What can you tell me about a '57 Olds 88?

I found one for sale and am thinking of buying....

It's pretty clean, needs some resto but a good driver... It has a 371 and 4 speed auto, both unrestored... The car has around 85K on the clock... Front and rear bumpers need rechromed... Paint is nice but has a few small blisters poking through (paint is 21 years old) I know who did the paint and body so it was done well.. Interior is pretty nice, needs a little work but isn't bad....

How is this drivetrain? How hard is it to find parts? It's a 4 door but aesthetically pleasing.... He is asking $5500...

I have never owned anything like this... Most of my stuff has been '60s Fords so it's foreign to me...

 

Hillbillhellcat---------Try getting ahold of Ross racing engines in Niles Ohio 330 544 4466 . Oldsmobiles are there specialty Either Ross or Tony

 

Bttt

 

www.fusick.com have the biggest catalog of stuff for these cars, download their catalog and take a look, they will have most stuff that you'd need to keep it on the road.
Steele rubber do alot of the weatherstrips (I think fusick sell their products as they are all a similar price).
Kanter will do suspension rebuild stuff (again fusick may be selling their stuff, not sure).

Fusick don't do sheetmetal and I don't believe there is anyone who does.
Newport engineering to electric wiper conversions.

If fusick don't do the engine parts egge machine will.

Not 100% on this but I believe the transmissions are up to the task but can be expensive to rebuild, I think there are a couple of companies who do adapters to fit a GM transmission (th350/700 etc).

Rear ends are big and strong, I think there are some posi/slip diffs but which cars there were in etc I'm not sure.
If you want to start playing with it keep an eye on ebay for 6x2 intakes etc, they do come up. If I remember right '57 is the first year of the 371 engine, I have the impression its different to the earlier 33/324 engine so bits may not interchange.
Again I think the '57 is different from the 55/56 cars ch***is & suspension wise but there is a company who do a disc brake kit for the 55/56 so I guess they may do a '57 one too. There have been kits on ebay using mid 70s GM calipers/discs so that route may be worth looking at (search for posts here).

There is probably loads more information stashed away here, do a search for posts by yorgatron and also words like "rocketeers" and you should dig up some good stuff.

 

I got one and love it. Mine has been mildly customed: nosed, decked, shaved,frenched and custom interior and paint. Skirts and lakes. Great crusier.

I was lucky in that mine had been restored about 10 years earlier, so all of the original parts were there. I kept the original 371 J2 engine and hydramatic trans, but a lot of people go for a 455 700R4 setup. The front suspension is already IFS, so other than modern brakes not much else needs done there.

Most engine parts are available from Egge machine and PAW and Fusicks. Fusicks carry some body parts as well. Only engine part that I know of that is hard to find is the crank. A buddy who had a 57 Super 88 convertible needed a new crank and it took him 6 months or more locating one. Egge doesn't (or didn't) have them, nor the other two.

The body trim can be hard to come buy as well. I still have the pieces that I removed (front/rear emblems, fender rockets, etc). Rubber parts (windows, doors, etc) are available form Steele Rubber and other places. You can also get upgrade disc brake hardware form Scarebird and other Alliance vendors.

Doesn't cost a fortune to turn them into a fine road machine.

 

I finally drove it today and it seems to run OK around the block but the brakes grab like mad... this car sits a lot so I am guessing there is rust on the drums.... The trans also seems to shift kinda odd but it's not what I'm used to.... I'm going to call him tomorrow with an offer... I have wanted one of these things for about 20 years.... Wish me luck!