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Can't believe I hadn't found this site earlier. Anyway, here's my car. Owned since '98, bought from an Olds nut out in Kingston, MI, that hadn't owned her too long. He had a garage full of beautiful Oldsmobubbles, including a special '62 Starfire convertible.
Anyway, I always intended to replace the radiator and get her painted. Well, life happens, radiator stayed put and paint is still peeling and cracked. Fast-forward to Aug 2017, and I finally recored the original radiator, put new oil cooler lines on, refreshed fluids, poured A LOT of gas directly into the carb, and voila... she lives again. I went thru about 45 minutes of cycling thru the whole "pour a little gas in the carb, crank the engine for a couple minutes" before she finally roared to life and stayed running. I may have let out a very loud, "YA-HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" or "YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHH!" Not sure which.
Tucked back into the garage the night I got her running again, Aug 27,2017. Last time running was 2008, and registered properly was 2006.
Now that the calendar has turned to 2018, I'll start looking for little bits and pieces to get some of the other mechanicals and cosmetics back in order. Heater blower motor resistor, hubcap spinner, maybe a service manual to figure out how to reconnect the cruise control.
I couldn't bear to have an aluminum radiator built and installed. It would have bothered me every single time I popped the hood. Pretty sure most of you guys can understand that feeling... had to stick with the original look.
Thanks. I posted additional pics in an album in my profile. I'm ready for spring to get here, so I can pull her back out, clean it up, and have a brake shop take a look at everything underneath. I know I could and should go thru the brakes myself, but if I wait, then I'll lose more driving time that I am not going to give up. She sat in one spot for too long, now it's time to enjoy again.
She leaks oil quite a bit, wondering if I should invest in having a shop put in a new rear main seal, or just keep replacing the cardboard on the floor of the garage.
Thanks. I posted additional pics in an album in my profile. I'm ready for spring to get here, so I can pull her back out, clean it up, and have a brake shop take a look at everything underneath. I know I could and should go thru the brakes myself, but if I wait, then I'll lose more driving time that I am not going to give up. She sat in one spot for too long, now it's time to enjoy again.
She leaks oil quite a bit, wondering if I should invest in having a shop put in a new rear main seal, or just keep replacing the cardboard on the floor of the garage.
Thanks. I posted additional pics in an album in my profile. I'm ready for spring to get here, so I can pull her back out, clean it up, and have a brake shop take a look at everything underneath. I know I could and should go thru the brakes myself, but if I wait, then I'll lose more driving time that I am not going to give up. She sat in one spot for too long, now it's time to enjoy again.
She leaks oil quite a bit, wondering if I should invest in having a shop put in a new rear main seal, or just keep replacing the cardboard on the floor of the garage.
A rear main seal can be costly , if you have someone do it for you .
Cardboard and oil are really cheap . Your call .
I keep a drip pan with oil dry on it under my 54. I think I can slow it down but you just can stop the leaks on some of these old cars. When I park it in my driveway I run in the garage and get a piece of cardboard and put under her real quick. I don't have a lift and I really hate working under a car at my age.
Yeah, I have debated getting the rear main done for a number of years. I think *if* I do it, will also pull the trigger on having the trans gone thru at the same time. Just not sure it's worth the time and expense. For sale sign will be in it while out and about town, just too many things to take care of and keep maintained between having an old car, a cottage on a lake, a pontoon, and an old jetski. The stupid high price that I plan on writing on the for sale sign will probably result in having her for several years. Plus, I think the boys will never forgive me for selling it a year after getting it back on the street.
Welcome and congratulations on your good taste in big Oldsmobiles. When I got my car it leaked so bad the entire underbody was oiled (Rustproofing!) I replaced the front engine crank seal, front rubber trans cooler lines, rear trans seal, trans pan gasket and trans filler pipe o-ring. I also carefully tightened the oil pan bolts. It still leaks but probably 90% less and cardboard works fine. Most of the leakage was trans related rather than engine...
I be loving those Starfires. My ride has to be paper trained also.Seems I get one leak stopped when another appears. The big problem now on mine is the speedometer attachment on the transmission, can't seem to get that one stopped and as far as I know there isn't a seal there to replace as in the newer transmissions, anybody know of a fix for this on a slantpan hydro. Tedd
Weezer, welcome, nice car. You need to go to the Oldsmobile Homecoming in Lansing, on the Saturday of Fathers Day weekend, usually have 500+ Oldsmobiles there.
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Realized the other day that I never posted a pic of my original window sticker, and also discovered that I have the original Protect-O-Plate in the glove box, too!
Seems to have gotten several of the available options, but would be curious to know what it did NOT get. A few things no longer work, such as the cruise and AC, but everything is still on the car, just needs to be repaired.
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Realized the other day that I never posted a pic of my original window sticker, and also discovered that I have the original Protect-O-Plate in the glove box, too!
Seems to have gotten several of the available options, but would be curious to know what it did NOT get. A few things no longer work, such as the cruise and AC, but everything is still on the car, just needs to be repaired.
I think yours is pretty well loaded, here is a copy of my 63 sticker to compare. I think most of these cars were loaded up back then and quite expensive.
Does not have AM-FM radio, 'super deluxe ' is signal seeking or Wonderbar AM radio, Safety Sentinel Speed Warning, Delco Pleasurizer Air Shocks, Bigger tires. I'm fairly sure 4-way underdash flasher was on the list for '64. Under dash snot box and some other stuff is dealer accy. Looks like a fun car.
EDIT: Your option list notes 'bi-phonic speaker', your car might not have reverberator. Not sure.
Last edited by coldwar; Aug 7, 2018 at 10:50 AM.
Reason: ooops
My Dad didn't think I had the reverb speaker, either, as that was a separate button to activate the reverb effect. I pulled the Wonderbar out and put in a tape deck / remote cd controller back in '99, and didn't cut any holes for speakers. I just wired up two 6x9 speaker boxes that sit in the back seat.
My ride has to be paper trained also.Seems I get one leak stopped when another appears.
The big problem now on mine is the speedometer attachment on the transmission, can't seem to get that one stopped and as far as I know there isn't a seal there to replace as in the newer transmissions, anybody know of a fix for this on a slantpan hydro. Tedd
