1984 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham

[gdouaire]

Out with the 2.75"-bore Wildwood calipers; driver front is "semi-seized", front passenger, even closer to being 100% seized. Second time on my car these calipers show this type of failure. Furthermore, they were loose and were making thumping noise until I decided to shim the caliper bodies in their sadle...

Ordered a new pair of 2.75" Afco calipers, but they look backordered.

 

[gdouaire]

Before I could do any work on the front calipers, I sent the car for part 1/2 front end rebuild.

I got a kit of lower & upper A arms BMR Suspension AA030H, new sway bar link & bushing. Installed at a local shop (I have a coil spring phobia so not touching this king of job anymore), drove the car a bit, what a diiiffffeeerrrence.

Part 2/2 will be full steering linkage rebuild & new alignment: inner/outer tie rods, center link, idler arm, adjuster sleeves. All Moog, hopefully will get the parts SOON before winter storage comes along.

 

[gdouaire]

I finally received the last missing link for the front steering... all Moog...

Due for some alignment, very visible...!!

 

[gdouaire]

The alignment & steering link overhaul is coming up in a couple of weeks. Will be wonderfull to steer the car with 100% new joints and rubber parts!

In the meantime, I got the shift linkage accuracy much improved; I was still able to shift the new 200-4R transmission with the old 200C shift linkage, but it was pretty lame.

I got used to it over time, but when I sent the car to the garage for front suspension work, the guy said... "What the hell happened to your shifter..?"

so there. fixed : Thread 'shift linkage & transmission swap' https://gbodyforum.com/threads/shift-linkage-transmission-swap.85374/


So, A good reminder for me - having someone else drive your car once in a while makes you remember what needs to be tweaked 🙂

 

[gdouaire]

Added bonus: fixing the shift linkage fixed the backup lights... 😉

 

[gdouaire]

New links, bushings, ball joints - everything front suspension is new, except coil, shock and sway bar, which are still recent Buick GN specs.

So, in short, with the already updated quick ratio steering box & jeep steering shaft, the car drives like new.

 

[gdouaire]

This thing called "winter" comes with "winter storage"... so long, Cutlass! See you in 2023.

 

[gdouaire]

During winter, will work on a new engine.

I had started working on an oddfire V6 a few years ago, but I had to sell it when I moved from Montreal to Quebec City.

I found another engine, a 1979 Buick V6 turbo (with the carb drawthrough) that was disassembled in the early 1980s, and never ran after that. The engine was complete but in boxes, and it cost me 1000$, but definitely worth it. The guy kept all the parts for 40 years & still owns the Lesabre that originally had the engine. The carburator was stored all this time in his house.

So this is the project for this winter.

I found a neat shop around here, and the engine was bored 0.010" over (the block was a bit rusty), got new bearings all around and new pistons. Heads were cleaned, valves were OK, etc.

Next will be adding camshaft, lifters, etc.

 

[gdouaire]

The camshaft on the left is the one that came with the 1979 v6 engine; it is still like new, even has the factory paint markings. Will likely use the camshaft on the right, that is a OEM 1987 GN camshaft (gently used). Something like 10% more lift on the 1987 camshaft, not a lot, but hey.

Surprisingly, the GN camshaft has the correct groove on #1 journal for the older engine block oiling system.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Cool, a bit more get up and go with the improved handling. At least you will be able to keep up with modern traffic.