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Oops, maybe I didn't make it clear...I owned the BOOK that wagon (or one like it) was in back in the 80s..not the wagon itself, haw haw! I was in my early 20s at the time, and could only slobber at the pictures of the cars in that book.
As for whether the car you saw was the real deal or not, I am not qualified to say, but I see there is contention about it (as there always seems to be with the rare ones). I'm a scientist, so my motto is "extraordiary claims require extraordinary evidence".
Kurt- Harry Mager's 4-speed 66 Starfire (black w/ NJ 4 SPD license plate)- does anyone know where that car is now? He's lost track of it as it has apparently gone thru several owners since they sold it.
I wanted that car so bad I could taste it, but when it came up for sale I had nowhere to keep it- which incidentally is why Harry sold it. It was having to live outside under a car cover because all their garages were full. And natcherly now that I have enough garage space and some disposable income, car is in parts unknown.
Harry Mager's 4-speed 66 Starfire (black w/ NJ 4 SPD license plate)- does anyone know where that car is now? He's lost track of it as it has apparently gone thru several owners since they sold it.
I saw the black NJ Sfire at a Olds show at the Hershey Museum about 5 years ago. I believe the owner was George Reinas or something similar. It was also at Macungie a few years running, I was told, prob as recent as 4 years ago.
Not in the Jetstar I- only in the Jetstar 88 behind the 330- though a 3-speed column shift was standard in the 64 J-I. I have never seen or even heard of one with it.
I never saw why they couldn't have used the 394 stick setup and put a 4-speed Ford toploader behind it. It worked for later years.
Not in the Jetstar I- only in the Jetstar 88 behind the 330- though a 3-speed column shift was standard in the 64 J-I. I have never seen or even heard of one with it.
I know of 2, neither are complete cars any more. There were 112 that came that way! Column shift with a console!! They use the automatic console and there is a block-off plate that goes into the shifter "hole".
Same arrangement was used for the standard 3-on-the-tree in the '65 Jetstar 1. I've never seen one, nor are there production figures for those.
There were 312 4-spd Jetstar 88s in '64.
I read somewhere, years ago, that after around 1952 or so Olds stickshift production was only 2-3% of total every year. Meaning they's scarce. I don't remember seeing a full-size Olds with a stick until I started going to National Meets. Dealers here never ordered a stick car.
Oldsmobile was proud of their HydraMatic and pushed it hard. Something to do with having invented it, I guess.
I know of 2, neither are complete cars any more. There were 112 that came that way! Column shift with a console!! They use the automatic console and there is a block-off plate that goes into the shifter "hole".
Same arrangement was used for the standard 3-on-the-tree in the '65 Jetstar 1. I've never seen one, nor are there production figures for those.
There were 312 4-spd Jetstar 88s in '64.
Great topic here! I love the 1965 (especially) and 1966 GM B-Body 2-door hardtops, which I have long believed to be the pinnacle of GM styling excellence. As some of the GM designers of the era have written, these cars have shape and style from every angle.
I'm crazy about that '65 Delta 88 2-door hardtop, and my dream collection would include 4-speed versions of the Delta 88, Jetstar I, and Starfire 2-door hardtops, as well as 4-speed Pontiac 2 + 2, Grand Prix, and Buick Wildcat.
This past summer, at the Nationals in Syracuse, I ran across a '64 Buick Wildcat 4 dr hardtop with the 425 dual 4 barrel engine and a factory 4 speed with buckets and console. It was black with a red interior. All original except for the paint.
I have heard of (and seen pictures of) a number of B-bodies through 1970 with a "3 on the tree", but never a '71 or later car, and I'd be surprised if such a beast exists.
That '65 Delta makes my knees weak. I understand that the original (and still current) owner special ordered the car; he added some very cool options to it (boxed frame, 3.42 posi rear, "custom-deluxe" (woodgrain) wheel, and the bolt-on magnesium wheels to name a few). Even the color combo is amazing. A truly improbable car...God bless the oddballs who custom-ordered such cars, so that we may marvel over them so many years later.
During the winter of '07/'08 in Ocala, Florida, I worked on a '71 Chevy Impala 2 dr hardtop with the 350 2 bbl engine and a three on the tree. The guy had bought the car in the Atlanta area a few years before.
I adjusted the clutch for him as he was having some sort of trouble shifting. The car had about 70K miles on it and the shift linkage was still tight.
Here I am, to bump this ancient thread with my submissions!
I purchased this stripped down coupe 2 years ago at Mecum Kissimmee....its lived a long time in Florida
I've had fun with this car the last couple years. I need to get a choke cable on it as it hates the cold weather. Its showing like 7800 miles now. The only options it has is power steering and power brakes. It doesn't even have side view mirrors or reverse lights
I just picked this up January 4th 2018. I actually bought this car with no title in July 2017, seller backed out a month later when I was to come get it, and hung up on me. never returned my calls because I needed to tell him I had a virginia title in my name! He passed away, and I purchased it from his estate. It needs some work (which has already started) but will be worth it. Very very few 65 starfire convertibles with a 4 speed out there
This car will be a long term project. It may be driveable in the fall. Options I know of right now (need to dig into the car more)
From this shot, the z-bar bracket sure looks "neatly" installed, though perhaps shaped a bit differently from others I've seen. Here's a site that shows a pic showing one removed from a '66 dynamic (the one on my '65 looks similar):
A shot from the top may be more revealing - not that I am offering any doubt - my only point is this would be one potential way of telling of a car was factory or not.
Other thing about that shot is is shows how the odd "U" shaped Z-bar design is needed for it to clear the steering column.
By the way, not sure I see a return spring on the clutch fork (on my car, there is a spring that goes back to bracket mounted to the side of the starter). My old "converted" '4 speed '65 Starfire 'vert didn't have one, and the rod from the z-bar popped out / fell down once.
Last edited by aliensatemybuick; January 10th, 2018 at 05:40 PM.
I used to own a 2 door Dynamic 88, with 4bbl carb (not starfire), single(?) exhaust engine and 4 speed with bench seats, manual brakes and a 3.23 posi rear. I bought it in Delaware mostly for the Posi to replace the 2.93 rear in my Starfire. The interior was a penicillin lab. Had to wear a mask, gloves, left the windows open (mid winter) and the heater blasting for the drive back to NY.
I am the source of the 4spd pictures in the post above. I believe this is the only picture I have of the car.
Stew, I have a cruise control setup,not complete. What items are you needing ?
Mine is complete. Justintime's photo's show the interior controls, but his underhood pictures do not show the servo motor. So I was curious if he had the parts or if they were missing.
gotta love those B body 4 speeds. rare as hens' teeth. Had seen a 65 Delta sedan w/ 330 and 3 speed on column on Omaha Nb. craigslist a few months back. asking was $1700.00 real rough and rusty, if didn't sell, lister was going to send to crusher. Was in hospital for the heart, so not able to chase after it.
Mine is complete. Justintime's photo's show the interior controls, but his underhood pictures do not show the servo motor. So I was curious if he had the parts or if they were missing.
-Stew
After digging through this car for almost 5 years, I never did find the rest of the cruise control stuff. I would love to add it back to the car though, once I am able to find the pieces. I have not started searching yet, and am open to suggestions.
My car is almost done, and what a trip its been. Check out my thread!
October 25th, 2012, 12:20 PM
I was in my early 20s at the time, and could only slobber at the pictures of the cars in that book. 
