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It looked like a pretty clean car, I'll attach a couple of pics. I thought maybe I could grab some worthwhile bits, even though I'm not in need of any big car parts (maybe I could find some heads or a carburetor, I thought). The steering wheel in the ad caught my attention. It didn't look like one I had seen on a Ninety-Eight before. So, I went down and grabbed it. It felt good to score a cool Olds part from a junkyard. Something I haven't done in a long time. (The guy didn't give it away, either).
The car was still in the yard (only posted on 12-03-20). No engine or transmission. Front collision damage, no grill. It looked like the lower body trim was all there. Dash, interior all there but the front seat. There was some really nice trim around the convertible top. Quarters looked real good, but I did not check them close up. Someone restored this car, I think. There was a Power Tour sticker in the windshield from within the last 10 years.
Anyway, a fun trip to the boneyard! It was not muddy (a first, it seems), not cold (also a first) and I had the right tools with me. Fun with old cars........
I plan on posting pictures of the wheel as I clean it up. Hmmm, how would it look in a 75 H/O? I think it would be pretty cool. I don't think it would work at all in my '70 4-4-2.
Last edited by Oldsmomick; December 4th, 2020 at 05:46 PM.
Reason: Add pictures
It didn't look like it had flooded. It was pretty clean (no water marks or other sign of flood or leaking).... just a bunch of garbage and food and wet clothes in there.
Great find. Unfortunately, that sticky rim won't go away. The rim material is de-plasticizing. Whatever that goo actually is, it's leaching out of the rubberized plastic. I've had mine since the mid-'80's and have periodically cleaned it and gotten it feeling great only to have it start turning sticky again within weeks. On the upside, it helps with gripping the wheel while driving!
I have been experimenting with various potions and elixirs to get the sticky off...Wd-40, Goof Off, Dawn and warm water, mineral spirits, and Goop hand cleaner with mixed results. Next one is Meguiars 40, suggested in another thread on here. Within the last 6 months, I used something to clean a 4-spoke wheel, with great success and no return of the sticky....but I forgot what I used.
It's coming clean and looking a lot better, though.
Different wheels seem to respond differently. I had a 4 spoke that i cleaned w warm water, dawn and a good nylon brush, it never got sticky again.
my next one i did the same, it didnt seem to make a bit of difference it was still sticky.
i used the mequires on that one, and for the most part its good, but if it sits for longer than a week or two in my garage it will be sticky ish but after 10 mins or so of driving its not sticky ish at all.
post another pic of the wheel after its all cleaned up. I think this is the nicest looking steering wheel Olds made. I saw a beater 69 a while back i was tempted to buy it just to get the wheel!
It looked like a pretty clean car, I'll attach a couple of pics. I thought maybe I could grab some worthwhile bits, even though I'm not in need of any big car parts (maybe I could find some heads or a carburetor, I thought). The steering wheel in the ad caught my attention. It didn't look like one I had seen on a Ninety-Eight before. So, I went down and grabbed it. It felt good to score a cool Olds part from a junkyard. Something I haven't done in a long time. (The guy didn't give it away, either).
The car was still in the yard (only posted on 12-03-20). No engine or transmission. Front collision damage, no grill. It looked like the lower body trim was all there. Dash, interior all there but the front seat. There was some really nice trim around the convertible top. Quarters looked real good, but I did not check them close up. Someone restored this car, I think. There was a Power Tour sticker in the windshield from within the last 10 years.
Anyway, a fun trip to the boneyard! It was not muddy (a first, it seems), not cold (also a first) and I had the right tools with me. Fun with old cars........
I plan on posting pictures of the wheel as I clean it up. Hmmm, how would it look in a 75 H/O? I think it would be pretty cool. I don't think it would work at all in my '70 4-4-2.
Good Find! I could be a buyer if you decide to part with it! Blue or Black ? thanks
It didn't look like one I had seen on a Ninety-Eight before.
N34 wheel was available on all series except Toronado. Didn't stop me from putting one on my Toro. That one also came from a Ninety Eight coupe and was way and again cheaper than fixing the Rim-Blow the Toronado was born with.
No engine or transmission. Front collision damage
Prob couldn't find front end parts and it got sold for 455/400, then scrapped because the rapist had no interest or love for a big car.
Last edited by rocketraider; July 19th, 2021 at 12:53 PM.
Thanks for the interest and comments. Wow, that was December when I posted this originally? This is a black steering wheel that came out pretty good, but not perfect. It may be slightly bent (1/2" up on one side when laid flat). Although I tried to restore the center cap section, very particular owners might replace it with a reproduction. Honestly, I tried so many different products to clean the stickiness, I'm not sure which one worked best. For this application, I believe the stronger solvents worked (lacquer thinner, Goof-off, or DuPont 3812 enamel reducer). The stickiness has not come back (5 months?) after final cleaning with Meguiar's 39. Much of the grain remains in the steering wheel and it looks nice.
Out of the three horn buttons, one was cracked in two and another half-way. I made a small c-channel out of sheet aluminum to bridge the cracks, then laid it in a bed of two part epoxy. (sorry, no photo of the channel).
The black rubber portion of the center cap was very hard and inflexible. I wanted to disassemble the whole thing to clean out 50 years of gunk and to detail the center emblem, which had faded and developed hairline cracks on the face. Short working time with a heat gun made it pliable enough to remove the center piece
. After some research, I soaked the black rubber pad in boiling water and wintergreen oil. Here is some sample info: https://motofaction.org/mechanical-1...o-rings-seals/
There are some cautions with the wintergreen oil, but worth looking into. While the part was warm, soft and pliable, I put everything back together. The strong smell stayed for some time (weeks?). The pry marks I left when removing the emblem with a plastic pry tool and paint stick are still there (but not too bad). It was worth trying for me, especially at $140 for a re-pop.
If I parted with this wheel (and I'd really like to keep it), I'm thinking I will be looking to work out a fair in-person trade for some sheet metal (tulip panel, cowl section) I need for my '70 4-4-2 (4487). Prices seem really high for these things, and with the wide range of expectations and opinions on quality, its seems best shown close-up. Thanks for checking out the thread and for the comments! This was a really fun experience from a boneyard score
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December 4th, 2020, 05:37 PM
