1980 cutlass longterm project

[lesbaldridge]

those are pretty dam neat, but wow...pricey . that would kind of take all the fun out of free valve covers.
but ill probably just use these since im going with edelbrock intake and carb i guess.

 

[finman04]

Pretty nice build, I am also in the process of my build, just need the cash to continue though. I have a 79 Olds Calais that i'm redoing. Love these body styles. Just piced up a 69 455 F block to put into mine.

 

[finman04]

The 69 455 is the F block that did come with the C heads. Cant wait to get some more cash to get this project moving faster.

 

[lesbaldridge]

finman, thats a pretty sweet project you got yourself there. im no olds genius, but according to my local machine shop/motor builder guy that should be one of the better 455 blocks to build. i asked him what year i should be looking for if i go that way and he recommended 69 as one of the better years. the small block i have now is going to be a temporary motor with the eye in eventually doing a big block olds motor. cash flow is holding me back as well right now, im currently going through a divorce and im sure everyone knows how expensive those are . worth every cent though. i wish i had the extra cash right now, my local craigs list has some really neat stuff. one guy currently has a 425 olds rocket , i believe its a 69, but he wants a grand for it. im kicking myself in the teeth right now though the one time i didnt cruise craigslist recently, some local guy listed a motor and transmission from his 86 442 for $250. , claimed they both ran great. if they were the stock equiment as he claimed ( says he has car, hes just upgrading to a bigger motor ) thats a H.O. 307 and a kfz 200-r4 ( i think i got that right, anyways, one of the more desirable 200 trannys) . i didnt see the add untill it was 0ver a week old though and the number in the add is no longer working, so i have been trying to get in touch with him by email. you never know, could still work out. i know its definitely worth trying. id love to have that transmission and im sure someone here would like to have that motor. im curious, are you planning on keeping the soft top or are you gonna convert it to a hardtop ? im already pretty commited to the hardtop conversion since the previous owner had stripped it for me, although i would probably go that way myself anyhow. i have been doing a little research and it seems like its going to be a pain in the *ss though. i have to get new trim for the rear quarter windows and the rear window at the least. im hoping like hell i dont need to find a new rear valance panel ( i know thats the case on the 81-88 models though ) but i havent found a definitive answer to that yet. the genius i got the car from also stripped the interior and ditched it as well, he left me the dash and steering column, basically nothing else. i think im gonna use these seats from summitt - havent made up my mind which ones exactly yet though.

ultimately im going for this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REUXucqh ... plpp_video

canary yellow with weld drag stars, black interior with yellow accents. im getting rid of all the exterior trim i dont need.

 

[finman04]

Thanks lesbaldridge. When i found the block on craigslist he stated that it has been sitting for at least 21yrs and he didnt even know that the block was seized up till i tried to move it. He even still had the stock 400 turbo trans still mounted to the motor. I picked up the motor and trans for $500. It even has the C heads which are the better heads. It only took about a week to get the motor unseized and apart using acidtone and trans fluid. The cyclinders dont even have ridge marks but the block will still have to be bored 30 over. The block stock has 365hp and 510tq with 10.25 compression. Instead of going with the performer i want to use the airgap intake instead, the only problem with this is i have to get a cowl hood also for the car. I picked the car up in Kentucky in December, the under carriage is really clean with no rust. I am going to keep the stock color and have the half top done in the same color to match also. If i would have realize how much this is going to cost i would have looked for a 403 instead. The only problem with this motor in a G body is the headers. I did pick up a A body crossmember that will have to be shortened and redrilled for $20. Once it starts to warm up a little i'm going to start pulling the 260 in the olds.

 

[lesbaldridge]

thats not a bad deal at all. sounds like you got the makings of a sweet *ss ride going. is the car in your profile pic yours to ? i noticed your cutty looks like it sets up a little high, did someone have big *ss rims on it before? i cant stand seeing all these sweet older cuttys down here in south florida being ruined with hydraulics and huge rims. some of them are used for jumpers and after that theyre hacked for good. twisted frames, etc.. what kind of build are you planning on the motor ? i imagine that 400-450 hp isnt to hard at all with that motor.

 

[finman04]

They guy i bought the car from was going to put 20's on it then decided to sell it at the last moment. When i looked at the car the front springs look like bent banna's. I'm going to put it back to stock, make it look the way its suppose to be.

 

[lesbaldridge]

nice...thank god you were there to rescue it . i think im going to send mine to the machine shop this week

 

[finman04]

thats not a bad deal at all. sounds like you got the makings of a sweet *ss ride going. is the car in your profile pic yours to ? i noticed your cutty looks like it sets up a little high, did someone have big *ss rims on it before? i cant stand seeing all these sweet older cuttys down here in south florida being ruined with hydraulics and huge rims. some of them are used for jumpers and after that theyre hacked for good. twisted frames, etc.. what kind of build are you planning on the motor ? i imagine that 400-450 hp isnt to hard at all with that motor.

I really luv how the cutty's look with a set of rallys or aftermarket wheels, not these 20's. I'm looking for a complete re-build on the motor and trans. I want to run pump gas but with the cost going up more been thinking of changing it up a little and go to a E85 build. Cheaper fuel and can run a higher compression. What do ya think?

nice...thank god you were there to rescue it . i think im going to send mine to the machine shop this week

So have you sent the block out. Keep me posted.

 

[lesbaldridge]

i kinda got stalled on the cutty for a minute. i had to go out of town a couple times, and some unexpected financial obligations popped up. i am back on it now though. i have been looking for an 8.5 rear end without much luck. last week i spent $40 in gas to go look at a rear that was advertised on craigs list as an 87 grand national rear end for $300. i talked to the guy several times before making the trip and he seemed pretty sure of what he had. when i got there he changed his story and tried to tell me it was a 71 grand national rear end. i told him there was no such thing. then he said he pulled it out of a 71 cutlass. since im no rear end guru i didnt want to gamble $300 on it so i passed. i dont have a truck right now so everytime i go look at something i have to con one of my friends into taking me and work around there schedule. i have also been struggling with wehter i want to stick with the small block for now or just start off with a big block olds motor. i pulled the car around to the car port where i can work on it a little easier a few days ago and i think im going to start with lifting the body off the frame so i can sand blast and paint it. i want to replace & upgrade some of the suspension pieces and order new body mounts which ill probably do this week. im gonna make a decision on the motor for sure by the first of april. thats the time limit i gave myself..lol. im also trying to figure out what size tires & wheels i want to go with. i have pretty much settled on using summits fast five rims. 15x10 on the rear, just got to figure out what backspace to go with.