cozmof85

Hello everyone! My name is Darrin, and partly due to the members of this forum, I am a new proud owner of a 1964 Olds F-85. I have always wanted a classic car like a 69 Roadrunner, 67 Nova, 66 Fairlane, 64 4-4-2, 65 GTO, etc. I have been looking around for 6 months, but the closest thing I could find [that I could afford], was a 64 Studebaker Cruiser - which was 400 miles away from me. Until 2 days ago, when I ran across this great project car, 45 miles south of me.

I have inserted a link to my F-85 Photobucket page. I plan on restoring it over the next few years, with a budget of $100-$200 every 2 weeks. After I pick it up tomorrow, and have my mechanic friend go over the whole thing with me, I will post another thread with as few questions as possible, and any guidance/advice is very much appreciated. Thanks guys, I am happy to be a part of this forum and am looking forward to my new project!

My VIN is 804F005322, which, as I understand it, means it was the 4,317th 1964 Olds Cutlass Standard F-85, with a 310 V-8, to roll off the Fremont Assembly Plant line. I don't know if it's a 2-barrell or 4, but it's a 2-speed automatic.


Here is the pics link: http://s1193.photobucket.com/albums/...F85/?start=all


My e-mail address is curiousg6246@yahoo.com


See you all soon

gearheads78

Best advise I give is make a plan of what you want the finished product to be and stick to it. Welcome to the site.

oldcutlass

Ditto - welcome to the site!

cozmof85

thank you richard. once i assess everything, it'll be "how do i get there"... i know i want it to be fast and reliable - everything else is a bonus

cozmof85

ty old

jaunty75

I don't think you can be that specific about what the VIN means. I think all you can say is that it was the 4,317th Oldsmobile of any model made there to roll off the line that year, not the 4,317th Cutlass just like yours. Unless the only series built there that year was the series you have, but I don't think so.

Also, I think the VIN indicates that your car actually is not a Cutlass but is just an F-85 Standard. The second character (the "0") in the VIN indicates that, I believe. If it was a "1," it would be an F-85 Deluxe, and if it was a "2," it would be an F-85 Cutlass. Does the car say "Cutlass" anywhere on it?

Also the engine is a 330 V-8, not a 310. The automatic transmission available that year for that car was the 2-speed Jetaway. I had the same engine and transmission in a '64 Jetstar 88 I owned back in the 1990s.

Sounds like a great project. I find your budget interesting. You say "$100 to $200 every two weeks for several years." The upper end of that is $200 every two weeks, or $100 per week, or $5,200 per year. That's a pretty good chunk of change. If you do that for, say, three years, that's over $15,000 into the car. Wish I had money to spend at that rate!

cozmof85

you are a wealth of info jaunty - ty i feel like i should send you a fiver. maybe on my first road trip i can stop in your home town and buy you a beer [or 9]...lol. obv i am a complete newb - i really have no idea how the car manufacturing business works. i know computers, and football [not women, or finances/cars]. i just learned 15 years ago they make beer in different percentages [and i thought i was an expert on beer], and 10 years ago that cars/parts could be "rebadged"...

i think you are right - f-85 standard. [so i have a 64 olds f-85 standard, or olds f-85? don't know the terminology. but it's not a 4-4-2 right... because its not a 4-on-the-floor, 4-speed, dual exhaust?]. 330 jetaway - sounds cool - since i'm a traveller i don't know, i won't have it in my posession til tomorrow...

budget - i am guessing ave 150 every 2 weeks [8k over 2 years]. my guess is that would buy me an interior, a nice paint job in triple black [still no idea what that costs], a rebuilt 350 w/unknown add-ons for sound/hp, nice tires, posi, good brakes, and xtras like car alarm/anti-theft, window tint, badges, manuals, gold engine paint, cd player, etc...

cozmof85

edit - i guess i am wrong in saying 330 jetaway. should it be 330 v-8 with 2-sp jetaway tranny?

Oldsguy

Welcome to CO. Yes, you have a 1964 Oldsmobile f85 standard with a 330 engine and a 2 speed Jetaway transmission. Nice project.

jaunty75

You have an Olds F-85. The word "standard" pops up when you analyze the VIN, but I don't think anyone ever went around calling it an "F-85 Standard" at the time. Setting the Pace refers to them as just F-85, F-85 Deluxe (which was probably still mostly just called "F-85" by owners and dealers at the time), and Cutlass.

But at least through 1964, every Cutlass was an F-85, but not every F-85 was a Cutlass. In later years, Olds separated the series so that F-85s were just F-85s and Cutlasses were just Cutlasses, but that wasn't true in '64.

