1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Brougham- my thread

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GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
Hey guys, this is my second thread, I am a newb to the forum. I am just buying a 1981 Olds Cutlass Brougham off a friend of mine, has a Chevy 350 in it with a mild cam, 3" dual exhaust, posi (no idea what ratio yet) - not extremely pretty, but it runs great. Needs valve stem seals, power steering pump, front bumper, header panel, hood, and the pass fender needs to be straightened. the PO hit a telephone pole right outside the pass side frame rail, luckily didn't damage the frame . It has a couple small holes in the floor, and some bubbly rust on the rockers.



It has Camaro wheels on it right now, I am thinking of going with Corvette 8" wide rallys with center caps no trim rings.

It also has a lot of the factory braces in it already- Has the fender to cor support short brackets, lower A-arm diagonal braces (not the front straight one but I can make one)- not sure if it has the "x" in front of the radiator or in the trunk... I should be picking it up this week.
 

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81cutlass

Comic Book Super Hero
Feb 16, 2009
4,639
13,542
113
Western MN
Sounds like an identical optioned car to what mine was when I got it. Bunch of braces from the factory, and that dark green. Buffing it out will make it look a LOT better. Its probably one of the best colors GM ever put on a G body.

Only difference is it doesn't have the stripe down the side. Does it have the 8 shades of green interior?
 

GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
Actually this isn't dark green- I thumbed through your thread, and I think it was the same color as yours originally though. I think it"s called jade mist green - my car was actually light blue originally and was repainted the jade mist. my interior was the medium green with the couch cushion seats. This was fully optioned- AC, PW, PL, PS, casette radio, everything- I am glad it didn't have a vinyl roof- i don't like it on the cutlasses.
 

Wild Card

Apprentice
Jan 5, 2013
61
0
0
my 83 2dr brougham had and thats the key word a half vinal top. i riped it off and scraped off all the foam and chizzled off the bondo under it to find a bunch of rust holes in the roof. small ones. nothing bad but some jackass did a crappy welding job then hid it under bondo and the top and i found it today. mine is on its way to becoming a bad *ss muscle car. dark blue with white racing stripes and black interrior. i also had the pilow top seats. thay are long gone. now it has 84 camaro RS bucket seats. still has power windows and power intena.im still running a olds 307 with a holley 350 2bbl carb and pull cabel choke.
 

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GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
Wild Card said:
my 83 2dr brougham had and thats the key word a half vinal top. i riped it off and scraped off all the foam and chizzled off the bondo under it to find a bunch of rust holes in the roof. small ones. nothing bad but some jackass did a crappy welding job then hid it under bondo and the top and i found it today. mine is on its way to becoming a bad *ss muscle car. dark blue with white racing stripes and black interrior. i also had the pilow top seats. thay are long gone. now it has 84 camaro RS bucket seats. still has power windows and power intena.im still running a olds 307 with a holley 350 2bbl carb and pull cabel choke.

I was reading your thread the other day. I Want to do a two ton paint job- Top of the car (roof, hood, trunk) a bright heavy metallic silver, and the sides of the car, front and rear bumpers jet black.

I currently have a 1980 C10 that I am selling (If anyone is interested, I am in Mass) that I did Hot rod style- semi gloss black, old school flames, big hood scoop.


I have had this truck for 9 years, bought it off the original owner- It had a .060 over 350 in it, ran 13.6 in the 1/4 mile on 26" tall slicks. I want a car now :)
 

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GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
Well, good news! I am taking my car home tomorrow night! I have some work to o before I can register it- Need some parts...
 

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Dburger

G-Body Guru
Jun 1, 2012
717
115
43
I think my 1981 Calais was this color originally. My interior looks just like yours except mine has the buckets and console.
 

GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
Here are a few more pictures- It has finally come out into the light after about 2 1/2 years! FYI the posi works Well :)
Definitely not a limited slip- Must have an eaton or something similar in it.




The damage is not as bad a s it looks. Basically, if you unbolt the bumper shocks, and the nosecone from the fenders, all the damaged stuff is gone. The pass fender is buckled because the mount tab got twisted (fixable) and I am putting a fiberglass cowl hood on it.

I sourced all the parts at a local junkyard, just waiting for the lady to call with a price. I would love to get the fender, bumper, filler, and header for about $150. The hood I know will cost more like $350 new for a glass one.

The more I look over this car, the more I love it! It was a premium model! The original build sheet is in the glovebox- It has the factory optioned front and rear sway bar kit with the sport suspension upgrade, AC, Computer controlled carbureted V-6, TH350, AM/FM/Cassette, wire spoke wheels, courtesy lights (That still work mind you!), and on and on. When the car does come home, I will scan the build sheet so you can all see it. The whole car was undercoated with something similar to Rusty Jones- It has near no rust- One 4" circle on the drivers side floor, and minor surface rust behind the pass side rear wheel, otherwise it's mint! I found out it has 2 1/2" header back exhaust with flowmaster 50 series mufflers, pipes exit under the rear bumper straight out the back but has truck exhaustmanifolds on it, so I will be getting headers soon- Probably Flowtech Afterburners if the budget allows... I know people that have stuck them in the G bodied SBC conversion cars with a lot of clearance. The heads need new valve stem seals or need to be rebuilt, it smokes enough to foul the plugs, and has a minor transmission cooler line leak, so that will need to be addressed. I may put an aftermarket big trans cooler in it.
 

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GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
got a long way to go, but I am starting...
Well the car finally made it home. It has no valve seals left, so it smokes horribly when you step on it hard, otherwise sounds nice, drives pretty good, needs all 4 shocks, needs a powersteering pump, i plan on changing or reupholstering the interior, have to replace (at least) the drivers side floor pan in the front, have some minor holes in the back seat where the seams are, the headliner was junk, so thats out, not sure what to do about a new headliner yet, all the power windows work, power locks work...

aye aye aye.. :) I am up for it :D
 

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GT_80

Greasemonkey
Apr 23, 2013
240
7
18
Massachusetts
I got some more work done on the car- I stopped at a local boneyard and got a header panel with wiring, lights, and bezels, bumper cover, chrome front bumper, and passenger fender with good plastic inner fender for $250- a little more than I wanted to spend, but it was an OK deal I think. I pulled the skin off the new fender, pulled my steel inner off, straightened it, welded some patches over the couple weak spots, bolted the plastic inner on it, bolted the skin on, and re-installed it on the car. While I was at it, I pulled the computer and all the computer wiring out of the car, pulled the cruise control wiring out, the broken electric antenna came out, and a few more loose wires from some old car alarm. I got the new bumper bolted on, and I am deciding if I should wait a couple weeks to put the new motor in before I put the nosecone back on.

I ordered $440 worth of parts from Summit and Jegs last night- basically all the stuff to rebuild a low mile sbc 350 I have, and a set of jegs shortie headers. I am still looking for a hood. I think I am going to go with a stock one for now. Just so the budget isn't all used up... then I am deciding if I want to put some money in wheels and tires right now or interior. My wife said she doesn't want to ride in the car till I get new seats LOL

So here are some more pictures...
 

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