Tune Up Part 1

It's been a few weeks since my last post on the Oldsmobile. Trust me - I haven't forgotten about this. It is in the works, but I've been learning about this stuff as I go so progress is a bit slow. Plus, I'm often at the mercy of the parts that are on special order.

Here is a list of the things I've done so far
- gotten the carburetor rebuilt
- purchased a refurbished fuel/vacuum pump
- replaced the points, rotor, condenser, and cap of the distributor
- replaced the spark plugs (waiting on spark plug wires)
- removed the old oil filter for replacement
- flushed the radiator

Parts I've had to special order so far
- Fuel pump
- Spark plugs
- Spark plug wires
- Radiator hoses
- Fan and generator belt
- Thermostat
- Oil filter

Upcoming tasks
- Remove gas tank to get it dipped
- Check the fuel line
- Replace the original oil bath air cleaner (picture below) with this retro air filter
(http://www.speedwaymotors.com/p/1052,449_Retro-Oldsmobile-and-Cadillac-Air-Cleaners.html)
- Fire the engine up!

Here are some pics of the recent activities...

Original air cleaner


Carburetor before rebuild


Carburetor after rebuild


Rusted thermostat


Oil filter


New/Old Fuel Pump


Distributor

Friday Night Car Cruise

I went down to the Friday Night Car Cruise with Luis and Matt. Our caravan of cars included Luis' Model A Roadster, a 1927 Model T, and a Deuce Truck Hot Rod that Matt at Dagmar Customs built.

Dagmar's Ford F-100

My friend, Matt Harris, owner of Dagmar Customs, has built one of the coolest hot rod trucks I've seen. You can see more pictures of his truck and a description of the modifications he has made to it on his website: www.dagmarcustoms.com.

He recently picked up another F-100 of the same vintage. It is interesting to see the two side by side to see the before and after.





This is Matt at the Culver City Car Show with his hotrod truck.

A Closer Look...

With the car in my driveway, I was able to get a closer look at what I had purchased. I called up my friend, Luis Loyola (of Loyola Auto Interiors) and he came by to take a look at my acquisition.

When Luis arrived, he took a quick look at the upholstery and realized that they were upholstered over the original materials. In addition, the previous owner had taken the effort to put a clear plastic covering over the front door panels. When we peeled back the plastic, we discovered that the dielectrically heat pressed panels were in amazing condition.

All the hubcaps were in the trunk of the car and are in perfect condition. They will shine up nicely.

I haven't tried to start the engine just yet. My first steps will be to get the radiator in a bath, replace the fuel pump and clean out the carburetor. As I get those items completed, I'll get some tires for this vehicle in case it decides to cooperate and come to life.

The 1956 Oldsmobile Project Car

Preface: I don't know much about cars. I have some friends who are car guys. They drive some very sweet rides. Over the years, I've come to appreciate the cars they drive more and more. So, a few months ago, I decided that I'd work on a project car. Two weeks ago, I picked up my first project car: a 1956 Oldsmobile 88 Holiday Coupe. This blog is about me, my car, and a few other cars that give me inspiration for my project.


May 12, 2008: I picked up the car. The car seems to be very complete although I don't know if it will run. The car had a single owner for over 50 years. It was kept in a garage for the last 30 years. There is some surface rust and the chrome is pitted, but all the trim is there and the original glass is intact. Pretty amazing...

Anyway, I'll be blogging about the steps I go through to get this car back to its original shape.

The fun begins...