear bumper and rear wheelwell opening, this car seems to have the extra length there that the longer 126" wheelbase 98s would have. Just some thoughts. 

Thank you so much for your response!! , and yes! Our car is an 98 Series 'cause we confirm it with stamped plate on the LF Driver's Door frame. Now, we are on disassemble stage, sandblasted chasis and buying different parts and accessories (only the easy ones) in your country. Soon, I'll let you know news about the process of this beautiful car and if we have doubts or questions during our process I'll ask to you :).

[Carito]

On 9/12/2022 at 5:14 PM, Walt G said:

Start to make a list of exactly what you need. If you can get a parts book with numbers it may assist you in getting a exactly correct part - you will look at the number on the inside of the part you have and perhaps then look for one in better condition? You need to be very specific so you do not buy the wrong part , then pay to have it shipped etc. Let us know how yo will proceed - work on all the mechanical parts first and wiring, then start to look at how to restore the paint, upholstery, chrome etc. You need a plan............

Thank you so much for your response!! Our car is an 98 Series 'cause we confirm it with stamped plate on the LF Driver's Door frame. Now, we are on disassemble stage, sandblasted chasis and buying different parts and accessories (only the easy ones) in your country. Soon, I'll let you know news about the process of this beautiful car and if we have doubts or questions during our process I'll ask to you :).