4-4-2 in 1964 meant 4-speed manual transmission, 4-barrel carb, and dual exhaust. It had a 310-hp version of the 330 V-8. It was an option package, and, if I'm reading the information in Setting the Pace correctly, it was available on the F-85 Deluxe or Cutlass.

The base engine for your car was a 155 hp, 225 cubic-inch V-6. Optional engines were 230 hp and 290 hp versions of the 330. Base price on your car was $2,343.

From your photos, it looks like yours is a 2-door. That was called the F-85 Club Coupe. Other body styles available on the base Cutlass were a 4-door sedan or a station wagon, but it wasn't the Vista Cruiser, which was a higher end wagon.


No beer necessary, by the way. That's what this site is for. To help people understand and know about their cars, especially people like you who are new to the Olds hobby.


P.S. I noticed that you used the term "posi" in your list of what you wanted to add to the car. Be very careful about things like this. "Posi" or "positraction" are CHEVROLET terms for a limited-slip differential. Oldsmobile called its limited-slip differential the "anti-spin differential." I admit that that's not as sexy-sounding a term for it, but it is what it is. Most importantly, remember that this is an OLDSMOBILE site. Any use of Chevrolet terms or, worse, the application of any Chevrolet parts to an Oldsmobile car, causes people to turn blue and float to the ceiling.

cozmof85

lmao... thanks again jaunty and olds. i didn't know posi was a chevy term - wild. i really appreciate you guys replying to my post - very nice of you. i expect that i will be made fun of a lot, but it's ok, i can laugh at myself too

today is the big day! in 3 hours i leave for st. george, utah to get my car. then i'll be buggin you more with posts, but i'll try to do my research first.

til this afternoon....

jaunty75

According to Wikipedia, the terms "posi," "positrac," and "positraction" have become so widely applied to this kind of differential that they've become accepted as the proper terminology regardless of what make of car is equipped with it, even if it's not a GM car. Of course, none of us on here believes in Wikipedia.

Very very cool! We're as excited as you are. As everyone here always says, please post pics as soon as you can. We want to see your car when you first get it and as you go along with it.

My father bought a '64 Cutlass convertible, new, and I was 7 years old at the time. We kept the car for four years before he gave it to my grandmother (his mother) to drive. Now that was a sight. A nearly 70-year-old lady tooling around town in a yellow convertible. Unfortunately, the car was totaled in 1971 when my cousin, who was driving it at the time, was rear-ended by a dump truck while waiting to make a left turn. He was uninjured, fortunately, but car was completely crumpled from the back end to the rear seat and unsalvageable. But I still remember the car well and have a soft spot for any '64 Cutlass.

64Rocket

Looks like a great project. You do have some work to do. It looks to be a F-85 standard. One of my '64's I had was a F-85 Deluxe, for it said F-85 Deluxe on the dash and had all the chrome around the doors and 1/4 windows. You can buy the trunk pans or if you can find any '64/65 with a good floor pan that will be just as good. I'm going to say Buick, Pontiac and may cheebby should work.
It looks like they have been in there before for the front seat and the different color steering wheel, but at least they did not butcher the dash. Hopefully you get all the chrome to go with it. Just stand back take a deep breath and think in long terms. You can make it happen. just picture a nice OLDS 350, T-350 trans, duals and maybe a later model Olds rear end w/anti-spin. My daily cruiser is a on the column shifter. Looks like a great project, go for it, there is plenty of help here.

Gene

cozmof85

ty jaunty, old, 64, and gear. i have officially purchased it, and it's in my neighbor's garage. it had no title, but it costs $6 to apply for the title, and it's clear [i checked with the title dept]. i am SO excited!

it looks like it's gonna be removing the window tint [utah is **** about that], gettin the brakes done, the high-beams fixed, and a starter/battery to get it ready for inspection. maybe minor stuff [belt[s], hoses, plugs, etc] to get it runnin as a daily driver. plus primer/sealed to keep it rust-proof til i get a paint job.

i haven't set an appointment with my 2 mechanic friends to do the full once-over yet, but i am thinkin my first purchases should be these [i have 100-200 every 2 weeks to spend]:

http://www.autobooksbishko.com/Items...nual/3621.html

http://www.faxonautoliterature.com/1...ls-P10912.aspx

followed by tools [grinder/sander and paper, wratchet set, open ended wrenches]...

also, my roomie has a 12 Megapixel camera that i can chronical my project and post pics with]

any advice/ideas? what do u guys think?

jaunty75

You definitely want the service manuals in your first link. Remember, for 1964, it's not a single manual. Rather, Olds put out a five volume set, with the volumes covering what's shown on the cover page of the manual in that link. His price of $90 seems steep, but if they're in good shape, and it really does include all five volumes, it could be worth it.


