82 Old Nutless to not so Nutless

[Pedrolif]

I've seen a few pics floating around the internet of the swap done, but it's not easy and yeah, lines don't match. It's just a thought. A new nose from web sellers is $400+ so it's a long term possibility. Not something in the near future. Step one is to get it moving good. Step two is to get it looking good. Step three is any other mods/fabrication to take it from a "stock" Cutlass to something special.

 

[Pedrolif]

Pics!

Working on it. Had my coworker send me all the pics he's taken with his phone. Here's one I took of the car with my camera to hold you over for now.

 

[Garrett1982]

Working on it. Had my coworker send me all the pics he's taken with his phone. Here's one I took of the car with my camera to hold you over for now.View attachment 49288

Looks pretty good, and all your body panels match in color. If mine looked that good I probably wouldn't have touched the exterior.

 

[Pedrolif]

So over the past few weeks I've taken 350 block from greasy mess to painted black and almost ready to meet a transmission. Here's a before and after, with a few in between for you
.

 

[Pedrolif]

The body panels match, but some of it has been touch up paint, some is flaking and the more I look at it, the more things I see. Like it's got a crooked grin and the front left tire is closer to the front of the car then the front right tire is. That will need closer investigation when it gets warmer out.

 

[Garrett1982]

Well good luck with it. Hopefully all easy fixes.

 

[Pedrolif]

The Cutlass as it sits now, with 75k on the odometer and a sorry 305 in it.

As you can see, the roof needs a good sanding and possibly just flat out remove the top, which would be ok with me.
Could use a new rear bumper or a rechrome.

Um... at least its comfortable.

What charcoal canister? And who needs AC? Engine bay will be cleaned up with the motor swap. The black air cleaner and carb will be going onto the 350, the carb on it right now isn't mine and is only there so we can get it broken in. Sadly had to swap out the miss-match heads that were on the 350 for Vortec heads, which meant buying another intake. Luckily, the Vortec heads were free.

 

[Pedrolif]

Almost ready for the break in of the new cam. Picked up a new MSI Street Fire distributor, wires, bunch of other plumbing crap, oil pan gasket (seems the one I grabbed before was 85-current which was wrong) to the nice sum of $230+ with my discount. Damn credit card is getting a work out. Need to find my gauge cluster and cut the tach out of my Cutlass and do final assembly of a few things, double check everything is screwed in (block plugs and what not) and then... Cross my fingers and hope the HP lube does it's thing and doesn't wipe my new cam.

The one question I have and have not researched yet, is how to set up an engine for starting on a stand. Have a radiator set up to be clamped in front, can set a gas can down for fuel (five gallons might be enough) but the wiring? Need power to the starter to be able to be cut off after it starts, power to the HEI distributor and a ground of some sorts. But don't really want to ground it to the engine stand, though I suppose I could. And I feel like I'm missing something, but no idea what. I know some of you guys have done this before. What do I need to know before I set fire to the garage?

 

[SoFloG]

Battery with a positive lead to the ignition, another switched positive lead to starter trigger, another large gauge positive lead to starter. And a negative ground to the block.

 

[Pedrolif]

Finally got to go work on the motor a little more. Took the 3' threaded rod I picked up at work the other day and made "custom" studs for the valve covers. They came out alright considering they were cut with a cutting wheel and cleaned with a bench grinder. Not all the same height, but with the stainless acorn nuts, you'll never know.

Got the old pulley off the old water pump, went to install it on the new and... now I need some bolts for the pulley. Looks to be 5/16 fine thread. Still debating on electric fan or a flex fan, but to get it broken in, I need to get that pulley on. Can always blow air over the radiator with a box fan.

Got the oil pan on, new drain plug installed and ready for oil and break in additive. Reinstalled headers with 2 bolts each side (snug) so I could start running wires and cutting to length. Thermostat in, chrome (shudder) goose neck on (maybe scuff and paint it black?)

Second oil fill cap I bought didn't fit, so looks like I either need to find the Oil Filler tube that was on the valve cover or just get new covers sooner then I planned on.

Made my parts list for tomorrow nights session. Bolts for the water pump, header bolts that I thought I already bought, teflon tape to finally seat all my plugs and sensors, valve covers which will not be in stock so I'll just tape off the oil fill hole if we make it that far. Other things yet to do:
go over the t350 transmission and figure out fittings and lines (looks like it was a floor mount)
decide if I'm replacing the radiator and overflow tank
get new power steering lines for... um... hm...
bring the Cutlass to the place of install and pull the current 350/250c out and replace with more power
and then of course put all the other stuff on the block, alternator, PS pump, fan of some sort, the right carb and air cleaner

Once it's actually running good, then I can start to worry about the small things. The dash, the "blue" crushed velvet with black and red interior, interior lights and of course some body work.