Help restoring my 74 Olds 88 Convertible

[74olds88conv]

I apologist for the lengthy post. So when I was 12 years old the guy on the corner put his 74 Olds 88 convertible up for sale it was red on white with a white top, and a 350.The car had a little rot in the floors and bad quarters, at the time he wanted 1500. By the time I was 17 the car still wasn't sold, I talked the guy down to 600 bucks, 2 weeks later I got the money went back the car was gone. So I tracked down the guy who had it and bought the car back from him. It became my first car and I drove it for 3 years until the convertible top tore enough and fell off then brake line blew. Now Im 23 and finally have some money and want to restore it unfortunately time has been horribly cruel to the car. I was under a tarp but water still got in. I'm going to need new floors, trunk floor, and 2 rear quarters. After that's done I hopefully will get the seats recovered. I haven't been able to find a 2 door parts car for it which is really what I feel like I need. So I went out and found a 4 door 73 that has a near mind body but serious rot under the vinyl top. Then I found a gypsy that said he would do the work on the car for $2000. My car is rotted on the wheel arches and at the bottom of each quarter in the rear, he said he would use the 73 as a template and make new arches out of steel and then use steel and filler to make the bottoms of the quarter. Then to fix the floors he'd put flat steel in nothing to fancy just to keep you from falling out on the highway. Is it worth doing? Does anyone have a good parts car for me? Is there a company that actually repros parts for this car? I really love the car and would hate to junk it. I know money wise the right thing to do is scrap it and buy another one off EBay but then its not my car anymore if anyone knows what I mean. Also oddly enough the braces for the trunk floor and the floors in the car are solid I was able to literally peel the floor right off of them kinda weird, also its only rotted where you put your feet under the front seat is solid and under the back seat is. I never could figure it out but the car has a weird vin that wont decode, the carb doesn't decode to anything, the interior has a weird pattern, it has a seat belt interlock system (car wont start without the seat belt being on), plastic inner fender wells in the front, a "R" in laurel wreaths pressed into the arm rest and the center of the back seat and emblems on each fender that say PERA (ironically my last name is Perna). Ive never seen any of that on another 74 before, according to the previous owner its never been restored and nothing was swapped other then the 350 when it blew. Is it some kind of rarity? I am very good mechanically with cars and I am trying to learn how to weld and do body work so I am not against trying anything my self, and I am open to any advice I can get.
Thanks Guys,
Anthony

[rocketraider]

Post the VIN and body plate info. If you're trying to use some of the online VIN sites a lot of those don't go back past 1980 or so. My guess is it looks something like 3N67R4MXXXXXX.

The "R" in the doors and seats is for "Royale". All 1971-75 big Olds convertibles were part of Delta 88 Royale series.

Can't explain the "Pera" emblems unless they're a dealer badge.

The seat belt interlock was a federal nanny requirement for 1974 model year. It proved so troublesome that the requirement was rescinded early in the year. Most cars were modified to disable it. You know about the reset button underhood, right?

71-76 Deltas are very similar in many ways. You can use 1974-76 quarter panels on your car. www.fusick.com has a limited amount of reproduction stuff for these, and www.steelerubber.com has most of the weatherstripping and rubber parts.

I currently have a 76 Ninety Eight, and have owned several 71-76 cars so I can probably answer your questions.

[Oldsguy]

Anthony,
Welcome to our site, I hope we can help you with your Oldsmobile. I think you should re-consider having someone do the work for you unless you know who they are and/or have seen their work. Bad body work will show almost immediately and I don't think using flat stock on the floor pans is a good idea. Unfortunately it is more difficult to get B body parts but at least you have a donor car. Not sure how much of it you will be able to use though. You can look at Fusick as was already mentioned and Kanter they both have a site on the web and may have some stuff you could use in fixing your car up nicely however I don't think they will have body panels. Good luck!\
Dan

[74olds88conv]

Is there a company that sells reproduction sheet metal? Unfortunately I'm in NJ and nothing survives up here so every time I check the junkyards I don't come up with anything. Can anyone reccomend a good junkyard around here I was thinking of checking out the u-pull it in Hazelton, PA (www.wegotused.com). As for the body guy he has done some dent repair type stuff for my father and I, hes usually pretty good I wouldn't say show quality by any means, his body work is pretty good, but his paint work is more on par with MAACO unfortunatly. He did my friends 69 mustang, hung 2 quarters, patched the floors, door patches, 2 lower fender patches, and knocked out a dent by the trunk. That came out good but I would imagine swapping panels is alot easier then making them. Heres the Vin 3N67K4M164765, whenever I try to put it on the insurance policy they tell me thats not a good vin for an olds 88, but any other car I put on including the 73 come on with no problem.

[ent72olds]

Anthony, I just have to ask, are you sure of the shape the frame is in on the car? That would be my starting point. Take a ball peen hammer and start from one end and tap to the other with moderate force. Hit as many areas as you can. If it rings, you're good to go to the next step. If it thuds, especially in high stress areas, maybe you should rethink the project and get a simpler, starter project. It will be cheaper and more rewarding I would hate to see you dump money in and lose interest because you realize too late it needs much more than you can afford. Also, $2000 sounds very cheap! Remember, you usually get what you pay for. I'm stepping off my soap-box now...

[rocketraider]

3N67K4M164765 is a valid 1974 VIN and follows the same pattern as all 1972-80 GM VIN's. Somebody at the insurance company needs to get their mess straight.

