Heres the project Ive been working on a 36 Olds three window Coupe. I found the car in a junk yard off highway 10 outside of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com</st1:City>Redlands</ST1. The coupe was a halfway hot rod project that someone abandoned and then left outside for ??? years. The car had a 350 Olds engine with a 350 trans (both are for sale cheap if anyone is interested), no front sheet metal or glass. Somewhere along the line someone did some body modifications shaving the handles, molding the rear pan, frenched the license plate and removed any rust that was present. I removed the running boards (makes it look a lot cleaner) and have done a bit of clean up, but really havent started with the body much yet. The engine I plan to run is also a junk yard find. I was checking out a small junk yard in <st1:City w:st="on"><ST1San Bernardino</ST1</st1:City> and the owner told me he had a bran new Buick nailhead 322 in a junk car out back. I found the car and pulled up the hood and the engine looked pretty clean on the outside but I was skeptical. I pull off one of the valve covers and sure enough it looked like it had just been rebuilt. From what I understand the story is that the junk yard guy bought the car and some other cars from an estate sale. The guy who owned the car had the engine rebuilt and partway mounted in the car and that was as far as he got with it. As it turns out, however, the engine isnt a 322 but rather a 264. I was disappointed in the smaller engine size, but I sure couldnt pass up a vintage engine in such good condition. Ive been collecting the parts necessary to bolt it up to a <st1:City w:st="on">Muncie</ST1</st1:City> 4-speed as well as collecting other parts for the car. Since I dont have any of the front sheet metal, Im planning on running the car without fenders or hood at least initially. The grille shell Im going to use is from a 34 <st1:City w:st="on"><ST1</st1:City> on which Im going to mount a 37 Olds hood ornament. [Picture 1] 36 Olds thee window coupe. [Picture 2] 1954 Buick 264ci nailhead almost ready for installation. I found a 322 four barrel intake that Im going to use with a 500 cfm Edelbrock. Finned valve and plug covers from Eelco, rebuilt starter and generator. Not sure about the headers yet Ill use the stock manifold for now. [Picture 3] Not sure about anyone else, but I think the lines of the Olds coupe look nicer than the Ford or Chevy. [Picture 4] 34 <st1:City w:st="on">Hudson</st1:City></ST1 grille shell. Mother nature added the patina here as well. [Picture 5] Olds air cleaner looks pretty cool as is - and 37 Olds grille shell. I think all that Ill need from this grille shell is the hood ornament.
What a great find! What's your plans for a front suspension? Is that a "knee-action" set-up? Keep us posted!
Please, please go to the Olds club meeting and find the front sheet metal. That coupe is far, far too cool to be a rat rod. Seriously, man, if I had room I'd try to buy it. Here's my humble suggestion. Picture this: You go find someone who is restoring a '36 and has a parts car with the trim missing. Score the sheet metal and bolt it on, then fill the holes and make it match the body. Maybe use the '37 grill, as it's very cool. Trade that nailhead for a Kettering Olds (303/324/371/394). Paint it and put WWWs with Olds spinner caps. Sure could become a bitchen early sixties style mild custom. There are more than a couple of people on the HAMB who are building these cars. Do a search, my friend. And look at what you have through new eyes.
Man, that will be such a nice rod - and very different from what everyone else is driving. And that nailhead is the icing on the cake, even if it is a small bore engine.
It has the original IFS with the knee action shocks. I'm keeping the suspension and already scored a NOS set of shocks.
Chili - Thanks for the suggestions. My plans are definitely not to rat the car out, but to build a traditional home-built rod. I know I could ship it off to SoCal Speed or someone else, but Im sure you know thats not the point. The car might get front sheet metal over time and a nice paint job but getting it on the road is a higher priority right now. I was thinking about keeping it all Olds, but I couldnt pass up the nailhead because its in such great condition. The wheels covers I'm planning on using for now are in the attached picture original Olds caps in front, Moon disks in the rear. <O Todd
The pic from deuce roadster is a 35 Olds. I had a 35 coupe one time. Love the converts and the suicide doore on the 35's.
