The customization of an Olds Custom Cruiser

That picture rocks.

Powar wrote: That picture rocks.

+1.. those wheels are awesome on the car

Esoteric Nixon wrote: Time for an update! I've put about 3,000 miles on the CC since buying it in June. The A/C is still blowing cold, even on the hottest days, so I'm pretty happy that my forty-some dollar investment paid off there. When we last saw the intrepid traveler, it was noted that the alternator was on its way out. And out it went, but on my terms! Once it got to the point whereby trips on the freeway proved too cumbersome for the sickly alternator, it was replaced along with the serpentine belt. Going forward, it's time to overhaul the front suspension. The handling is... a little vague, to be nice. I know it can be better, as evidenced by my time with my old Caprice wagon. Currently looking for sway bars. I REALLY want to autocross this thing this year, but not with the suspension feeling so vague.

We had an Olds Aeroback when I was 16, and the handling on that would best be described as "nautical". You didn't so much steer as set a general course and see where the sea and winds would take you. i think you owe it to the world to autocross it at least once on the Olds-spec suspension.

I'm glad I found this thread. I just got my own B-body GM and I'm interested to see where this goes.

I thought I was original with my period-correct bumper sticker idea too, but I guess not D:

In reply to Keith Tanner:

Good news/bad news:

The good news is that my car is equipped with the heavy-duty (F40) suspension, as it has the factory towing package. This, if I have done my homework right, should mean that I essentially have the same setup as the 9C1 Caprices and the Impala SS.

The bad news, is that my suspension has close to 200k on it. The shocks, while not blown, are pretty worn. The bushings I looked at while changing the oil were also looking pretty shabby.

Who knows maybe I'll run it. The next autocross is the 13th, so I am going to try and at least get new shocks and sway bar end links installed.

While your shocks may not be leaking, I can pretty much guarantee they're not actually doing anything by this point.

If you're shopping for a swaybar, I've used F-body swaybars on B-body chassis before with good results.

We put a 1981 T/A WS6 bar on a friend 1975 Grand AM and it made a big difference.

You want a second-gen WS6 front swaybar, they're the biggest one that will bolt on.

Should be an easy find on eBay or at the junkyard.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

Oh absolutely. I'm just not sure what to replace them with, and whether or not I should replace the springs, too. Slippery slope.

Trans_Mero:

Thanks for the tip. Are we talking bolt-in affair?

Yup, bolts right in on the early B-body, I can't imagine the chassis changed all that much over the years.

The front suspension is very, very similar on those two cars. My autocross T/A had 9C1 caprice spindles and brakes. The B-body spindle is about 1" taller than the F-body so it helps with the camber curve when used in the F-car chassis.

Shawn

I'm looking at some OESpectrums (Monroes) for the wagon. Why? Well, because I get a great discount working at a non-corporate Napa. Anyway, We have two different listings for my car and an Impala SS, so I am suspecting that the option listed for my car is probably the for the non-tow pack cars. Pretty sure I am going to go with the Impala SS option. Hopefully they play nice with my springs.

Esoteric Nixon wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: Oh absolutely. I'm just not sure what to replace them with, and whether or not I should replace the springs, too. Slippery slope. Trans_Mero: Thanks for the tip. Are we talking bolt-in affair?

Have you tried one of the on-line spring rate calculators? http://www.ridetech.com/info/spring-rate-calculator/

Not sure how they transfer from coil-over to what you are doing, but having knowing the parameters would be of use in itself. ie what are the cornerweights?

The Monroe Severe Service shocks are the way to go on a budget. Monroe 550013 and 550012 from Oreiley's or Amazon.

http://buickforums.com/forums/threads/14211-Ordered-the-Monroe-Severe-Service-Shocks

Tomorrow is autocross day. This should be interesting.

My new GRM issue arrived today. Page 192 is the best page of the 194 pages!

In reply to JohnRW1621:

My wagon's in there? I thought for sure Katie had just contacted the wrong person.

I love the color and overall look of this thing.

You're not just in the magazine, you got an entire page!

Zoomed for easier reading:

Oh wow, that's awesome!

In reply to JohnRW1621:

Pics no work.

Thanks John!

So I autocrossed it. The only other car in my class was Nitroracer's old Fairlane, but with its worked-over suspension and healthy-sounding 351, I could only come within a second of his best.

Still though, the wagon performed admirably. I shockingly hit no cones, but I'm not sure if that means I am too slow, or maybe I am not bad at whipping boats around corners.

Autocrossing did bring up an interesting problem: under hard cornering with the gas tank around half a tank the car bogs badly. Going to have to figure this out.

Aaaaand my shocks are now shot. Good way to go out I suppose.

If you bring this to the Challenge, I'll bring my Buick to the Challenge. You're in OH? I'm in southern IN. All aboard the wagon convoy?

I would had I not just bought this diesel Mercedes project.

You should definitely go represent the B-Body Brigade.

I was told by another B-body owner when I bought my Roadmattress that I should not trust the fuel gauge, and that at somewhere between 1/2 and 1/4 tank indicated it would start to stall going uphill and around turns. The person who told me was not lying, and when I fill it up at just below half a tank indicated I end up putting about 20 gallons in.

Apparently it's not an uncommon B-body issue for the fuel gauge to be iffy. You may not have had much of fuel in the car at all.

Normally I'd agree, but I commute just under 50 miles a day with this car, and the gauge is pretty accurate. Once, I forgot to get gas after work, and drove into town the next day on E. The starvation issue has to be something else. The tank seems mighty shiny, so I am wondering if it's been replaced with a cheap unit.