Another new guy

[Willidog]

Hey all, just registered and thought I would say hi. My name is Keith. I am currently working on the restoration of a 1969 Cutlass S. My original Cutlass was a column shift 2 door Holiday coupe. It got T-boned in 1994 by a guy with no license or insurance. I am in the Navy and right after I got hit I went overseas for 13 years so the car sat in outside storage the whole time. Needless to say time was not kind to the car. I recently got back to the states and decided to try and restore it. The body left (I meant right quarter) quarter, rocker panel, inner and outer wheel wells and the pass door are toast. Got a donor car off of E-Bay for 900 bucks and started working on it. The E-Bay car is a console shift. Got a long way to go with it but working it slowly. Hope to gain some insight and help with the resto from you guys.

[Olds64]

Welcome to the website. That is a pretty car. Good luck on your restoration. We have alot of good information here.

[2blu442]

Welcome to the site, you'll have to post pictures of your progress! John

[rocketraider]

Consider this: whichever car has the best body, restore that one. No point in cutting up a good body to restore a basket case; economics overrides sentimentality unless you have a super-rare car (and a 69 S is not). You'll come out cheaper with a better quality resto in the long run.

This can be legally questionable and may open up a can of worms if one car has a salvage title. If you hold clear title to both cars transfer the VIN and data plate from your original one to the better body IF retaining your original car is that important.

[Willidog]

Yea, I thought about the VIN and all. I am definately getting rid of the wrecked car which is why I bought the donor. Just going to transplant allot of it over. I have a clear title for the donor and the title for my original car from Ohio. Probably just keep the title for the donor and reregister it. I will keep the VIN tag and title from mine just in case California gives me a hard time about it. The donor has a Cali title from 1987 (I think, it may be from 88, I'd have to look at it again).

[Oldsguy]

Willidog,
Welcome to our site and good luck on your restoration. I hope you get no troubles from the state concerning your title/registration.
You mentioned your service in the Navy and 13 years of overseas service. Long time, was that three rotations? I retired in '95.

[Willidog]

I have actually done 15 1/2 years overseas, first tour was 84-87 in Sasebo, Japan onboard USS St. Louis (LKA-116), then I got out for a year and a half, then I re-enlisted and spent 5 years in San Diego onboard the USS Vancouver (LPD-2) , spent over a year in the Persian Gulf on that tour for Desert Shield/Storm and enforcing the no fly zone, then a year and a half on the USS Jouett (CG-29) where I spent another 7 months in the Gulf. Then I went for my first shore duty in Atsugi Japan, then I went to the USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) out of Sasebo again. Then I went to the USS Essex (LHD-2) out of Sasebo. Then I did three years at the Fleet Industrial Supply Center Yokosuka Det Sasebo working at the Fuel Farm. Then I went to Guam onboard the USS Cable (AS-40), a sub tender for three years, now I am at the Fleet Industrial Supply Center San Diego. Long career that is almost at an end. I am married to a Japanese girl and she wants me to move back to Japan after I am finished. I think that it will run me around 8 grand to take my car over there and register it.

[Oldsguy]

Wow, lots of sea duty. What is your rating a machinist or something? Don't want to get too off topic here from Oldsmobiles but you might want to check this site out and join up.

http://navy.togetherweserved.com/usn/index.jsp

I am on there already, if you are interested and join you can look me up under ATC Daniel Sorrell. About the car in Japan, if you do retire or settle there and take the car over there it will be a big hit with the Japanese guys. There is a real love affair with American stuff as you know and I discovered recently that American muscle and even older hot rods are a real big thing over there. Good luck.

[Willidog]

Added you to my shipmates!

[Willidog]

Here are some shots of my progress.

[Willidog]

And more

[71rocket]

Wow! Looking good. Don't loose sight of the end.

[Oldsguy]

Oh man! that is sweet! keep it up.

