Build Thread-85 Cutlass Brougham-New Pics Added!

[dan2286]

I think I remember you sayin that you had a topic up about repairing the rust in the seams in the trunk. I tried lookin for that but, could not find it. Could you post a link. Ive noticed that just about every seam on my floor and trunk are gettin kinda rusty, and dont know how to get the rust out from in between the two pieces.

By the way, great work on the car so far.

 

[84SSccc]

Looks like you did a good job getting rid of the rust. Can't wait to see the car in paint.

 

[HFX]

How much weight have you lost off this car through the switch to aluminum?

I think it would be neat to get a G-Body down below 3000 lbs or so.

 

[78mali350]

finally the build thread that explains the mysterious car! just like someone else said your car has always stood out. probably because you have alot of knowledge with what you do. i can't wait to see this one progress into paint and further. is the motor and trans all working and stuff?

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Well, I think the switch to all of the factory aluminum parts would net maybe 50-80 lbs of weight loss. Aluminum heads would probably do another 50-80lbs. Anyhow, this is not going to be a gutted car when it is done. I have an almost showroom condition (except for a little fading on the tops of the door panel velour) Dark Blue Brougham interior that will be going in it when it is done, but the seats will likely be swapped to buckets from a BMW or Audi later on, when I do the 5 speed swap. I have added options to it that it did not come with, and tried to do so in a way indistinguishable from how GM would have done it, right down to the correct clips and minor brackets. These include: rally gauge cluster, power locks, cruise control, power trunk release, intermittent wipers, tilt column, and remote mirror. The car came with a power driver's seat, power windows, and A/C-all of which are retained. I also have 975 watts of amps, subs, CD player, etc. going into the car as well as 20% tint on the front windows and 5% on the back. Also, I am adding extra sound deadening before I install everything as I like a quiet, comfortable car that I can ride around in with icey cold air conditioned goodness!

Anyhow, here's today's progress shots. I primed the roof and the bondoed sections of the doors, right above the handles where the factory stamping makes it look a little flawed. Tomorrow, I hope to have enough time to prime the doors and quarters in their entirety. I like to put a little extra primer surfacer on worked areas to give a good block sanding base that I won't go through.

I'll also add that Florida's hot season has hit hard the last few days. It is about 92 degrees out with 90% humidity. It's stifling to work in, and I have been working on some of it between midnight and 4am when I can't sleep. I added a $6.50 work light to my gazebo to allow me to work 24 hours a day if need be. I have even seen the sunrise a few times because of my bad insomnia!

 

[78mali350]

progress very nice! 90% humidity not so nice. this car is going to be great when your done

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

finally the build thread that explains the mysterious car! just like someone else said your car has always stood out. probably because you have alot of knowledge with what you do. i can't wait to see this one progress into paint and further. is the motor and trans all working and stuff?

The engine and trans work fine, and the car is fully drivable if I put a seat and tail lights in it. I drove it sitting on the door sill 2 weeks ago to move it around the driveway. The one problem with the drivetrain is that the transmission makes a strange ticking noise, and has metal in the fluid. It still works ok, but the hand writing is on the wall. It will fail sooner or later. That is why I am amassing T-5's and assorted parts when I can get them donated. I currently have 3 transmissions for parts, a shifter, a V8 bell housing and assorted other pieces. I want the car to be painted and the interior assembled before I modify it any further. If you look at the pic of the garage, you will see my first car, a 1979 AMC Spirit, that I have owned since 1989, when I was 15. It was also a 6 cyl car that I swapped to an AMC 360/727 Torqueflite, using parts from a few are cars, including 2 Spirit AMX's, a V8 Pacer, and a Javelin AMX. Back then, AMC's were throw aways, and the U Pull It's were full of nice examples. I want to get rid of that car since I can't really afford two projects, and they are ruining my life and any semblance of order I would like to have. In the mean time, the Cutlass sits outside, and the unsealed nature of it means water was allowed to get in and rot it's previously nice floor. So, now I want to at least finish the paint and body, then seal any other minor leaks and install the new weatherstripping I have had sitting in the house for the last 4-5 years. I'll stop now, as there is too much to the story of the 2 cars, my house, and my truck for me to write down here. Besides, It'd get pretty boring.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Today's update: Primered the quarters, doors and new header panel which will now sit for a few days while I work on rolling the front fender lips, then stripping, filling, and primering them. I unbolted them at 3am, along with the old header panel, so that they would be easy to take off during the day time ( or at sunup if I still can't sleep!). This will let the primer have a few days to shrink back , and minimize the re-emergence of minor subsurface flaws in the finished paint. I will move the gazebo, or the car, so that the body gets full sun and the front end is shaded for me to work on. I have more pics, but left my camera cable at a friend's house last night when we were picking apart the documentary "Who Killed The Electric Car?" for factual inaccuracies--at 6am!!! I will post pics on how to roll the front fenders, and all of the attachment points of a Cutlass fender for anyone who wishes to know how to take one off when I can get my cable back.

I also need to prep the bumper covers, quarter panel extensions and mirrors. So, they will be prepped and primed too, thus giving maximum shrinkage time for the primer. I hope to keep the same rotation schedule for the different sections of the car to ensure maximum efficiency.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Here's the pics from Thursday's progress. As you can see, it's primed now, along with the new header panel. However, as I am not sitting still on it, It has changed since then and no longer has the masking on it. Plus, it is now guide coated with a 97 cent can of Wal Mart black spray paint. Also, the side windows that are on the car right now are junk, and that is why they are not masked. They have welding slag in them, and the plastic mounts are damaged. I have 3 sets of glass for the doors, so losing this one was no great loss.

Here's a close up of one of the wheels. Notice that it is not in the best of shape any more, and really needs to be refinished. 3 of them are bent, and need to be straightened, were I to keep them.

Here is the back side. Notice that it has welding the full diameter of the spider where it meets the rim. They are nicely made wheels, and even a bit on the light weight side too. I could not believe how light they were when I lifted one without a tire! Probably less than 20 lbs.

 

[Coveted]

nice progress :tup: nice to see the heat isnt distracting you, yesterday it was 90, I almost died.