btw

Every Friday night until Thanksgiving. It's a real charge to see some pretty rare and rodded cars. Good Olds showing from us "locals". Come join us!

70-442-W30

I'll be there then at some point soon. Will be nice to meet you.

BlackGold

Not necessarily. Gas-charged is nice because it keeps bubbles from forming. But a crappy shock is still a crappy shock. And the factory seldom designed/specified parts as crappy as the aftermarket provides.

MDchanic

True, but the gas-charged shocks were not commonly sold until sometime in the early eighties, if I recall, by which time valving preferences had gotten stiffer, so it is likely that a gas shock will feel better to the modern driver than an original shock, even if it won't last as long.

- Eric

BlackGold

I'm just thinking about all the people who buy KYB gas shocks and then complain about them. Now if you're talking Koni's, that's another story.....

MDchanic

Yes, but if you compare KYBs with "factory" shocks, they're great.

If you compare them with "real" shocks (I'm partial to Bilsteins, have them on my Delta), of course, they're crap.

- Eric

70-442-W30

Got the plate for it yesterday:

70-442-W30

Any thoughts on the driver's side mirror? When Eric was here he said it might be H/O. Joe?

joe_padavano

It's not. It's an aftermarket Talbot-style mirror, popular in the 1960s. Talbots were used on many sports cars then and were added to a lot of cars. The 69 H/O mirrors are Talbot-style but have different bases and are painted white, not chromed. Ironically, I have a set of Talbot-style mirrors that I was planning on installing on my 62 wagon.

70-442-W30

Well, I do like the style much better than stock. There is already a lot of shiny metal on the car and this just adds to it. Thanks for the help. I think your car would look great with them on.

jensenracing77

Very cool. I have never seen that style aftermarket mirror. I did not know the H/O well enough without them side by side to know but thought it looked like one from memory. I still like that mirror.

70-442-W30

Would be nice to find a matching one for the passenger side.

joe_padavano

Talbot-style mirrors are common at swap meets, and new ones are available from places like Speedway Motors and Summit. Be aware that there are an infinite number of variations on these mirrors, with minor changes to the shape of the base or the mirror head. If you want an exact match, you'll need to bring the old one. On the other hand, no one can see both sides of the car at the same time...

davebw31

As a side note: The "rights to use, blue prints, and molds/dies" were purchased by Land Rover of the UK and thousands of them were built with this engine design! So it is pretty easy to find parts for this engine.

BTW: That is one fine well preserved 63' F-85. I go to lots of car shows around the country and in the last two years I have seen more and more unmodified/unrestored four door cars, especially late 60s, 70s, and on through the middle 80s!

70-442-W30

Thanks for the comments. I think people appreciate the sedans too and I also think there is a growing crowd that is more receptive to them. My first car was a 1984 Buick Skylark sedan. Dark blue also. I miss that thing. Was a snow beast.

70-442-W30

If anyone has any interest in this car and wants to possibly take it home on a trailer next week, I will sell it. I still haven't got to the fuel tank issue. Life is busy and it really hasn't been a priority for me. I'm about 150 miles SE of Kingsport. Selling for $2k less than what I have in the car due to you not being able to test drive it. Would really make a fun car for someone who wants to get into driving a well taken care of old car without the premium pricing.

Joe Padavano can verify it did start fine when I met up with him. I also drove it up on the trailer for the trip to NC and drove it into and out of my garage several times without issue. Let me know if there is interest and I can post an actual for sale thread.

davebw31

I will be at Kingsport and interested. Not interested in driving 150 miles without knowing your bottom cash price.

BTW: I have the cash in hand to buy, if the price is right!

70-442-W30

$4800 is the absolute lowest I can go. See pics here and possibly reach out to Jensenracing or Joe P for firsthand account of the car since they have seen it in person. I believe it is a very fair price.

70-442-W30

Are you thinking about it, Dave B? Any questions I can answer for you?

150 miles isn't too far to come here since I'm sure you'd like to see the W-30. Our cars are Olds cousins. Would be great for you to see it and for me to get your input.

joe_padavano

I'll add my unsolicited testimony here. The car is an amazing time capsule. It has the 155 HP 2bbl motor and it runs great. Body is solid except for some small rust-through areas in the rockers. Interior is in nice shape. Car has the rare 15" wheels.

davebw31

Thanks Joe for the info!

70-442-W30: I am coming with a friend and he is younger then me (15 yrs) and is still working . Me, I've been retired for 6 + yrs. so every day is a Saturday for me. I'll need to see how it goes, at what time we get the trailer packed up, and when we can get out of Kingsport on Saturday afternoon. Need to know where you at in relation to Kingsport. North, South, West or East. If it is way out of way that might be a problem. So let me know your exact location.

70-442-W30

I am about 15 minutes from the Charlotte airport, about 2 miles off I-85. According to Google, it is about an 8 hour trip from my place to yours in Crawfordville. I'll PM you my address.

70-442-W30

Thanks Joe for posting your input on the car. I know you want those 15". Should be easy to find new tires for at some point anyway.

joe_padavano

I actually have a set already (and paid dearly for them ).

70-442-W30

Doesn't surprise me in the least. I wonder how many smaller cars were actually running 15" back then. My guess would be almost none.

BlackGold

If only I had the space for another car ......

70-442-W30

OK, well I just spent the a good part of the day getting the car going. Here is what I did:

Blew out the fuel sock from the fuel pump line. (Also surprised my wife with some gas...oops.)

Cleaned out the carb inlet

Put another fuel pump on.

Replaced the fuel line from the pump to the carb with a little longer line to avoid it being pulled too tight. Nobody had 5/16 line in stock...strange. Had to go to 3 places because 2 only had less than a foot.

70-442-W30

Here is the video as it got going. A little smoke since it has been sitting for so long. Dave B just let me know that he won't be making the trip down due to his travel buddy not being able to spend the extra time. If anyone else has interest in the car let me know. I will be posting an official for sale thread in the next few days.

MDchanic

ARRRRGGGGHHH!!!

You are killing me.

I can't stand having this car still being available!

- Eric

70-442-W30

Hmmm...is a Maine roadtrip in my future? HAHA! Sorry about the noise on the video. I was running a shop fan in the garage and forgot to shut it off.