Oldsmobile Delta 88 diesel - dailying the delta

[cort16]

That’s the best claim to fame I’ve ever heard

[cpjitservices]

That's fantastic

 

Would love something like this for weekend driving!

 

Magnificent!

[Guest Hooli]

A

On a happier note, I also met the chap whose name is the last one on the v5. He had owned it for over 20 years and had bought it for its engine which he planned on putting in his diesel Oldsmobile Cutlass. Apparently it was dire and should have been called a Gutless.

 

 

 

Must be something in the name. The 'Gutless' Cutlass FU7? was a 1950's US Navy jet that was so underpowdered it was known as the ensign killer.

[Split_Pin]

Definitely agree, that provenance should be on your sig if it isnt already (cant see as on mobile)

[Faker]

She's back

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It's been nice knowing you all...

That's a fantastic view...

 

(Not the denim (although top marks))!

 

Those hills are fabulous!

 

That car's just mega... however... how in the name of all that's American!! Do the yanks extract so little ponies from a fucking big V8?!!

[PhilA]

Cruising at 55-75 is all about sufficient* torque to spin the engine as slowly as possible.

 

Something something economy something emissions

 

Plus, if you give people here a car that does 3500+ RPM on the interstate they whine about noise and vibration. Highly stressed engines are not the forté of American design. Low speed, low maintenance, low stress for maximum miles at minimum revs.

 

That's pretty much it.

 

Phil

 

 

*Didn't say maximum, I said sufficient

[Asimo]

 

Low speed, low maintenance, low stress for maximum Smiles

 

 

FTFY

 

**Might have that put on my gravestone

[drum]

We use daily as a verb here, right?

 

I've been dailying the delta lately. No point having this fine beast and not makimg the most of it.

 

Looking quite petite in the staff car park.

 

Only niggle is its tendency to hang onto the gears too long. It has always done this, but I think it's getting worse. Previous owner had old Engelbert's box reconditioned to cure this, unsuccessfully apparently.

 

I'm off down town to buy a pint of milk, in the Olds.

[PhilA]

There should be some sort of pedal position to gearchange relationship that can be adjusted.

 

Unless it's like mine where the seals in the valve block are shot

 

 

Phil

[Skizzer]

hang onto the gears too long

 

Sports Mode, innit M8.

 

[Guest Hooli]

There should be some sort of pedal position to gearchange relationship that can be adjusted.

 

Unless it's like mine where the seals in the valve block are shot

 

 

Phil

 

Kickdown cable often does that on Range Rovers, something to do with it controlling the oil pressure out of the pump as well as the kickdown. Probably similar on an old box like this too.

[pandamonium]

I think that car park photo just illustrates how big modern cars have become, so a yank tank looks positively mid-sized.

[DodgeRover]

If it's s torqueflight type box it's a matter of adjusting the bands and setting the kickdown cable adjustment. It's simple but a bit of a faff to get right.

[Guest]

At that Errol car show I met the auctioneer who sold me the Olds. Sadly, the reason it was back through the auction was because the last buyer died on Christmas Day. He didn't even have time to send off the v5.

 

On a happier note, I also met the chap whose name is the last one on the v5. He had owned it for over 20 years and had bought it for its engine which he planned on putting in his diesel Oldsmobile Cutlass. Apparently it was dire and should have been called a Gutless.

 

The Delta 88 had been off the road for a few years at the time and was looking a bit sorry for itself, but when he got it home he decided it wasn't so bad and decided to put it back on the road. He had it resprayed and set the injection pump off to be rebuilt. He replaced the gearbox with.. wait for it....

the box out of Engelbert Humperdinck's Pontiac Firebird!

 

That's right folks, this has Engelbert's gearbox.

No Way, I know the guy who had Englebert's Trans Am, it was a gold 78, and RHD if I remember correctly, he also had an olds Cutlass.The Trans am was part of the reason I got into Yank motors at an early age, he lived between my house and my primary school.I'll try and find an old pic I'm sure I have of it. It looked like this...

 

[drum]

If someone can find a pic of Humperdinck's Firebird I'll be cock-a-hoop.

[Richard]

Oh, if I could get my hands on that big bampot Humperdinck

 

[drum]

Not for the first time, the Olds had a minor ftp.

Hustling down the Glen road, keeping up momentum and in top gear, I swung round the corner at the Brig O' Traes and the engine cut out, like the stop solenoid had activated itself.

 

Being an auto, I had to let the yacht coast to a stop - ignition key won't turn unless it's in park. With no power steering or brake servo it was a bit of a rudderless sailboat.

 

Fired up straight away and hasn't done it since, so will be forgotten about until it does do it again and doesn't restart.

[Lacquer Peel]

How is the stop solenoid activated on these old lumps? It could be fuel starvation if you were driving uphill or around a sharp corner.

[RobT]

I know they're different cars, but viewing this thread always makes me think of this.  Must be because same era.

 

[drum]

How is the stop solenoid activated on these old lumps? It could be fuel starvation if you were driving uphill or around a sharp corner.

Yep, wondered about that too as it only happens when I've got less than half a tank on the gauge and after swinging round an uphill corner.

 

Previous owner told me he made the tank for it himself. Bigger than the original 22 gallons. Fuel gauge could be off.

[flat4alfa]

A bright spark has recreated it

 

[wuvvum]

Or maybe it doesn't have baffles like the original so when you take a corner all the fuel surges away from the pickup pipe.

[lesapandre]

 The car is featured on the Curbsideclassic website. There might be a clue to the ftp here: http://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1978-oldsmobile-delta-88-diesel-in-defense-of-the-olds-350-diesel-v8/

[flat4alfa]

ideal* bumper sticker spotted on 'bay USA

 

[lesapandre]

Bit more here:

 

http://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics/ebay-find-1981-oldsmobile-delta-88-royale-brougham-diesel-those-brown-diesel-wagons-are-so-yesterday/