This is my first forum post so correct me if I break any rules. With the winter weather here, I'm finally getting time to work on my 1962 Olds Super 88 that I bought last January. I am the 2nd owner. The car has 57,000 miles and has been sitting in an attached garage since 1968 when the original owner passed away. The wife didn't drive so it just sat there all these years until she passed away in 2019. Clear plastic seat covers so the seats are like brand new. The kids wanted it to go to someone that would keep it just like it was in '62. It was more like interviewing for a job than buying a car but I was finally allowed to buy it.
Needless to say, it needs everything maintenance wise.
I am starting with the brake system. Apparently, just before his death, the owner had a complete brake job done. The shoes, wheel cylinders, and all hardware look brand new. No rust on the outside of the cylinders. I have removed all the metal brake lines and made new ones and replaced the brake hoses. The brake fluid had some brown discoloration but not too bad.
I have some questions.
1. Event though the wheel cylinders look new on the outside, should I replace them?
2. I removed the 4 nuts holding the master cylinder on. It's loose on the studs and has about an 1/16" gap between the MC and the booster but won't slide off the studs. Am I missing something that is holding it on? There is also brake fluid leaking between the master cylinder and the brake booster. I tried prying with a screwdriver but don't want to put too much pressure and damage the booster.
3. Should I replace the booster since it has been sitting for 52 years?

Any advise will be greatly appreciated.

 

You should be able to pry it off, the only thing in there is a plunger that slips into the master cylinder. As far as the wheel cylinders, it depends on whether there is rust, pitting, and freedom of movement.

 

You are wise to start with the brakes. There is nothing more important on a car. I would go ahead and replace the master cylinder first. If you get a hissing sound from the booster when you crank the engine then you have a leak in the diaphram. It would be a good time to replace the single master cylinder with a split master cylinder which provide a safer breaking system.

 

I've owned and worked on old cars for many years but this is my first Olds so I'm just now looking for parts vendor. There are vendors that specialize in parts for specific brands. Clark's for Corvairs, LMC, Mac's for trucks, Max Merritt for Packard, etc. Do you know of a vendor that specializes in Olds? Since it came with a single reservoir, how do I know what split MC will fit my '62?

 

Fusick is probably the largest vendor for Oldsmobile Parts. Charlie Jones will probably see this and speak up. He has more experience on this vintage car than most folks on here. The split master cylinder is a common upgrade and one I would do if I were where you are.

 

Fusick Automotive is , by far , the leading supplier of reproduction and NOS parts for Oldsmobiles .
Layout 1 (fusickautomotiveproducts.com)
Having said that , Rock Auto is often cheaper on common replacement items such as brake parts .
1962 OLDSMOBILE SUPER 88 6.5L 394cid V8 Master Cylinder | RockAuto

There were two types of brake systems used in 1962 . Bendix and Moraine .
I'm not sure how to tell them apart , except that a seven digit casting number starting with 54 on the M/C would indicate a Moraine cylinder .
I don't know any quick and easy way to mount a dual master in a '62 .
The entire booster and master would have to be replaced with a lot of custom fabrication involved .
Dual master cylinder systems are no safer than a PROPERLY MAINTAINED single system .
Keep the parking brake in order , and remember to use it in an emergency .
Check the wheel cylinders by peeling back the rubber boot . If you see rust or fluid , re-build or replace the wheel cylinder .
If the rubber covering on the brake hoses is cracked , replace them .

 

Thank you so much for the advise. It will save me a lot of time. I had never heard of Fusick before. Looks like they will have many of the items I will need. That MC is going to come off there tonight one way or another.
Next task will be the fuel system and carb. I haven't pulled the tank yet but I suspect it will be full of varnish/goo after 58 years. In case I need a new one, do you know of any vendors that make a replacement? I didn't see one on the Fusick website.

 

The Moraine system used two studs to hold the M/C to the booster. The Bendix system used four.
Also note that the Moraine booster actually includes the piston that goes inside the M/C. When you remove the M/C, that piston will remain with the booster. This is what the Moraine booster looks like with the M/C removed.

 

Here's a Bendix booster and M/C for comparison.

 

Your reply is very helpful. Thank you. My MC has 4 bolts so it must be the Bendix. .
Looks like you have quite a few Oldsmobile cars. Wow! That made me remember learning to drive in my mother's 1967 Delmont 88 around 1970. White with red interior, 330 2bbl V8, automatic, power steering, power brakes, a/c, and AM radio. Nice car at the time. I've attended a lot of car shows over the years and I have never seen one either original or restored. I wonder why?

 

2019 - 1968 = 51. The wife outlived the husband by 51 years? Holy crap! There are May-December romances and then there are May-December romances!

 

Thanks for clearing that up Joe .
I know that in '63 it was the same . 2 bolts = Moraine . 4 bolts = Bendix
The '63 Moraine booster was a completely separate unit from the M/C .
That is the booster that could be used with the Cadillac dual pot M/C .

