Hot Rods 1950 olds rebody using a Chevrolet ?

Has anyone here rebodied a 49-50 olds using a 49-52 Chevy shell? Is it possible using the olds front clip? From what I can tell the floor dash and firewall are different.
I'm building a race car and I have bought everything for the olds frame. while removing the winsheild it showed the channel is completely rotted out as well as all the under support and the floor is Swiss cheese.i can get a Chevy car for a few hundred bucks and the same olds costs a few thousand in simular shape.

 

What type of race car are you building, and what parts did you purchase for the Olds? Could some, most, any of them be used on the Chevy?

 

It's more of a play toy.i just want to build it and bring it to the track.ive wanted to build something like this for over 20 years and nows finnally the time.the drivetrain is a 394 full manual hydramatic and a 57 olds rear.i like the olds rear suspension and the rearend has been modified to fit in the olds frame.using 50 olds brackets.i have all the olds suspension and brake parts and the frame stripped down ready to paint.fixing the olds body will just take more time than I have available.im not opposed to the idea of building a Chevy body and frame but I can't start over.just wondering if the fenders and hood will align correctly.i don't mind moving body mounts.

 

Moriarity is correct about the doors, however a Chevy has a 115" wheelbase and the Olds is 119.5". The difference is made up in the front fenders, and hood length. With the extreme difference in the frame construction, and rear suspension, I would bet the floors are quite different. But, if you are building it as race car, you can make up for that. Now you need to find someone with some misc. Olds parts, I know a guy !

 

without even seeing your Olds I can tell you using the Chevrolet body on your Olds frame would be more work than fixing the Olds

 

First off; you need to put where you live in your profile, it's not such a big thing if all you want is information but it does matter when you're looking for vehicles and parts due to the insane cost of shipping large items.
Second; when you're looking for stuff patience is always rewarded. Keep checking local social media. Post a "want ad" on local social media. Remember that the best deals are never advertised but are bought and sold through "networking connections". "Beat the bushes" by talking to local car club members and vehicle builders in your area, often they know of hidden gems. Don't give up.

 

Here is some pics.the car isn't that bad just that windshield channel is a real bummer.evsrything is rotted underneath and in the channel so it basically cracked open.i ll probly need a section of another car or a different body.i have rust free doors decent fenders and a nice hood.it needs about 3/4 of the floor inner and outer rockers.

 

That is an odd rust out. I would bet there was a mouse nest up there at one time. The floors are different on the Olds body. Windshields swap around on Olds Chevy and Pontiac. Just cut the front half of the roof off and top of the cowl area and swap those parts. You may have to work the cowl area a bit depending on how low you need to cut it.

 

View attachment 5276154 View attachment 5276155 Here is some pics.the car isn't that bad just that windshield channel is a real bummer.evsrything is rotted underneath and in the channel so it basically cracked open. View attachment 5276155

 

I am pretty sure the first part of all the sedan roofs will interchange. I know the roof line of the doors are different at the back between the coupe and 2dr sedan. I never tried to interchange fast back doors.

 

From everything I've read you are correct.the only place it's rotted is the channel and underneath at the top.just a pain to find a donor that's budget freindly and it is difficult to convince some yard owners that the Chevy and Pontiacs interchange

 

Fastback and notchback, Fleetline and Styleline in Chevrolet, are different in regards to the window height. If you’re modifying the roof line as in a chop, it’s not a big deal. The fastback are lower

 

View attachment 5276154 View attachment 5276155 Here is some pics.the car isn't that bad just that windshield channel is a real bummer.evsrything is rotted underneath and in the channel so it basically cracked open. View attachment 5276155

 

everything from the belt line up is the same for Olds and Chevrolet.

 

I've read that for glass you need to stick with the same body style.i read the difference was about 1 ".not sure about the area I need tho.if a styline type would be the same as a fleet line just in that area.theg look close but I don't have then in front of me.

 

you would only be using the top of the donor car windshield area. it would not matter what body style got it from so long as it was not a hardtop or convertible.

looking at the one photo I would just fix what is there starting with flat sheetmetal

 

Better thee than me.
I think you need a better start. A little more spent up front pays off like the lottery down the line.

