Projects 1949 Oldsmobile model 76 mild custom commissioned job

So I have a buddy that I've been giving crap to a younger buddy to do up a 49 olds he inherited ever since he told me he had it(bout 2 years lol). Saturday he finally popped up wanting to start on it and said he wanted to hire me to do the work. Went today to actually look at the car. Had never actually seen it aside from grainy pics. Was actually pleasantly surprised at how good a shape it's in.....I would have harassed him more had I known lol. Paint is actually passable and interior overall is in good shape. Nearly all the chrome and stainless will polish out. So basically will be able to start by rewiring the car and engine swapping it. It's also going to be lowered on different caps. He's wanting to two tone it with silver and charcoal and likely something like scallops. Was going to 303 olds swap it but he missed out on one so it'll likely get an sbc dressed to look like an early olds. As it progresses I'll talk him into more custom stuff. As it is he's really liking the idea of lakes pipes. Best part is his wife is fully on board because she's always wanted to ride in it. But as the original flat six is seized solid it wasn't going anywhere lol. I'm starting out by making up a list of parts for him to order and going from there. Loving the idea of a build I have control over without actually having to pay for it lol

 

Let me be the first to discourage sticking a 350 Chevy in it .. that's one of 2725 Deluxe 76 town sedans built in '49, & deserves an Olds engine. Later 400 & 455 Olds with 350 or 400 turbo hydro is an easy swap.
Colorwise, it looks like washing it would do the job - 2 tone fastbacks don't come off too well.

 

Mmmmmmm
Clean it up

Make it go and stop

drop the crap out of it.

especially the rear

 

He really doesn't like the green. And green wasn't the original color. I believe it was originally charcoal. But he's wanting it brighter. Mebbe do silver with charcoal scallops. In any event paint is low on the list.....in fact while we were at the car when I snagged the pics I recommended holding off on paint till everything else was done and driving it a bit with the green. Normally I'd try to find a later 394 for something like this but he's somewhat on a budget and still young and learning (20 years old). Kind of how we settled on an sbc.

 

Yeah making it go would take more than a fluid change. The flat six is stuck pretty solid. And he's not fond of the idea of a six cylinder. And yeah a good drop is in the plans. Basically he liked the idea of it being low enough to not see the rear hubcaps with the skirts on lol

 

Had an engine last week. No turn.
Been sitting for a couple decades.
Punched the clutch a few times, pull handle on the crank. No turn
Pulled the head. Cleanest cylinders ya ever seen.
Tried again and it turned. Why was it stuck? Don’t know.

that flat 6 isn’t cheap to build
But it’s cool
But do whatever fits the budget to make it move
Then drive the crap out of it

 

Oh. That green is perfect.

 

I did tell him to hang on to the engine after we pull it. Clutch popping isn't an option on this one as it's factory auto

 

Yeah in person it looks like the same shade early olds ohv v8s were painted. I honestly don't mind it but he hates it lol. He wants it to match the original paint in the interior

 

4 escape hatch version of something like this

 

Didn't even think of doing spotlights on it. That'd be right up his alley

 

And sound amazing

 

Side question..... would a 49 olds and a 49-54 Chevy car use the same hood springs? I know they looked similar. And his are weak and I have a whole box of good ones for chevys

 

Actually planning on talking him into frenched headlights

 

While I really like this car, I probably won't be following this thread.

 

Had one like it back in '65, mine was a 49-76. The stock BIG SIX was 257" and ran great with the Hydro, but I went with a '54 - 324 with the slant pan Hydro, and can still hear the sound of the 4 barrel kickin in !

 

Very nice car to start building. How about a 235 , 261 Chevy or a 302 gmc ?

 

Yeah part of why the more extensive modifications i have to kinda talk him into is because when his grandfather was still showing it 25 years ago it won a lot of car show trophies in restored categories despite the color change. Nothing national level but still quite a few big shows from KC to st Louis. What put the bug in his ear to actually customize it was last summer I came across a complete running 303 with transmission for $600. Nearly everything to convert his car over. He missed out on it but it still got gears rolling. He's pretty set on an 8 for it. He already has an inline six project vehicle (too new for here). But we're we to find another running 303 or 324 takeout engine and transmission for a reasonable price he'd love to run that

 

He won’t like that car silver, white, or charcoal. They look just like big blobs then. Make him pick an actual color or leave it green and go with a heavy flake lime green roof and scallops.

 

You're not the first, but I'll say it again, it is a flat head six.
A flat six is like a Porsche or Corvair engine. Horizontally opposed cylinders, in this case 3 either side.

 

With the six there’s plenty of room under the hood for a supercharger.

 

Let's cut it out with that.

There's nothing remotely traditional about Olds 400s and 455s. These muscle car engines, along with BBCs, Big block Cadillacs, BBFs, and so on, are not HAMB appropriate, and were never offered during HAMB relevant times. By that logic, he could swap in an Olds 350 diesel, which would have brand continuity, but would suck because it's lame and not-traditional. The Olds-in-an-Olds, Ford-in-a-Ford, etc. mentality is nonsensical. Guys have been swapping engines across brands since the birth of hot rodding, and oddly nobody seems to take issue with someone swapping a nailhead, hemi, Pontiac, or whatever into a Model A or deuce Ford. That this is a post-war car makes no difference in my mind. Hell, even Olds used some Chevy engines in the 1970s and 1980s from the factory. So it's fine if the factory does it but somehow a faux pas if he does it in his garage at home? Of course a Gen 1 Olds would be best. Maybe looking for donor car with a 394 would be the path of least resistance, even if not the least expensive.

And let's not get carried away here. Low production numbers or not, this is a 4 door sedan fastback, and low optioned one at that. A cool car for sure. But it's not a desirable model that has significant collectable value due to low supply and high demand. It's not like he'd be cutting up a GT500KR here.

If that car deserves anything, it deserves to be on the road again. If putting a Chevy in it is what achieves those ends, then so be it. I wouldn't try to dress it up as an Olds either. He's not fooling anybody that matters.

And I agree with @Moriarity, custom body work is paramount. These are tremendous looking cars, and some basic body mods can have a real impact.

 

All good points, '57 Joe.

 

The disguising the sbc as olds is purely for looks. Kid is going to want to buy aftermarket valve covers and air filter anyway so this route at least they'll look good lol

 

I'm a firm believer of "it's your car, do what you want!"
So I really do not care what you do with it.

What makes me curious though, that engine and car looks so clean ... as if it was put away running.
Then while sitting the engine has stuck ..... to the point that maybe spend a weekend on it and could have a running car.
Then drive the car while collecting parts and making future plans.

If the engine & transmission works as designed to work, could sell it to help pay for a new engine/trans.

I have no idea about GM flatheads, as a rule flatheads like low rpm and it is possible the old man that owned it raced it and spun a bearing and locked it up .... just not likely after they put so much work into it.

If it was me, it would be a fun challenge to just find out why the engine is froze and fix it if I could.
Would not be hard to pull the head, a gasket is cheap enough .... could probably drop the pan easily enough to inspect the bearings .... A mopar you remove the tire and the inner fender to get to the valves.
If you open it up and find it is junk ... at least you know.
Or spend a couple days on it and find it runs really sweet, move on to brakes, tires, cooling system.

 

I have a soft spot for Oldsmobile's and I believe they deserve Olds power plants. It's the kids car and he is on a budget so do what you must to get it running I am just saying a mouse motor in an Oldsmobile is a downgrade in book.
Rocket power should not be lost to history!

 

Wonder if it would look good with some Watson esc scallops in charcoal/ silver over the existing green