Projects 56 Olds 88 Build

Decided to start a build thread on my 56 Olds 88 . I bought the car about 6 years ago . It had a bad motor and trans so I swapped it out with a sbc th400 . Would of liked to use the original 324 but it would of cost an arm and a leg to build. Besides I want to be able to hop in it and go tare up in it and not worrie about breaking down in the middle of nowhere and not be able to get parts for it. It will have an Olds motor someday (350 455) but for now I'm happy with what I got. So last year I decided to fix my car up and paint it . The old paint felt like sand paper and was fading bad. Doing bodywork was new to me the last time I did it was in auto shop class in high school . That was 15 years ago ! My buddy lives in a 30' camper in a warehouse down in the city (Chicago). He told me to bring the Olds down so I could tare it apart down there and paint it . Thought it was a good idea at first didn't think it was going to take me over a year to paint it, but it did. My wife was real cool about me going there at first, but at the end I could tell she had it with me going there. I only worked on it Friday and Saturday nights, coming home at 3 or 4 in the morning sometimes waking my kids up . I think that's what pissed her off . WHAT EVER !. When I started on it I blocked the whole car down with 80 grit what a bitch that was that took me almost 2 months ! Then came the body work it wasn't to bad the car was actually straight ! I think the worst part of the body work was the roof lower fenders and renoising the hood. That took alot of time. After I primed it the first time I blocked it again with 120 grit. That sucked too . After I was done with that shot it again with primer, then wet sanded . That wasn't to bad. The whole time I was doing this work to my car I couldn't figure a color to go with. I really wanted to two tone it, but I'm missing all the rear side trim for the car . I can not find it for the life of me I bought a set of trim from a 56 hardtop thinking it would work, but I was wrong. My car is a two door sedan and it's like a needle in a haystack finding the trim. So for now I'm panting the car a solid color till I find the trim. Left the holes for the trim on the car . Knowing my luck I fill the holes in then when I'm done the trim shows up for it for sale. So I kept on debating on what color to paint my car . I was going to do blue but my buddy's 59 Impala wagon is blue so that was out . I ended up going with Hot Rod Flatz Mint Green I thought it was a real cool color for the car so I choose that. The dash and steering column I went with an original 56 Olds green. I thought It would look tits with a shiny dash and garnish trim. It has a little bit of a yellow tint to it but I'm starting to dig it. I just finished painting the car this week . It took forever to get done, but I'm happy with it. I still have a lot more to do on the car so I'll keep you guys posted . I'm trying to post pics, my computer is being a pain in the ass!

 

some pics of my 56 Olds before I started taring it apart

 

Man, That is gonna look good! I love me a '56 Olds, my older brother had one when I was in hi school. It was a red and white Holiday 88 coupe and could smoke the rear tires big time. Course he was a maniac! Normal Norman

 

more pics coming soon

 

Hey Normal Norman thanks for the reply ! I have more pics coming my computer sucks and takes forever to load .

 

Nice looking Olds

 

looks good

 

getting ready to block the car down

 

Man that dash is awesome.I love the clock .Nice car....

 

Thanks for all the nice comments ! I'm still trying to get the rest of the pics on here I don't know what I'm doing wrong maybe it's my 13 year old computer lol !

 

I'll be watching this one.
Keep up the good work!

 

This paint was like sandpaper it was a bitch to block !!!

 

more blocking !!!

 

Had my boy Keith help me over the summer !

 

glad to see someone else building one as well.

 

I would like to check out the pics but they are to small for my eyes...they don't get bigger when I click on them...

 

Starting to get some primer on the car !!!

 

Nice looking and a good story as well!!!! Keep posting the progress on that ride.

 

had a 56 olds myself as a daily driver for 6 years man that was a fun car to drive, had original 324 and hydramatic. good to see another olds being done.

 

Thanks again for all the comments fellow Hamber's !!!

 

Sweeeet!

 

More blocking My buddy Victor giving me a helping hand ! Thanks for all the help dude !!! Your shoebox is next !!!!!

 

Last coat of primer just need to wet sand and get some paint squirted on !!!

 

Cool car...

 

Time to lay some paint !!! Went with Hot Rod Flatz Mint . When we opened the can I was surprised how thin it was didn't have to add any reducer at all ! It sprayed real nice and even. Once you shoot it your done no wet sanding Came out real nice . Had to re shoot the trunk lid got some dust on it no biggie tho. I had a hard time figuring what color to shoot it so I asked my 6 year old son Keith. He said "paint it green daddy it will look like the Hulk" . Green it is son ! started off by jamming the car first . Then latter on that night we shot the dash and garnish trim with a 56 olds mint green color. I saw a post on Youtube some guy had a 56 Olds hardtop painted that color two tone green and white Thought it looked awesome !!! Not to many mint green and white 56's I've seen. The guy did a nice job making it a mild kustom . Here's the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvFlsc_D-po .

 

Finished shooting the car New Years weekend !!! A great start to ring in the new year !!!! It won't let me put anymore pics on here for some reason I'll try again tomorrow. Real pain to post pics on here

 

Got to work again . All painted hung the fenders the other night , Friday I'll get the hood on . Re shoot the skirts and hopefully bring her home !!! This is about how far I am now. Next will be re wiring the car . That should be fun I'll keep you guys posted.

 

Body work DONE !!! Hopefully will be cake the rest of the way

 

very cool man, nice to see another 56 olds getting built..john

 

Hey this one is my favorite http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x104/VictorPaulDiaz/FB_IMG_1356925337570461.jpg