Finished the steering today. I made a minor change to the Caddy column. The tube measured 2 1/2 inch and looked too bulky. The Olds was 2 inch,so I cut the tubes off both columns and welded the Olds tube to the Caddy tilt assemly. Looks much better this way. I used a couple Borgenson u-jtsjoints for the steering, utilizing one of their vibration/joints on the box. I have installed them before and they work great. A short D-shaped shaft between the two and it worked out great.
Cleaning up the engine compartment and firewall ready for paint. This is the time to do it before the motor goes in. Leaning towards to painting the car the original color. Once the firewall is painted, I am locked in, so I want to be sure.
Baron, Here are the pics of the motor mounts, along with a shot of my "Wonder Bar" radio. I used the factory frame mounts from a 1973 full size car. You are coming along great!
Going to keep an eye on this thread for sure.... Trying to get ideas on what to do with my '49 Series 76 rag top. I would really like to get mine to sit like the Olds that Dan Sobieskis of Poor Boys Hot Rods built. just not for sure how or what way to go.... Please keep posting updates.
Thanks Marty. I bought a pr of the mounting pads (and new motor mounts) for a 1970-72 442 . Going to work perfect.I will extend the mounting plates out very similar to the way you did yours. Thanks for the pics( Nice radio!). To make your Rag Top sit like that Fastback would be easy by mounting the subframe the same as Marty's and mine and adding a set of dropped spindles and the right spring combo for the motor your using.Good luck with your build. Thanks !
Very Very COOL build Baron! My older brother has a 50 painted that color and it looks very nice! I have always wanted to build a 49 50 Olds 88 Club Coupe the fast back style heck ofa job your doing there. I LIKE IT!!
Typically, I think tilt columns in old cars look like steaming dog shit. But this one is nice and clean, and doesn't really detract from the interior, so I say well done. Worth the effort to cut down on the tube diameter as well, that's one of the things that usually throws it off.
Hey, We just found your Olds Coupe Build... We're also building a '49 Coupe, but making it look like a '50. Built a '57 371 punched .125 to 394" / 6-Log with six 97's and a B&M (Slant Pan) Stick Hydro. We know Marty Strode very well. When and if you need any advice he's your man! We've seen his work now for over thirty years, and Marty is a real talent. Plus he's the hardest working most honest person I've come to know. For any engine parts call Ross Racing in Ohio. Ross & Tony the son have it all. The engine photo is theres, but ours is identical in every way. We Love your project... MAGOOZ Seattle, Wa. kmccand865@aol.com
Thanks Good luck with your project. If it is anywhere as nice as your Henry J(and by the looks of your motor,it will be),it will be one of the finest Olds 88 in the country. And Marty has been great help with the tips ( and pictures) he has given me. Saved me a ton of time. Making progress on the Olds. Took more time to ready the firewall/engine compartment ready for paint than it did to install the subframe. Picked up all the brackets, mounts, and pulleys yesterday for the alt,PS and AC compressor from Majestic Motors ( Thanks Chuck !) so I hope to fabricate the motor/tranny mounts this coming week-end. Be nice to have the motor and trans bolted in permanently before Christmas. Well see how it goes.
