'88 cutlass project

[LS1GN]

I'm surprised you're going with the Olds motor - but if that is what the car originally had then I guess it is "correct" are you going to do a complete overhaul on the engine, or just see if you can get it to run?

How do the floors look? Trunk floor?

Mine has been a "Florida car" its entire life and the floor of the trunk is rusty

 

[brettlaage03]

This is the BOP th400 I traded a chevy th350 for. I don't know if it works. I don't care right now I'm happy to have the cores I want for engine and trans. If I come across a 2004r I might put that in instead. I just need better heads or I may send the #8 heads to Rocket Racing. Right now I am trying to get it running with the chevy 350/th350. The Olds engine is gonna take some time. I need to save up money to do everything right. After cleaning up a Carter Quadrajet I tried to replace a rubber fuel pump to carb line w an all steel one from my old chevy 350 I sol a month ago and it leaks at the pump. I have tried switching back to the other line and it still leaks and tried brass fittings with rubber hose and that leaked worse and leaked at the carb. Now I bought steel brake line and I'm gonna try to bend that up and hopefully that fixes it. After I get tax return money back, I'm gonna get another frame or most likely get the frame rails from Conrad to weld in.

 

[brettlaage03]

Here's a better pic of how bad the frame rail is

 

[brettlaage03]

I taliked to a guy that has some '69 cutlass 350 heads. He said he would sell for $25 per head. He doesn't know if he has a pair tho. I will find out on tuesday. This way I can ditch the #8s!

 

[littlerascle59]

Nice build man! I bought my T-top 86 Salon a few years ago and I still haven't started on mine yet. 🙁
I have collected a massive amount of NOS and min parts for it tho. I know the feeling having to deal with rust, my l-plates are rusty and I've only been able to ge tone NOS for a super sweet deal but I'll get there someday. Anyways lookin good, keep up the great work.

 

[Kwik_Cutty88]

Very cool you found an 88 Cutlass with T-tops, looks really nice.
I've been looking for one with a sunroof (if they even exist), t-tops are very rare on these cars as well... around 27,678 were made in '88 with roughly 11% getting t-tops. On a side note approximately only 9% remain of all the 1,913,963 2 and 4 door 81-88 Cutlasses ever made. Most of the 442's and Hurst's still remain, probably 60-70%, probably more Hursts since they're collectors, 442's tend to get parted more for their rears...

Yep they sure do exist! Mine is a 1988 Supreme Brougham with a sunroof, its really cool reverse tinted an the motor still works great. The only trouble I've been having its finding the seal for it because mine is shot.

 

[brettlaage03]

I haven't made a lot of progress but I have been buildin up parts and doin some little things. I bought a line bender from summit so I could bend up a new fuel line. I had a major gas leak and almost burned down my shop. I put the new line in and it fired right up and had a lot better fuel pressure. Then went to move it later and have been having starter issues. It looks like I'm gonna have to drill and tap one of the starter holes. one bolt wont go up far enough and the tap won't either. I think maybe someone already broke off a bolt in there and didn't drill it all the way through. It's always something. I picked up gold engine paint, a full gasket set, new water pump, olds gbody mounts, brass freeze plugs, and I had the broken off exhaust manifold bolts removed from one head. I still have to get the other one done. I will probably do a hone/rering and new bearings. The motor was a good running one I was told but I just wanna freshen it up a little. I put in the correct fresh air controls under the steering column, and primed one side of the olds block.

 

[86-blk442]

Nice project, Keep it up! Its cool to see you're putting an Olds into it.

 

[brettlaage03]

I got the new starter put in and new cables. I put on an exhaust manifold and short section of pipe til I get money for a whole system. It started right up! I bought a timing tab and air filter for it today. Hopefully a 3" filter will fit under the hood without a drop base. Next is exhaust, carb rebuild, and edelbrock intake!

 

[olds307 and 403]

You get the early heads for it?