1980 Cutlass Supreme

[Hotboyrn84]

So I’m back to trying to get my Cutlass finished... I stopped because I got really stuck in a couple different areas and need help... It’s a 1980 Cutlass that originally had the 260. I have a 350 out of a 70 delta 88 in it now with a 700r4 behind that. At the end of April I’ll be buying a ford 9’ rear end off eBay from speedway motors to go with that and hopefully the following month disk rear breaks. I desperately need help though...

1. So I found that a fuseable link from the interior power that ties back to the engine wiring was burned out.

Question: the wiring either seems too thick a gauge to solder or, more probably, I just suck at soldering... I’ll look in the morning and add pictures if need be but is wiring in the engine compartment normally crimped together or would you guys solder it and I just need to get a stronger gun?

2. I’m adding power windows and doors...

Question: what year G bodies door panels would fit because I’ve seen some on a 85 Cutlass that have the switch’s already so I don’t have to cut mine or get aftermarket that probably still won’t fit?

3. So I also bought a rallye gauge since I’ve added the bigger motor and wanted to upgrade the dummy lights...

Question: is there anywhere aftermarket to buy just the wiring for the oil pressure sensor and water temp sensor for the gauge system as well as the tach harness, does standard motor pigtail replacement assembly sound right for the oil and temp(summit racing or #smp-S2292)? This is a two part because the actual sensors do not show as available for the gauge system when I just enter the year and make of the motor donor car. The dummy light gauges are shown... anyone have part numbers on the correct sensors... again the motor is a 350 rocket out of a delta 88.

Any and all help or suggestions are welcome because I would like to finally get this car back on the road.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Yeah, get a high watt solder gun. Can you use the sensors off the 260? They will work, you may need a NPT adapter for the coolant sensor. Personally I like full gauges, I actually have both on my 70 Cutlass and had both on my 88 Cutlass. The Olds 350 is a great motor but the cam is very mild, good time to upgrade. You need to pull the timing cover, to change the timing chain and gears. The nylon coated cam gear cracks and falls off into the oil pan then gets sucked into the oil pump pickup.

 

[lilbowtie]

Unless your pulling some big power out of the 350 the 7.5 rear will handle it.

 

[Hotboyrn84]

Yeah, get a high watt solder gun. Can you use the sensors off the 260? They will work, you may need a NPT adapter for the coolant sensor. Personally I like full gauges, I actually have both on my 70 Cutlass and had both on my 88 Cutlass. The Olds 350 is a great motor but the cam is very mild, good time to upgrade. You need to pull the timing cover, to change the timing chain and gears. The nylon coated cam gear cracks and falls off into the oil pan then gets sucked into the oil pump pickup.

Thanks and I’ll be looking into a better solder gun then... in relation to the sensors no... the original car and motor had the sensor for the dummy lights and to compound even if it hadn’t I sold the motor as soon as I pulled it to someone with a 80 that had blown the original since it ran well still and they didn’t have money to buy and rebuild a motor. I broke my finger pulling the motor and was at a pick n pull and a guy was speaking about trying to replace his so I was mad at the motor lol and thought I was helping someone too. Not that it hurt me to help because it would be still sitting taking up space if not. Only charged him 100 and at the time it ran and sounded clean.

 

[Hotboyrn84]

Unless your pulling some big power out of the 350 the 7.5 rear will handle it.

U think? It seems like it’ll only burn the tires on one side when I step on it and I thought having the posi would be an added bonus?

 

[olds307 and 403]

Does your 80 have full gauges? If so you need senders for a 1980 Cutlass. The senders should be the same thread. If not adapters can be used.

 

[olds307 and 403]

U think? It seems like it’ll only burn the tires on one side when I step on it and I thought having the posi would be an added bonus?

The orginal spider gears will not, add torque and boom.

 

[lilbowtie]

You can add posi to a 7.5 rear

 

[Hotboyrn84]

Does your 80 have full gauges? If so you need senders for a 1980 Cutlass. The senders should be the same thread. If not adapters can be used.

My car originally came with the base gauge cluster so dummy lights... I’ve started the process of swapping that for a rallye gauge out of another 80. The actual motor is a 70 olds 350 out of a delta 88... are u saying the sensors have to match the gauge cluster and not the actual motor?

 

[DRIVEN]

Sending units don't care what engine they're screwed into. They need to match the gauges.