'83 Cutlass Cruiser Build Thread

[Longroof79]

Blake,
Meeting up in Carlisle next year might be a good plan. I hope to have a working a/c system, Blazer brakes up front....and hopefully, an overdrive trans. A Power Tour would be great
I agree that the wagon is a good road trip vehicle. You can haul so much more crap in them.

 

[liquidh8]

I like that idea, as well as the get-together they've got planned at Carlisle in a couple weeks.
I've also wanted to do at least part of Power Tour for a while... we'll see where next years route ends up.
The 442 would be a fun to take, but for any extended distance it's pretty hard to beat the wagon...

Next summer I'll be able to get some miles underneath the wagon for sure.
Once it's painted, the interior will go back together pretty fast.
This winter I'll tackle the front suspension and the rest of the engine compartment.

I have been wanting to do power tour, It never comes to the east coast, so I have to make a trip for the trip, but I plan on trying to make it next year. Carlisle is easy for me also.

 

[Longroof79]

Jim,
We'll have to see what next year brings. I'll bet you're still a good distance from Carlisle...but not as far as we are.

 

[liquidh8]

Jim,
We'll have to see what next year brings. I'll bet you're still a good distance from Carlisle...but not as far as we are.

That is true. I am about two hours away. I would love to road trip and a get together. Next year may be the year. I know I won't be done with paint and mechanical till the end of the summer/fall.

 

[Blake442]

Started putting the front doors on today when i remembered that I hadn't torqued down my body mount bolts yet.
So I did that and two of them stripped out! 😡 So much for my smooth sailing!
#2 on the drivers side and #6 on the passenger side wiped the threads out on the inserts.
#2 should be easy to take care of with a longer bolt and a nut. I'll have to drill an access hole for #6...
Needless to say I was not a happy camper.

But I did get the front doors back on the car...
They still need some adjusting to get them where I want them, but they're on the car... I forgot how bad the gaps were!
I sure am glad I'm not going for show-quality with this thing, I'd have so much more work to get everything right...
I'll finalize my adjustments next time I'm out there and then I'll get started on stripping and filling the fenders.

 

[Blake442]

Needed a little retail therapy to pick me back up! lol
Found these bad boys on Craigslist...



I can't wait to melt them with my tailpipes! lol

 

[Longroof79]

It's looking good, Blake... too bad about the stripped threads. Sometimes when you least expect it, some thing kicks you in the *ss. Just a minor setback, but still frustrating.

Where are the mudflaps going to go? I mean, I know where, but which car are they going on?

 

[Blake442]

Thanks Jack!
The bolts were a bummer, but considering how relatively easy I've had it with this car so far it's not a huge deal.

The mud flaps are going on the wagon...
With the wide tires I run, it always had sh*t thrown down the sides of it from the road.
I plan on ditching the 235's up front and going back to 215's, but I'm keeping the 255's on the back.
These should help a lot with the mess, plus I think they'll look good on there. Until they melt.


Didn't get anything done on the wagon this weekend.
My buddy in the army was home for the weekend, plus 'Back to the '50s' was going on.
I'll head out tomorrow and see what I can get accomplished...

 

[Longroof79]

Blake,
The mud flaps will be a cool addition on the wagon. and as you said, they do serve a purpose running wider meats out back.
I went with 235/60's all the way around, but the 215's might've been a better choice if I lower it 2". I think the 235's could possibly rub on the inner fender/ wheel house. ...or I can just leave it alone and screw lowering it.

Were you able to do anything with the bolts yet?

How was the Back to the '50's event this past weekend?

 

[Blake442]

My tire sizes aren't that unreasonable, but my aluminum slots don't have an ideal backspacing... only 3-1/4"
The 235/60s rubbed up front a little in a few spots, but those tires are junk now.
Over the winter when I do the front end I'll get a pair of 215/65s, plus I'll be changing my springs again...

No, nothing with the bolts yet. I'll come up with a plan tomorrow.

Btt50s was fun. It gets bigger every year...
I think the count last year was well over 12,000 cars
Weather was pretty good except for saturday morning.
I usually go all weekend, but this year I only went saturday.
Went to the show in the afternoon after the rain cleared out, then hung out on Snelling and watched the cars cruise by for a while.

I still haven't had the 442 out of the garage yet this year, though I did finally get all the stuff off of it and take the cover off. lol
Was trying to decide if I want to fix a few things right away or just run it for a bit first. I'll change the oil and get it out this weekend.
I also have some work to do on the impulse buy Regal sedan before I can drive it... Luckily the truck is still hanging in there!