[Willidog]

Me and Montiel1 tried to start the car tonight, all we got was a backfire. I don't see any oil coming through the line to the oil pressure gauge so I will probably end op taking the valve covers off to see if there is any oil flow through there (I just installed new gauges and the oil pressure gauge has one of those clear plastic lines that goes to the gauge so you can see the oil in the line.) Luckily I have an extra set of valve cover gaskets. I sure hope I don't have to drop the pan again to check out the oil pump! We pulled the plug on number one to make sure the piston was at TDC and when I went to put it back in I dropped it and broke the ceramic. We decided that that was a sign for us to stop for the night because it was dark and getting cold if you can believe that, cold in Southern Cal! Hopefully with tomorrow being a day off we can try again.

[citcapp]

Welcome aboard,

You need to meet Jamesbo. He is doing a frame off a well with a 5-speed
you will find common ground here. He is all over in several threads. Including this forum

[Jamesbo]

Me thinks you've got me confused with gearhead 78.

I'm still trying to figger out how to change my air filter?

[Allan R]

Originally Posted by Willidog

Here are some shots of my progress.

I really loved your innovative use of "small block technology" as a body lift. Way to go. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Nice job on the frame. What color is the finished car going to be?

[gearheads78]

Originally Posted by citcapp

Welcome aboard,

You need to meet Jamesbo. He is doing a frame off a well with a 5-speed
you will find common ground here. He is all over in several threads. Including this forum

Who's that guy? I need to see some pictures of his work.

Willidog welcome and thank you for the service to our country!!!

[Willidog]

The car will be Nassau Blue as orignal. Got the thing started today! If you have time for the story here it is. We plugged everything in where we though it should be, went to start the car and nothing. Messed around a little while with the HEI distributor and finally got the car to start. After starting it for about the third time we realized that the starter was staying engaged after we started it and also that the ignition was starting the car when placed in the "run" position. MEssed around with the wiring a little bit and went to start it again and....nothing at all, no starter, no click, no nothing. Started scratching our heads a messing with more wires, pulled the fuses and cleaned the ends, got a voltmeter and played with that a while, called the neighbor over, used our lifelines, everything and still nothing. I was looking under the dash for the 50th time when I realized that the nuetral safety switch was not connected. Started messing with those wires and voila,,,it started. I guess the wires (which are just laying on the floorboard of the car) must have been in just enough contact to start the car a few times until we got in the car and moved them, they became disconnected and then it wouldn't turn over anymore. That was freaky to say the least. Anyway, still having problems with the ignition starting the car in the run position and not the start position, then when the car does start you now have to turn the key to off before the starter will disengage and the car keeps running with the key in the off position. My biggest question right now is what should the timing be set at with the new HEI ignition on the 69 350 5.7L. Can't seem to find that info anywhere. Also if there are any electricians in the San Diego area that can come over and help it would be appreciated!
I'll be watching this post to see if anyone answers the timing question or even any of the wiring questions.

[Oldsguy]

It sounds like you have a bad starter switch or at least a terminal shorted. If there is any way you can get to that switch I would replace it.

[Willidog]

Made some progress on my car, started putting body panels on. Also got the A/C delete heater box installed (and my rocket 350 sticker for the air cleaner which will make the car go MUCH FASTER when completed.)

[Willidog]

And more pics. If anyone has a passenger door and some front fenders, let me know please. Thanks.

[gearheads78]

Looking good man

[Willidog]

I installed the dash, here are some shots:

[Allan R]

Originally Posted by Willidog

I installed the dash, here are some shots:

Hey Willidog,
Are you interested in dressing up the dash? Take a look at this link, it's got the woodgrain dash kit for the 69 complete with the silver trim on the edges http://www.hhclassicauto.com . Look under On Site, then products, then dash. They've also got the console kit. BTW, you're doing a great job. Looking forward to seeing it done.

[Willidog]

I was looking at those console inserts but I don't see any that are not wood grain. Wood grain will not go with the rest of my interior. Here is a shot of the car on the trailer before departing for the body shop.