Part ?? 56 Olds

[56oldsnub]

Question for the guys with 56-57 98's & 88's.
Please take a look at the attached pics.
I'm trying to figure out what the electrical part is thats attached to the drivers side front firewall body mount off of my 56 Ninety Eight.

Any ideas?

[redoldsman]

From what I can tell, it looks like a dimmer switch. Is it actually mounted on the floorboard? If the car has an autronic eye (automatic dimmer) it will have two switches mounted on the left side of the floorboard. One is the dimmer switch and the other is an override to flash your bright lights.

[56oldsnub]

Thanks redoldsman,
As soon as you said dimmer switch the light came on in my head (groan)
My car does have two floor switches. The previous owner told me the other switch was for changing the radio station....I kind of chuckled when he did. I wonder if he was flashing hs lights at people and wondering why the radio wasn't changing....

[394olds]

Neat Car!!!!

The second switch is for your Wonder Bar radio - foot tuning.

I have my Dad's 56 98 sedan - like this one - - it's Tropical green in the rear and Alcan white up front. Beautiful car.

I am at a similar state in restoring my Dad's 56.

Keep posting please!!

Good day from San Diego

[redoldsman]

If your car still has the original radio in it, it is probably a Wonderbar signal seeking radio. You could touch the bar on the radio and it would search to the next station. A foot switch was also available where you could tap it and the radio would search to the next station. Since your car apparently was well optioned as evidenced by the factory air, my guess is it had a Wonderbar. I don't know what the heck the deal would be if you have a Wonderbar radio and an Autoronic Eye. I can't imagine 3 switches in the floor.

[394olds]

If you need technical help with this car I do not mind being called.

I speak fluent 56 Oldsmobile 98, especially power train issues.

You can reach me at peteclayton455@aol.com

You may or may not know but a Mexican President(?) was assasinated in a car identical to yours. It still exists!!

Good day

[56oldsnub]

Redoldsman,
It still has the original radio (see pic) and now that I've gone back for a better look I see that the second foot switch is for the radio...that's pretty cool

394olds,
that is cool that you are working on the same car. I got mine from the second owner. Story is that he bought it off the elderly gentleman who bought it new, when he was in highschool in the 70's. He drove it for 3 years while he was in high school. Then he went away to college so he parked the car in his parents garage, and it has sat there since 1979. It's never sat outside, always been garaged....it's in awesome shape.

Do you have photos of your car? I a photography buff so I have 100's of photos of mine in its various states of resto.

I saw something on the internet about the guy being assasinated in the 56. Thought it was neat that it was the same style.

You don't here too much about people resto'ing the 98's, especially the 4dr b-pillars....I think this one is awesome...