Worst Brakes Ever

Did Oldsmobile really put mid-size brakes under the full-size Jetstar 88? And why didn’t this Jetstar 88 get the big 394 V8 used in other full-size 1964 Oldsmobiles? Watch as Steve examines how this Jetstar 88 cut costs - and corners.

[@Fony_turgeson]

can we all appreciate steve for shedding blood for us

[@chriswalker4626]

Yes we can and menny Uther's that are willing to show us how to fix are cars and lite trucks and vans . Not all school s tech us how to do things .

[@HarrySach]

It's ok just rub some snow on it

[@jimpatnode4445]

He recorded several reviews that day. Man of the enthusiast

[@s1mp13m4n]

In my opinion MTOD dropping Junkyard Gold was a mistake. I always enjoyed that show. That is how I ended up on this channel. It shows that folks prefer the drama of reality shows compared to learning something via how-to or history. Thank you for making these videos for us.

[@Daniel-fd3wp]

Ain’t that the truth. 👍👍👍

[@lizzard71]

Great comment, thanks.

[@jlang8213]

6:20 putting your sweat and blood into these videos? You are dedicated! Be safe out there!

[@edwardpate6128]

My grandmother had a 64 Olds 88 with the 330 and the RotoHydramatic. She really liked that car a lot. My dad and I ended up rebuilding that RotoHydramatic on a 4x8 sheet of plywood on sawhorses, man what a complicated transmission with so many parts! After we put it back together it worked better than ever, I was pretty proud to have helped as a 9 year old!

[@vettekid3326]

When I was a kid and we would have family get togethers you could tell who was already there by the cars already parked wherever we were meeting. My uncle George always had Oldsmobiles, My uncle Don always had Pontiac and my uncle John always had Chevys and my dad after 1963 always drove Buicks. Now my uncle Stan always drove what he could get a good deal on so right up the early 70's he would buy low mileage Studebaker Larks because when it became an orphan the resale value went way down. Of all of them I liked the Olds the best as far as styling inside and out.

[@gramus51]

Thank you Steve , brings backs memories of my Dad and his silent obcession with Oldsmobile/Buick automobiles. Cut my teeth working on the early to mid sixties Olds/Buicks all sharing those fabulous engines. I thought all cars like those had Aluminum Blocks. Great Stuff Steve!!! I'm 67 so putting a date stamp on my first exposure to the Automobile.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

Buick/Olds aluminum V8s were all 1960 - 1963 small cars... then Buick version became Rover, TVR, MG, Triumph, Morgan, Repco-Brabham, etc., engines... also some Slant 6 and AMC aluminum engines briefly...

[@bozodog428]

Olds cheaped out on the JetStar 88. The Pontiac Catalina was better equipped with a standard 389 and either a 3 speed manual or 3 speed HydraMatic.

[@kmhoefs]

My Grandpa had a 64 Jetstar just like this, it was blue with a blue interior just like this car. I remember it had power brakes that were way too sensitive and when applied even slightly aggressively they would nearly shoot you through the windshield!

[@winsox28]

More than a week of repeats, I'm getting a little worried, like getting ready to drive to Brookfield to see if you are OK 😲

[@kman-mi7su]

I think he's on vacation. He did the same thing last summer for a week.

[@rogergoodman8665]

​@kman-mi7su : Your probably right, If I'm still a subscriber next summer I'll remember so I don't watch reruns.

[@stephensmith3018]

I can say this cause i have owned both cars but the 65 Mustang 6 cyl had way worse brakes than the Oldsmobile!!

[@coinslotsandjoysticks2572]

You guys still have a lot of snow in the shaded areas for this time of year. Lolol , hopefully your putting your engine in this week, can't wait to see it on the road

[@geoffkeller5337]

Did you get to buy your buddies car?

