Hello All
February 12th, 2012, 08:32 PM
#1
Hello All
I just joined due to my long time interest in Oldsmobiles. I currently have a 1957 Ninety-Eight, unrestored, a '68 Hurst/Olds, unrestored, as well as a 1972 442 convertible body off the frame restoration in process. I also have a 1901 Curved Dash full size replicar. My daily driver is an '02 Aurora 4.0. I participated in the restoration of several 1968-72 Oldsmobile A body cars, mostly 442's.
February 12th, 2012, 10:20 PM
#4
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Welcome aboard. Sounds like you have your hands full. You have a 68 HO? Original??? Just know we want to see pics of that.
Start a thread here that shows your 72 project. Don't worry that it's already in progress. Write it up and show pics along the way of the good, bad and ugly you've run into. Cheers!
Start a thread here that shows your 72 project. Don't worry that it's already in progress. Write it up and show pics along the way of the good, bad and ugly you've run into. Cheers!
February 13th, 2012, 07:32 PM
#10
Our '72 442 Convertible
Thanks everyone. I attached three photos of our '72 442 convertible. I purchased it from the original owner in 1989, drove it as a beater, then after having enough parts collected took it apart in the mid nineties to begin restoring it somewhat modified. It was a basic 350 automatic transmission car with the W 29 option, AM Radio and air conditioning. When finished it will feature a '70 W-30 455 with a wide ratio Muncie and a '68 3.08 positraction rear axle. I chose the 3.08 as it is an A/C car. I am adding power everything as it will be our fun car. Since I want it to be how I envisioned it as a step above, it will sport red inner front fender filler plates, '70 F heads and aluminum intake and Outside Air Induction. It will have power windows, locks, 4 speed console, AM FM Stereo, 8-Track or a dealer installed Delco Cassette player, tilt wheel, sport steering wheel, Rallye Pac, power trunk release. Hood lock, speed warning speedometer and sport mirrors.
February 13th, 2012, 10:56 PM
#12
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 489
I like that setup. The big block will give you plenty of toque at low speed to overcome the tall gears and the 3.08 will give you good fuel mileage on the highway. You'll probably be cruising highway speeds at a fast idle and not even into the secondaries. Sweet!
February 16th, 2012, 06:08 PM
#14
More Photos
These are of our 1957 Ninety Eight Holiday Coupe. This 68K mile car sat dormant for over thirty years in Oklahoma! After installing a rust and sediment free gas tank the original 4 barrel 4GC and intake was removed. I carefully cleaned up the top end of the 371 and firewall area behind it and installed new heater hoses. (Thanks to Fusick Automotive for offering these formed hoses.) Note the paint and trim codes marked on the firewall. I then replaced a bad heater control vacuum motor near the right fender. It was a tight workplace. I replaced some of the dry rotted heater control vacuum hoses too. Again a tight fit under the dash and thru the firewall. Then the restored J2 was bolted in place. New steel vacuum and fuel lines were formed and installed. Thanks to the '57 Chapter members who found and published rare set of 8 assembly manual type drawings of the J2. These drawings were the key to getting it all right. After all the hoses, belts and other various parte were installed I changed the oil and filter using one quart of Marvel Mystery oil in the mix. After the first fire up the points and timming were adjusted, but the heat riser valve was stuck open causing a problem for the choke to operate pooperly. I recently installed a new heat riser valve and await warmer weather to fire her up again. I am currently rebuilding the master cylinder and brake booster, a Bendix set up. I just ordered a '56 Olds chassis manual since the '57 manual only covers the Delco-Maraine unit. Early '57 cars used the Bendix unit as with '55 and '56 Olds cars. "58 cars used both units too, but with some different internal parts than used on the previous cars with Bendix units. I will post some photos of this adventure soon. When the brakes are completed we will take the '57 on its first test drive.
February 17th, 2012, 08:46 AM
#18
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Seneca Falls, NY
Posts: 5,291
I just joined due to my long time interest in Oldsmobiles. I currently have a 1957 Ninety-Eight, unrestored, a '68 Hurst/Olds, unrestored, as well as a 1972 442 convertible body off the frame restoration in process. I also have a 1901 Curved Dash full size replicar. My daily driver is an '02 Aurora 4.0. I participated in the restoration of several 1968-72 Oldsmobile A body cars, mostly 442's.
