Newbie needs advise on a 1967 Olds 98 2dr Convertible
August 29th, 2015, 03:24 PM
#1
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Newbie needs advise on a 1967 Olds 98 2dr Convertible
Bought this on impulse at a estate auction. Afraid to admit what I paid for it it.
Don't know if its work trying to fix up or just scrap it. It's not running at this time and last time it was running was 1994. Where it has since sat in a barn. With the top down as I assume from the condition of the interior. Brake pedal is rock hard so i am sure the brakes are locked up. Just not sure if I should start dropping money into it or cut my losses. And chalk it up to another stupid impulse buy. Any advise I would be grateful for.
Don't know if its work trying to fix up or just scrap it. It's not running at this time and last time it was running was 1994. Where it has since sat in a barn. With the top down as I assume from the condition of the interior. Brake pedal is rock hard so i am sure the brakes are locked up. Just not sure if I should start dropping money into it or cut my losses. And chalk it up to another stupid impulse buy. Any advise I would be grateful for.
August 29th, 2015, 05:05 PM
#3
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It looks like hell at the moment, but I'll bet that interior will clean up pretty nicely with a little soap and water. The exterior looks to be in very good shape with no obvious rust and solid bumpers. Your biggest issue will be, as oldcutlass says, to get the engine to run. If it has not been started in 21 years, you'll want to make sure the engine turns freely and then replace the spark plugs, oil, oil filter, and battery. You might be surprised how quickly it gets running again. Before driving it, you'd want to verify that the brakes are ok. A hard pedal doesn't necessarily mean locked up brakes, but unlocking them isn't impossible.
I think you certainly don't want to scrap it. Not a convertible, and not before at least trying to sell it to someone who would want to restore it.
The all-yellow color scheme was offered as a "spring special" by Oldsmobile in late spring of 1967, so your car's colors scheme is not unusual.
I have a very close cousin to your car, a '67 Delta 88 convertible. Mine was originally yellow, too, but I had it repainted red because I just like that color better.
Here's what my car looked like when I bought it in 2009. The paint was very faded, but the body was solid, the top was in pretty good shape, and the interior was perfect.
Here's what it looks like now.
Here's what your car probably looked like when new, although yours has what appears to be a brown dash and a brown carpet like my car. I saw this '67 98 convertible at the Charlotte Auto Fair in April 2011 and took a few photos of it.
I think you certainly don't want to scrap it. Not a convertible, and not before at least trying to sell it to someone who would want to restore it.
The all-yellow color scheme was offered as a "spring special" by Oldsmobile in late spring of 1967, so your car's colors scheme is not unusual.
I have a very close cousin to your car, a '67 Delta 88 convertible. Mine was originally yellow, too, but I had it repainted red because I just like that color better.
Here's what my car looked like when I bought it in 2009. The paint was very faded, but the body was solid, the top was in pretty good shape, and the interior was perfect.
Here's what it looks like now.
Here's what your car probably looked like when new, although yours has what appears to be a brown dash and a brown carpet like my car. I saw this '67 98 convertible at the Charlotte Auto Fair in April 2011 and took a few photos of it.
Last edited by jaunty75; August 29th, 2015 at 05:08 PM.
August 29th, 2015, 07:13 PM
#5
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That's correct. Convertible production was always much lower than the closed styles. By comparison, production of the other 98 body styles that year was 8,900 Town Sedans (four-door non-hardtop), 10,476 Holiday Coupes (two-door hardtop), 17,533 Holiday Sedans (four-door hardtop), and 35,511 Luxury Sedans (another four-door model).
Another way of looking at it is that, out of a total of 76,198 98's Oldsmobile made for 1967, only 3,769, or just under 5%, were convertibles.
Convertibles are always sought after, and the one you've come across looks pretty good considering.
Another way of looking at it is that, out of a total of 76,198 98's Oldsmobile made for 1967, only 3,769, or just under 5%, were convertibles.
Convertibles are always sought after, and the one you've come across looks pretty good considering.
August 30th, 2015, 06:52 AM
#6
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Is that a triple yellow car? It's awesome! Contact me before you decide to scrap it!
The "rock hard" brake pedal is likely a stuck master cylinder. Expect to replace everything in the brake system. Pull the spark plugs and squirt oil in the cylinders before attempting to turn the motor over. Spin it by hand using a breaker bar on the crank bolt first, to avoid damaging anything if it's seized. You really should pull the distributor and prime the oil pump before that (counterclockwise!).
The "rock hard" brake pedal is likely a stuck master cylinder. Expect to replace everything in the brake system. Pull the spark plugs and squirt oil in the cylinders before attempting to turn the motor over. Spin it by hand using a breaker bar on the crank bolt first, to avoid damaging anything if it's seized. You really should pull the distributor and prime the oil pump before that (counterclockwise!).
