Bobbyloads

Just bought one and could not for the life on me find another one any where to compare pricing to? It's my first classic car and I love it, i was really looking for a impala or caprice 68-70 but I'm so happy I found this car, the interior I thought was custom done cause it looks so damn cool. It is 100% a boat took me 5 hours to clean my garage and it barely fit. I drove the car from Minnesota to Chicago when I bough it yesterday and and had a blast should of bought a classic way earlier in life... I was thinking of getting an exhaust disc brakes and upgrading the motor but the car is all original and looks beautiful should I mess with it? Crazy this car even has a makeup station for my wife in the back seat.

MDchanic

Good God, there is no comparison between a 98 LS and a Caprice. Bite your tongue.

And on a car as original as that, don't even think about modifying it. If you want to modify it, buy one that's not so nice and mess with it, and sell this one to someone who appreciates a completely original car.

It's a beautiful car, and in unusually nice condition for an original.

- Eric

Bobbyloads

Tounge bitten sir, I will keep it original. Yes it is in unbelievable shape the pics I posted were in my garage at night and the car got rained on I was hurrying up making room for it.

Herbie

Welcome to the 98 club. Yes, the 69 LS models are very hard to find now. I know which 69 98 you bought and it's a beauty. I almost bought it myself. The light Meadow Green, with a black top and black interior car right? I know where almost every 69 98 LS cars are hiding. I have over 15 98's including a number of 69 models, a few Luxury Sedans and a few convertibles. The 69 model 98 to me was the best looking 98. The highlight in my 98 collection is an all original fully loaded glade green 69 Luxury Sedan in showroom condition with only 42k original miles. This car was featured in the 2009 film, "The Lovely Bones" staring Susan Sarandon. She is seen riding in the back seat then opens the rear door and gets out to meet her family. One of the original movie posters shows Sarandon standing next to the 98. Welcome again and if you have any questions about your 98, send me an email, I can answer them. I would enjoy talking about your 98.

MDchanic

That's a nice care, Herbie - looks so much like the '68 98 I once had.

I miss that car.

- Eric

Bobbyloads

Appreciate that sir, beautiful car like that color. The top is darker green on my car came from Minnesota. That's pretty awesome your car was in a movie. Only thing wrong w mine is the radio does not work and the clock does not work and the sun spot should I get that touched up or any way of getting it off keeping it original? Also I went to get an estimate on putting an after market stereo and speakers and the guy reassured me he can make it where I can keep everything original what ever he takes off I can put back on later which
would include back panel by window and the corner carpet pieces up by driver and passenger doors so he can place speakers there not on he door but up on the floor is that ok?

Herbie

That is right, your top is dark green, at first I thought it was black. I have a 69 98 convertible in that same Meadow green color. Leave your car all original including the paint. Could you load some photos here? I believe your interior is black like mine only yours is cloth and mine is combo leather/vinyl. Both ways are just as nice. Besides your car and mine, I only know of a handful of 69 Luxury Sedans to exist today. There is a silver over black car and a white over black car. The white car was saved before it almost lost it's drivetrain. There was a triple blue example that was parted out for it's drivetrain. Many people are looking for these high compression 455s to put in Cutlass bodies so most big 98 and 88s that came with 455s are long gone. There is also a gold over white example around but it needs alot of work. Just a few months back, a triple gold example was also parted out for it's drivetrain. Pittyful. I would guess that there are under 20 69 98 Luxury Sedans left in the world and that is a pretty good guess. Although less convertibles were built, more have survived of course since they are convertibles. They also offered a Holiday hardtop sedan with no center post, not as formal looking and a Holiday coupe. The Luxury Sedan was the only 98 to have this wonderful luxury interior. The Holiday interiors were ok. There was also a Town Sedan with basic interior almost like a Chevy. Yuck. I'll take a 98 over a Cadillac, Lincoln or Buick of this era anyday.

Bobbyloads

I had some guy on another post tell me this car is worth $3k while a guy at the grocery store offered me $9k smh

Herbie

3k? What? Yea right. You did fine at 8k. I would not sell my car for 20k or anything really. I love the car. How many original examples like our cars could be left? I think maybe just these 2 cars. I can see by the photos that your car is original like mine. Stop with the photos because I'm going to make you an offer. Like I said, I was thinking of buying this car a while back when it was on Craigslist. Which radio is in the car? AM? AM/FM Wonderbar, AM/FM Stereo or Stereo with the underdash 8 Track? I believe your car has most options. The only things I see missing are power locks, cornering lights, the power antenna which would be on the driver side fender, cruise control and the tilt and telescope wheel, you do have the tilt wheel. Do you have the power trunk?

MDchanic

Damn, that car is nice, Bobby.

And the trunk lid doesn't look so bad in that picture. You may just be able to rub it out and maybe have a bit of clear sprayed over it to protect it.

