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My husband and I have taken our time together during quarantine to restore a 56 Oldsmobile 4 door sedan. She was not running when we got her but she had been redone by the previous owners then sat for 20 years. The guy we bought her from fixed it up for his wife (she actually asked for this car after seeing it down the street) she decided it was too big for her to drive and he went blind shortly after. It sat in his driveway ever since! Can't wait to get her going, we got her running but haven't had a chance to take her out on the road yet still waiting on tires. We love everything vintage and own a few various cars and a vintage trailer. This will be my cruising car when I don't have to take kids places, my husband already gets to drive his fun cars.
Welcome aboard, good looking 56. Let me be the first to welcome you to the vintage forum lower down on the forum list. This is where you will find a concentration of mid fifties owners and a wealth of knowledge to go with it should you need it. It's fun to see another fifties going back on the road..... Lost in the fifties.... Tedd
I can understand the lady's concern. A 56 is acres and acres of Oldsmobile when you get behind the wheel and not used to such. But sounds like it has found a great home.
Curious what you'll do for wheelcovers? A set of 56 Fiesta spinners would make that car.
I have driven it a little and I feel its a mix of my husbands small truck and the van I drive... I hope it stays that way but so far it hasn't felt like a boat like I expected it to. I told the guy we bought it from when it is up and running I'd come back by and give them a ride around town. I do find it a little ironic my car has the largest engine out of our others, 66 Mustang and 73 Super Beetle. My husband told me I can't drive it like an old lady lol. Our eventual goal is to use it to tow our vintage trailer but that will require seat belts and a hitch and we still have kids in car seats so... that may be a very down the road project.
We have just standard hubcaps on it so far. Tires should be here next week that has kind of been the hold up because the bias ply on them are terrible and misshapen. We are in a bit of a time crunch as I have to take it to be inspected by the DMV by Sept. 20th in order to get it registered.
Well it will drive a little like a boat but nothing you can't adjust to. These things were family cars and driven by everyone. I use mine as my vacation car with many trips over three thousand miles. The turning thing requires a little practice (you have to turn the wheel much more than newer cars) and getting used to drum brakes differences is a little changeling at first but nothing a few short trips won't cure. Seat belts (lap belts)can be installed in a afternoon if you are handy but I don't know if they will work with child seats. I can see a lot of fun in your near future...... Lost in the fifties.....Tedd
I just thought of something. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong but I think the original rims on that car are 5 1/2” wide for the bias belt tires. Radials should have 6” wide rims minimum.
I was hoping we weren't' going to run into a problem with the rims, we are switching to radials and I talked directly to Cocker and Diamondback and no one mentioned we would need new rims....or that we should consider new rims. I did read to constantly check rims as radials can put more strain on the rims and make them crack. Did most of you change the size rims? Our tires arrive Tuesday after over a month long run around. I had placed an order with Cocker but they kept extending their delivery time eventually 2 months and I can't wait that long so changed and went with Diamondback as recommended in a 56 Olds FB group. I bought 225/75R15 sized tires
We do have power steering and brake assist put in a few owners ago.
Last edited by vintage_pixie; August 16th, 2020 at 09:37 AM.
I just thought of something. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong but I think the original rims on that car are 5 1/2” wide for the bias belt tires. Radials should have 6” wide rims minimum.
I have radials (American Classic) from Coker on my 54 with the stock wheels and no problems. I never checked to see what the width of the rims is. I love that trailer. I notice the vintage Coke Box (that is what they were called back in the day) and it looks like vintage Cadillac wheel covers on the trailer from about 1956. Be careful when you all install the seat belts so you don't drill a hole in the floorpan right above the frame. Nice looking car. Does it have power steering and/or brakes?
The internet shows 225-75-15 tires are recommended for wheel width of 6-7 inches. My thought is the 1/2" narrower wheel won't make much difference, similar to the 454SS trucks that came with 275-60s on a 7" wide wheel.
I've heard too much bad about Coker radials to even consider using them. Diamondback uses new production tires and then puts your desired whitewall on. Seems they do have a line of tires of their own though.
