Bigbry13

Tedd Thompson

As far as I know the rear windows were never powered 54 through 56 in super 88's and Starfires...... Tedd

ignachuck

Hmmm. As far as I know, if you had factory power windows, you got four power windows. Bigbry13, can we see a picture of your driver's door interior?

Nailheadcanuck

Oldsmobile seems to be unique with the powered front/manual rear windows. I just saw an un-restored 1961 98 with that combination. The front driver's door had only 2 switches, and the other front door was powered. The back had cranks. I've heard of it with other Olds models too.

ignachuck

Here's the 56 Brochure.

Russ P in MD

On a related noted and looking at the Fusick catalog, did they switch from hydraulic to electric windows mid-year, in the 54 model year?

http://www.fusickautomotiveproducts....s.asp?dept=814

Seems odd to have power front and manual rear. Would a dealer have done a "front only" option install?

Bigbry13

ignachuck

Russ, the Master Body Parts book stops listing hydraulic window parts in 1953, and starts listing electric window parts in 1954. It's certainly possible that early model year 54's used up left over hydraulic parts before the switch to electric.

Tedd Thompson

All the ones I have seen Super and Starfires have been power fronts and manual rear wind ups, not a lot of samples. BUT as I look at my 55 motor manual the wiring diagram (page 425 Fig. 16-40 clearly shows a switch wired for up and down cycle located near the rear wheel arch which I believe to be for the rear 1/4 window. Someone that's better than me please look at this wiring diagram and let us know if this is correct... Lucky for me mine are all wind up all 4 corners...... Tedd

Oldsfan

'54 started the year with hydraulic windows. I've seen ones that needed to have the carpet replaced because of hydraulic fluid leakage. Later in '54 they went to electric. I knew a guy in NY that had one. The door switches are in a different location.

'54 98 DeLuxe Holiday coupes had standard 4-window lifts (the standard coupe had cranks). I can't imagine the Flagship-of-Fleet convertible wouldn't have 4-window lifts as well. Probably what happened in the system had a problem and they replaced the rear regulators with cranks. I'll bet if you dig around under the carpet and under the back seat you will find the original hydraulic lines that have been capped off.

Bigbry13

Bigbry13

Oldsfan

I don't know what that is from, but it is probably not from a Super 88 convertible. Here's some info on '54 Olds power windows.

At the start of the year, 4-lift power windows were hydraulic - we already went over that. Hydraulic front door and rear quarter window lifts were standard on the 98 DeLuxe coupe and the 98 Starfire convertible. Hydraulic power window lifts were not available on any base 88 or Super 88 model. Hydraulic 4-lift windows were an option on the 98 4-door sedan, and included a 4-way power seat. This option could only be ordered on the 98 4-door sedan.

Electric 2-lift power windows (front doors only) were available on the Super 88 convertible, Holiday coupe and 4-door sedan, and also on the 98 4-door sedan.

Eventually, Olds switched over to electric 4-window lifts for the 98 DeLuxe coupe and the Starfire convertible. I do not know how that affected the 4-door sedan, or availability of power 4-lift power windows on Super 88 models.

My '63 parts book lists hydraulic window lift frames for the rear quarters of '54 98 coupes. There is no listing for Starfire convertibles. I assume this means two things; that they were different from the coupe, and that they were discontinued by the time that catalog was printed. The catalog also lists hydraulic lift cylinders for; the front doors of '54 98 coupes and convertibles (same part number), front doors for '54 98 sedans, rear quarters for '54 98 convertible (which was the same as '53 Super 88 and 98 rear quarters) and rear quarters for the '54 98 coupe.

Electric rear quarter regulators are listed for '54 thru '56 Holiday coupes (with no mention of 88 or 98), and for '54 98 convertible and 1955-'56 convertibles. This leads us back to the '54 hydraulic regulators being different between coupes and convertibles, as above. It also shows us that both coupes and convertibles switched over to electric in '54. One could also assume that when the power windows were switched from hydraulic to electric, the option was extended to 88 models as well.

There are sedan front and rear door electric regulators listed, again with no mention of 88 or 98, so we can assume that the 98 4-door went electric also, and that maybe this option was also extended to 88s.

I would assume that the lower-line '54 Buicks would have hydraulic regulators as well. Higher-line Buicks were on the Cadillac C-body and may have different quarter regulators. I don't have Buick or Cadillac catalogs that go back to '54. All Oldsmobiles and the lower-line Buicks have the windshield with the dog log windshield pillar. Higherline Buicks and the Cadillacs have a straight windshield pillar.