Hello guys

I'm new here in the forum. I'm from Germany and I'm restoring my '67 Delta 88 holiday coupe. I'd like to replace the rear upper and lower control arms and I'm not sure which ones to go with. I asked UMI Performance and this kit was suggested to me.

https://www.umiperformance.com/home/product/1964-1967-gm-a-body-tubular-lower-adjustable-upper-rear-control-arms-kit/

before that I had measured my control arms and the picture sent to them. But my body is actually a B body i think. Does anyone have a tip for me which I can use?

Thanks René

 

 

Do you have the length center to center of your old arms?
I have a set of UMI's in my garage for an A-body I can measure.
Not sure if there are any other differences.

Great looking car BTW!
-peter

 

Your car is not an A-body, it is a B-body. No one makes aftermarket suspension parts for the 65-70 Olds full size cars. A-body parts do not fit (except for the rear lower control arms). No, Impala parts do not fit either. Whoever you spoke to at UMI is clueless, as are most aftermarket vendors when it comes to Oldsmobile parts.

 

Here is a photo of the parts. measured center to center

 

But then why do they also offer it on their site for B Body?

https://www.umiperformance.com/home/...ar-suspension/

 

One more time:

Have you even looked at their lower control arms? Do these look like yours? Hint: the Impala chassis, suspension, and brakes are COMPLETELY different from the ones on Olds full size cars. NOTHING interchanges.

 

That is the point. That's why I asked Umi. I'm not stupid and I see that they look different and I didn't just order blindly. And based on my measurements that I had given, the Umi employee suggested the kit for the A-Body.

And since I'm still not really convinced, I'm asking here if anyone has experience. I can't just send wrong parts back to America. that's way too expensive. So it has to be safe

 

Instead of asking an aftermarket supplier, who assumes that Chevy = all of GM, I suggest you refer to the factory-published parts book. As I pointed out above, the rear lower control arms on the 65-70 Oldsmobile B-body cars have the same part number as those on the 64-67 A-body cars. That means that the Cutlass/Chevelle rear lower control arms DO work on your Delta. The Impala arms will not. Note that the Impala arms have pads for the rear coil springs. Yours do not because the suspension geometry is completely different. The Impala uses a three link rear suspension with a separate Panhard rod. The Delta uses a conventional angled four link. But hey, your money, do what you what.

 

Since you apparently are still unconvinced, here are photos of the Impala rear suspension. Note that this is a big block car that uses two upper control arms. Small block cars used only one. Note that unlike the Olds, the upper control arms are parallel, not angled. Note the panhard rod behind the axle to keep the axle centered under the car. Note the suspension springs on the lower control arms instead of on the axle housing the way the Delta has them.

 

Why so negative? I haven't written anywhere that I don't believe that. I'm still gaining experience with the car myself. apparently it is as you say. I had hoped that I could replace my old control arms with stable new ones. I can probably forget that then. But thanks for the clarification anyway. That helps me a bit.

So I can replace the lower ones, I understand that. Only the upper then probably not

 

Welcome Rino great. Looking car!

Joe knows more about oldsmobiles than most of us, he also owns a delta similar to yours. Many aftermarket companies are chevy centric and olds ignorant. I was surprised to learn of many variations within GM cars like the impala and delta, but remember we have gained many manufacturing efficiencies in the last ~55 years

on the A bodies the lower control arms are boxed ( sheetmetal welded to the bottom) maybe this can be done on yours. You can also replace the bushings w rubber or poly.

i would think depending on availible tools and skills you could fabricate some tubular adjustable uppers or lowers if desired.

my last thought is probably beyond replacing bushings (and maybe boxing the lcas) all of this would be overkill on your car.

 

Hello retro ranger

yes it also sounds like he has a lot of idea about what he is talking about. I'm honest. I'm just starting to learn everything. Have patience with me

The problem is that almost nobody in Germany can help you. I have to get all the information from America and it's really not easy.

@joe_padavano
could you help me with another problem? I am urgently looking for body mounts. I really can't find anything. Are there alternatives that can be used?

 

You can search the internet and get more and different opinions. If you want correct information the first time, THIS IS THE PLACE to get that information.

 

I know it. That's what I'm looking for first 😁 But real people here in Germany are very rare who really have a clue

 

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...a-88-a-139664/

here is a link to a similar post.

some oldsmobile vendors are

fusicks

the parts place

tamraz

opgi

theres others but research on their sites can be helpful. Fusicks is generally regarded as accurate in parts fitments.

kanter deals w old cars in general

other vendors like Ames sells pontiac (poncho) stuff and many parts are shared w olds.

 

The Olds full size cars are not popular to restore, so few vendors sell parts specifically for them. While SOME parts are common with those on other GM cars, many are not. This is not a car you can build out of a catalog. Even many of the Olds specialty vendors get parts applications wrong for these cars. You won't find a body mount kit for these cars, for example. Ames Performance DOES list the sizes of individual body mounts in their Pontiac Full Size catalog. Your best bet is to match these up with your old ones. Also, the core support bushings for the 1973-77 A-body cars that Fusick sells are just about identical to the ones I took off of my 67 Delta.

 

I've already noticed that this car is not easy. But that's probably exactly the challenge I was looking for. 🤣 but thanks for the tip.

When he's done, it'll be a rocket

 

Also, consider Buick mounts, etc,, by cross referencing dimensions:

Frame, CARS (908) 369-3666 (oldbuickparts.com)

No, I am not saying that any do cross reference. I have never had a reason to investigate this.

 

There seems to be an issue of misunderstanding in this thread. The link posted by Rino in the first post is not a link to UMI impala control arms, but 64-67 UMI A-body rear control arms. Before going off about how much UMI does not know, look at what they recommended. The question was not about front control arms which no one makes. The lower rear control arms interchange between 64-67 A-body and Rino's car. What is the difference between the A-body upper rear control arms and the delta rear control arms? I ask because I do not know. If it is an issue of length, the upper arms in the UMI kit are adjustable so they will probably work (most likely the reason UMI suggested this kit). The lower arms in the link in post 1 WILL work on Rino's car. If you call UMI again, they will be able to tell you the maximum and minimum lengths that the upper bars can be adjusted to. If they can be adjusted to the length of your upper bars then UMI is correct the kit will work. If the upper A-body arms and delta arms are completely different, you can still buy the lower A-body arms. BTW, these are the bars UMI suggested (link in the first post), not the impala bars referenced later in this thread.

 

Which is what I said in Post #4 above:

 

I realize this, but you spent the rest of the thread saying that UMI has no idea what they are talking about and what they suggested will not work. What is the difference between the upper A-body arms and the delta arms? Is it just the length?

 

Why not simply properly box the original LCAs and find a sway bar that will fit. Not sure if any Bs came with a rear sway bar? If they did there will be factory boxed LCAs. May be easier to get an aftermarket company to bend you a swaybar? An A-body sway bar could be properly adapted with solid or square tube blocks between the newly boxed LCA and bar?

The upper dog bone should be easy to find an adjustable UCA to fit?

If none of this works I see a full custom back half is in your future with a 9."

 

If you want to add a rear sway bar, A UMI A-body kit like this should work. These mount to the axle tubes and frame crossmember so the distance between the lower control arms is not a factor.
https://www.umiperformance.com/home/...y-bar-bolt-on/

 

The only Olds B-body cars that came with the rear bar are the B07 police package cars. These also came with a larger 1 1/16" front bar (stock is 1").

 

Good to know Joe. Think how many B07s met their maker and got crushed...most of them.