My 87 Cutlass build

JayPat83

Greasemonkey

Oct 20, 2013

152

0

16

41

Knoxville, TN

• Oct 20, 2013

• #1

Welcome ya'll. This is my first time on here. Posting pictures of my new project car, 1987 Cutlass Brougham with 144k miles. I picked it up for $500 and it is pretty worn out. I'm planning on new wheels, tires, paint, refurb. the interior, remove the vinyl top and remove the lower chrome trim. For now I've had it since 8/28/13 and here is my progress.....

Start...

End...

Yeah, I scrapped it. Got $75 bucks for that boat anchor

The inside of this thing smelled like burnt plastic

144,000 miles of grease just before degreaser, pressure washing and paint

 

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  1130 am on 10-12-13.JPG

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  630 pm on 10-12-13.JPG

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  she is going to a better place. . . ..JPG

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  yep, it's a burnt up 307.JPG

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  dirty enigne bay after 144000 miles.JPG

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JayPat83

Greasemonkey

Oct 20, 2013

152

0

16

41

Knoxville, TN

• Oct 20, 2013

• #2

Re: 73 Rocket 350 into 87 Cutlass

 

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  73 rocket 350 prepping for paint.JPG

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  almost ready.JPG

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  fresh GM corporate blue paint.JPG

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  ready for install.JPG

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  #8 heads.JPG

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JayPat83

Greasemonkey

Oct 20, 2013

152

0

16

41

Knoxville, TN

• Oct 20, 2013

• #3

Re: 73 Rocket 350 into 87 Cutlass




That's it for now. Not too bad, less than two months and we have sourced a rebuilt 73 350 SBO and a rebuilt TH350 trans all for $450. I have a set of Flowtech Ceramic coated headers that I got new for $175 that I can not wait to get on and hear how they sound.

 

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  clean install.JPG

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  ready to be wired, plumbed and fired up.JPG

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  peek a boo.JPG

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jetsetw31

G-Body Guru

Sep 9, 2010

678

67

28

60

Petersburg, VA

• Oct 20, 2013

• #4

Re: 73 Rocket 350 into 87 Cutlass

Welcome and great job so far. My set up is similar to yours. A '73 350 sbo in a '88 Cutlass Supreme Classic. The differences are, my 350 was a rebuilt with a mild cam and I have a 5 speed T-5 transmission. 60 mph @ 1500 rpm and 16 mpg is my reward. No body work yet, But its coming. I wish you luck with your car. You have a great starting point for a nice car.
T

 

JayPat83

Greasemonkey

Oct 20, 2013

152

0

16

41

Knoxville, TN

• Oct 20, 2013

• #5

Re: 73 Rocket 350 into 87 Cutlass

Yeah, my first car back in 2000 was an 84 Cutlass 307 with 3 speed Metric. I usually got 8 mpg out of that thing. My plans are to get an aluminum intake and Edelbrock carb with an electric choke and some shiny bits to make it look better. Probably when I do that we'll pull the radiator and put a cam in it too. I'm trying to figure out at the moment if I can run true dual exhaust with this factory transmission cross member or if I'll HAVE to modify it.

 

jetsetw31

G-Body Guru

Sep 9, 2010

678

67

28

60

Petersburg, VA

• Oct 20, 2013

• #6

Re: 73 Rocket 350 into 87 Cutlass

Sorry but crossmember modification is in your future. 😱

 

JayPat83

Greasemonkey

Oct 20, 2013

152

0

16

41

Knoxville, TN

• Oct 21, 2013

• #7

Re: 73 Rocket 350 into 87 Cutlass

Got the left header on today. Had to remove the starter to fit it from the bottom and then we figured out we had to put the starter back before we could bolt the header down. I almost wonder if I could have mounted these on the engine before putting it in the car???

 

olds307 and 403

Geezer

Oct 14, 2008

8,941

8,003

113

Melville,Saskatchewan

• Oct 21, 2013

• #8

Re: 73 Rocket 350 into 87 Cutlass

Try the new Street Demon carb instead of the Edelbrock. Hopefully they used flat top pistons or small dish or compression will be very low. I have a 76 350, same engine in my 88 CSC. I have the Performer cam in the advanced position on my Cloyes timing set. I runs very hard for an original 7.9 to 1 with a cam and shorty headers.

 

JayPat83

Greasemonkey

Oct 20, 2013

152

0

16

41

Knoxville, TN

• Nov 3, 2013

• #9

Re: 73 Rocket 350 into 87 Cutlass

Yesterday, got the right header on in 10 minutes 😀 Installed the quadrajet that came with the swap, got number one to TDC, installed plugs and wires, installed a clear inline fuel filter at the carb. We tried starting it to get it into time. It does not seem that I am getting fuel into the carb.

Took line apart at carb to check the carbs filter and it is clean. This 73 350 had a delete plate over the fuel pump mount. We did not have an electric pump so we cleaned up and installed the mechanical pump off of the 307 that was working when the engine was pulled. That clear filter just is not filling up enough to run the engine. We can pour fuel in the carb and it will run until that empties.

Any thoughts??? Also what kind of timing should this thing have? I have been told everything from as much as 30 and as little as 16. Kind of confusing. Would my CCC 307 carb and dist. fire up easier or better to just troubleshoot the 73 equipment?

 

olds307 and 403

Geezer

Oct 14, 2008

8,941

8,003

113

Melville,Saskatchewan

• Nov 3, 2013

• #10

Re: 73 Rocket 350 into 87 Cutlass

The 307 fuel pump should start the motor, no problem. It could be who ever built the motor left out the fuel pump eccentric, maybe on purpose. I personally would dump the points but the Qjet will be fine, especially if it came off the original 350.