[@coinslotsandjoysticks2572]

@@geoffkeller5337 yea we got it to my house and we're gonna fix it up and give it back to him on his birthday in two months

[@geoffkeller5337]

@@coinslotsandjoysticks2572 He's going to love that

[@jeffreycarleton1535]

I’ve always loved the lines on the 64 Olds! Brakes, only slow you down LOL! If you drive like you have a brain, those brakes will work fine! Utilizing a good eye lead times, and following distance, would preserve them just fine! If you drive like an idiot, and wait to brake 30 feet from the intersections,or don’t pay attention to whether or not the green light is stale, that driving style could have a cumulative premature wear effect on your brakes! The only real downside,I would say is mountain driving, if you didn’t slow down on initial mountain descents ,and select a lower gear to help the car utilize the transmission to stabilize vehicle speed you could experience what is known as brake fade and then complete brake failure and perhaps bearing grease fire ignition if things get hot enough! That said, these were great cars with beautiful lines! Great video Steve! I caught you on the High Octane KZbin channel doing the walk around on that beautiful yellow 1966 SS, L-78 equipped Chevelle yesterday, What a car! Me Likey! Hope you guys are well!

[@DavidByrd-i2v]

Great knowledge and info from the great Steve mags!!! Enjoy every one of them....and every poke at motor trend!!..always enjoyable. I look forward too your next live chat with Tony D!!!

[@rodneybrand8521]

Snow on the ground and steve running around in a short sleeve shirt..true dedication...lol..

[@fastinradfordable]

Get Steve to 100k Certainly one of my most rewarding subscriptions!!

[@user-ThomReec8587]

Both my 64 Impala's (1 - SS 409 & 1 Impala w/327/PG) had the same roof. They both were Marron with a White roof & Black interiors. Of course the SS had Bucket seats. FYI Impal;a's had full sized brakes

[@richdiscoveries]

What has Steve been up to the last two weeks. Just curious. I know he has a lot of other commitments and projects going on. Hope all is well

[@oldyellow8120]

Yeah. Another week of re-runs I guess. It would be nice for him to at least give some sort of minimal update. Feels sort of disrespectful I think. I mean really, how hard would that be?

[@formula112967]

@@oldyellow8120 He was in the hospital.....do you still feel disrespected?

[@Ian-of9oi]

Old guy had one of those in a town where I grew up around 20 years ago. Thing looked cool. Should have asked about buying it.

[@MrRichard2nd]

I had a 1964 four door Jetstar 88 that I used to pull a U-haul trailer from New Hampshire to Saskatchewan in 1972 and quickly learned the brakes were terrible! Over the next two years both back axles broke but the car was totalled by a teenager using it as a crash barrier in an ice storm.

[@googleusergp]

No VIN, can't win, but easy to figure out, no doubt: 8 for eight cylinder equipped, 3 for Jetstar 88, 4 for 1964 model year, possible L for Linden, NJ assembly (closed in 2005), K for Fairfax, KS assembly (original plant closed in early 1987, Fairfax II still operates today), T for Arlington, TX assembly (still operates today), C for Southgate, CA assembly (closed in 1982), M for Lansing, MI assembly (closed in 2006), A for Atlanta, GA assembly (Doraville, closed in 2008), or W for Wilmington, DE assembly (closed in 2009) among other codes, and the rest is the production sequence. No tag, can't brag: 64 for 1964 model year, 3347 for Jetstar 88 two door Holiday coupe, various codes for the assembly plant, depending on where it was assembled, possible 973, 973V, 983 or 993V for Blue interior trim, C for Provincial White exterior paint, among other codes. "Pontiac never made any mistakes....except for putting a 403 Oldsmobile V8 in a Firebird". "The Pontiac 400 V8 is canceled? What do you mean it's canceled?". Correct the second time, 1977 to 1979 for the 403 Oldsmobile V8 RPO code "L80" VIN code "K" engine in the Trans Am. Also, the Firebird Formula in certain years could have an Olds 350 V8. Classic Ride Society on YT has a 1977 Firebird Formula with a 350 Oldsmobile engine. 1980-1981 Trans Ams either had the Pontiac 301 non-turbo V8 (RPO code "L37, VIN code "W" engine), the Pontiac 301 turbo V8 (RPO code "LU8", VIN code "T"), or the Chevrolet 305 V8 (RPO code "LG4", VIN code "H"). Provincial White for Oldsmobile in 1964, not Ermine White (that was typically Chevrolet).

[@basilcarroll9729]

The Olds V8 was used to meet emissions.

[@googleusergp]

@@basilcarroll9729 Correct and also the 400 V8 production had stopped sometime in 1978, so the 403 was the largest engine available. The 301 Pontiac V8 four barrel offered the buyer a credit in 1979 and became the base engine for the Trans Am in 1980.

