78 cutlass W-31 build

[olds307 and 403]

Cliff Ruggles and Quadrajet Parts are both good sources for Qjet parts. The body looks good but I would paint the under hood cross braces and rad top plate. Is there hidden rust? I see it under the hood and in the gauge cluster. I got my 88 CSC running, washed and the paint touched up. You know what I missed? I forgot to plug in the pick up connector in the cap, instant fire. I actually spun the tires on damp pavement. For a 260 it goes really well and sounds awesome. The 3.42 gears with the tall 215/75R14's keep it in the high 2K rpm at 60, so a 3.23 would be passable with the right tires. Get it done, you are so close.

 

[malibujustin]

Thanks I was just thinking it's becoming a chore with the car so far away

Just found and ordered the carb kit on eBay you know the one the auto parts store said wasn't available asshats

Your so close to getting her home...hang in there. Asshats...lol

 

[Clutch]

for the right carb hopefully. I go through quadrajetparts.com for all my qjet stuff.

I hope so my carb # was in the listings

 

[MrSony]

I hope so my carb # was in the listings

There are very few differences between the types of gaskets the "modified" quadrajets use, most of those ebay kits i've seen has at least 2 styles of airhorn gaskets. Hopefully, they have the correct for yours. Just match em up, and you're good to go. Did you get well plugs and throttle bushings as well? Might as well if you're tearing into it. fyi the bit for reaming the throttle bushings is about 35 bucks, but it's so worth it. 3/8 piloted reaming bit. shaft is 5/16 so if you chuck it in a drill (cutting flutes in the drill) and run it in reverse using some pressure, it'll zip right through that aluminum base plate like butter. lube up a 5" long 5/16 bolt, and hammer in the bushings. Piece of cake. I rebuild qjets on the side, and after just 1 carb it's already paying for itself.

 

[MrSony]

Should've been a bit more clear. It's a long shank bit with the cutting flutes (SIX FLUTES so it can be chucked in a normal 3/8 drill, or drill press if you have one and a vise big enough to hold the baseplate securely) at one end. Put the flutes IN the drill, and run the drill in reverse. The smooth shaft (giggity) will self align with the holes making the cuts dead center every time. Use a lubed 5/16 bolt as I said with a metal hammer to pound in the bushings.

 

[Clutch]

There are very few differences between the types of gaskets the "modified" quadrajets use, most of those ebay kits i've seen has at least 2 styles of airhorn gaskets. Hopefully, they have the correct for yours. Just match em up, and you're good to go. Did you get well plugs and throttle bushings as well? Might as well if you're tearing into it. fyi the bit for reaming the throttle bushings is about 35 bucks, but it's so worth it. 3/8 piloted reaming bit. shaft is 5/16 so if you chuck it in a drill (cutting flutes in the drill) and run it in reverse using some pressure, it'll zip right through that aluminum base plate like butter. lube up a 5" long 5/16 bolt, and hammer in the bushings. Piece of cake. I rebuild qjets on the side, and after just 1 carb it's already paying for itself.

I figured I'd check the play before I go to crazy with it my parts car only has 60 on the clock so it's probably not worn out just very dirty and crusty I'll throw a kit at it and if it doesn't cure it's allments I'll mail it to someone who knows what there doing lol I think I'll be ok tho years ago I did about 2 a week let's see what I forgot in 25 years

 

[MrSony]

https://www.fastenal.com/products/details/360112-131588
This is the bit I believe. Cheaper online... I was impatient and ordered it through the fastenal warehouse so it cost me more.

 

[MrSony]

I figured I'd check the play before I go to crazy with it my parts car only has 60 on the clock so it's probably not worn out just very dirty and crusty I'll throw a kit at it and if it doesn't cure it's allments I'll mail it to someone who knows what there doing lol I think I'll be ok tho years ago I did about 2 a week let's see what I forgot in 25 years

Yours might be in decent shape then, just needs a freshen up. 25 years? Damn that's 6 longer than I've been breathing oxygen and unburned hydrocarbons.

 

[MrSony]

You can't really notice the difference in play unless you have a newly bushed one right next to it. I didn't believe it would make much of a difference at first, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised. Worse case, you car will idle high and you'll never tune it out of it. Don't worry about sending it off if it needs it. Shoot, I used washers and drywall screws and screwed the base down to my work bench. Didn't have a vise deep enough to hold the base without wobbling.

 

[Clutch]

There are very few differences between the types of gaskets the "modified" quadrajets use, most of those ebay kits i've seen has at least 2 styles of airhorn gaskets. Hopefully, they have the correct for yours. Just match em up, and you're good to go. Did you get well plugs and throttle bushings as well? Might as well if you're tearing into it. fyi the bit for reaming the throttle bushings is about 35 bucks, but it's so worth it. 3/8 piloted reaming bit. shaft is 5/16 so if you chuck it in a drill (cutting flutes in the drill) and run it in reverse using some pressure, it'll zip right through that aluminum base plate like butter. lube up a 5" long 5/16 bolt, and hammer in the bushings. Piece of cake. I rebuild qjets on the side, and after just 1 carb it's already paying for itself.

I figured I'd check the play before I go to crazy with it my parts car only has 60 on the clock so it's probably not worn out just very dirty and crusty I'll throw a kit at it and if it doesn't cure it's allments I'll mail it to someone who knows what there doing lol I think I'll be ok tho years ago I did about 2 a week let's see what I forgot in 25 years

Cliff Ruggles and Quadrajet Parts are both good sources for Qjet parts. The body looks good but I would paint the under hood cross braces and rad top plate. Is there hidden rust? I see it under the hood and in the gauge cluster. I got my 88 CSC running, washed and the paint touched up. You know what I missed? I forgot to plug in the pick up connector in the cap, instant fire. I actually spun the tires on damp pavement. For a 260 it goes really well and sounds awesome. The 3.42 gears with the tall 215/75R14's keep it in the high 2K rpm at 60, so a 3.23 would be passable with the right tires. Get it done, you are so close.

Thanks and yea I'm so close to driving it I can taste it
As far as rust the car was in a dirt floor barn from 1986 when it got wrecked and taken off the road it was given to a scrap man that smashed the column and trunk lock and filler around the plate. My frnd Jose saved it from him to use as a parts car but it was way to nice for that so I made a deal with him and saved the car for my mother. At some point when it was in my yard last winter someone smashed the passenger side window and the town was up my but about the car so I made a huge mistake and covered it with a harbor freight tarp. Bad call on my part the tarp lit it sweat it dose have a rust spot on the drivers floor were the E-brake rubbed it and a hole in the quarter bottom were it was butchered together but none of the rust you mentioned was there before the tarp went on it! Most of it wipes off it's like sweat stains I figured once it's running and driving I'll start at one end and work to the other cleaning treating and painting I don't even know what that quarter looks like under that gray primer I may just cut it off and replace it I'm just not there yet