My Father's Oldsmobile
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 489
From: Colorado
My Father's Oldsmobile
1956 Super 88 4 Door Post
Hi folks! Back when I was a little kid my parents bought a new Oldsmobile. They got the real car and I got the model car the dealers gave out. The old car carries around a trunk load of memories for me. It was the family vacation to Yellowstone. Me learning to drive. That disaster that was my first date. It seems like a lifetime has passed since then..... Oh, wait!... Yeah, never mind...
Eventually I got the car and did some tinkering to get it running. There were new radiator hoses and a carb kit in the trunk so I started there. Some fresh oil and filter, a couple of new tires on the front, a battery and it was running again.
The hood had a hinge bind up and suffered a buckle when I was in high school. After I got the car several years ago I found a used replacement complete with hinges. The paint doesn't match but at least it's straight.
I've been sidetracked for a few years but I'm getting the bug to get the Olds out and find out what all it needs. Like checking for leaks and see if the brakes still hold. Then start to figure out where I want to go with it. It would be easy enough to keep it original since it's already mostly there. But upgrades like an alternator conversion or disk brakes would make it a more reliable driver. In the meantime I'm having a ball exploring the forum!
Hi folks! Back when I was a little kid my parents bought a new Oldsmobile. They got the real car and I got the model car the dealers gave out. The old car carries around a trunk load of memories for me. It was the family vacation to Yellowstone. Me learning to drive. That disaster that was my first date. It seems like a lifetime has passed since then..... Oh, wait!... Yeah, never mind...
Eventually I got the car and did some tinkering to get it running. There were new radiator hoses and a carb kit in the trunk so I started there. Some fresh oil and filter, a couple of new tires on the front, a battery and it was running again.
The hood had a hinge bind up and suffered a buckle when I was in high school. After I got the car several years ago I found a used replacement complete with hinges. The paint doesn't match but at least it's straight.
I've been sidetracked for a few years but I'm getting the bug to get the Olds out and find out what all it needs. Like checking for leaks and see if the brakes still hold. Then start to figure out where I want to go with it. It would be easy enough to keep it original since it's already mostly there. But upgrades like an alternator conversion or disk brakes would make it a more reliable driver. In the meantime I'm having a ball exploring the forum!
Last edited by Highwayman; Jan 4, 2012 at 10:43 PM.
Randy C.
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,348
From: Albany, OR
That's a neat story about your car and it is somewhat similar to mine. My parents bought my '68 when I was a senior in HS and it stayed in the family since then.
There's lots of expertise at this site for all years of Oldsmobiles. As you go through yours and you have questions, ask here. You will get the right answers!
Welcome aboard!
Randy C.
There's lots of expertise at this site for all years of Oldsmobiles. As you go through yours and you have questions, ask here. You will get the right answers!
Welcome aboard!
Randy C.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 489
From: Colorado
Thanks for the warm welcome folks! I've been lurking for about a week following some threads in the vintage forum.
The two biggest things I need to do first are tires and exhaust. The front tires I replaced but the mud & snows on the back are flat and may not be worth the air to blow them up. I don't like fighting rotten tires.
A Super 88 originally had duel exhaust. Dad decided to go cheap and bought a crossover pipe. One would think that putting all of the exhaust through one muffler would make it wear out twice as fast.
What's hanging under the car now has so many holes it would embarrass a piece of Swiss cheese. So that really has to go before I spend much time on the streets.
There's an exhaust shop near by that did my daily driver and the duels for my El Camino and I liked the results. They use a heavier wall tubing and custom bend and weld a solid pipe from front to back. Then they have some heavy walled, low restriction mufflers for a low mellow tone that's still officer friendly. Then I can drive it around and not get myself in trouble. Maybe.
BTW, on a side note, the Super 88 had a 4bbl carb and duel exhaust. The Jetaway transmission is a 4 speed. I guess that makes it an early model 442.
The two biggest things I need to do first are tires and exhaust. The front tires I replaced but the mud & snows on the back are flat and may not be worth the air to blow them up. I don't like fighting rotten tires.
A Super 88 originally had duel exhaust. Dad decided to go cheap and bought a crossover pipe. One would think that putting all of the exhaust through one muffler would make it wear out twice as fast.
What's hanging under the car now has so many holes it would embarrass a piece of Swiss cheese. So that really has to go before I spend much time on the streets. There's an exhaust shop near by that did my daily driver and the duels for my El Camino and I liked the results. They use a heavier wall tubing and custom bend and weld a solid pipe from front to back. Then they have some heavy walled, low restriction mufflers for a low mellow tone that's still officer friendly. Then I can drive it around and not get myself in trouble. Maybe.
BTW, on a side note, the Super 88 had a 4bbl carb and duel exhaust. The Jetaway transmission is a 4 speed. I guess that makes it an early model 442.
Great story, always amazing to hear about a car that stayed in the family for years.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 489
From: Colorado
Hey, thanks guys!
One good thing about having a car that's been in the family all it's life is I haven't had to wonder about where it's been or what the true mileage is. I've seen a few others here with neat stories about family cars.
Tedd, I've already found some good information from the vintage forum. I've been doing a lot of reading and enjoying it. But I read the other forums as well and jump in when I think I have something to offer. I spent a few years wearing a Mr Goodwrench shirt and couple of them at a Chevy/Olds dealer 40 years ago, so those years interest me as well.
Meanwhile, we just got dug out Saturday from 18” of snow and getting some more tonight. It's cold enough to think about brass monkeys, but I read once that thing with the cannon ***** wasn't true. The old ships secured the cannon ***** in wall racks and didn't stack them on brass monkeys.
One good thing about having a car that's been in the family all it's life is I haven't had to wonder about where it's been or what the true mileage is. I've seen a few others here with neat stories about family cars.
Tedd, I've already found some good information from the vintage forum. I've been doing a lot of reading and enjoying it. But I read the other forums as well and jump in when I think I have something to offer. I spent a few years wearing a Mr Goodwrench shirt and couple of them at a Chevy/Olds dealer 40 years ago, so those years interest me as well.
Meanwhile, we just got dug out Saturday from 18” of snow and getting some more tonight. It's cold enough to think about brass monkeys, but I read once that thing with the cannon ***** wasn't true. The old ships secured the cannon ***** in wall racks and didn't stack them on brass monkeys.
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