There is a 65 Olds Starfire convertible for sale near me. I've been more of a 65 Buick fan over the years, but this convertible is intriguing. Is there any source out there that can provide a listing of the standard and optional equipment available for a 65 Olds Starfire convertible? Something on the order of what they would look like on a window sticker (and factory costs at the time)?

Regarding the 425, is there any identification to know if it is the correct 425 for a 65 Starfire? Any way to know if it the original engine in the car?

Regarding the automatic transmission, I think I understood there were two choices back in 65 for the Starfire - a regular THM and a heavy duty THM - is there any way to know which version this vehicle has?

Lastly, for now, is there any easy way to identify what rear axle is on this car? I think a 3.23 ratio was standard, a 3.42 ratio was available, and there was a posi-track differential available, but I don't know if the posi-track was a unique ratio or what an added cost to these.

I sort of want to know some answers to these questions so that when I go and see it, I can tell more what powertrain is in this one. The seller doesn't have any history on the vehicle, unfortunately.

 

The correct 425 for a 65 Sfire would be a 4bbl Rochester carb/4Jet not the quadrajet. The heads would have an A near #1 spark plug. The block also is an A block with this letter on the block above the water pump. If similar to a 66 Starfire the standard rear would be a 323 unless it had AC then the gear would probably be a 308. Limited Slip/Posi was available with all ratios. Only 1 auto trans used that I am aware of and that is the Turbo 400, 4spd stick was available. And of course the car had true dual exhaust with side exit.

 

I'm looking for 65 Starfire A/C convertible that does need need much at all. Older restoration, everything in one piece meaning all the special Starfire trim is still there inside and out. If you pass on this car and it is a described please PM me and let me know. Thanks.

 

 

Thank-you, joe_padavano. This is exactly what I was looking for. It does show 2 automatic transmissions on this list also, the M40 & M41.

Does anyone know of a reasonable value guide for this model (1965 Olds Starfire) based on condition? There are many value guides out there, and the values seem to vary significantly. Obviously the high values favor the seller and low values favor the buyer. Just wondering if there is one value guide that does a reasonable job providing the average actual selling prices on these models recently. I know, many variables on this. But what is considered most accurate as far as selling prices are concerned?

 

As mentioned above, I have looked at few 65 convertibles and the prices due vary obviously on originality,-(is it all there ) restored and how old is the restoration and to what degree of the restoration. Example, meaning body on with a respray up to a no expenses spared type rotisserie build region car has lived in, any documents of it's life, so called " barn finds" etc.I have seen a few nice drivers #3-4 condition 14-18K and some real nice #2 condition Starfire's from 21-26K. A 4-speed convertible could well be north of 30K if you locate on. I recently bought an A/C 63 Starfire ( hardtop) that has documentation and shows to be a 36K mile car, although I cannot prove it. Even during this very unusual 2020 "season"were in the classic buyers are out there looking this car over and over. I sold my 63 Corvette in 3 days.

 

Both M40 and M41 were TH400 transmissions. The only differences were the vacuum modulator and the kickdown switch. It appears these differences were only intended to alter shift points.

 

Again, thanks for the excellent responses.

On a 65 Starfire, what was the original carburetor on it (manufacturer, model number, any particular unique markings, etc.)? Was the same carburetor used in 66 & 67 on this engine? Did all 425's made used the exact same carburetor? Are these carburetors still rebuildable (parts available)? Are they rare or are they somewhat readily available?

Also on a 65 Starfire, is the air cleaner assembly unique to this car, or were all cars with 425's fitting with the same air cleaner? If wanting to get an original air cleaner, did all cars equipped with 425's come with exactly the same air cleaner that was on a 65 Starfire?

 

All 1965 Olds 425 motors used a Rochester 4GC carb. It is unique to the 1965 model year, as that was the only year that the 425 used a square bore carb. All non-A/C 425s used carb number 7025050. Early A/C cars used carb number 7025051, while later A/C cars used 7025055. The differences between the '251 and '255 carbs appear to be related to the float used and the secondary torsion spring. Yes, rebuild kits are readily available. And FYI, in nearly every model year, carbs are specific to the year and motor/accessory configuration. Every one of them has a unique number and detail differences in jetting, choke adjustment, etc.

 

Nice to know these things, Thanks Joe...

 

Joe, was it in 1966 that Olds switched to the Rochester Quadrajet on the 425's? If yes, was the 66 Quadrajet a better carb than the 65 4GC? Were the intake manifolds different on Olds 425's in 65 vs 66 based on this carb difference?

 

Yes, the Qjet replaced the 4GC for all Olds 4bbl applications starting with the 1966 model year. The 4GC is square bore, the Qjet is spread bore, so yes the intakes are completely different. I personally like the Qjet much better, however the 66 Qjet has some first-year "features" that make it less desirable than later versions.