If so I sent someone your way earlier this week on a 68 H/O question
February 17th, 2012, 09:48 AM
#19
Oldsdruid
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Southside Vajenya
Posts: 10,554
February 17th, 2012, 04:08 PM
#20
A little history
Hello again,
I have loved Oldsmobiles since I was a little kid. My Dad work for Hollingshead Oldsmobile in Chicago from 1949 to 1963. He had a pretty fast '57 Super 88 Holiday coupe which caught the attention of more than one Chicago policeman back then. I bought my first Olds in 1975; a '68 442 convertible with a 4 speed. In 1976 I ordered a new Cutlass Salon with a 455 and about every option Olds offered except T Tops and a vinyl top. It was black with gold pinstripes and a black vinyl interior. While I had the '76 I bought a '69 442 hard top with A/C and a 4 speed from the same friend who sold me the '68 convertible. I sold the '69 and bought a '64 GTO convertible which I semi-restored back then. In those years you had to buy what you could from the dealer, since there were no reproduction parts. In late 1978 I got the Pontiac bug heavy and sold the Cutlass and GTO and ordered a new '79 Trans Am 6.6 WS6. Fast forward to 1987. Now married with three kids, the T/A and my wife's '82 Camaro we needed a bigger car. The T/A was sold and she got a new '87 Cutlass Salon. Since the Camaro was a 4 cylinder 4 speed and not my cup of tea, it was quickly sold and we bought our first 1968 Hurst/Olds. Since then we have had a lot of Oldsmobiles and countless Oldsmobile parts cars. Attached are a few photos of two 442's I was involved with the body off restorations. So if anything, I kind of know the '68 to '72 A body cars, and getting to know about the '57's. I like them all, but the '57 is a challenge due to much less printed information available. Anyway, thanks for all the kind words.
I have loved Oldsmobiles since I was a little kid. My Dad work for Hollingshead Oldsmobile in Chicago from 1949 to 1963. He had a pretty fast '57 Super 88 Holiday coupe which caught the attention of more than one Chicago policeman back then. I bought my first Olds in 1975; a '68 442 convertible with a 4 speed. In 1976 I ordered a new Cutlass Salon with a 455 and about every option Olds offered except T Tops and a vinyl top. It was black with gold pinstripes and a black vinyl interior. While I had the '76 I bought a '69 442 hard top with A/C and a 4 speed from the same friend who sold me the '68 convertible. I sold the '69 and bought a '64 GTO convertible which I semi-restored back then. In those years you had to buy what you could from the dealer, since there were no reproduction parts. In late 1978 I got the Pontiac bug heavy and sold the Cutlass and GTO and ordered a new '79 Trans Am 6.6 WS6. Fast forward to 1987. Now married with three kids, the T/A and my wife's '82 Camaro we needed a bigger car. The T/A was sold and she got a new '87 Cutlass Salon. Since the Camaro was a 4 cylinder 4 speed and not my cup of tea, it was quickly sold and we bought our first 1968 Hurst/Olds. Since then we have had a lot of Oldsmobiles and countless Oldsmobile parts cars. Attached are a few photos of two 442's I was involved with the body off restorations. So if anything, I kind of know the '68 to '72 A body cars, and getting to know about the '57's. I like them all, but the '57 is a challenge due to much less printed information available. Anyway, thanks for all the kind words.
February 19th, 2012, 06:06 AM
#22
To Answer some posted questions
Thanks all. I can try to answer the1968 Hurst/Olds question, but need to get to know my way around this wonderful site. I guess I am lucky to been able to be around the tail end of the muscle car era. While still in high school, my Dad sold the '57 Super 88 to my cusin and her husband. It had the usual Chicago rust on it by then, but I would have loved to had fixed it up as it was a cool car. He had put a hotter cam in it, Smitty duals, a '58 Positraction and an extra set of rear leafs in. He liked to street race and go to U.S. 30 once in a while. In its place he bought a '63 Corvair Monza which became my first car. At least it was a turbocharged Spyder. While going to trade school in the fall of 1972 I bought a dealer demonstrator '72 Vega GT. Within a year I sold that and my Dad sold me his '67 Pontiac Bonneville. It had a 428, but was a boat to a young guy like me. So I traded that and $100 for a '69 GTO.
I will be glad to post photos and explanations on some of my works in progress. To share knowledge is the best way to help each other out.
I guess having a father who was an Olds mechanic and a good work ethic helped me do things right the first time. I don't know if I'm the Famous Karl S, but I'm the one who writes the Karl's Korner articles occasionally in the Journey with Olds. The other Karl S. is a pretty knowledgeable person in his own right.
The 1970 W-30 and the 1971 442 hardtop in the last post were not my cars; I only participated in their restorations. I did some of the mechanical work. Two good friends, Gordon Vander Muelen and Mike James did all the body work, fitting up the sheet metal and painting. Milt Anderson did the tops, seats and glass work. Gord and Mike also painted my '72 442 convertible.
Thanks again all.
I will be glad to post photos and explanations on some of my works in progress. To share knowledge is the best way to help each other out.
I guess having a father who was an Olds mechanic and a good work ethic helped me do things right the first time. I don't know if I'm the Famous Karl S, but I'm the one who writes the Karl's Korner articles occasionally in the Journey with Olds. The other Karl S. is a pretty knowledgeable person in his own right.
The 1970 W-30 and the 1971 442 hardtop in the last post were not my cars; I only participated in their restorations. I did some of the mechanical work. Two good friends, Gordon Vander Muelen and Mike James did all the body work, fitting up the sheet metal and painting. Milt Anderson did the tops, seats and glass work. Gord and Mike also painted my '72 442 convertible.
Thanks again all.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
BIGJERR
Parts For Sale
11
January 11th, 2009 05:46 PM
BIGJERR
General Discussion
2
November 26th, 2008 04:21 PM
