elbole

My dad bought this gem in 1969 from a wealthy widow for $100....this after she spent $1,500 on parts and labor!!!


He removed the engine a few years later and the shop in which was rebuilding it closed down and the engine was long gone......Car sat in garage for a few years with no heart beat.


Enter a '55 Holiday that we stripped of the motor and all the parts we could.
In 1995 my sister got engaged and I moved quick to get the car road worthy so I could drive her on her special day.....


Now I need to pull the 324 because bottom end is ticking....So here is my build thread....I've lowered the car and have taken things off engine to get it ready to remove.


I am going to rely heavily on you expertise and experience...I posted this thread on another site with no responses so I am trying my luck here...


First question. How can I go about separating torus cover from fly wheel? Without bending it.....Thanks in advance

redoldsman

First off, welcome to the site. Seems like we are getting more and more folks with 50's cars and I love it. I don't have an answer to you question but I know it has come up before. You might try the search function. If you don't have a shop manual you need to buy one. It will be the best money you will spend. Get one of the originals and not one on CD. Good luck with you car.

elbole

red,


Thanks for the info and I appreciate your input. I look forward to learning about this Olds during the build.....

a58strod

I second the need for the shop manual. You can also find a Chilton for it which covers the gaps the shop manual leaves out. I bought my car with the motor and transmission already removed so I don't have any tricks for you.

Tedd Thompson

elbole, first off I'm sorry I missed this post, I hope you see this reply and hope I can help you pull your motor.

First I would pull the motor and transmission in one piece it's no harder for me to do this and once pulled I can move the car around without having to support the transmission having it hanging under there with nothing to hold up the front of it just about makes your car a statue in its stall, having a transmission jack attached to it is still not very mobile.For me its easier to separate the engine and trans on the floor or bench after pulled.Olds motors and slant pan transmissions are very heavy you will need a good HD engine lift either way you do it. A lightweight engine stand or lift won't do it here.

If you choose to separate the engine and leave the transmission in the car there are about 28 x 5/16 flywheel torus bolts that are accessed under the flywheel cover those will have to be removed with the engine and transmission being supported separately and if I remember correctly only one or two bolts are accessible at a time you will have to turn the flywheel for each bolt either by balancer bolt or by prying the flywheel one tooth at a time. At the front of the car I remove the radiator and supports to allow for a easier lift, the bumper can be left as is. Take good pictures of everything as you remove it especially linkage and bag everything and label it well.The rest is just unbolting and separating stuff like most any other engine...Ask if you get stuck surely there are things I haven't mentioned....Tedd

Ps you will need a motor manual most surely sooner than later.

elbole

I really appreciate the info on the shop manual....Years and years ago my dad bought an expensive manual that he thought would cover the car in detail....nope....only some illustrations of particular models.....I am going to look on amabon for one. Tedd thanks for the great info.....I took off the torus bolts already painstakingly, I was under olds so long I almost took a nap down there lol! I'll definitely take your advice of taking pics and bagging stuff....


Why would trans be hanging if the transmission cross member supports the front of trans? My original plan was to just take out 324 and leave the trans in its place.....I don't know I'll do what ever is easiest at this point...
Thanks again fellas...I'll be posting more pics soon....

elbole

Another question before I forget. What is the color Olds used for the engine in 1955? Where can I get some from? Plus I want the valve covers painted factory too, green with yellow lettering...."Oldsmobile Rocket"....


When engine was rebuilt in 1996 the guy who did the work painted it green but I doubt its the factory shade of green.

Tedd Thompson

elbole, my mistake I was thinking in my befuddled mind of dropping the transmission and leaving the engine in place rather the reverse thats what happens when I post past bedtime and after a couple of toddies. Sorry for my error...Tedd

PS. its still better to pull it all together and work on it on the table though.

elbole

Tedd,

I've been going over that option in my mind, pulling motor/trans together. By the way your car is gorgeous. It will probably be a PITA to reinstall just the motor....My engine hoist can handle that weight but my leveler probably wont be able to handle added weight of Hydromatic.....hmmm may need to do some welding to beer 'er up.

