Don't know much about the model but I'm certainly wanting to learn everything I can about the car.

 

Welcome to the site, lets see it.

 

Top of the line for 55, only came as a convertible, quite rare in today's world, doubtful you will see another one at almost any local car show, you are a lucky man to have one.. We need some pictures. Mine's only a super 88 and in the 20 years I have been showing mine I have only seen two others Tedd

 

Right with what Tedd said. Starfire was top of the top of the line. Please please share pictures. 55-57 Oldsmobile's smoke all GM brands. Please do share.

 

I just got home (Georgia) with it this evening. It was in a barn near Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for many years.

 

First comment WOW 🤯 second comment WOW!!!
I assume it was repainted. No knock there. Sure looks like super nice super straight car from here. So so cool. Great colors etc. 55 Starfire ragtop car?? Continental kit and a light sentinel?? Get outta here. Hope you share more about it. Enjoy it.

 

I was told it was repainted about 25 years. It doesn't have any waves in it, but does have some rust bubbles on both sides of the rockers. But just on the outside skin, not underneath or the door sill area. That is good because the car was sitting on 4 flat tires.....had been there for years in a barn outside of Winnipeg. The owner passed on about 5 years and the widow has just now sold it.

I think the car doesn't need a lot in the way of new parts, since everything is there and in good to very good shape, but it certainly needs a lot of TLC to get back on the road. I drove it onto the trailer.

BTW, the hubcaps and fender skirts are in the trunk. They are in great shape.

 

Beautiful Starfire! Welcome aboard!

 

Thank you!

 

Beautiful! 😍

It makes me want to do bad things to it.

 

You may or may not get along with the continual kit, adds class, and value but they are a tail dragger on every gas station on ramp. That my friend is one fine find. Keep us updated on your progress as you get it ready for the road. We need interior pictures when you can.... Tedd

 

Was the continental kit added, or were they stock in 55 on the Starfire?

Beautiful.😎

 

Continental kits were add on items in 55. I personally am not a fan of them but that is just my taste. That is a very nice car and faired very well to have been in a barn that long. I think I have a set of reproduction rocker panels if you need them. Congrats on your car and I look forward to seeing it as you progress with it. Welcome to the site. There are lots of good folks here with lots of knowledge and are glad to share it.

 

Thank you for your's, as well as all other replies to my post. I will keep those rocker panels in mind. I'm not a fan of the Continental Kit either. So far the family is split on the subject.

 

Beautiful super rare car. Continental kit or not. Beautiful car.

 

To clarify, the continental kit is an actual spare tire, correct? I know in later years continental kits had a space saver spare or were merely styling queues.

 

There was no such thing as a space saver in 55. You got a back porch, spare tier, more bling, and a noisemaker when you went up a ramp, but you went with class...Tedd

 

Great find!

 

It has a spare inside the case.

 

Wow what a nice car , just amazing . Not often we can se mid 50,s here in Sweden on the roads.

 

Tedd , never heard about this , gas station on ramp ? Would be nice to se pic of this.

 

In the early 50s most cars were rather short in stature and high off the ground, remember this was not that long after WW2 where the ramps to get up or out of a gas station were pre WW2 design. You add another two feet past the rear wheels on an already low long car and you will scrape even on today's ramps.

On your car are the rockers punched out (square holes) for the rocker molding clips or maybe it was special ordered without them? If you plan on putting them on you might consider getting them from Glenn as they are almost impossible to find anymore and they get messed up and dented easily. Just a thought...Tedd

 

Tedd, I don't have the rocker moldings, I have replacement sheet metal for the rockers. If you can find a nice set of those rocker moldings, they are like gold and will cost you accordingly. The 54 I had originally had them from the factory and they were trash. I had them removed and the holes welded up.

 

GCH. What Tedd was saying is that the back end is long and hands down. There were and are "gutters" here as we call them. They are formed usually concrete channels for the water to flow. Having a low riding car especially in the rear would drag the back end because it was so heavy. In those dips cars like this would hang so low the car would scrape the pavement going into any "Dip"

So this might be a question for a 50's Joe or whoever person.
We're the fifties cars with a Continental kit outfitted with stronger springs in the back?

 

PS to the original poster. No way you should ever remove the Continental kit. One of the coolest options ever. Like a fiberglass hood in the rear. But not as easily duplicated. Your car has me loving it more every time I look at the pictures. What a unique loaded car. I Love it!!

 

Thank you for the compliment and advice.

Still very tired from the long trip to pick it up in North Dakota and bring it to Georgia.

 

Funny. One of my best friend's is from Dikenson? North Dakota. I have a Fighting Sioux shirt on as we speak for her ha ha.

 

Thanks for info , have not seen this here.

 

What a nice car, and a great find for you. I also believe these add-on continental kits detract from the fine flowing lines of well designed cars of this period, but people continue to want them as their teenage dream car tastes are realized. Look at it this way - You could remove it and save it on the chance over time your tastes might change - OR - you could realize quite a lot of money from the sale of the entire assembly. Enough maybe for a professionally installed stayfast canvas top, sewn cover, new boot and back window.

Please consider the advice of those who have walked this same road, some many times. Resist the temptation to start using the word 'upgrade', which we wearily read here every day in descriptions of things people do to their own property. I think as time goes by fewer great original cars such as yours will surface without having been immersed in the internet school of thought. Sorry to sneak a editorial in there, once again congrats on a fabulous car and find for you and your family.

 

How easily can those be removed?

 

Very well said ^^^^

 

Amazing car! Cant wait to see more pictures.

 

Way back in the day my car sported chrome reversed rims(baby moons of course) and either 50 series or 60 series low rider tiers, plus it had a trailer hitch, it would rub on a speed bump, walnuts, or a candy wrapper depending on the angle of attack. None of that survived when I became a purest. Glad I did it and I never looked back.... Tedd

 

Rest assured guys, I will not alter this car's factory look or customize it in any way. (Having said that, how about a red convertible top?)

I am leaning toward taking off the continental kit if possible, but storing it away for reinstall at a later time. Right now I am focusing on getting it back to being a driver by doing a tune-up, checking out the suspension, and getting the electrical stuff such as the windows and seat working again.

Do you guys have any idea how many '55 Starfires are out there?

 

Hard to get that information due to privacy laws, but only about 10,000 were made and rule of thumb(fat thumb) is that only about %2 survive after 50 years depending on popularity style and make of car. Convertibles generally don't do well on longevity because of the expense of top replacement after first buyers sells car and following buyers don't keep up with expensive replacements. Rust gets the rest.

My guess is there are around 200 of those models still running and registered with a little more being resurrected, but for sure not many. Any way you look at it it's a rare car... Tedd

 

Thanks Tedd. Hey do I go to the regular forums now? Rickey

 

Yes you should,before I get in trouble for running on too much !. You can use any forum that you like that fits your question but in general if you drop on down to the vintage forum you will find most of the fifties group hang there, some joking and a good bunch of guys that know their stuff on cars of your vintage. You will get very good info there... Lost in the Fifties ...Tedd

 

On to the vintage forum we go!