CyberCholo

Hello guys!

I just picked this car up about 5 days ago now and I've been loving everything about it. I just recently wiped out my first car, which was a 1983 Chevy Monte Carlo. I had it about 3-4 years and had an appointment the following Monday to get a new engine put in, new rear end, and some paint work done, luckily I crashed it before all that was done! With the money I had put away I purchased my new ride. Its a 1973 Omega with a 1968 Rocket 350. The car is all original except for a brand new Quadrajet carb and an exhaust, as well as air shocks on the back. Its a 3 speed column shift so I'm assuming its a TH350 transmission? The car goes good, especially compared to my Monte with highway gears, it had a 2.19 rear end if you can believe that! The tallest rear end ever put in a G-Body. Plans are to keep it all original, the original radio works but the speaker sounds crackly and buzzy and you can't make out anything, I'm guessing the speaker its self is blown or perhaps a wiring issue? I'd like to get that fixed as using the original radio would be cool as hell but I've been told the dash speaker is a pain in the *** to get at.

The car is a lot of fun and I've already lost track of the amount of thumbs up, people yelling "Nice Car!", or people coming up to me to talk about it. I'm looking at doing some basic engine work to wake it up a bit, an intake manifold, cam, and better distributor and plug wires, as well as a shift kit. But other than that I'll just be focusing on cleaning it up and doing the few small things it needs here and there. This is my first Olds and I love it, and I'm only 22 and thought it would be a long time before I owned a late 60s/early 70s "muscle car". Its something a bit different and all the badges have been shaved so people have no idea what the hell it is, and personally I like the looks better than a Nova.

Anyways heres what you guys are probably dying for, pictures! Sorry they are crappy phone pictures.

73omega71

welcome to the site. thats a nice looking omega i have a 73 as well doesnt look quite that good yet tho lol to answer your question yes it should be a th 350 tranny.....and i get the same reaction from people with mine they are definatly attention grabbers lol and yes they do look better than the nova

citcapp

Looks like a nice ride. What part of the country you from?

CyberCholo

I'm in Surrey, British Columbia, which is about a 40 minute drive on the highway away from downtown Vancouver, although that depends on traffic, late at night you can do it in a fair bit less time than that haha. I was born here and have lived here my whole life. There is a decent car culture here and some awesome roads if you can find where they are hiding haha. 73omega you ride looks nice, but I've got to say I'm not a big fan of vinyl roofs.

73omega71

its not vinyl lol its was painted black to look like a vinyl not by me tho

CyberCholo

Haha thats better in my opinion, and its much easier to change down the road. I've never removed a vinyl roof but I imagine its a lot of work.

73omega71

lol it is a lot of work did one back in my younger days with my dad and im planning on painting my omega later this fall after it cools off to hot down here in florida to try and work lol

CyberCholo

Nice, any idea what colour?

I've got some stuff planned for the Omega once I sell my dads 1992 RX7 Twin Turbo he left to me when he passed, the car needs a lot of work and I simply cant afford to keep a car like that on the road and compared to my Monte or the Omega working on it is like working on a fighter jet. I'd rather have a car thats just as cool if not cooler in my opinion but cheap and easy to maintain. Whenever people mention gas for these cars I always tell them you make a lot of it up by parts being everywhere and cheap and being able to do the work yourself easily. If I cant do it I have a local mechanic who runs a small independent shop who is an older guy and knows older cars well and is super honest and fair with his pricing, although I'll admit thats fairly rare.

So far this is what I've got planned to warm her up a bit...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/edl-3711
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mel-cl-soc-9
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pnx-d7110801
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/msd-31353

The only thing the car needs is a set of front shocks as the current ones are toast so I'm going to grab these or something like them, unless someone knows a better affordable set for a daily driver where I also want fair performance.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/kyb-kg4515

As well as a set of intake manifold bolts and a water neck gasket as I might as well replace them while I'm in there.

Apart from that stuff I'll probably just get some basic work on the heads done at a local place that does head work and I think that combined with a good set of headers and a shift kit will be more than enough to play with on the street haha.

jaunty75

"Luckily" you crashed it?

