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Good morning everyone! I think I picked the right thread for this concern but maybe not? I am just looking for an Oldsmobile guru to help me decipher the conglomerate that is my 1968 4-4-2. I have been trying to do some research on it (digging to deep places of the internet and facebook) but have not really found anything concrete. The VIN states it is a 34487 car (Holiday Coupe 4-4-2), I'm having troubles with a few minuet details that I have come across, like the rear end is potentially a 2.56 open (Turnpike Cruiser option?) but has a 4 barrel carb, a 2 line fuel pump but no A/C, there is no stamping on the oil fill tube to know what engine code it is (high compression? low compression?) and I haven't quite gotten under it lately to see what tag is on the transmission... if it's still there. Thanks for any pointers and/or help! Also, it has red fender liners and those can't be right... Right?
Welcome. Post photos of all those details and we can help. Note that even if you find the engine ID number on the oil fill tube, all it will tell you is the model year, nothing else. And sadly the interwebs are probably the last place you'll find accurate information. A lot can happen to a car in half a century or more.
OK so these are the photos I took of the underhood last night, I tried to crawl under the rear end and get a picture of the stamp in the axle housing but couldn't get to it. I'm not sure what pictures I can get to quite show my concerns so if there is anything that would help please let me know and I'll be happy to get them tonight!! I really appreciate the help.
Well, someone has certainly mucked with that car. Heater-only car but an A/C dash pad, so that's been swapped. Manual steering. Brand new booster and M/C, so you don't know if the car was originally a manual brake car or not. The red inner fenders are clearly not brand new repros, but whether they were born on the car or not is unknown. Any indication that the front sheet metal has ever been off or repainted? That's a 1969 air cleaner, not 68, so it isn't original to the car. Valve covers are not notched, so also not original to the car, and in 1968 the PCV was on the passenger side and the vent with the metal tube to the air cleaner was on the driver's side. They were installed on this car in the 1969 configuration, likely to match that air cleaner when it was put on the car. C heads are obviously not from a W30. The "bent" oil fill tube was only used on A/C cars (to clear the air cleaner snorkel that was clocked differently to clear the A/C compressor), so either the tube or the entire short block is not original to this car. Post photos of the cowl tag, VIN, and VIN derivative stamps on the block and trans case.
Other info that would be useful are the block casting number. carb number, and distributor number. If you really want to get serious about this car, date codes on the block, heads, carb, intake, distributor, etc. would also be helpful. Date codes can't prove that a part is original to the car, but they can prove that the part was not factory installed if the date code is later than the build date of the car.
Was this a Lansing-built car per the cowl tag? Are there holes in the core support to mount under-bumper scoops?
The car is definitely a conglomeration of parts now, but there's potentially some small evidence it could have originally been a W30 that lost its powertrain, or had some parts donated from one.
there's potentially some small evidence it could have originally been a W30 that lost its powertrain, or had some parts donated from one.
That's where my thoughts were going. I bet it was manual drum brakes before that aftermarket power booster was added. And swapping in the 2.56 rear would have been not uncommon during the gas crises of the 1970s.
You guys are awesome! As soon as I can make it home tonight (it's bar night) I will snag some pictures of the castings and see what we have. As for some of the comments about parts looking newer, I have been replacing things as they fall apart (brake booster/master cylinder, plug wires, repaint the valve covers for fun). As long as I have known the car (my dad bought it used in 1980-something) it has had power brakes, manual steering, no A/C, the red liners with the OAI tubes (cloth) and scoops under the front bumper with air cleaner to attach. I guess when it's all said and done in your guys opinion, is it worth going back to stock or making a W30 tribute car? It's a money game either way lol.
drivers side ex manifold looks like a regular manifold not a w x y or z
You can read the "X" on the casting in the photo. In any case, that's a 389269 casting (you can also barely make that out in the photo), which is a 1965-68 BBO driver side manifold. Correct for a 1968 442.
Just read and enjoyed this thread, realizing the knowledge available here at our site is comforting. This prompted me to look at all the photos more closely as well. Were are the shafts for the radio *****? If they aren't there why? The radio faceplate is obviously there. And why are two of the control cables for the air management hanging loose below the dash?
Just read and enjoyed this thread, realizing the knowledge available here at our site is comforting. This prompted me to look at all the photos more closely as well. Were are the shafts for the radio *****? If they aren't there why? The radio faceplate is obviously there. And why are two of the control cables for the air management hanging loose below the dash?
The radio ***** are in place on their respective shafts. Good question on the cables. I suspect someone has replaced the heater core and not fully re-assembled the controls. Alternately, note that the dash has been replaced with an A/C pad, so perhaps the cables were disconnected then.
Yes I did put a heater core in this, the original heater control had some broken parts and the cables were kinked as all get out so I put new cables on from OPGI when I did the core. Unfortunately the new cables are to long and I need to source original cables now. I've quickly learned the aftermarket/reproduction parts aren't what they should be.
Other info that would be useful are the block casting number. carb number, and distributor number. If you really want to get serious about this car, date codes on the block, heads, carb, intake, distributor, etc. would also be helpful. Date codes can't prove that a part is original to the car, but they can prove that the part was not factory installed if the date code is later than the build date of the car.
I've quickly learned the aftermarket/reproduction parts aren't what they should be.
You really have to do your research to find not only quality parts but parts which are identified correctly with correct part numbers which fit the vehicles identified on the website (or catalog). While Rock Auto sells an a$$load of parts, there are no human beings to call for ANY customer service questions, you're on your own and they often list incorrect part numbers (like most of the big lot automotive parts supply stores). There are so many really great experts on this site, if you have a question regarding a part, part number, etc. - ask. Even the number of times I've walked into a local parts store the counter personnel appear clueless. Frustrating.
September 18th, 2023 | 05:26 AM
