Well, we've had the car for 6 years. Guess it's time to start. A little background. We are the 3rd owner. The 1st owner kept excellent records & had all of the original paperwork, she lived in DC. It ended up in Dallas with the second owner bought it in '92 & commenced to messing it all up! The good-power disc brakes on front, 4 core radiator, supposed engine & tranny rebuild though they are original, 4 barrel, new top. The bad-Mallory HEI with a birds nest of wiring, Hotchkis front end, lowered 2" cut off air con lines, crappy body & paint, top is kind of tan. Car is in its original sable paint. That's changing! I guess the guy thought he was going to make it into a drag car. In 2007 it came to southern Indiana, which is where it will stay, according to mama. 1st pic is basically how we got it. The rest are the start of the teardown.
[IMG]https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums/IMAG0274.jpgIMAG0274.jpg
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Looks like you got a good one! The rag tops are always fun, especially in the summertime There's lots of '69 expertise at this site so be sure to ask questions if you run into roadblocks or things you don't know. I see you've made a few posts, but welcome to the site!

Randy C.
'68 4-4-2 convertible restored 2007
'69 4-4-2 convertible work in progress

 

Nice car. Mine started life as Sable but changed to red in the '80's from what I can tell.

 

Looks like a very solid project.
Welcome to CO.
As Randy noted there is a lot of
support for the 69's.

 

This one's gonna end up '69 crimson. Looks like that may be what yours is?

 

Thanks for the comments, I've been mostly lurking around til now. The wife had a '69 coupe during our early years. She was pissed when I bought her a Coupe Deville to replace it. I promised her after we gave up our Harleys that she would get the wind in her hair again. Should have thought the costs all the way through 1st! Body is pretty solid, some rough work done on the fenders & quarters. The pans are all great though, with just some minor surface rust.

 

Welcome to C.O. you lurker!
Looks like the project is well under way. Is mama going to help you with any of it, or is she just going to drive it?

A friend of mine is just finishing off his 69 vert project. Here's a link to his thread; hope you find it informative and fun to read as I did.
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...n-project.html

 

Welcome, Nice Car!

 

Here are a few more pics. trans is at the shop getting new seals & a general checkup. Body & frame are headed to central Indiana next week for undercoating, new body bushings, body work & paint. Trim is going to a co-worker that does polishing. interior to a shop here in town. I'm doing the engine & the plastic parts that are being saved. Many, many boxes of new parts to sort through & send to the various shops
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Thanks for taking the time to document your project. Your car looks pretty solid and that should make for an easier project. And AC car too. Are you planning to get the AC functional again? Also, if your washer fluid bottle is in good condition take care of it. The repops are slightly different and good originals are tough to find.

Carefully bag and tag the parts and take pictures so you know how things go back together.

I'm looking forward to following along.

Brian

 

Thanks Brian, In S.W. Indiana A/C is a must(at least for wimps like us) so, yes the plan is to get it going. The washer bottle is good but I screwed up & melted the cap with a trouble light. Hopefully that won't be too hard to replace. Hardest so far has been 1/4 panel peak molding(found @ reasonable price) wheel well moldings, & trunk "OLDSMOBILE" strip. There is also an "S" & an "Oldsmobile" script on the glove box door that I cannot find anywhere. Just my luck that the wife had to fall in love with a 2 year run & a convertible at that. AAARRGGH

 

I may have the script for the glovebox. I will check and get back
to you, Adam.

 

That would be great, let me know!

 

Does this look like the proper g/b lid?
It seems the script is molded into the
lid itself. The part # is 397716.
Let me know if you can use it.
$20 plus the ride, Adam.

 

Yes, that is the correct script. I was hoping someone knew where to find just the emblem. It's a stick on, & the "S" that was in one of your other photos. The ddoor that I have is in good shape. But, if that is the only way I can get it, I'll buy the whole door. How about the trunk emblem. Have you come up with anything on it?
Thanks, Mike

 

Mike I think I may have that.
It is a pot metal piece that runs
all the way across the trunk lid?

 

Yes, that's the one, spells O L D S M O B I L E

 

Mike, here it is.
Yours may be in about the same shape though.
All mounting points are intact, but it has a lot of
bumps. Stupid pot metal...

