What should I do to my Cutlass?

[lilbowtie]

You trying to help this guy sell this car or something? 🙂

Not at all - haven't a clue who he is. I know the car is $5000.00 obo and I know what it would take to get the OP's car to that condition. If the car doesn't interest you the point is mute, but just to paint a car is $$$$.

 

[thelifeafter245]

Not at all - haven't a clue who he is. I know the car is $5000.00 obo and I know what it would take to get the OP's car to that condition. If the car doesn't interest you the point is mute, but just to paint a car is $$$$.

Thanks lilbowtie for your suggestion, but I plan on keeping the car I have, I'm not worried about paint since my father and I paint cars from time to time and I still have alot of paint left over from my father's caprice, about a gallon of jet black and some primer laying around. So painting doesn't cost me much of anything other than tape and my dads time. I'm sure if I buy him a pizza he will be down to paint. And the interior is in great condition so it's really only the motor that's the problem. Others have suggested I should just put new seals on the th250, I haven't really considered that option but I might check it out. A good working th350 in my area is about $200. Would it be worth working on the 250 or just get a 350. Will a 305 or a 307 work with a th250? And will a th250 torque converter work on a th350? Thanks again everyone

 

[blk7gxn]

Hey all, I'm new here if this in the wrong spot please delete it. Anyways so I'm 18yrs old and just picked up a project car, an 84 cutlass supreme, for $500. The body and interior are in decent shape but the motor and trans have pretty much had it. It's the 3.8l v6 and what I think is a th250. Previous owner claims 103,000 original miles, I just can't believe that. The odo has been rolled over so I'm thinking 203k or even 303k, idk. I've included a pic of when I pulled the valve cover and it's absolutely disgusting. Surprisingly the engine still runs(well kinda) and the trans shifts as smooth as butter, apart from leaking fluid from literally everywhere. I'm rambling sorry, anyway my question is what should I do to it once this engine/trans dies, I am going to wait until either of them give out before I go swapping something like a 350/th350 in, mainly as I work part time at a discount store making less than $150 a week lol. So what would be the best option for an engine trans and everything else I would need to have the car running and driving for about $600? From what I've seen the th250 will bolt up to a 307 but most say its not even worth it being so puny, what do yall think? I'd like to stay with either the th250 or the th350 so I won't have to change the driveshaft. As far as my skill level goes, I can do most basic and intermediate things with cars, I've done shocks, struts, brakes, valve cover gaskets, water pumps, timing belts, etc but I've never pulled an engine or trans out of a car. There is a great deal for a running olds 455/turbo 400 combo in my area for $450, if I went that route how would I go about finding motor mounts, and how much would a different driveshaft be? People in my area (middle TN) think that running 350/th350 combos are worth their weight in gold, its not uncommon for one with around 180k miles to be listed for $900-1200. So if I went with a chevy setup my only real option is a 305/th350 setup and those are still going for about $600-700 in running condition. For some reason olds 307s are quite alot cheaper at around $300 in running condition, but I have yet to run across one with a transmission as well. I'm still new at all this old car stuff, I came from the land of V-Tec and jdm, so I'm not sure what to do with a carburetor and vacuum modulated transmissions lol. I am anxious to learn and hopefully have a really cool car to show for it when it's done. If I am not correct with any of my info please correct me, like I said I'm very new to all this. Thanks again.

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WELCOME!!!!
I love your enthusiasm and willingness to learn as you go with this awesome project you have going for you here! Don't be intimidated, we all were not born with all this knowledge, we all had to learn it too!! One thing is for sure, you came to the right place, there are so many wonderful people here always willing to help, again, welcome and you have a really kkool ride friend!

Will

 

[thelifeafter245]

WELCOME!!!!
I love your enthusiasm and willingness to learn as you go with this awesome project you have going for you here! Don't be intimidated, we all were not born with all this knowledge, we all had to learn it too!! One thing is for sure, you came to the right place, there are so many wonderful people here always willing to help, again, welcome and you have a really kkool ride friend!

Will

Thank you, I'm really happy to be here, just browsing around on the forum I can see you guys really know your stuff. I can't wait to get to that point but right now I'm taking baby steps. I'll definitely come here with any problems I have and keep yall up to date with the car and how its looking. Thanks again

 

[olds307 and 403]

A Buick 350 is a direct swap. The 307 is reliable and no doubt can be found cheap. The 80 to 84 non swirl port 307 is better than the later ones but both are no powerhouse. I had a TH250C survive for 450,000 km behind a 307. It lasted one day behind a mild 403. A 2004r trans is a direct swap except maybe the crossmember.

 

[pagrunt]

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[thelifeafter245]

A Buick 350 is a direct swap. The 307 is reliable and no doubt can be found cheap. The 80 to 84 non swirl port 307 is better than the later ones but both are no powerhouse. I had a TH250C survive for 450,000 km behind a 307. It lasted one day behind a mild 403. A 2004r trans is a direct swap except maybe the crossmember.

That's great info, I'm thinking now that I will probably just try to get the th250 to quit leaking and then just get a olds 307 for around $350. What all would I need to change for the 307 to work in my car? I don't really need it to be a power house, mainly just trying to get that v8 sound, and since used 3.8l v6s in my area are about the same as 307s price wise it wouldn't make much sense to stay with the v6 imo. Thanks to all again for the info

 

[olds307 and 403]

If they will sell with all the accessories, motor AND frame mounts makes the swap much easier. Make sure you don't have a dreaded TH200, that might not survive a 307.

 

[fleming442]

You should be able to get a 307 for free.

 

[69hurstolds]

IF you go with a 307/350 Olds V8 engine, you will need to obtain Olds frame mounts. G-body mounts preferably. AND you need to ensure to put them in the right spot if you do. On the rear of the frame you put the "long" side up, and the bottom bolt goes in the last hole rearward and the top bolt goes into the SECOND TO THE LAST HOLE REARWARD. They should be facing pretty much straight up and down. The 307/350 would drop right into place after that. Now, if you go down this route, you'd have to decide whether to stay on the computer or not. If you do, you'll need to get a V8 CCC box. Perhaps you may need other connections as well, I don't know. I've never converted a V6 to V8 with CCC. May be easier to get a NON-CCC HEI and carburetor and deal with it that way. There's other considerations like carb linkage to cables and trans cable hookups, etc., that will need dealing with too. Non-lockup torque converter? I don't know what an 84 V6 comes with. But it can be figured out.

Frame mounts look like this installed.