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While working diligently for 14 years on my '63 Olds 2dr hardtop, which is still not done, I just got the itch to drive something old.
Well, I scratched it.
I always wanted a '49 or '50 Olds, because I so admired the "Futuramic" styling.
Well, I finally found one I could afford.
I bought it from Gateway Classic Cars in Scottsdale AZ.
I flew to Arizona earlier this week and inspected it as well going for a short ride.
I purchased it and had it shipped home to Florida.
Someone asked "why didn't you just drive it home?"
I replied, " Because you got a 76 year old man, with a 76 year old car, that you don't know what might be wrong with it.
On a five day trip of 2300 miles" "What could possibly go wrong?"
I did the math, and it was actually cheaper to get it shipped than to pay for gas and hotels.
I thought that too, It's an old original California car.
Unrestored, even the paint is original.
Salesman told me it last belonged to a movie props company near Hollywood.
Could have appeared in a number of movies.
Charlie, WOW ! You are just the right person to own that car. A "real, fire breathin, tire smokin" 303. Congratulations.
Yeah, but only one tire.
It's gonna need a brake job when it gets here on the 20th.
I crawled under it and saw brake fluid leaking from the right front brake drum,
Do you know anyone with a '49 or '50 parts car?
This car has no turn signals, they were optional then.
I need the switch, lamps?, and anything else I need to install original turn signals,
Last edited by Charlie Jones; Mar 14, 2026 at 11:32 AM.
I thought that too, It's an old original California car.
Unrestored, even the paint is original.
Salesman told me it last belonged to a movie props company near Hollywood.
Could have appeared in a number of movies.
I would register that car with one of those movie car places that keep a database of cars in case they need periods vehicles. No mods makes it very useful for them.
These cars are getting cheaper and cheaper. I don't think that's a good thing. Demographics are changing for sure. When I was asked by a younger acquaintance what will happen to OUR cars when we get older and the young crowd doesn't want them, my answer was of course, "They will get cheaper." That's ok. The guy with the most cars wins or so I've heard.
That Nature Trail Drive is awesome and it's free, give it a try.
This is the story behind the nature trail.
Lake Apopka is a very big, but shallow lake. Over 15,000 acres.
At one time, it was probably the best bass fishing lake in the country.
During WWII a dike was built across one corner of the lake, and the water was pumped out of about 1500 acres.
This "muck land" was used to raise vegetables for the military bases in Fla, Georgia, and Alabama.
In 1956 another dike was built, turning another 3500 acres in to farmland.
By the 1980s fertilizer runoff had caused massive algae blooms in the lake and had ruined fishing
The state stepped in in the late ninety's and bought all the farmlands.
The flood gates on the dike were opened, and the lake was restored to its original shoreline
This caused two problems.
The rats and mice that lived in the ditch banks on the farms had to find a new home.
They invaded the towns of Zellwood and Apopka.
And the DDT, which was used on the farms until the 70s had leached into the soil
When the lake was flooded again the DDT came out and killed a lot of birds and other wildlife
The water was pumped out again and the land was turned into a "nature preserve"
Trees and other plants were planted on the farmland.
Today, the lake is coming back to it's former glory, slowly..
Last edited by Charlie Jones; Mar 14, 2026 at 06:43 PM.
Yeah, but only one tire.
It's gonna need a brake job when it gets here on the 20th.
I crawled under it and saw brake fluid leaking from the right front brake drum,
Do you know anyone with a '49 or '50 parts car?
This car has no turn signals, they were optional then.
I need the switch, lamps?, and anything else I need to install original turn signals,
Nice score Charlie. Looks like a well kept old original car. I've always loved the front quarters of these generations the way they had the stainless fender piece flow along the side running away from the headlight sort of like a tear drop running out of the corner of an eye and the wind is carrying it along the fender. Good luck with it.
Add something like this for turn signals? Just as an example - https://ebay.us/m/S1N6ep
Yeah, but only one tire.
It's gonna need a brake job when it gets here on the 20th.
I crawled under it and saw brake fluid leaking from the right front brake drum,
Do you know anyone with a '49 or '50 parts car?
This car has no turn signals, they were optional then.
I need the switch, lamps?, and anything else I need to install original turn signals,
Ya, I know about one wheel. Anti Spin didn't come out til 1958, but my '57 will have it. What rear end ratio does it have ?
.
I haven't found any parts cars yet, but I am looking. It took me close to 60 years to find a 49-50 Olds Club Coupe to put more modern Olds power in it. Do you have any pics of turn signals ? I may check a few swap meets up here this summer.
That's a hell of a car. It will really show your improvements on it. That air cleaner is amazing with the #10 can plenum.
Originally Posted by z11375ss
These cars are getting cheaper and cheaper. I don't think that's a good thing. Demographics are changing for sure. When I was asked by a younger acquaintance what will happen to OUR cars when we get older and the young crowd doesn't want them, my answer was of course, "They will get cheaper." That's ok. The guy with the most cars wins or so I've heard.
I have a theory. "Lee's 70 Year Value Inflection." My theory is that, for a car, its value is its significance to people. For a hobby car, people want what they remember and like. This is their first car, or the car their dad had, or their first new car, or what cool people drove when they were a kid. Most people live about 80 years. Subtract 10 years, and the people that valued a car 70 years ago when they were a kid pass on at 80. We have seen this with Model Ts, and Model As. It went into a lull with non-production in WWII, but we are hitting that mark with the 50s cars now. The tri five Chevies are a bit of an anomaly to this, but I believe there is a reason for it, and that is the Weird Model Change Right Afterwards. The 58 model change was polarizing, so the immediate predecessors get a bump. This is seen to a much lesser extent in 67, but is really seen in 72 due to both the continuation of the 71 model with the strike, the polarizing of the columnade cars, and the malaise era.
