71CutlassSupreme

Hi everyone,

Well I'm sure the ppl who are on here often can see i am new. i just registered today and am happy that i found this oldsmobile forum. Especially since there is a cutlass section
well, i have a 71 cutlass supreme convertible, here is a quick pic
P1010031.jpg
anyway, this car was handed down to me and i would like to do the basic maintenance on it myself. i've searched the internet and found how to do basic things like change power steering fluid, coolant, air filter, etc. but i can't find a site that shows pics on how to bleed the brakes.
i've done the basic things cuz well me being a girl i don't know much about cars ......buuuuut i am quickly learning
when i press on the brake pedal i literally have to press down pretty far and kinda pump the pedal for the car to stop. i'm assuming i need to bleed the brakes for me to get a harder pedal? some ppl tell me that's just the nature of the car...is this true?

secondly, when i push the lever down for the left turn signal to blink it doesn't blink it just stays constantly on. anyone know what could be causing this? any suggestions on how to fix this?

3rdly: what kind of grease do you guys use to lubricate the hinges?

4th: anyone know where i can buy touch up paint for the car? seems like it's a difficult task.

and lastly: i looked at the mufflers and there are some small rusted parts on there smaller than a penny, but they have caused some small holes. the car is all original, and i would like to keep it that way, but i don't know...should i buy new mufflers?? or should i just patch them up with that black tar kinda stuff they sell at auto-zone?

sorry for all the questions, and if they are basic to some, but any suggestions, comments would be very helpful....thanks in advance!!

vette442

Great looking Supreme.

As far as the turn signal goes - if the light stays on, there is probaby a burned out bulb on that side of the car.

I've been able to find touch up paint and spray cans for all of my Oldsmobiles at www.paintscratch.com. Always a dead-on match.

71CutlassSupreme

thank you soo much for the quick responce (thumbs up)
i'll go home tonight and see if i can find that burned bulb.

and thanks for that link. i've been searching high and low for touch up paint.

i'm loving this forum already!!!

Oldsmaniac

Wow....Very nice looking Cutlass.....as for the brakes they are probably power brakes. The car must be running for vacuum to assist in braking. Ya may want to check the vacuum line to the booster to make sure it isnt cracked. Also check the brake fluid level in the reservoir....it may be low. I would advise you getting an original shop manual.....the GM one for 1971 if ya dont already have one....it will show pictures and tell you most everything you need to know to repair the car. Bleeding brakes is a 2 man (person) job without special equipment and I would advise you to read up on it in detail if you have never done it before. You can let more air in if not careful and loose the brakes all together.....Good Luck with the car!

71CutlassSupreme

thanks oldsmaniac i am very excited about this car and want to keep in top notch shape i don't have a shop manual. just to make sure i know what ur talking about, is it one of those repair manuals they sell at auto parts store that are typically done by haynes or chilton?
did u buy urs from a particular place? i just now did a search on ebay and they didn't have any

Oldsmaniac

The shop manuals can be found on Ebay and swap meets and can be gotten from people who sell old car literature and the like. It is a vintage 1971 book that covers all models of Olds for that year. It was sold thru GM/Olds dealers and is the same book a service tech would use in the dealership back in the day. It is thick like a phone book. One shouldnt be too hard to find and you may have to pay 25 to 50 bucks for one.

Oldsmaniac

I forgot to say the shop manual is actually a chassis service manual....there are some on Ebay right now Item number: 120087819152.... is at 5 bucks with 4 days to go.

70Wcars

Welcome to the site !! I have a good friend in Houston who is a very good mechanic in Her own right and an Oldsmobile nut as well. I will drop her an e-mail and get her to contact you through the site. Nice car!!! Good luck with your ride.

leadfoot067

if the car has drum brakes than that would cause a low pedal ,as far as mufflers go check out some other cars and find a brand you like the sound of,shop around for the best price and have a recommended shop install them.....nice car and welcome

texasred

Welcome, fellow Texan!

