grantpo

Hello new guy here from Baton Rouge, La. Been lurking around the forum for a while and searching google but no luck on the answere im after so here it is.

I've been given the chance to get a 71 Ninety Eight 4dr. for free but it is in Southeast Texas (600 miles away) been sitting since 1977. It's the orginal owner who is giving it to me and says nothing was wrong with it when parked, he just wanted a truck. It is rust free and complete just been sitting for a LONG time. My question is it does have some body damge from an accident where the passenger front door and passenger front fender was damaged. Nothing serious but was wondering what other year 98's would work as donor cars. I know where a 73 98 is sitting in a junk yard.

My plans for it would be to be used to hual my 1974 Nova to and from the strip and the occasional mafia hit job. lol, I think it would be awesome!! From what I read these monsters have a 6000 lbs. towing capacity if equiped with the towing package. It has a hitch on it already so I guess it has the towing package?

IMG_1810_zps8f18d621.jpg

MDchanic

Well, you've got your work cut out for you there, for sure.

Only the '71 and '72 fenders will fit, if I recall, because the '73 had a shock absorbing bumper and so had different fender cutouts.
I'm pretty sure the '71 and '72 fenders are not identical because of trim differences, but I believe they're the same if you drill / fill holes.

Good luck with it!

- Eric

jaunty75

Wow. A car that has been sitting undriven and outdoors for 37 years needs as thorough a going over as possible. Be prepared to replace anything and everything that could deteriorate, including hoses, belts, seals, bushings, you name it. Getting the engine to run will also likely be an issue as it could very well be frozen solid.

I love the current owner's comment that "nothing was wrong when it was parked." That's just like those "ran fine when parked" comments you see in craigslist ads all the time. This might be a useful thing to know if the car was last run two months ago or something like that. But 37 years ago? Big effing deal!

See the car below? It ran fine when parked. What'll you give me for it?




I'm not saying you shouldn't take the car as you certainly can't beat the price, and it doesn't look too bad, body-wise, in that one photo. But just be prepared to spend quite a bit of time, and perhaps a not insignificant amount of money, before it's ready to start towing your Nova around.

76 Regency

Hi, give that car a serious looking over before buying it because you could be in for a world of work to get it road worthy. That is a really long time for a car to sit, especially if it was outdoors. It could be infested with rodents which may have been chewing on wires, etc. A '71 is the first year of this generation full-sized Olds ('71-'76) and they're awesome cars so if it's saveable, go for it! I believe Eric is right about the '71 and '72 fenders. I'm just about positive a '73 is completely different but other parts are interchangeable for sure.

Save the Ninety Eights!! Good luck!

jaunty75

Read his post again. There is no purchase involved. The car is his for the taking. That's certainly one thing in favor of his getting it.

MDchanic

Yes, but the 1,200 mile round trip would argue in the other direction.

- Eric

76 Regency

Exactly...and he's not going to be able to drive that baby home either so it's a tow of 600 miles....definitely not a simple feat.

GAOldsman

Nothing ventured, nothing gained If it's free for the taking, what are you waiting for?

MDchanic

The price of gas to come down?

redoldsman

It will cost him about $350-$400 for the gas to get the car assuming somewhere around 12 mpg and $4.00/gallon gas. So the question becomes, would you give $350-$400 for the car? If it has a 455 that is not seized, that would probably be a decent deal just for the 455 and turbo 400.

oldcutlass

Normally I would say free is good, but... You will be looking at a lot of $$'s to get this car back on the road and serviceable enough to tow your other car.

MDchanic

Exactly.

There's Free and there's "Free."

If it were around the corner, I'd bring it home and risk the wrath of the wife.
1,200 miles away? I'd pass.

- Eric

grantpo

Thanks for all the replies!!
Well let me give yall a little more info. the 98 is located at a private hunting ranch were we go deer and turkey hunting. The owner said I could have it for free and if I wanted it, I could wait till the hunting season comes later this year to get it when we come hunting.

So I would already be driving there just with the added expense of pulling a trailer there and back. So even if I get it home and the wires are all chewed up and the 98 is just not worth fixing do yall think it would be worth it still to have as a parts car? Since finding this 98 and doing my research I have fallen in love with them. If I can't get this one going I will be on the hunt for another one (71-72 model).

Sorry I didn't take any other pictures of it

redoldsman

If you are making the trip anyway, absolutely YES.

MDchanic

Hey, why not? We all do crazy stuff. Might work out well.

If nothing else, it'll be a good story.

- Eric

Tedd Thompson

I have been given a car before, thirty five thousand later it looks pretty nice. You gotta figure what you will be in it when done, free is just the beginning cost....Tedd

Kennybill

What could possibly go wrong?? Lol On the other hand, only a fool would put $$ in Oldsmobile 98's. Hmm, maybe that's why I call my cars moneypits. Good luck, Ken

76 Regency

Hey, just saw this article in an email I got from Hagerty. Maybe this will help you in some way.
John

http://www.hagerty.com/Classic-car-a...s%2004-03-2013

jaunty75

That article is interesting, but it makes assumptions that won't always be true. It suggests involving knowledgeable friends and so forth, but how often is it likely that you will know someone who knows someone who lives within visiting distance of the car you're interested in? In most instances, your best hope is to, as he suggests, get in touch with a local car club that celebrates the same make and see if you can't arrange for someone from that club to look at the car. But you're still dealing with strangers.

I do like how he suggests using google street view to look at the address you have for where the car is and judge the level of prosperousness of the area. I do that for other reasons, such as when I'm traveling and want to check the location of a roadside motel I'm considering staying at. Again, this may or may not be possible in every instance. Not all roads are catalogued by google, especially country roads. Not all addresses are exact on google maps. You can't always be sure you're looking at the address or building you think you are unless you can actually see the housenumber on the house or painted on the curb.

Overall, I'd say this guy had a relatively fortunate set of circumstances occur for him that are probably likely to be true for less than half of all long-distance car purchase situations.

66400

Parts for this car are in Austin, Tx. I'm parting out 3 98's even one in the same color of gold. lots of clean fenders/doors/bumpers. Local sale only, no shipping.

Henry

76 Regency

Hi Henry, what years are your 98's ?