Build Thread-85 Cutlass Brougham-New Pics Added!

[Coveted]

you are 100% right about how the car goes together differently as you get older.

When I was 17, I was like screw it tear it all out, who needs a radio.

OMGHAX roadtrips in silence drive me crazy now.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Hell, I hate being without A/C and cruise control on a road trip now! I didn't think I needed cruise until I had a shitty little beater Sentra with all the options. Of course being Japanese, they all still worked. I used to have a half hour commute one way, and every night, that cruise went on, A/C blasting and the stereo playing. I even drove it on a 400 mile road trip and AVERAGED 55mpg with the cruise on 80mph! (I miss that little car...🙁)Now, My Cutlass will have Cruise, A/C, stereo, power everything, etc. Yeah, I could save a few pounds, but honestly I would rather be 0.10-0.20 slower in the quarter if it means the car is nice to drive in every situation instead of just one. After all, unlike the movies, we don't live life a quarter mile at a time. Besides, I have found other ways to save weight without compromising the livability of the car. I plan to use it on a road trip to visit friends in New York next year, so it has to be a nice place to be for all that driving.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Today's update: I finished securing the big power wire for my amps where it goes under the carpet. I used Adel clamps to hold it in place, and added some black plastic conduit over the cable where it passed the seat brackets and floor seams in the back. I did this because of the possibility of chafing the cable as the car is driven and vibrations move it around a bit. Cutting through the insulation with a grounded piece of the chassis under the carpet could result in a massive fire, which I am keen to avoid! I also wrapped the cable in this stuff in the engine bay as well to make it blend in with the other wiring. I also made all of the sound deadening for the parts of the car rear of the doors and need to get some glue before I can finally finish it. Tomorrow I need to pull the trunk torsion bars so that I can install some left over 5x7 speakers in the deck with self tapping sheet metal screws. They fit, barely. Once that is done it will be time to mock up the speaker box and amps. I need to see where the wires will run so that I can use more Adel clamps to hold the various wires near the top of the trunk and keep the clutter to a minimum. After all this is done and the door speakers are bolted in, it will finally be time to install the interior-if I can find a headliner. The only debate I am having is whether or not I should drill the hole for the cruise control grommet now and run the wiring. I am missing the bracket for the diaphragm that holds it to the block, so the wires would just be dangling until I can find one. It's the last option other than A/C and the compass mirror that I have left to install.

 

[Minion1186]

I love this car!Those wire rims look like the cutlass salon rims,which were ONLY offered on salons of 85 and 86 i believe,it was a rare option too.I really like the color,it looks tremendiously like a salon!Great work on restoring your cutlass btw.

 

[Minion1186]

The same happened to me yesterday.I was at a private junkyard,FULL OF G BODIES!!! :shock: (grand Prixes,regals,cutlasses,wagons,caminos,everything;even...A 1986 MONTE CARLO with a full rear!)well anyway,a found a perfect front header panel on an 82 two tone cutlass,one bad smashed grille and one bad bezel,but as i was unbolting the front header panel,i loosened it and i heard a crack,i looked down and saw this huge crack on the post.I abandoned that header panel for fear of breaking it even more.Even so I had 10 more tries at a header panel at this yard.

Well, I broke the header panel tonight! I was bolting it in through the fender when the mounting lug sheared off. It did not damage the paint, but as several of the other holes will not hold a bolt, I will have to take it apart and attempt to repair the broken fiberglass. I don't want to have to source another one as it will be expensive by the time I paint it. Grrr.... why does this crap always have to happen? The car was going together quite well. Anyone have any ideas on how to fix it? I think I'll post a thread about this issue.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

The biggest difference is that the Cutlass wheels you refer to were only available in 14x6, while mine are 16x8. Mine are closer to the Trans Am GTA and Regal GNX wheels than anything. I actually want a set of GTA wheels instead, so that I can keep with my "best of 80's GM stock" theme. (I'd also like a set of 3rd gen F body Recaro seats reupholstered in Olds fabric and a Olds sport wheel too). If I got a set, I would paint them gold again, but replace the center cap emblem with an Olds one. The ones I have are actually Enkei 92's, but 3 of them are bent and one has a leaky bead due to corrosion.

I'll also add that my theme was chosen because it was cheap to do and looked right, but lacks a few more key elements to complete it. Those would include: the 1LE Camaro brake package, Bump steer correction (using my theory involving S-10 parts), the 9C1 Caprice oil cooler kit (I have to finish it), Aluminum front bumper, aluminum core support, aluminum/plastic radiator, World Class T-5 5 speed manual trans, console with the shifter plate modified to accept a Camaro shift boot, and theoretically L98 Corvette aluminum heads (but in reality I would use modern aftermarket heads instead). Some of the stuff I already have, but some is yet to be acquired. I also have a cool rear view mirror set to go in soon which has a compass, auto dims, has map lights, and a thermometer built in. I pulled that from an Olds Intrigue.

Today's progress: Finished wiring and installing the amps and back speakers. I still need to make the ground connection for the amps and bolt down the speaker box to finish the back (and cut the self tapping screw heads down for the back 5x7 in speakers). The amp power cable needs to have it's fuse box installed under the hood, and the door speakers still need to be bolted in, but that should finish the stereo. All the wiring is run for the deck, but the deck has yet to be installed. Oh, and I need to either find a set of Y connectors for the RCA's, or buy some so that I can split the 4 coming out of the deck into the 6 the car is wired with. The deck I have now will later be replaced with one having a subwoofer gain control built in as well as an iPod dock. It's from 1999, but was only used for a year, so it's in perfect condition otherwise.

 

[Minion1186]

those camaro brakes for the front would be 12 inch rotors?I know somethin like that fits g bodies with a little finese.I'm planning (If i ever upgrade the brakes) on just getting carbon metallic brake pads.I dont plan on changing the spindles or sway bar for discs.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Only the rotors will be Camaro pieces with the spindles and calipers being for a Caprice. The rotors are the same as a Caprice rotor except for the bolt pattern. I also have a set of Global West upper control arms with offset cross shafts, but when used with the necessary Caprice spindles, they increase bump steer. That means I need to find a solution to that as well. I am basically trying to figure out how to re-engineer what GM messed up in the 1970's. After all, the front end does exactly the OPPOSITE of what you want in every possible way, so the geometry needs to be completely reconfigured. I would also add an IRS to my wish list, but it is likely beyond my budget. Besides, if I went with an IRS, I would just do a rear transaxle instead to help even out the weight distribution.


For now though, the car will keep the Brougham interior and column shifted TH 200 4R automatic. I don't have the money or time to change everything right now. All I am trying to do is finish the interior and stereo before the start of school on the 24th of this month. That way at least, the car is complete and usable should the need arise. Plus, I can sell it in this configuration if need be. I will be moving forward in the next few months with my front suspension engineering quest, but mostly by acquiring parts and not by actually doing it just yet. Calc II and Chemestry are a difficult combination to take while working a full time job and maintaining a house, and that is what is facing me this semester.

 

[Minion1186]

It never too busy during school,i start the 31st 🙁 ,except I need a job this year.sh*t.

 

[86CutlassUCF]

life after school is great. you work and thats it! no more retail, no more working nights, no more food and bev jobs! its always good to work your way through school though. you appreciate everything much more