Advice on a 62' Super 88

[REDRUM]

My Father has a 62' Super 88 four door that has been in our family since about 1970. Is this car worth fixing up? Is it a model that is popular or sought after? Are there lots of aftermarket parts I can get for it? Can the motor be suped up? Can the transmission be changed out for a more modern one?

The car is in decent shape. Needs some body work. My Dad has lots of extra parts laying around. Extra transmissions, differentials, brake parts and any other things I can't remember at the moment.

He had a bunch of major suspension work done in the mid 90's but says it is having problems again. I'd actually like to change out the suspension to a more heavy duty or performance suspension and change the brakes to disc.

He is supposed to be taking some pictures of the car. When he sends them to me I'll scan them and post them.

I'm new here and I'm glad I found this site =)

[Starfire61]

"Is this car worth fixing up?"

That's a loaded question. If you like it, it MAY be a project worth pursuing. Without some pics of the condition of the car it's very hard to say.

Is it a hardtop or a sedan? The hardtop is a better-looking car IMHO & is somewhat more collectible. Either way, the Super 88 had a nicer interior & hotter motor than the standard offerings in the Dynamic 88.

Assuming the car is reasonably solid, you need to think long & hard about what you want to accomplish with it. If the car has sentimental value to you & you plan on keeping it till you're too old to drive, then go to the wall with it.

If this may be a stepping stone to another car project down the road, you need to tread carefully.

If you define "fixing up" as making the car roadworthy & presentable... perhaps a little body work & some mechanical stuff, you probably can't go wrong. You'll have some fun doing the work, & even more fun hauling the family to the local cruise in something other than a Chevy or an A-body muscle car (yawn...) In the big picture you might even get lucky & make a little money on the car if you sold it.

On the other hand, if you're considering disc brake conversions, transmission swaps, performance parts for an Olds 394, etc., you are standing on the brink of a financial precipice that knows no bottom. Almost nothing is available for these cars in terms of bolt-on aftermarket modifications & enhancements.

I won't get into the specifics of such modifications, as there are several posts on this forum & elsewhere that cover these topics in great detail. Suffice it to say, you are looking at a lot of headaches, custom work, & big dollars to upgrade & modify a car like this, & at the end of the day, you'll still have a 4-door 88 that most vintage Olds guys won't want (because it's modified) & most hotrod guys won't want (because it's a full-sized 4-door Oldsmobile.)

In all likelihood, you wouldn't have a prayer of getting more than a fraction of your money out of this car. (Welcome to the club...) For some folks, that's a deal-ender, for others, it's no big deal.

The most important question remains: "What do YOU want out of this car?"

[Olds64]

That is definitely good advice that Starfire gave. You should fix it up if you like the car. If you think it is ugly and big then sell it to someone who will appreciate it. Older full sized cars are an acquired taste. You will definitely be lucky if you make money on your car once you fix it up.

['62 Super 88 Sahara Mist]

Well said Starfire61..........

[Oldsguy]

If you are ready to change the drive train from the engine back you will be making some modifications to make it fit but that will be about the only way to do it, as was said, little to nothing in the aftermarket department for those cars. Either that, or keep everything stock and simply rebuild it with parts from someone like Kanter Oldsmobile Parts.

[keith6989]

an Oldsmobile is ALLWAYS worth restoring, espesciall if it has a family attachment to it...