That is something a 22-year-old would say.

CyberCholo

That was meant to be sarcastic if you know what I mean, or maybe it still applies, I don't know. I'm an idiot more often than I'm not.

jaunty75

I figured it was. My comment was, too.

oldsmobiledave

Your car was a 6 cylinder from the factory. The car is far from original.

If you want to know more about it then send me a pm. I know this car as I had another member here check it out when it was for sale by the person who sold it to the person you bought it from.

CyberCholo

Alright thats no problem, I don't really care if its original or not more that it looks like that way, its going to more of a fun daily driver project then a resto job.

CyberCholo

Added some new pics to my gallery if anyone is interested.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ile+omega.html

jaunty75

That's a good-looking car.

CyberCholo

She got stolen, but I just got her back today with absolutely no damage done, thank god they found her less than 2 hours after I made the report.

God there are some shitty people out there.

CRockF85

I'm reaching 20, and not many people look at my 72 anymore. Lucky you!

sammy

What?! Glad you got it back.....
Some people just do not get it....I was told (yes, by my mother)that if it was not yours, DO NOT TOUCH IT! What a simple concept to grasp

And, there are lots of shitty people, but a lot of good ones too....

Ted

Mike77

you might want to install an igniton disable switch. Or pull the coil wire at night. If your out in Surrey they will be back.

Mike

CyberCholo

It got stolen from a friends place in Whalley, luckily the townhouse complex where I live has only one way in and out and my house is near the end. I'm also the only person in the area that owns a car with a loud V8. My car port is also directly under my room so I can hear everything and my second spot is visible directly from my bedroom window and close to my house. I have a club on it which isn't much to a professional thief, but 90% of the guys stealing cars out there are loser crackheads who are just looking for an easy car to steal so they can go do a B&E and then boot down to the local shack. I'll have to get some kind of basic anti-theft system if only for peace of mind though.

Unfortunately in Canada if I catch someone stealing my car and confront them with a legal firearm I might end up getting in more trouble than they do.

kitfoxdave

Ah, but the tire iron could "slip" out of those unsafe old style bumper jacks and hit them in the head when they are "changing a tire" Ifffff you know what I mean....

A manual choke will probably keep it from getting stolen as well! Hardly anyone know how to use those any more!

CyberCholo

Haha thats true about the manual choke! I remember the guys who did the hollywood bank robbery with assault rifles awhile back, one of the guys was trying to escape and carjacked an old truck, but he couldn't get it started cause he didn't know how a car with a choke worked, haha!

Allan R

Surrey? Just got back from there on Tuesday. My cousin lives there just a stones throw from White Rock. I remember when Olds came out with the Ωmega back in 73. Didn't like it then because of the hideous ugly bumpers - same as Nova, Ventura and Apollo. I guess it grows on ya after awhile.

Good to hear you got the car back safe and sound. I always thought Surrey was a low crime area?

No disrespect, but your car is a 4 door towne sedan - basically the Grandma's grocery getter of the day. Not many are attracted to a 4 door like they are a 2 door. Although I must say, your car does look very nice in your signature picture.

Allan R

Just looked at your album and noticed the car is an f85 (model 3269) built at Freemont. Your VIN should start out as 3F69H2Z...The f85 was only offered as the Town Sedan for 72, the 2 door f85 was actually badged on the exterior and glovebox as 'Cutlass'. Don't know why. The interior trim panels are obvious giveaways though, and so is the steering wheel.

Interesting to note the car has AC and HD cooling, and a relatively rare option - factory Cruise control! (RPO code K30)

Not very often you find cars with their original build sheets either, and you have yours to prove the heritage of the car - looks like it was tucked under the seat springs? These are great riding and performing cars even in the 4 door models, so it's all a matter of enjoyment. Just think of the bright side though - not many folks will try to steal it. It isn't a 'rare' or even desirable car in the collector market, but it is in the category of low production. The entire front clip and some interior/exterior trim is interchangeable with a 2 door, but that's where the story ends.

