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New here and slowly going through all the other threads. I'm excited that someone in reddit suggested this forum. I just got a 1957 Super 88 and I'd like to take care of the basics since it runs.... barely. I was told by a collector to get gas additive and some carb cleaners. Does anyone have some suggestions on work best. My other question is brakes, currently I have to press the brake all the way to the floor to get the beast to stop. I'm thinking I should replace the drums, thoughts? Oh I almost forgot tires, I have the originals and I am sure they need replacement. Thank you in advance and I am truly excited about this car and fixing it back up. I'll try and add some photos.
welcome
has it been sitting awhile ? fresh gas will help ( not sure about the additive)... tune up cap wires ect. ohh olds manual (mandatory )
My brakes, i never got to hold very good , till i installed front disk brakes (Scarbird has a nice set up) w new master, booster and lines . STOPS very Good
an advice I should have followed was to start your own thread in Major Builds and Projects
The problem with the brakes may be as simple as a lack of adjustment .
This car was built before the advent of self -adjusting brakes .
The brakes should be adjusted every few thousand miles .
The 1957 Oldsmobile Shop Manual will tell you how to do it ; https://www.ebay.com/itm/1957-OLDSMO...4AAOSwRwFfQPAq
Unless the drums are cracked or worn past spec, you should be able to do a clean-up cut on them and reuse. Do this as part of a complete brake refurbishment- new brake shoes, hydraulic cylinders and hoses. Can you do this work yourself or will you have to farm it out?
www.fusick.com for reproduction parts. Mechanical and electrical parts should be ez enough to source, just don't expect rockauto or the chains to have everything on the shelf.
Recommend joining AACA and finding a chapter or region near you. These guys will know who can work on old cars and find parts. Oldsmobile Club of America has a 1957 chapter
Also- purchase a 1957 Oldsmobile factory service manual. Invaluable when trying to service it. Most mechanics who serviced these cars in the day are long retired, and the manual will help a modern mechanic.
Thanks supmarjo, I'll keep that in mind. I'll look to drain the gas take and fill with fresh. I've go the original manual and ordered an extra just in case so I can read on the computer. I'll definitely start a Major Builds and Projects thread, thanks for the advice.
Thank you rocjetraider, I'll definitely take a look at the brakes and see if they just need a good clean-up. My list of things to buy from fusick is growing by the day haha. I will look at AACA and Oldsmobile Club of America and check with them too. The Olds came with an original mechanics manual but I ordered an extra one just in case. Thanks again for the suggestions.
As long as you are draining the gas tank you should take it off and have it cleaned and sealed. Check the gas line for rust and do the same thing for the brake lines. I an not talking about rust on the outside but the inside of the lines. If the car has been sitting for a while it will need a good tuneup as mentioned in response #2. Pay close attention to the brakes since they are the most important thing on the car. Get the factory service manual. DO NOT get one of the repro or DVD versions. Go to ebay and get an original with a few greasy fingerprints on it. Prices vary so look for the best deal. Should be no more than about $35. It will be the best money you evers spend and will pay for itself very quickly. Good luck on you car. You have come to the right place for knowledge and help.
And I believe a 371 uses the high test gas 92 or 93 octane if you can find it.
Do the brakes feel spongy or just become hard as if they are bottomed out on the floor? You have a Treadle Vac type of booster and master cylinder. and they work backwards from a regular booster master cylinder set up. Not to scare you but the issue is if it has a leak in the vacuum anywhere you can have some brakes one time and the next no brakes at all, nothing but a hard peddle. They are not a bad system (not as good as disks) but adequate for a cruiser but they need to be maintained to be trusted. Ether read up on the system or have someone that knows about Treadle Vacs look them over. They are after all 60+ years old and doubtful anyone has looked them over in the last couple of decades..... Tedd
Nerdinatie,
Before you grab all kinds of Chineseum parts from Fusick, you would be smart to call me to utilize American parts, especially where it is important and / or critical.....
Then, of course, there are certain items , like the LOWER BALL JOINTS that I have Brand New whereas the rest of the world is "rebuilding service" ONLY.....
Always best to simply call me --- Craig --- 516 - 485 - 1935.... New York.....
Since no has mentioned it yet....
If the tires are over seven years old , they are JUNK .
No matter how much tread they have .
Rubber "ages" and anything over 7 years is generally considered unsafe .
You certainly don't want a blowout on your way home from cruise night .
redoldsman, thanks for the suggestions. This is my first rebuild so I will take a look at how complicated removing the gas tank is and see if there is anyone in the are that can clean and seal it. I live in a rural area so I don't have the best resources. The car came with the original service manual, greasy fingerprints and all, I've been opening and reading it carefully since the pages feel like they want to fall out haha. Thanks again for the reply, I will definitely follow the suggestions.
And I believe a 371 uses the high test gas 92 or 93 octane if you can find it.
Do the brakes feel spongy or just become hard as if they are bottomed out on the floor? You have a Treadle Vac type of booster and master cylinder. and they work backwards from a regular booster master cylinder set up. Not to scare you but the issue is if it has a leak in the vacuum anywhere you can have some brakes one time and the next no brakes at all, nothing but a hard peddle. They are not a bad system (not as good as disks) but adequate for a cruiser but they need to be maintained to be trusted. Ether read up on the system or have someone that knows about Treadle Vacs look them over. They are after all 60+ years old and doubtful anyone has looked them over in the last couple of decades..... Tedd
Thank you Tedd, I will take a look if anywhere around me has 92 or 93 octane. The brakes aren't spongy, they are hitting bottom before fully stopping. I saw another suggestion about looking into Treadle Vac, I'll start by cleaning everything and checking the vac lines. Maybe there is a leak or broken hose. If after checking all of that and the brakes are still bad I'll look to see if it needs replacing. Thank you for the suggestions!
