molson157

Hi all. I am completely new to the restoration scene (and really working on cars in general) and am considering picking up a project and giving it a go. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time and have somewhat recently come to a position in life where I can make it a reality.

Having said that, I came across a '63 Super 88 on the local craigslist page and fell in love . I am looking for some advice on how to proceed/decide if it is worth it/worth my while or if I should continue looking (know that I am not looking to turn a profit on this, it is purely for personal enjoyment/enrichment and am aware of the potential costs and time investment). I am planning on doing as much of the work on my own as possible.

The most helpful information will probably be knowing what the right questions to ask and what the best signs to look for will be when/if I go to see it in person, but any advice is appreciated.

Vehicle Details (as copied from the listing):
the price has gone down from $1000 a few weeks ago when i first saw it: this is obviously concerning to me...too good to be true or someone in desperate need of cash?

Pictures:








Thanks for your time.

lshlsh2

My .02 I would keep looking. Missing parts will be hard to find. The price is good, but as a novice I would look for something more complete and easier to finish. As a novice I would hate for you to get over your head. I did with my first car and it was a disaster.

Might want to look into a 68-72 cutlass, parts are much easier to find. I will admit probably not as neat when done.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Larry

Tedd Thompson

It would depend a lot on your skills and pocket book. Here are a few things that caught my eye. The rear quarter looks to be rusted out and as far as I know no body parts are repoped on a 63, depending on how bad it is it probably could take a patch panel. The rear bumper needs some attention, may or may not be fixable( these have a bad habit of rust out around the hangers on the inside) This bumper looks better than most but you should look it over closely if you plan on buying it because good bumpers are very hard to find. The engine appears to be a low compression 394 or it has been painted turquoise sometime in the past That could be a good thing if you want to run lower octane gas and don't mind a loss of a little HP, they still have a massive amount of torque and respectable HP.The transmission in these things on the other hand are problematic and nothing else is a bolt in without big bucks ( personally I think they suck) but others have made them work well so fair warning , I haven't been that lucky.It needs some trim that isn't remanufactured but it's a project not a turn key car. Would I buy it, probably. The price is right I paid more for a hood than they want for the whole car, all the major body parts are there and I love the 63 body style( you won't see another at a show anytime) so it pretty much depends on how much energy and bucks you want to expend to have a truly unique car... Just my thoughts...Tedd

Charlie Jones

Well, you are starting off with the right attitude. You know that you will probably not turn a profit on the car and are doing it just for the satisfaction .The big challenge to these cars is finding parts.
I spend a couple of hours a day searching E-Bay. I usually do a search for "1963 Oldsmobile" and arrange by "time newly listed ". Right now I've been at it for over 3 years and have probably found well over 90% of the "hard to find " parts. These would include NOS tail and park lenses. An original AM/FM radio. Tilt wheel column etc.
The asking price is cheap. It is about the SCRAP value of the car. The seller must need money.
The transmission , if it's not working , is probably best replaced with a TH-350 or TH-400 Tony Ross makes the best conversion kit:

https://rossracingengines.oursafeser...early-catalog/

How are your bodyworking skills? If you are giong to "farm out" the bodywork, then take your bodyman along to advise you when you look at the car.
If you do tackle this car and successfully complete it, be prepared to answer the following question at car shows; " What year Impala is that?"

mrolds88

One thing I would personally check out is the frame. I have run into a few that have rotted out in the back just in front of the rear suspension. The were ones that have been setting for a good while. Other than that, I say go for it.

Oldskeeper

Looking at the pictures it looks like the passenger side windows are busted. the rad and top cradle are missing and the engine color is not right.
For the price it's a starter car or excellent parts car, if it runs and drives and the power windows work I would buy it. Keep in mind that rear bumpers are hard to locate as said earlier and trim parts are also hard to locate.
I would see if you could locate a 63 Starfire and swap the bucket seats and console, might be fun.
Welcome to the world of Oldsmobile (Classic Olds) this is a great forum with very knowledgeable people who are willing to share it with everyone.
Steve

oldcutlass

Welcome to the site. Let me start by saying your heart is in the right place. The one thing that I would be concerned about if I were in your shoes is your experience level and having the right tools to accomplish your endeavor. I've seen may people try to tackle a project like this only to get frustrated and quit because they bit off more than they can chew. If your just starting out in the car hobby I suggest finding something that has most of the work completed and then personalize it. I assure you that just in maintaining and personalizing an older car you will get the experience to tackle a larger project in the future.


That 88 or anything in that condition is a major undertaking. An A body would be easier as the parts availability greatly increases and is a much easier car to restore and care for.

Tedd Thompson

Actually I believe the car is a Holiday not a Starfire but that being said to me it's a very doable car if what we are seeing is what you will get. Keep in mind that I'm sure you will be in to it at least $20000 unless you can do paint upholstery and weld but still its a neat car that someone should save.I grew up with one of those boats and to me it's a real nostalgia machine ...Tedd

classicmuscle442

Car has potential, would be nice when done, but you will need lots of time and money to just bring to driver level, interior resto will be expensive. Would do a inspection on a hoist to check floor and frame, picture shows what appears to be a '50,s Furd, owner may already know cars problems if he's a car guy. Ask him straight up if its a solid vehicle. Will be easy to get more into it then it would be worth. Good luck with your decision, maybe have a second set of eyes look at it with you.

oldcutlass

Sorry Ted, I don't know what I was thinking.

dynamic63

like the others said sheet metal is tough to find unless you have deep pockets. im with you on the 63's up till i bought mine my dream car was a 64 impala ss 409 4 spd. but now im an olds guy. keep in mind fenders for that car are going from 225 to 375 in the picured shape. i am restoring mine for driving and little show. it will have original flaws but they make a cars charm, you make it perfect then is it as cool as it was? missing glass i believe can still be had i believe impala glass will work. but it is up to you and yur pocket and skills set the best way to learn is by doing. but it is costly not always money but time. with my resto im doing the time versus money thing. going so so. but i am a diesel mechanic and even i get overwelmed at times at the scale of work envolved. im curently patching the only big hole in the floor a pineapple sized hole in the drivers rear corner the catch is its also a body mount so yay. as for parts for the sled i went to carlisle last weekend and there was nothing used could have built a 442 from 2 vendors but they dont have the same catch as a 63. up to you.

fbonanno

IMO, I would look for something more complete and solid. Even though the price seems right, I would consider it a parts car at best. Allot depends on your skill level in both body work and mechanical. I myself have no problems with the transmission as others have mentioned. If you set them up right with the carb and linkage adjustments, they work well. Anyhow, good luck in what ever decision you make.

molson157

Didn't mean to drop off the face of the web; moved this weekend so was pretty busy and didn't have a connection for a bit.

I really appreciate the advice and feedback from everyone. I just looked today and it is still available, so i'll probably give them a call tonight or tomorrow and try to setup a time to take a look. I'll keep you guys updated if I end up taking it home.

molson157

One question that comes to mind is, how would I tell upon inspection if it is the standard compression engine or one of the higher compression versions? Wouldn't be a deal breaker, but it would probably be good to know.

Don R.

I'm obviously prejudiced but I think your choice of any 61 to 64 big Olds is a great one. I agree with the other posters that this particular one is pretty far gone for someone with limited experience. Instead of immediately jumping into "Restoration", I would suggest paying more up front for the best condition driver car you can find, ideally something you can drive and enjoy while fixing and improving things. This will let you learn as you go and if you really like these cars you can move on to a more challenging project later.
The higher compression engines usually had four barrel carburetors, all of the Starfires and most of the 98's had them although they were optional on some of the lower line models. Good luck!