Picked this gem up for $1,300 with a good title. Runs, and drives with the 215 aluminum Rockette motor and a three on the tree. 31,000 miles. Plans are to lower the rear 1", and the front 2-3", put 14 or 15" steelies with dog dishes and black wall bias plys on, gloss black body with little to no body modifications and making the interior look 100% stock and brand new. As far as the exterior goes I need to make some patches for both front fenders on the body lines, inner wheel wells, bottoms of the rear quarters, and the rockers. Otherwise it is pretty solid. Mechanically I'll be doing new brake lines, maybe discs in the front, new bushings and whatnot, and whatever else I find out it needs. Trunk floor is nice and solid. Needs floor pans. At least it came with a purple club though! Back seat and door panels look great, they just need cleaned. The front seat will need reupholstered, and the headliner needs a little love. Dash, and steering wheel are in nice shape. Steering wheel has two little cracks that I'll fix. I think for now I'll keep the 215 and then after it's on the road for a bit (if I don't sell it) I'll drop in a 330 or something with a floor shifter, and different rear. I have a bike building business and I'm pretty swamped with that right now, but I'm hoping to set one full day a week aside to work on this. I'm hoping to be able to drive it to the Jalopy Drags in September completely finished. If anyone has any information, parts sources, inspirational photos, or anything for these F 85s post them up... they're hard to find anything on. Pretty cool little cars though.
Awesome, hard to find little rocket, looks like you got a good deal, I've always liked these things ever since I built a JoHan 1/25 model kit of one way back when, only ever seen one in the flesh a metalic blue convertible at the Nyora speed way here in Melbourne many years ago and drooled over it for years never sighted it again , would love to own one just like yours but they were never plentiful in Australia, good luck with the project, hanging out to see the progress!
Nice car! I like all the 60's compacts but I really like the Olds and Buick versions. One of my cousins had a F85 with the turbocharged 215.
that's a cool little car (motor too), you don't see to much of. at that price you can't go wrong. have fun with it.
What kind of oil would you guys suggest using in this? Is it new enough to not worry about zinc? Will 10 40 suffice?
Cool little car. I have the buick version but with a v-6. As you will find out parts for these cars are non existent. Wheels other than stock 13" are tough because of the 4 lug. Bad Bob had one for a little while and had Wheelsmith make him some 14" chrome steelies. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.
That is a nice F-85! Factory Black w/215 stickshift. It will make a nice driver with minimal work. I have a Skylark am in the same boat. TIME!
Corvair have 5 lug hubs that fit. I'm doing scarebird disk and 14" buick ralleys Just have to redrill the rear now.
A lot of people have had good results with the corvair hubs and scarebird kit. I was lucky enough to score a set of 15" 4 lug steelies but I haven't had the cash for tires yet.
What a great looking little "Nothing-Burger" Oldmobile! Don't think I've ever seen one with that air cleaner set up on it though. You sure it hasn't got a turbo in there or somethin'?? While you're patching the floor it would be the perfect time to cut an opening in the tunnel for a floor shift conversion. I'd think a 4 or 5 speed would really wake this car up. Even an old Saginaw 4 speed, especially from an old Vega or Monza with a 4 cylinder would be an easy upgrade. Plus, they tended to have a lower first gear in them than the V-8 Saginaw trans.
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