[@paulquirk9041]

again Steve a great presentation. I never knew the '64 88 had a 330 in it. I'm sure it was more economical than the 394. When I got my learners permit in '68 my Uncle "made" me drive his '64 With three on the tree. Unforgettable and special memory, kind of like your first girl friend.Thank you very much Steve and keep them coming

[@BuzzLOLOL]

"JetStar 1" version of 88 got you the Hyper version 394" engine... Jetstar 88 was 6 or 330 V8...

[@rondpert5167]

Snow in July" Repeat. I remember that flesh wound. 9 1'2 inch brakes were also standard on 4 cylinder Chevy IIs and Corvairs.

[@glocke380]

Copped my first feel in the trunk of an Olds going to the motor movies!

[@debbiebermudez5890]

Mr. B. Here ! Morning to all ☕️☕️🍩🍩👍👍 ! Nice to see snow in July , LOL ! Great car over all , good ride and comfortable. To bad that one is in the yard !

[@tomwesley7884]

Morning

[@debbiebermudez5890]

@@tomwesley7884 😎😎☕️☕️👍👍

[@rebelscumspeedshop]

Man the weather is strange in Massachusetts these days.

[@kc0lif]

motor trend never makes mistakes😂. nice Jetstar. snow in July.

[@tomwesley7884]

Cool summer treat

[@northof5331]

I still have my first car which is 64 super 88 394 4bbl 4dr hardtop and the 11inch drum brakes when they worked would throw you into the dash and do a 4 wheel lockup if you pressed the pedal slightly harder then usual

[@danielulz1640]

You have to remember, $80 back then was like around $800 today.

[@NathansMoparGarage]

Snow ☃️

[@lcurtsinger4313]

64 Buick leSabre had the same coupe roof as well,

[@johngranato2673]

Now, it's a wreck star

[@daveridgeway2639]

Hi Steve, good video! I totally agree in regards in what you are stating on the subject on inadequate brakes on many General Motors cars. Some GM(s) had more than adequate brakes, even if they where "manual drum". It does NOT cost an automobile manufacture to increase the size of the brakes at all! The engineering is all the same and in the mean time the extra cost of the steel is very small. I am 63 years old, and every car that I had ever been in, 1963 and below, I never saw factory installed seat belts. Every car that I have been in 1964 and 1965, had two front seat belts. Every car that I have been in 1966 and 1967 had two front and two rear seat belts. Many car owner(s) would remove and discard the seat belts back then, you would be surprised! Automobiles has always been my hobby since I was a small kid, every car that I got in, I always wanted to what accessories and engine and engine the automobile was equipped with, I would ask the owner, or I would see for my self. I looked under the hood of all my neighbor(s) car(s) on my street, they did not mind because I was social with them. I'm talking about Pontiac GTO, Oldsmobile 442, Plymouth 'Cuda and Mustang Boss 302! By the way Steve, do you still have snow on the ground in Bernardston Massachusetts in the month of July? Please reply. Dave...

[@Iowa599]

I think GM made that car shitty (small brakes) on purpose, to make their other products seem better.

[@elainerussell924]

Funny how you keep finding those magazines in those buckets of rust 😬

[@joshuagibson2520]

3 things I can't stand: C. A. F. E., Ralph Nader, and MotorTrend.

[@chuckselvage3157]

CAFE and Nader ruined the party for years

[@googleusergp]

@@chuckselvage3157 True, but they got us thinking in the right direction and putting technology to work for vehicle design. It's when they went too far that things got out of hand.

[@my1vice]

EVs.

[@matttravers5764]

Don’t forget the EPA.🤮

[@howitusedtobe]

nader and cafe got us aware of how shitty we treat the planet and how little we cared about safety tho i agree with the sentiment as my mills up here said it pointed us in the right direction

[@johnrobinson5156]

No seat belts & bad brakes; USE PADDED DASH 😃

[@moondogdieselworks3883]

You really get into your work, what did you do to your arm?

[@edwardbianchi192]

Beautiful car. Love the interior color.

[@janderson8401]

Intermediate brakes on a full size car, sounds more like a Ford cost cutting idea than something that would happen with an Oldsmobile. My brother in law is still in mourning over GM cancelling the Oldsmobile brand.

