Olds Dad

I’m starting this thread at the beginning of my efforts to restore this car. I’m already knee deep into my 4 door Holiday, but the amount of work there is significantly more and I’ve got many things “sent out” at the moment – radio, door panels, chrome, etc.. – so I’m going to take a breather.

This, for those who didn’t see my original post when I bought it, is a 1955 “Plain” 88 two door (post) sedan. It came out of a garage in western Massachusetts where it has been buried since the early 1960’s (the inspection sticker on it said “62” – which I’ve saved).

The odometer shows 32,XXX and based on the condition of the car, right down to the original “spiral” shocks, I’m guessing it’s original – although arguably I have no ‘documentation’.

Things like the fender extension mouldings, tail light bezels, headlight rings, are maybe a half-notch below perfect, and would pass for perfect (with a little ‘nevr-dull’) for any show circuit outside of AACA.

Body sheet metal is absolutely perfect, as are the rockers, floors, and trunk pan. I could sell the hood as NOS if I painted it with flat black paint!! The exception is the very bottom of the spare tire well is a little thin where some water must have been trapped some time ago.

The car is a 3 Speed column shift – manual brakes, manual steering, but has Autronic Eye, a wonderbar radio, padded dash, and a power seat. The power seat looks factory, right down to the conduits in the floor, foot plate on the passenger side (To keep rear seat passengers’ feet away from the motors), and routing of the harness, but there’s no indication of it on the trim tag, so apparently it must have been added.

Autronic may have been dealer installed, as the control unit is on the fender well instead of the air box, but the phototube matches the interior and looks correct….so who knows.

Somewhere along the line the original owner started disassembling the car, installed a ’57 371 cid engine (which has been sitting, heads off, for 50 years), removed the interior, door and quarter glass, and all the trim. Not sure where he was going but we’ll never know as he’s passed on. Engine is in short block form – heads on the back floor. No door panels or side panels are anywhere to be found, nor are the rear seat, side glass, or vent frames. Hood lip moulding is MIA also.

I’ve sent the bumpers to Tri-City via Carlisle and started to inventory and take things apart.

I have a beautiful running 1955 324 which will go in here – and it seems that even though it was from an automatic car, it will work with the standard shift as they both used the same pilot bushing…all I’ll need is a 324 standard shift flywheel (anyone have one??).

SMS makes the interior panel cards and there’s no auxiliary trim so I should be fine there. Have a lead on a seat frame and the misc. window mechanicals that I need. OlDave55 was gracious enough to furnish me with some interior information (seat patterns, etc) so I can have the correct interior replaced.

So there’s a lot of work to be done, but I don’t think I could have started with a better base. I plan to do a quality frame-on restoration (nose off likely). I plan to keep the original colors (Mint Green / Glen Green) and keep the car as correct as possible.

I’ll update this thread regularly as work progresses.

Hope you enjoy and I welcome any suggestions, comments, questions, and leads on parts.

hotrodj54

very cool car, i have some parts left from a 55 2door hardtop i stripped so if ya need anythink just ask......john

Tedd Thompson

Gorden, you seem to have the, it followed me home syndrome going on. Looks like a great project. Are you sure you want to repaint it mint green? Could just be me and the color green. Mine was mint green originally and I couldn't make myself put that color back on. I know color is a very subjective thing and everyone sees something different in color, but green!... I jest of coarse. I'm sure it will be a head turner when compleated...Tedd

Olds Dad

I definately have the "followed me home" syndrome - I sort of like the ugly colors - my '71 is Bittersweet and I intially thought it was ugly but now i'm glad I did it that color...also have the green dash, dash pad, etc..to contend with if I change colors - I know what you're saying...wouldn't be my first choice but in the end, they all look great when they're "new"

hialeah56

I like green and it was my original choice for my 56 before the turquoise it has now. It was going in one of these two colors


btw the first choice would look sick on that coupe

Olds Dad

Not too much progress this weekend - took the rear window garnish mouldings off (most of them) and the fender extension mouldings...I'm pretty lucky - I can even use the original clips with these - amazing condition.

Also, in order to get the front upper windshield molding off, I need to remove the windshield / rubber gasket since the moulding is set into it...these gaskets (front and rear) are perfect, soft, and not cracked...I'd hate to have to replace them ($$$$) if not necessary. Can you remove these without wrecking them? All the ones I've ever removed are old cracked junk and I've just razored them until the glass pops out...this is a different story...

D. Yaros

I do not understand your reference to the autronic eye unit being on the fender well, instead of in the air box? What/where is the air box? I can tell you my 55 Cadillac autronic eye unit is mounted atop the driver side inner fender well.

