First foray into muscle cars
March 7th, 2017, 07:10 AM
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 79
First foray into muscle cars
Hello all, looking forward to helping where I can and getting plenty of help from you guys. I'm a serviceable mechanic, but no expert so I know I'll be relying on this forum for help with the 1971 Supreme convertible I just picked up. I recently sold a TR6 I brought back to life, and am happy to get away from Lucas electric and finicky side-draft Hitachis - as well as to have a car that I can actually fit more than person and fit some stuff in the trunk (read, carpool kids and their equipment to practices).
Thanks in advance for your help. I'll be posting questions soon...
Thanks in advance for your help. I'll be posting questions soon...
March 9th, 2017, 08:00 AM
#9
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Forest Ranch Ca.
Posts: 7,721
Welcome aboard, back in the day I raced a bug eye sprite and midgets. You would think I would remember the grief I had before I bought another. Your headed in a much better way.... Best of luck..... Tedd
March 9th, 2017, 11:59 AM
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 79
Thanks all, glad I have some folks to commiserate with on the LBC thing (little british car to those of you not previously cursed with one).
A few questions that I suppose are proper for this forum:
Any particular pros and cons of the various parts suppliers (yearone, opgi, etc)?
Where can I find exploded parts diagrams, preferably online and hopefully for the entire car?
A few questions that I suppose are proper for this forum:
Any particular pros and cons of the various parts suppliers (yearone, opgi, etc)?
Where can I find exploded parts diagrams, preferably online and hopefully for the entire car?
March 9th, 2017, 01:00 PM
#11
71 cutlass convertible
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Trappe, MD
Posts: 2,018
Welcome, shop around with prices most large parts have only one maker. Fusick is just an olds supplier and one of the better ones. Get the service manual and buy an original. With a convertible look at a getting chassis manual too. I also got an assembly manual not sure it was worth it. My.02 from another 71 convertible owner.
March 9th, 2017, 01:36 PM
#12
Old(s) Fart
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,311
Welcome, shop around with prices most large parts have only one maker. Fusick is just an olds supplier and one of the better ones. Get the service manual and buy an original. With a convertible look at a getting chassis manual too. I also got an assembly manual not sure it was worth it. My.02 from another 71 convertible owner.
Also, while the Supreme Convertible is a fun car and great looking, it really isn't a "muscle car", at least not with a 350/TH350 drivetrain. Unfortunately, these days sellers call every American car from the early 60s to the mid 70s with a V8 a "muscle car", which makes people think real muscle cars weren't that quick. The 442 (at least prior to 1972) was a muscle car. A Supreme SX with a 455 can be considered a muscle car (really it was a 442 in disguise). A Cutlass with a run of the mill drivetrain and suspension is a cruiser. The Supreme was really the luxury car version of the Cutlass. Good luck and have fun with it.
March 9th, 2017, 06:17 PM
#13
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 2,357
A friend of mine had an MG for sale,gave me a test RIDE. The truck in front of us stopped fast and we slid right up to the crash bar of the trailer. I passed on that one. Drawers were clean but easily could have gone south.Never looked back. LOTS of metal is your friend.
March 10th, 2017, 06:33 AM
#14
71 cutlass convertible
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Trappe, MD
Posts: 2,018
I think what you meant to saw was with a convertible, also get the Fisher Body Manual. The CSM covers the mechanical and electrical parts of the basic car. The FBM covers the doors, roof, trunk, glass, and interior items. You need both. The Assembly Manual (technically, the Product Information Manual) is a collection of factory assembly drawings and useful for correctly reassembling but not that useful for maintenance and repair.
Also, while the Supreme Convertible is a fun car and great looking, it really isn't a "muscle car", at least not with a 350/TH350 drivetrain. Unfortunately, these days sellers call every American car from the early 60s to the mid 70s with a V8 a "muscle car", which makes people think real muscle cars weren't that quick. The 442 (at least prior to 1972) was a muscle car. A Supreme SX with a 455 can be considered a muscle car (really it was a 442 in disguise). A Cutlass with a run of the mill drivetrain and suspension is a cruiser. The Supreme was really the luxury car version of the Cutlass. Good luck and have fun with it.
Also, while the Supreme Convertible is a fun car and great looking, it really isn't a "muscle car", at least not with a 350/TH350 drivetrain. Unfortunately, these days sellers call every American car from the early 60s to the mid 70s with a V8 a "muscle car", which makes people think real muscle cars weren't that quick. The 442 (at least prior to 1972) was a muscle car. A Supreme SX with a 455 can be considered a muscle car (really it was a 442 in disguise). A Cutlass with a run of the mill drivetrain and suspension is a cruiser. The Supreme was really the luxury car version of the Cutlass. Good luck and have fun with it.
Again good luck with your car and enjoy
March 10th, 2017, 10:21 AM
#16
Old(s) Fart
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 47,311
The factory parts and illustrations book, though you won't find an exploded diagram for every single year and model. What exactly are you looking for?
Here's a link to the Jan 1972 printing of the parts and illustrations manual:
http://www.t.gmpartswiki.com/getpage?pageid=90628
Here's the matching parts book with the actual part numbers.
http://www.t.gmpartswiki.com/getpage?pageid=89287
Be warned that these on-line resources are NOT user-friendly. There is no easy way to jump from section to section short of page-by-page slogging through the document.
Here's a link to the Jan 1972 printing of the parts and illustrations manual:
http://www.t.gmpartswiki.com/getpage?pageid=90628
Here's the matching parts book with the actual part numbers.
http://www.t.gmpartswiki.com/getpage?pageid=89287
Be warned that these on-line resources are NOT user-friendly. There is no easy way to jump from section to section short of page-by-page slogging through the document.
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