The_German

Whoooow that helps me very much. The box acc is never filled in.
Now I can put my trim tag together, the only number that I will never find again is the fisher body number!
Anyway, then I need to make one up.
thanks so much!!!!

The_German

I just looked at trimtag.com, but they only seem to fabricate Olds tags for 65-77 made cars.
I am checking with them now, if they also would come up with a 56.
thanks

56Super88

I just got the front clip sheet metal back from acid dipping and epoxy coating. I am very happy with the work. The parts look like new.

hialeah56

is that like a powder coating , they came out great btw

56oldsnub

They turned out nice. Quick and painless? How was it on the pocket book?

56Super88

It is an epoxy based primer that the parts are dipped in to stop any new rust. I just need to 400 grit sand and paint. I didn't think the price was to bad $600.00 for the whole front clip. It included acid dip, cleaning and epoxy coating.

I am just waiting now for the door panels to be shipped back to me from SMS Fabrics in OR. Then if it ever warms up in Wisconsin I can finish the body work and prep for paint.

56oldsnub

$600 is not bad at all.
I'd love to hear about how your panels turn out.

56Super88

I plan on painting the insides of all the fenders and hood with single stage enamel and then assemble the front end finish sanding then 3 coats of red / white base coat and 4 coats of clear coat. I still have a lot of work to do.

56oldsnub

Here is an idea of what I am doing with my 56 Holiday. There will be a roof chop, shaving all the handles and most of the stainless. I plan to pancake the hood a bit. I will be lowering the car, but not sure if I will airbag it or not. I will also be changing the rear doors to a suicide door set up. Should be fairly unique when it's done.

hialeah56

airbags are a must, there's nothing like driving in at stock height and slaming it at a car show. These cars look great lowered but you also want to be able to drive the old girl. Ck out my brother's buick that he just got bagged.

hialeah56

btw the whitewalls got cleaned up with bleach white just not in this picture

hotrodj54

very cool, i like the idea. im also goin custom on my 56 just no chop.....

56oldsnub

Erit, your bro's Buick looks cool at that height. What type of setup did he use. (i.e. Ridetech etc.) Did he install it himself or did he get it installed? Did he keep the stock a-arms (with mods of course) or did he go with new?...I've got all sorts of questions if he did it himself?

hialeah56

He took it to a friends shop that does hydraulics and bag installs. They used firestone bags with 2 480 vi-air compressors and the brackets were all custom made. The a-arms are stock but they cut something in the front which allowed more travel. I would have to get my brother in a good mood to let me take some pics of the work they did. I like it but I also see that the rear in our cars would have to be done different since buicks have coil springs instead of leafs. I was thinking of getting a 4-link done for the rear of mine but I dare not attempt this myself and I got quoted $800 by a friend, so that might have to wait.

56oldsnub

Everybody needs a friend that does hydraulics and bag installs....wish I had one

euroman1

@56oldsnub
you should make a trip to winnipeg and i'll introduce you to my buddy,we are in the same club and he is bagging all rides going through his hands.i'm sure he will help you out.
..with your roof chop idea,any thoughts about the front and rear glass already?it seems no one is touching the wrap around windshields.

56oldsnub

the original windshield has delaminated so it's pretty much junk...that being said I thought I would take a shot at using my sand blaster to cut it....I'm told it can be done and I have a basic idea about how I'm going to do it....figured I'd use the delaminated one as a guinea pig until I got my technique down...then cross my fingers and cut down the new one....but if anyone has any easier, or less risky....I'm all ears

56oldsnub

euroman....trust me, I'd love t take it too your buddy...but I plan to do the suspension while I've got the chassis on the rotisserie....looks like I'll either have to bring somebody in to do it, or take a shot at it myself...

Erit....I'm also thinking about doing the 4-link...if I do I'll be sure to take lots of photos for you..

hialeah56

Yeah I've seen them do it with a sandblaster, way too cool. Also have you heard of cutting the glass, then fitting the roof to the glass or is my metal guy full of it? He said it was the easiest and most effective way to do it and get a good seal. That if you do it the other way around you always have to go back and tweek the roof. BTW, I would love to see pics of the 4-link

euroman1

Erit..i've heard about it now a few times that the glass should be made before the roof is done so it seems your metal guy is right.
Bret,awhile ago i've found a homepage with a detailed way to sandblast a curved windshield,i just have to find it on my other computer and post the link.

Rainer

56oldsnub

Erit & Rainer...doing the window first is an excellent idea...(one I never thought of)...I'm going to meka sure I do it that way. I'm way better at altering metal than glass ...thanks for the tip.

I'd love to see the webpage if you find it. I've found a couple, but I'm always looking for info.

1956OldsDarrin

man, I missed this tread

56oldsnub

Nice looking car Darrin....Did you lower it yourself?