Olds Dad

driver's side firewall...this photo is my '55 Deluxe Holiday Sedan

D. Yaros

Ok, got it! Thanks. As they say, a pic is worth a 1,000 words.

Olds Dad

Anyone know what these staples were for? Uniform across the top radiator shroud - seem to be original but there's no sign that anything was ever there.

hotrodj54

there was a peice of rubber on the top of the suport that sealed against the hood. thats what the staples are for......john

Olds Dad

any chance anyone has a photo of this? not listed in Fusick's catalog...I'm sure I could make one if I knew what it looked like.

thanks

Olds Dad

Trying to 'restore as I go' - rather than taking everything apart and throwing into a pile, I'm doing the pieces as I take them off...bumpers are at chrome shop, glass is on order, etc...

I restored the horns using new red insulators (Danchuk makes them for Chevy). Now they're in a box and ready to reinstall.

Presently working on the airboxes from the firewall.

citcapp

Looks great. Amazing difference what a little elbow grease and paint will do.

golds56

olds dad,will snap a photo of that rubber seal on upper radiator tonight and send it to you,mine is original.Also have a few 55 parts around from donor car,radiator and a few other things from stick shift model if you need anything i am trying to clean out the stuff i wont be useing so ask and ill look for it.

Olds Dad

PM sent

Olds Dad

Progress for the week...using Eastwood's "Underhood Black" and their "Silver Cad" for the hardware...I love the black - so so on the Silver Cad.

gearheads78

Not to take away from your thread but this car gives me a funny feeling in my trousers
That is exacty what I want my future 54 hardtop to look like.

Cratethis

Looks great! Keep us up to date on your progress. Have you been able to get anything else done?

Olds Dad

The holidays and Home renovations have kept me away from it unfortunately... I have collected a few parts that I was looking for. Also found rearthat seat frames. I was looking for but have them being worked on for a few softspots. Good part is at least the car is inside... my home project should take me another month or so and then I will be back on the car. I will continue this thread.

WHIPOLDS

Olds Dad - My air box's have like a heavy undercoat on them. I know they are original to the car. Did you have to remove that stuff to make yours look so good? If so how did you get it off?
Thanks
Rick

Olds Dad

Rick - I've got (4) 1955's - 2 of them have it, 2 don't - I think that it was because they were typically undercoated at the dealer (the old "sell 'em the floor mats and undercoating") - I've had pretty good luck with a painter's heat gun and a puddy knife for the main stuff, and then tar and bug remover with steel wool for the rest - some would advise gasoline - as it's a petroleum based undercoating and this will break it down quickly - however, I think that's a little too dangerous. Unfortunately, whichever route, it's a little elbow grease.

To answer your question, this one didn't have any on it - but the one (different car) that I did prior, it did - and the black paint was under it.

Someone can feel free to correct me, but I'm fairly positive that these cars left the factory with clean chassis, firewalls, and inner fenders, while a lot of them ended up with undercoat later on (at the dealer or soon thereafter).

WHIPOLDS

Thanks - I think they really look good cleaned off. Might put that on my might as well list.

Rick

golds56

I took mine to multi-blast and they did them for about 20 bucks,then i painted with engine enamel.

olds1955

Lovely olds !
Good luck

Olds1955

Olds Dad

Thanks - between household projects and winter months, I've been largely inactive for a few months - itching though...acquired a few pieces I was looking for...still would love to find a 324 standard shift flywheel. Hopefully will get going again sooner than later -

Olds Dad

Got some good 'garage time' in over the weekend - got the front and rear windshields removed and the pinchweld channels all cleaned up...can't say I wasn't excited to see how good of condition they're in!

Also got the engine and main dash harness removed as in preparation for being able to clean up the firewall - also removed the passenger side air box / blower fan. That's next up for detailing.

That's it for now!

Tedd Thompson

Gorden it's good to see this thread revitalized and the progress being made your work looks top notch. I'm envious of your four 55's, sounds as though you are working on all of them as the parts be come available, your a better man than I, I'm befuddled if I have more than one to work on.Please keep us updated as you progress...Tedd

Olds Dad

Thanks for the kind words Tedd - keeping my 4door sedan 'alive' for the daily use is a challenge all by itself - and yes, I try to keep going on all of them - even if 'work' stops, I'm always grabbing things - I have a fairly extensive mental list of what each one needs and when I see them (evil bay or other) I grab them.

My efforts will be primarily on this car for now since I've got most everything I need (still could use a MT flywheel for 324 OR a 57 "parts" motor), but everything else is there.

