A New, Old, Olds

In reply to Georges1991 :

Hahaha that's amazing. I thought I was so cool with my bluetooth cassette and you just one upped me! How much farther could one go... hmmmm

Thanks guys!

Yeah the bluetooth cassette thing is pretty darn trick I gotta say lol. I do still have cases of 8 tracks to play, from when I had my '75 Mercury Montego in high school though.

Gonna be doing all of the precariously dry rotted vacuum hoses Sunday. They look okay but if you squeeze them, you can see the cracking. 

Also the previous owner added a universal style fuel filter. The notes from June of '94, basically say it was added per the owners request due to the vehicle sitting, and his concern about fuel sediment. I think that'll get canned and just go with the new filter I have in the factory location alone. Or maybe I'll just get a new filter and hose and keep it. Hmmm

George.

Great find! They don't build'em like they used too for sure...

dculberson said:

In reply to Georges1991 :

A bluetooth to 8-track adapter stack. I've never been more impressed.

I didnt know 8-track to cassette adapters were a thing, nor did i know bluetooth cassette adapters were a thing. 
 

but that car is amazing. 

Did a little work today. A small and not terribly exciting update as follows, lol.

Got all of the old vacuum lines replaced, and boy were they shot. Had to go to 3 parts houses, 2 of the three didn't have all of the line sizes I needed.

Also found this mess inside the air cleaner housing. Should have stuck my hand down the inlet tube further before, whoops!

Replaced both fuel filters, ended up keeping the second one. Old filter(s) looked and blew through fine but oh well.

The vacuum lines however, all looked like this...

Almost done here in this picture, just some small ones left to go.

Looking and running even better! Really made a difference, I think some of those old lines were pretty well shot.

All tucked in and put away for another day

George

In reply to Georges1991 :

Darkness On The Edge Of Town FTW!

In reply to AngryCorvair (Baller) :

One of those albums I can just put the needle down or pop the tape in and listen to all the way through

Not that you have a choice with an 8 Track but...  CLUNK

Oh and a picture of me enjoying my isolation cruise! Lol

Went for a nice long drive up to Wisconsin yesterday. Mostly backroads, and some cool twisties. Like navigating an aircraft carrier down a sidewalk!

Saw a photo opportunity with a fellow malaise motorbarge

These were some nice shots in southern Wisconsin along the Illinois border (Lake Genevea, Walworth etc)

Then after a fun combination of State Rustic Routes, I ended up near Burlington Wisc. and stopped for a smoke and stretch break

I then headed back (in no hurry) to Chicago. Was a nice day and out about 230 miles on the car.

Still chasing a slight tip in stumble here and there but other than that, running excellent. 

George

Carb could probably use a good cleaning and gaskets.

Lovely car and great photos as well. Nicely done.

In reply to maj75 (Forum Supporter) :

Absolutely, that's next on the list. Ordering the rebuild kit today!

Thanks Dave!

I've discovered by looking at old family photos, that my granddad has a '76 Olds 98 Regency.

I much, much prefer the pre-facelift look up front. The headlights look too Ford LTD/Family Truckster, and while that looks fits the LTD, it doesn't fit the 98 IMO.

In reply to Azryael :

I personally dont care for the 76 header panel and integrated parking lamp look vs. The in bumper style of the 75s.

I really never liked the square headlights, compared to the round, in general but the 75 front end really has grown on me.

In reply to Georges1991 :

Tip-in stumble is likely accelerator pump.  My '77 Grand Prix has the same issue, and lots of old quadrajets are the same way.  You can get an accelerator pump with the proper ethanol resistant seal for about $15.  You should be able to change it with the carb on the engine, thus without disturbing other gaskets except the one between the top casting and main body. Watch some videos and plan ahead for how to deal with the roll pin. 

1. Dude, you stole that car.  
 

2. White walls white. My dad taught me and made me always clean the whitewalls in his '68 98. 
 

3. I should've rode around with you.  In that car we'd easily be 6' apart.  

I got married in 1987 and I made my wife go to Haleyville, Alabama in 1988 to visit her family.  She had some great Aunts that had these two original and rust free Oldsmobile's.  