 

I believe that the 61-62 Moraine units were the only ones with the integral M/C piston.

 

I don't know of anyone reproducing tanks for these cars .
Chevy tanks won't fit .
After more than 50 years , I doubt there is any liquid in the tank .
Probably solid residue from whatever gas was once there .
You will know more when you remove it and take the sending unit out .
Some radiator shops ( if you can still find one of those ) will also repair gas tanks .

 

Part of the fun of the old car hobby is the history and the original owners of the cars. The grandson gave me a brief biography of their grandfather. I'm glad you caught the discrepency. I looked back over the biography that the grandson sent me and I realized I typed incorrect dates.

Pretty interesting. Frank Oliva was born in Solarino, Sicily in 1894 and immigrated to the US in 1912. He married Angelina and they had 7 children. Frank bought the car new in 1962 but suddenly died in 1968 at the age of 74. Angelina passed away in1988 at the age of 90. She didn't drive so the car sat in the garage from 1968 to 1988 when one of the sons inherited the car. He rarely drove it from 1988 until 2000 when it was parked. He passed away in 2019 and grandson Frank jr. (executor) decided to sell the car. I found out about it through a friend of a friend of a friend kind of thing. I had the phone number but lost it and couldn't remember who gave it to me. Then 5 months later I was at an 80th birthday party for a friend and just happened to be talking to a man about old cars when he asked if I knew anyone that was interested in buying a 1962 Olds that had been sitting in a garage for a long time. I knew it had to be the same car so I made sure I didn't lose the number this time. Now it's in my shop undergoing a mechanical and cosmetic refresh. Not a restoration. i want to keep it original as possible.

All 4 bias ply tires were dry rotted and flat. I was able to turn the engine over with a socket and breaker bar on the crank bolt. Overall it is in very good condition. Other than a few scratches and very small surface rust spots the paint is in good condition. I look forward to buffing that old lacquer paint. I think it will shine.

 

We really need to see some pictures of this car. Everybody on here loves pictures. You don't have to wait until it is all polished and shinny. We love before and after.

 

That's a real good sign .
With a new set of points , a carb and fuel pump re-build , and an oil change . It will probably run .

 

I got the master cylinder off with the help of a friend. It took two of us with screwdrivers prying on it and if finally "popped" and slid right off. The oil has been changed. The transmission fluid and filter have been changed. I will take some pictures of it in my shop and post in the next few days.

Here is the car the day I first saw it. It had been sitting here since 1968.

Odometer

Clear plastic seat covers so the seats are like brand new.

 

I'd recommend rebuilding the original booster at the same time. At close to 60 years old, even if it's good now, it's not going to last very much longer. I've used a guy named Booster Dewey and have been very satisfied. You might as well have the entire brake system rebuilt. As someone said above, it's the most important part of the car alongside with tires.

 

You have a real treasure here. Those clear plastic seat covers really did there job. Please keep this one original.

 

I have already replaced all the brake lines. I finally got the MC off the other day so next is either rebuild the it or buy a new one. That's good advice about the booster. Thanks.

 

Here is something interesting. This is mounted to the front left inner fender well. The wires go through the firewall to a single momentary push button. I figured out what it is so let's see if any of you guys have ever seen one. I haven't until now. I would like to know if it is a dealer installed item or was done aftermarket?

 

OK, THAT'S cool. Yes, I Googled it.
Heckuva antenna!

 

you will not find a after market tank , I looked for couple years had mine restored , there are some places that will restore gas tanks , we did mine are selves lot of welding ,many holes in mine

 

I pulled the tank and drained out about 3 gallons of brown foul smelling fuel. The inside has no rust at all. Amazing. The outside had some undercoating in places and surface rust. Ii found a local shop that media blasted it so it is clean metal now waiting for me to paint. Does anyone know what color the tanks were originally? If they were bare steel I can shoot it with a clear coat.

 

The gas tanks were originally bare Galvanized steel .
An argent silver paint is most likely to look similar to Galvanizing .

 

While you have it out , check your fuel sending unit . With a multimeter .
There should be .5 OHM or less at empty .
15 OHMS at mid point .
And 30 OHMS at the full stop .

 

I bought a master cylinder rebuild kit from Fusick. I had a white poster board on the workbench and disassembled the master cylinder laying it out just as it came apart so I would know how to re-assemble it. You can start laughing now. Yes, the piece of poster board got caught on a piece of trim that I was polishing and the whole thing went to the floor. I think I remember how it goes but I want to make sure.
Does anyone have a diagram of a Bendix master cylinder? I've tried to find one online but so far no luck.

 

Here you are ;

 

There's a whole book of these illustrations available for free download here ;
1963 Oldsmobile Parts and Accessories Catalog (Chassis Edition) - ClassicOldsmobile.com

 

That is perfect. Thank you.