Othaiii

1964 442 Restoration
Well, here we go! The restoration has started in earnest. found this car in the Bronx, brought it home this past April. Purchased it from the original owner. This car had been at the same address for all of it's 46 years. While the car was rough, it was complete along with the protect-to-plate and other documentation.

I have been working on the interior and disassembling the car, but today we took the remaining body off of the frame and will remove the engine tomorrow to start the frame restoration.

While only being a member here for a short time, I have found everyone friendly and very helpful. I know I will be enlisting many of you guys for assistance as this project continues. My target date for completion is December of 2011, although I know you are really never finished with your car.

I currently have a 71 442, finished in 2005, 87 GN, 95 Ford PU. I've always been an OLDs guy, my first was a 60 Dynamic 88.

Here's some pics:

Randy
Attached Thumbnails

greenslade

nice

Yellowstatue

X2 :d :d

citcapp

Looks like a great build, I'll be watching this one

okie88

The body doesn't look too bad. It's hard to find them complete and un-molested like that. Is it a 4 speed or automatic ?

stan 65 cutlass

1964 was the first year of the 442, and the only year it stood for 4 barrel, 4 speed, dual exhaust. a real 442 was built with a four speed

todd66442

Congrats on the new project. This is a good place to find info. Also, you might try
www.ultra-high-compression.com

They are 65 guy's mainly,but others such as myself go there for advise. Also, BRO's website is a great resource.

Othaiii

Okay, here's a couple of pictures of the progress I made this past week. Sorry, they are from my cell phone, so the quality isn't that good. I have also included a photo of the data plate. Yes 64 442, the only year it actually stood for 4 speed, 4 barrel and dual exhaust.
I found that the only the exhaust on the passenger side had been replaced in the car's 46 years! Drive shaft was in decent shape, springs will have to be replaced, I'll gel coat the exhaust manifolds. Look closely at the shock we removed, anyone familiar with it? Pleasurizer? My bride was very interested!

Thanks for all and any info you guys might find helpful.

Randy

Othaiii

A couple of more pictures. Found 4 additional wheel covers in the trunk, I believe they are 65 (rocket emblem). Anyone know where I can get the 64 emblems? I do have 4 original wheel covers, not too bad.

Randy

66400

I think the wheel cover emblems are the correct ones for 64.

Henry

stan 65 cutlass

i think 65 has the two spinners, trade ya for an olds dual point?

mike's88

64-65 same spinners. Randy, does it have the orig. t handle shifter? Good luck, looks like a fairly clean car to start with.

Othaiii

You've got me with that one. I thought all of the mid sixties 4-speeds were ball shifters.

dmcianfa

God I want that car. It's virtually unmolested from what I can see. whatcha want for it?

Othaiii

Dom, I really appreciate the interest, however, I'm not ready to sell this one. I've always wanted one of these cars and I am very excited about restoring it. It is truly a piece of history and well.....just plain cool. Of course, you never know how you will feel about a car after spending a year or two going through the resto process. I had a 69 Cutlass S that I couldn't wait to sell as I had really grown to hate it, cost me a fortune, although I will say that I now miss it. Spent all day on the air cleaner yesterday, blasting and priming. It's just too cold down here to do any of the frame work. By the way, do you know of anyone who offers the seal for the base of the cleaner. It's like a big O ring that sits in the base and the top of the cleaner rests on top of it. I've got all of the decals and am reusing the tin plate. Got the correct paint from Supecars, Unlimited. Take care and have a great day.

Randy

Othaiii

A few pictures, worked on the air cleaner yesterday, did inspection on the underside and body. Not too bad, one bad seat brace and floorpan rot. Other than that the body is pretty good. Blasted the aircleaner, finally got the glue off from the tin plate. The AC was in outstanding condition, baffles perfect. Primered it last night and will paint this weekend. I think I'm going to use the original tin plate, a few scratches but I think it is actually better than the reproduction....more character.

Anyone know what those numbers mean on the one picture, location right in front of the driver's door hinges.


Randy

stan 65 cutlass

those numbers are cool, if your into that

dmcianfa

Those numbers are production stage#'s that shows that the unit was "good for production" to the next stage on the oldsmobile line when it was manufactured. It was more or less a quality inspection or certification, so the next operation knew they were working with a good part.

mike's88

What I meant was, does it have the "T" pull up for reverse lockout?

Othaiii

Sorry Mike, my bad, remember, you are talking to an old guy. The answer is yes it does.

Randy

Othaiii

Mid 30s in Southeastern NC! Too cold to paint here at the house. Go up to the shop tomorrow to finish the aircleaner.

Working on the dash, rear trim plate and console. Cleaned and painted the console, cleaned the trim plate, both came out very nice. Working on the dash tonight although it appears to be in real good shape.