I'm a '71 Cutlass convertible kinda guy, too. But mine doesn't look as good as yours (YET!). It's in for paint right now.

May I also suggest you join the Oldsmobile Club of America http://www.oldsclub.org/ and the Gulf Coast Chapter http://www.texasgulfcoastoldsclub.org/. Good folks there.

C.J.

redoldsman

My suggestion on the brakes is to take them to a reputable shop and have them pressure bleed them. I have done a lot of brakes over the years and the Cutlass is the hardest car I have ever seen to get all the air out of. I took mine to NTB which you should have in Houston. You should also check the condition of your shoes and pads.

Beautiful car.

Enjoy

71CutlassSupreme

you guys rock!! so very helpful and friendly!!

thanks olds for the lead on that manual...i'll def. be bidding on that

and 70wcars, that would be great about ur friend. i'm currently trying to find a reputable mechanic. it's kind of difficult to find someone who'll take care of ur car and actually give legit recommendations. unfortunately these days money is a big priority and customer service is just not as good as it use to be. i've taken my car to a shop just to have the oil changed and they scratched the car and well all my guy friends don't know anything bout cars, lol.

hi texasred!! always good to run into another fellow texan!!
thanks for those links. that oldclub.org looks like it has alot of useful info also. and much thanks for that regional link. i've been looking for something like that so i can meet fellow olds enthusiast. imo that's a great way to learn more about my car.

redoldsman, we have alot of NTB's here. i'll give them a call this weekend and see what they can do for me. now i'll know that they have to get all the air out so when i call them i'll know what to say and what to expect

Once again thanks so much guys for taking the time to answer my questions. i hope to grow with this forum and learn as much as i can about my olds and in the future be able to help others out as you all have helped me..big thumbs up for classic oldsmobile

71CutlassSupreme

hi guys, another question for y'all regarding the rims on my 71 cutlass
i was doing some research and i noticed that 71 cutlass have hubcaps. i saw a 442 that had rims like i did.
are the rims on my car an upgrade? or are they meant for a 442 and were place on my car?
thanks in advance

mp71conv

I too have a 71 conv. just rebuilt the front end and just changed my front drums to disks. You may need to bleed the brakes but everyone is correct in checking your vacumm line to the power booster (you should have one) its the only big black tube going to it from your intake manifoild. Then see if you have disk or drum and have somone help you bleed them first before you try anything else. As far as grease, if your using it for the doors just use any spray lube to see if that helps.Any more questions just ask I have all the books on that car and that is my 5th olds.

mp71conv

I also have a set of ss1 wheels for that car

88 coupe

Hubcaps were standard equipment. Wheel Covers were available at extra cost. The buyer could also order various optional wheels, at an even higher price. Rims are part of the wheels.

I prefer hubcaps. It's your car, and your choice.

Norm

Omicron

Hi there -

I too have a '71 CS convertible. Wonderful car.

As for your wheels, you have optional "rally" or "superstock" wheels on yours. They were available from the factory so equiped. Another nifty eBay purchase you can get that'll answers some of your questions is a reprint 1971 Olds sales brochure, like this one here. Hope this helps!

71CutlassSupreme

hey all, wow time flies by. well i got the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th item taken care of from my list of my original post in this thread.
so on to my last item regarding the exhaust...i've found an EXCELLENT muffler shop here in houston so i wanted to know. is there anyway to get oem exhaust? muffler and catback? or do i need to go aftermarket?
basically i want brand new oem mufflers and exhaust, but if i have to go aftermarket what brands are best for the 71 olds?
i know in the domestic market flowmasters are popular, but i dont know if that's the route to go with a classic muscle car.
so which exhausts do you guys have and/or recommend????

edit:
i just went outside to take some pics of the exhuast so you guys can see what i'm referring to damage wise. oh, and after taking this pics i realize i dont have mufflers. i guess i just have a straight pipe system?
anyway, now on to the pics for you all to see what i'm talking about...

