jensenracing77

i looked at this car again, i found it almost 2 years ago. i have looked for a beater car to drive back and forth to work but decided if i can make this one run i will use it and skip the beater. (my wife calls this one a beater but she just don't understand) it has sit since the mid 90s but the engine is not locked up. i hope to get it going but not getting my hopes up yet. i got it from the original owner and he still had all the paperwork and even the window sticker. biggest problem so far is that the driver side door won't open from the inside or out side. the door lock is stuck down. i soaked it with oil everywhere i could get to through the door gaps and window weather strip. it looks like it is the 8.5 rear but i don't think it is the posi. the code tag is gone and the window sticker don't say anything other than 3.73 rear axle. i am not sure what these cars bring but i think i got it at a fair price.

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GoodOldsGuyDougie

What was your price?

jensenracing77

$1800

Lalo442

Looks like a keeper ...

Boldsmobile

Doesnt look so bad to me.

jensenracing77

IT RUNS!!!!!!!!
i got home from work and changed one spark plug wire with a used one i had in a junk pile, turned it over for about 30 seconds, poured gas down the vent tube for the carburetor, dripped just a little gas into the intake, and it fired right up. it idled about 2500 because of all the bad vacuum lines. i plan to cap off most of the vacuum ports tomorrow to see what i am going to have. i want to get it to idle down so i can see what the transmission is going to do.

snowballs442

Looks like a good one. Glad to see you got it running. Do you have all of the paper work that came with the car? What dealership did it come from?
Good luck with it and keep us updated. Let us know if you need the spoiler, I understand that you wont be able to find just the tips.

MDchanic

A most excellent beater.

As long as you keep the investment low (in other words, avoid temptation), you'll be in great shape!

Best of luck with it!

- Eric

jensenracing77

the car is worse than the pictures look. i won't spend any money on it other than if i feel it will be ok to drive then i will do a good tune up and maybe a brake job. there won't be any restoration going on with this car. i feel it would be a great donor car for someone doing another one.

i do have all the paperwork. it came from Collins Oldsmobile in Indianapolis Indiana. i have the salesman's business card and even the paper plate that was on it when he drove it home from the dealer. i just wish i had the original front H/O license plate.

snowballs442

I might be able to help you on that. PM me and I will let you know.

jensenracing77

it runs, shifts, and drives very good. i can't believe how good it runs and drives. i do have a big broblem. it don't stop. one of the front brake lines and one of the back brake lines have a hole rusted through. i just drove it with no brakes a mile down the road and coasted to a stop and drove it back. i done this 4 times. (i live in the middle of nowhere with no traffic) i am going to town to get some brake lines. looks like it may be my daily driver after all. just have to see what the brakes do after i put the lines on.

Aron Nance

So far, for $1800, I think you got a heck of a deal (IOW's, a steal), even if it doesn't stop! Get some binders on it, and Hocus-Pocus, your daily driver in the flesh!

jensenracing77

thanks,
i got the front brakes working. i installed a new brake line to the right front wheel. i got a new line for the back but it has the wrong ends on it. it is the right 1/4 line but the jamb nuts on the ends are to small. i will have to take them back and get others.

auto_editor

Judging by some local (SE MI) cars I'd agree:
'83 Hurst/Olds [128k mis. but excellent cond'n.] asking $6999
'84 Hurst/Olds [original/nds. resto] $3500

There are others--mostly iron oxide--for less, but running? No.

They're not my thing (too short, too few seats, etc. ), but congrats on a great "find!"

jensenracing77

i drove it about 10 miles through the country with no problems. after i got home i found a slight leak in the radiator, not surprising. the more i drive it the more things start working. now the power windows and door locks started working and the radio also started working. the biggest problem i have right now are the back brakes and the driver side door still does not open. somehow i have to get the door panel off without opening the door. i don't know if i can do it without braking it. the door is rusted out so i would rather cut the outside of the door than brake the door panel. i will just let it soak with oil for another week or two. i just remembered another problem, the secondaries don't open.

2blu442

Lighting rod shifter! I think it looks like a way cool "beater". I hope you can get it driveable OK, I can see the temptation to start fixing it up as it does have great potential. John

MDchanic

Frickin' Great! I LOVE this story. Sounds like something I'd do.

The secondaries may just be gummed up (GumOut!) or the little lock that keeps them closed while the choke is on may be stuck in place.