I'd keep on driving it and enjoying it as long as you can!

CyberCholo

Yeah I'm not far from White Rock, I'd say a 20-30 minute drive down to the waterfront, which I gotta go cruise with all the other nice rides when I get my car going 100%.

Surrey has a reputation but really its not that bad, you just have idiot losers who think theyre hard because they grew up there, and on the other side stuck up idiots who think everybody from there is trash for some reason. Theres a few bad areas just like anywhere though, 108th and King George area and most of Whalley, but tbh most of that is just junkies and crackheads trying to scrounge up their dope who stick to their little part of town. I feel bad for the guys at Heads Unlimited and their customers, they are right on the "strip" as its denizens call it next door to the "Front Room" which is a place anybody can go and hang out in to get out of the weather, they also give out food 3 times a day, and have beds in the back. Lots of drug activity in that little area, its basically a mini East Hastings, Surrey was the capital of North America in auto theft a few years back though, dunno if it sitll is. The Whalley autoplan office right by there has a poster with the 10 most stolen cars in Surrey, Dodge Caravans are the number 1 which is probably because of guys stealing them for home invasions. I live right by Newton exchange, 72nd and King George area, I lived right on 76th and King George until I was 17ish, then moved a 10 minute walk away, so its my home I can't imagine living anywhere else, also good bus service until 2:30am so I always get home when I go partying haha.

The White Rock area is whats referred to as "South Surrey", "North Surrey" is the "bad" area. Looking forward to getting my beast going though and getting into the car scene around here, theres a guy with a copper coloured really nice fully restored 70 or so Cutlass I see around occasionally and we always give each other a wave, I guess we're Oldsmobros? haha, same with a girl who has a 4 door 70 or so Chevelle, green with black racing stripes. One thing I like about the older American car scene is the people tend to be a little older and a little more mature, a younger guy around here started to arrange a new car meet group and it was full of idiots, dudes doing burnouts in the meet parking lot kicking rocks and rubber at other peoples cars. The last meet they had a few weeks ago had something like 6 people crash on their way home from the meet showing off. Someone put an R32 Skyline GTR into a ditch, a JZA80 Twin Turbo Toyota Supra into a ditch, a guy with a done out V10 M5 got asked by the event organizers to do a burnout in the middle of the parking lot with people standing and walking nearby and then they tried to deny it afterwards, and some younger guy in a base model 4 door 90s BMW 3 series did a really pathetic burnout in the middle of the parking area and again kicked rocks all over somebodies car, people like that ruin it for everyone, I should also mention this was all in the pissing rain, and the car scene in Vancouver is already pretty weak. The media and the cops were all over that last meet once word got out, and Revscene, the established more mature group initially got blamed for it and had to do the damage control.

Also I've noticed police tend to be way more lenient to you in a muscle car than a rice rocket, I got hit for like 20 over or something in the first few weeks I had my Omega and I knew I was in good hands when the first thing the cop asked me was what I had under the hood haha. I had cherry bombs on my 83 Monte Carlo and it was loud as hell when you opened it up but I didnt get much heat, whereas if I was some idiot in an Accord or Civic DX with a fartcannon the cops are all over you. I think an early 90s Accord 4 door with a fart cannon and cheapo ugly chrome wheels that still cost more than the car is the official vehicle of my area haha.

CyberCholo

Yeah if you're willing to go with a 4 door you can get a nice one for pennies compared to the 2 doors, and all the same go-fast parts will bolt in. Personally though I absolutely love the lines of the 2 door cars but when you add 4 doors I just don't like it very much, I do like some 4 doors but those tend to be cars like the Nissan Gloria or Toyota Chaser, which is a shame they never got sold over here. In Japan a big part of the market is rear wheel drive 4 door sedans with good handling and powerful engines. I wouldn't mind a Nissan Gloria as a fun daily driver, comfy rear wheel drive sedan, with good suspension, and the VG30 out of the 90s 300ZX sounds pretty nice.