[@79USA1]

I often wonder if the 1964 Jetstar 88 was Oldsmobile's attempt at paralleling the Pontiac of Canada full size car line up. Pontiac of Canada used Chevrolet X frames and running gear in their full size Pontiac lines (Star Chief, Parisienne, etc) while Oldsmobile's attempt at a United States copy used Oldsmobile components, just from the "A" body series.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

Cheap small cars started appearing late 1950's so everyone was trying to compete somewhat in that market... pinching pennies...

[@peters8758]

I thought the model with the small brake drums was the DeathStar, not the JetStar!

[@steves9905]

interesting mix of Olds' new 1964 technology fitted to an inappropriate car. I guess the cars to buy in 64 would have been the Cutlass with the new driveline or the Jetstar 1 and above with the obsolete but appropriately sized driveline. although 9.5" drums will always be inadequate regardless of car size. Steve gives his blood for these videos...true commitment...hope the tetanus shots are up to date

[@nonelost1]

That must be an early ‘64, as I believe front seatbelts were made mandatory on all new cars in the USA effective January 1, 1964. And rear seat belts were made mandatory in 1967. Also front turn signals had to be amber colored starting in 1964. Either the lens or the bulb had to be amber colored.

[@johnmollet2637]

I'm from Phoenix and right now I wouldn't mind being in that yard with the six inches of snow on the ground... Thanks Steve and Super Camera Guy, my apologies I can't think of your name.

[@jimc3688]

Would be hard shoveling 6” of snow in that 110’ AZ heat.

[@timstone3441]

Steve as always great content.. Yes Olds did some farts in church and the brakes were defiantly that.. Keep up the school of junk yard class.

[@joshuagibson2520]

Snow sounds lovely. Going to be 90s and high humidity in my part of Tennessee today. And I work in that shit. Clearing off an overgrown pond dam wall today. 7-1 or 7-2 is all I'll be working today!

[@RedGarnett-n2p]

Hope you're not a Tennessee trumptard

[@garymckee8857]

Yes I am back in East Tennessee after spending five years working in Omaha Nebraska and l am still getting adjusted to the humidity.

[@RedGarnett-n2p]

@@garymckee8857 hope you don't support the orange cultist magat guilty of espionage bone spurs 45

[@tomwesley7884]

You the landscaper? Were you plowing this past winter?

[@joshuagibson2520]

@@tomwesley7884 nope. I was building 12 foot planter boxes, building a chicken coop, building fences and installing gates, building a wood privacy fence etc. Plowing would be awesome. I work way too hard. Especially for nearing 50.

[@marioncobaretti2280]

Snow covered cars in july , he didn't make it in up all night building car models

[@randymack2222]

They had a fuel filter in the tank, many went to the recycling yard because of fuel delivery problems. No one was wise enough to drop the fuel tank.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

Tank had a screen... filter on the engine... pickup tube in tank could rust and not be long enough any more...

[@rixkafer56]

My dad bought a 63 dynamic 88 4dr holiday new.. 394 big twoi barrell tire smoker... i got to drive it at 16 years old ...it was on it way out as a. valve would stick and pop out of the intake sometimes in 1980. 70 bucks is a kot of money in 63 or 64.. i believe my dad made about 110 a week as a full-time butcher with three kids and a mortgage. They bought the car when they won money on a keno game in reno, Nevada.. my dad was a great guy !!

[@mikehotchkiss8975]

Sounds like he was a good and hard working man. Remember him for us all

[@tomwesley7884]

Want relief from summer heat? Just watch Steve Mags, in the dead of winter, wearing a short sleeve at Bernardston Auto Wrecking

[@ricksrealpitbbq]

Hey Steve, I understand the magazine cancellation reference but I'm at a loss understanding the occasional deer head and plastic dog appearances. Can you explain those for us curious types ?

[@golfy808]

Just some fun

[@googleusergp]

A joke, being funny, props, makes his videos different.

[@ldnwholesale8552]

And the yard dog gets his face blanked out!!

[@frankjones4094]

Rudolph Dieselhead is an ex developmental engineer on the Nazi V-1 Buzzbomb program from WWII. The plastic dog is the alter ego of Katie the junkyard dog who as you can see is in the witness protection program.

