When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
As you can see, I am new to this forum.
I will post my project in the appropriate place when I figure that out.
I have a 66 Jetstar and removed the control arms and the steering linkage for replacement and refinish. The upper control arms looked identical but I placed them in a manner that I would know which side they came from. Once I stripped the 50+ years of grime I noticed that they are marked L and R.
Now the confusion. I was reading an article about engine casting numbers. The author mentioned that there were casting numbers on the right side head. Then something about it being the driver's side. So I was just like Hmmm this might be a typo or has the right and left side changed? As far as I remember it was was always as sitting in the driver's seat. So the driver's side is the left.
So what's up with that?
I read it again and it's a bit confusing when they mix left and right and front and back and driver's side. Here is the quote. "engine unit number is on the left most side of the block or head, on the driver's side, just below the cylinder head, toward the front. The pad is part of the engine and will indicate the year of manufacture, " I guess they are using the perspective of standing beside the car on the driver's side?
casting numbers and stamped numbers are not the same thing,on a 66 the number they are talking about(engine unit #) is stamped on the front of the passenger side head assuming the heads are in their original position.no block stamping until 68
Here is a picture for the engine, what I was talking about previously is the head. The engine casting number is in the flat area above the water pump.
Pictures make things easier to understand. When you know what you are talking about it's easy to describe. But for a reader that is not as learned..... not so much.
Thanks for the pictures.
I have a 66 Jetstar and removed the control arms and the steering linkage for replacement and refinish. The upper control arms looked identical but I placed them in a manner that I would know which side they came from. Once I stripped the 50+ years of grime I noticed that they are marked L and R.
The 1965-1970 Olds full size cars use different upper ball joints on the right and the left. The difference is in the bolt pattern that holds the ball joint to the upper control arm, thus the different "R" and "L" stamps. Also, these upper control arms originally had two holes to provide access to the upper shock absorber nut. This allowed one stamping to be used to make either a RH or LH upper control arm. My 67 has upper arms configured this way. Somewhere along the line, this was changed so that there is only one offset hole for accessing the upper shock nut. This further forces the arms to be different for RH and LH.
By the way, have you sourced the upper ball joints yet? They are not available from normal sources like Moog. Rare Parts is about the only source for new, or contact Craig at Mobileparts for new old stock.
I read it again and it's a bit confusing when they mix left and right and front and back and driver's side. Here is the quote. "engine unit number is on the left most side of the block or head, on the driver's side, just below the cylinder head, toward the front. The pad is part of the engine and will indicate the year of manufacture, " I guess they are using the perspective of standing beside the car on the driver's side?
The perspective they are employing is relative to a reference point. That reference point is the drivers seat (facing forward, of course).
EDIT: Sorry, I missed the above thread in which this was already answered.
Last edited by Vintage Chief; Jul 14, 2019 at 04:40 PM.
Just to restate what has been written above, the OP has a 1966 Olds. There is no VIN derivative stamp on the block on a 1966 motor. Olds did not start stamping the VIN derivative until the 1968 model year. The OP's motor has an ENGINE UNIT NUMBER, which is NOT the VIN derivative, stamped into the front of the RIGHT HAND (as in PASSENGER SIDE) cylinder head. It will be above the fuel pump and may be obscured by the alternator or A/C compressor.
Here is a photo of a typical 1964-67 engine unit number.
I read it again and it's a bit confusing when they mix left and right and front and back and driver's side. Here is the quote. "engine unit number is on the left most side of the block or head, on the driver's side, just below the cylinder head, toward the front. The pad is part of the engine and will indicate the year of manufacture, " I guess they are using the perspective of standing beside the car on the driver's side?
I don't know where you got that quote, but the number it refers to is NOT the engine unit number. It is the VIN derivative stamped on 1968-newer motors. It does not apply to your 1966 motor.
The 1965-1970 Olds full size cars use different upper ball joints on the right and the left. The difference is in the bolt pattern that holds the ball joint to the upper control arm, thus the different "R" and "L" stamps. Also, these upper control arms originally had two holes to provide access to the upper shock absorber nut. This allowed one stamping to be used to make either a RH or LH upper control arm. My 67 has upper arms configured this way. Somewhere along the line, this was changed so that there is only one offset hole for accessing the upper shock nut. This further forces the arms to be different for RH and LH.
By the way, have you sourced the upper ball joints yet? They are not available from normal sources like Moog. Rare Parts is about the only source for new, or contact Craig at Mobileparts for new old stock.
I was able to get the ball joints from Performance Suspension Technology along with bushings and the steering linkage. IIRC several of the normal chain parts places said that they had them. But I got a good deal on the price with the package from PST.
I don't know where you got that quote, but the number it refers to is NOT the engine unit number. It is the VIN derivative stamped on 1968-newer motors. It does not apply to your 1966 motor.
It was just an article that I was reading. I have done a few old Chevy's a Chrysler, a Ford and a 66 Buick Special. The Buick was Frankenstein with a Chevy engine transmission. It was my wife's hot rod. The car was sold for several reasons and she has been kicking herself for selling the car, especially since it's still local and she see it often. She saw this Oldsmobile that is the same color and decided she wanted it. So I am new to the Oldsmobile and have been reading a lot.
I already have a 454 Chevy and transmission lined up for it. But now I am going to pass on the deal and go with the 455 Olds motor.
I will get a picture of the new upper ball joints. They are slotted to accept the bolt pattern.
Well, all I can say is that you had better compare the new ones to the old ones very carefully. Pay particular attention to the length and taper of the stud. The slotted holes tells me they have modified a more common ball joint from a different application.
Well, all I can say is that you had better compare the new ones to the old ones very carefully. Pay particular attention to the length and taper of the stud. The slotted holes tells me they have modified a more common ball joint from a different application.
That's not a real possibility now. I threw out the old ones.
That's not a real possibility now. I threw out the old ones.
THAT'S a mistake you won't be making again.
Rubber or Polyurethane bushings in those control arms? If you're gonna install Poly, it's too bad you removed the steel bushing shells. You went through a lot of trouble you didn't need to, making more work for yourself and increasing the chance of damaging the arms.
Be sure to support the arm flanges when the new bushing shells go back in. VERY easy to crush or distort the flanges.
The 1965-1970 Olds full size cars use different upper ball joints on the right and the left. The difference is in the bolt pattern that holds the ball joint to the upper control arm, thus the different "R" and "L" stamps.
By the way, have you sourced the upper ball joints yet? They are not available from normal sources like Moog. Rare Parts is about the only source for new, or contact Craig at Mobileparts for new old stock.
I had a sinking feeling when I read this^^^^^^. And you were correct. The ball joints I received from PST are the wrong ones. The lowers are wrong also. Now to deal with them on refunding and getting the correct parts.