 

I hear you for sure.its adding up.but I got a pretty good frame and parts out of it and I can finish the drivetrain and suspensions over the winter and be on the lookout for a better body or a roof donor.this was supposed to be a back burner project while I worked on other cars but given the times we are in I'm pushing it through.thanks for the advice and help.

 

I owned a 52 Chevy Coupe a while back...great car BTW.
Anyway, I was under the impression that certain model Olds 88s and six cars, Pontiacs and Chevrolet all shared the same Fisher body. I know they will share hoods. How can the fenders be longer if they share hoods? The only difference was trim, like the "eye" cutout for the Olds Chrome trim for Pontiac. Wheelbase could be where the wheels fall in the fenders rather than, longer fenders.

I may be wrong, but I think early 88, Pontiac and Chevy shared the same body. Keep in mind though, 1948-52 was very "Dynamic" for Oldsmobile so things changed through those years.
I would study pictures and examine some cars. Also, factory body shop service data (replacement panels) may give you some good info.

 

There is alot of his info surrounding the ⁴9-52 A body.ill try not to add to it.yes the body shell is sort of the same between. Olds Chevy and Pontiac but they had different floors and different firewalls.the front sheet metal is different for all 3.they do not share hoods.
The olds and Pontiac are longer on the front.this was initially done in earlier years for the strait 8s the olds and Pontiac had.then caried on because of public demand.the olds got the one peice windshield in 1950 but some early models like mine have the 2 peice still. The olds and Pontiac are 4 inches longer.

 

As a former circle track builder & driver, I can tell you that some real junk was on the track that looked good from the stands. You are not really explaining what you want the end result to be. If it's a show car that looks like a race car, then I can understand wanting it rust free, etc. There have been a lot of fast cars built from rusted out crap. Hey, it's lighter that way, and that's what you want anyway. Light & fast. Most of the bodies looked like a bag of walnuts up close. One day at the track, the most beautiful 2nd gen Javelin street/super stock car came in on a trailer. The guy next to me says "You know what that car is?" I said, "Yes, it's a Javelin or AMX." He said, "No. It's a TARGET."

 

What about the straight six models? I have a friend that has one and it's nose is shorter.

 

Better pictures would help . The only photo you've posted of the rust area shows (I think) the body lying on it's driver's side in the grass. If this is true your car has a serious rust issue, and a potential additional problem as the serial plate used to title and license the vehicle should be half way down that same severely rusted-out post. Call Mike at (405) 232-7576, he may have a better body to sell you. I have also seen at least two of those fastbacks for sale in this area lately on "F-book".

By the way, thanks for adding where you live.

 

If you are talking about a straight 6 Olds (76 Model) they are the same wheelbase as an 88, 119.5". From the Motor's Manual.

 

GM ‘A’ body shared many exterior and some interior body parts with ‘49/‘52 Chevy, ‘49/‘52 Pontiac and ‘49/50 Olds 76/88 and ‘51 Olds 88. Wheelbases varied with make and model. Floor pans too. Although Pontiac and Olds shared near identical frames and floors and should be very similar/same. Firewalls/cowls are different between the three (C/P/O), but again, closer on Pontiac/Olds.

As noted in prior posts, the fastback bodies had a lower roof line and glass than turret top models, but parts from turret top should be adaptable to fastback with minor mods.

Ambitious project, but doable if you find a donor or two.

Best wishes….

Ray

 

I have this book and may be able to find answers to specific questions. Looks like shells are all the same C-O-P.

 

Oddly enough, 1949 only shows a 2 door sedan "coach" for Chevy and Pontiac. No Olds.

 

Interesting comment. After thinking about it a bit, I realized I do not recall ever seeing an ‘A’ body ‘49 Olds 2 door sedan, only the 2 door Coupe. I have seen several ‘50 2 door Sedans and, of course, Coupes.

EDIT: See my post #33 below……..

Ray

 

You got it straight from the horse's mouth Ray.