sshriber

Hi everyone, I finally got up the nerve to go visit my 62 olds. It has been in storage for 20 years and during that time I had a few dry periods financialy so it spent some time in less than perfect conditions. I am lucky that my friend who was storing it for me always kept it undercover and out of the weather. He could have just goten a storage lein and sold it. I guess that is why we are lucky enough to call people friends. It is now inside and up on a lift. I am amazed at how solid it still is. There is not a single soft spot in the body anywhere and the frame is solid. All floors and metal are good. I think I am going to try turn it back into a nice looking driver since it is a 4 door and not really worth anything. It is an all original 37,000 mile car with AC,PW,Pseats,rear defoger,and posi. I need some advice from you guys since I am mainly an A body guy.

1. What is the best thing to spray in the cylinders before I try to turn it over with a bar?
2. Fuel lines are a mess. Ideas?
3. Brakes are also horrible. I am assuming all new lines?
4.Any other advice would be appreciated, including anyone who really believes it is not worth it and wants to tell me to forget it

Thanks again,

citcapp

Use Marvel Mystery Oil sprayed in the cylinders over night through the spark plug holes and turn over by hand or crank with the starter and coil disconnected. Drain the fuel tank, blow out the fuel lines with an air compressor. drain the oil, replace the oil filter and install new oil. Spray some carb cleaner in the carb.

The other way to check with out draining the tank is to disconnect the tank at the fuel pump and run a temp line to a can of gas with a new fuel filter to make sure it runs.

Good luck and keep us posted.

sshriber

Thanks for the info, I was planning to use Marvel if no one else had anything else to suggest. I plan on dropping the tank and running it in the shop on external fuel supply. I was going to also rebuid the carb before I tried to fire it. What are your thoughts on the trans?

citcapp

Run it through the gears to make sure it works. Then drain all of the fluid and refill with new.

jensenracing77

for the trans, i would pull the pan off and drain it first. i think the filter is hard to find. i had a 62 dynamic 88 and the trans fluid turned to a crusty like stuff all over the valve body. i cleaned it and cleaned out the filter (i know sounds bad, but i could not find a filter without getting an entire rebuild kit). i add new fluid just to see if it would work and it worked like a new one. mine sat almost 20 years before i got it. for the brakes. i found wheel cylinder rebuild kits in stock at napa. i think they were only about $15 for all 4. i would rebuild all 4 wheel cylinders and master cylinder. you may find that you need to drip some gas in the fuel line from the carb down to the pump. this will soften the diaphragm a little before you try to start it. good luck

jensenracing77

be glad you have bumpers. it took me forever to find them.

rocketraider

Do my eyes deceive me, or is that a factory air, PW PSeat car with radio delete?

If you like the car, treat it to a driver quality cosmetic refurb and the hell with the money or what anyone else thinks.

sshriber

Thanks for the input. It is an AC car with radio delete. Car has lots of options but no radio. I remember riding around as a kid wondering where the radio was. I am hoping the bumpers will rechrome. they are pretty rough. Anybody know a good place to have the bumbers replated. They seem huge!

cutlassgal

Hey there - you're in Akron? I'm in Twinsburg. Someone told me at a show a couple months ago that Blackburns Wheels and Hubcaps on Freeway Drive in Macedonia are now doing bumper rechrome jobs. He said he had a couple done there. Not cheap, but he was pleased. Of course he has a 57 Chevy!! Might be worth giving them a call, as they're not far away.

jensenracing77

that big front bumper is two pieces. it will be like having 3 of them done for front and back.

2blu442

Steve, good to see your planning to work on your 4 door. Even though it won't have the resale value of your convertible it will still be a nice car that will turn heads John

sshriber

Hey John, how was your summer. I hope you got some of those engines moved around. I think I am excited about getting the 4 door going???? I do need to get a hub cap for it. They are the goofiest thing I have ever seen. They have these clips that allow them to pull about 2 inched from the wheel. Also, whats up with the lug nuts on the drivers side of the car being opposite thread?Some olds exclusive I suppose? Scott

citcapp

I believe all american cars up until the late 60's or early 70's had left hand threads on the drivers side. The tapered nut and wheel design did away with the left hand threads if I remember correctly.

2blu442

Hello Scott
My summer was hectic at work which means I didn't have as much time to work on the cars as I'd hoped to. Also I'm still distracted pulling parts from dead cars. I bought a 1973 Olds 98 for the engine, then started looking at all the other good parts that someone may want before it goes to the scrap yard. Last week a buddy who hauls scrap metal calls to say he found a 1969 Cutlass and asks if I want to go over it for parts before it goes to the melting pot. I had to say yes, but that's time I won't have to work on one of my projects. That's the tug I struggle with, as well as having too much treasure and not enough room for it all!!!

On another note, my daily driver now is a 1967 Cutlass 4 door and I'm surprised at all the positive comments I get on it. There are so few of these older cars on the road now that a nice example of any model is noticed and admired.

It's good hearing from you Scott. Keep us posted on the progress of your full sized 4 door! John

sshriber

Ok got to work on the 62 more today. I have posted pics. We were able to get the underside scraped off pretty well. All very solid. Car was undercoated and that probably saved it. Lots of rust under there but no holes anywhere. Underhood not such a good story. We got plugs out without a hitch. Started the PB Blaster and Marvel Oil soaking in the cylinders. Took off the Shroud,Fan and the radiator. That was not fun, but gave us room to get a bar on the crank bolt. Wow that bolt is an inch and an 1/8th. 2 foot bar and 3 feet of pipe and the engine will not turn. My plan is to keep soaking for about 2 weeks and try again. I have used 2 cans of PB and 2 qts of Marvel. Cylinders do not seem full yet or even close. I plan to keep adding.

Do you guys have any ideas? I am somewhat afraid of breaking the bolt, but it seems like a huge one. I have done this once before on a BBChevy and I remeber standing on a 6 foot pipe to get it to finally rotate. That was a much smaller bolt. That engine did live. I would welcome any ideas. Thanks

rocketraider

Whatever do you mean? They made perfect sense to Oldsmobile from 1957-63. The idea was to hide the "unsightly" valve stems on full wheelcover equipped cars. Ehhh, yeah. Den whyn't naboddy else use 'em?

Ya gotta give it to the engineers who designed them. Even though the car wouldn't be quite as dressy without its big spinner caps, 1962 dogbowls and trim rings would set it off nice too and not be half as aggravating to deal with. 59-64 Olds dogbowls were nice looking wheel treatments- didn't look cheap and low-line like a lot of cars' standard hubcaps.

But sounds like you have bigger fish to fry right now getting that 394 unstuck.

sshriber

Update, After following ideas from some guys over on the engine forum, I have gotten the engine to free up. I still have to get the distributor out, but just having the engine free makes me think there is hope for the old girl. I think I am going to bring it home for the winter so I can work on it when a free moment arises. I will take pics and probably start a thread in major projects, because it surely is one. Thanks for the encouragement.