The Cutlass has landed

Well finally after 2 years I have FINALLY gotten myself a new project car. This is also a big change because my last two cars were a 240SX and a Corolla GTS. I have not had an American V8 car since I was a teenager. Got the car for free complete with keys and the title (not making me work for this much at all is he?).

Anyway the car is a 1980 Olds Cutlass Supreme originally with a diesel engine. It now has a Pontiac 400 that has tossed a rod (ah well just gotta find a new engine). It was honestly in better shape than I figured, it had a small dent in driver fender and a hole in the passenger side door. Other then that there is no rust or body damage at all (frame is good also). It is missing the front and rear bumpers but I already have someone looking for some for me.

I was also surprised at how relatively clean the interior was for a car that is 29 years old. As we moved it the plastic around the steering wheel disintegrated, no big deal I'm going change it out anyway. Seats are in good enough shape I'll use them as seats in my shop after I get some Camaro seats to go in.

Anyway I'm still torn between doing a tuned 350 or get a 455 to stick in this beast. I'll be getting a manual trans for it and my uncle thinks he knows someone with a Ford 9 inch rear that is already modified to go in a G Body complete with disk brakes so that will go in providing it is still available. He is also connected with all the old dirt track racers from the area and is going to be contacting them for me about scrounging parts.

Oh and I opened the trunk and found a butt load of springs and a few shocks lol.

And here are the pics.

Passenger side damage

The wheels it has a full set of these (I was expecting the stock steel wheels)

The Interior

Congrats! It looks like it's smiling with the chains hanging like that on the front.

EastCoastMojo wrote: Congrats! It looks like it's smiling with the chains hanging like that on the front.

Haha I had not even noticed that. That is funny. I was almost thinking we weren't going to get it out because it had sunk into the ground where it had been sitting a good 6 inches on all 4 tires. Oh and it does have a good amount of growth that had come up into the engine bay and up wrapped around things on the underside.

Finally got her home.

I'd look for a LSx engine first, or maybe a LT1 (if you're doing a budget junkyard type build), and a 6 speed.

Also, check out the suspension used on the GN/GNX's, and see what you might be able to adapt.

Good luck.

Yep its finally home. Yeah I'm going to use the GNX frame supports and the like in this once I get going on it.

Oh and here is the contents of the trunk which I did not check until I got home

Some sort of old coil over?

Cool! Used to have a buddy that drove one of those. Man we abused that car. Never could get it to do a reverse 180 without stalling, but we sure tried a lot.

awesome... you know an elephant block 350->455 rocket will bolt right in there

but you do have weld a donut into the center crossmember to make duals fit right...

rebelgtp wrote: Some sort of old coil over?

Well, it's yellow..maybe it's a Bilstein?

Looks pretty clean, considering how long it's been sitting up. Have fun! If the T-Type & GNX were B-bodies, there ought to be plenty out there to make it handle a little bit..unless the 455 gets too tempting.

That coilover looks like the helper shocks I put on the rear of the Safastro to help prop up the butt while towing. Only $60-70 a pair at Autozone and my dainty 180lbs can compress them a couple of inches. So basically cheap shocks with a lightweight spring attached.

ill agree, those springs cant be all that strong. diameter of the metal and the length it would be when uncoiled makes that a loooonggg skinny piece of metal.

Yeah I looked it all over and could not find a manufacture printed on it at all. But yeah I think you guys are right just a helper spring.

This Cutlass is a G Body just like the T Type and GNX, so yeah there are quite a few parts under the skin that can get swapped into this car from the GNX.

MrJoshua wrote: That coilover looks like the helper shocks I put on the rear of the Safastro to help prop up the butt while towing. Only $60-70 a pair at Autozone and my dainty 180lbs can compress them a couple of inches. So basically cheap shocks with a lightweight spring attached.

You're right. There's no adjustable perches on the spring. My fault..it's been so long since I owned a truck that I'd forgotten about the dang things.

Dang, no offense intended but honestly I can't say I see the appeal of that Olds. It just looks too dismal and uninspiring. I guess it could work if you're into the sleeper look, which I'm not.
Still, free+V8+RWD can't be a bad thing.

IIRC a late 70's monte carlo would be the same body, right?

my friend has one that hes getting ready to scrap, anything you need? (keeping in mind its enough of a rust bucket that the drivers door wont shut)

(shipping bumpers might be difficult, but if you needed anything smaller)

Yep same basic body as the late 70's (78 on to what 88?) Monte, and Regal. Basically from 78-80 they had the metal bumpers then from 81 on all the cars got a face lift and got the plastic combo bumpers.

This is also the same basic body as what was used for the Monte Carlo SS, GNX and Hurst H/O cars in the mid 80's. So there is potential to give it a face lift and a more aggressive look.

Since I'm looking for bumpers anyway I'm thinking of just going with the Monte SS aero units, shaker and fender vents from a second gen Trans Am, some aero mirrors and GNX style flares. Paint the whole thing black and that should give it and aggressive enough look.

I can't think of anything off the top of my head right yet apexcarver. I've yet to really take full inventory of what the car needs, got a bit of weed pulling to do first .

As for under the skin at the moment I'm thinking a 455, manual trans, Ford 9 inch rear, disk brakes all around and a new suspension setup my uncle is going to help me sort out.

I always the '78 and '79 Cutlasses were the best looking of all the 2 door G bodies. 1980 would be second.

sweet score.

FWIW, A body 78-81, G body 82-88. this is why alot of catalogs list things as A/G body

I'm happy for you on getting it home! Have fun with it. I'd love to fly out there and pick up a rust-free g-body (Malibu 2-door, Cutlass, Malibu wagon, or regal...in that order) and drive it back to the rust belt.

I saw a regal with an LSwhatever truck engine in it the other day (I didn't see the engine, but it apparently fit under the stock hood with slight "modification" to the alternator bracket or something equally as harmless).

My vote: Go sleeper with lots of torque, quiet-ish exhaust, an astonishing number of forward gears (with requisite third pedal action), and wide tires on widened stock looking wheels!

Keep us posted, frequently!

Clem

neon4891 wrote: sweet score. FWIW, A body 78-81, G body 82-88. this is why alot of catalogs list things as A/G body

D'OH my mistake on the cutoff date. For some reason I was thinking it was '80 when then switched to G when they did the dual headlight switch.

Oh and did I mention it had been parked for a little while?

rebelgtp wrote: Oh and did I mention it had been parked for a little while?

Nice, that is only second to the terarium

it will buff out

My grandpa offered to let me use some of his weed killer lol.

rebelgtp wrote: Oh and did I mention it had been parked for a little while?

Next time someone bitches to you about doing wiring, show them this picture and tell them, "You think you've got a rat's nest? THIS is a rat's nest!"

That's a circle track car if I ever saw one.