1987 Olds Pro-touring project build - Now with paint

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FE3X CLONE

Comic Book Super Hero
Dec 2, 2009
2,714
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48
Ohio
1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme - FE3X Pro-touring project

Figured I'd post a build thread that I can update a little more easily than my first "welcome the newbie" post. LOL

Started off as just a repaint and fix a few rust issues. But, as we moved along the rust was a little more extensive and then we got into the "might-as-wells". Notched and boxed the frame to start, new body mounts, then I bought a rotisserie and worked on the bottom of the car.
Seven years later and it's really close. Still need a drive shaft, paint, finish interior along with tuning on the EFI more. Hoping to have it back on the road next year sometime *fingers crossed*

Engine:

Block - 1976 455 bored .060" over (468 cid)
2-bolt billet steel main caps, line bored
ARP main studs
Head bolt holed drilled and tapped for 1/2" head studs

Crank - Forged 425 steel crank, offset ground to 4.25" stroke and BBC rod journal

Rods - Manley aluminum 6.990" with ARP bolts

Pistons - Arias forged aluminum flat tops. 11.3:1 compression

Heads - Edelbrock Performer RPM with upgraded 2.120" int/1.710" exh. valves (under cut and swirl polished), Isky double valve springs, Harland Sharp aluminum roller rockers, Jomar stud girdles. Combustion chambers fully polished along with exhaust bowls and runners.

Camshaft - Crane Cams Hydraulic roller. 242/254 duration @ .050, .595"/.595" lift, 114LS. Comp Cams roller lifters, Manley 3/8" hardened pushrods.

Intake - Offenhauser Super-sonic (4500 Dominator flange) Modified for port EFI.

Throttle Body - Edelbrock 1600cfm Dominator flange

Fuel Injectors - Bosch 42lb/hr

ECM - Megasquirt v2.2 with fuel and ignition control

Ignition - Stock 307 electronic

Headers - Kook's 2" primary/3.5" collector, Jet-HOT coated. 3" dual exhaust with X- pipe and Spintech Pro-street mufflers

Oil System - Canton Racing Products road race oil pan, Melling blueprinted HV oil pump and pickup, diesel oil filter adapter, remote oil filter and Setrab oil cooler with -10AN braided lines.

Driveline

Transmission - T-56 6 speed out of '96 Camaro SS w/ Mcleod modular bellhousing

Clutch- Centerforce DFX

Rearend- Quick Performance Ford 9", Moser 31 spline axles, Detroit True- trac limited slip, 4.30 gear

Front Suspension

Wheels - 17x9.5" TTII Classics
Tires- Sumitomo HTR Z 245/45ZR17
SC&C Stage II kit - SPC lightweight adjustable upper control arms w/ racing bushings, HOWE racing ball joints, QA1 single adjustable coil over conversion shock with 550lb/in springs.
Stock lower control arms with Del-a-lum bushings.
36mm F-body front sway bar.
Grand Prix front frame brace
F-41 steering box
Brakes - Hydratech Braking hydroboost unit
C5 Corvette calipers with 12" LS1 F-body rotors

Rear Suspension

Wheels - 17x11" TTII Classics
Tires- Sumitomo HTR Z 315/35ZR17
Shocks - QA1 Single adjustable shocks
Springs- Moog F-body cargo coils
UCA's- Edelbrock double adjustable with spherical bearings
LCA's- Currie-trac control arms with spherical bearings and poly bushings
Sway bar- Spohn Pro-touring adjustable sway bar
Misc.- Fays2 Watts link

Brakes- LS1 calipers and 12" rotors


That's most of the important stuff. Everything else is cosmetic. FE3X front and rear fascia's along with fender flares. Monte SS rear spoiler, etc. etc.

Below are a few pictures of the build progress:

This essentially was where the car was two years ago:

Hood-06.jpg


IMG_0377.jpg


I thought I was close to having a driveable car until I tried to install the fuel and brake lines that we hadn't done before dropping the body back on the frame. DOH!

So off came the body again:

IMG_0932.jpg


I also couldn't leave well enough alone and found a good deal on a body rotisserie so:

IMG_1066.jpg


Which turned out to be a life saver for fixing the body mounts:

IMG_1068.jpg


IMG_1261-s.jpg


IMG_1262-s.jpg


Entire underside:

IMG_1276.jpg


Picture of the frame after painting and suspension reinstalled:

IMG_1170-s.jpg


Body back on the frame:

IMG_1292.jpg


Engine installed:

IMG_1317.jpg


IMG_1338.jpg


IMG_1339.jpg


Test fit the trunk lid with a Monte SS spoiler:

IMG_1672.jpg


IMG_1670.jpg


And as of today, I finished painting my core support and powder coated my AC bracket:

IMG_1725.jpg


IMG_1739.jpg


Couple of interior shots:

IMG_1367.jpg


IMG_1376.jpg


Picture of my Hot Rod Air aftermarket evaporator and my "custom" defrost vents:

IMG_1352.jpg


What did was cut apart my original HVAC ductwork and then adapted the vents to work with the aftermarket hoses. This way everything should still work and look stock from the inside.
Here you can see the metal pieces I bent and attached to the backside of the dash so I could attach the hoses coming from the evaporator:

IMG_1362.jpg


IMG_1364.jpg


And lastly a picture of my door speaker pods. The system actually sounds pretty good. I wired everything up temporarily to test it out. Each door has a 6.5" woofer, 5.25" coaxial, 4" mid-bass and 1" tweeter. In the trunk I have a single 12" Kenwood sub, a JBL 600W mono amp powering the sub and two JBL 2 channel amps powering the interior speakers.
I modified my stock cassette deck so that I can connect an mp3 player to it and the sound quality is absolutely fantastic!

Well, thats it for now. Sorry for such a long post. I've covered most of this on other sites over the years and tried to condense it as much as possible. But now I have something I can add to as things come up.

Oh, forgot, here's a short video of me firing the engine up after getting the EFI running somewhat:



That's through the Spintech Prostreet mufflers but no X-pipe.

Here it is on the test stand with a carb and no mufflers:





It sounds better in person considering the camcorders microphone was a little overwhelmed. lol
 

Blake442

Geezer
Apr 24, 2007
6,864
1,996
113
Minneapolis
Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Lookin' sweet! What color is it gonna be?

I wish I had done this good at taking pictures of my 442 in the works... Instead I only have a few. :x
I'm doing much better about documenting everything for my Olds wagon to make up for it...

Keep up the good work!
 

FE3X CLONE

Comic Book Super Hero
Dec 2, 2009
2,714
47
48
Ohio
Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Thanks.

I'm thinking about painting it Indigo Ink Pearl. Its a Toyota/Lexus/Scion color.

I've always been going to paint it a really dark blue and my friend actually mixed up some he came up with using a Chyrsler blue and some black paint but I found this other color that would be a little easier to duplicate in case I needed to do any touchup work.

This is the color on a few different cars:

IMG_0845.jpg


lexus_is_01_8P4_01.jpg


Still up in the air on if I'll have a pin stripe or not on the car. If I do it will probably be silver.
 

Oregon350Cutlass

Apprentice
Jan 4, 2008
69
0
6
Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Amazing job,You built exactly what I want to do to mine! Even down to the color scheme! Keep up the good work!
 

88olds421

Apprentice
Oct 20, 2009
76
1
6
Raleigh, NC
Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

It is looking sweet man. Can't wait to see the finished product. I love the hood, wheel and tire combo, the engine combo is just as sweet, and love the interior as well. excellent work.
 

FE3X CLONE

Comic Book Super Hero
Dec 2, 2009
2,714
47
48
Ohio
Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Thanks guys.

Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to use that W-30 hood. My intake/throttle body ended up being too tall so I'm planning on using the original FE3X style cowl hood instead.

I could have modified the W-30 hood to fit but just didn't want to cut it up. I bought it off Angelo Valenti years back which is the hood that used to be on his FE3X car. It's pretty much a one of one built for him back in '85 by Cars and Concepts I believe.
So I'm just going to hang onto it and may end up putting it on my brother's '81.
 

khan0165

Royal Smart Person
Jul 14, 2008
1,617
15
38
Ontario, Canada
Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

hey FE3X CLONE,

WOW... all I can say is WOW.

It seems to me that you take your time and do things right, properly, and thuroughly... just the way I like it!

Awesome car! That's gonna be a mean machine when it hits the road! Keep up the great work!
 

3XBrownCutty

Royal Smart Person
Mar 20, 2008
1,820
9
38
NW PA
Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Very nice, as usual :lol: I wanted to get the "cowl" fe3x scoop, but it was out of the price range at the time i got mine painted. Awesome color choice, 85cutlass brougham has a similar blue color, and I think it fits the car very well.

One question on a minor detail, what clips/mounting did you use to run the plug wires? I love how they don't stick out at all 8)

Oh, and another question. I was wondering the what length of the square tube rear frame rail brace is. I'm gonna make one this spring, just wanted a roundabout length.

Can't wait to see it all together with the fiberglass skirts and all 8)
 

foxtrot

Royal Smart Person
Dec 19, 2008
1,489
590
113
USA
Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

Dude thats AWESOME! I so impressed with your work that it can't be described in words! I know that it a labor of love but how may hours do you have into it?
 

85GPLef41

Royal Smart Person
Nov 14, 2008
2,210
159
63
Colorado
Re: 1987 Olds Pro-touring project build *LONG*

I am IMPRESSED :lol: Thats pretty good work you doin there. Makes me want to completely tear my car apart and do the same...... But if i do that it probably never get put back together :rofl:
 
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