Here's one on ebay for $73 with free shipping. It's a buy-it-now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1964-...sQ5fLiterature


Here's one being sold by regular auction. Currently no bids and asking $70 plus $10 shipping. It's clearly the five-volume set in his photo.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1964-...sQ5fLiterature


You're right about what you need to do to the car moving. Go over the brakes thoroughly, replacing shoes and hoses as needed, drain and refill fluids (oil and coolant), replace oil filter, possibly drain and replace transmission fluid (although this is probably not immediately necessary to just get the car moving as long as you check the fluid level), check and replace hoses as needed, check and possibly replace tires, replace spark plugs, plug wires, points, rotor, distributor cap (i.e., do a general tune-up), and so forth. Your mechanics will know. In short, there's lots of things you'll want to do, and as much as you can do yourself is where the fun is. You'll also need to figure out what to do about gasoline. If the car has been sitting for a while, you'll probably want to drain and refill the tank. On the other hand, if there is not much gas in the tank, you might be able to just add some fresh gas and let it dilute the stuff that's in there and burn it through.

I was involved once in getting started a '69 Cutlass that had been sitting untouched in a garage for 10 years. We did much of what I said above, and we got it started on the gas that was still in the tank with not much trouble. Of course, it was straight to the gas station with the car once it was moving to get some fresh gas in there, but we never did have to do anything else to the fuel system as a result of the long sit.

Again, get those pics posted as soon as you can. We want to see what you have!

cozmof85

hey guys. i am still putting everything together in preparation for my f-85 restoration. you guys have given me great ideas to start. i am going to get the manual and tools, followed by all of the necessary basic mechanical parts to get it running. i will add a few things like a jack and stands. where i will run into the most difficulty is the body work [and rust restoration], and paint. this is very confusing to me. i am conflicted between attempting to do any of it myself, paying someone who "might" know what they're doing, and paying a shop big bucks. i think i can get a grinder and the right paper, and learn to prep the car for new paint. i also think i can learn how to apply the por-15 to the lighter rust areas. the big question is the trunk pan replacement and the "new" paint job.

i have poured through forum after forum on trunk pan replacements, and here is what my conclusion is: i should cut out the rusted trunk pan section, clean and prep it, replace the 2 braces that attach to the frame, then fab a new piece, weld it, prep it, por-15 [or similar] it, carpet it. i really have no idea what i'm doing though.

to sum it up - here are the 3 links to the metal i think i might need [again, i have no idea]:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
for my trunk floor pan, i was thinking i might need 1 of these 3 types:

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=6826&step=4&showunits=inches&id=2 33&top_cat=1

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=9858&step=4&showunits=inches&id=3 25&top_cat=1

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=7126&step=4&showunits=inches&id=2 40&top_cat=60
----------------------------------------------------------------------
here is the paint job i was thinking about, just to keep it from rusting more, and until i can get a "real" paint job:

http://www.easypaintyourcar.com/CarPainting/fiftydollarmyth.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
and here is the link for the pics of my project - the trunk pan shot with the circle is the area where 1 of the 2 "trunk floor braces?" need to be replaced... [the red circle shows the area of the 2 parts - 1 on each side]

http://s1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa357/cozmozogg/F85/?start=all



i think this is the piece:

http://www.rustrepair.com/app2/onlinecat.htm?r=ms&p=sm
double-click oldsmobile, double-click 64-67 cutlass,

click the "Details" button for item 55-64-75-LH [LH Trunk floor brace], $43.52

----------------------------------------------------------------------
so... i do not expect anyone to do the research for me, but i am really confused at what i can do myself vs. what i should really have done professionally. especially when it comes to the body work and paint... i apologize for the long post, please understand that i am a total mechanical newby, and i apologize in advance if any of these questions are ridiculously dumb - lol.

any help/guidance is very much appreciated

thanks guys - darrin. curiousg6246@yahoo.com

Othaiii

Darrin,

Great car! I'm starting my restoration today. I found a 64 442 up in the Bronx this past April. I actually bought it from the original owner! Anyway, I brought it to a shop here in Southport, NC where we are going to start doing restorations. My car is a Holiday Coupe, Regal mist. I figure I'll spend a year on it before I get it back on the road. My plan is to keep this car stock with the exception of installing disc brakes. I do plan on keeping all of the original items I replace in the event I ever sell this car.

Anyway, let's stay in touch and share info as we proceed. Welcome to the club.

Randy

Aron Nance

Welcome to CO! As Richard & Jaunty (and others) have said, try and have a plan, and stick to it. There WILL be times when you ask yourself, "What did I get myself into?", but just keep the long range goal(s) in sight. A day will come when you will say, "I'm gonna' finish this!". Believe me! The LongTop was a $200 car 5 years ago; the day I primered the tailgate, I said I could/would finish it!