HELP!
- Thread starter SupremeSpeed
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Thanks InjectedCutty for you advice. Do you have any recommendations of a quality company?
Honestly, I don't have any recent experience of lockup style converters since I ditched my 200 over 10 years ago (man how I regret that!!!). If it were me, I wouldn't be scared to get a Hughes, b&m, or a TCI brand....they are all respectable companies that stand behind their stuff. Lockups are a little pricier from what I recall, but you get what you pay for man. You shelled out some dough on the motor rebuild and will also on the trans upgrades, don't skimp on the converter since they all need to work together to yield good results.
Point well taken! I'm not going to go cheap now, can't stop, won't stop! I don't do anything half way, and thanks for the advice and the motivation!
I hear that man sounds good! When I began modifying my cutlass back in 2003ish I was keeping all my receipts since I was dumping cash into good parts. My buddy that was helping me with my engine swap would laugh at all the research I did and the high end parts I was getting....at the time he had a nasty 81 malibu that was quick, but built with random parts, a carb too big, etc. It was when I smoked his a$$ in the cutlass that he realized what all that time spent reading and learning got me!!! We still chuckle about it today.
Needless to say, just an fyi....if you worry about how much $$$$ you are spending, you might as well go home and cry in your pillow lol jk! When I started adding up stuff and got to around $14 or $15k I became nauseous....and that was a decade ago at least!!! Since then, I just see what I need, save the $$$, order the parts, and go to the next item I need. Had a customer ask not long ago what I thought I had invested so far....I just laughed and said "it doesn't matter really, probably north of $25k for sake of an idea" but my cutlass is unique to my style, vision, and will be a one of one when done!
Glad I could help you out, keep us all posted!
Wow! You hit the nail on the head for real.I've got about 12k thus far, and not even mid-way thru lol. I thought about crying about it a few times, but as you mentioned in the above statement, when I'm finished, my Cutlass will also be one of one! Thanks for the motivation. I get looked at crazy because all I do is work on my car. I've got buddy''s that wants me to get one of those new muscle cars. I like them but I want to be unique, and I love the older cars in general. The last Cutlass I had saved my wife''s life. Im from a small town and wherever am I go, all I see are ppl with the same cars. The look uniform like some prep school or something. When they see me, I get "Man I like your ride, it's sweet"! Most ppl never liked the concept of big wheels on a car, especially one that sits as high as some trucks lol. They to give me compliments. Some of those what some would call hillbillies love it. I get mad love from lots of ppl. I like big wheels on certain vehicles but I want my ride to look as though it belongs that way. I may be in a class of my own but, it's my moolah building it so, opinions don't matter. However, I do love all the attention, and positive feedback. Again, thanks for your advice, and for your passion of our livelihood!
Oh yeah and I keep all my receipts as well. My last Cutlass I had close to $20k in it, and when it was totaled, by an 18 wheeler hitting my wife, I got the majority of it back. I had it appraised at 4 didn't body, and paint shops, and car lots. Kept all my receipts, and it paid off.
Yeah....I hope not keeping receipts doesn't bite me in the *ss one day in the event of catastrophic damage to the cutlass. However, when complete (hopefully next year) I will have it appraised and insured accordingly.
You don't ealize how quick the money adds up until you start looking at it!!! I designed and built the twin cold air on my cutlass and just knew what I needed to make it work....almost $300 later it was done! Worth it? My wife would sh*t if she knew how much....but in my eyes hell yeah because it's what I visioned and it turned out awesome!
I'm not a huge fan of the big wheels because our cars ride like tanks with them. They look cool I just prefer more rubber, just my opinion obviously. However, I respect the fact that everybody has their own taste, and if it's your $$$$ it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks!!!! I've had people give me dirty looks in my cutlass but I don't give a darn because they aren't the ones building or driving it, it's my money and I will do what I want with my hotrod!!!!!
Sorry to be long winded man, as you said and I will concur, I'm truly passionate about this hobby, I enjoy looking at all different build styles and mold what I like into my own design....and luckily my two little girls and wife all love as well as most of my family which keeps a common bond. Literally, during big car shows we go as a family and just enjoy the sights, smells, etc.
Keep on hammerin, your cutlass will be done before you know it.....hoping to see mine in fresh new paint soon!
Honestly I like the lower look, and style of the gbodys. You are right they ride like a tank on 'em. Ppl have been impressed after riding in mine. That's one thing I'm changing and working on. My car rides really well at that height. As, far as on the highway. Now on turns and curves is another story. I'mean aiming to solve this problem. My initial goal was not to buy or put rims on a good body. I this car for a steal, and I jumped on it. The car had the rims on it, and it was horrible. The fenders cut ruts in the tires. I prayed all the way jome, while driving tha that thing. I saw an ad somewhere, a guy had custom Supreme wheels. That was my vision. As time moved on. Me working the bugs out of the 307, and flushing the transmission.I had to do something with those tires. I did like the rims to, they looked good on the car.So, lift pop in my mind, and that was it. Well I was still having issues with the tires cutting in the fender so, I also installed the control arms. I knew if I was going to keep the rims, that I had to make it right, and fun, and most if all safe to drive. There you have it. My story of a guy converting, G Body in to something different again. My goal is to have the car very dependable under normal driving conditions, with decent to great handling in performance driving also. I can't see having rims to look good for only one summer. So I've set on this mission to show myself, and other's that it can be done. I'm going with this type of induction.
Those wheels look sweet but I see how it would eat rubber being that low. I've got a new set of 17"s waiting for tires and it should sit nice without rubbing! However, I'm gonna have to lower my car even more. Mine currently has 1" Hotchkis drop springs but I put new urethane body mounts and it literally eliminated the drop which is how it sits in the pic below! I will check ride height when done and most likely will either be getting new springs or cutting mine.
That intake kit will help a ton. I had extra tubing left over from my kit so my brother n law got a carb hat and we fabbed up a kit for his 68 Camaro. Looks killer, the filters are hidden and it gets looks, but that Camaro has brought home some nice trophies before the intake upgrade.
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