My Super 88 Holiday sedan will also get some attention when the 2 door hits a roadblock - the plain "88" Holiday sedan is a back burner, but since it's been mosly unmolested, it serves as a great "blueprint" car - to reference what goes where and how!

I will post updates as they happen - stay tuned, but realize that only our government works slower than I do!

oldave55

Olds Dad, Here is a parts lead from a classic olds forum member. He has found a mother-lode of used olds parts. If you haven’t seen his post, here is info that I got from my post wtb '55 fan shroud:

14 cars, mostly 1954 through 58, but including a 64 and 67.
8 Rocket motors, at least one 1955 but mostly 57 and 58.
22 J2 setups. (Yes, that's right. Twenty-two J2 setups) plus accessories Various parts, rear ends, etc.
Contact: JOE WAMBOLDT 262-705-0734 (cell) located in Kenosha, WI
He is parting out a loaded 1955-88 with full factory air system. I am taking the fan shroud and under-dash vent and plastic air ducts. Not Cheap! But where else can you go?

Olds Dad

Thanks Dave - must have missed the update email on this post - I've spoken with Joe on some '57 engine pieces. Great guy and seems reasonable for what I've asked for. Haven't sealed the deal yet, but we've discussed needs and pricing.

Thanks for the tip.

Olds Dad

So, with summer in full swing, between bbq's, kids soccer games, vacations, and gutting my camper after mice took over (good times there), I've gotten only a handful of evenings on this project. I've got the RH fender removed and the wheel well as well as the entire engine harness removed (through the firewall) so I can restore the firewall area as well.

Once the left fender / well are out, the 2 fenders, 2 doors, and radiator support / splash pan sheet metal are going out for media blast / epoxy prime (trunk lid too) -

Rear seat frame was missing, got one from Skip Watkins in Maine (hell of a guy and best parts car collection on the east coast) - but was rotted in one corner - that's being fixed at a friend's house who makes me embarassed to claim to know how to weld.

Odds and ends coming together - really need a good solid weekend of organizing the shop before I go much further...keep plugging is all I can do.

oldave55

Olds Dad, as a followup to my previous parts available post. I US mailed my $415 payment on 05-15. Have not heard a peep out of seller. I have left several calls which are not returned. I am worried. He may be overrun with response orders. I just wish I knew what is going on.

frmula505

Great job there, sure is a lot of work sometimes. But well worth it in the end.

Tedd Thompson

Oldave, keep us posted on how that sale goes down, other members may need to know....Tedd

Olds Dad

yikes...hope this pans out - keep us posted

kcars

Great thread/posts on the '55 Olds restoration.
Just a thought:
A neighbor was selling an original plain jane '53 88 2 dr post several years ago that had no opions except a autronic eye. I think dealers were installing these to sell low optioned cars- That EYE on the dash sure jumped out at you when you got in the car.
Keep us updated an your progress.

Olds Dad

UPDATE:

So, I've managed to do a few things on the car - took the doors off (required for the next step) - which was removing the front seat assembly - this is a power seat car (and now that I've removed it, I'm thinking it was added - even though all the factory conduits and such are there, it looks like the additional locations for the power motor anchor bases have been welded it - although very nicely done) -

What strikes me is how lucky I am with regards to the condition of this car - the seat assembly looks like I could have taken it out of a 15 year old car, not a 57 year old car (upholstery condition notwithstanding)

Ordered upholstery and have secured an upholsterer to do the work.

Going to get that ball rolling so it's not holding me up down the road.

oldave55

Olds Dad, Just an observation. My ’55 and ’56 98’s both have power windows. On removing the door panels I immediately noticed that the cut outs in the inner door structure for the elect switches was done with what looks like a cutting torch. I just assumed that it was not cost viable for the factory to prep all body areas for both standard equipment and low production option installation. Both 98’s have power seats, but I’ve not had occasion to remove them.

Olds Dad

OlDave55 - you may be right on that - very professional job either way.

Today I finished the removal of the dash bezels, windshield interior garnish mouldings, visors, and rear view mirror.

I'm on the fence right now about what to do regarding the radio. It's a Super DeLuxe (Wonderbar) with foot pedal which I know is rare. I can have it reconditioned to perfect operating order for around $275, but that leaves me only AM - if I do one of those deals where they convert to AM FM, I think I lose the wonderbar aspect of it (unless someone knows otherwise) - so - I'm open to radio suggestions.

On the plus side, looks like I'm going to be able to use the orignial dashpad - check the photos - the one with it half complete tells the whole story. A little bit of Dirtex and a soft scrub brush (not to mention a little HankJr in the background to help me along - no Jim Beam tonight though)

Another day...more progress...baby steps