CUTLASS Project Upggrayed - With two Gs for a double dose of G body pimpin'

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2drx4

Greasemonkey
May 28, 2022
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The middle of BC, Canada
I wasn't really planning to mess with this thing too much, but it seems inevitable. It's a 1988 Cutlass Supreme, and I bought it entirely because I had an '87 when I was in high school. Nostalgia, it makes you do stupid things.

It had sat for 10+ years, as it was a project that was started by a young man who still lived at home. He wound up moving out, going to school, getting a job, and just never came back for it. Eventually his father decided he was tired of it plugging his driveway up. He had regularly driven it around the block or at least started it, so it seemed promising to me that it would be mechanically okay to more or less immediately start driving, but I wasn't willing to drive it home in case it wasn't.

The first hurdle then was getting it on and off my trailer. I recently purchased this trailer as an upgrade (not with two Gs) over my last one, and it's a lot higher and has short equipment ramps. I planned to build new ramps for it, but that didn't happen... So there was some major sketch factor in getting it on and off the trailer.

20220523_181112.jpg

Unloaded from the trailer... It's not totally accurate of how sketchy it was, I had ratchet strapped the ramps so they wouldn't slide. Still, I don't recommend this. :rofl:


The car doesn't look too bad from far... But it's far from good. You can see the telltale signs of the door strikers and hinges being worn from here even.

20220523_200351.jpg


The worst thing body wise is this seam where the vinyl top delete was only half finished.
20220523_200417.jpg


However, the hood is rusted through at the front edge, I guess that's common, and the driver's door has a spot that's rusted through. Currently I don't know what I plan to do with the body/bodywork. I might clean up that failing seam and give the car a quick rattle can job since the paint has failed in so many areas. Or just rock it for now. Reasonably I should at least weld up the holes from the vinyl top first too, although maybe there's a filler available now that would be faster/easier? I do want to put the trim back on for the rear window, but there isn't any studs for the clips, and I don't know if I have all the pieces.
 
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2drx4

Greasemonkey
May 28, 2022
116
168
43
The middle of BC, Canada
The first thing that had to happen though was new tires. The ones on it had rotted pretty bad, I didn't check the date codes but 10+ years in the sun isn't ever good for tires.

Before:
20220603_172748.jpg


After:
20220603_180505.jpg


I'm honestly not sure I love what I did. :rofl: They're Ridler 695 17x8 wheels and cheap Ironman Imove Gen 2 tires in 245/45R17. Honestly it was a cheap wheel tire/package so if I hate it I can probably flog them later, but the 5x4.75 bolt pattern means there isn't much market for them.

Size comparison to the old tires:
20220603_182902.jpg



It definitely needs to be dropped a bit. I hope that will make it look more how I imagined it would. :popcorn: I've got some drop spindles and various springs on order. So we'll see what happens. It does not drive 60-70mph with minimal shaking, but I think there is some wear in the steering components and probably a bad ujoint in the driveshaft. I need to get it in my shop to do more significant work on it (hate getting rained on and swatting bugs) so that will be another week or two.
 
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565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
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2drx4

Greasemonkey
May 28, 2022
116
168
43
The middle of BC, Canada
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565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
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Michigan
Oh, I think there's a bag of those in with all the other stuff. But they're to hold the clips, which then hold the molding, right?
Yes, you install these and mount the clips to them.
 
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Tony1968

Royal Smart Person
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Jul 1, 2018
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Looks like a nice ride. I'm going to be installing those screws for rear window trim soon.... hopefully.. if I can find out a measurement for correct placement
 
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69hurstolds

Geezer
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Jan 2, 2006
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And you'll need 8 of these special little clips (discontinued from GM) to hold the rear bottom outer back window molding on for a Cutlass...I've got them $28 shipped to U.S. addy for 8 with a postal money order, or $48 shipped with paypal.

NOS GM Set of 8 Umbrella Clips 3066259.JPG
 
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69hurstolds

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Jan 2, 2006
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Looks like a nice ride. I'm going to be installing those screws for rear window trim soon.... hopefully.. if I can find out a measurement for correct placement
The depth of the stud would be my only question because I never measured. However, there's 8 clip studs on top, 3 clips on either side. I don't know exact measurements of where they're placed, but if you went from top corner down, there's nothing in the corners or at the bottom of the sides. The 3 on the sides are equi-distant as well as the 4 from top corner to centerline on each side.

Here's a crude doodle to give you an idea on where to place them once you measure the window opening. At least this is what I remember on a G47 Cutlass. YMMV. Measure the top and find the center line of the window opening. Then divide the centerline to the outside top corner measurement by 5, then place the 4 studs centered up in there. Same with the sides, only divide by 4. Again, I don't know the depth from the edge of the opening they should be, however.

G47 Olds Cutlass Rear Glass molding clip locations.jpg
 
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Tony1968

Royal Smart Person
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Jul 1, 2018
2,313
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The depth of the stud would be my only question because I never measured. However, there's 8 clip studs on top, 3 clips on either side. I don't know exact measurements of where they're placed, but if you went from top corner down, there's nothing in the corners or at the bottom of the sides. The 3 on the sides are equi-distant as well as the 4 from top corner to centerline on each side.

Here's a crude doodle to give you an idea on where to place them once you measure the window opening. At least this is what I remember on a G47 Cutlass. YMMV. Measure the top and find the center line of the window opening. Then divide the centerline to the outside top corner measurement by 5, then place the 4 studs centered up in there. Same with the sides, only divide by 4. Again, I don't know the depth from the edge of the opening they should be, however.

View attachment 199936
This helps a lot. I will try to figure depth for placement in channel by searching for pictures. Thanks!!!
 
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