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It's probably about time I stop posting in every corner of these forums and keep everything centralized. Here is my 1956 Oldsmobile Super 88 project. I have the body and frame stripped down. The frame was recently powder coated and came out really nice. The engine an tranny are rebuilt. Currently I'm working on rebuilding the rear end.
As you can see via the pictures below, there was some body work done to this car in the 70's with roofing tar and flashing. Also there are pictures of the very back of the body where the body mounts to the frame. Currently I have the frame on a rotisserie as you can see. Where the body mounts to the rotisserie is completely rusted through.
I have been searching for parts but I can't find the body panels; including junkyards, that would have rear wheel wells for this car. I also am looking for that piece of metal in the rear where the body is completely rusted through. It looks like square tubing in the back where the rotisserie is mounted to. My gut feeling is I'll have to hire a metal fabricator to weld new metal in.
Last edited by Ihatefiberglass; February 15th, 2021 at 11:18 PM.
I am going to repaint the car with Alcan White on top, and a light blue on the bottom. If anyone has a car painted with light blue, could you please post a picture with the color code for the blue paint? I can find the color codes but before I commit to a color I want to see how it looks on the car in the sun.
Google is our friend. I would suggest you google "1956 Oldsmobile Exterior Paint" and look at the various charts. Caution: some are actual paint charts and some are pictures of paint charts, which may not be all that accurate.
Last edited by ignachuck; February 19th, 2021 at 03:34 PM.
I've got a message out to the guy I know with 1956 parts. I do have some sheetmetal from 1954 and 55 if any of these areas interchange. Attached are a couple photos. The loose trunk floor is from a 1954 Olds 88 2 door hardtop. Then the blue car is a 1955 Olds 98 4 door post car. If any of this fit it would be available. John
After much research I think I'm going to go with the following colors
Alcan White - Ditzler PPG 8123; Dupont 2264, 246-59604
Turquoise - Ditzler PPG 11132; Dupont 1693, 202-57610.
My image for the car is this color scheme:
I realize that's a '55 (I think) but I really the colors.
Google is our friend. I would suggest you google "1956 Oldsmobile Exterior Paint" and look at the various charts. Caution: some are actual paint charts and some are pictures of paint charts, which may not be all that accurate.
Yes you are correct, google is probably one of our best resources. You are also right about the paint charts. In addition I have found whenever I type in a particular color and look at images they are often mislabeled and I'll see like 5 obviously different shades of blue. That's why I was hoping some people with blue Olds could tell me exactly what color their blue was because there would be no ambiguity regarding the color code.
I've got a message out to the guy I know with 1956 parts. I do have some sheetmetal from 1954 and 55 if any of these areas interchange. Attached are a couple photos. The loose trunk floor is from a 1954 Olds 88 2 door hardtop. Then the blue car is a 1955 Olds 98 4 door post car. If any of this fit it would be available. John
Hey John, thanks for reaching out to that guy for me, he has contacted me.
I've got a message out to the guy I know with 1956 parts. I do have some sheetmetal from 1954 and 55 if any of these areas interchange. Attached are a couple photos. The loose trunk floor is from a 1954 Olds 88 2 door hardtop. Then the blue car is a 1955 Olds 98 4 door post car. If any of this fit it would be available. John
Also, I'm very interested in that trunk pan you have and quite possibly those wheel wells too. I need to finish getting the tar and flashing out of my trunk so I can see how bad the damage is. I'll send you a PM.
In a PM you had requested info on the blue on my car which is Capri Blue which is an original 54 color. The car had been repainted twice prior to my ownership but was originally solid Capri Blue. You also requested a couple photos taken in the sunlight. I will post 2 or 3 below.
In a PM you had requested info on the blue on my car which is Capri Blue which is an original 54 color. The car had been repainted twice prior to my ownership but was originally solid Capri Blue. You also requested a couple photos taken in the sunlight. I will post 2 or 3 below.
Both those colors look really sharp. Thanks for posting. I think I like the glacier white better than the alcan white. I realize right now it's probably really silly to worry about colors; but I am working with an upholstery shop as well and I'm trying to get a spray out from the body shop so I can give that to the upholstery shop to get them going. Then while the upholstery shop is doing their thing, I can work on the body until the body shop is ready to accept my car.
I recently ordered this brake booster rebuild from Fusick for my Treadle-vac. As you can see there's several discrepancies between the pistons. The new piston is shorter, does not have a groove for an o-ring on the end, and does not have that pushrod thing going down the center. Is this a new and improved design? I called Fusick as well, maybe they can figure it out. Thanks for all your help over the years guys, you are an invaluable source of knowledge and information.
Last edited by Ihatefiberglass; February 22nd, 2021 at 07:22 PM.
Below are two carrier races for the diff. The one on the left is the old one with a groove, the one on the right is the new one. Do the races need to have that grove in there for oil or something to flow?
Need any parts I probably have them. Not only do I have what’s seen in these pictures but I have shelves full of parts for the 1956 that never got restored that was purchased in between 1976-1978 and have been in the garage ever since.
Need any parts I probably have them. Not only do I have what’s seen in these pictures but I have shelves full of parts for the 1956 that never got restored that was purchased in between 1976-1978 and have been in the garage ever since.
and grinding...and grinding...and grinding... I wont be the least upset when this part is over. I think the last of the crappy grinding I have to do includes the front and back wheel wells and fenders.
I got the rear end back this evening. New leaf springs came in from Fusick last week. Also as you can see I had the suspension parts powder coated. Just need to clean up the drums and I'm ready to build a rolling chassis.
I'm thinking about powder coating my brake drums, would it be a bad idea to do this? What is your experience? I see a lot of mixed reviews on the subject.
It's kinda nice to put things together that aren't complete greasy or rusted. It looks like I'll need to get some weight on that frame to compress those springs before I can connect the rear shocks and stabilizer bar.
You're doing a nice job on it. I don't have the ambition currently to tear mine apart, but enjoying driving it anyway.
Thanks. I don't blame you. it's slowly shifting from being fun to imitating a full time job. I'm trying to stay enthusiastic but it's difficult. I've got about 20k sank into it now, I guess I'm in it to win it.
Last edited by Ihatefiberglass; March 26th, 2021 at 01:00 PM.
It’s easy to get more invested than you want to. I restored a 38 Ford about 10 years ago and at times got a little discouraged, but was glad to get it back on the road where it could be enjoyed.
February 15th, 2021, 08:16 PM