Pictures included. Let me know if you see anything that needs to be addressed. I really appreciate all comments.
Randy

Othaiii

64 Coming along, but slow, pictures of prep work, working on suspension this week.

Othaiii

A few more

Rdrokit

Randy,
Best of luck on the resto. I'm jealous as it looks like you have alot of room to work in your shop and your right about the work never being done. Everytime I think I'm through I find something else to do. Thanks for posting all the pixs.
B

Keener

Great work Randy. Looks like a May '64 build date. I was having troubles reading this on the other data plates u posted earlier. Are u planning on a 7 piece trunk or a single piece? I have seen the singles for less than $400, made in the USA. One piece would be easy since the body is off the car...just slip it in from underneath. Good luck, keep the updates coming.

Aron Nance

Love your find and your work! Keep the pictures coming. Agree with your wife, must be a Pleasurizer Shock, Original Equipment!!! LOL!

Othaiii

The good news is I have full access to the shop, tools and free advice, which I use constantly. The shop actually belongs to a good friend of mine, of course down here in SE Noth Carolina, we are all friends. No, I've really been blessed with these guys down here. The only condition is that I can't burn the place down, which leads to the trunk pan. I think I have decided to weld in the center trunk panel and two braces and fill the rest in with lead. Never done that before, should be fun. I've got the body in another friend's shop. I really don't deserve to be this lucky. Thanks for the comments, hoping to have a rolling chssis within the next couple of weeks. Anyone know how to get POR 15 chassis black off of your hands?

Keener

I used an SOS pad to get the POR15 off my hands....yes, it hurt like hell. BTW, I wore gloves but it seems no matter how careful you are the stuff still makes its way onto your hands.

64Rocket

In your first post the dual inlet air cleaner is on the car. One other pic of the air cleaner in the sand blast cabinet, another it is painted, but it does not look like the dual inlet cleaner. The air cleaner is a very important clue to it being a 442, what happen?

Gene

Keener

If you are referring to the primered air cleaner, the other snorkel blends in with the back ground. Take a closer look. As far as fakes go, check out this link for a '64 442 vert fake with dual snorkel, boxed lower, 442 badges, 4 spd. Really need to the check the upper control arm frame mount (should be four holes) and the inner trunk lid behind the 442 emblem (should be two punched holes from the factory). No holes, or a noticeable attempt at a fake would not be good news.

http://prepmyride.com/prep_my_ride_002.htm

bil

Thanks for the link for the 64-looks nice! About 18 years ago I was at the Olds weekend at Englishtown,and took some pics of a nice 64 Cutlass convertable.The next year,there was a nice 442 convertable,same color and all.It even had the same license plate numbers! OOPS!
---bil

Othaiii

Been busy blasting and painting, the weather has finally broke and we can get down to business. It does indeed have the four holes in the frame mount as well as the holes for the rear emblem. Now here is something I need to confirm. I've been looking for fan shroud for this car for 2 months, I was at a show this past weekend and an Olds guy told me that these cars only came with shrouds if they were AC cars. If that's the case, I can end my search. Can anyone confirm that? Additionally what color were the springs on these cars, black or silver? Hope to start witht e suspension build this week. Some pics.

Othaiii

A few more. Did get the body in epoxy, easier to work with. Got the tranny back from rebuild as well as the motor.
Yes, it is the original Air Cleaner, bad picture. I'll send a new one out.

Othaiii

Got careless, the blaster hit the data plate and off it flew. I have talked to BackEast and they can duplicate, but this one will reattach, I lost no metal. First big restoration mistake, but I'm sure that there will be a few more.

Oldsmaniac

18 years? Has it been that long? If the car was silver black top and interior,it prob was (is) my brothers, yep a clone on an original 3spd stick car. He cloned it after he found an original air cleaner. To anyone that asked he was truthful about it being a clone, funny few ever ask! The car was a 300 dollar basket case, it came a long way....

TK-65

This may or may not apply but in 65 the only cars to get a shroud were the A/C cars.

Coil springs were not painted anything. They were bare then blacked out, along with most everything else on the frame. No one blacks out their springs, A arms, and brake lines like the factory did though. Id do them cast iron color just so they stand out from all the black under there.

bil

Oldsmaniac-yep,thats the car! No one was around it,so didn't get to talk to your brother.That was a nice car,does he still have it? I will dig out the pics and post in another thread here. ---bil

Keener

can you post pics of the rear frame rail numbers, behind the left rear exhaust hanger?? also a pic of the inner trunk lid behind the emblem?? My guess is the number is 3837595 as depicted in the attached frame photo and the inner trunk looks like the photo below. Thanks.

Othaiii

I'll see if I can get you the info this weekend, frame is in one shop, body is in another. Hhhave taken a few days off to spend with my son who is headed back to Afghanistan in the next week or two for his fourth deployment, Sgt. in the Marines. Attached is a picture of one of his cars.

1964CutlassSC

Wow this is a cool find! Congrats! I always said one day I'd love to find a twin car to mine but in 442 trim and enjoy both. Not a whole lot of difference between mine and it but enough to want one hahaha. Saw one spotlighted on TV (Powerblock TV on Spike) that would have been nice to have to match my Cutlass.. Same Jade Mist Green and everything! Keep up the great work!