New '59 Olds 98 owner
March 18th, 2012, 02:23 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 13
New '59 Olds 98 owner
hey guys, new to the forum, and a new owner of a 1959 Olds 98. this is gonna be a several year project, apparently. 
IMG_20120308_213540.jpg
IMG_20120309_125758.jpg
IMG_20120309_125814.jpg
IMG_20120309_125825.jpg
i got the car for free, and i'm a firm believer in "you can't beat free". it has very little outside rust, the only bad damage i can see is the hole in the driver floor board. the body looks straight with only a few small spots where it has body filler. it has a transmission in the trunk, and no motor, and all the glass is crack free!! i don't know how to tell if the trans is an original. would the housing be stamped somewhere?
IMG_20120308_213540.jpg
IMG_20120309_125758.jpg
IMG_20120309_125814.jpg
IMG_20120309_125825.jpg
i got the car for free, and i'm a firm believer in "you can't beat free". it has very little outside rust, the only bad damage i can see is the hole in the driver floor board. the body looks straight with only a few small spots where it has body filler. it has a transmission in the trunk, and no motor, and all the glass is crack free!! i don't know how to tell if the trans is an original. would the housing be stamped somewhere?
March 18th, 2012, 02:45 PM
#2
Geezer
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: So. Central Texas
Posts: 360
Free is the best price! At least sometimes.
About the tranny. Since you are going to be needing to come up with a 394 for this guy to keep things simple, I'd get one with tranny attached. That way you'll have a good idea of what you have. Either way, you are going to be looking at a tranny rebuild to have reliability.
About the tranny. Since you are going to be needing to come up with a 394 for this guy to keep things simple, I'd get one with tranny attached. That way you'll have a good idea of what you have. Either way, you are going to be looking at a tranny rebuild to have reliability.
March 18th, 2012, 02:53 PM
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 13
Free is the best price! At least sometimes.
About the tranny. Since you are going to be needing to come up with a 394 for this guy to keep things simple, I'd get one with tranny attached. That way you'll have a good idea of what you have. Either way, you are going to be looking at a tranny rebuild to have reliability.
About the tranny. Since you are going to be needing to come up with a 394 for this guy to keep things simple, I'd get one with tranny attached. That way you'll have a good idea of what you have. Either way, you are going to be looking at a tranny rebuild to have reliability.
March 18th, 2012, 03:51 PM
#4
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 262
Free is definitely good, especially when it's something as cool as a 59 98. 394's pop up occasionally for sale, just be patient and you'll find a deal. You might check at www.rossracingengines.com . They make an adapter to put a turbo 400 behind a 394 that might be cheaper than having the original trans rebuilt. Good luck with it and post updates with your progress.
March 18th, 2012, 05:09 PM
#6
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,142
There is a tag in the side of the transmission. It should say Hydramatic on it and some numbers below that. I find out what numbers it should start with ( think it should read like 59-XXXX) It's found on the drivers side on the case. You could probably find a turn key rebuilt 394 for $2300 if it was the year 1983. Get ready to spend some serious money on parts for the 394
March 18th, 2012, 07:31 PM
#7
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 13
There is a tag in the side of the transmission. It should say Hydramatic on it and some numbers below that. I find out what numbers it should start with ( think it should read like 59-XXXX) It's found on the drivers side on the case. You could probably find a turn key rebuilt 394 for $2300 if it was the year 1983. Get ready to spend some serious money on parts for the 394
.it's gonna take some time, but we'll see where this goes.
btw, thanks for the tip on the trans.
March 18th, 2012, 07:51 PM
#8
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 13
There is a tag in the side of the transmission. It should say Hydramatic on it and some numbers below that. I find out what numbers it should start with ( think it should read like 59-XXXX) It's found on the drivers side on the case. You could probably find a turn key rebuilt 394 for $2300 if it was the year 1983. Get ready to spend some serious money on parts for the 394
http://remanufactured.com/Oldsmobile_engines.htm
March 18th, 2012, 09:07 PM
#11
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,142
Ok- that plate on the transmission should read OA-59-XXXX. The x's just represent a serial number. The OA identifies it as belonging to a 98 or Super 88. The plate is found on the drivers side, by the extension housing
March 18th, 2012, 09:32 PM
#12
Geezer
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: So. Central Texas
Posts: 360
Battman79 where are you located? If we all knew we might be able to put you on to an engine and trim parts at dollar amounts that might not fill that money pit you mentioned.
59-59-59 is right about 394s being costly to maintain/rebuild but the good news is unlike a lot of engines of the time period most parts are quite plentiful including a lot of speed parts if you are in that world. Of course the 394 ultra-high compression engine is so darn potent you don't need speed parts unless you plan on doing serious racing or just want to do a dress up job to impress the heck out of all the Ford FE and Chevy 348/409 crowd.
59-59-59 is right about 394s being costly to maintain/rebuild but the good news is unlike a lot of engines of the time period most parts are quite plentiful including a lot of speed parts if you are in that world. Of course the 394 ultra-high compression engine is so darn potent you don't need speed parts unless you plan on doing serious racing or just want to do a dress up job to impress the heck out of all the Ford FE and Chevy 348/409 crowd.
March 18th, 2012, 09:51 PM
#13
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 229
Welcome to Classic Olds! Nice to see another 59 being saved. Safetymike77 had a 394 and tranny for sale in January from his 59. Don't know if it's still out there. Search on "394" in the classified section of this site.
John
John
Last edited by johns59super88; March 18th, 2012 at 09:55 PM.
March 18th, 2012, 10:24 PM
#14
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 13
thanks for all your info guys!
Texas, i live in the Phoenix area. more specifically on the Mesa/Apache junction border. i just got the car this week, so have only been searching for parts for a week. i'm sure the more i look, the more i'll find.
Texas, i live in the Phoenix area. more specifically on the Mesa/Apache junction border. i just got the car this week, so have only been searching for parts for a week. i'm sure the more i look, the more i'll find.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
lmetcalf
Parts Wanted
0
May 31st, 2012 06:23 PM