3= Oldsmobile Division, GM
N= Delta Royale (L= regular Delta 88)
67= convertible
K= 350-4bbl single exhaust engine (R= 350 dual exhaust; T, U or V= 455)
4= 1974 model year
M= Lansing Michigan assembly plant
164765= car sequential identification number

Unless you find NOS (new old stock) sheet metal, you'll have to either repair what you have or get some from a desert state junkyard.

[J-(Chicago)]

Anthony, where are you located? I know of a decent 74-76 delta for parts in Joliet, IL.

[74olds88conv]

ent72olds
Anthony, I just have to ask, are you sure of the shape the frame is in on the car? That would be my starting point. Take a ball peen hammer and start from one end and tap to the other with moderate force. Hit as many areas as you can. If it rings, you're good to go to the next step. If it thuds, especially in high stress areas, maybe you should rethink the project and get a simpler, starter project. It will be cheaper and more rewarding I would hate to see you dump money in and lose interest because you realize too late it needs much more than you can afford. Also, $2000 sounds very cheap! Remember, you usually get what you pay for. I'm stepping off my soap-box now...

I completely know where youre coming from I was worried about the same thing. So I put it up on jack stands to check it out. The frame is shockingly solid I went down the whole thing with a hammer and it still was solid. The previous owner said at one poiEnter text here.nt when the car was repainted the guy he bought it from had the chassis cleaned and professionally under coated, it never sat in like mud or weeds or anything like that,just due to the bad top it took out the floor and quarters. Also all the braces the floor attaches to some how didnt rot either. When it went up for sale the top was on its way out and water was getting into the car. I remember driving it home with soggy carpets on multiple occasions, not to mention making patches for the top out of T shirts and hot glue to try and stay semi dry. I agree that S2,000 is really cheap, I guess part of it is that he does the work in his spare time and its done in his garage at home. I know Im not getting restoration or show quality work done but all Im really looking for is just a cool fun driver. I wish I could afford a real resto but I know considering the condition of the car Id probably be around 15k or 20k to get just the body done. I recently sent my 77 Trans Am SE out to texas to have it restored and even with monthly payments its killer.

J-(Chicago)
Anthony, where are you located? I know of a decent 74-76 delta for parts in Joliet, IL.

I am in Paramus, NJ what parts do you have and how much would you want maybe I could ship them over to here.

[guy.graziano]

Anthony

Cool Car to have - when its done!

I have a 75 Delta 88 Convert and sometime I think my wife likes it more than me!

I got my car from the original owner and its rock solid. These are not easy cars to restore. Olds didnt make alot of 2 doors in 74/75 and people dont love these cars as they do GTOs and Camaros. Be patient and look around - there are plenty of garage queens out there that can donate parts but it may be easier to find one that is done or a clean original.

Attached is a snapshot of our beloved ride.
GUY

[rocketraider]

Guy- please check the VIN and build date on your car. The last 1975 convertible built was red/white and built towards end of July 1975. Read that as (at the time) the last Oldsmobile convertible.

I enjoyed my 73 for nearly 15 years, but when a deer took out the LH quarter to the point of springing the quarter window and top frame, it was more than I could take. I parked it and after about six months sold it at a heavy loss because I could no longer stand the sight of it. It has a good home in WV now and all the damage has been repaired with western sheetmetal.

The worst thing about one of these besides no repop support is that damn scissor top. That is the biggest thing that would make me think twice about owning another 70s big GM ragtop.

[J-(Chicago)]

I hope you read this in time.
Here's one for sale locally.
http://chicago.craigslist.org/nwi/cto/974244114.html

There is also one at joliet auto parts on washington street in Joliet, IL
Google them and I'm sure you'll find the number.

Act fast, I'm sure both of these cars will probably be melted into chinese lug nuts by april.

[Kennybill]

Sounds like a real "money pit." If u really like a Delta convertible look around for a more solid car, they r out there. I pulled my Delta off a hill in Pa. If I had it to do again I would have just bougth one done, cheaper and less work. Then use that car for a parts car. Good luck, Ken

[RATCHETMASTER]

isn't the 73 the same body? I know you guys said 74 up. I know were a dry (no rust) 73 2 dr ht is with no engine.
But I am in SLC.
Just wondering. . .

[rocketraider]

The floors are the same, but there's just enough difference in the quarters around the taillight extensions that they'd have to be worked some to fit. He probably COULD use the bottom half of the quarters.

Another thing to watch out for re rusty quarters, is to make sure the gutter tail exits ahead of the rear wheel openings and the lower edge drains are open. If they get plugged with leaves etc there's nowhere for the water to go and the quarters rust out ahead of the wheels.

I had to get ugly with a trim shop once when they re-topped my 73. The drain gutters on these cars are actually made of the top material and hang down between the top frame and the body opening pinchweld, then the "tails" overlap the wheelhouse and direct water out the aforementioned body drains. They were told to replace the gutter as I knew it had a split in it. They duct-taped the split and bunched it up to where water overflowed it into the rear floors, with predictable result. I think that was the maddest I ever got at a repair shop. You charge me damn near a grand to do a top, it better come out like it's supposed to.

I remeber you telling me that story many moons ago.

[Kennybill]

1971 was the first year of the "G-ride" Delta and scissors top. Handling was a lot better than previous years. Production numbers were, 1971-2883#, --1972-3900#, 1973-7088#, 1974-3716#, 1975-7181#. The scissor top has "speedometer" type cables and needs to be "in time." Both sides even, plus you are suppose to latch the pass-side first. Read it in a manuel somewhere. I put new bushings/alinement pins in mine. It works nice and smooth/quiet. Same top assembly as on all B-body GM cars 71-75. Cadilac may have had the convertible in 76 also. I call my 71 Royale "Sweet P" Later, Ken