82 cutlass I need some guidance on
June 12th, 2021, 06:15 AM
#1
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82 cutlass I need some guidance on
I recently bought an 82 cutlass S with apparently a 1970 350 rocket in it and 400 tranny...need alot of assistance.. would like some advice on what kind of headers will fit the 350 in this model...what kind of carb I should buy...cam etc to beef her up...also looking at buying a 455 rocket from a 68 delmont...68-70 is supposed to be the 455s best years?
Last edited by Kurtyk; June 12th, 2021 at 06:53 AM.
June 12th, 2021, 08:31 PM
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June 13th, 2021, 01:01 AM
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thanks for the reply..im a total newbie...getting older at 40 y.o and grew up on g.m vehicles.. I bought this cutlass with the 350 ...4 barrel Holley..has duel exhaust and 10 bolt rear end...I've done my research and it seems 68 -70 were the best rockets...just trying to figure out how to maximize what I have...headers...cam...rear end..etc... just wanting guys like you with experience to give me advice...I'm on the verge of buying a 455 out of a 68 delmont that again 68 - 70 was suppose to be a strong motor...just to have and mess with over the years to someday swap...but my old man seems to think it's better just to supe up the 1970 350 and leave the 455 alone..but being that it's a late 60s 455 instead of the mid 70s smog motors ,it has my attention
I have no idea of your budget, but A few things.
It is a 1982 g body cutlass. the rear end unless swapped for a 442 or a h/o or a gn 8.5" ring gear 10 bolt. It has the very weak g.m. 7.5" ring gear 10 bolt rear axle.
I would upgrade the 350 in it as money and time allow, After looking over the rear frame rails from infront of the rear tires to the back of the car. this is a known issue of frame rot on g bodies that saw winters or mud collected and kept getting damp.
I would find out what gears are in your rear end, you will need to know this, to pick a cam that work with the gearing, or plan on changing the gears for the cam you plan on running. Either way, you'll need to know what it has.
Was your cutlass a v8 car or a v6 car? check the vin. v6 cars had gearing in the rear that isn't for performance but for economy.
I have a rear out of a v6 monty here with 2.14 gears in it. great for highway cruising, but for performance, nope.
The 455 sounds like a great idea till you understand the cost of everything behind it , the g body driveshaft isn't up to it, the 7.5" rear isn't up to it. an s g.n. 8.5" rear is not cheap. The stock rear 4 link frame brackets are not upto it without adding some welds, gussets.
Fitting dual exhaust under them without an aftermarket transmission crossmember can be a pain.
You have a better chance of everything behind the engine living with the 350, than the 455 torque that will break stuff.
Again, no idea of your skills or budget. but here is a run down of the parts cost in 2001 money as I built a g body with a 500 caddy v8
Aftermarket transmission crossmember 250.00,/ 3" thick wall drive shaft and u joints balanced 325.00/ 86 442 8.5" ten bolt rear with 373 gears and limited slip drum to drum, 850.00, tubular 4 links 499.00 good shocks 239.00 built th350 and 3200 stall converter 765.00
That is just the stuff behind the engine and that was back in 2001.
Good luck, but look at your budget with a foot in reality.
June 13th, 2021, 02:34 PM
#6
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Leave the 455 in the wishful thinking.
I have no idea of your budget, but A few things.
It is a 1982 g body cutlass. the rear end unless swapped for a 442 or a h/o or a gn 8.5" ring gear 10 bolt. It has the very weak g.m. 7.5" ring gear 10 bolt rear axle.
I would upgrade the 350 in it as money and time allow, After looking over the rear frame rails from infront of the rear tires to the back of the car. this is a known issue of frame rot on g bodies that saw winters or mud collected and kept getting damp.
I would find out what gears are in your rear end, you will need to know this, to pick a cam that work with the gearing, or plan on changing the gears for the cam you plan on running. Either way, you'll need to know what it has.
Was your cutlass a v8 car or a v6 car? check the vin. v6 cars had gearing in the rear that isn't for performance but for economy.
I have a rear out of a v6 monty here with 2.14 gears in it. great for highway cruising, but for performance, nope.
The 455 sounds like a great idea till you understand the cost of everything behind it , the g body driveshaft isn't up to it, the 7.5" rear isn't up to it. an s g.n. 8.5" rear is not cheap. The stock rear 4 link frame brackets are not upto it without adding some welds, gussets.
Fitting dual exhaust under them without an aftermarket transmission crossmember can be a pain.
You have a better chance of everything behind the engine living with the 350, than the 455 torque that will break stuff.
Again, no idea of your skills or budget. but here is a run down of the parts cost in 2001 money as I built a g body with a 500 caddy v8
Aftermarket transmission crossmember 250.00,/ 3" thick wall drive shaft and u joints balanced 325.00/ 86 442 8.5" ten bolt rear with 373 gears and limited slip drum to drum, 850.00, tubular 4 links 499.00 good shocks 239.00 built th350 and 3200 stall converter 765.00
That is just the stuff behind the engine and that was back in 2001.
Good luck, but look at your budget with a foot in reality.
I have no idea of your budget, but A few things.
It is a 1982 g body cutlass. the rear end unless swapped for a 442 or a h/o or a gn 8.5" ring gear 10 bolt. It has the very weak g.m. 7.5" ring gear 10 bolt rear axle.
I would upgrade the 350 in it as money and time allow, After looking over the rear frame rails from infront of the rear tires to the back of the car. this is a known issue of frame rot on g bodies that saw winters or mud collected and kept getting damp.
I would find out what gears are in your rear end, you will need to know this, to pick a cam that work with the gearing, or plan on changing the gears for the cam you plan on running. Either way, you'll need to know what it has.
Was your cutlass a v8 car or a v6 car? check the vin. v6 cars had gearing in the rear that isn't for performance but for economy.
I have a rear out of a v6 monty here with 2.14 gears in it. great for highway cruising, but for performance, nope.
The 455 sounds like a great idea till you understand the cost of everything behind it , the g body driveshaft isn't up to it, the 7.5" rear isn't up to it. an s g.n. 8.5" rear is not cheap. The stock rear 4 link frame brackets are not upto it without adding some welds, gussets.
Fitting dual exhaust under them without an aftermarket transmission crossmember can be a pain.
You have a better chance of everything behind the engine living with the 350, than the 455 torque that will break stuff.
Again, no idea of your skills or budget. but here is a run down of the parts cost in 2001 money as I built a g body with a 500 caddy v8
Aftermarket transmission crossmember 250.00,/ 3" thick wall drive shaft and u joints balanced 325.00/ 86 442 8.5" ten bolt rear with 373 gears and limited slip drum to drum, 850.00, tubular 4 links 499.00 good shocks 239.00 built th350 and 3200 stall converter 765.00
That is just the stuff behind the engine and that was back in 2001.
Good luck, but look at your budget with a foot in reality.
June 13th, 2021, 04:36 PM
#7
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Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 292
thanks so much for the reply.. ya the frame rails are perfect..that was the first thing I looked at..has a 40p turbo trans alreadyalready ..unsure if it had a 3.8 or 307 in it stock...already has duel exhaust.. brand new holly 4 barrel...hurst shifter...needs some floor work on drivers side but other than that body is straight and in excellent shape...I have an opportunity to buy a 455 out of a 68 delmont...850 bucks canadian..apparently theres a sticker on a valve cover that states the engine was rebuilt at some time...I may purchase it for now ,sit on it and focus on the 350 for now...what kind of gears would you suggest running?
a 3.23 gear or do like g.m. did with the 442 cars with the non over drive transmission an 3.42 gear.
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