What a nice afternoon....
June 8th, 2007, 06:51 AM
#1
Past Administrator
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Rural Waxahachie Texas
Posts: 10,153
What a nice afternoon....
I am trying to get my '48 Olds project finished so I can drive it this summer. Last year was a bust with almost no progress. Right now re-doing the brakes. Here is the story.......
Found a machine shop that could turn the front drums by making phone calls at lunch time. Roy said come on down after I get off work and bring the drums he was sure "he could do something for me".
At 4:35 I found myself walking into his shop, he was almost finished helping another customer so I decided to look around. The place looked like it had not been cleaned forever, metal dust on all the walls and equipment, heads piled up over on the north wall, a big press dominated the middle of the shop with an old Snap-on ratchet precariously balanced on it's top. I bet he had long given up looking for that tool since he was only about 5'5" and the press had to be 6'5" at least.
There was a bench over against the south wall, someplace for sure, but it was buried beneath about a foot of stacked reference manuals, small bins with shims, seals, bits, and shop rags. I could barely make out a reference chart stapled to the wall, faded by sunlight and covered with metal dust it looked like it gave measurements for different applications to the tool that was just below it. I am not a machinist but I think it was to mill down heads, it had a flat metal table top with a guide rail and a big round horizontally oriented disc in the middle. It might have had some kind of abrasive coating on it, not sure.
On the edge of this piece of equipment was a head with four cylinder reliefs and eight valve reliefs, four Mickey Mouse outlines peering up at me. I have never seen the bottom of a Ford flat head but knew that is what it was. As I congratulated myself for my vast knowledge and deductive powers a voice interrupted me, "How can I help you friend?".
It was Roy, he had finished with his other customer and was standing there looking at me with a friendly face. I told him my business and suggested he look at the drums in the trunk of my '76 Omega daily driver and in passing commented on the head. He agreed and said it was from an old tractor. Someone needed some repair work done on it. We retrieved the wheel drums and he commented that it wouldn't be a problem at all "those other guys probably have the same lathe I do but just don't know how to use it". I just said I was glad he could help me and got ready to leave my phone number when he started to mount one up on the lathe.
"This won't take but 30 minutes, do you mind waiting?" With surprise I said not at all it would be nice. For the next half hour Roy and I talked about racing, raising kids, wanting your work to be remembered, living with the wife, machine work, and cars and life in general. Surrounded by heads of all makes and ages, engine blocks , industrial pieces and crankshafts we enjoyed each other's company until it was time for me to pay Roy and go. I really valued that time and didn't even share it with my wife when I arrived home later than she expected me in, she wouldn't understand anyway.......
Found a machine shop that could turn the front drums by making phone calls at lunch time. Roy said come on down after I get off work and bring the drums he was sure "he could do something for me".
At 4:35 I found myself walking into his shop, he was almost finished helping another customer so I decided to look around. The place looked like it had not been cleaned forever, metal dust on all the walls and equipment, heads piled up over on the north wall, a big press dominated the middle of the shop with an old Snap-on ratchet precariously balanced on it's top. I bet he had long given up looking for that tool since he was only about 5'5" and the press had to be 6'5" at least.
There was a bench over against the south wall, someplace for sure, but it was buried beneath about a foot of stacked reference manuals, small bins with shims, seals, bits, and shop rags. I could barely make out a reference chart stapled to the wall, faded by sunlight and covered with metal dust it looked like it gave measurements for different applications to the tool that was just below it. I am not a machinist but I think it was to mill down heads, it had a flat metal table top with a guide rail and a big round horizontally oriented disc in the middle. It might have had some kind of abrasive coating on it, not sure.
On the edge of this piece of equipment was a head with four cylinder reliefs and eight valve reliefs, four Mickey Mouse outlines peering up at me. I have never seen the bottom of a Ford flat head but knew that is what it was. As I congratulated myself for my vast knowledge and deductive powers a voice interrupted me, "How can I help you friend?".
It was Roy, he had finished with his other customer and was standing there looking at me with a friendly face. I told him my business and suggested he look at the drums in the trunk of my '76 Omega daily driver and in passing commented on the head. He agreed and said it was from an old tractor. Someone needed some repair work done on it. We retrieved the wheel drums and he commented that it wouldn't be a problem at all "those other guys probably have the same lathe I do but just don't know how to use it". I just said I was glad he could help me and got ready to leave my phone number when he started to mount one up on the lathe.
"This won't take but 30 minutes, do you mind waiting?" With surprise I said not at all it would be nice. For the next half hour Roy and I talked about racing, raising kids, wanting your work to be remembered, living with the wife, machine work, and cars and life in general. Surrounded by heads of all makes and ages, engine blocks , industrial pieces and crankshafts we enjoyed each other's company until it was time for me to pay Roy and go. I really valued that time and didn't even share it with my wife when I arrived home later than she expected me in, she wouldn't understand anyway.......
June 9th, 2007, 06:55 PM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 569
I very well understand last years progress >But spring is here again & so is the fever ,Got my 54 back in the shop to finish the brakes & Interior.Now if I can get time betwen regular customers to work on it,?it will be crusing this summer.PS A friend of mine is getting readay to open a NAPA store here localy all other stores are 30 + away .He has 2 parts guys hired with over 20 years expierence ,HA They the came here to retire!!
June 11th, 2007, 10:20 AM
#4
Past Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Rural Waxahachie Texas
Posts: 10,153
Well now you will have some really good parts guys to turn to. I found almost everything I needed for the '48 at the local O'reilly store (believe it!). Saturday I spent the whole day on the front brakes, later this week the backs (they will be easier), and then all new brake lines.