August 30th, 2015, 07:26 AM
#7
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Wow, the body looks super solid on it. I seem to have this affliction in which I consistently buy cars similar to what you have there. The problem is, in my mind I only see the beautifully restored one, such as the one posted by Jaunty.
The joy I get out of the hobby is finding stuff like that, and piddling around on it to get it mostly safe and functional. The parts are relatively low cost (compared to say a Packard) and if you can do the work, you shouldn't be too upside down.
The joy I get out of the hobby is finding stuff like that, and piddling around on it to get it mostly safe and functional. The parts are relatively low cost (compared to say a Packard) and if you can do the work, you shouldn't be too upside down.
August 31st, 2015, 07:47 AM
#9
Oldsdruid
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That car's not too far gone unless its floors are rusted thru. Mechanical is easy, and you see what the end result could be. A triple yellow 67 Olds is a beautiful thing.
The pics Jaunty posted are the James Suther Ninety Eight out of Greenville SC. That car is one of three I know of that went from First Junior to Preservation Senior in OCA judging in THREE years. Very high quality car though I'm not sure what happened to it since James' death. His son and grandson were into showing it about as heavy as he was so odds are it's still with the Suthers.
First time James brought that car to AutoFair, after talking with him I knew he was interested in making that car the best it could be. We judged it by OCA sheet and although some of the stuff was nitpicky, the next AutoFair the issues would be corrected and the score went up.
After four years, the car made its OCA debut at the 1995 Greensboro National Meet and scored 992 points for First Junior Best of Class. It scored 980+ in its Senior class in Atlanta 1996 and moved to Preservation Senior where it has consistently scored high 980s.
Did I mention this car is DRIVEN everywhere it goes? On the way to Springfield IL in 1998, we were on a 2-lane road trying to avoid St Louis afternoon rush hour. We got behind a pig truck and were trying to get nine cars around it. I started around it on the Toronado and the floor mat had got bunched up under the gas pedal, so I was wrangling with that when I saw the maw of this big yellow Ninety Eight about to run up my trunk lid.
The pics Jaunty posted are the James Suther Ninety Eight out of Greenville SC. That car is one of three I know of that went from First Junior to Preservation Senior in OCA judging in THREE years. Very high quality car though I'm not sure what happened to it since James' death. His son and grandson were into showing it about as heavy as he was so odds are it's still with the Suthers.
First time James brought that car to AutoFair, after talking with him I knew he was interested in making that car the best it could be. We judged it by OCA sheet and although some of the stuff was nitpicky, the next AutoFair the issues would be corrected and the score went up.
After four years, the car made its OCA debut at the 1995 Greensboro National Meet and scored 992 points for First Junior Best of Class. It scored 980+ in its Senior class in Atlanta 1996 and moved to Preservation Senior where it has consistently scored high 980s.
Did I mention this car is DRIVEN everywhere it goes? On the way to Springfield IL in 1998, we were on a 2-lane road trying to avoid St Louis afternoon rush hour. We got behind a pig truck and were trying to get nine cars around it. I started around it on the Toronado and the floor mat had got bunched up under the gas pedal, so I was wrangling with that when I saw the maw of this big yellow Ninety Eight about to run up my trunk lid.
September 5th, 2015, 12:01 PM
#10
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Well went to go look at it to see what's it's going to take to get it going. Didn't have tools with me to wrench on it. But took more pics. Honestly leaning towards selling it. Needs more work than I have time to put into it. I don't even have a indoor place to work on it. Will make a post in the for sale section later today. Hate to see it just around for another 20+ yrs. Be nice to know someone took the time to fix it up. Since its kinda a rare car.
From what I could read off the plate on the fire-wall.
ST 67-38467 LAN 2680 BODY
TR 038-D Y-8 PAINT
E 2E
From what I could read off the plate on the fire-wall.
ST 67-38467 LAN 2680 BODY
TR 038-D Y-8 PAINT
E 2E
Last edited by quazy; September 5th, 2015 at 03:53 PM.
September 5th, 2015, 12:51 PM
#11
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I'm not sure what the 038 is, but it would tell you the color of the seats. I'm guessing it's yellow vinyl. The D indicates "strato bench seat."
3867 = 98 (38) convertible (67)
LAN = Lansing assembly plant
Y = lower body color = saffron yellow (same as my Delta before it was painted)
8 = upper body/convertible top color = yellow (again, same as my Delta, although my car now has a black top)
E = tinted windshield and windows
2E = air conditioning
There should also be a numbers/letter code at the upper left of the tag above the 67 which would give the build date. On my car, it's 05D, indicating the fourth week of May (1967). My guess yours will have an 05 as well as this was a spring 1967 promotion.
