Mr.Cutloose

I have an awsome 85 cutlass with the classic 307 Y code engine that I got from my uncle in PA. I'm trying to figure out what I should do to it. I've been told that building off the 307 isnt worth it. I've been told that putting a small block 350 in it is the best bet. Overall I don't want to have like 500 horsepower. I'm not dragging my 85. I just want more torque with about 100-200 more horsepower. Just something that will make people say, "Damn whats in that cutlass?" lol. Any suggestions guys? I'm new to this site lol and i currently go to NTI (Nascar Technical Institute). I got two pictures one is before it was painted and after it was painted. enjoy

citcapp

Welcome to the site. A 350 Olds engine is a good choice for more hp. Be aware that the transmission that you now have will not hold up well behind the added torque and hp of the 350. You will either have to have it built to handle the extra hp and torque or install a turbo 350. There are others on this site who are doing or have done this conversion they will chime in with more input. Good luck

Mr.Cutloose

thanks...what about a new rear end? i deffinatly know that i need a new one espically since its 24 years old lol...what kind of rear end should i have with a small block 350 for a somewhat sport application not racing application...along with a kind of transmission? i think i should stick with the 4 speed less gears i gotta mess with espically since im not dragging it...

Lady72nRob71

I am all for a 350 with an upgraded 200R4 mated to it. Use a 3:73 or 3:23 rear and you should be good to go! Even the stock ECM can be made to work with the 350 if desired.

As for the 307, they do make good boat anchors, mailbox supports, coffee tables, sawhorses, etc.

wolfman98

Cool it would already have built in cupholders

Oldsguy

Welcome to CO Cutloose, good choice of color for the repaint, your car looks real nice.

Mr.Cutloose

thanks ...i told my dad i wanted to try and keep the paint as close as the original paint as possible because i really didnt want to spend more money in replacing the seats and the interior...unfortunately we replaced the whole interior and the floor has black carpet now instead of the stock GM light blue or dark green? really hard for me to figure out which color it was lol...the roof is now a moon roof instead of a sun roof because my uncle had it custom made from the factory and i couldnt find the parts to fix it...although i still have the wiring for it saved so if i really want to i can cut the seals on the moon roof and rip the cieling out and add the switch and part needed to fix it...but im just a college student now at NTI and i cant find a job to do what i really want to do to it...my dad got it repainted and put new rims and tires on as a high school graduation gift ...the car needs to be lowered maybe an inch to be back to the stock height...the chrome that came with it on the doors and the side panels im leaving off because i had a high build up of rust undernieth them...i think it looks more custom with them off plus when i put brought my olds in to my classroom at nti people mistakened it for an 86 buick regal LOL...also i wanted to say that i want to put a small block 350 chevy in it...but its so overdone i dont know if i want to or not...cause im about 20 minutes away from this place called pull apart and i can get a small block chevy w/ a warrenty for like 150 bucks or so and a trany with it for 300 with the warrenties for both of em

rocketraider

That is the understatement of the century.

Back in the Pete Pesterre days, Popular Hot Rodding used to have a slogan about overdone trends-

"Done to death"

Your car, your money, do what you want.

Olds64

If you swap the SBC into your car you are going to have to change mounts, wires, etc. The SBO 350 will be a direct bolt in.

Joeypete

Sweet...those are before and after pics I assume? Very nice! I like the stock wheels though...

Lady72nRob71

This should help you make an easy decision...
SBO all the way!

Oldsguy

Unless you really are looking for a sledghammer..........

Mr.Cutloose

dont get me wrong i was debating to keep the stock rims or get new ones and im actually glad that i got new ones because two out of the four stock ones were bent...so if i can find two new rims for it ill be glad to put em back on there ...and a reply to my "understatment" thats true lol it is my car and my money...and tbh i think i could bore out the cylinders by .040" of an inch on each cylinder and still get what i want with power

Joeypete

Ah that sucks they are bent. I remember back in 93 or 94 I test drove an 88 Cutlass Supreme Classic and it had the rallye wheels...holy crap I was in love with those things...they looked beautiful. haha I like the rims you chose too though...they look very sharp and the paint is gorgeous!

