Hi.

Brian here. A newbie to Oldsmobile.

Looking at a 1961 Dynamic 88, original, minor rust behind rear wheels, chrome pitted, interior is a 7 out of 10, frozen motor, asking $2k. See pic.

Any advice / suggestions?

Brian

 

Welcome to the site. I would most likely pass as its a more door. There is no real aftermarket parts support for it and at the $2k asking price you will be well under water by the time its finished. To me there are better examples of cars that would be more enjoyable than this one. With that said and from my car selling days, there is an a$$ for every seat.

 

If you like it yes. From $$$ perspective it will be expensive. 394's are costly to rebuild if it is rebuildable. Is there oil on the stick? Anti-freeze if it is in a cold climate. Since it doesn't run the entire rest of the drivetrain is an unknown. I think that is a Slim-Jim transmission, not easy to get parts and not great to begin with.

Might be better off evaluating it from the cost of a completely different engine and trans combo if you are capable of tackling that.

Good luck!!!

 

Offer him $500 , If he balks , walk away .
I recently overhauled a 394 . I had about $4000 in parts and machine work .
Figure about two grand for a transmission .

 

Just going by pic and price I would of said yes, and I'm not a 4 door guy when it comes to a toy. But hearing the engine is seized and the fact that its a 1961, I say no.

I've always heard, been told, etc. Pre 1964/1965 Olds engines are not a walk in the park.... For that reason and to a lesser extent the styling of the models (not my cup of tea) I have avoided them like the plague.

 

"More door's" hard to sell. Seized engine makes it not worth much. Seals in the tranny are probably all hard or cracked. Tires probably need replaced because they are so old and brakes (wheel cylinders, shoes and master cylinder). What shape is the interior in ? How "soft" are the floors and trunk I would offer $400-500 then hold your breath hoping they want to give it to you for less.

 

Will the engine turn with a breaker bar? Is so it might just need a hone and new rings and bearings.

 

If you like it I would come in at $1,000 to $1,200 but offer less first. You might be able to free the engine if you are very lucky. The paint looks pretty decent and you said the interior is a 7 out of 10. Then there is the option of a used engine. Don't count on swapping to a later engine and transmission because that is a very difficult swap and then you would be way underwater at that point. It is a more door but they can be neat cruisers. It is a good color. If you are looking to fix it and flip it walk away.

 

Nice parts car..

 

With the engine seized, you need to take the worst case scenario and figure the engine needs a major overhaul. If it is simply stuck rings, it will still cost, but not be be as bad. Things like this are a pig-in-a-poke.The same with the transmission, until the engine is running, or the transmission dismantled (MAW overhaul it now!) this is an uncertainty. Yes, this car looks pretty decent in the one picture, and it is a hardtop, but several more pictures of key areas are needed to see if every thing is there meaning metal with no holes, and the trim. I do acknowledge pieces are hard to find, but with patience and perseverance, plus help from this group here and others out there, the car could be nice. I know first hand about large Oldsmobiles, the difficulties, but have managed in a small garage with anything but a fully equipped toolbox, limited funds to boot, brought a 1966 Ninety-Eight LS pulled from a field back to life. Is the vehicle style etc a memory for you, perhaps a family memory of this particular one for many family trips, rtc? If so, offer them $500 and see where this goes. If anything, all said and done, you will not be a clone of the car beside you at a car show! 4-doors or not!

 

I wouldn't buy it because it's not drivable. Try to find a car to start with that is drivable (or close to that) first and work from there. You should only buy the car if you really feel like it deserves saving and are willing to waste all the time and money it requires to do so.

 

Thank you everyone. Really great info. He was originally asking $1700 and I got him down to $1500. He wouldn't go lower. I did not buy and then he raised the price to $2100. And now he says he'll only go down to $1700. Frankly, I like the styling and I do not mind the four doors but the uncertainty of what the engine needs scares me a bit. I am mechanically inclined but of course I am not a machine shop. He thinks that someone is coming to buy it this weekend. If it doesn't sell maybe I will offer him something less. I'll keep you all informed. Thank you very much again.

Brian

 

i love the looks of the 61 and a 4 door holiday hardtop is cool.i have seen a complete running engine for sale somewhere in n.e. connecticut i think.the price seems too high tho.maybe let him sit on it a while and keep in touch with him

 

It looks like it was well taken care of and complete. Who cares, if it has two doors too many? The car has plenty of charachter despite. What if honing a cylinder will free the engine and the transmission is just fine? One can also see things optimistically. So, it'll involve work. A solid vintage body will always have value for someone. Nowadays, two grand isn't big money anymore

 

Do as you please, but realize it won't be sought after. If the person coming to buy it wants to be a "sucker", let him. Tell the owner that friends have been telling you about other cars you want to look at, here's your phone number If it was a Starfire, then it would be much better.

 

I bought a 62 super 88 holiday coupe that sat for 11 yrs. motor was locked up from water getting down the air cleaner post. I used trans fluid and acetone in each cylinder for a month and it freed up and runs like a top. If you like it take a chance on it.

 

I heard about using tranny fluid to loosen a frozen motor. Do you mind if I ask how you did it?; through the spark-plug hole or did you remove the head? And how much fluid did you use?; do you fill the cylinder fully or add just a few drops?

-Brian

 

pulled the plugs and filled the cylinders through the plug hole till it came out.. re filled every couple days. 50/50 mix trans and acetone

 

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ok. And I let it soak in good until the motor begins to turn, correct? I guess at some point I have to drain the tranny fluid and acetone out to the oil pan? Once the engine is moving nicely do I just fill it with regular motor oil or do I need to flush out the tranny fluid and acetone?

 

Once the engine will spin with the starter, it will blow the transmission fluid right out the spark hole or down through the exhaust. Cover the fenders with a tarp and don't stand on the sides of the car while cranking... don't ask me how I know. Once you get it to fire, it will smoke a bit.

 

Make sure you can turn the engine over with just a breaker bar a couple revolutions. If you can't turn it easily, you may have to resoak things. Rust can be above and below the rings. The acetone/ATF mix will only reach above the pistons. Be careful with acetone,its hazardous.....wear PPE.

 

The guy's in NY right? He's had it for sale since last August or September. He has two of them, a coupe I believe too (unless that sold). I was going to look at it before I found one in better mechanical (paint is faded though!) condition. That said, these are not desirable cars, not even 2 doors are too desirable. I'd offer him around 1k-1200. I got mine for $800 and it's running/driving, though it needed a lot of other things.

 

Welcome,
That bubble-shaped windshield is cool and the grill–awesome! Four doors is double the fun in my opinion. Happy trails! If this one doesn't call to you, there are more fish in the sea.