81 Cutlass build thread

[81cutlass]

It makes sense to read all the threads before you post. I now know your taking the 442, haha.

Hopefully it will go good to sand. Its never looked terrible and I actually kinda liked it being a bit dull and orange peeled so it doesnt attract as much attention. Its time to now though now that ive got the experience buffing a few other cars.

Long story is Dad's been driving the cherokee for winter but its an 88 and some of the door seals and stuff are torn and its a bit drafty. Still in real nice shape as far as rust goes. Needs new battery cables and stuff since it turns over real slow in the winter sometimes it wont start unless its plugged in. Just near the tipping point of weather its worth fixing or not with the other 7 vehicles laying around. Ive had it up for sale for the last month and a half and nobody wants a mosly rust free XJ so if I dont get $1000 for it by August its getting stored at the farm until it sells or I get around to doing the turbo 3800 series 2 swap on it since the bellhousing is the same. 😀

So dads taking the durango for the winter and im winter bombing the buick to college for the next 2 years. Good thing is so far the rainier has cooperated. Needs new rear air bags and a grill and its done. Trans worries me a tad since it shifts goofy and smelt a bit when I changed the fluid but otherwise it went pretty good.

 

[81cutlass]

Nice and clean! Still has miles of orange peel on it but its a LOT better. Spent 6 hours on it and didnt have the time (or probably enough clear) to sand it entirely out.

But considering it was painted by a 17 year old in the garage with a $75 gun its good enough!

 

[ssn696]

I have three of those rims if you need a spare. I'm looking for a home for them other than the recycler.

 

[81cutlass]

So its worked so far.

Got 18.5 MPG driving to carcraft, the motel twice, and idling around trying to find a parking spot, with the AC on at 75 with about a 30mph headwind on the way down. Probably get 22-24 at 60 with the AC off. Got 20 MPG ONCE 2 years ago with the th350 2.41's and no AC at 60. It was usually 18 on backroads and less if I took the interstate, which I avoided if I could. Might need a bigger altenator or something since mine shuts off really quick and the blinkers barely work if I sit at a light with the AC on full, electric fan, idle at 850. Going 75 on crappy I94 with a nasty cross wind exposed a little loose steering so I need to get a U joint steering shaft in and adjust my windows (or get NOS GM window seals). Could waste time trying to get my drawthrough setup a bit faster but its a waste.

But the thing is where I wanted it 5 years ago when I bought it. Short of tearing it apart completely and throwing 20 grand into it with a good suspension, turbo 3800 or procharged SBO (diesel 350 block, 330 forged crank, alum heads, EFI), and pay somebody that has patience to do bodywork Im calling it pretty much done.

 

[Bigdaddy198]

I dont know for sure but my 455 now a 461" with a new block Eagle Crank &Rods forged pistons with 12.5/1 compression, Lunati Cam, Roller Rockers, fully poted Torker Intake and Race ported Heads, with a 1050 Dominator pushes mine thru the 1/4 at 10.60's no problems and its Thumpin too!!!

 

[gdouaire]

So its worked so far

Great job! 🙂

 

[81cutlass]

Got it unlocked from lack of updates so updates!

No updates! Haha! At least on this cutlass. I put it in storage a bit after October. Still in college (one more year, woop) and i hate for the car to sit in the parking lot at college since drunk freshman tend to screw with nice stuff. So its sat at home in the garage. Drove it like 3 miles over spring break but otherwise not much. Probably drive it for the week off between work this summer and going back to college. Then 9 months and full time job so hopefully it will come back to summer daily duty.

Did wash it off and parked it with my other junk though.


In other news, hauled around my cutlass I kinda got rid of this winter.



Built some windows, a dash, fuel system, driveshaft, fit some DR's, skinned the doors, random fab work here and there.



I almost bought a near mint minus the rear floor Astre and didnt.


Bought an iron headed 6.0 for i dont know what (ratty C4 vette probably) and traded some stuff for a core 5.3.


And bought a eaton m122 off a g500 to stick on said 6.0

 

[81cutlass]

CL ad came up for some random turbo regal parts. Needed 2 T type wheels to complete my set of 2 8.5" vectors. Ended up buying 4 T wheels minus a center cap


And the entire kit to swap my drawthough car to LC2.

 

[81cutlass]

Some updates,

Car is back to fill DD status. Couple things bugged me that I wanted to get solved.

Speedo hasnt worked since i put in the 3.42's with the th350 and now with the 2004r, like 35% fast. I got ambitious last week and pulled the speedo bullet out and accessed what gears I had. Turns out I had the only drive gear I couldn't get a useable ratio out of (13 tooth). Was hoping to just swap driven gears. As it turned out I had a 27 tooth driven and a 10 tooth gave me almost the perfect ratio with 3.42 and 26 inch tire.

Have I ever mentioned how much I hate working with trans fluid?


Since I had to pull the governor anyways I did the clone a BRF with a grinder mod. Pulled out the light spring from the heavy weight, cut some weight off and changed gears. Totally made me more happy with the trans. Always have been dissapointed with the 2004r that it shifted at like 5mph to 2nd and 14mph to third. Never could build any boost below 45 since it just never would rev above 2000rpm until 3rd or 4th. Also wouldnt downshift to 2nd if you stomped on it from like 55. Now it acutally builds boost in 1st. The 1-2 shift rpm is better, wish 2-3 was another 500rpm higher.


Ugh, more reasons I hate working on transmissions.


But the speedo actually works and shift points are actually useable now.

Now I just gotta get my TC LU fixed (and maybe an alignment) before I to the show formerly known as carcraft in MN next weekend.

 

[81cutlass]

I also bought a delay timer for the lockup TC. It delays engagement of the TC adjustably, in my case 8 seconds. That way you dont end up with on-off-on multiple time situation when it goes from 3rd to 4th. I had the TCI vac switch but with the turbo it would build boost it was just on the switch cutoff point. Works great now!

Got like 20 mpg driving to mpls for the car craftish show this weekend with the AC going 70-75 so Im good with that!

Day 1, turbo cutlass tries to clone GNX. Nobody was fooled. Hehe