flatoz asked me what he should look out for when buying a "tri-five" '54-5-6 Oldsmobile. if anyone else would like to add to this,or point out where i'm wrong,feel free to chime in "you should probably include the 1954 Oldsmobile (my car is a '54) in your search,it shares the same body shell as the 1955-6 and also has the 324 engine. in '56 they came out with the Jetaway transmission,which i hate i prefer the dual-range hydra-matic,which was available in '54-5,and the 2 bbl. carb. equipped '56. the '56 has the most horsepower,but it's also the heaviest. Rocket engines are pretty stout,although there can be problems getting oil to the valvetrain,sometimes it's just a little clatter when it's cold,sometimes it eats pushrods and rocker arms water pumps,fuel pumps,starter solenoids & generator brushes & bearings,carb.rebuild kits,and ignition tune-up parts are readily available. the '56 has the "window" distributor that GM used until they got the HEI, and you can install a Pertronix electronic ignition kit if you want. i think they have a kit for the earlier ones too. you can't break the rear end,they used to use them for dragsters.you can still get seals and bearings,but you might have to look on ebay for NOS u-joints. i broke my pinion yoke once burning rubber,i plan on installing ladder bars or traction bars before i do that again,it's embarassing having your driveshaft fall out brake parts are readily available,even the rebuild kit for power brake boosters. i removed the vacuum can and electric solenoid from mine,and installed a universal vacuum can,because an old-timer told me he had a problem with his failing which caused him to wreck his car i might not ever have had the same problem,but the one i got was only $30 or so from www.summitracing.com i have had brake fade problems,but usually only on hot days when i'm riding the brakes (my idle is set kind of high because of the cam i have) in heavy traffic,or after a panic stop. i have never been unable to stop the car. there are disc brake conversions available,but i haven't installed one yet. bodyshells are shared with small Buicks '54-5-6,you can swap windshields,back glass,door glass,window regulators,seats,doors,trunk (or boot?) lids,etc.etc. rust can happen on floors and rockers ,C-pillars,and the lower edge of the rear window. these folk have some of the panels. http://www.classicfabrication.com/ other parts www.fusick.com www.usapartsupply.com www.kanter.com and Terrill Machine in Texas is also a good place for engine parts,water pump,and oil pump rebuilds. i think someone has a kit to convert to electric windshield wipers,but i can't remember who? "
I'll agree with the back window-especially where it meets the rear quarter.It can rust there from water penetration and follow a path all the way down the inside front of the rear wheel well. And second the front hood-I've got both of these problems('56 olds holiday sedan).I've broken a rear axle-snapped off just past the spline.Went to local motorcycle clubhouse to pull one out of '57 olds left over from demo derby only to get it home and it had one more tooth and wouldn't fit.No,I didn't take it back.Pivot pins should be checked in the front end for sloppiness.There are a lot of pivot points and if all of them have considerable play,could add up to somewhat loose steering-a challange to anyone whose only ever driven newer cars.Pivot pins come up all the time on ebay and I'm surprised how low they go in price sometimes(whoops,theres a secret I may regret!) Same can be said for wheel bearings-the outer bearing (#909001)seems to take a lot of abuse,sometimes likely from overtightening that shortens its life. Front brake wheel cylinders are very hard to find - or harder to find than the rear-the front cylinder bore is 1 3/32" -after some hair pulling,found that replacing both with 29/32" would do the job.-found on ebay,though they raised their price somewhat after they started selling a bunch. As for engine,the intake manifold choke tube is sometimes rotten and not easily evident-allows exhaust to leak and choke to not work.The exhaust manifold heat riser valve is also important to be free and not sticking-some of you may have other ideas about these things,plus different climate.Check rear right (I think)motor mount for separation-rubber broken though I suppose you would have to put a little lift on the motor to know for sure- or maybe a prybar.On a '56 olds with potmetal reverse lights,these are getting really hard to find in decent shape it seems and no reproductions are offered(if you have some extra-email me) but the rest is fairly easy to find over time-if you aren't in a hurry.If the radio hums and doesn't work,it because its old.The capacitors that store energy used a wax and paper with a dielectric paste that would dry out over time.Long and the short of it,all the old radios need new capicitors-12 or so-worth about 10 bucks.One capacitor in particular will cause the "vibrator" to hum if its bad and be mistaken for a bad vibrator tube.I have schematic and will send anyone a copy with a sase.-save you a couple bucks. pete
Great thread - I just got my 55 s-door on the road and love it. This info is gold. Just blew out a front wheel cylinder and NAPA had the right size repair kit. The box has a very bold"35" on it, a series of small #s under the bar code; 7(then a couple of spaces), then 47730(space) 09527, then bold but smallish size, 0702. Surely there's a part # in there some where. Would LOVE a good lower hood chrome piece.
fasteners plus have an ebay store that have hard to find rear window clips-reasonable price and other olds molding clips-fusick has them now to but they didn't used to http://stores.ebay.com/Fasteners-Plus
I don'y know if this is applicable, but I have a 55 pontiac 2 dr sedan and the weather stripping offof a 55 chevy 2 dr fits as well as the door handles. the r/e changed in 57 so the earlier pontiac 39 up chunk fits. i used a 48 pontiac chunk in a early olds.
