Hello all. I recently pulled the trigger on a wagon purchase. I found a 1981 Olds Cutlass Cruiser wagon for sale locally. Its a fairly plane jane car, with the LG4 305 4 barrel engine, column shift auto, power steering & brakes, and not much else. It was a 2 owner car, with only 76,000kms (approximately 47,000 miles) on it. The seller had only driven the car about 1,700kms (just over 1,000 miles) since January of 2006. Mechanically, the car isn't too bad, but it has a number of cosmetic issues, and I've found a couple of holes in the floor, just under the outer edges of the backseat, which will need to be fixed up. I'm hoping to be able to drive the car, and fix it up as I go. The dash has a couple of cracks in it, and I'd like to put some nicer looking wheels & tires on it, and I've found a set of 15" by 7" Olds rallys, and a decent dash for sale locally, which I'm going to pick up for the car. I'll need to track down some decent interior trim pieces for the car. I have a bunch of extra Monte SS suspension parts for the car, and I'm hoping to improve the ride and handling as well.
New acquisition
- Thread starter clean8485
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Looks pretty nice Jeff! Good find. Let me know if you have trouble finding parts, I'd be happy to help you out. I've got a decent set of A pillars that look like they might be the right color.
Going out to light a campfire pretty quick and thought I'd check the site before doing so.....glad I did. Have fun with it!
Going out to light a campfire pretty quick and thought I'd check the site before doing so.....glad I did. Have fun with it!
Thanks very much Kevin. The front trim isn't as bad as the rear trim. I'd like to find the D pillar trim, the plastic piece that goes on the inside of the tailgate, and the exterior trim that goes around the rear quarter glass.
LOL I thought your were cleaning out stuff ......
Congrats on the wagon Jeff. Pretty basic by the looks of it. No AC, wind your own windows and lock your own locks. Just the V8 option box was ticked off. Body looks fantastic for a S,Ont car ! I think the wagon look is growing on me,,,,
Congrats on the wagon Jeff. Pretty basic by the looks of it. No AC, wind your own windows and lock your own locks. Just the V8 option box was ticked off. Body looks fantastic for a S,Ont car ! I think the wagon look is growing on me,,,,
Very cool!
The more Cutlass wagons, the better!
As for the trim around the 1/4 glass, you're options are limited...
'81-'83 used a shitty molded vinyl piece that is unavailable.
So you can either goober yours together to make it last, or you can do what I and a few others here have done and remove it to switch to the '78-'80 aluminum trim pieces.
If yours still looks half-decent I would just leave it alone...
The more Cutlass wagons, the better!
As for the trim around the 1/4 glass, you're options are limited...
'81-'83 used a shitty molded vinyl piece that is unavailable.
So you can either goober yours together to make it last, or you can do what I and a few others here have done and remove it to switch to the '78-'80 aluminum trim pieces.
If yours still looks half-decent I would just leave it alone...
Thanks to everyone for the positive comments. Blake, the trim around the rear quarter glass isn't very good. I peeled off the bottom piece from the right rear glass last night. It came off fairly easily. I understand what you're saying about the quality of these moldings. Guees the search is on now.
George, the car isn't bad, but I found another issue today-its going to need to have the front floor pans replaced. They're pretty much toast. I pulled the front seat and carpeting out of the car this morning. The underpad in the front was sopping wet, and the floors underneath are rotted out. I guess this falls under the heading "live and learn". It would have been nice to have found things rust-free, but I guess I just have to look at it as an opportunity. If I can get it fixed up properly, then its one less worry for the long term.
Thanks again to everyone for your help.
George, the car isn't bad, but I found another issue today-its going to need to have the front floor pans replaced. They're pretty much toast. I pulled the front seat and carpeting out of the car this morning. The underpad in the front was sopping wet, and the floors underneath are rotted out. I guess this falls under the heading "live and learn". It would have been nice to have found things rust-free, but I guess I just have to look at it as an opportunity. If I can get it fixed up properly, then its one less worry for the long term.
Thanks again to everyone for your help.
Jeff,
Welcome to the wagon brotherhood. I spent some time today researching the availability of the 1/4 window reveal mouldings. As Blake mentioned, they're NLA. I have the part #'s if you want to try other avenues...but it looks hopeless for the vinyl/ rubberized trim.
I think the better option would be to go with the aluminum trim...again as Blake suggested.
Perhaps Kevin can locate a set for you..😉 He's the man.
Well, good luck with your new acquisition. I'll be on the lookout for interior parts for you.
Talk to you later. 🙂
Welcome to the wagon brotherhood. I spent some time today researching the availability of the 1/4 window reveal mouldings. As Blake mentioned, they're NLA. I have the part #'s if you want to try other avenues...but it looks hopeless for the vinyl/ rubberized trim.
I think the better option would be to go with the aluminum trim...again as Blake suggested.
Perhaps Kevin can locate a set for you..😉 He's the man.
Well, good luck with your new acquisition. I'll be on the lookout for interior parts for you.
Talk to you later. 🙂
And so another piece of 80's tragedy is rescued to be reborn as a millennia hot rod. Looks like a pretty straight old car. Good for you! ...
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