Bought my Fourth car yesterday! 1947 Oldsmobile series 76 fastback

[Electronic M]

I've always loved classic cars. Back when I was around 10 I picked up an old (80's) book consumers guide to cars of the 40's and that influenced me to want a 40's fastback. I've been trying to find one that hasn't been ruined by customization or rust and isn't a 15K+ show quality restoration...Not an easy task. I might have had one sooner but the previous times I have found good cars I didn't have money...

Things finally came together yesterday. It started with a 59 caddy way up north that I didn't buy because it was in worse shape...I had taken the money for that caddy out before seeing it in person (didn't want to make 2 trips) and decided instead of redepositing it I'd put out a want ad. That led me to this...


The Car was originally sold by the local Oldsmobile and Harley dealership in a town in North Dakota to the town barber who was driving it atleast until 1982 by the inspection dates. Some years ago he sold it back to the same guy at the local Harley dealership that he bought it new from. The person at the dealership planned to restore it but never got around to it. He eventually sold it to Ron who planned to swap the original straight 6 for a V8 and build his wife a hotrod. Ron decided he had more projects than he was ever going to get to and sold it to me... Possibly the most amazing thing about the car (asside from it having almost every factory option) is that after the original owner signed over the original title nobody ever tried to retitle it in their name. I have the original title the original owner signed and gave to the harley dealer!...Once I retitle it in my name I will effectively be the SECOND owner on paper!

It was running and driving 3 years ago and garage stored since. The engine and brakes are free but the battery is bad and the previous owner thinks based on the popping out the carb it did when he tried to start it last week that a valve is stuck...I have a battery on order (them wide 6V jobs are surprisingly expensive) and me and my buddy Chris are going to try and get it running this weekend.

It's pretty much all complete, original and solid. There's a hole in the driver's side floor about the size of 2 golf balls and a finger hole in the trunk but otherwise she is solid. I think one of the previous owners installed front drop springs (they look too new to be original) which I will eventually replace to restore the stock ride height. I have the hubcaps but half the wheel clips for them are missing along with possibly the front carpet. The lower half was originally a less vibrant sage color (but less faded than the factory paint fender skirts) the top is factory paint...those 2 colors were actually about the same as the colors the living room of the first house I grew up in was (it was built within a year of the olds) originally (I chipped down to it more than once as a kid).

So far I've been able to verify the head lights and 2/3 of the tail lights work, and the radio dial lamp works...My battery charger has confirmed that the battery it came with is pretty worn out. Most of the other electrical is not responding.

Anybody know if these use the same door key as the ignition or trunk key? Ignition and trunk keys work but the door lock cylinders aren't responding to either key... lucky for me the doors are unlocked...

I don't have a spare ignition key (I should try to get one made soon) so I don't want to risk snapping it trying to persuade the doors.