Hi,

I just got myself a project car that was delivered from Minnesota, a 1959 Oldsmobile Super 88 4 Door Sedan. This is my first time ever restoring a car, and I am going to lean on your guidance and experience to help me. I fell in love with this car, and it's going to be the summer project for me and my two sons.

I just did a once over with the car and here are her needs and don't needs thus far - the good, the bad and the ugly:

The good:
1. The frame is in great shape from what it looks like
2. The body except for the rear quarter panels is in good shape
3. the glass (aside from the window) seems to be in good shape
4. All the Chrome is there and decent shape
5. The car was retired early with only 14,000 miles on it

Now the bad and the ugly:
1. The driver's floor pan is completely rusted out, the passenger side floor board and the rear drivers and passenger side have holes in them. The trunk pan is pretty much gone as well.
2. The Windshield is cracked and will need replacing
3. The engine is not functional. The 394 looks like it was having problems and the heads are in the trunk which we can't open.
4. Rust on the rear quarter panels, should I look for patch panels and weld, or maybe a cheap repair like bondo or glass?
5. The brakes don't work, I have to diagnose
6. The seals on the back window and possibly the front window are shot. Is there a way to repair this or should I just get new seals/weatherstripping/gaskets and take them out and put them in?
7. Interior is trashed. Seats have mice nests, chewed up. I need to reupholster them. Also, I need to recondition the dash and instrument cluster.
8. The door panels need to be redone.
9. Rust treatment and paint. She was once red, but I have to get all the rust of of her
10. The gas tank is rusted through.
11. The body has a dent or two I need to either pull out or fill.
12. Paint.

This is just about a full restoration, but parts are a bit hard to find. If anyone has ever done a '59 I would love to know how you got a lot of your parts. There are not many left in the scrapyards.

First and foremost, I am out of luck trying to find a gas tank for the car. I tried eBay, Kanter, Fusick, Is there anyone that has information on where to get one? Are other GM models for that year compatible?

Second on the agenda is to find brake lines, Fuel lines and the fuel line hose for the vehicle. Any help with that in the short term would be great. To find the pre-bent ones would be ideal.

So far the car cleaning has gone pretty well. Pulled the rear seat out, going to pull the front seat out and get the welders here in the next week to fix the floor pans so I can coat it and seal it (try to prevent creatures from getting in there).

Here are pictures, and I will update you on the process. The pictures won't fit here, but please view a picture montage of the car . Thanks!

Thanks for your time and help.

Best,

Darren

 

I started on a 59 98 vert about 20 years ago , I need to get back into it soon. The interior will need to be redone at a shop from scratch, sewing up the original style seat covers. SMS in Oregon probably has the correct material. The front floor pans are reproduced, but are designated for a Chevy, they are the same. I don't know about the trunk floor... Rear quarter repair will require you to shape metal and weld it in. Engine parts are not hard to get, plan on a complete rebuild. Its good you have all the trim, that is the hardest to find.... You probably realize since its a 4dr, or even a 2door... its gonna cost more to restore this car than you will be able to sell it for when done. There is a 59 Olds only facebook group, you may want to join. Might be another source for that hard to get missing part.

 

I ordered all the floor pans and the trunk pan already and a welder will be coming in a few weeks. My friend mentioned something about getting patch panels for the rear quarters. Do they make those anywhere, or do you know where I can get those?

Also, the rear window seal is cracked and leaking. What is the best way to fix it without replacing the whole weatherstripping and gasket?

Thanks!

Darren

 

I don't think they reproduce patch panels for the 59 Olds, You have to pull the glass out of the front and back. Chances are there is rot there that would need to be fixed if not it is still the only proper way to stop the leak.

 

They pop up from time to time on that auction site, but there are actually a bunch of NORS panels to be found there- from front fender sections to lower quarter panel sections. There’s even an auction for an entire NOS quarter- for a 4 door on there now

 

Sounds as though you have taken on quite a task. Admire your willingness to do so!

Brake hoses should be readily available at NAPA. Brake lines should be available from In-Line Tube and its competitors.

 

59-59-59, which auction site are you referring to?

 

Thank you, Dave. I ordered the pre-bent brake lines from Classic Tube. They say that if I send in my fuel lines they can duplicate, but do you know of a place that sells them direct?

Also, still on the search for a gas tank. Does anyone know if the Impala gas tank might be a match?

Thanks again.

Darren

 

Does anyone know a good company that sells the seat upholstery kits for the 59 Super 88? I tried Kanter, but they no longer make them. Also, do you know if there are any aftermarket seats that would be compatible?

Thanks again!

Darren

 

The Impala tank isn't even close .
The '59 Olds gas tank was a one year only item . And the 88 & S88 gas tank was different than the 98 .

 

Really? I’m referring to EBay

 

Hi,

The 1959 Super 88 is a variation on the x frame, but where are the best places to jack up the car and put the Jack stands? Thanks for your help everyone.

Darren

 

Hi!

The 1959 Oldsmobile Super 88 offers little aftermarket support. However, I need all four floor pans and transmission tunnel. I found a 1959 Impala one piece floor pan from both Summit and Classic Industries. Would this work? Did GM use the same floor pans for all its lines in 1959?

If anyone can help it would be much appreciated. Thinking about going this route.

Thank you for your help.

Darren

 

Forget buying Chevy floor pans , not even close .
Floor pans are available for '59 & '60 Oldsmobiles here ;
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...+pans&_sacat=0

 

Hi Charlie,

Thanks for the tip. However, I ordered these, and they do not fit. The Impala floor pans seem like a closer match judging from the specs and similarities.

 

I used the Chevy floor pans for the front of my 59 98. These were not the full front but the individual pans. I would say the ones I got were pretty close to originals. I also used one rear Chevy floor pan. Since my car is a 98 with a longer wheelbase I had to lengthen the pan as it was short. If I remember right also the pan was not quite as deep as original. But I can say overall they worked for me. I cannot say anything about a full pan....