So, I think anything that isn't a tri 5 Chevy that is 56 or older is hitting that inflection point.
Originally Posted by OLDSter Ralph
Ya, I know about one wheel. Anti Spin didn't come out til 1958, but my '57 will have it. What rear end ratio does it have ?
.
I haven't found any parts cars yet, but I am looking. It took me close to 60 years to find a 49-50 Olds Club Coupe to put more modern Olds power in it. Do you have any pics of turn signals ? I may check a few swap meets up here this summer.
That's a good decision to make. It seems a lot of good ideas, like these, limited slip, and oil filters, got put on 50s cars and can be retroed to earlier years by bolting on. This, as opposed to 70s emission stuff that usually gets yanked.
Unfortunately these old cars, actually Oldsmobile's in general popularlity will fall off a cliff in the next few years once you old guys leave this world. Oldsmobile's have been gone since 2004 and honestly it's last 15 years weren't very memorable. Me at 50, being one of the younger members remembering how great our Oldsmobile's were compared to the Ford's we owned as used cars back in the 80's as a kid won't happen again. Cheaper is good, take advantage and love these cars. For me, one project car is almost too much, had two, never again.
Unfortunately these old cars, actually Oldsmobile's in general popularlity will fall off a cliff in the next few years once you old guys leave this world. Oldsmobile's have been gone since 2004 and honestly it's last 15 years weren't very memorable. Me at 50, being one of the younger members remembering how great our Oldsmobile's were compared to the Ford's we owned as used cars back in the 80's as a kid won't happen again. Cheaper is good, take advantage and love these cars. For me, one project car is almost too much, had two, never again.
Until we "kick the bucket" and pass away, we'll keep driving what we want. Oh, and you may not live as long as we have !
Great car, Charlie! Love the gently worn old paint and pitted chrome. The carb and oil-bath air cleaner are wonderful too. I always enjoy seeing the evolutionary dead-end technology on 1940's and 1950's cars...things that disappeared when car companies figured out better ways to make things work.
Until we "kick the bucket" and pass away, we'll keep driving what we want. Oh, and you may not live as long as we have !
Maybe, maybe not. My Aunt lived to 102. Alot of people past 80 in my family. I might end being the sole survivor😘. Yes, drive whatever you want, good part is, they may get cheaper every year, so you can buy more.
Well,
I'm' still waiting. The problem was I contracted with Navi
They quote you a very cheap price, but then they must find a trucker that's either stupid or desperate enough to haul it for that price,
Could take days, probably take weeks, might even take months
After I figured this out, I fired them.
I contracted with CREE Classic Cars.
They were recommended by my salesman at Gateway.
Let's hope I have better luck.
Sorry to hear that. Yeah diesel price is a huge expense add on right now for any driver or company. I drove trucks for years. Good part for you, been hearing there is a major slow down in trucking, so I bet their driver's they use are twiddling their thumbs, so it might not take long.
I know Richard gets to AZ, not sure if FL is in his zone. Busy, one man band, but honest and you know it's him. Dude sleeps next to his cargo. Bespoke.
Not so far.
The right front drum is leaking brake fluid, but on a car this old I would have done a brake job anyway.
I'm going to re-build the master and wheel cylinders and change over to DOT 5 brake fluid
Should be good to go until the next ice age.
Ya, I know about one wheel. Anti Spin didn't come out til 1958, but my '57 will have it. What rear end ratio does it have ?
.
I haven't found any parts cars yet, but I am looking. It took me close to 60 years to find a 49-50 Olds Club Coupe to put more modern Olds power in it. Do you have any pics of turn signals ? I may check a few swap meets up here this summer.
I finally got an answer for you Ralph.
I took out the center section, mostly to inspect it, and to replace a leaking gasket.
It's a 3.64, with 40 teeth on the ring gear and 11 on the pinion.
I'm toying with the idea of going with a 3.42 or even a 3.23 but for now I will probably stick with the 3.64's.
Besides the brake job, I discovered a lot of other MAW's that needed attention.
The rear axle oil seals were leaking. I also replaced the worn rear wheel bearings.
One of the universal joints was loose, so I replaced them.
The rear trans seal was leaking because there was an .018 deep groove in the slip yoke where the seal rides.
A speedy sleeve took care of that.
And the motor mounts are old and cracked, so they will be replaced also.
The brake system has all new master and wheel cylinders, as well as new hoses and will be filled with DOT 5 fluid.
( Should be good until the next ice age.)
New brake shoes and drums turned.
Last edited by Charlie Jones; Apr 26, 2026 at 11:59 AM.
I finally got an answer for you Ralph.
I took out the center section, mostly to inspect it, and to replace a leaking gasket.
It's a 3.64, with 40 teeth on the ring gear and 11 on the pinion.
I'm toying with the idea of going with a 3.42 or even a 3.23 but for now I will probably stick with the 3.64's.
Charlie, remember you have a "fire breathin" 303 in there. Does it have 15" wheels ? A set of taller tires might be worth a thought.