The kingpins and front suspension were so clogged and gummed up with old grease/dirt/rocks it looked like someone had sprayed that expandable foam on them, added two hours to the job to get them cleaned off!
The kingpins and front suspension were so clogged and gummed up with old grease/dirt/rocks it looked like someone had sprayed that expandable foam on them, added two hours to the job to get them cleaned off!
June 12th, 2007, 08:53 PM
#5
a little off topic
Well now you will have some really good parts guys to turn to. I found almost everything I needed for the '48 at the local O'reilly store (believe it!). Saturday I spent the whole day on the front brakes, later this week the backs (they will be easier), and then all new brake lines.
The kingpins and front suspension were so clogged and gummed up with old grease/dirt/rocks it looked like someone had sprayed that expandable foam on them, added two hours to the job to get them cleaned off!
The kingpins and front suspension were so clogged and gummed up with old grease/dirt/rocks it looked like someone had sprayed that expandable foam on them, added two hours to the job to get them cleaned off!
Hey Olds Guy,
I'm new to the group... This message of mine is a little off topic.. I saw a picture of your car and I must say... looks great so far!
I have a 1947 70 series oldsmobile being modified into a hotrod, and I am truely admiring the bodywork on your vehicle. Do you have more photos on the restoration? Are you using the stock frame or did you sub frame it?
If you are looking for some parts, I may be able to assist.
I don't mean to bother you but I believe that your vehicle is not a 1948Oldsmobile. I believe that yours is a 1947.
After the war, Oldsmobile still was using the prewar 1942 design (B-44) and brought them back in 1946 with some grill / bumper changes. In 1946, the Lucite (plastic) in the hood ornament was a tapered wing. The fender spears had Oldsmobile written in an oval on the front fenders.
In 1947, the hood ornament changed to a straight wing (like you have) and the spears had Oldsmobile written stretched out in the fender spears.
In 1947, the "frown shaped grill" had a vertical "dividers" that were eliminated in 1948 models that were not of the futuramic design. The Oldsmobile name was not in the fender spears and the hood ornament used half of a wing. Also in 1948, the crest on the hood went from a shield shape to a round emblem with a winged spur crest.
This can be seen in the Oldsmobile brochure:
http://www.geocities.com/restorehotcars/brochure.html
I also attached a couple of my oldsmobiles there as well.
If you still have the body tag, you will probably see a 473607. The 47 is the year the 3607 is the 70 series model. a 76 was the 70 series with a 6 cylinder and a 78 had the 8 cylinder.
This tag will actually put the debate to rest - if it is still around.
Keep up the great work!
Joe Ferrero
Geneseo, NY
3 -1915 Oldsmobiles (model 42)
1947 Oldsmoble model 76 (hotrod)
1948 Oldsmobile Dynamic 66 (original restored)
June 13th, 2007, 05:25 AM
#6
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Rural Waxahachie Texas
Posts: 10,153
Thanks Joe,
You might be right, I'll check the body tag. It was never an issue for me as the pink slip reports a '48 and I never worried about it. I do know that there was a car build up in a magazine (can't remember the name of the mag) about five years ago or so that re-build a '47 convertible 70 series with a new front clip, etc, etc. The aricle/project/car was called Big Olds. I met the owner last summer and saw the car in person, beautiful. That car has all the idenifiers of the the '47 that you mentioned. In you link, halfway down the page the two tone green is very close to the colors on my car. I repainted the car last year with high density rollers and semi-satin base coat automotive paint and by coincidence the colors are pretty close to that. No I didn't sub-frame it, all stock. In fact, I am just finishing up a complete brake re-build, I have been able to purchase everything at the local automotive parts stores. I plan on transplanting a '69 rebuilt 455 with C heads and a TH400, fabricated headers and lakes style pipes along the bottom kick panel with integrated mufflers. The interior is in fair shape and will not be re-done except for seat covers. I mounted light duty truck Michelins on the stock rims and am using the stock dog dish hubcaps. That's about it for now, maybe some pictures later.
Dan
You might be right, I'll check the body tag. It was never an issue for me as the pink slip reports a '48 and I never worried about it. I do know that there was a car build up in a magazine (can't remember the name of the mag) about five years ago or so that re-build a '47 convertible 70 series with a new front clip, etc, etc. The aricle/project/car was called Big Olds. I met the owner last summer and saw the car in person, beautiful. That car has all the idenifiers of the the '47 that you mentioned. In you link, halfway down the page the two tone green is very close to the colors on my car. I repainted the car last year with high density rollers and semi-satin base coat automotive paint and by coincidence the colors are pretty close to that. No I didn't sub-frame it, all stock. In fact, I am just finishing up a complete brake re-build, I have been able to purchase everything at the local automotive parts stores. I plan on transplanting a '69 rebuilt 455 with C heads and a TH400, fabricated headers and lakes style pipes along the bottom kick panel with integrated mufflers. The interior is in fair shape and will not be re-done except for seat covers. I mounted light duty truck Michelins on the stock rims and am using the stock dog dish hubcaps. That's about it for now, maybe some pictures later.
Dan
June 14th, 2007, 04:53 AM
#7
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Rural Waxahachie Texas
Posts: 10,153
Joe,
Guess what I discovered? The car is a '46 according to the body plate. But the pink slip does say '48. Makes no difference either way, I still love it, and as you said those years are all very similar. Post war production didn't change much from year to year until just before the turn of the decade.
Guess what I discovered? The car is a '46 according to the body plate. But the pink slip does say '48. Makes no difference either way, I still love it, and as you said those years are all very similar. Post war production didn't change much from year to year until just before the turn of the decade.
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