1949 OLDSMOBILE FUTURAMIC SERIES 98 SEDAN

SAVED FROM THE CRUSHER-1949 OLDSMOBILE FUTURAMIC SERIES 98 SEDAN

This is a great driver that looks. runs, and drives great. I bought this 1949 Oldsmobile 98 4-door sedan in 2014. The seller told me that he bought it from a friend who owns a wrecking yard that always calls him when he gets a car that is too good to scrap or crush.

There was no engine or transmission, no front seat, and the left rear door and rear seat cushion had been removed and left in the weather. The door trim panels, front fenders, front bumper and grille parts were inside the car along with the rocker panel moldings, miscellaneous parts, and a bucket of nuts, bolts, screws, clips, and other small parts and the original fender skirts were in the trunk.

However, the hood was still on the car as was the rear bumper, deck lid, letters, and handle. It was missing many other parts including the hood ornament, hood emblem, hood letters, and the front fender Futuramic emblems. The car was likely a car from the Dallas area because it was built in Kansas City as were the majority of Buicks, Oldsmobiles, and Pontiacs delivered and sold in Texas prior to the Arlington, TX BOP Assembly Plant’s opening in 1954. Also, the car had never been exposed to a salt environment, neither on the coast nor in an area where the roads were salted. The diecast chrome has little to no pitting, and all of the stainless steel moldings are in excellent condition.

I found a front seat from a 1948 Oldsmobile 98 that had good original upholstery, but it is different material from a ’49. The original headliner is still in the car, but should be replaced to be really nice.

The car had been disassembled and repainted a red that is so close the Chariot Red that was available on the 1949 and 1950 Oldsmobiles that you would have a very difficult time knowing it. The car’s original color was Paint No 47A (Silver Gray with a Metal Gray top).

There are a couple of rust pinholes in the driver’s side floor from water leaks, but all floor pans are solid. The rocker panels do have some rust from accumulated dirt and mud not being flushed out of them. The underside of the car appears to have been cleaned whenever the body was painted. I chose NOT to repaint the car.

It runs and drives great, just as it once did and just as it should. The engine has no knocks or unusual noises, does not smoke and has little or no blow-by. I have installed many new and rebuilt parts to ensure reliability and safety including a rebuilt starter and fuel pump, and I rebuilt the carburetor using the correct rebuild kit.

I have made every effort to reassemble the car with only the correct NOS and/or serviceable used original parts so that it would be just as it was built with the only exception being the color and the front seat. The aftermarket parts are made specifically for a 1949 Oldsmobile 98.. I could not find a front sear from a 1949, but I did find a good original front seat from a 1948 98 4-door, which, other than the fabric, is identical to a ’49 and is quite serviceable as is. I will apply for a Bonded Title.

I bought and installed an original 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket engine and Hydra-Matic transmission that were in Indiana. They were in a running and driving ’49 Olds that was being converted to a SBC with a Turbo 350. I installed a NORS fuel tank sending unit, NORS water pump, new replacement points, condenser, distributor cap, rotor, spark plugs, spark plug wires, upper and lower radiator hoses, all heater hoses, generator belt, and water pump belt, and a new exhaust system.. I had the radiator cleaned and checked and I removed the fuel tank had it checked and boiled out. I cleaned and blew out the fuel lines, installed new brake shoes, rebuilt the master cylinder, and rebuilt the wheel cylinders. I also bought a set of correct NORS ribbed wheel trim rings and a set of correct original 1948-49 Oldsmobile hubcaps.

The turn signals, stoplights, and horn are not working. The wiring under the dash and the body harness are in good serviceable condition. I repaired and replaced the wiring in the engine compartment due to the wiring had been cut off at the firewall. So, the wiring will need to be replaced and/or connected to the horn button, horn relay, stop light switch, and turn signal switch. Also, the windshield wipers aren’t working, but I have a used vacuum wiper motor from another ’49 Olds 98 that goes with the car. The left rear door glass and right rear vent glass are cracked and I am in the process of replacing the left rocker panel molding.

It has an original jack and tools and a proper wheel for the spare, but the spare tire needs to be replaced. The tires are serviceable whitewall radials. The license plates do not go with the car.

Call or text 903-922-3415 if you have any questions and thank you for looking.