BUILD THREAD Street/Strip Cutlass Build: Race it, break it, fix it, repeat.
- Thread starter Kwik_Cutty88
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Looks like I haven't updated this in a while. I've finally collected all the parts! Left headlight, Grille, Turn Signals, Bumper and hood. I have also been doing a little bit of refurbishment on my rallye cluster. Last time I was able to start the car none of the gauges worked, I narrowed it down to the typical broken printed circuit board. So I figured why I had it all apart why not spruce it up in there. I added a voltage meter, like my old cluster had. This time I got a little trick and put it where the idiot lights are.
I also have a 4" cowl hood on the way. This will pretty much be the only aesthetic change on the car.
I grabbed another fender and core support from a local junkyard car. I am planning on shaving the antenna hole. The core support I grabbed is straight, but needs some rust repair about the body mount hole. Nothing a quick patch panel won't fix. The header panel I have has a few cracks, I'm waiting to finish the fender so i can send the hood, header panel, bumper cover, and fender to the body shop at once. Other than lots of odds and ends, its getting close!
I also have a 4" cowl hood on the way. This will pretty much be the only aesthetic change on the car.
I grabbed another fender and core support from a local junkyard car. I am planning on shaving the antenna hole. The core support I grabbed is straight, but needs some rust repair about the body mount hole. Nothing a quick patch panel won't fix. The header panel I have has a few cracks, I'm waiting to finish the fender so i can send the hood, header panel, bumper cover, and fender to the body shop at once. Other than lots of odds and ends, its getting close!
Hi all,
It has been quite a while since I've provided an update, I have had a very busy last few months. Anyways, I'm currently typing this from my college dorm, and unfortunately i decided it would be best to leave the Cutlass at home. It is still registered and ready to go, and I've given strict instruction to my dad to drive the hell out of it while I'm away. 😉 I decided to leave the car at home because of fuel milage, also because of Charlotte, NC being a metropolitan area with a decent car theft rate, and also if it does break I'm not going to have to the tools to fix it. The cavalier just seemed to be a more economical option at this time. I'm sure my G-Body will make it up for a few street nights at Zmax dragway though. Since my last update I haven't done much. The hood is roughly fitted, and still needs a ton of finishing work. I just wanted to get the hood on the car and drive the hell out of it since I will spend so much time driving my "boring" car haha. I was able to snag a 3.73 non-posi rear out of a '88 Monte SS and wow what a difference. Going from a 2.56 to a 3.73 it drives like a different car, I'd love to get it back on the dyno and see what it really makes. Later on I may try an 8.8 swap or find a Powertraxx locker unit for this rear. Anyways, here are some photos for you all!
I'll also have some Go-Pro footage too, I'm just waiting for it to upload on my Photobucket.
It has been quite a while since I've provided an update, I have had a very busy last few months. Anyways, I'm currently typing this from my college dorm, and unfortunately i decided it would be best to leave the Cutlass at home. It is still registered and ready to go, and I've given strict instruction to my dad to drive the hell out of it while I'm away. 😉 I decided to leave the car at home because of fuel milage, also because of Charlotte, NC being a metropolitan area with a decent car theft rate, and also if it does break I'm not going to have to the tools to fix it. The cavalier just seemed to be a more economical option at this time. I'm sure my G-Body will make it up for a few street nights at Zmax dragway though. Since my last update I haven't done much. The hood is roughly fitted, and still needs a ton of finishing work. I just wanted to get the hood on the car and drive the hell out of it since I will spend so much time driving my "boring" car haha. I was able to snag a 3.73 non-posi rear out of a '88 Monte SS and wow what a difference. Going from a 2.56 to a 3.73 it drives like a different car, I'd love to get it back on the dyno and see what it really makes. Later on I may try an 8.8 swap or find a Powertraxx locker unit for this rear. Anyways, here are some photos for you all!
I'll also have some Go-Pro footage too, I'm just waiting for it to upload on my Photobucket.
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I thought I would throw in some photos of my car I took while I was home for christmas break. It really sucks to not be able to drive it for months at a time, but it really feels good to drive it when I am home.
In addition, and calling all North Carolina members, I will be at this event. I was going to post the link to the event from their website, but it looks like it is down at the moment. Seems like it will be a good time, although I will only be there for test and tune. I've been waiting to make more passes for 2 years now! If you can make it out I would definitely try, the Street Car Takeover events usually don't disappoint. This will also be the inaugural event at Zmax.
Hello all! I am home from college for the summer, and have been doing a lot to my Cutlass. I started by adding an electric vacuum pump, to supplement the engine's vacuum. It was originally a GM vacuum pump. I plumbed it into my vacuum can with a T to the engine. I also wired it to the brake switch, as the pump would constantly studder when it was wired to switched ignition. I don't think it produced quite enough vacuum to fill the tank, or my vacuum system has a very slight leak. I also added electric fans, which I've had laying around for a while. I grabbed them from a mid 90's dodge intrepid out of the junkyard. Made some brackets, and got a $30 adjustable fan controller from amazon. Keeps the engine nice and cool, I'm happy so far.
I also finally mounted the rear seat speaker pods I made almost two years ago. I'm just waiting on a set of Rockford Fosgate component speakers to fill them. There are some things I wish I did differently on these, but hey they will work for now.
This week, cut up my Jeg's exhaust kit even more and added an H-pipe. I'm not sure I can tell a difference via butt dyno, but it sure sounds a lot better, much deeper and hollow sounding.