Neto56

Hi everyone, new to the forums. Restoring a 56 Olds Holiday Coupe for my dad. Looking forward to learning some great things and meeting some good people.

hialeah56

looking good

welcome to CO don't tease us ,any pics

Neto56

Hi Hialeah, the front end is off, the engine and transmission have been rebuilt but I have run into some problems with my painter. Needless to say I had to find a new steering wheel and column because they lost the original one it came with. He hasn't returned my calls and still has the fenders and one gallon of paint I already bought. So sadly I'm looking to get a new pair of fenders and cut him loose. I hate to do it but I'm pretty much out of options at this point. I'm behind schedule two years now because of this guy. So if anyone can tell me where I can pick up a pair of good fenders I would really appreciate it.

1956OldsDarrin

I cut 2 coils from the front, however the 455/th400 combo is considerably lighter than original.
my suggestion would be start at 1 coil, let it settle and see if you want to go another 1/2.
If you put the floor jack under the frame end of the A arm (with engine in the car) and unbolt the cross piece from the frame you can quite easily drop the coil right out.
I just used belltech lowering blocks on the rear, but I had to modify them, look at my stuff section, for a diagram.

hialeah56

I understand 100% I got robbed out of $4500 from a shop that closed down and left my car outside, don't feel bad keep your head in the game and look forward. I have an extra column but it is only the outside no steering wheel shaft (name?) and it is a manual steering one not a power steering one, meaning it doesn't have the lower bearing like the power steering one. As for the fenders if you don't find any good ones I have some but they are for a four door s88 ( the have holes for the holiday script) and the need a lottttt of metal work but I could let them go for $70 plus what ever it is to greyhound them to you. BTW $50 for the column if interested plus what ever it is to ship. Also have a steering wheel needs work also for $70 plus shipping
Erit

Olds Dad

Have a 55 parts car - not sure of the interchangeability of the steering columns but if you need the whole thing complete feel free to PM me.

56oldsnub

wow...Neto...sucks that the painter is screwing you like that. Not sure how much of a hurry you are in, but in about 6-8 months time I will have a whole raft of spare parts. I am taking my 2 56 98's and turning all the best parts into one cool 98...unfortunately right now I'm still picking and choosing the parts I want from both (plus the fact that it's -20 here), and then I will have to reassemble the car, etc. Once that is done I will have parts to let go.

Neto56

Hi 56,

You know it was kind of my fault. The guy has really become a slave to drugs but man can he get down and paint. He did my 63 Impala SS while he was first starting to get into the habit, and it turned out great. In fact last summer they just stole a 57 Bel Air he painted for this guy who use to have him paint all his Bel Air's but this particular 57 was the owner's baby, they valued it at $150,000, got printed in the newspaper here in LA and everything. I can always have my new painter work on the body and the hood and everything else in the mean time, how much are you looking to ask for the fenders?

Neto56

It's funny Hialeah, that's exactly what happened to me. Those douchebags left the column in the car and left the entire car outside for months, it was no surprise that it was gone when I went to go pick up the car. Thanks for the offer on the steering column but I literally just picked one up a couple of weeks ago. I'm so sad because the car was complete. It was a desert car, some rot in the rear floor pans because the windows had been shot out and there were newspapers on the floor so with a combination of water and the newspapers the rear floors were eaten out. The rest of the car pristine with no rot through anywhere else, not in the trunk, the rear of the fenders, the rockers, no where. The hood is tweaked though, the spot welds in the rear left corner came undone so the hood is now warped. It had original power windows, wonder bar radio, rear speaker, single exhaust but with the dual exhaust tip ornaments, padded dash, courtesy lights but I've bought a bunch of extras for it, power antenna, power seat, autronic eye, reel out trunk light, view finder, handheld spotlight all kinds of goodies. Thanks guys you are the best.

1956OldsDarrin

about the roof chop.
I saw a 55 olds 4 door, get chopped in a magazine ( custom rodder? ) and they basically took the whole roof, and channeled it into the body.
It gave them hidden wipers in the front, and they filled in a little in the rear deck and trimmed the chrome to match.
It LOOKED good ?
I dont know if It really would be any better but It sure looked easy.
just food for thought.

euroman1

Bret,
here is the link for the windshield cutting
http://www.cadvision.com/blanchas/54...indshield.html

56oldsnub

Thanks Euroman...good article

Darrin...I've heard of that before. If you could remember which magazine you saw that in and aprox when it came out would be awesome. I did a quick search of the net and couldn't find anythng.

Neto...not quite ready to part with my extra fenders just yet...have to see which of the 4 fit best before I part with the other 2.

hialeah56

found this on the hamb look at about 8 post down and it has pics of the 55 chop article. It says it was march 94 custom rodder.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...=55+buick+chop

1956OldsDarrin

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...=55+buick+chop
Thats the one, dig those 80s mags!

scroll down, to the old article.

hialeah56

someone on here was asking for a set of these, can't remember who
not mine
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1956-...Q5fAccessories

Super88-56

My '56 turn signals auto cancel. I also have a flashing problem but only on the right turn signal. I'm pretty sure it is a ground problem on the rt. rear turn signal. Gotta get it fixed 'cause it has to be inspected here in NY!

mschaefer

I bought my first 56 Oldsmobile when I was 29 back in 1989, and I still have it along with 3 more since then.