3867 = 98 (38) convertible (67)
LAN = Lansing assembly plant
Y = lower body color = saffron yellow (same as my Delta before it was painted)
8 = upper body/convertible top color = yellow (again, same as my Delta, although my car now has a black top)
E = tinted windshield and windows
2E = air conditioning
There should also be a numbers/letter code at the upper left of the tag above the 67 which would give the build date. On my car, it's 05D, indicating the fourth week of May (1967). My guess yours will have an 05 as well as this was a spring 1967 promotion.
September 6th, 2015, 08:09 AM
#13
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No your for sale thread is here:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tion-iowa.html
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tion-iowa.html
September 6th, 2015, 11:32 AM
#14
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No your for sale thread is here:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tion-iowa.html
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tion-iowa.html
Invalid Thread specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator
September 7th, 2015, 09:35 AM
#16
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I think that's a smarter course of action, anyway. Create the ad once, on craigslist, and then just post the link to the ad in a For Sale thread here. No need to write the whole description again and post photos again when you can just post once and then provide a link.
This is what I did when I sold my '73 Custom Cruiser last fall. People on classicoldsmobile found the ad just fine, and it did end up selling to someone from this site.
This is what I did when I sold my '73 Custom Cruiser last fall. People on classicoldsmobile found the ad just fine, and it did end up selling to someone from this site.
September 7th, 2015, 09:41 AM
#18
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It does not work for me.
I get this:
Invalid Thread specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator
I get this:
Invalid Thread specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator
September 7th, 2015, 10:13 AM
#20
Old(s) Fart
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September 7th, 2015, 10:16 AM
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I click on that link, and I don't get the ad. I get the "Invalid Thread" error message I posted above. I tried it in both Firefox and Chrome.
The other thing is, if there is a For Sale thread for this car, I should be able to go to the "Cars for Sale" under Classifieds and find a thread for this car. I don't see any such thread.
The other thing is, if there is a For Sale thread for this car, I should be able to go to the "Cars for Sale" under Classifieds and find a thread for this car. I don't see any such thread.
September 7th, 2015, 10:25 AM
#23
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I click on that link, and I don't get the ad. I get the "Invalid Thread" error message I posted above. I tried it in both Firefox and Chrome.
The other thing is, if there is a For Sale thread for this car, I should be able to go to the "Cars for Sale" under Classifieds and find a thread for this car. I don't see any such thread.
The other thing is, if there is a For Sale thread for this car, I should be able to go to the "Cars for Sale" under Classifieds and find a thread for this car. I don't see any such thread.
September 7th, 2015, 10:29 AM
#25
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Fixed it. For some reason both the For Sale ads that the OP created were tagged as Closed Threads. I do not know why. I untagged one of them.
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tion-iowa.html
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tion-iowa.html
September 7th, 2015, 10:35 AM
#28
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September 7th, 2015, 10:39 AM
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It is, but with all the build-up and suspense, I was expecting more! Plus, this thread isn't really a succinct, for-sale ad. It's a series of posts with some photos and almost no description of the car in terms of options and specific condition of the various components. For an effective ad, photos and description should be all in one message.
September 7th, 2015, 10:41 AM
#30
Old(s) Fart
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It is, but with all the build-up and suspense, I was expecting more! Plus, this thread isn't really a succinct, for-sale ad. It's a series of posts with some photos and almost no description of the car in terms of options and specific condition of the various components. For an effective ad, photos and description should be all in one message.
September 8th, 2015, 05:38 AM
#32
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September 8th, 2015, 05:43 AM
#33
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September 13th, 2015, 04:28 PM
#36
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Gee, you shoulda asked! 
Yes, these are some of the largest cars Olds ever built. The '67 98 measures 223 inches (18 feet, 7 inches) in length. It was six inches longer than the same-year Delta 88. Wheelbase is 126 inches.
Yes, these are some of the largest cars Olds ever built. The '67 98 measures 223 inches (18 feet, 7 inches) in length. It was six inches longer than the same-year Delta 88. Wheelbase is 126 inches.
September 23rd, 2015, 07:57 PM
#38
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Well got the car to town finally last week. The brakes weren't locked must just be the master cylinder. I have a guy "coming to get it tomorrow". If it falls threw I am going to PB blast the cylinders and Start working on the master cylinder. I have 4 day off from work. I am hoping fixing the brakes doesn't turn into a nightmare. With rusty bleeder valves and brake lines. I know how it can quickly turn into nightmare. So either it's going buh bye tomorrow or I am going to atleast try to get started on somethings.
September 23rd, 2015, 10:32 PM
#40
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Wow! That price is a very good deal for the right guy. It is a nice car for the age and what it is. Plenty of guys on here can advise you on how to get it going if you don't get it sold.I am glad you saved this cool car.
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