Thanks again for your active participation in the thread.....off to the welding table I go...

rket56

Fusick or Eastwood has the original factory green. One of them also has the decals for the valve covers, I have my decals and may use them some time if I decide to go to the retro look;I am currently using cast aluminum "Offy.s" on my 56. Good luck with your new baby. By the way did you use lowering blocks on the rear springs or what? How much drop do you have? Thax Chuck

elbole

Chuck,


Thanks for the info. Do the decals go over the lettering? I have the raised letters on my valve covers. I put 3" lowering blocks from Autozone to lower the rear.....at first I thought it was too low but I think it looks good. Ive heard that you lose handling with lowering blocks, ideally I'd like air bags but that's another thing to do much later.....Thanks again...

elbole

Chuck


By the way my dad had a set of finned valve covers but he sold them to a guy who sold me his chevy truck, my other project. The covers were dull looking and dirty but this dude got em polished up real nice....dayum I wish he never sold those they looked really nice!!!

Rocketowner

Your noise could possibly be something that does not require the complete removal of the engine.The oil pan can be removed without completely removing the engine.What are the conditions of the ticking noise.If it' just when the engine is in a pull,the "324's" were prone to crack the pistons directly downward from the wrist pins,and would only be heard when you were accelerating. Larry

Tedd Thompson

Here are a couple shots of my valve covers that were hand lettered after green was laid down. I think hand lettering looks better than decals but the originals weren't all that good from the factory....Tedd

PS thanks for the compliment on the old girl, she use to be outstanding, she will turn a head or two still on occasions.

elbole

Larry,

If I could avoid pulling engine I'm all for it. The noise came from bottom end of engine while standing still....my father was a service writer for a Chevrolet dealership, for 17 years, and he has "the ear", I was revving engine and he tells me to turn it off....he tells me he hears ticking on lower end. I was hoping he was wrong but how can I argue with that wisdom & experience....?

rket56

Thanks for the info on your lowering. Yes the decals would go over the raised letters after the new paint is totally dry. I seem to remember that you can use a soap and water solution and float the decals into position without tearing them, then lightly squeegee out the excess fluid and let them dry. If you have a welder, and your engine and trans will be out for a while, you might want to make a stand to hold them as a unit. I made one that uses the cross member from the car and the front motor mount. It allows access to the pan and the rest of the engine except the front cover with the timing chain and gears. Chuck

elbole

Chuck,

I think I'm going to get a "guy" to paint valve covers. I never considered building a stand for engine. I figured I'd pull engine and take it to machine shop....hope I can do the repair myself now w/stand idea. So you actually used cross member for tranny on the stand or did you fab it?...thanks

elbole

Chuck,

Forgot to say that your engine looks bad a$$......love the carbs...

rket56

Yes, I used the cross member and the rear engine mounts just the way they are in the car. Suggest you use a ***** punch and mark one end of the motor mount and the frame. The cross member will go in backwards and there is an extra set of holes that can really mess you up. The punch marks will show thru new paint if you go that route. Thanks for the comments on my engine, the carb linkage was a nightmare. I also made an adjustable height stand on rollers to remove and store the tranny. The stand is stored out back with the other "take off items" and I can take pics if you want to go to the trouble of making one. Chuck

elbole

Thanks again guys for all the input. As promised here are some more pics....


As far as pulling motor all I need to do now is disconnect the exhaust..., still on the fence whether to pull trans or not, already took off tiny carb with it's fuel lines....


The four barrel intake was purchased a couple of years ago off ebay to convert the engine to four barrel, got the carb too....$400 to rebuild it...


The screws for reverse lenses broke off inside so this is how they look now. I have the original reverse glass lenses and bezels but I'm thinking of doing something different, as far as lenses go, any thoughts or suggestions?


By the way don't worry about that dried up tail light(both look that way) I have three OEM tail light lenses, pops stocked up on them while working for GM.


I'll probably be putting parts up for sale(for the 55 sedan) on the classifieds after I figure out how to do it.


Look forward to your thoughts and comments....

elbole

Well took the bolts off the exhaust today, easy due to just having single exhaust.


Had to use a cut off wheel to get one off....dem bolts are old......

redoldsman

I notice in the first picture you have an amplifier for the autronic eye. I am guessing it may not work but is a cool accessory.

elbole

redoldsman,


Last time car was driven it was working from what I could tell....


Seems like the closer I get to pulling engine stuff comes up......