'83 Cutlass Cruiser Build Thread

Been debating adding the vinyl woodgrain trim around the car once it's painted. Should I do it?

  • Yes, that wagon needs woodgrain

    Votes: 12 35.3%
  • No, leave that wagon smooth and simple.

    Votes: 22 64.7%

  • Total voters
    34
  • Poll closed .

Blake442

Geezer
Apr 24, 2007
6,864
1,996
113
Minneapolis
I did a great job coming up with excuses last weekend, so nothing got done lol
This weekend I changed my approach a little bit...
It was awfully nice out yesterday, so I replaced my missing shims, tightened down my upper control arms better and went for a 50 mile or so cruise.
After 2.5 years, the springs have finally settled and the car drives great.
So rather than jump into another unknown baseline, I'm going to trim these springs to the height I want rather than replacing them again.
The angle of the pic is shitty, but the top of the tire is 24.5" and the top of the fender is 28"...
I will cut 1" of height from the spring, which should drop the car 2", which will level out my lower control arms.
Sometimes dragging your feet a bit pays off...

62097882_379149799384026_8127923164672950272_n.jpg
 
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Longroof79

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
G-Body of the Month
Oct 14, 2008
12,156
9,762
113
Gainesville, Fl
Hey Blake,
Trimming your existing springs sounds like a good idea. You could end up buying new springs and have to trim them anyway. Glad you were able to take the car on a nice cruise.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 1 user

TURNA

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
Jul 24, 2009
10,941
19,990
113
Socialist NY
Hey Blake,
Trimming your existing springs sounds like a good idea. You could end up buying new springs and have to trim them anyway. Glad you were able to take the car on a nice cruise.


Only if they are UMI's :banana:





What does 1" drop translate to in terms of partions of the coil...1/4...1/2?


I know its a pain in the azz but start with a 1/4 coil
 
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Blake442

Geezer
Apr 24, 2007
6,864
1,996
113
Minneapolis
What does 1" drop translate to in terms of partions of the coil...1/4...1/2?

Sorry I missed this...
The proper way to trim your springs is to take 50% of the desired drop out of the springs overall height.
Since I need a 2" drop, I will remove 1" from the spring height.
As far as how that pertains to the sections of the coil viewed from above, it will vary from spring to spring, depending on the spacing of the coils.

I just hope knocking the inch off makes them even a tiny bit easier to install than they were the first time lol.
 
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Blake442

Geezer
Apr 24, 2007
6,864
1,996
113
Minneapolis
Finally popped the springs out this weekend...
Luckily I was able to do everything with the garage door down, so it was nice and cool and comfortable.
4-day weekend coming up so I'll get the springs trimmed and reassemble everything then.

65688433_10162156301790387_128206130995265536_n.jpg
66190752_10162156301930387_7757360730768146432_n.jpg
 
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Reactions: 7 users

1evilregal

Comic Book Super Hero
Apr 23, 2009
3,056
4,357
113
Greensboro, NC
still love that car.... wish the gypsy wagon was in a little better condition to justify the amount of work it'd take.....
 

Blake442

Geezer
Apr 24, 2007
6,864
1,996
113
Minneapolis
Had too much fun goofing around, so I didn't get anything done on the wagon this weekend...
Well, I trimmed 1 spring, and took this picture to illustrate how much needed to be cut to get my 1".
Shitty angle, but the original height is approx. 15.5" and the tape points to my cut mark at 14.5", over a full coil...

66222043_621007865046570_4859717557977874432_n.jpg
 
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Blake442

Geezer
Apr 24, 2007
6,864
1,996
113
Minneapolis
So a big part of why I didn't do much last week(end) is that on the evening of the 3rd (last Weds), my previously broken tooth broke even more...
While luckily I wasn't in any pain, it was super sharp and managed to drastically dampen my level of enjoyment/motivation...
It wasn't until Monday afternoon that I was able to get into the dentist, and from there they referred me to the oral surgeon.
Finally this morning was my appointment where they pulled my broken tooth, along with all 4 wisdom teeth (cavities)...
So I'm kinda out of commission for the next few days, so this coming week will be a scramble to put the car back together.
The show formerly known as Car Craft is next weekend, and of course for the first time ever, I pre-registered lol
Realistically, even if I'm out of it all week, it's only an afternoons worth of work to put it back together again...
Fun fun!
 

Texas82GP

Just-a-worm
Apr 3, 2015
7,981
18,676
113
Spring, Texas
Hope you feel better soon!
 
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Reactions: 1 user

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