Last but not least, I've been playing with my carb and ignition tune, trying to get it even closer. I think I have the part throttle and idle tunes down, now I just need a jet kit to lean the secondaries out a little. I've changed the power valve, adjusted the idle mixture, and took 3 degrees of base timing out. Seems to run a lot better. I took the plugs out this week to put a fresh set in, and was pretty happy with the old set I took out.
I'm hoping to get it back on the dyno this summer, to see if all the changes I've made have increased power and torque. One thing I think is next on the list is a pcv catch can. Every time I shut the car down it diesels. Even on non-ethonal premium gas. I've tried playing with the timing, idle mixture, and idle speed to no avail. So I think the engine is vapor locking from crankcase vapors filling the cylinders. I think a pcv catch can will work, instead of recirculating them back into the engine. I'm getting excited to head back to the drag strip this weekend. I'm hoping to at least be able to make a full pass, now that I have a rebuilt transmission and 3.73 gears!
I also finally mounted the rear seat speaker pods I made almost two years ago. I'm just waiting on a set of Rockford Fosgate component speakers to fill them. There are some things I wish I did differently on these, but hey they will work for now.
This week, cut up my Jeg's exhaust kit even more and added an H-pipe. I'm not sure I can tell a difference via butt dyno, but it sure sounds a lot better, much deeper and hollow sounding.
Last but not least, I've been playing with my carb and ignition tune, trying to get it even closer. I think I have the part throttle and idle tunes down, now I just need a jet kit to lean the secondaries out a little. I've changed the power valve, adjusted the idle mixture, and took 3 degrees of base timing out. Seems to run a lot better. I took the plugs out this week to put a fresh set in, and was pretty happy with the old set I took out.
I'm hoping to get it back on the dyno this summer, to see if all the changes I've made have increased power and torque. One thing I think is next on the list is a pcv catch can. Every time I shut the car down it diesels. Even on non-ethonal premium gas. I've tried playing with the timing, idle mixture, and idle speed to no avail. So I think the engine is vapor locking from crankcase vapors filling the cylinders. I think a pcv catch can will work, instead of recirculating them back into the engine. I'm getting excited to head back to the drag strip this weekend. I'm hoping to at least be able to make a full pass, now that I have a rebuilt transmission and 3.73 gears!
I'm back! It's been awhile since I've updated, I had a great summer! I put about 20 passes on the car at the track. I didn't go as fast as I wanted, but hey I got a lot more seat time which is never a bad thing. First, I went to Street Car Takeover Charlotte at Zmax dragway. My best pass there was 14.34 @ 97. My dad made a couple passes too, his best was 14.16 @ 97. Also went to the local 1/8 mile track a few weeks later. The best I could muster was a 8.89 @ 82. I am in dire need of some traction, I know this car has way more in it.
This was the very first pass of the day, I think it did like a 2.3x 60 foot, here you can see why lol.
And last but not least, the fastest pass at the 1/8 mile track
Like I said, I was really happy to make more passes, I really have the drag racing bug now. I'm ready for posi and maybe a set of slicks. A Ford 8.8 swap may be in the works later on, but if I could find a cheap posi for now I am open for that too! I've also got to get a new starter and flex plate, my cheap starter is starting to grind and really messed up the teeth on the flex plate too. While its apart I figured I might as well change the converter since its stock. I'm thinking around a 2500-2800 stall, comp recommends a "2500+" for my grind on their website.
AH! Almost forgot, I finally got my gbodyparts.com sunroof seal set installed, as well as astro roof, roof rail seals. Oh what fun that was lol! The seals were very good quality, but a horrible job to put them in. I'll have to dig through my pictures to see if I took any of that process.
This was the very first pass of the day, I think it did like a 2.3x 60 foot, here you can see why lol.
And last but not least, the fastest pass at the 1/8 mile track
Like I said, I was really happy to make more passes, I really have the drag racing bug now. I'm ready for posi and maybe a set of slicks. A Ford 8.8 swap may be in the works later on, but if I could find a cheap posi for now I am open for that too! I've also got to get a new starter and flex plate, my cheap starter is starting to grind and really messed up the teeth on the flex plate too. While its apart I figured I might as well change the converter since its stock. I'm thinking around a 2500-2800 stall, comp recommends a "2500+" for my grind on their website.
AH! Almost forgot, I finally got my gbodyparts.com sunroof seal set installed, as well as astro roof, roof rail seals. Oh what fun that was lol! The seals were very good quality, but a horrible job to put them in. I'll have to dig through my pictures to see if I took any of that process.
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NICE!
Definitely get some stickies and a spool, traction won't be an issue, not that I've been to a track before but I'm just saying. I would love to do what you just did some day but I'm not prepared to embarrass myself and run a 17 sec pass on my 307 lol. Hoping my 355 will get up there. Drag racing can get dangerously expensive if you get caught in the numbers game lol.
Definitely get some stickies and a spool, traction won't be an issue, not that I've been to a track before but I'm just saying. I would love to do what you just did some day but I'm not prepared to embarrass myself and run a 17 sec pass on my 307 lol. Hoping my 355 will get up there. Drag racing can get dangerously expensive if you get caught in the numbers game lol.
Thanks! I think im already caught in the numbers game lol. Im going to try to avoid putting a spool in it, although they are really cheap. I dont want the car to handle wonky on the street and break axles and stuff. I think my combo right now will run low 12's with a looser converter and traction.
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