Olds Scott

Has anyone seen a 55 or 56 with the front splash apron intact? So far every Olds that I have seen has only small pieces remaining or none on the car at all. Fender well splashes are easily to find but the fronts seem to be unavailable. Also does anyone make the stock metal clips that hold these rubber pieces on?

Olds Scott

This is the rubber splash that attaches between the front cross member and the radiator support, the sway bar goes thru holes in the right and left sides and is attached to the front frame.

DFitz

Yours may be different than mine. I have the base Holiday 88, 4-door. I had the entire front end apart, and the car is very original. No one but me has messed with it, and it has been in the family since new.


I have no evidence of any kind of rubber splash in front, anywhere by the sway bar or radiator supports. However, there were remains of a burlap cover over and around the front cross-member that protected the fuel lines to the fuel pump.

If it is what I'm thinking, my front splash is metal. Possibly, yours was missing and someone retrofitted something?

I've enclosed pictures of the front. Let me know if you have any other questions.


Dave

Olds Scott

Thanks for responding Dave. The rubber splash shield fits under the fuel line and has holes that correspond with the holes on the front cross member, there is a cut out for the hard fuel line that connects to the rubber fuel line. The splash is in two pieces, each side has a hole that the sway bar goes into. The ends that go up on frame ends that have holes for clips that hold them in place. The front of the splash connects to the radiator yoke in corresponding holes. This produces a splash and air direction wall for the radiator. If you or anyone else is interested in this piece I know someone that has started manufacturing them from old patterns. I know they fit because he brought one over and installed it on my car (his splash is for the 56 Oldsmobile but with some small modification it works on my 55). These splashes are made from masticated rubber like the originals.

DFitz

It sounds a lot like this is in place of the burlap covering my front cross-member. I'd be interested in a picture of the part and the installation when you have it done.

Olds Scott

It will be a little while before installation since I am painting front clip parts right now less the fenders themselves. Will get back to you

Olds Scott

I have pictures now but they are on my phone and need help sending

DFitz

Sorry, not sure what you mean. Usually I just connect my phone, via a USB cable, to my computer, copy the pictures, then post to the forum. Thanks for trying.

cmpcpro

Hey Olds I am interested too if you email or text them to me from your phone I can post them. My number is 818-940-8750

cmpcpro

Hey guys, here are the pictures from Scott. I've already got a set on order!

cmpcpro

For some reason the pictures don't want to upload correctly

cmpcpro

Another

cmpcpro

Last

DFitz

Hmm. Thanks for the pictures. Do you have a price on this?

cmpcpro

They are $45 for the set

Tedd Thompson

First time in all my years playing around with a 55 that I have see what that part looks like when complete, most are all gone or just a piece or two left. Learn something new every day on this site.... Thanks ...Tedd

Olds Scott

Nice thing about this rubber piece is that is can be installed from under the car.

Olds Scott

It also gets more air thru the radiator.

DFitz

Scott,

I tried to PM you, might have gone through, might have disappeared.

I would like details on how to get a set.

Thanks very much, Dave

cmpcpro

Hey Dave,

I am heading over there in a couple days to get my set, what year do you have? If you are okay with the $45 I can ask him to put a set together for you. He is having to make mine I guess he didn't have any in stock at the moment.

DFitz

Yes please. I have a '55. If you could PM me the payment info, and address to send it, that would be great. That way I can also send my mailing address.


Thanks very much. Dave

DFitz

Scott,


Thanks very much, got your PM. Don't know why, but the web site won't let me PM or answer you either. I just talked to Clifford and he's got me all set.


Thanks, Dave

DFitz

Thanks, but I called him directly and Clifford has me all set. Appreciate the offer.


Dave

DFitz

To everyone with 54-56 Olds.


I installed the front aprons today. This is a masticated rubber piece that is made from the same material as the fender well seals above the A-arms. These also use the same push in clips as the fender seals.


2 pieces, left and right. There is a hole that the sway bar slides into, and the back is pinned up against the front of the cross member. There are 1/4" holes in the front of the cross member. Anyone ever wonder what these were for? They are for the front apron pieces. The front of the piece goes on the front side of the lower radiator mount. They fold around the bottom and front of the radiator mount.


You'll have to remove both ends of the sway bar, and jack the car to get to it from underneath, but not too bad. It took me about 3 hours, and I'm slow.


The outboard end of the flaps lay flat on the top of the frame rails just outboard of the radiator mount. I had to remove a radiator recovery tank on the passenger side, same spot as the windshield washer reservoir, and the battery tray on the driver's side to get at the top of the rails.


These seem to be long lost parts that very few know about because of the age and deterioration of the original parts. If anyone is having cooling problems, this should also help direct more air through the radiator.


CMCPRO, Olds Scott, and I have contact info for the guy making the parts if anyone wants any.


Pictures above. Dave

Tedd Thompson

I'm wondering if this was a AC option to aid in cooling.I know most AC cars had a shroud added for that reason.... Tedd

Rocketowner

Tedd, I bet it was only on cars with factory air, because I don't think my '55 had that on it , and it was the most original car that I have ever seen, with only 38,000 miles and garage kept from the day it was new. Larry

DFitz

Well, the guy that made the parts, said that this was on all Olds, even my base model.


I have to say, I found the old push pins in the holes in the lower radiator frame and cross member, and I found the remains of some burlap around the pins. Cliff said that the rubber part had a burlap like twine or reinforcement in the middle of 2 layers of the rubber sheet.


The evidence on mine leads me to believe Cliff, and that this part was on all Olds. He included a sheet from an Olds manual that detailed the part. He also said that, back in the day, he was a service tech on these cars, and remembers the parts.


As I've said before, this car has been in my family since new and can guarantee that it has not been messed with. Since my base model, 55 4-door Holiday 88 had the apron, my bet is they all did. Kansas City built, sold to my grandmother, who lived in Independence, MO--home of the car till 1982. Then my cousin in Wichita--who didn't do anything to it, then me in 1988.


Not unlike the mythical starter shield.

ignachuck

My 56 has factory air and no signs of a rubber splash shield anywhere. It has a radiator shroud and the metal splash apron. And the above mentioned hunk of burlap.

DFitz

Yes, that's it. That hunk of burlap is the remains of the splash. Initially I thought like you did, mine was metal, and not rubber. The metal shield is at the bottom of and in front of the radiator, right? The rubber splash is in a different spot. It is from the bottom of the radiator mount, back to the front of the crossmember. It closes off the gap between the radiator and crossmember.


That burlap is what's left. It was sandwiched in between, the middle of, 2 layers of rubber mat.

cmpcpro

What is the metal splash apron?

DFitz

I'm guessing you mean the metal shield behind the bumper.

cmpcpro

I don't know, the paragraph I quoted had it there and I was curious what he was referring to.

Tedd Thompson

There is a shield/ pan that helps direct air to radiator and plugs the hole that would be there if something wasn't there.... Not sure that makes sense but that is what it does.... Tedd

DFitz

Of course it makes perfect sense! There are actually 2 shields, the one in this picture, and a smaller one bolted to the aft, top of the bumper.

Actually, if you look closely, this is a good place to describe the spot where the apron goes. Look at the above picture. See the front of the cross member? The rubber apron goes between that, and the bottom of the lower radiator mount. It closes off that area between where the front engine mount is and the radiator support.

ignachuck

^^^^^Yep, that's the metal shield, and an excellent description of all the parts we've been talking about. Thanks!