J88 cowl tag ?
June 10th, 2016, 08:00 PM
#1
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Location: Suburb of St Paul Mn
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J88 cowl tag ?
Can anyone decode my Jetstar 88 cowl tag? How do I know which engine was in this car? I know it was a 330 but someone changed the intake and carb to edelbrock. Im not absolutely sure if its still the original engine. Is there anyway to ID the engine from the heads or block? Im a complete newbie to the Oldsmobile World so Im sorry if I am asking basic questions.
June 11th, 2016, 11:49 AM
#2
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Location: southeastern Michigan
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I don't know all the codes, but
33 = Jetstar 88 series
67 = convertible body style
04D = 4th week of April 1964 build date
994 = red vinyl interior
PAINT C = provincial white lower body color
PAINT 1 = convertible top color, but I don't have this
C60 = ?
I also don't know what the "1" between the 994 and the word PAINT means.
Does any of this match up to what your car looks like? Can we see some photos of it?
Someone else will chime in about the engine.
June 11th, 2016, 01:24 PM
#3
Old(s) Fart
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,259
I don't know all the codes, but
33 = Jetstar 88 series
67 = convertible body style
04D = 4th week of April 1964 build date
994 = red vinyl interior
PAINT C = provincial white lower body color
PAINT 1 = convertible top color, but I don't have this
C60 = ?
I also don't know what the "1" between the 994 and the word PAINT means.
Does any of this match up to what your car looks like? Can we see some photos of it?
Someone else will chime in about the engine.
Your April build should have No. 1 heads with the 1964-only shaft-mounted rocker arms. Oldsmobile did not start stamping the VIN derivative on the block until the 1968 model year, so there is no way to prove if your block is original, only that it is the correct casting number. If you have the Protect-O-Plate, the engine unit number on one head will match the P-O-P, but that just proves that one head is original.
June 11th, 2016, 01:37 PM
#4
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Interesting. That had to be a rare option on a low-end 1964 convertible. I know it's an Oldsmobile, which by definition is not really "low-end," but still, A/C was still quite a luxury at that time in any car, and for someone to buy it in a convertible that wasn't a Cadillac or Ninety-Eight or something similar, had to be unusual.
June 11th, 2016, 01:46 PM
#5
Old(s) Fart
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,259
Interesting. That had to be a rare option on a low-end 1964 convertible. I know it's an Oldsmobile, which by definition is not really "low-end," but still, A/C was still quite a luxury at that time in any car, and for someone to buy it in a convertible that wasn't a Cadillac or Ninety-Eight or something similar, had to be unusual.
June 11th, 2016, 02:08 PM
#6
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Location: Suburb of St Paul Mn
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makes sense
I don't know all the codes, but
33 = Jetstar 88 series
67 = convertible body style
04D = 4th week of April 1964 build date
994 = red vinyl interior
PAINT C = provincial white lower body color
PAINT 1 = convertible top color, but I don't have this
C60 = ?
I also don't know what the "1" between the 994 and the word PAINT means.
Does any of this match up to what your car looks like? Can we see some photos of it?
Someone else will chime in about the engine.
I discovered today that it is not the original engine, from what I have read it looks to be a 76 350. Am i correct? It did have A/C and was at one point white.
June 11th, 2016, 02:14 PM
#7
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Location: Suburb of St Paul Mn
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overall seems to be a solid car
Factory A/C installations went from just over 400,000 in the 1960 model year to 1.4 million in the 1964 model year. Not as rare as you might think. Yes, luxury cars were more likely to have it, but it was certainly available on the J88. At $430, it was not a cheap option, however.
A lot of work has been done before I bought it but still could use more. Paid $8000 for it. Thinking it may be too much but I like it so it I guess it don't matter.
June 11th, 2016, 03:09 PM
#8
Old(s) Fart
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,259
Yes, that is a 1976 model year 350 from a car assembled at the Arlington, TX assembly plant. Does it have the 1964-style water pump (lower hose on the driver's side)?
June 11th, 2016, 03:31 PM
#9
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Location: Suburb of St Paul Mn
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June 12th, 2016, 06:49 PM
#10
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Location: Spencer Mtn, NC
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Interesting. That had to be a rare option on a low-end 1964 convertible. I know it's an Oldsmobile, which by definition is not really "low-end," but still, A/C was still quite a luxury at that time in any car, and for someone to buy it in a convertible that wasn't a Cadillac or Ninety-Eight or something similar, had to be unusual.
Last edited by btw; June 12th, 2016 at 06:51 PM.
June 13th, 2016, 06:25 AM
#11
Old(s) Fart
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,259
Neither. I was just curious. The 1964 water pump is one year only and can be difficult to find. Also, the timing tab is on the passenger side and thus the balancer is different. Did they put the 330 balancer on the 350? Or did they re-scribe the timing mark on the 350 balancer? Or, did they just blow it off and do nothing?
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