undergroundmafia

so i been tinkering with an oldmobile, and it landed me here...
i fixed a heater core hose just to have the leak pop up on most of my lower freeze plugs! question is do i really need to pull the motor and replace them or should i just tackle the job in the car? its a 1960 oldsmobile dynamic 88 holiday sport sedan (flat top). i scored this beauty for little to nothing, everything was intact minus a side mirror ( not functional due to mounted location..) i will post pics asap.. any hints or ideas would be great to tackle this job.. all parts are off and im down to the mounts and tranny.. what is my next move?

added pictures to my gallery!

oldcutlass

Welcome, yes we do like pictures. It is easier to change them with the engine out.

Oldskeeper

Welcome and yes pull the engine and when you remove the old frost plugs make sure you clean the scale and crap from around the last cylinders, it builds up there and stops the flow of coolant causing cylinder 7 and 8 to run hotter.
I have done this on all my cars and now they run fine.
Steve

Tedd Thompson

Welcome aboard. You know I have done it both ways,never on a 60 but I have on a 63 .But rather than go to the trouble of pulling the motor( that is a job) I would give it a try, that is if you have a lift and like to work in tight places....Tedd

Allan R

Welcome to C.O.!
From the looks of it, you've done a lot of work to the car already. The dash and interior looks like it's survived incredibly well for a car that's 53 years old. It's a shame you didn't know about the freeze plug issue before you painted the engine. Looks good BTW!
When I was looking at the back of the car, am I looking at LED brake lights or is that my imagination?

Love the advertising picture/color scheme. Is that the color you're going for?

undergroundmafia

Yes that is led's I sell them I made my own it is a panel 4 rows of surface mount led's they are 12 volt so no need to install resistors can cut every 3 leds has 3m tape on back and the tape is the light !
And I'm already elbow deep on taking the engine out ! Just what would be a good method of removing the motor or better yet how the only motor mount is in front under balancer and the rear motor share 2 mounts with the tranny! Anyone done this? And no I don't have a lift but a nice big garage!

Tedd Thompson

On my 55 (same engine transmission configuration) I pulled the engine and transmission together, other wise you will need something to support the transmission while you work on the engine. At that time your car will be a stationary toad till you replace the engine sometimes months later.Take mucho pictures bag everything as it comes off and keep it together.

First remove the hood mark the bolt location before removing hood.

Remove all the radiator supports and the radiator and hoses heater and sometimes the battery box and support( may not be needed in your car).
Don't forget the kick down linkage from the carb to the transmission, dissemble in units and make notes or it's a major puzzle later.

Starter cables and related electrics, again mark locations or take pictures

Fuel pump gas lines are next.

Unbolt exhaust and engine and transmission mounts followed by drive line.


That should be it unless I have missed something obvious.
Engine should come up and forward bringing the transmission with it. Piece O cake.
A good lift is needed as these engines/ transmissions are very heavy...Tedd

undergroundmafia

well this motor is going to get the attention it deserves it only has 8 k on the dial.. and all i have is time.. just need to decide on headers or stock. i have the idea this thing would look great with long *** lake pipes running down the bottom.
and as for color i have no idea yet, i paint so who knows what it will end up like. the only reason i got the car was because all the glass was intact and in great shape.. the last good plate sticker was 1975 with one owner, still had the cardboard in the trunk along with some ky derby newspapers, i am from kentucky (lou-evil) we have many car shows and its always great to go to all of them and never see my ride.. mine truely seems to be rare along with others,, and as i do more research i find more and more to enjoy, go to a car show and see 100's of the same care(that's awesome) but that one car you see that you never saw before is what im after. i plan on keeping it mostly stock with hints of technology>...

Tedd Thompson

The 60 model is a very unique style and I haven't seen many at shows either. You may have to have custom headers made, I know of no one who does headers for a 394 any more, and after market body panels and repoped trim parts (except the side trim spear ) are mostly a donor car thing. It's a redheaded step child in a orphan line of cars, not much support out there.That being said if completed you will stand out like few others and will turn heads on and off the field....Tedd

undergroundmafia

i can make the headers myself but it would be nice to have a pair of bolt on's i guess i'll use the stock ones and make my own collectors and run the dual out option. its not a super 88 so it dont need the rear fender spear, i have all the trim and its all stainless a lil 4000 grit wet sand and a polish with some compound it comes back, just wish i didnt have to work so much i could spend more time on it,, i used to work for east coast customs here ink ky but i moved on to big and better things.