Hi guys, Mark (aka Sparky) here. Just brought home a 64 F85 Cutlass. I have other cars but this is my first Olds and I am lovin it.
It is a driver that needs some TLC and I am excited about learning all about it.
My first question. I noticed that it did not have a factory air cleaner on it. When I looked in the trunk I found what the owner thinks is original, it has the remains of a sticker on it "Ultra High Compression..... How do I determine if this is the high compression 330? Is there a number sequence on the block?
2nd question. Do you have a link to a good decoder so I can run the vin and the tag numbers.
Thankyou

 

Going to try a pic.

 

Wow that's a clean car! Welcome.

Looks like a 1979 version of an Illinois license plate.

 

Am not sure but I think all 4bbl 330's in 64 were high compression. The air cleaner was painted an orangey color. I think too the gas cap would be labeled premium fuel.

 

Thanks
I'm British Columbia Canada. Guess I better edit my profile.

 

That car looks great. Do you have any history of the car? Are you the second owner?
The original owner must have kept it inside all of his ownership.

Gene

 

Great looking car Mark. You just missed our Oldsmobile Show in Olds, AB. by a hair....is was on the 21st. Anyway, welcome to the sight. Beautiful car!

 

That is one clean 64. Love the buckets and console!
Welcome to CO!

 

Thanks for the compliments. The interior is excellent,factory tach, no rips, could use a carpet kit or at least a good shampoo. The body is very good. It has bubbles around the wheel wells but it is all metal there. Behind the rear wheel there is bubbles and the magnet did not stick so good. The trunk has a few issues that I will have to repair, all in all it is very solid. The plan for now is to go through it, check things out and then drive it for the rest of the summer.
The previous owner has a box full of history but could not locate it when I picked up the car. I will post info when I get it,soon I hope.

 

Would love to post a few pics of my new wheels but it keeps telling me my security token is missing..wtf???

 

Use your OCA secret decoder ring to work past that.

But, seriously, nice example
Reminds me of my first real car
One fender said Cutlass, the other said F-85? Grille "T" emblem said F85
Buckets but no console.
Same engine, and it was FAST

More engine photos? - Balancer, timing mark...
Your engine application will be stamped into the machined flat on the fwd end of the RH head:
W101123H
or similar
The prefix and suffix letters are most informative; the 6-digit is the engine's Unit Number- useless unless you have a Protecto-Plate to match it to.

Is carb number tag still hanging on a lid screw?
What's the final drive ratio?

Jetaway switch pitch 2-spd auto trans, right?

 

Will do some shop time tonight and check things out. Not real familiar with Olds just yet, have a few other brands that I am playing with also. Really need to do a major shop clean up, floors and all before I get to busy with the cars. You know how it is when you start to gather up "stuff" in the shop and next thing you know you are tripping over "stuff" and repeating where did I put that friggin..... yes 2 speed auto

 

nice clean car, fellow bc guy

 

Ok, think I solved the pictue issue. Wanted to show the huge difference the cragars and bigger meats did to the look. Rear are 15 inch, 14s on the front. I think it has a nice stance now. Left rear sags a bit once in a while, Weak spring or crapped out shock?? Started hitting it with a ittle cut wax to try and bring the old paint back, should look better then. Plsan on going through the frtont end, maybe a rubber kit, also need to replace some of or all of the trunk pan. Now that I have it on the road and have been cruising it a bit, I am really starting to fall for this car ...bigtime...

 

Back at ya Duncan BC.

 

Isn't funny on how a set of wheels make a car morph into something totally different. Looks great!

 

I think you're right, but I think there was only one 4-bbl 330 in '64.

If I'm reading the '64 Olds brochure correctly, the base engine in the Cutlass (not the base F-85) was the "Cutlass V-8" (and I think it said that on the air cleaner) which was 260 hp, 10.25 to 1 compression ratio, 4-bbl carb, and used premium fuel. This was the only engine available on the Cutlass, and it was an option on the (non-Cutlass) F-85.

The base F-85 V-8 engine, available only in the F-85, was called the "Jetfire Rocket V-8," 210 hp, 9 to 1 compression ratio, 2-bbl carb, regular fuel.

There was also a version of the 330 used only in the Jetstar 88. That engine was sort of a cross between the two above. It was also called "Jetfire Rocket V-8," had high compression (10.25 to 1) and used premium fuel, but it came with a 2-bbl carb and put out 225 hp.


If your car has its original engine, then it is a high-compression version of the 330. Actually, if it's original and still clean, the fuel tank filler cap might say "premium fuel only" on it. That would also indicate a high compression engine.


As far as VIN decoding, you can find one here:

http://www.v8cars.hu/oldsvin/decode.php

But VIN's of that era didn't tell you much beyond what you already knew about the car just by looking at it.


As far as decoding the body cowl tag, the best thing to do is to take a clear photo of it and post it here. People often try to copy them down and post what they have, but it's easy to make mistakes in reading those characters, which may not be clearly punched and/or covered in years of grime.

 

Does it have #3 or #4 heads?
I think the #4's were the large valve
high compression.

I had a 67 4-speed 4 bbl; with #4's.
320 hp. from the factory.

Man that thing would haul.
I put a 4 bbl. from a 69 toro on it.

 

As far as I know all the '64 330 cid engine's only had #1 head.
Only the '64 330 #1 head had rocker shafts.

Gene

 

Welcome! Very nice 64 you have!

 

Welcome to CO! Nice looking car.