I have found a 57 88 J2 two door hardtop in my area. I have not yet looked at the car but have talked to the owner on the phone, he has told me this. The car has been in his family since new, has been stored outside for 35 or more years. The interior is "shot" but everything is there, rust on drivers floor. Motor does not turn over he has put diesel and tranny fluid in the motor but not known if it is seized or not. The exterior is again all there and original no repaint. I do not know much about the 50's cars my knowledge is with the 60's and 70's cars. So I am trying to get as much info as I can before I look at this car. How do I tell if this is really a J2 car, can I match the block to the VIN as I can with my 68 442? If not how do I authenticate this car? Where are the problem areas and what should I look for when I inspect the car? What is a car in this condition valued at and how available are parts? Thanks for helping me with this I love the 57's and think it would be awesome to have on in my garage but I don't want to get burned!
Thanks Chris

 

I'm not an expert on '57s by any means, but I'd be very nervous about a car that has spent 35 (or more) years outdoors. There's probably rust everywhere. How did the interior get "shot?" Just by exposure to the sun, or did water get in and rot and rust things? If the latter, I would definitely be nervous. His idea of "rust on driver's floor" might be someone else's idea of no floor left at all.

Olds didn't start stamping a VIN derivative on its engines until the 1968 model year, so I don't believe there is any way to verify that the engine in the car is original to the car. I think you can verify that it's a correct '57 engine with the numbers stamped on it, but that's it.

The Old Cars Price Guide lists the value of a '57 Series 88 2-door hardtop in non-running but restorable condition at about $4500. In "parts car" condition, which means too far gone to be worth restoring and useful only as a source of parts, and, honestly, from your description, this car might not be much better than this, the value listed is about $1600.

Needed parts would have to come from donor cars as I doubt anything for the body, frame, trim, etc., is reproduced for these cars.

 

The value could be considerably more if it has a complete J-2 setup including the air cleaner. If the complete J-2 setup is there, it is probably worth more than the rest of the car.

 

The J2 could be ordered from the factory or as a dealer installed option. Unless there is history with the car from is birth with the dealer sheet you will not find a way to know is it is original or not