- Eric

Bobbyloads

Am radio tilt yes no power locks. Not sure if antenna is power.no cruise I don't think I didn't see any I'll double check and thanks Md

Jamesbo

Beautimus

Herbie

If you had the power antenna, it would be on the driver front fender, the manual antenna is on the passenger side which your car has. The power trunk button is in the glovebox. It is operated by vacuum as are the power locks so if a car with those options is not run for a while, you have to start the car in order to build up vacuum to open the trunk or unlock the doors. The cornering lamps would be on the lower front fenders. You do not have those. Most 98s or this era did not have that rare option. I enclosed a photo of my 69 98 convertible that is the same green as your car and a photo of the sable brown 69 Luxury Sedan that I offered a 1000 finder fee if it's found. The photo of the brown car was taken in 1973. It's still missing in action as I expected it would be.

Bobbyloads

I didn't want a 2 door but that car looks extremely beautiful I hope you find it

oldcutlass

Sweet car Bobby, love the color.

Bobbyloads

Thank you sir appreciate it

Bfg

Don't get a aftermarket radio! If you want to upgrade to a AM/FM stay with a factory unit. Shouldn't be that difficult to find. I might see you cruising around one day. I live in Mt. Prospect.

Bobbyloads

I'm right on the border by demoster and elmhurst. I actually am getting an aftermarket but not gonna take anything out that's original. They will mount under the dash

Bobbyloads

By any chance you know any shops in the area that I can take the car to? I want to get the engine cleaned and checked out da an oil change maybe a tune up if they recommend it. Do precautionary stuff.

Bfg

It's your car but I totally disagree with drilling holes in your dash. A factory Delco AM/FM Stereo unit will give a nice sound and will plug right in without cutting and splicing wires If you have to have a great sound tune-in in your living room. The aftermarket radio people will love to sell you there radio because that's what they do. I'm sure others will agree with me!

Bobbyloads

I agree with you as well it's just that I love music the guy told be nothing will be visible and I'm leaving the old speakers and anything like the side front carpet pieces or back panel will be carefully stored away in driving around with a Bluetooth speaker right now.

Bfg

Why do you think it needs a tune-up is it not running well?

Bobbyloads

It's working fine but like i said I rather have someone go through it. I'm not a mechanic at all so since I just bough it I would like someone to check it out and give me advice like with my regular cars I bring in every so often for a check up. Guy said he change the oil last summer and only put on less then 1000 miles on the oil change but I still want to change it as well as I would like an engine cleaning it's a little dusty I want it to look nice and clean. 61k miles usually a tune up should be done every 50k miles or so no?

Bfg

Your Olds probably has the original points and condenser system. Tune ups are usually done more frequently. If you are somewhat mechanically inclined you can do a lot of maintenance yourself. I recommend that you buy the factory service manuals

Bobbyloads

These?

Bobbyloads

Also this came with it as well

Bfg

Yes, start reading!

Bobbyloads

You don't want me doing anything besides maybe changing a tire when it comes to working on houses or cars it's better off for me not to touch it unless you want a disaster to happen

Bfg

Ok, looking forward to seeing it in the near future.

Bobbyloads

This forum ever so any shows, meet ups or anything like that?

61Bat

You need to learn! That's part of the fun, "knowing your machine" and the pride and satisfaction of having a well tuned car and knowing how everthing works and what that noise could be? when you hear it. And the feeling of getting it right . And getting it wrong . Busting a knuckle is way better than the helpless feeling you get when your on the side of the road at some jacklegs mercy because you didn't know what to do......


You have a super nice car there and it looks clean enough that mechanically its healthy so I would say just crawl under the hood and look around, climb underneath (properly support that tanker) and see what makes it tick.


This car, as nice as it is will take work to preserve if you are going to drive it. Enjoy it, but part of that enjoyment is the pride you take it keeping her in the mechanical condition the previous owner did.

Bobbyloads

I totally agree with you, I'm gonna start putting away now to buy another car this time a 2 door maybe a 442 to put some work into... but I don't want to be practicing on this ☝️

Olds64

That's an awesome car. If you want a new radio I suggest installing an aftermarket radio in a box on the floor like I did:

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...y-71-98-a.html

No need to cut up the dash for something as easy as a radio install.

When you have the car checked out definitely see if your front brakes are in god condition. The parts for the front brakes of the 65-70 88s and 98s are IMPOSSIBLE to find. If you do any aftermarket modifications to the car I suggest a Scarebird front disc kit:

https://scarebird.com/

Other than that, just drive it and have fun! Oldsmobile land yachts are as good as they come! Mercedes and Rolls Royce don't have anything on us!

Bobbyloads

I'm def not cutting up the dash it's going under. Everything is staying. Do you recommend I change the front to the disc brakes now cause my brakes still have a lot of meat on them that way I have the originals for later if I ever want to put them back on?

Olds64

Bobby, if you decide to change the brakes definitely keep the parts so it can be changed back. If you have the budget and the inclination I would do the Scarebird conversion. A car will stop faster with discs on the front if your car is 4 wheel drums. If your car already has discs then eventually the front rotors and pads will wear so much they will have to be replaced. Then you have to do the Scarebird conversion.

Olds64

After posting all of this I thought you can always turn discs and drums past the safe limit when they wear. It might be troublesome to find a shop to do this though. Plus, I wouldn't want to do it. Even though I did it on my 75 Chevy Caprice in high school when the rivets on the pads wore grooves in the rotor.

You can also have shoes and pads relined. Here is what a quick Google search brought up:

http://www.allfrictions.com/productsservices.html

Bobbyloads

Thanks buddy