Making a life long dream come true

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JustBoostin

Not-quite-so-new-guy
May 27, 2017
47
66
18
42
Duluth, Minnesota
So a little back story on my build, I bought my first car when I was 13. A 1986 Cutlass, and I remember it clearly to this day. We were heading to my parents cabin and there on the side of the road was this dark grey two door car. My dad said "there's a car for you". I think I rode my bike to it about 3 times that weekend just to stare at it. Wasn't in bad shape other than someone had folded the door back by backing up into something while it was open.

A week went by, my parents talked and decided they would pay half and I had to pay half. So for $500 total, It was mine! I remember half way home my dad pulled over and let me drive the rest of the way. How cool was this?! At 13, I had a car!

Here is a pic of a pic that I found the other day, when we were replacing the door.
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A couple years went by, I'd wash/wax it almost every day. Living in the country we had two driveways so I would beat loops up one, do a burn out on the road, and then back down the other drive. Those were the days.

Unfortunately before I turned 16, I sold the car. I wanted something that looked more muscle so on my 16th birthday, I bought a 79 firebird. I still have the firebird but I always missed my Cutlass in the worst way. Something about the lines of the car, I just had to have one again. Knowing what I know now, I knew exactly how I would build it.


Fast forward to last summer, I had been watching for another Cutlass for some time. I didn't want to pay the price of a running and driving car, I just wanted a shell I could put an LS into. Running/driving g-bodies around here go for an arm, leg and maybe an organ or two.

Another 86 Cutlass popped up on Craigslist with a 350 olds in it. The transmission was blown and the guy wanted too much. I waited a few months and decided to shoot him a low ball offer. He countered and I decided to go look at the car. So with my trailer behind my truck I drove three hours to go see it. I ended up buying the car, he did come down some, and I came up some, but I was excited.

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Problem was, I kinda jumped the gun on this car. I knew it had rust, I just didn't know how much. I think the fact that it looked so much like the one I had, blindsided me a bit. I knew it needed doors, rockers and quarters, but it turned out it needed much more.

Once it was home and on stands, I found holes in the floor, it needed a trunk, both fenders and I'm sure more yet. I started pricing parts and looking for rust free replacements. (Not easy in Minnesota).

I figured just replacement parts would cost me over $1500.

It was at this time car #2, the car I should have waited for, popped up on Craigslist.

A 1983 t-top Cutlass, I always wanted a t-top. Looking at the pics and talking to the seller, this appeared to be a really clean car. The 307 in it was blown but the car was complete and totally stock. Just over the phone I got him down to less than what I paid for the grey one and way less than what it would cost me in parts to repair the grey one.

So once again, I grabbed my trailer and drove three hours to the Minneapolis area to see this car. What I found when I got there, was amazing. Totally unmolested, extremely clean car.

I made one more offer, and this one was mine!

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It was at this time, I had to start weighing my options. I really, really wanted to get this one on the road, sooner than later.

Initially I thought I would take the 200c trans from the t-top, and install it in the grey car and sell the grey one as a runner. That would practically pay for what I had into both cars.

I also started researching what it would take to put an LS into the t-top. Well, none of this was going to happen soon. Again, I really wanted to be able to drive this car and soon.

I also knew that some day I would take the vinyl top off of the 83. I really like the roof lines that are hidden under the vinyl. This lead to research on what may be involved and I realized that I would need the quarter glass and window trim from the 86.

I can't stand the red interior of the t-top car, just not my cup of tea. I do however like the grey interior of the 86. So it was at this time, I decided, "hey, if I part out the 86, I can put the 350 in the 83. I can also use the interior, quarter glass and window trim (and more, I'm sure) from it!"

So out came the 350 rocket
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I love these types of stories, plus it has pictures.

i was thinking this too. i get so involved in the developments and nastalgia in them lol.

i really like that maroon one. minnesota is a really cool state minus your rust problems perfect for gbody cruising.
 
The plan was, pull the motor, tear it down for all new gaskets and inspection, then install it in the 83. But the tear down was,... disappointing.

I don't know where this motor came from, but the install was about has hacked as hacked can be. Inside, I found sludge, lots of sludge which meant it hadn't seen regular oil changes in a long time. First the cam bearings confirmed this, then the rod bearings. When I found broken rings, I had to call it. This motor was shot.

It was at this time, I had some options to weigh. An ls would require purchasing and engine and trans, going through both of the to some degree. Oil pan, trans mount, drive shaft, wiring, fuel tank, fuel pump and on and on. It just wasn't going to happen any time soon.

This 350 on the other hand, would bolt right in. All accessories would fit it and as it turns out, this used to be a peppy little motor. 340 hp stock with a 4 barrel carb

After allot of thought and research, I sent the block, crank and rods to the machine shop.

Which brings us to today, as it turns out I have a non-windowed block which is great as the windowed blocks don't handle allot of hp or rpm. Not that this is going to be a screamer but it's nice to know that the block is one that's worth putting money into.

While the block was at the machine shop I started some buffing on the car to see if I could get enough shine out of the paint for cruising. There isn't much paint left but most of the car cleaned up well. I also swapped the wheels/tires off of the 86.
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Looks like something from a shamwow commercial

I picked everything up from the machine shop on Friday. +.030 over flat top forged pistons, all new bearings, seals/gaskets, oil pump, etc. I need to order some ARP hardware so I can start measuring and assembling. Also working with a local guy who has a flow bench and head machining capabilities. Not sure yet if I'll run the #8 heads that were on the block or he has some 7a's. Depending on how the cam effects the dynamic compression will help determine that (along with the flat tops)
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More to come

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i was thinking this too. i get so involved in the developments and nastalgia in them lol.

i really like that maroon one. minnesota is a really cool state minus your rust problems perfect for gbody cruising.


I do love it here, except the whole winter part. It puts too much of a damper on the things that I enjoy.
 
Keep up the posts. Not everyone does a full restoration, and your thread has all the right ingredients: past history, decision to revisit the past, persistence, taking advantage of good fortune and generally making the best of what you can find without breaking the bank. I love this story so far.

And I had a holy sweatshirt like yours too before it hooked on something and literally fell off of me.
 
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