ok i was messing around the junkyard yesterday with a buddy waiting on a set of wheels and tires for his grand prix and i looked at an early mid 60s olds 98 they had in there. complete and straight and all intact., power doors and everything stuff i never knew they had available back then wow... crazy..(we dont see cars like this here, EXTREMELY rare) anyways i go to pop the hood out of curiousity and holy crap the air cleaner says ROCKET and ultra high compression

*** is that ??

what size??

is it just a regular engine with a little more cam or taller pistons?

or?

ive heard of rocket and seen some on the internet and whatever but this is the first time ive actually ever seen with my eyes something with rocket on it.


i cant tell a 350 from a 455 etc and i can tell a ford 302 from a bigger engine like a 429/460 and whatever, and i know most of my newer vehicles' engines 90s and up that actually still exsist around here, but....

i know my chevies inside and out but anything else i have some trouble with sometimes.,

i asked them about it and they had NO clue anything about it but they said the car is for sale.

in original condition. not even rusted out no primer or anything but needs restored of course.

crazy..

i have no idea how they came across something like this so old and why it ended up there but wow... they had no idea about it and dont seem to be interested one bit in it,.,., sheesh..


yards fail..


it would be a hell of a cool car to clean up and put wheels and tires on and cruise in,,

baby blue nice color and everything.,..

too bad it will be crushed surely..

wish i had my camera hmm..

This comes up here regularly and speaks to the success of the Olds marketing department. EVERY SINGLE V8 engine ever built by Olds was called "ROCKET". It means NOTHING. (actually, the aluminum 215 used in the 61-63 F85 was called "Rockette" - I am not making that up).

If the car was 61-64, the engine would have been a 394 cu in. first gen Olds motor with 10.25 or so compression. 65-67 used a 425 cu in second gen V8, and 68-76 used a 455 second gen V8. The "Ultra High Compression" motors were typically 10:1 or 10.25:1 (until compression plummeted in 1971) and were rated in the vicinity of 350-375 HP (gross) with about 500 ft-lbs of torque.

My Dad had a Baby Blue 64Olds 98, 4-door, Air, Elec windows,seats, cruise. That thing was built for smokers, it had a huge dash ashtray with 2 lighters, ashtray & lighter on each rear door, ashtray & lighter on the back of front seat.
It was a 64 model but had the 425ci with Ultra Hi-compression and 10.25 on the valve covers/air cleaner. I've always heard the 425 started in 65?
That thing was a Tank.

The 1964 Olds 98 was only available with the 394 first gen V8. There was no other engine option. The 425 (second gen Olds motor) did not come out until the 1965 model year. The 394 used a completely different mounting scheme (single front mount and bellhousing side mounts than the 425 (side motor mounts and single trans tail mount), so it is not a drop-in swap.

If nothing else, check the taillight lenses. Back in the day, they used to cast the year of the lens/car into the plastic.

hmm interesting

never knew they used to all be called rocket

humm

probably never will see another one this old again around here

most likely

im going to the yard again to pick up a rear axle, i may bring the camera along



thanks

My Uncle may still have the car as he bought it from my dad in 78 and he has a large field with about every car he's ever had rusting there. Someone may have added/swapped the Aircleaner etc.. from a 425. I do remember the 425,Ultra-Hi-10.25 Compression emblems. That tank would burn the tires off, Gobs of torque. But you better not have to stop quick. 4-wheel Power Drum brakes on that heavy Tank.
My Dad had a 65 2-door Olds 88 also, I think it had a 330 though. Not nearly as much power.
I had a 66 Buick Skylark, 340 4Brl, 10-Bolt Posi, ST300, it ran very well.

Yup... just like all dodge engines could be called Mopar, or all Fords could be called "blue ovals." It wasn't a distinction between hi-po or regular, it was just a nickname