Was Olds using tubeless tires in 56? If so radials should be OK as I doubt this 56 will see any high speed cornering. Ask the folks at Diamondback to be sure. The company is owned by a rubber chemist and tire engineer.
Have y'all seen what a metal Co-Cola box like that goes for?! And those are common as dirt compared to other soft drink brands. In past year at auctions I have seen Pepsi and Vee style 10-2-4 Dr Peppers hit over $200 needing restoration. A 7-Up hit $450 but it had been well cared for. And I know some of those buyers were dealers, so no telling what the price would be in the antique mall.
I have run and worn out two sets of radials on my 55 with no issues. I've never known anyone having problems with radials on stock rime and yes you can go tubeless and I do though they came with tubes or at least my spare had a tube in it and I believe it was the original to the car.
Spoiler
If you looking for a bargain in wide whites check out this link I've used them on my last set and so far twenty thousand miles later they are good....Tedd https://www.callitw.com/
Last edited by Tedd Thompson; August 16th, 2020 at 04:00 PM.
The car has power steering and brake assist. They look to be fairly old units so thinking they were a dealer add after. The tires on it currently are Denman L78-15 bias ply and are currently tubeless.
The Coke Box is from Amazon, a reproduction I have seen beer ones too. They make all colors of this ice box and with cricut these days you could have someone make you a reproduction of the logo and put it on yourself. The Coke ones have a bottle opener which is nice.
The trailer is a 57 Deville Catolac 15ft. It had previously been painted on the inside so it doesn't have the nice birch wood but I have tried to restore it back to everything 50s. My dishes are even vintage Malmac and the starburst ufo light fixture was for homes but we modified it with a pull chain to work. We have an atomic starburst theme in the trailer so I was soooo excited to see all the little starburst details in the Oldsmobile. We have new laminate picked out for the counters and table also starburst just haven't ordered it yet. In 2019 there was a company that re-released 20 vintage laminate patterns so we are going with one of those. I think we decided it will go in the sliding door cabinets above the stove too as that seems to be how it was originally done. I am also making a quilted diamond metal backplate for behind the stove.
Your car most likely came with power brakes and power steering, it was a often used special order if not standard equipment in 56. Keep a eye on the master and the booster they are the weak link in the braking system.
You might want to drop down to the Vintage forum as I have a tendency to ramble on and this forum is supposed to be mainly for a introduction...... Tedd
I rescued the Melmac dishes from my parents’ house.
Ours got completely used up. Cream white with a turquoise and gold Starburst on the plates and turquoise cups/saucers.
One of the biggest fits I ever saw my Mama pitch was when a piece of her prized "unbreakable" Corning Ware hit the floor and broke. My ultra-Methodist Mama said words that would have embarrassed any sailor. And since I had never heard her say things like that I figured it was time to make myself scarce...
Ours got completely used up. Cream white with a turquoise and gold Starburst on the plates and turquoise cups/saucers.
One of the biggest fits I ever saw my Mama pitch was when a piece of her prized "unbreakable" Corning Ware hit the floor and broke. My ultra-Methodist Mama said words that would have embarrassed any sailor. And since I had never heard her say things like that I figured it was time to make myself scarce...
Those are the ones I have! Even got matching starburst silverware. (Pic before we redid the inside)
On a 56` there isn't much to get in the way (no booster tank) so you have a lot to work with. I would reinforce the floor pan with something like 3/16 x 2 bar stock to anchor the belts to rather than trusting flat washers that come with the belts to hold and not tear through heaven forbid you get upside down some time. On the rear I mounted to the back seat frame. Make sure your seat belts are long enough it's easy to short yourself on the length. Figure out where the best mounting place is (I like the anchor points to be somewhat under the front seat so they won't be in the passenger foot area) and out of the way. I drill from underneath so I get close to the frame rail but not into it Measure twice drill once. Pretty straight for ward once you get into it.... Tedd
August 13th, 2020 | 09:56 PM