Brake drums are hard to find however - fusick and kanter both show they have 'em but never have them in stock (last time I checked). Unless someone knows a replacement. And hey, watch those reverse lug-nuts on the drivers side!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
not sure about the others but '55s have a chrome trim piece along the lip of the hood, they are pretty rare and no-one re-pops them (least not that I have found), I have seen core pieces go for $100+ and re-chromed ones for $300+ Newport Engineering do a electric wiper conversion. If you want to run a different trans there are a couple of companies that do bellhousing adapters - thename tanson enterprises comes to mind, but I think there are others ? Fusick listed above do rubber seals (doors, windows etc) but so do Steele Rubber Products. I suspect they are the same product as they are similar price. Nu-Relic do modern power window setups that are direct replacement, from what I read they are good quality but expensive. Fusick do OE style motors This is something I wrote in this post (http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=246116) and is a quick guide to the models.. it concentrates of 55s but I believe the other years are similar. AFAIK it is accurate, but corrections welcome! Mid 50s Oldsmobiles had the 88, 98 and starfire models. The 98 was the upmarket version - In '55 they had electric seat, aerial, windows, power steering and brakes, the trim and upolstery was more fancy too. It also wore more bodytrim (spear down the trunk lid, different trunk lid lock surround, spears on the rear taillight lens, surround around the fuel filler door). The 98 was also longer (I think something like 9-12" ) at least some of that was in the trunk lid, Something tells me the wheelbase was longer too. The 98 also got rolled wheelarch lips instead of the "square" versions on the 88. Both the 88 and 98 was available in "Holiday" guise, which was hardtop (no post). It actually goes further than this because the sedan was a different bodystyle to the hardtop (rear window was a different shape and the rear wheel arch too). To confuse things yet further there was a "Super 88" that although had the shorter body of the 88 model had the rolled rear wheelarch like a 98, I don't know what else it borrowed from the 98 (maybe electric windows and stuff?) I think the Super was only available in hardtop.. The starfire was the convertible model and had all the trim/features of the 98 model. I think this is a definitive list of all '55 body styles: 88 Coupe (2dr, sedan, square wheel arch) 88 Sedan (4dr, sedan, square wheel arch) 88 Holiday Coupe (Hardtop, square wheel arch) Super 88 (2dr, Hardtop, rolled wheel arch) 98 Sedan (4dr, post, long body, rolled wheel arch) 98 Holiday Coupe (2dr, long body, rolled wheel arch) 98 Holiday Sedan (4dr, long body, rolled wheel arch) Starfire (convertible, 2dr, long body, rolled rear wheel arch) I dont think they did a Super 88 4dr or a 2dr post 98, least I can't find any evidence of them. I believe this info is true for '55 and '56, not sure about '57. 88 Holiday Coupe, note square rear wheel arch and "simple" trunk lock surround 88 Sedan (post) note the difference in the rear window shape. This car has been fitted with wheelwell skirts that emulate the 98 model. 98 Holiday Coupe, showing the rolled rear wheel arch, and the extra trim on the trunk and tail lights. You can also see the car is alot longer in the trunk Starfire, showing the extra trunk & tailight trim that it shared with 98 models. All pics courtesy of http://www.carnut.com
One thing you need to watch out for when you drive a '54 Olds are deers (well I guess you need to do that with any car or truck!). Silhouettes member's '54 Olds. He had just had the new paint on for about a month or less!
Crafty, I believe this is incorrect. I think this is a definitive list of all '55 body styles: 88 Coupe (2dr, sedan, square wheel arch) 88 Sedan (4dr, sedan, square wheel arch) 88 Holiday Coupe (Hardtop, square wheel arch) Super 88 (2dr, Hardtop, rolled wheel arch) 98 Sedan (4dr, post, long body, rolled wheel arch) 98 Holiday Coupe (2dr, long body, rolled wheel arch) 98 Holiday Sedan (4dr, long body, rolled wheel arch) Starfire (convertible, 2dr, long body, rolled rear wheel arch) The "Super 88" in 1955 does not have the rolled rear wheel opening. The only difference was the 4bbl carb, some interior stuff, and circular badges with "88" instead of just "88" on the front fenders. Other than that the above is dead-on.
Thanks Yorgi, my old man told me about this thread. some good info so lets keep it coming. I found this place that does disc conversions for a good price with a list of parts from NAPA. http://www.scarebird.com/6928.html that is about all I have to contribute at the moment. I notice on ebay that there are a few who are selling rocket 303-324 rebuild kits, bearings etc. also a place in CT that sells carpet. Can anyone tell me what is required for a 2dr hardtop in the way of rubbers from Fusick? as i have read their catelogue and get confused. Must be the traslation from US to Aussie that I cant sort it out. trying to work out what rubbers/seals are required to do the doors including windows. Anyone??
Good info here. The only models that had the hydra-matic was the 54-5, and the 2bbl 56? 54 and 55 had them in the 2 and 4bbl cars? I've been hunting a 324 for quite some time now, and this is all useful info.
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