BUILD THREAD Sweet Johnny & Gina: A Love "Two Large" To Fail

[Sweet_Johnny]

They do make aftermarket replacement Cutlass Supreme and "Brougham" emblems for the sail panels once you get to that point of paint, etc. Rockets for the front fenders too. A tad pricey for the set, but restoration game ain't cheap. Unless you can get yours cleaned up and pretty again.

You aren't kidding, those are pricey! I'm with Delta on this one, for now. I think some Mother's polish will go a long way, and some version of 3M trim adhesive will hold the pieces on after I buff the paint that's there.

Gina may be a bit rough around the edges, but considering the age, type of car, and transmission she came with I'm quite impressed that I can start her up by reaching through the window and drive to work at 5 a.m.. Especially after replacing only a fuel pump, accelerator pump, battery, and 2 vacuum lines. I believe that someone was doing their best to take immaculate care of this car right up until the day it was parked under a tree so many years ago. The bodywork to the roof isn't perfect but someone put the effort in to stop the rot and make it pretty, which counts for something.

I'm not sure how to proceed on certain things so for now I'm going to go for a drive and see what she wants changed today. Maybe the headlights, maybe a new exhaust. Maybe my 6 way power adjustable split bench seat tracks....

 

[78Delta88]

I have some, will just send when ever I get chance to get to storage unit.

 

[78Delta88]

If you are an Oldsmobile, show me your badges.

Baddgeess?? We no need no Baddggess!!!

................................................................................

Seriously though..., I have a whole bucket full of that stuff. SS, Chevelle, Chevrolet, Ford, Oldsmobile, Pontiac....

Posted to eBay about 5 years ago. Not one bid, not one person..., asking do you have a .............? So they still sit....

I'll get some pics and post here, they are not doing me any good collecting dust.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

I have some, will just send when ever I get chance to get to storage unit.

That's very nice of you, thanks! I have no problem paying you a fair price for them, and am in no rush whatsoever. This car was purchased out of necessity and it's sheer luck that I found a sweet old Cutlass I could afford.

I'd love to fix her up, and am fighting the urge to change things. For instance: Should I upgrade the cam to about 204/212° and .440" on a 112 lsa and add a Stealth intake/headers, or put on my 76cc heads with bronze guides, Manley valves, etc and add a B&M 144 blower (also with a cam upgrade, but a different one)? Or I've got 2 spare 350 engines (one first gen, one roller/1 pc rear main) and a th350 I could put in, and can stash the factory setup in the corner. Or leave it alone.

I could swap out the pillowtops for buckets from a 4th gen Firebird, but I don't have the matching rears. If I do buckets that would allow me to add a newer Olds console that's just in the way, but then do I go to a floor shift? I'm talking to a guy on eBay about dashboards but should just buy a cover for now. I have an '85-'92 Z-28 spoiler for the trunk if it will fit, and 2 '84-'96 Delco radios with tape player- one of which would go great with the factory Monsoon amp and harness I removed from an '02 Grand Am. I've also got a pile of performance parts that were for the El Camino (UMI, SSM, Pro Forged, etc) but it's on stands and I'm driving the Cutlass....

I'm really torn here because I could make this car look and drive like a badass but I actually like having a "grandma car", which is surprising to me. I feel guilty changing anything at all so I'm inclined to leave almost everything stock. That's a brand new feeling, as I'm normally the first to rip out everything unnecessary for going fast. I've always been in a rush and love driving fast but Gina just doesn't have the power so every drive is a calm and peaceful one. I've also learned that turning your Daily Driver into a plaything can be problematic.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

Here's my quick fix for the headliner. I ended up adding black duct tape to make it look better but the tape added too much weight, especially when I drove on the turnpike with the window down. So I bought some spring loaded curtain rods at Dollar General and they solved the sagging issue. I know it's a ghetto job, but remember this is just to get it mobile. I'll replace the headliner with new foam and custom fabric when I eventually fix the sunroof. Fixing the sunroof, actual roof, and floor pans are important to me but not as important as being mobile- I'm living in someone else's basement with my truck in pieces.
Again, this was done for the sole purpose of containing the headliner foam particles so they wouldn't blind me as I drove.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

I've got a lighted mirror to compliment these lighted sunvisors with extensions. I've also got a trash can/map pocket that just needs some carpet and paint.

Here are those two Delco radios.

The Camaro wing.

Which steering wheel should I choose?

 

[pagrunt]

I'm really torn here because I could make this car look and drive like a badass but I actually like having a "grandma car", which is surprising to me. I feel guilty changing anything at all so I'm inclined to leave almost everything stock. That's a brand new feeling, as I'm normally the first to rip out everything unnecessary for going fast. I've always been in a rush and love driving fast but Gina just doesn't have the power so every drive is a calm and peaceful one. I've also learned that turning your Daily Driver into a plaything can be problematic.

Go "grandma sleeper". Add what will make Gina more your girl while having the add ons look as close to what it might of back in the day. That's part of the plan for my '81 Monte & would like to see Jr. do with his '79 Millie (he want's her to be as original as possible).

I've got a lighted mirror to compliment these lighted sunvisors with extensions. I've also got a trash can/map pocket that just needs some carpet and paint.

What are those out of? Those OE litter containers were just interior color & never had carpet.

 

[69hurstolds]

Choose the middle steering wheel and put an Olds rocket in the center of it.

The radio currently isn't like the radios you got in the picture. So there's going to be a bit of mods going on to get one to fit. Never went backwards on fitting in a newer radio in the older dash, so it may be easier than I thought, but either way, you'll need a new radio plate for 84-up style.

That wing? You sure about wanting that? 🤔

The visors? Visors shoudn't have the extra clips on them for pivot points supports above the mirror. Don't know what those came out of. Likely a big car or newer car because of the extensions. Definitely not an A/G body. They MIGHT work, but I dunno. Just be aware.

And finally, just some tips. Do whatever you want, but I'd approach it differently. Make the car as reliable and road-worthy as possible FIRST. Even if it takes a year or so to get it there. Then after it's tuned, wheels alignned, new tires, repacked/new bearings as needed, shocks whatever it needs, THEN I'd start worrying about performance upgrades and stuff. Establish your baseline first. Otherwise, you're just going to end up being another two-bit wannabe. Use the money saved to snoop around and maybe find a solid running 350 or if someone has a 383 short block they no longer need, etc....THEN build that engine like you want, do a weekend swap and build it as a package. Yeah, you can pump up the volume a bit on the 305, but in reality, don't waste money on doing a whole lot with it. It IS a 305 after all. Or, just do whatever you like. You don't have to please anyone but yourself.

 

[SoFloG]

Drive her and get all the gremlins squared away while listening, and she'll tell you what she wants... meanwhile I'll take the B&M 144.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

Go "grandma sleeper". Add what will make Gina more your girl while having the add ons look as close to what it might of back in the day. That's part of the plan for my '81 Monte & would like to see Jr. do with his '79 Millie (he want's her to be as original as possible).


What are those out of? Those OE litter containers were just interior color & never had carpet.

Basically I'm torn between adding a fiberglass ram air hood, spoiler, buckets, console, and all the go fast stuff or merely adding the options that she didn't come with but are period correct.

The visors are from 1988-92 Buick Regals, and I'm unsure if LeSabres are the same.

The trash cans may not have come with carpet but they look like they should. When placed next to the ones from B bodies they look stupid without it. That's something I'll definitely do different than stock, not only for looks but because carpet doesn't scratch.