Coming from the rust belt I was shocked how clean and mint they were.  I made them let me drive the '56 around the block until the heater core started peeing on my leg.  A grandson has the older one and I never heard about where the '72 went.  
 

In reply to Uncle David (Forum Supporter) :

Thanks for the reply! I also had that cross my mind, and definitely will give it a shot here this week and see what happens. Ordered, and should be here by Wednesday.

In reply to Datsun310Guy :

Thanks! I like to think I picked it up for a good price. I honestly hope people never start to think the big 4 doors are cool, because then I'm toast!

Cool pictures and I agree. Every time  I see old iron rolling around places, that here in Chicago would have been cat food cans by now, I just can't believe it. Both of those are beautiful cars.

Anytime you want a ride let me know!

As a kid, my parents had a 1963 Olds 98, red over silver.  Attractive yacht.  Picture five kids, my parents, on a road trip.  Which happened often.  They sold it shortly after I took my road test in it.

Something like this:

New rear springs, 4 shocks, and all the front end parts are in. That and mounting my new white walls is Saturday's project.

Butt end kinda sags with any weight in it, so I think the springs will help tremendously. If I feel super ambitious I may clean up the air cleaner assembly and put my new sticker on.

George

Well got some stuff done today.

Did all 4 shocks. None of the old 4 were doing anything resembling shock absorption at all, so that made a massive difference.

Didn't get the springs on, unfortunately it's just shy of dropping out with the axle let down, so I'll have to use my compressor, which is on loan to a buddy, no big deal. Nice thing is every single bolt on this car is like butter, no rust, just poof,  spins right off. Love it.

Most importantly finally got the Q Jet tuned correctly. Well 99 percent there anyway. 

Now, the passenger side idle mix was cranked completely bottomed out lean, and the drivers side was completely rich. I guess that kinda equals out? Uhhh, no. So with the trusty vac gauge and an ear, ended up at both out about 4 or so turns, and lo and behold, it runs absolutely fantastic. No more chug, nice quiet and smooth as can be. Still going to bump the idle a hair, at about 600 rpm in drive hot, want to be at 650-680. Sometime this week I'll do that. The PCV valve I replaced turned out to be bad, swapped the 45 year old one back in, and it works so we'll leave that alone I guess. Thanks China. Tested the EGR and Vacuum Advance for S's and G's and they're both fine.

Pulled all the plugs after a drive and they're nice and tan. I'm satisfied. It's so quiet I don't know if it's running at a stop lol. I thought I stalled!

Absolutely shot 80s Carquest shocks

In progress

Also those jack stands are probably the same age as the car. K-Mart units. Mint.

And the obligatory "George can't touch his car without washing it" pictures

Yes I swear I'm going to take the big shield off someday lol.

George 

The bug shield is dippy looking but i think it kinda belongs there.  Kinda for its original survivor status. Either way, awesome car and glad to see its being kept that way. Good work. 

We've sprung a leak!

Well, I had been hearing some bearing noise from the water pump, and shortly thereafter, from what I can see, the fan was wobbling enough to hit the shroud, pushed it into the radiator and caused this mess. Luckily I wasn't far from home, and made it back without incident.

Today's order of business was a new radiator, pump, belts, and fan clutch, along with a cap. Got a nice aluminum unit, and the fit was dead on perfect, very happy. 

Water pump was a nice easy job, not like Chevy 350 do it asleep easy, but pretty close.

Also attempted to clean up the engine bay at the same time. Some gunk and a pressure washer did a pretty good job.

The old pump was pretty bad. No leaks but the bearings were smoked.

If anyone is wondering, yes it'll get painted, I've always done them installed, just seems to work better for me, probably makes nonsense, but I roll with it. Just have had better results personally.

Back together. Everything flushed and filled. Heat is HOT HOT, and no leaks. Satisfying!

New muffler tomorrow to replace the disintegrating original.

George

Looking good.

Man that is a big ol huge American car.

Have fun with the project!

Greg

Thanks Greg! Yes its absolutely massive!

I think its angry after being awoken from traveling only 13k miles in 45 years to driving 2k in the last 2 months but oh well, it doesn't have a choice