Allan R

Cool info. Yeah, I stay with my cousin sometimes when I go out West - he lives on Southmere Cresecent which is only about 5 minutes from parking at the beach at White Rock. Been there a few times when the train comes through. I was kind of surprised how the paths to the beach just cross right over the tracks and people let their kids play on the tracks all the time. Love that pier that goes out into the ocean though. There were peeps there fishing and crabbing one time. They never caught anything while I was watching. Surprising how deep it gets just that short distance offshore. We took the kids and dog to the beach at low tide and had fun with them. Nothing like wet dog smell in the van, is there?

BTW, I couldn't help but notice how ridonculous the gas prices are out there right now. When I left I gassed up at Abbottsford instead of Surrey because the price was almost 14¢/L cheaper. Here it's only a bit better at 1.20/L. Do you run your car on reg or mid grade? If you have a 68 350, do you know if it's a HC or not?

When I came back from the island I forgot to turn onto 99 and ended up going all over the dang place and then the nightmare of King George parking lot around 5:00. Probably drove right by your place until I got frustrated and exited to the trans Canada and then off at 32nd. Ya think they could coordinate their lights any worse? Your roads out there are nice and smooth compared to ours here.

Next time I'm out I'll try to remember to PM you and we could meet somewhere for a coffee or brew, and check out your car.

CyberCholo

For sure, those railroad tracks are a holdover from an older era for sure, you could never get away with building something like that today. I remember having a bonfire a 20 minute or so walk down those tracks into the bush and some very very unhappy firefighters showing up after lugging buckets of water the whole way down haha, on a nice day though I'm usually too busy watching the cars though, I saw a 70s Alfa Romeo GTV with a Ford 302 and mustang drivetrain down there once, that thing must be an absolute monster. Its a nice beach for sure though, also kind of weird looking over the water into the US, gotta be careful if you're out boating there that you don't cross over and get lit up by the Coast Guard.

Our gas prices are a tooooooooootal joke, and they jack them up in the morning and at rush hour when they know people need gas. Its significantly cheaper pretty much anywhere else except downtown Vancouver. I've just been running regular on the Omega at the moment, haven't really had it on the road that much yet and when I did it was when I first bought it and I hadn't got it running 100% yet anyways. When I had my 83 Monte Carlo with an early 70s 350 I used to just run regular as I didn't think it needed anything better, but I noticed it ran better with premium and got better mileage, probably because all the regular here has 10% ethanol, and some places the mid grade does too, but the premium has none of that trash. I don't know too much about the engine, it was swapped in, car was originally an i6, gotta check the numbers one of these days.

That King George skytrain loop is a joke for most of the day, nevermind at rush hour! Nobody seems to be willing to walk 100 feet anymore and instead will pull into that loop and wait 10 minutes in the car to drive up to the drop off. I live just up the street from a high school too and that place is a goddamn gongshow at 2:30 - 3, nobodies kids seem to walk to school anymore, I was walking to school from the time I was in third grade or so, nevermind high school. They all go and pull right up to the front doors and the traffic spills out onto the street and down into the intersection, complete nightmare. King George in general is a total joke most of the day, for some reason most people only know one way around and they all pile onto King George. I live on 140th which runs parallel from Newton down into Whalley near King George skytrain station. It has way less traffic, and on King George where the speed limit is 60 you're struggling to even do 50 for some reason, but on 140th where its 50 everyone is bombing down at 70-80. I always try to avoid King George if I can. Yeah and the lights never seem to sync up on King George, and I always get stuck behind some gomer doing 10 under who gets through when it goes yellow and I gotta stop. The best though is when the light is red and I'm slowing down to keep the car rolling to save gas and wear and tear and some idiot behind me gets mad because I'm not driving up to the red light fast enough haah.

That'd be rad, I'm hoping to have her on the road and ready to go in time for Summer this year, finances agreeing of course, I'm pretty broke at the moment, on EI, and the next cheque is my last, planning on going back to school but at the same time I cant start until fall so I wanna find some work in the meantime if only to get the car going and insured. We've got graduated licensing in BC and I've still only got my N which means 0 blood alcohol and only 1 passenger that isnt direct family so I can't have a beer and drive though haha.