[@corvairjim1]

OK, but what about the chef's hat he's wearing when he apparently learns about Junkyard Gold's cancelations. I never understood why someone would wear a chef's hat while crouching down in front of an Exner Valiant.

[@douglash3129]

Hi Steve, these were nice looking cars. I had that exact steering wheel on a go cart I built. It was just a down hill racer. We had lots of fun with that thing! Great show Steve!

[@douglash3129]

What was GM thinking putting 9 1/2 " brakes on anything! Metallic lining helped a lot after they got warmed up, but until then it was a cheek squeezer!

[@BuzzLOLOL]

The early tiny disc brakes that fit under 14" wheels were even weaker!

[@zekeosborne9684]

Love me an old Olds!

[@garyszewc3339]

Seat belts become law mid-year 1966. I'm old enough to be the second owner of a 1966 Chevy Caprice. The owner's manual was still intact. The owner's manual was printed saying they were an option, but there was an insert saying due to safety laws they were standard equipment.

[@danielulz1640]

Front seat belts were required on cars built from January 1st, 1964, rear belts in 65 and belts for all passengers in 66. This car must have been built Sept. through Dec. 63.

[@rupe53]

I would bet that insert was for dealer installed belts, because some were throwing them in as a way to lure customers. As I recall they were under $10 in those days.

[@tommolzan5051]

So nice to see snow when it's 90 degrees out!

[@57WillysCJ]

The daily fix for the junkyard junky. Than's for waiting till the hotest day of summer to show us snow pictures.

[@dstdrummer]

0:06 Ah HAHAHAHA! Blurred the dogs face! Now THAT’S funny!

[@johnnydodge]

I didnt know Halloween in Massachusetts you'll all had snow Thanks Steve

[@steveib724]

Love my drums on my 84 cutlass second set since new. they last. not exactly driven into the corners ether lol and there aluminum

[@ccg1171]

90° here in Fall River!! Snowy up north I see. 😅 I'm assuming that's what it is.

[@sosa9754]

It's a video from the winter lmao

[@ccg1171]

@@sosa9754 I know it was a joke. I live in Massachusetts and there's definitely no snow.

[@derekcrymble9085]

Is that "wrecking-yard-red" on your arm ,Steve ????

[@lilmike2710]

Im sure that Motor Trend has since regretted letting you go steve. 😊

[@debbiebermudez5890]

Mr. B. Here ! I do not think so ! Look at the CaCa that they are putting on with the re-runs !

[@grandtheftautotune7715]

Yeah, nothing like beating a dead horse to death everyday.. time for some new jokes, clothes, and videos..

[@andregonsalvez9244]

Thanks Steve and great show ! This is the predecessor to my Delta 88 . I hope you can do the downsized full-sized GM RWD cars from 1977 to 1996 down the road .

[@my1vice]

Christmas in July.... LoL

[@MichaelandCathy1999]

Is this a repeat video? Still snow on the ground, even for the US northeast that’s a long winter. 😜🇨🇦👍

[@nathanjoseph4284]

Yeah it's been nothing but repeats this entire past week. Very sad; I miss the fresh Junkyard Crawls. I wish Steve would update us on what's going on. It feels sort of disrespectful to the audience to pass off old videos as new ones and not give any sort of explanation.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

❄Another great vid!!!!❄👍

[@vintagesawyer6246]

Wow! Talk about a Lowrider 😁

[@marioncobaretti2280]

Hi katie ! Even if it was months ago

[@00kt86]

Good video. Now go update your tetanus shot.

[@jimmygarcia3068]

Hahahahahahaha, the drive inn....yeah sneaking guys in the trunk.....

[@williamrogers.]

Looks nice and chilly today. Perfect release for a late July day.

[@deanstevenson6527]

Street 💳 Cred: 6:10 You slashed your right arm like a true punk. Suffering for your art Steve.

[@talfacprez]

Oldsmobile was Rocket 88 and later were just Jetstars. I liked the Rocket vibe so much better.

[@schnutchie]

The show must go on ! Bleeding arm and everything !

[@Schoolbus917]

I miss velocity channel and junk yard gold

[@kman-mi7su]

I'm afraid one day when Steve decides to play "what's in the trunk?", he'll find a body.