I'd also consider pulling the air horn off and blasting out the float bowls and the jets in the bottom of the bowls - maybe even taking the carb off and cleaning it out right - you could rebuild it later when you're in the mood.

As for the door, you might be able to get a sense of where it's jammed up by wiggling each part and listening to what is and isn't moving inside. You should be able to shoot KROIL or a similar penetrant in through the window slot in the direction of the seized part.
Then just wiggle each part over and over every day until they loosen up.

- Eric

jensenracing77

i am almost sure it is exactly that, the choke lever is frozen up and think that is the problem. the door handle on the outside is broken. on the inside it won't open because it feels like it is locked. the lock will not move up and down but when you hit the power lock it wants to but it is frozen up. i have soaked it with Kroil (best penetrating oil on earth IMO) every day since i got it.

jensenracing77

and the shifter is in great shape. the chrome looks beautiful.

jensenracing77

i am really impressed with this car so far. i got the brakes working great and took it for another drive. the steering and suspension is very solid and tight. i didn't even look at that stuff when i got it because that stuff is almost always shot. i just expected this to be the same. i got back and looked the suspension bushings and steering linkage over real good. they are tight and almost no dry rot to them at all. it drives very straight and the door windows don't even rattle like most of them do. the radiator is leaking worse now and it is starting to miss like bad plug wires but as good as the rest of the car is i think i will move forward with a major tune up. i just wish the body was not so bad.

Lalo442

You might also try a "Slim Jim" on the inside or outside of the door slid down through the window maybe some linkage fell down and you might be able to open by picking near the latch .....

jensenracing77

the latch and lock mechanism on the inside is rusted real bad. i can see it if i get a pin light just right. i tried tapping on the lock parts with a long screwdriver. it isn't moving yet. i will keep trying but not looking good so far.

Higgins

I have a passenger door that when locked it won't unlock with key or by inside handle nor can you pull up the ****. However, if I pull the inside handle and pull on the **** at the same time the **** will come up and it will unlock. It then works fine as long as I don't lock it. You might try that.
Higgins

69HO43

Reminds me when I bought mine, it looked kinda similar. Not quite as bad, but similar.

Whenever you're ready, if you need some new Lightning Rod ***** at a reasonable price, I can hook you up.

w-30dreamin

Nice! at least the car will be used for what life is left in it,instead of rusting away in someones yard until nothing is left.

all power,t-tops,LR's,tilt...nice!

jensenracing77

i think i underestimated this car. the more i mess with it the more i like it. the paint is shot and the doors, trunk lid and floor pans are rusty but the quarters, wheel houses, hood, bumpers and front finders are in good shape. i took the carb off to rebuild it. i figured it would look real nasty inside the intake but it looks nearly new. the engine don't even leak oil anywhere. not even under the valve covers. there is not much doubt that the guy was telling me the truth about the car. he said he only stopped driving it because he got into ferd trucks and lost interest in the car. it's to bad it sit outside for all those years. i also found the last registration, it was last plated in 93 and that matched the plate on the back of the car. the car was 9 years old and 114,000 miles when it was parked.

jensenracing77

i just got the door open! the power window started working not long after i got the engine running so i shoot oil on the latch mechanism daily from the window Chanel. i started tapping on it with a long punch for the last two days and determined that it was just to seized up. tonight i started prying on it through the window channel and finally got it to open. i am going to have to replace the latch inside the door but at least i didn't have to break anything else to get it open.

anyone have a latch mechanism for inside a driver side g body door?

snowballs442

Are you going to keep it? I still have a tag...

jensenracing77

right now i plan to keep it but i didn't plan to get anything that it don't have to have to make it a reliable car for the road. if it is REAL cheep i would be interested. i plan to drive the car as a daily driver but like most stuff, everything is for sale for the right price. after i get it on the road i will see how many MPG it gits. if it is 15 or better i will keep it.

jensenracing77

well... today is the 3rd day for me to drive it as my official daily driver. it is running great! the guys at work are laughing at me and saying i just need a mullet and a pair of 6X9 speakers in the back window with about a 3 inch lifted rear end. G bodies like that is all we seen around my area in the 90s. the only problem i am having now is that the speedometer is not working and the tachometer reads double what it really is. i also need to get some mufflers on it.

MDchanic

Definitely get the mullet.

It's great that you've got it on the road!

- Eric