Hello fellow Olds enthusiasts! My name is Terry and I hail from Two Harbors, MN. I am here to learn as much as I can about my finally full time hobby....my grandfathers 1955 Olds Rocket 88 Holiday 2 door hardtop. I went to pick this car up with my grandfather in Chicago years ago and in my grandfathers words was the only person to care about it other than him. This is why when he passed away he left it to me. The car was in the process of having the final body panels put on when he passed. I love this car and plan on keeping it in the family until I pass it on to my grandson. I am 29 years old so I will have a lot of memories to share until then. I know the way it came out of paint was my grandfathers wishes, it doesn't have the powder blue paint anymore, so I am in search of my own 55 Olds. I love the 55 because it doesn't have the split face grille. I am looking at a roller right now and just bought a 324 with a transmission for 100 bucks, thank you craigslist!

I hope to meet and share many stories and drives with some great people and cars from this, and keep "Grandpa's Olds" on the road just like he would want it.

Thank You,
Terry

 

That is a great story. Did you grand father get to see it in paint ?

We need pic's many pic's.

Gene

 

Unfortunately he never saw it done. I haven't even seen it "fully" finished yet due to the transmission needing a rebuild. I will have lots of pictures to come! This thing was all decked out, ad the auto dim headlight unit and he even started to gather parts for the continental tire package. Lots of work went into this car but not to be a trailer baby. It isn't a full resto, but really close!


edit: I see this as the first of many Olds in my future!

 

Welcome aboard,there is a ton of available knowledge on this board so don't be afraid to ask questions. Also we love to see cars with a family story / history and of coarse I love anything about fifties Old's. When you can please post a few pictures. Lost in the fifties hope to find you there also.....Tedd

 

Thanks Tedd, I love the 50's! I am looking forward to back to the fifties in my state headed up by the Minnesota Street Rod Association.

http://www.msra.com/

 

Couldn't get any pics to upload into my album here so I guess I will place them here for now.

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Well I have egg on my face, I was led to believe this was an 88 and the rear view shows 98. I guess since the car has been at the body shop for over 2 years I forgot which it was. I guess without the original frost blue paint I thought otherwise.

 

Sorry to hear about your grandfather. Very nice car!

 

That is one super nice Holiday, better than a 88 any day. Also your floors look as though they are rust free and in perfect shape. I just noticed the master cylinder on the firewall, has the brake system been changed to something modern the master cylinder seems odd for an original, but I have never had a 98? Great story great car...Tedd

 

What a nice ride!

 

Thanks, my family is glad to keep something so dear to my grandfathers past. I think I can scan some pics of him back in the fifties!

My grandfather had replaced some of the floor himself and when he couldn't go further with the floor he decided to pay someone to finish the car. The MC original, I guess the 98's were really special.

I have learned a lot in this little time googling, but now I feel I should start collecting a small library of old books.

 

Ended up getting some pics of my grandpas previous olds and one of an old Ford he rebuilt in high school. My wife will scan them then send them to my email. Pretty cool stuff. I also picked up a 1:24 diecast from welly off of ebay of a 1955 Olds super 88. It look almost identical to my grandpas 98. Pics will come soon!

 

Very nice. can hardly wait to see it complete

 

Been having some technical difficulties with the wifes laptop. I will hopefully getting pics this weekend up that were scanned.

 

x2

Welcome!

 

What a neat OLDsmobile

 

Well im finally back! I had some tough times with not having a job for a few months and now getting back on my feet. The car is still not with us yet and we asked for it's delivery 2 months ago. Pretty sad it has come down to him telling us he is too busy to deliver a car that spent 3 years at his shop and never needed to wait on a single payment.

I will have pictures when it gets delivered!!

 

Car got delivered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I shed a few tears for my grandpa and am excited to start the final steps of the resto. The battery needs to be swapped out so no driving or pics with good light.

Be back tomorrow to fill the photo gallery

 

Glad to hear, can't wait for the pic's.

 

welcome from stillwater . Nice looking car should bring mile's of Smiles when done.

 

Great story and a nice Olds.
X2 on the pics.

 

Thanks guys! Hoping to go on plenty of cruises with my family and car guys from all around. Today was a big day for the family with lots of emotions tied up with this car.

For now, until my dad and I get our shop built later this year, the car sits in my grandma and grandpa's garage locked up.

 

Went to my Grandparents house today with my wife and drove the car for the first time ever. My face hurt so bad from smiling lol. I only drove it 2 blocks haha. I have a few things to fix but can't wait to start making the car safe to drive, reliable and open to the family to enjoy.

I was turning around to head back to my grandparents and wouldn't you know the front fiesta spinner hubcap fell off and stared rolling down the street haha. This doesn't have a working parking brake right now so I had to have the wife jump out and chase it down. She was so happy to see me happy that she didn't mind helping out.

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Beautiful!

 

The guy who did the work has had cars in national auctions like barret Jackson. Full soda blast and lead work. Absolutely unbelievable body work.

My grandma just keeps saying to us "It's home."

 

X2
Congrats

 

Well time to finish off the resto! I guess a build thread is in order now.


Thanks for having me guys.

 

Very fine looking auto. I hope to see it around. Will you be able to make it to Hugo, MN, for the State Olds Show in August?

 

Unfortunately August is not an option due to 3 weddings and a house being built lol. I am looking at going to the quad state olds show in the dells in September. I do not think the car will be with though. I'm not going far with the car this year with paranoia sitting shotgun in my mind.

 

Nice sharing.Interesting.