 

In some Old literature for the 1965 model year, as it pertains to the large Olds cars, it shows as an accessory A93 Power Door Locks, which is also included in the 1965 Starfire & Jetstar I standard and optional equipment listing joe padavano provided earlier in this thread.

Where is the switch for the power door locks located in 1965 Starfires? And is it electric, or vacuum operated? The accessory listing said it was vacuum operated, which seems "unusual".

 

Power door locks that year were vacuum operated. That's only "unusual" to someone who wasn't alive when these cars were new.

 

And here's what those vacuum actuator look like.

Front doors:



Rear doors:




Switch:

 

Switch was located on the upper doors above the armrest.

Now you wanna talk about a PITA option, vacuum door locks take the cake. Great as long as they're working. Imagine 55 year old vacuum hoses.

IIRC correctly to access the vacuum control valve AKA "octopus valve" requires disassembling about half the dash to get to it.

 

Oh I was very much alive when these 1965 cars were built. But my family, while they always had an Oldsmobile, never got into options like AC, power windows, etc. Hence my dumb questions now.

I found a 98 convertible that had power door locks - looks like a switch in each front door. Yeah, I'll bet those were pretty interesting to maintain - given the car life in the day was expected to not exceed 10 years.

 

Besides the standard & optional equipment for a 1965 Olds Starfire, is there similar data for the exterior color options, convertible top color options, roof color options (both painted and vinyl), and the interior color combinations? And, if it exists, what interior colors go with each exterior color (if there were limitations the factory had on certain interior colors to exterior colors)?

 

 

You'll find all that in a 1965 Color and Fabric album. Dealer used it to show prospects what their car would look like in each color and it also included actual interior and roof fabric samples. Expect to pay $300+ for one in nice shape.

There were usually paint chip folders available in the showroom which indicated recommended interior combinations.

 

Just to chime in on a couple of tweaks points.

First, the 66 & 66 98’s front door panels used those chrome arm pieces with the integral switches. Turns out, so did slightly earlier Cadillacs — say 62, 63 or maybe 64. The fun part is the Caddy’s had their vacuum power door lock switches at the front of the arm. So the Olds casting has provisions for a switch too because they recycled the Caddy casting. What this means is that you can use the switch point - whether vacuum or power windows ( or heck, USB ) is really up to you.

In my case, back in the 80’s I pulled a few vacuum power door lock systems from big Olds and from Caddy’s, so my 98 has the power door locks switches at the front of the chrome arm, not in the door panel. It ain’t factory correct, but it’s clean. You can do this trick in a 65 too, apparently.

The other thing is the vacuum power door lock systems are quite robust. The rubber lines were very thick & last very well. They were also just a little too long, so that when a 56 year old end cracks on installation on a metal switch, you snip off 1” and can try again. A few times.

The next other thing is you can adapt a 4 door car vacuum system to a 2 door car by just plugging up the rear door actuator lines at/near the switch. It’s not hard to figure out once you see the system out of the car. Anyway vacuum power door locks are fun and I can recommend pulling & retrofitting a system from a Caddy, big Buick, Pontiac or other big Olds. Stick as close as you can to the year of your car to maximize compatibility...

It’s even more fun that the option is vacuum not solenoids, but there is also the added complexity of needing a vacuum reservoir or 2 stashed in your passenger fender in the engine compartment so this stuff works when the car is off. My Starfire holds vacuum for 12 hours or more, the 98 leaks down in a few minutes. Never have figured that out.

Cheers
Chris

 

Joe Padavano, I sure would love to add some of these power locks to my 4 speed convertible

 

There was a listing of the entire vacuum power door locks on ebay about a month or two ago - everything was there. Not sure if it ever sold. Might want to check ebay out.

 

without knowing the title of the listing it would be very hard to find

 

I don't see the one I remember seeing at one time, unfortunately. This one is out there, which is a GM system - just not sure it is complete (I only see one switch, for example, I don't see the second switch (for a 2-door) and certainly not 4 switches (for a 4-door). But this would get you very close. And vacuum switches are available as single purchases on eBay (if you opt to search).

- https://www.ebay.com/itm/PONTIAC-BUI...cAAOSwMsVcqCof

 

No vac switches on rear doors. The ones on each front door operate the whole system.

 

That makes sense. There are power window switches on all 4 doors of a 4-door, but even today on 4-door sedans, the rears don't have power locks. That makes sense.

Just that in the eBay listing, I didn't see a second lock switch in the picture showing everything. And I'm pretty sure there were always 2 lock switches (at least pictures of these old vacuum power lock setups had them on the two front doors).

 

Most I've seen are like that. Buddy has a 77 Buick Estate Wagon that has only the one electric lock switch on driver door. It operates the four doors and the tailgate. My Custom Cruiser has switches on both front doors.

Central locking makes sense on a four door and wagon. Two door vehicle, not so much.

 

Anyone have the listing of standard & optional features on 65 Starfire as originally requested?

 

Have you taken a look at post #4?