A few years ago I picked up an '83 Cutlass Cruiser. I had wanted a G body wagon since I was a kid in the '80's, an Olds specifically. My main interest is VW's and I had found a property out of town that had a few hundred vehicles on it, most in poor condition. I had made a deal to purchase all the VW's when I was wandering down a row of cars and I found a Cutlass Cruiser. Many of the cars had been vandalized by kids over the years but this Cruiser was untouched. Both cars on either side were damaged but this one was left alone. It was complete with some body damage (rear gate and RR door) and a bad windshield. I made a deal to trailer it away for $150. I put in a new ignition switch so I could have keys for it. It sat for a winter before I could get to it but I did make sure that it started and ran. Even on 10 year old gas, it did. The car had been traded to the property owner for another car. I cleaned the car up, put new tires, an exhaust system and front calipers on the car and it became my DD winter driver for a couple of years before it developed an engine tick. I thought it was a sticky lifter so added SeaFoam to clean out the engine. The ticking got worse and the car started to backfire. Yup, bad camshaft. I parked the car and started looking for an engine or worse, to part the car out. For months I looked for engines and finally found one but it was surrounded by another '83 Cutlass Cruiser Brougham. That is rare for where I live, I never see G-body wagons anymore. The car didn't run but it was a minor issue so I purchased the car for $350 and after a summer of the cars sitting, I finally found a few days to blend them together. The *new* Cruiser needed a muffler and as it also turned out, a new master cylinder, front pads, rear shoes, drums and cylinders. We swapped off all the good parts from the dead Cruiser, blower motor, front clip and bumper, transmission cooler and other parts and finally, I have a functioning Cutlass Cruiser again!
Once I can post pictures (photobucket is being a PITA right now) I will.
Once I can post pictures (photobucket is being a PITA right now) I will.