[@timtompkins150]

Just the bones

[@johnrobinson5156]

Wow, snow in July!

[@flhxri]

A lot of those parts in that car were made in my home town.

[@michaelsimpson3548]

Snow in July ?😉

[@Fony_turgeson]

when did it snow?

[@vet-7174]

No snow in my part of Mass 🙄

[@UnfinishedProjectDartSport]

~

[@Doctorj63]

Hope you have a recent tetanus shot.....

[@Jupitermustangmike]

Back in 1964

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

My brother had a 62 star fire. That was a cool Looking car. Someone hacked an olds 350 into it. He ripped that out and built a big block but ended up Selling it before he put the big block in because he found his father in law’s 67 c10 he bought new in Sept 66

[@mikefed]

It’s still snowing in Massachusetts?

[@Freedomquest08]

One of my work buddies had a '64 Cutlass. I'm sure he was driving it like it was stolen, because he drove it like that everywhere he went. One day on a trip to the local lake he got the brakes so hot on it that when he parked on some tall grass, it burned the car down, unfortunately.

[@Freedomquest08]

@@shawnsatterlee6035 Think what you want, but that did happen.

[@Freedomquest08]

@@shawnsatterlee6035 Not that I feel inclined to share any further details with a person like you, but it was 1991, the guys name was Chris. He worked with me at Discount Tire on W. Sahara in Vegas. Car burned at Gypsum Wash at Lake Mead. While he did often thrash on this car , he also had been doing months of bodywork, including welding and finishing all of the endless chrome holes down the sides. He had put a lot of work into this car and it sucked to see him lose it, because on a tireman's wage, that's all he had.

[@mackaman1964]

Let’s cheap out on the brakes , not the best idea from back in the day

[@debbiebermudez5890]

Mr. B. Here ! GM used Oldsmobile to test many items to put on other vehicles ! Real world testing ! In those days .

[@samholdsworth420]

​@@debbiebermudez5890when GM wasn't complete trash 😂

[@debbiebermudez5890]

@@samholdsworth420 Mr. B. Here ! When I worked at the auction, 4 years a vehicles I drove weren’t trash , my big issue is they have junk witch is very cheap ! $80,000 and up high end vehicles , oh and many look 👀 the same . Not everyone needs a pick-up ! Good fair transportation at a fair cost .

[@samholdsworth420]

@@debbiebermudez5890 I drive a 2000 GMC Jimmy 😆

[@debbiebermudez5890]

@@samholdsworth420 Mr. B. Here ! 1. New or use , 2. How has it been holding up ? 3. I had a 2012 Canyon off lease , serviced me well to much to maintain, was traded in ! The Mrs. Got me 1976 GMC Sprint with 60,000 miles then now 67,000 cost to maintain is so much less, also it classified as 1/2 ton light duty pick-up .

[@southerncross3638]

This is like taking a class, excellent.

[@JS-jt8vg]

Cool car. What’s up with the snow in July? Must get real cold up in Mass….

[@madmike2624]

repeat/re-upload

[@jeffclark2725]

Great video,thumbs up

[@MarvinHartmann452]

F85 has 4 studs on the wheels I think. It reminds me of the rear break on the J and X GM bodies, when they weren't adjusted properly, the rear wheels would lock all of the sudden. They were kinda dangerous.

[@BuzzLOLOL]

4 studs gone after '63...

[@SST11B]

Steve's so chill he made it snow in July. Nice!

[@MCW1955]

Man, that snow really hangs on.

[@MrDAHSIN]

Geez Steve...take a second to wipe that down and put a band-aid on it 😮

[@MrDAHSIN]

@@shawnsatterlee6035 Yeah, all my buddies back at Bragg back in the day would probably agree that bleeding all over everything and getting infected is the epitome of manliness 🙄

[@Cheezwizzz]

Katie’s digitized face always gets me 😂😂

[@anthonymitchell2354]

Snowing 🌨️⛄ in July? 😂

[@BrianJacobsen-vn6is]

Never let M/T Forget. Steve.

[@lynnmccurdythehdmmrc2561]

Seems strange, see Snow in July. And hope you take care of that cut on your arm.

[@danielulz1640]

Repeat episode from spring.