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Hello all! I recently bought a 1956 oldsmobile super 88 in parts. I have a team and goal is to assemble by the end of February. Current struggles are confusion with parts that appear to be incorrect.
1. I have a hydromatic transmission in a early model Super 88 not the Jetaway. My research shows the super 88s had a Jetaway. Anyone else experience this? Advice?
2. I have a manual steering gear box Current in the car but have the power steering pump and power steering gear box from a 1955 Oldsmobile in a parts box....possibly original to my car or previous owner bought with intent to swop?
3. Lastly I am trying to find a diagram or picture of complete assembly of passenger side exhaust manifold. I think I have the wrong one.on currently.
(1.) You are correct that the Super 88 (and 98) had the Jetaway which had Park on the gearshift indicator. The hydra-matic is a better transmission.
(2.) I think the 54 and 55 used a different power steering setup than the 56 but am not 100% sure on this, Although the 56 was pretty much the same body as teh 54 and 55 there were a number of differences.
(3.) I think all the passenger side exhaust manifolds were the same. 1956 was the first year factory duals were available but they used the same manifold with a blockoff plate installed for the crossover pipe. All 56 frames had the X member cut for dual exhaust whether they came with duals or not.
The 1956 model power steering shaft had a rag joint, the 55 and below power steering cars have a solid shaft that runs from the gearbox all the way up to the steering wheel. Not sure if they are interchangeable.
(1.) You are correct that the Super 88 (and 98) had the Jetaway which had Park on the gearshift indicator. The hydra-matic is a better transmission.
(2.) I think the 54 and 55 used a different power steering setup than the 56 but am not 100% sure on this, Although the 56 was pretty much the same body as teh 54 and 55 there were a number of differences.
(3.) I think all the passenger side exhaust manifolds were the same. 1956 was the first year factory duals were available but they used the same manifold with a blockoff plate installed for the crossover pipe. All 56 frames had the X member cut for dual exhaust whether they came with duals or not.
[QUOTE=redoldsman;1401516](1.) You are correct that the Super 88 (and 98) had the Jetaway which had Park on the gearshift indicator. The hydra-matic is a better transmission.
Sorry, if you allow, I would plead for the Jetaway. Mine functions perfectly and is much better in the shiifting than the Hydramatic that I had before. The Hydramatic always gives a kick from one speed to the next, the Jetaway is much smoother...
As Glenn mention above, the hydramatic was a better transmission than the early Jetaways. The '56's had problems. Most all had to be repaired, but this was before the days of recalls, so Olds kept the repair kit on the shelf and just waited for them to break, and then fixed them. Some lasted longer than others. Mine was broke when I bought it in 2012, and my transmission expert, Steve Peluso, was surprised it lasted that long. (Actually, it blew up twenty years before I bought it and the previous owner just parked it in his barn!- it still lasted a long time though!)
There is a "kick" between second and third as the fluid coupling shifts. Not bad.
As Glenn mention above, the hydramatic was a better transmission than the early Jetaways. The '56's had problems. Most all had to be repaired, but this was before the days of recalls, so Olds kept the repair kit on the shelf and just waited for them to break, and then fixed them. Some lasted longer than others. Mine was broke when I bought it in 2012, and my transmission expert, Steve Peluso, was surprised it lasted that long. (Actually, it blew up twenty years before I bought it and the previous owner just parked it in his barn!- it still lasted a long time though!)
There is a "kick" between second and third as the fluid coupling shifts. Not bad.
Steve Peluso did mine too and it is just perfect. I love that transmission as it is a technical highlight. I always say to the boys over here, when Olds had a kick free 4 speed automatic transmission, Mercedes Benz still sat on a tree picking bananas.
It is unbelievable that such a gear box was available in 1956,
Yes, the Hydramatic may be stronger, but I do not love the kicks and honestly, I drove my Olds about 1000 miles in two years, that user profile will make it last for at least 200 years... kidding...
No one reads source based information anymore, what people opine on the internet is passing as fact. The 1956 and 57 early production jetaway had internal leakage issues, issues resolved with a campaign effort to correct transmissions in stock, sold and in owners hands. This is documented fully in Oldsmobile dealer service bulletins. That some vehicles were not repaired in this regard in timely fashion for various reasons had these cars with this trouble turning up as used cars for years after the recall campaign ended. The jetaway otherwise is a excellent, reliable, durable transmission with a radiator cooler which remained in production in commercial chassis service (ambulances, etc) until 1967-68. The owners of these cars are not today necessarily racing them or towing 45' trailers, or have teenagers driving them. Any discussion of things like clutch-hydros and ultimate power handling capability in racing does not apply to hobby car use in 2022.
Since opinions are the order of the day, I'll offer one based on my direct experience with my own car. I've had examples of both the dual range hydramatic and jetaway in my 1952 Oldsmobile 98 convertible, with 3:64 gears, and different engines, and a unmodified shift quadrant , shift linkage and mast jacket. While both work well, the 1959 jetaway was in every way a modern efficient automatic transmission, especially in terms of straight line performance. Clearly a very positive evolution of everything in GM driveline development that preceded. That Oldsmobile chose to replace the jetaway with the slim jim is a hiccup in otherwise stellar Oldsmobile engineering progress. End of opinion.
I can only speak from my own experience. My 56 Super 88 has the Jetaway and it shifts smooth and with no problems since it has been in my possession , now that being said I don’t know if previous owners had work done to it, it appears I’m the 4th owner. History is sketchy all I have been able to ascertain is it was Born in Kansas and has spent its life in AZ. Good luck on your project . Gotta keep these Oldsmobiles rolling !!!!!
Welcome to the site Jeff! Attached are some pictures of the passengerside manifold I removed from a 1954 324 engine. Not sure its the same, but thought I'd put it out there for the experts to clarify. Also I've got a couple core transmissions from 1954 & 1955 if you decide to change that out. I'm up in Medford Oregon which is still a few hours away from you, but if you had the occasion to be over this way you'd be welcome to stop by. Most of my clutter is 1964-72 vintage but I've got parts from a few 1954 and 55 cars I've drug home over the years. John