right exhaust tip
Picture003.jpg

right exhaust tip and piping
Picture004.jpg

left exhaust tip:
Picture005.jpg

left exhaust tip and piping:
Picture006.jpg

Picture007.jpg

and i'm not sure what this is called, but as you can see it's filthy. is this something i need to replace? or can i simply use some sandpaper to clean it?
Picture008.jpg

like i said b4 i'm an extreme noobie so any help is geatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

joe_padavano

OK, the greasy thing is the rear axle. Likely there is a gasket leak. Note, by the way, the two silver mufflers, one on each side of that rear axle center section in this picture. No, this Olds does not have the rear-mounted mufflers like rice-burners. The mufflers are under the car, in front of the rear axle.

scubastever

by the way, you need a complete exhaust.

pipes are shot, and so are the mufflers!


i see more holes here than in ___________'s budget!

71CutlassSupreme

lol, scubastever i know i need new exhaust as i posted that in my previous post. my question regarding the pictures is what type of exhaust should i go with.
i'm still learning about this car so i'm not sure if i can still find oem mufflers and piping or if i indeed need to go aftermarket and if so which brands are the better ones to go with??

joe thanks for the clarification regarding the rear axle. i'll look into my shop manual to see what i can do about it....

csstrux

a putty knife to cut the gunk would be a good start, then some solvent and a rag should clean up the rest. Mineral spirits is easily obtained at any hardware stor. I have some really cheep 1-2" brushes for this kind of work. If you have stands get her up in the air with a pan (partially filled with solvent) under the differential and scrub it clean. I don't know that you need a gasket to fix the leaky diff, I have had good luck with a simple bead of rtv and have been good to go. Very nice car and welcome to the world of old cars...oh and to the site

71CutlassSupreme

ahhhh THANK YOU SO MUCH CSSTRUX!!!!!
providing solutions to what i can do is EXACTLY what i need!! thank you very much. i'm going to go out to the garage literally right now and clean that gunky stuff off.
thanks again for the advise.....i'm new to this stuff, but i'm definately capable of getting this car back into shape with some guidance and help. thanks again!!

oh btw, do you have any exhaust brands you would recommend for this car? thanks in advance.

Bluevista

I used Purple Power for the greasy stuff, stoled my dogs baby swimming pool to catch the drippings then bottled and recycled them. Not nearly as good as solvent but I have an attached garage and it got too smelly in the house.
A good muffler shop should be able to bend you up a system with no problem and should have stock size regular mufflers. You can readily get original and aftermarket type exhaust systems. Lots of places online sell them but shipping can be a lot. The mufflers are really a matter of individual taste unless you're going for a totally correct type resto. Best just to ask opinions here or find other cars like yours at cruise-ins or shows and ask what they have if it sounds good.

I got mine from a place that makes them locally, duals with stock mufflers for less than 300 bucks with a discount. I installed it in a few hours but if the bolts are seized up (normal) and break off in the manifolds it could take you a week and be a real headache. I hate other people working on my cars but sometimes you're better off just letting them do it. Only after you check them out thoroughly, hold their first born hostage of course, normal common sense type stuff.

http://classicexhaustinc.com/exhaustsystems.htm

Mike77

That exhaust system is shot. I am not a big fan of shop bent exhaust pipes. They never seem to fit good. Or you need to find a really good shop and it can be hit or miss. Look up Walker Muffers on the net. They have systems that will fit just like the factory ones. They will have the right bends and sizes. You need the correct muffler and pipe hangers that will bolt right up to the factory spots. It will be nice and neat and tight. Now if someone tells you you need new ceramic muffler bearing give us a call back right away!
Good luck and call if you need help
Mike

joe_padavano

Walker lists some but not all of the stock replacement exhaust parts. Several vendors sell original-style replacement exhaust parts. Most people use aftermarket mandrel-bent exhaust with aftermarket mufflers. I like Pypes Exhaust, but there are others that are comparable. 2.5" pipes are more than adequate for your car if you go that route.