Nerdinatie,
Before you grab all kinds of Chineseum parts from Fusick, you would be smart to call me to utilize American parts, especially where it is important and / or critical.....
Then, of course, there are certain items , like the LOWER BALL JOINTS that I have Brand New whereas the rest of the world is "rebuilding service" ONLY.....
Always best to simply call me --- Craig --- 516 - 485 - 1935.... New York.....
Thanks Craig, I will keep the number and reach out. Do you have a website?
Since no has mentioned it yet....
If the tires are over seven years old , they are JUNK .
No matter how much tread they have .
Rubber "ages" and anything over 7 years is generally considered unsafe .
You certainly don't want a blowout on your way home from cruise night .
Thanks Charlie for asking, I vaguely recall the seller saying that it was the original tires, I doubt it is but I know they are old. I will check the link to confirm. Do you have a suggestion on replacement tires that fit the wheels?
They are not the original tires from 1957 because they are not wide whitewalls. Narrow whitewalls didn't come along until the early 60's (62 I think). They still look pretty old. I do love the 57 Olds.
. Do you have a suggestion on replacement tires that fit the wheels?
The original size ( I believe ) was 800 x 14 .
You can use either P215/75 R14 or P 225/70 R14 .
You may have difficulty finding them locally , but they can be had online .
Original type bias ply and wide whitewall tires can be had from antique tire places such as Coker Tire .
Unless you are competing for show points , stay with radial tires . They can be had in wide whitewall versions . http://www.vintagecarconnection.com/...sion_chart.htm
Last edited by Charlie Jones; Aug 26, 2020 at 06:26 PM.
^^ What Charlie said about tires^^. Here is a link from a outfit that will build you radials with wide whites for a reasonable price. I've used them in the past and had good results(they are a bit slow getting your tires shipped) but worth it....Tedd.... https://www.callitw.com/
Last edited by Tedd Thompson; Aug 26, 2020 at 07:53 PM.
They are not the original tires from 1957 because they are not wide whitewalls. Narrow whitewalls didn't come along until the early 60's (62 I think). They still look pretty old. I do love the 57 Olds.
Originally Posted by Charlie Jones
The original size ( I believe ) was 800 x 14 .
You can use either P215/75 R14 or P 225/70 R14 .
You may have difficulty finding them locally , but they can be had online .
Original type bias ply and wide whitewall tires can be had from antique tire places such as Coker Tire .
Unless you are competing for show points , stay with radial tires . They can be had in wide whitewall versions . http://www.vintagecarconnection.com/...sion_chart.htm
Originally Posted by Tedd Thompson
^^ What Charlie said about tires^^. Here is a link from a outfit that will build you radials with wide whites for a reasonable price. I've used them in the past and had good results(they are a bit slow getting your tires shipped) but worth it....Tedd.... https://www.callitw.com/
Thank you gentlemen for the information. It's a huge help. I'll look to order the tires online and then have a local shop put them on. This site has been awesome for information, you guys know your stuff. I hope to learn it all over time as an Olds owner now. Thank you
This is the best site I have seen. Most of the folks on here are glad to help. Some of us know a little bit and others know a lot. We are glad you are here and look forward to witnessing your progress on your car. Remember it is your car and do it the way you want it done.
What do you have in the trunk for a spare ?
If it's an 800 X 14 with a 3 in wide whitewall it MIGHT be an original tire .
At least that's what you can tell your friends , when you hang it on the wall of your garage .
After you get a new spare radial .
Radial and bias ply tires do not mix on a car . And you never know when you may need the spare .
There is a date code that is on every tire if you are curious about their age, dollars to doughnuts they are way past there expected age life though..... Tedd
What do you have in the trunk for a spare ?
If it's an 800 X 14 with a 3 in wide whitewall it MIGHT be an original tire .
At least that's what you can tell your friends , when you hang it on the wall of your garage .
After you get a new spare radial .
Radial and bias ply tires do not mix on a car . And you never know when you may need the spare .
Originally Posted by Tedd Thompson
There is a date code that is on every tire if you are curious about their age, dollars to doughnuts they are way past there expected age life though..... Tedd
Sorry for the long wait in reply. I finally took a quick look last night and say that the tires were Yokohama Radial 370 Steel tires. I didn't think the check the one in the truck. I will check tonight. I am trying to find these tires online and don't see them anywhere. It was bad lighting in the garage so I could't find the manufacture date. I'll take a closer look today. I want to make sure to get the correct replacement tires ordered in the coming days.
Thanks again everyone for the advice and help. I hope to start working on the Olds later this week and over the long weekend, going to start by cleaning and wiping everything down to get a better idea on the condition of everything. The floors are frayed and torn so I may just remove it all and assess to make sure there isn't any hidden rust. Then starts the engine work, since I moved the Olds into the garage I think I see 3 different fluids leaking so I plan to redo all the gaskets and deep clean all the parts. I'll take photos and upload in the projects forum. Excited to dive into this project.
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