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January 2nd, 2013, 10:32 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 361
New to the forum- Revisited
Hello All,
New to the forum and am enjoying the wealth of info available here. I just acquired a 1968 442 that is probably gonna be my last project toy. I just retired in September after 45 plus years in the car biz, including several years as an Oldsmobile parts manager in the early to mid 70's.
Of late all my restorations have been bow ties, but I've always had a soft spot for the Rockets, hence the current choice.
Goal for this one is replacing the non-matching 350 smogger with a 455 and a nice, streetable th400. Some simple restoration work is necessary and will help keep me busy thru the winter.
Anyhow, glad to be here and Happy New Year to all
New to the forum and am enjoying the wealth of info available here. I just acquired a 1968 442 that is probably gonna be my last project toy. I just retired in September after 45 plus years in the car biz, including several years as an Oldsmobile parts manager in the early to mid 70's.
Of late all my restorations have been bow ties, but I've always had a soft spot for the Rockets, hence the current choice.
Goal for this one is replacing the non-matching 350 smogger with a 455 and a nice, streetable th400. Some simple restoration work is necessary and will help keep me busy thru the winter.
Anyhow, glad to be here and Happy New Year to all
Last edited by 1968_Post; September 24th, 2016 at 02:39 PM.
January 2nd, 2013, 11:13 AM
#3
Randy C.
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Albany, OR
Posts: 3,249
You are at the right place for Oldsmobiles! I restored my '68 vert and the people at this site were most helpful in providing the info I needed to get the end product I wanted. Of all the car sites I have an interest in (NCRS, Performance Years, 442.com), this one is the best. Another great site you need to know about is www.wildaboutcars.com. If the info isn't here, you can be pretty sure it's at wildaboutcars. Welcome aboard!
Randy C.
Randy C.
January 2nd, 2013, 11:37 AM
#4
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 361
Thanks for the welcome...
I already bookmarked the www.wildaboutcars.com site and saved the production and trim code info pages in a pdf file. Between that and the knowledge base of the long-time members, I doubt there would be any question that can't be answered.
I already bookmarked the www.wildaboutcars.com site and saved the production and trim code info pages in a pdf file. Between that and the knowledge base of the long-time members, I doubt there would be any question that can't be answered.
Pics are a must 
January 2nd, 2013, 07:53 PM
#9
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Welcome aboard and Happy Retirement!
That should come in handy with that kind of background.
So, the sledgehammer approach to motoring continues to live on!! Looking forward to your build thread(s)
Please post pics of your new project and the work done as you go.
Please post pics of your new project and the work done as you go.
January 3rd, 2013, 04:58 AM
#10
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 361
So, the sledgehammer approach to motoring continues to live on!! Looking forward to your build thread(s)
Yeah, something about bringing a knife to a gunfight... not my style. My last build was a 1967 Nova SS 454 4 speed with a Chris Alston front clip, a full cage and a Ford 9 inch. Car weighed just at 3,000 lbs. and was an absolute amusement park to drive.
Yeah, something about bringing a knife to a gunfight... not my style. My last build was a 1967 Nova SS 454 4 speed with a Chris Alston front clip, a full cage and a Ford 9 inch. Car weighed just at 3,000 lbs. and was an absolute amusement park to drive.
September 24th, 2016, 01:54 PM
#11
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 361
Hello All,
New to the forum and am enjoying the wealth of info available here. I just acquired a 1968 442 that is probably gonna be my last project toy. I just retired in September after 45 plus years in the car biz, including several years as an Oldsmobile parts manager in the early to mid 70's.
Of late all my restorations have been bow ties, but I've always had a soft spot for the Rockets, hence the current choice.
Goal for this one is replacing the non-matching 350 smogger with a 455 and a nice, streetable th400. Some simple restoration work is necessary and will help keep me busy thru the winter.
Anyhow, glad to be here and Happy New Year to all
New to the forum and am enjoying the wealth of info available here. I just acquired a 1968 442 that is probably gonna be my last project toy. I just retired in September after 45 plus years in the car biz, including several years as an Oldsmobile parts manager in the early to mid 70's.
Of late all my restorations have been bow ties, but I've always had a soft spot for the Rockets, hence the current choice.
Goal for this one is replacing the non-matching 350 smogger with a 455 and a nice, streetable th400. Some simple restoration work is necessary and will help keep me busy thru the winter.
Anyhow, glad to be here and Happy New Year to all
It's almost 4 years later now, and the car still hasn't burned a drop of gas. I'm gonna attach some before and after pics to show some of the changes made so far.
The pic on the left shows rhe car with a pseudo W-30 style stripe, which is now gone. Wheel opening mouldings have now been re-installed.
September 24th, 2016, 02:09 PM
#12
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 361
Before and after interior pics. There were actually 3 different front seat covers installed, one over each other. They were removed, seat springs repaired and new cushions reinstalled. SEM Landau Black was used to go from yellowed out parchment to black. The dash stripe was gone, so I reinstalled it.
The dash was removed and refinished. I installed Speed Hut gauges within the original bezels. I'm using a GPS speedo since my TH400 has no provision for a speedo cable. Sorry, it's hard to get a good pic of the gauges.
The dash was removed and refinished. I installed Speed Hut gauges within the original bezels. I'm using a GPS speedo since my TH400 has no provision for a speedo cable. Sorry, it's hard to get a good pic of the gauges.
Last edited by 1968_Post; September 24th, 2016 at 02:15 PM.
September 24th, 2016, 02:27 PM
#13
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 361
When I bought the car, it had a 1973 350 engine with a turbo 350 trans. Now there's a .060 over 455 built by A&S from Riverview, FL. Front sheet metal was removed and lower fenders repaired, and front suspension was completely rebuilt. A Jeep Cherokee steering box was installed along with front disc brakes, tubular control arms, new springs and shocks. Firewall, frame and fender liners cleaned and loved up. No undercarriage pics yet to show changes to the exhaust and trans setups.
Last edited by 1968_Post; September 24th, 2016 at 02:31 PM.
September 24th, 2016, 03:09 PM
#15
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 361
Ya know, something weird happened in the last 4 years... I seemed to get old! I remember this being a lot easier than it seems these days. I've had to shorten my hours i the garage, so everything takes a lot longer.
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