Cameo White

Might take a look at this recent thread in the 442 section for more exhaust info.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...442-coupe.html

68Tom

Hi Joyce. As the other's said, you definitely need an entire exhaust system. As it is, I'm sure people can definitely hear you coming down the road.

If you are set on getting an OEM system, there's no better place than Gardner's Exhaust. The have them down perfectly. They're expensive, but there's a reason for that. There's plenty of others out there claiming to be "OEM", but once you get them, you'll find that they aren't. I purchased on for $350 or something like that, and a ton of cutting and bending needed to be done for them to fit. In other words, it wasn't OEM. There's absolutely nothing wrong with these cheaper systems. Heck, performance-wise many are much better. But, it's a choice you have to make.

Here's the link. http://www.gardnerexhaust.com/homepage.html

I'd definitely get that rear differential checked out. If it's leaking, chances are there's not much fluid in there which isn't a good thing.

71CutlassSupreme

I'm back..looks like I tinker w/my car every 2yrs..

Anyway, I finally found a reputable mechanic&will be getting the rear differential taken off this wed. And cleaned

My. Mechanic pointed out to me a crack I have in my rear sway bar. I looked online&found some places that sell a sway bar,but I don't know which sites you guys/gals recommend that's known for quality parts. Which quality/reputable sites do y'all recommend to get the rear sway bar? I want to keep it stock diameter.
btw, here are pics of the crack for those curious:
Picture001.jpg

Picture002-1.jpg

Thanks in advance to all,and I'll post a befor&after of the rear differential on Thursday

jdana24

As mentioned above, Gardner is a very reputable exhaust company. As far as I know, you have to buy the complete system from them, and not just mufflers. As for Walker mufflers you should be able to source them from a local retailer. With mufflers, it really boils down to the sound you are looking for. You can go on the Gardner site http://www.gardnerexhaust.com/ and they have videos and sound clips of what their systems sound like on different makes/models. Also, to hear clips of other mufflers, just go on YouTube and type in 1971 Cutlass Supreme + exhaust or the name of a muffler you are considering and there will be dozens of videos that people have put up with sounds of their exhaust. Some of the clips sound is not very good, so be aware of that.

71CutlassSupreme

Thanks all for the muffler advice,but does anyone know of where I can go to purchase a stock replacement rear swaybar for the 71 cutlass supreme automatic 350?

Indy_68_S

I believe that would be a 7/8" bar. Until recently (& maybe still) you could order it from GM parts. I think the part number is 394926 for the 7/8" bar.

Shop around...prices range from ~ $125 to $200 & up...

Although......I just looked at your pics again. I'm not sure what's going on, but that does not look like a factory 68-72 bar. Looks more like a different year/car bar that someone 'made' work.... 68-72 bars bolt to the insides of the lower control arms...

Here's a pic...

OK..so its a '65 442...but the pic works for this post...!

71CutlassSupreme

Thanks Indy for that pic&the info.
I wasn't aware of the control arm placement. I'll see if I can order the part directly from gm then which is good....i'd prefer to buy oem since I'm starting out w/fixing things on the car
I'm currently in the shop getting the rear differential cleaned, oil change, coolant, and fixing a leak at the transmission seal.
I'll post pics of the end result
Thnx again all for the help so far

Btw,61 indy,that's a nice clean underbody u got there, hopefully I can get mine to look like that soon

Indy_68_S

OK...but defore you order a new bar, let me add this...

In order for the proper bar to work you need reinforcements in the lower control arms (LCA) between the bolt holes. I can't tell how your arms are constructed. Its possible that someone just welded a plate across the bottom of the arm. This would leave the arm itself 'hollow' and when you tighten the new, proper swaybar bolts, you'll crush the LCA. Have your mech check this before you order. Your LCAs may not be ready for a factory bar....

I'm sure others here can describe this in better detail....

(BTW, that pic is not my car...just a pic from dat dare IntarWeb....Mines in my sig...)