Made the motor mounts (that the Olds 442 pads bolt to) and welded them to the chassis today. Ill finish the transmission mount tomorrow. I was surprised that the engine really fills up the engine compartment . The hardest part of this job was locating the motor so that the Olds Cutlass long tube headers cleared the steering box. I wound up off-setting the motor to the right 1/2 inch for the added clearance. Here is the left header just clearing the steering box. Have about 1/4 inch between the header and one bolts. I will still have to modify/move the rear tube about 1 inch(away from the motor) for brake pedal clearance. Other than that, everything fit pretty good.(Thanks again Marty)
I just stumbled onto this topic about the rebuilding of a '49 Olds 88.. Very interesting! I have had a love affair with the '49-50 88's since 1954.. I had a 88 2dr fst back in '54-55, a great, fast car. Been looking for one for several years.. I found a unmolested '49 fst bk in Rapid City, SD in '07.. Got it home and started doing research on the best way to rebuild the car.. I quickly found that the 303 and hydro were best sent to the recycle yard.. The combo's weight was almost 550 lbs heavier than a late model Olds engine and 350TH trans. I opted for a FatMan front clip, 11" brakes, power rack. The engine is a '77-78 Olds 403, built by Mondelo, 550HP.. Trans is a 200R4 built by DMC in Ventura. Upon the advise of Brett at FatMan I kept the original rear end and all of the original suspension componets. I had the rear hydraulic shocks rebuilt by Fourway in Santa Ana.. They put HD valving in the shocks and re-clocked them to allow for the 2" dropped Tremco springs. I had the rear end re-geared to 3:42. I upgraded the rear brakes to the 2-1/4" 98 style.. The 88 & 98 used the same rear drums.. The chassis is all done now, powder coated and all componets installed. The body metal work is just about done, lots of rust out in the floor pan.. The car spent the first 8 years of it's life in MN.. Yuck... Did not plan on that.. I have a topic/thread about the rebuilding of the car on Classic Oldsmobile,com.. Bill
Hi Bill. I have read your build thread on the Olds forum. Beautiful workmanship. Motor looks killer ! I was fortunate enough to find a rust free car to begin with (very lucky!) I am also leaving the stock rear in mine and when I bought the car, it had two brand new rear shocks (from Vic Hubbards) in there original boxes in the trunk. Already bolted on and I think they are going to be fine. I plan on doing the same with my rear brakes also. Nice that they all use the same drum regardless of the width of the rear shoes. Thanks GS. As you can see, this is no show car, but I car I'll be able to drive daily, and should be pretty quick and certainly fun to drive. Looking forward to next spring. Finished the transmission mount today, and finished welding up the motor mounts. After looking at the alternator mount I have (off a car with AC ), I found it puts the alternator right where the battery sits in its tray. So, after doing a little research last night, the non-Ac cars mount the alternator on the passenger side with a bracket that bolts to the front of the cylinder head. This will put the alternator right in the spot where the windshield washer bottle would have gone. The PS pump will still bolt on the left lower side of the motor, so everything will fit fine and with the alternator on the right side of the motor will give it a more balanced look. Trans mount Dummy carb and air cleaner for picture. Nice to have this part of the project done by this time of the “build season”.
Hi Bill. I am leaving the car at stock ride height in the rear with the front being about 3 inches lower than stock. I have always liked these cars with the old "California rake". Making progress on the Olds. Finished the motor mount frame extensions. All painted and ready to re-install the motor and trans for the final time. Tranny still needs a good cleaning before going back in the car tomorrow.
We have made great progress on my car during the past month.. All of the body work is done, several coats of an etching primer, sanding between coats, them a buff colored primer. We paint the cowl/firwall, jambs and trunk area with the finish color, Dune Beige. yesterday.. The chassis is all done, powder coated.. All of the mechanical's, eng, etc., have been installed onto the frame.. We rolled the chassis under the body, lowering same onto the chassis yesterday afternoon.. As you can judge from the attached pix the Dune Beige color goes well with the engine and black chassis.. The modifications we did to the firewall to provide room for the brake peddle assembly and booster turned out very nicely, if I do say so myself.. The next step will be to plumb the chassis for the brake/fuel lines, build the exhaust system..... START THE ENGINE.. We are going to make the car runable before we install the front sheet metal...
Looks like your Olds is coming along fine. Love the color choice. Tomorrow I will install my front springs ,caliper brackets and frt rotors. I'll let the springs settle to see if it drops to the ride height I had planned on. Dropped a bunch of stuff off to the powder coater today. New radiator should be here any day. Moving right along.
Latest updated pictures. Pulleys, alt and PS along with belts are all bolted on. Radiator fits fine and I will make the mounting brackets this week. Also have to make up an upper fan shroud to help cooling and save some finger loss. Front springs are starting to settle down to the proper ride height. I'm sure it will come down another 1"- 1 1/2" , and that will sit where I wanted it too.
Baron, I love the unmolested firewall and inner fenders, maybe I need to roll this fresh 465 incher out of my storeroom and install it in mine this summer. Great job on that car !
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