54wingnut

Hey all, I've been lurking around here for a little while decided that it was time for an intro. My name is John, I live on the southside of Chicago. It seems I have some sort of addiction to Oldsmobiles. My first(at the age of 15) was a 71 Cutlass Supreme that was an Earl Shieb Orange color, 350/350 4bbl.-man I loved that car. I also had a 70 98 with a 455 for about an hour and a half-it caught fire on the ride home. At some point after all that I had a 68 Cutlass Convertible 350/350 4bbl also a very fun car.

Fast forward a lot more years-I now have 1954 88. I bought it with an unhealthy 394 and ford 4 speed manual trans. After about two years, it now has a 324 4bbl and a S10 5speed. The car is not original in almost any way. It is not the original color, it has a Chrysler radiator and rearend in it(that's how I got it, and if ain't broke don't fix it.) and a few other non factory choices. It runs, drives at 70mph on the highway, gets decent gas mileage, its loud, and it turns heads. I have a before and after pic that I'll try to attach. Hopefully, I can contribute some good to your forum, thanks for having me.

citcapp

Glad to have you with us. Can I call you wingnut for short? Just kidding. The 54's are sweet looking and it great that you went with the 324 and the 5 speed is a great upgrade. I agree with if it ain't broke don't fix it thing. I like the after picture a lot better.

Paladin31

Wicked ride, like it. And Welcome to the family!

coppercutlass

Welcome to the board lots of guys here from the Chicago and Chicagoland area. Is that a satin finish on the paint ?

Octania

Oh. dear.
I hear that's the badder part of town.

If you go down there, you better just beware of a man name of Leroy Brown!

oldstata

Welcome fellow Chrysler radiator member that's what is also cooling my 65.

Anyways sweet looking ride glad it's still on the road with a olds guy !!

54wingnut

Yes it is a satin finish. A rustoleum satin finish! The top is an Audi white with a little bit of silver flake.

54wingnut

Yeah, Leroy is my homie.

coppercutlass

Leroy literally is my homie I used to work with a guy at a machine shop named leory lmao. Love the satin finish on the car btw. Also was that audi white a pearl by any chance that was non tri coat or just white. I ask because I get guys who always want Harleys painted pearl white yadayadayada and they run away as soon as I give them a price on paint. there is a pearl white that audi/vw has that is non tri coat but that paint code seems to be elusive.

54wingnut

Sorry but its just a bright white base/clear coat. The silver flake we added to the final coat of white almost gave it a pearl look to it(we also put the flake in the clear). But you know what, we're amateurs so we gambled and it paid off.

oldcutlass

Very nice, welcome.

harwooddan

Welcome John, nice ride, I live just east of O'Hare, presently restoring a 55' super 88 enjoy !

OLD SKL 69

Welcome to CO! Nice looking car.

Tedd Thompson

Welcome to CO. I'm curious did you use the adapter from the 394 to bolt up a 5 speed to the 324,or how did you achieve what you have now those type of things always interest me. By the way nice ride...Lost in the fifties ...Tedd

gearheads78

Sweet car. Welcome to the site.

leroycjr

HEY HEY HEY lets keep it down with the Leroy jokes some get a little sensitive about that

Wingnut - I think I've seen you around the city I'm in the south burbs!

D. Yaros

Welcome! Born & raised in Gary, IN myself. Southside of Chi town looks like heaven compared to Gary!

I sort of like the different width whitewalls on the before pic!

plee3 64Olds

Welcome! Nice ride! Im also from the Southside area. I usually attend cruise nights at 95th and Pulaski, 95th and Cicero and 115th and Kedzie during the summer. Its a cool gathering if you are interested.

54wingnut

Tedd,
I did not use the same bell housing as the 394. That one was so modified that I needed a new one. Speed Gems bell housing is the one I used and I had to fab up a new center engine mount/crossmember to hold the engine from rocking side to side.

54wingnut

Chances are I may have seen you there(in my daily not my olds). Mt.G is my neighborhood. Next summer I should see more local stuff-life interfered this year.

54wingnut

Very possible. I tend to drive it as much as possible. Thats also why I haven't made to many cruise nights, constantly moving around. Just yell hey and I don't mind talking.

54wingnut

I like your rendition. Very nice

plee3 64Olds

Im curious, where is Mt.G area??

plee3 64Olds

Mount Greenwood area!