I've owned and have been driving my '71 Olds 98 2dr. LS f/ a couple of months now, and I must say that it's quite a car. Although it's a very big and heavy car, it drives like a mid-sized one. You'd never know that the car weighs 4,700 lbs. (on the registration). W/ the 455 in it, it takes off like a smaller car w/ a healthy engine. It smokes the tires, (sometimes one and sometimes both, when it smokes both tires the tracks are equally heavy. I don't know why this is.) from a dead stop or a rolling one when the secondaries open. The engine doesn't smoke a bit and runs perfectly. What a car.
I bought the car f/ the engine and tranny, w/ the intensions of dropping them into my '62 Ford pick-up which I've had f/ 23 years. I considered keeping the 98 afew times, but decided to stick to my original plan; take the engine and tranny out and sell the rolling body f/ about 5 to 6 hundred dollars and get some of my money back. Now, I'm thinking about just keeping the whole car, using afew other things from it f/ my project, selling what I can off of it, and then selling it to the salvage yard. My feeling is that I'd really hate to see a car that's so straight and rust free go to the crusher, it's just too good of an older car. It drives well, everything works, etc.. All this again ran through my mind afew minutes ago when I went out to get some extra work clothes out of the car, the reason I am posting this topic.
Just wanted to post this topic, as IMO the car is a really neat ride, and I can see why people are into these big Oldsmobiles, and the 455 engines that come in them.

 

If you remove the engine and transmission you will only be able to sell the entire car to someone that has a similar project. The problem is that the B/C bodies aren't as popular as the A bodies. You might have to wait quite awhile for someone to buy the entire body from you. If you aren't willing to wait a long time then take the engine and transmission for your other project, and part out what you can. From your previous posts it seems that you already have a few people willing to buy parts from you.

 

My immediate reaction is to locate another engine/trans, and either keep the car as it sits or sell whole to someone who would appreciate as it is. That said the car is yours to do with as you will.

 

I agree with this 100%+++++

Unless a basket case rustbucket or nasty wreck victim, I see NO reason to part it.

Another engine and tranny should be easy to find and if you sell theOlds, the buyer would be very happy, as this sounds like a very nice old car!

It should be easy to find another big engine and trans here in big TX! Any local members have any leads??

 

I would like to keep it, but I have afew rides to keep up, maint. on two houses and soon a third, not to mention my '62 p/u w/ the 455 to go in it. I'd love to unload it to someone f/ a clean $500.00. $450.00 would do it. I have the chrome f/ around the back window and f/ the sides of the wiindshield, in perfect condition. I sanded the old foam that you see off of the roof which is from taking the vinyl top off and also have the emblems that go on the sides of the roof behind the back side windows. The wheels won't go w/ it but I have the original hubcaps and they're in perfect condition.

 

Wait wait wait wait wait. $450? Is that just for the rolling chassis? If you were to sell the whole vehicle, engine/trans and all, how much would you be wanting?

Looks like a very nice car. Personally, I'd keep it or sell it whole. No point in having a perfectly good car crushed.

--Ryan

 

Yes, f/ the rolling body, no engine or tranny.

 

I'm daydreaming about it...I have a 455 out of a '72 98 and '69 88 as well as a 425 out of a '66 88 that I could put in it.

I think this would be a good project car to make a custom car for the drag strip...take out all the seats, door skins, remove the gas tank, etc. to lighten her up. The problem would be; how to get it back to Chicago and then where to store it and work on it.

I guess I will keep on dreaming...

 

No need for the speech, just part it man. It's obvious that your heart has never been in this since you got the car. Either sell it to someone looking to restore or make a quick buck by parting it,

 

Put your money where your mouth is, and you buy it. I personally don't want it to go to the crusher, unless someone comes up w/ some real money. Just worry about all the different size wheels on that ride you have. I have wire wheels on mine, all the same size. Thanks f/ your smart remarks, NOT.

 

Man. If I could land an engine and trans for less than $1K, I'd buy that beauty. But, then I don't have a way to get an engine in the car.

--Ryan

 

My first car was a 1971 98 4dr LS. I miss that car.

 

A guy called me yesterday and I'll drop the rolling body off on Saturday. The guy is buying it to restore (custom). He has a shop and is into the big rides. Perfect. I'll have the engine and tranny I want and the car is sold whole, not going to the crusher / w/o parting it out.
OH YEA, and Z3d is still riding around w/ different size wheels on his ride. LOL. I'd sell you my wire wheels, but you being a brainiac in the auto-design (or whatever) field, yea right, may not beable to figure out how to mount them. LOL.

 

Good deal. It's good to hear that it isn't going to the crusher.

 

Keep watching em buddy. I will leave it at that you tool.

 

C'mon guys! We all drive Oldsmobiles. At least nobody drives a Toyota Supra or a Honda Accord (if you do as your daily driver please don't tell us).

http://www.ricearoni.com/

 

That is what I would do. I have seen/heard many of an early Toronado lose its 455, to other project car or truck.

 

It's true, many older Buick and Olds engines are going to hot rod projects. Even when the 401 Buicks were fairly new, when I was a kid, guys were using them f/ the Roadsters, ie; T-buckets, etc. My brother, who still lives in New York, where we grew up, told me last month that a guy he knows was building another roadster, and w/ another 401. He's told my brother that the old nail-head Buick and Olds engines are popular in the street rods of late. When I found out that this '71 Olds 98 was f/ sale, I made sure it was a 455, and bought it. I had a number of offers on the body, guys beeping their horn at me and asking, guys in parking lots, etc. I stopped at a detailing shop and told two guys working there that the body was f/ sale and both were interested, sold it to the one who asked first. I really didn't want to part it out and crush the remainder. It worked out well. I'll post the engine work as it goes on. I'll be pulling the engine apart and going through it. Although I'm going to install the engine and tranny prior to taring it down, so that I can do all the frame blasting, etc. while the engine is apart, but it won't be far off. I have just about everything I need, only waiting f/ the steering column, about a week out.