Todd, lots of GM sheet metal might be an easy swap. Might be surprised by how cheaply you can do it. If respected, these old cars will outlive most of us. We are caretakers of them. Your car's a coupe. It's worth a lot more than a sedan. I'm going to keep posting to this thread in hopes that by bringing it to the top, someone will step up with the deal you need to put fenders on that Olds. Where is Cherry Valley?
Thanks for the help. Cherry Valley is near Beaumont - which is about 25 miles down I 10 from San Bernardino. Todd
I love the 35-36 & '37-8 Coupes. I agree that the lines look better than same year Chevy's too. They are so damn cool looking in stock form that I wouldn't change much other than altitude. I agree with Chili 100% on this one....score the stock sheetmetal!!!!! But then again I'm an oddball and like PONTIACs.
We have one of those at the shop right now. It's an original survivor car. I was looking at it the other day dreaming of the Westergard days...
The Old's guys would also try to hook you up with a 303 for it as well.... that would be bad ass... If I still had this one, I'd try to get it in there.... .
It cost an arm and a leg, but I found an Edmunds 2x2 intake for my engine. The intake's in GREAT condition - with what appears to be the factory shine. It looks pretty cool just sitting on the engine with a couple of Holley 94s for mock up.
I like the back view picture of your car. I could not help but think "Willys" when I saw that. Next, what would you think about modifying a '40 Willys front end to fit on there????............just my 2 cents worth.
Nice. I haven't been into fat fendered cars too much lately but that looks like it would be a fun car to build. So where in the hell did you find that intake?
I've had ads posted on four or five web sites for an Edmunds for a while now. A guy in Corona CA responded to my HAMB ad with the intake and I jumped on it. The guy knew what the asking price should be - $700 - and I paid what he asked. I was lucky I had the cash when the part became available. There's others out there, but not too many people selling them. Your best bet is to post ads, watch eBay, be patient and then jump when one is available.
Yeah, that intake you got is one of the more sought after nailhead speed parts. For some reason its just super cool. Good score. Keep us updated on your coupe
I was looking for a couple of other 36 parts and I think that someone has a set of fenders on eBay - didn't look close as I wasn't looking for em. Here's where mine currently sits - original straight 8 and all for the moment... still looking for inspiration and direction
I'm getting ready for the engine install in my car, so I rolled it out of its corner to take it outside to pressure wash. While it was out I set the grille shell in front - I think it looks pretty good! (Sorry for the lame cell phone picture.) That's a 34 Hundson grille. (Needs a bit of work, but you get the idea.) Todd
That looks really good man. I have a 36 Pontiac coupe project that I just picked up, that has complete sheetmetal, but am planning on running it fenderless in the front most of the time. No one says you can't add them on later. I think with the overall big rounded shape of the car, it's a nice contrast to expose the front of the car. Plus for me personally, I think the front fenders give the entire car a heavy look, which is not what I'm trying to do. Looks great already, and that intake is unreal.
Its been a while since I posted to this thread, but progress on my car has picked up again. Heres some pictures of recent progress. First is the grille made out of some expanded metal and a hand-shaped outer band. The outer band is far from perfect but from a distance it looks pretty good. Im thinking Ill keep it in glossy black for now Im not planning on painting the shell, at least not for a while. Look earlier in this thread for a picture of the shell - it's from a 34 Hudson. Next set of pictures are where I'm cutting out the old floor and replacing it with new sheet metal. With the old floor out I'm doing a bit of clean up. <O</O <O</O<O</O Last is the bracket I built to hold the grille shell. It took a while to get the angles correct. Ive also got a pair of Stromberg Aerotype carbs on order from Dicks Hot Rod Place, which I should get in about a month. The carb will get mounted on an Edmunds 2x2 intake - see the picture earlier in the thread. My goal is to get the engine installed later this year and hopfully have a runner.
Nice find. I used to have a 36 Olds 2dr sedan. Most often those boxed in license plates on the rear only fit the modern 12" plates. If you want to run old plates, you may want to change the hole to accomodate 14" wide plates before you get too far.
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