Grandpa Car: 1979 Cutlass Thread

[DRIVEN]

Friday was Napa Drags 2015. The shop I work for is an AutoCare Center and once a year Napa rents Woodburn Dragstrip for a day and invites us to come play. The boss closes the shop. Last year I was out of town and the year before I ran my 510. This year I decided to find out exactly what a bone stock 305 will actually run. So here's my specific combination; 305 with all stock internals, fresh timing set, new tune-up parts, unaltered Quadrajet, aluminum L-82 intake (looks identical to the factory intake only lighter), stock exhaust manifolds, single exhaust including cat, stock 200-4R w/2200 converter, 3.42 gears with limited-slip, the obligatory BFG T/As.

Tech inspection line...

Our group: My Cutlass, a customer's SRT-8 Grand Cherokee, customer's Lexus IS-F, boss' Cobra, boss' son in his SRT-4 Neon.


I made 7 passes and tried several different techniques and ran the best shifting myself with cool, dry tires.

My best was...


On my last time trial pass, as I was driving around the water box, I could feel something chunky. There wasn't any audible noise but I could definitely feel something in the car. My first fear was that a planetary was coming apart. The decision was made to make one last run and decide whether to run the eliminations rounds or just sit it out. The car did fine but I wasn't feeling confident so it was my last and I became a spectator.
Car was fine all the way home and after thinking about it some more I've come to the conclusion that it was probably just clutch chatter in the limited slip as I made a sharp right then sharp left around the water box. I used the Valvoline oil that is supposed to have the friction modifier but maybe it needs more. I'll add some and see if the problem is solved.

 

[1970camaroRS]

Got the itch for my horsepower now?

 

[DRIVEN]

Seems to be contagious. I'll probably just try to refine what I've got until I come across an Olds to replace the 305.

 

[DRIVEN]

Napa Drags are next Friday. Can't decide whether to take this or something else. Haven't really changed the car at all to make it faster or more consistent. I did put dual exhaust on it, and it sounds way cooler, but I doubt it's any faster. Still have 4 days to decide. Rain in the forecast may decide for me.

 

[DRIVEN]

Well, here's what the dual exhaust is worth...

Might not be able to give all the credit to the exhaust. I was finally able to hammer it onto manual low for the launch. The problem I had last year was that I was only able to get it into 2nd for the launch which caused a really early 1-2 shift, then I could hold 2nd and manually shift into 3rd. Either way, just under a full second isn't a bad gain.

The next day my parents came down from Idaho to buy my mom a new Camry. First new car for her since before I was born. She's ridiculously excited. Anyway, she's going to the coast with friends for a couple days and they decided to pass the old Accord along to my brother. My dad had a CL rideshare back to Boise set up but the guy flaked out a few hours beforehand. I offered up the Cutlass if he wanted and he accepted. Now it gets a comfy spot next to my grandpa's other car ('68 El Camino) for the winter. Free storage for me and one less car to transport next June. Eight hour drive and he said it ran prefect.

 

[Marc Molella]

Driven, very nice setup, I have a few questions for you if you don;t mind? I have also purchased a similar grant steering wheel, and as much as I like to start searching google, I end up finding more things I don't need atm lol was just curious as to where you got eh Olds horn button?
Also when installing the 2004r, the aftermarket painless wiring harness for lockup is all thats needed? Besides crossmember? The cutty I just bought sits about the same as yours did, except my seats could use replacing. Other than that all stock 260 V8, th200, open 2.29 rear end. Just did the R134A conversion.

Really loved reading through your post, and love the car. I am sure your grandpa is smiling seeing it in good hands!

 

[DRIVEN]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the read. The horn button was an ebay find. I don't remember needing anything else for the 200-4R swap besides the crossmember and lockup kit. IIRC I swiped the TV cable bracket for the carb from the donor car but seem to recall the original TH200 bracket was similar. Might be remembering that wrong -- it's been a few years. The driveline was reusable as was the shifter linkage. One thing to note is that the 3spd column and the 4spd transmission aren't a perfect match. I basically have no manual 1st gear position and it won't hold 1st unless I really jam the shifter all the way down. I don't like doing that. Also, I wouldn't recommend an overdrive swap without deeper gears -- but I'm sure you already have that in the works.
All in all I'm pretty happy with the way the car is at this point. Of course, as with any old project car, there are a few things that I'd like to fine tune. It handles pretty well for what it is, isn't unbearable slow, gets reasonable fuel economy, and it's comfortable. I just really like driving it.

 

[DRIVEN]

Visited the Cutlass (and my parents) over the holidays.


Spent some time with my builder lining things up for construction of Compound 2.0 beginning in the spring. Once the new house is done I'll have to reassess how much is in the new shop budget. Until then the Cutlass has a warm dry spot in my dad's garage.

 

[DRIVEN]

Dammit! Can't get a 425 Olds off my my mind. Might fall prey to the CL monster.

 

[DRIVEN]

Proof of life post.

I really haven't done much with this car in the last year. It still living in my parents' garage but I've only driven it once since I moved over here. Washed it and did an oil change last week. Ordinarily this would be prime season to be enjoying it but with all of the smoke and dust from fire season I just haven't been too excited about it. Still have an eye out for a 425 to stick in the corner. Hopefully thatg can be one of my first projects when I finally get a shop built.