A Fabricobbler's Guide to the Turbo Buick Galaxy- Cutlass Rehash

[81cutlass]

Have you calibrated the speedometer, or have a clue about how fast it’s going?

Curious about rpm at highway speeds? I’m hoping it’s too high so you have more than one reason to put some meats on the back.

I did the math for the speedometer gear and it should be set up for a 26.5" tire with the 3.73 gears

It's 2200rpm roughly at 60mph

I am planning on getting some MT 255/60/15 SS DR's for the old American Racing 8.5" vectors I have. I had 275/50's on those wheels before but the backspace is a bit small on them and they stuck out a bit more than I'd like. I think a 255 should be more than enough for what I need anyways-

 

[64nailhead]

I did the math for the speedometer gear and it should be set up for a 26.5" tire with the 3.73 gears

It's 2200rpm roughly at 60mph

I am planning on getting some MT 255/60/15 SS DR's for the old American Racing 8.5" vectors I have. I had 275/50's on those wheels before but the backspace is a bit small on them and they stuck out a bit more than I'd like. I think a 255 should be more than enough for what I need anyways-

I’ve got a brand new set of those with stickers still on them - waiting to decide where to put them. If you weren’t in MN, I’d sell them cheap lol.

 

[81cutlass]

I’ve got a brand new set of those with stickers still on them - waiting to decide where to put them. If you weren’t in MN, I’d sell them cheap lol.

I'll be in Vermont in July, think I could pack them as checked luggage on the way home? Haha


In other news I finally swapped my high beam bulbs out last night. I had Holley Retrobrites that I bought on clearance for the low beams but they didn't have the high beams available. I thought I'd get the high beams at a later date, I went to order them and the price had over doubled. Normal price for the Holley retro bulbs was like $100 each, steep but manageable. I bought mine on sale/closeout due to them being an old style for like $50 each. They are now almost $200 a bulb. I was unwilling to pay that.

Hella has a glass lens conversion with an H style insertable bulb. I picked those up for like $48/bulb. They aren't the super out of place looking chyna plastic LED version. They look like stock and have a glass lens body so much more robust to fading.

The retrobrites are brighter than the Hellas, but at the current $150 savings each, if I had a car that had bad lights I would spend the $200 on the Hellas and save the $600 that you'd spend more for the holleys.


Took the car for a more extended drive and the manners of the trans are still good and cruises great. Spools fast, shifts clean and firm. Had probably $3400 in the trans rebuild which was over 2-3x what I planned but it is what I wanted.

My 'I did it wrong' brake system also works great, stock 81 cast iron master, stock front calipers, stock disk/drum prop valve, LT1 rear disks. I have a set of LS1 front calipers I plan to install that I pulled off the Fbird when it got parted out, I can deal with that this summer and will probably need a bigger master. I think master displacement is very tied to the front brakes. TBD if I put the Riviera Disk/disk big bore cast master on or if I get a wagon B body master and swap the booster to a 83+ style like I have on my 2+2.

 

[pagrunt]

In other news I finally swapped my high beam bulbs out last night. I had Holley Retrobrites that I bought on clearance for the low beams but they didn't have the high beams available. I thought I'd get the high beams at a later date, I went to order them and the price had over doubled. Normal price for the Holley retro bulbs was like $100 each, steep but manageable. I bought mine on sale/closeout due to them being an old style for like $50 each. They are now almost $200 a bulb. I was unwilling to pay that.

Hella has a glass lens conversion with an H style insertable bulb. I picked those up for like $48/bulb. They aren't the super out of place looking chyna plastic LED version. They look like stock and have a glass lens body so much more robust to fading.

The retrobrites are brighter than the Hellas, but at the current $150 savings each, if I had a car that had bad lights I would spend the $200 on the Hellas and save the $600 that you'd spend more for the holleys.

I got all Hella for both Montes. The only bad I see with the lights for my '81 is there are no nipples for the aimers but the set for Jr.'s '79 has them. Part of the reason was ease of getting replacement bulbs as not everyone carries sealed beam bulbs & H4's are everywhere. Even the H1 high beam bulb is easier to find. Then there is the lighting options are which better with the Hella's & simular lights.