HonestDave

Just drove the old dusty out of the lean-to and around the block into the garage. Had a jerry can under the hood. Dug two big holes in the gravel pulling out, just breathing on the throttle. Looks really funny from behind with the little 215/70/15 tires on it, but I don't mind the side view. Just sits too high in the rear for my liking. The 455 runs so smooth it's unbelievable. 200 lbs compression, though, you've got to be careful on the gas. I don't know that this will do for me at 54 years of age. I would have loved this 25 years ago. There I go, whining again. Since I just sold off all my other projects, I'd better show more excitement about this or my wife will go bug-eyed !!

oldstata

What's your plans trunk and driver her or frame off ?

HonestDave

Trunk work and driver the beast. Lots of bugs to work out, but a buddy was over after coffee this morning. He looked over my parts and the welder issues, and says he'll help / advise me on the way forward. He does welding himself, and figures with a combination of some new pieces and some of the old, we can get a reasonable floor happening in the trunk. All depends whether I want to spend more time or more money. He just retired last week, so the timing is good.
A previous owner had the rear end cranked way up with new springs. Hard to see in the picture, but it either needs way bigger rear tires or the springs brought back down. Maybe the front raised? On my old 70 GTO I had the front raised as well and ran 265/60/15s all around. It looked decent, but I don't know if the look would suit this car. Big back wells on this baby, though.

oldcutlass

First off I like the stance and yes the front needs to come up a bit. With a 15x8.5 wheel and P275-60-15 tires in the rear it would look nice. The front I would run a skinnier 15x7 wheel and P225-70-15 tires and raise it few inches.

What's being 54 got to do with it, my god man quit acting your age.

oldstata

I like the stance personally I really dig the old hot rod look I would put a tiny bit smaller tire in front and be done but that's me

stan 65 cutlass

looks good dave, fix the trunk and breathe on the throttle man!

66luvr

Great car.
I say get it back down and put bigger tires and wheels on it

HonestDave

Just got a huge present this afternoon. The insurance guy called me four times, and finally managed to get the fuel type changed back to gasoline like it's supposed to be. Had me in to sign the papers, and Bob's your uncle. Really looking forward to NOT having to go through an inspection process.
Kudos to the fellow from Langley BC with the 72 Cutlass, who encouraged me to persevere.

oldstata

Congrats !! On the clean fuel change put some 110 octane hand spin those tires

HonestDave

I must say, though, the car is not without other challenges. Let me present you with an upper rear picture for your viewing pleasure. Yes, be happy your back window isn't surrounded by some type of semi-hard rubber like this one ! Can only imagine the joy that lies beneath.

oldstata

Lol mine was and a ton of dirt to boot
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Oh yeah I took this to share in your gas tank story
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Hey Dave when you parted the post coup did it have the chrome on the drip rails ?

I really like the look of yours with the 15 inch rally's on

stan 65 cutlass

after taking mine off,i think you need to remove ALL of your trim every 10 years and clean under it, huge part of rusting

HonestDave

The chrome was gone from the drip rails. I think Napoleon likely still has them. I doubt they're shipable, but you could ask him, if you need them.

I see you've got all that nice A/C stuff under the hood. Mine is all missing. Trying to figure out if they sell delete plates for the holes in the firewall. Someone even changed heater boxes.

HonestDave

Here's an interesting turn of events. After reading more about Astrolink and his Cutlass / 442 adventure I stuck my face up under the tranny and looked for a 4 speed hole. Hmmmm....I found a really nicely cut hole with a plate over it hidden under the carpet. Looks to me like maybe 4 inches in diameter and about 12 inches to center from the plastic floor heater vent. As I recall, the hole for a console automatic floor shifter is about double that distance from the floor vent. I'm beginning to think this car might be a copy of Stan 65 Cutlass' car. White with a 4 speed. This leads me to wonder, how do I tell now if I have a Fremont 442 or a Fremont Cutlass? Was it originally a standard, or did someone change it later? It also has a weird gas pedal rod. It goes right from the pivot on the firewall to the carb, with no kickdown apparatus. Was that changed later to accomodate the dual quad Offy and special linkage it had when I bought it, or was it always there?
This is becoming really interesting. I was told the car had a 373 posi in it when I purchased it, so I popped the cover just now and checked out the goods. If anyone has any feedback on this, I'd love to read it.
And no, I'm not depressed, just curious. Still having a ball with the old car !!

oldstata

Hey Dave if it doesn't gave the kick down part on the fire wall how is your th400 kick down working is it hooked up to the gas pedal ?

oldstata

Not sure if you want to go this way but slantflat is parting a 65 with ac if you want the whole system he wants to sell it as a whole. just in case you want to convert it back could be a option

HonestDave

I don't know if it even does kick down. I've only driven it around the block twice since I bought it just a year or two ago. It has a B & M Starshifter in it, and I haven't even checked it out. I know it was being driven every day by the fellow that sold it to me. I know he said the whole drive train was rebuilt. I got it for a reasonable price, so I focused on the frame at purchase time, and figured I could deal with everything else.
The tranny fluid is clean and it shifts really firm, but I wouldn't try to kick this thing down. I think it would launch itself right into tomorrow.

HonestDave

Thanks, but I already sold off whatever I had left of the AC stuff. I put regular controls in the dash and hooked up all the cables so the heater controls would work.

TK-65

That semi hard rubber is called butyl and it is what seals/holds your window in.

HonestDave

This stuff has been sqeezed on with a tube, maybe, or trowelled on. It has a feel to it like grout you'd use for tile work. No room for moldings, it's right flush with the outer window surface. I've changed many windows and windshields in my time, but never seen stuff like this.

HonestDave

Wheel wells in the rear look pretty big and roomy with these little tires !!