Mr.Cutloose

thanks i saw the american racing rims awhile back when i was 14 and i seen them on alot of trucks and REAL american muscle cars like the chevelle or the late 60s Camaros. But they were customs so I figured I'd make a Custom Cutlass but not over due it. I used to live near an army base and anyone there that had a cutlass put like rims over 36" big on it and it looked sooo stupid...oh and the SBO how hard is it to find one? cause the only two 350 SBO i can think of is the 5.7L 350 DSL or the rocket 350?

Joeypete

I am not a fan of donks either. But man, everytime I see a Cutlass for sale around here in Tucson, they look like that! It's criminal...LOL

I love the 350 DSL...I mean I know it is basically a POS...haha...but it always interested me...I love the clatter.

How many miles are on the 307 you have in it now?

dan2286

Where are you located? It would be easier to tell you if a 350 is easy to find and how much they usually are. Stay away from diesels, they are worse than 307's with power but they do get better gas mileage.

Joeypete

ha, yeah the diesels are hard to come by anyhow. They've actually had a surge in popularity as of late, probably because of the high gas prices.

dan2286

One actually just popped up in a junkyard by me

Joeypete

Really...nice, just the engine or did it actually come with a car too?

dan2286

It was with a car also I can't remember what kind it was though, I know it wasn't a g body, something bigger.

Joeypete

Cool! Probably a Delta...I think they were the most common with diesels. Speaking of which, I need to head to the junkyard again...it's a blast!

Redog

Tell your Uncle to drive it to Newtown and put the keys in my mailbox

the 85-90 307's are the worst ones, find a 350 or 403 olds and it's a direct swap. a SBC requires a lot of work to fit in.

Mounts, wiring, different transmission just to name a few

zed

What's wrong with the '85 307s? I'm curious as I'm about to use one.

Mr.Cutloose

i got 37k miles on my cutlass ...what killed my olds the most since it was up north the rust almost killed it! The only other major issue is that it leaks oil but hey im going to yank the engine out rebuild it and put it to the side and drop a SBC in it w/ a new trany 4 speed on the floor ...i love my olds it was my first car when i turned 13 years old

Joeypete

Yeah rust is a killer! A Cutlass was my first car too. My dad inherited an 85 Supreme sedan from his aunt when she died in 1990...it was only 5 years old and had 20K miles on it...like brand new! I remember how excited I was when my brother in law delivered it to us...it was the newest car we had ever owned! lol Only had a 231 one...slower than crap...but was a beautiful car...I miss it.

The 307 in my Custom Cruiser was leaking oil too when I got it...was the valve covers. Runs great now that I fixed it.

Joeypete

Probably because of the 7A heads...kinda sucked the life out of the engine a bit. They still are fine for my purposes but I've always heard to get an 84 or older model to get the larger 5A heads.

Mr.Cutloose

mine is the oil pan seals are bad...but because i had to install new headers and pipes the custom job makes it impossible to do w/o taking the engine out a little ways and droppin the pipes

1973oldsomega

Yup live in the Tucson area my self and everytime i look at a cutlass for sale on craigslist they always have like 24 in rims on alot of them. It really wrecks the look of the vehicle especially when they do it to the late 60's early 70's models

zed

Oh, ok then.That makes sense. I'm not too worried about that though.I just want reliability and reasonable mileage.I've had this little 307 for about 5 years.I think it's well over 100k miles.Still runs like a top and doesn't burn oil. Yes the valve covers seap. Before I put it in my '82 98 I'm gonna do the timing chain/gear and v.c. gaskets.I may do the frost plugs while it's out.I should keep the heads from the 307 I yanked.Great, more stuff in the garage...

wolfman98

I changed the oil pan seals and gasket by unbolting the mounts and jacking it up as high as possible.Regular exhaust manifolds so I don't know if yours get in the way of something?

Mr.Cutloose

i have custom headers and pipes and the pipes run directly under the pan ...i had cracked headers and my pipes had like 3 holes in the two before the cat and one after it lol...it was rediculous

wolfman98

yeah I had to take off the crossover pipe and then jack up the motor but I did not have to unbolt the tranny.Even then it was not really easy to get it out.