Gang,
I was checking out the underside of my ‘66 98 convertible and noticed the rubber bushings or isolators are badly misshapen, bent or worn.

It looks like a pretty straight forward matter of 2 or 3 bolts on either side to remove and replace the rubber parts, but do any of you have a source where I might find replacements?

I was thinking the car might ride/perform better if the supporting steel was the proper shape and the rubber wasn’t 56 years old. Anyone know if Cutlass/442 parts might swap in?

Interestingly I recently replace the center rubber mount so I don’t think there’s a problem there, but I’m totally unaware if the side bushings/isolators are available.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

I assume you're talking about these (P/N 386195 Insulator)?




Unfortunately I haven't found a source other than NOS. Ames Performance sells a similar part for Pontiacs in their Full Size catalog, but note that it does not have the correctly-shaped slot to fit over the end of the crossmember. The Pontiac crossmember is flattened at the end, the Olds is not.

 

That’s exactly the insulator I’m talking about. My Starfire original insulators are in great shape, but the 98 convertible show 56 years of wear and are well out of factory shape. Not awful, just not new. Like an A-arm or trailing arm bushing that’s seen 300,000 miles of road use. (Which my 98 is well beyond).

Not surprising since the frame flex and cowl shake in the convertible is endemic to the design. I was just thinking if I could find and replace them with a few nuts and bolts it might the car - quietness, flex, or maybe even shake.

Would it be possible to cut or slot these to fit? Trimming rubber against a known-good model from my Starfire would seem to be an easy afternoon.

Chris

 

Pretty sure I pulled a set of these off a Buick once. You might check and see if they have anything closer than the Pontiac ones.