Hi guys I'm new to this forum. We got a 1964 Olds Jetstar 88. Its my sons car, given to him by his grandfather. Its gonna be a father & son project. My sons got a few years before he can drive so I gives me some time to get it going. Its all complete and been garaged the last 13 years. I'll try to post some pics when I get a chance.

 

That's pretty cool, 3 generations united by an Oldsmobile. Welcome to CO.

 

Wow wish i could run in to something like that. How was it treated in storage hope they started it once in a while and there's not old gas in tank. Good Luck and enjoy cruising with her.

 

Welcome to the site. Hand-me-down cars are the best kind

 

Just remember that a Jetstar 88 shares more mechanically with a Cutlass or even a Chevrolet than it does with the other 1964 full-size Oldsmobiles. OTOH that means it's often easier to find mechanical parts for it. Body and interior-wise it's the same as a Dynamic 88.

It can get especially confusing between Jetstar 88 and Jetstar I (which is a Starfire without all the chrome and is considered to be a Dynamic 88).

 

Welcome to the site! And congrats to your son on the the new car! Sounds like a fun project.

I've got a 1966 Jetstar 88. One problem area on the 65 & 66 Jetstar 88's are the rear outer wheel bearings. I don't know for sure about the 64 Jetstars. But if they are the same as the later ones I strongly suggest you replace them before driving the car. They tend to take out the axle and housing when they fail. And finding a replacement rearend is nearly impossible. Also the other 88 & 98 rearends will not fit without major surgery. (don't ask me how I know) Yeah my 66 has a rearend from a 65 Delta 88.

I had a front wheel bearing go out too. And by the time it made any noise it damaged the hub. But that wasn't too bad. A hub from my 67 Cutlass Supreme fit. It just doesn't look the same.

Overall the Jetstar 88's are great cars. IMHO the 9 1/2" brakes are a little undersized for the weight of the car. Mine brakes better now with the 11" in the back. But allow a little extra braking room the first couple of times you take the car out. Just in case.

Oh yeah, we love pictures!

Don

 

Welcome to the forum.You have a neat vehicle there.Rocketraider summed it up well regarding the JStars unique position in Olds history.Not only does it take advantage of the newer driveline design,but building on his comment,in a hot rodders mind it allows a world of upgrading to the old school rocket chassis without major mount re-engineering,if your tastes run that direction.You didn't mention-what body style is your Olds?

 

Less than you might think. The engine and trans are the same as used in the 64 Cutlass, EXCEPT that the accessory brackets are unique to the 64 J88. The motor mounts are also unique to the 64 J88 and are not reproduced. The brakes are the same 9.5" drums used on the Cutlass but the front spindles are unique to the 64 J88. The rest of the front suspension is the same as on other 64 full size cars. The rear axle housing used the same internal parts as the Cutlass, but the housing is unique to the J88. The suspension is the same as on other 64 full size cars. There are a lot of one-year-only, one-model-only parts on the 1964 J88. Unfortunately, these items are all different from those on the 65-66 J88s.

 

bpwordman its a 4 door. I'm currently looking for a replacement waterpump. Where do you guys recommend ordering replacement parts from? Looking on-line I couldn't find parts listed for the J88. Since Joe stated the engine and trans are the same as the ones used in the 64 Cutlass maybe I'll have better luck searching for a waterpump for a Cutlass.

 

Only issue on the 64 jetstars is that the outlet on the water pump exits on the opposite side from the later years. I have seen several on ebay. I would also check Rockauto.com. They may have one.

 

mrolds88, thanks for the response. I was able to get a rebuilt water pump from the local NAPA store. It was actually cheaper than getting one on-line.
So far we've been slowly getting the car ready.
New rebuilt water pump, Rebuilt the carb, new plugs & wires. I've been letting my son do the work with me guiding him. We plan on putting some new tires & firing it up in the spring, so we can move it from its present location (grandpas house) to our home, so its easier to work on.

 

NAPA appears to have lowered some prices to be competitive with on-line sources. I usually compare RockAuto, Advance, and NAPA before buying parts and I've been pleasantly surprised that NAPA frequently is less expensive than the on-line sources. Of course, here in NoVA, I need to also compare sales tax to shipping charges.

 

I got my Jetstar 88 last fall. The car was an original owner with 56,000 miles!

As the second owner, I found all matching numbers. The car has had a re-paint with the original Lucerne Mist, and has a new white rag-top. The engine compartment is a mess, but I'm sure I'll get that fixed this spring. I don't know whether to have a detailer do it, or do it myself.

In the past, I drove 98's for 22 years. The best road car ever!

Good luck with your project!