Walker Mitchell

My Grandfather has given me a 1979 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale Coupe.
The specs
350CI Oldsmobile Rocket Gas V8
Turbo-Hydromatic 350 3-speed Transmission
4-barrel Quadra-Jet Carb Vin:R
160HP
Dark Blue
Needs a respray
And will get one.
Freshly rebuilt carb
What do you folks think.
Skart

jaunty75

It would be nice if the photos were larger.

Think about what? It's a nice car. What's the mileage? What does it need besides the repaint, if anything? What do you want to do with it? Sell it as is? Fix it up and sell it? Fix it up and keep it?

Olds64

I always loved the 77-79 Delta 88s. Oldsguy used to have a red 78 Delta 88 when I was young. They are excellent cars.

Walker Mitchell

Vinyl job inside, Fix and keep.
This was my grandfathers 2nd olds, first a new 78' Delta 88 royale with almost every option in the book. Then in 86' he bought a 79' delta 88 royale coupe which is now my car.

Redog

Love the Deltas.

Looked at a 79, but the damn thing couldn't stay running, plus it had a Pontiac 301

Olds64

Were the 403s available in the Delta 88s from 77-79, or were they only found in the 98s and Custom Cruisers?

DeltaDevil88

Hard to see the pics.

jaunty75

Try these:

88Deltakid

I believe the 403 were offered in the Delta 88's beause thats what I have in my 78 Delta at the moment. Hopefully I can find a reasonable 455 in my area soon.

joe_padavano

According to the factory sales brochures, you could get the 403 in the 1977 and 78 D88s, but not in 1979.

DeltaDevil88

Didn't help

jaunty75

Ok, then try this:




If that doesn't work, try this:




If these don't work, I'm out of ideas!

Walker Mitchell

try this

78Delta

Pics of 79 I picked up to restore, main drawback is Pont 301 engine. They are nice cars, this one still drives smooth, has some body issues though.

78Delta

Pics of the 78 Delta Sunbaked and neglected, getting restored. This one needs complete interior. The Arizona sunshine just bakes everything plastic or rubber until it just gone.

78Delta

Walker; Hopefully you will post pics as you work on your car. I will be doing the same. Right now both of mine just sit, too many other things at the moment.

Walker Mitchell

I can't get any new pics for a few weeks as It is still at my grandfathers (25 miles away and 4 mountains) and needs a few more things before the sander.
Walker

redoldsman

I had a 78 Delta years ago. My aunt bought it new and sold it to me Dad who kept it about 10 months before selling it to me. It was my first Oldsmobile and one of the best cars I ever owned. Great Car. It had an Olds 350 in it.

Olds64

Thanks for the info Joe.

Deltakid, why not just use the 403 in your build? If I built a small block I would probably get a 403. Although the 403 smog heads would be the first thing to go.

88Deltakid

Walker Mitchell what part of Va are you in? I live in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Olds64 my only reservations about the 403 is having someone rebuild it out here & being charged $3K just to get it back to factory. Also the over heating issues that are so-called prone with the 403. Plus for my area it is hard to find heads for Olds 350 let alone any other Oldsmobile engine.

78Delta

88Delta Can still find olds parts out here. Can do any rebuilds you need - much less than 3k. Bummer just missed out on 2 jet boats being parted out in Yuma, AZ both 455, both were w30 engines per the casting number. Guy sold it all for 400.00 before I could get there. I added pic of 70 Cutlass I just picked up from storage auction sale. 350 Olds small block and even had a set of original Gold Hurst bucket seats in the trunk. They are out here - just have to look.

78Delta

The stuff I have trouble finding is interior parts, dash, seats and inner plastic.

Any one need a 64 olds 2 speed trans?

joe_padavano

That sound you hear is the BS detector going off.

Just out of curiosity, what casting number "proves" that a 455 is a "W-30 engine"?

78Delta

Well could be Joe, I never did get to see them, only know the numbers he sent and the photos. When I researched what I could, the head numbers came back as the large valve units used on the cars built to the w30/31 specs and of that range of years. The casting numbers on the blocks were the same story. Now whether they came out of a W30 or 6 different cars and a station wagon..., who knows. You know as well a I do a Pontiac 400 doesn't make it a WS6 engine. Similar trickiness with the Boss 302.

88Deltakid

Never thought about getting a boat engine. Are there certain boats that would have had the Oldmobile engines?

Olds64

Now that we've hi-jacked the thread...

I believe the 455 was available in some boats and motor homes. I always thought they came with K or Ga heads when they came out of a boat or motor home though.

djcrook73

walker, nice car , especially since it's staying in the family.. a little tlc, paint and top would make it a really nice ride! 78 delta i had the exact silver/red delta royale(but 78) for my first car in 1989, and yours seems to heve a really nice red interior they usually fade a lot more. i have two right now myself . good luck with the restos guys and i may have some parts down the line for yoparts for you guys later on..

Walker Mitchell

Mine is Blue/White outside and light blue inside.

78Delta

Djcrook73, -- thanks for the uplifting words. Sourcing the plastic pieces has been mostly unfruitful, a positive turn this week is I was given a functional set of 40/60 front seats with 6 way electrics and pillow top upholstery. Shortly we will have pillow top skins available patterned after the original GM specs. -- d78

djcrook73

hey 78 delta the car I am waiting for to be shipped from Oregon has the powder blue interior and I may be willing to work something out with you when I decide exactly what I am keeping between the two cars. I will be parting one out or selling one outright when I figure it out. how are you making out walker, any new news?

djcrook73

btw, did a little fabrication work to make 76 98 regency seats fit my 78 delta, it was a bitch but they look sweet!

djcrook73

see, presto change-o!

Redog

Can one of you 77-79 Delta guys take a pic of the rear end for my please? There is a 78 being parted out near me and I want to see if the rear is an 8.5 10 bolt. I just need pics of the pumpkin.

Also do they have the 5x4.75 BP on the wheels? Or did they have a HD version with the 5x5's as well?

Walker Mitchell

Scuffing is almost done, looking at this top http://www.newstalgiaparts.com/p/461...e-88-vinyl-top I am also going with the dynomax vt 2.5 muffler. Ug-hhh, so many trim and chrome pieces with messed up screws.

QMaster

Should be a nice car when you are done. I inherited a nice '79 coupe from my parents while in college (1984). It was dark brown with tan roof & interior, and the 301 2bbl. I put some SSII wheels and eagle GTs on it, a rear sway bar and polyurethane front sway bar bushings, along with some better shocks. It was a very nice driving car. Never fast enough, but comfortable & reliable.
Good luck with your project!

ThePackRat

All 403 powered cars had the 5x5 BP.

The 5x5 BP was also rumored to have been be on towing/heavy duty type optioned cars as well.

Redog

OK That's good to know.

I know the HD and Custom Crusier 80-85 all had the 5x5, but I've never seen a HD 80-85 D88.

Can I get that pic?

joe_padavano

Except, apparently, the 1977 Pace Cars (note the wheels):



Not "rumored". All cars with HD suspension and brakes (taxi, police, towing) got the 12" rotors, 11" rear drums, and 5x5 bolt circle.

ThePackRat

Every now & then the wheel deal with the 77 PC's slip by me.

Maybe it's my sub-conscious rebelling against the fact there were never any SS1-2-3's made in a 5x5 BP when there's really no legit reason there shouldn't have been.

88Deltakid

Redog, I know i'm late, but i'll have that picture for you today if you still needed it.....