 

I do this, too. I always say my old cars are actually my wife's whenever I want to spend a lot of money on them.

 

No, really, this one is her's. She's helping with the work. She had a '69 coupe early in our marriage. I sold it & bought her a Caddie. You would have thought I kicked her puppy! I promised her another one, so here we are.

 

Yep, looks about like mine! Thanks for the attempt. Guess I'm going to have to spend the big bucks & get the one we have restored.

 

I hear ya. Don't know what to do with this one.
I guess if anyone wanted it $35 plus the ride.
Do you think $10 shipping should cover the g/b?
Let me know and thanks, Adam.

 

It looks as though I have been remiss in keeping this thread moving. Job, farm family, restoration, man I can't catch my butt with both hands! But since I know you guys are waiting with bated breath, I'll post some updates over the next few days. 1st the body stuff. The body was separated from the frame after it got to Shelbyville (about 170 miles from home). The body man was thrilled with the frame & to start with the body (more on that later, let's just say he changed his mind on that)
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And the frame;
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Good looking project. Looks like a lot of fun. Lots of work detailing all those widgets and Wadgets.

 

While someone else has been working on the body & frame, I took on the engine. It didn't need a complete rebuild but freshened up just from lack of use. We changed the valves to let it breathe a lil better & planed them. New gaskets & seals. Plus a good cleaning & paint back to it's original Olds Gold. The previous owner did bore it 30 over, as he had told me. About the only thing he didn't lie about. It also has just a bit of a cam in it.
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Some more of the engine. Note that the oil pan was on, then off. questioned myself if I tightened the new high volume pump. I did but didn't tighten the pickup! Then decided that the old pan was too pitted & bought a new 400 pan. At least my dumb *** didn't make a major screw up with the pump.
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Looking good!

 

A couple more of the engine...ready to go back in!
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Wow !!!! Great progress . Congratulations. I have the same car . Thanks for the motivation.

 

It's looking great.

 

Great photos! Keep em coming!

 

Nice!

 

"Body" guy just brought the car back. 1 month overdue & still not done. In my worst nightmare it couldn't look this bad! The one that 69442C restored did not look this bad when he got it. Every inch of the body has waves or dents, overspray on everything, including the cloth top, engine... Painted the engine compartment & trunk flat black when I told him I wanted it original. Even put a screw through the peak molding on the door. Then has the ***** to tell me he's getting a lawyer to sue me for not making the final payment. Already paid him $2150 for materials, have to replace top, go through & try to clean up the overspray. I imagine it will be next to impossible to find someone willing to fix all his F ups & do it right. Guess we won't be taking it to the Nationals. I'll post pics later, too sick to my stomach to look at it right now.

 

Earl Scheib could have done a better job than this nut case. Sorry here this, a major set back for sure... Good luck in your battle with him...

 

Here are the pics he sent me yesterday, before loading it up. When I said what the hell?, he texted & said he was taking $1000 off because it looks bad & he was done trying to work on it. Said it was my fault because I was rushing him!
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I don't have body/paint experience, but from the photos it looks like the paint has a bad texture to it. If its thick enough, could you wet sand that down?

In an earlier post you said the body was full of waves and dents. Did he sandblast it and stretch the metal? Do you know exactly what he did to make it look this way?

There are some members here with body/paint experience. If you could provide more details they may help you decide if the panels can be saved or need to be replaced. Years ago I watched a guy work on a car where he put a thin skin of body putty over the entire car just to get it perfect. Could that work or are the dents deep enough that a thin skin wouldn't be enough?

John

 

Holy Crap WTF happened? Looks like some of the paint or prep products wer e not compatible, or mixed wrong. I know you have to be sick. If it looks this bad in pics I can only imagine what it looks like up close. Keep your head up you will figure out a plan to make it right.

 

That's a real shame what the body guy did with your car. Do you know what he sprayed on the car? Is that enamel? Your first photo makes the paint or primer under it look very thick. Is this guy doing this as a business or just as side work? I'm guessing side work by the fan in his "paint booth" window.

Brian

 

Man, I am sorry to hear that.
That does look bad.
Any jury would be on your side I would think!
As John had suggested, maybe it could be wet sanded?
Copper Cutlass may have an idea or two.