62 Cutlass Convert

The 61-63cutlass is unique in that it has a unibody with integral frame with the front suspension and engine mounted on a removable front sub frame.

The front subframe mounts to the body with 3 large rubber bushings-1 on each side and one at the front under the radiator. (These are NOT motor mounts.)

These are not typical body to frame mount bushings and I can't locate a supplier-Tried Fusick, Kanter, Ames (I think pontiac tempest is the same), and a Buick supplier (Buick Special is the same) that slips my mind and no one has them.

Good ones are essential to alignment, engine and road isolation,...

Can anyone help me out with a source?

joe_padavano

No one repros these bushings. Either find NOS or have Steel Rubber revulcanize your old ones.

62 Cutlass Convert

Thanks Joe. I'll talk to Steel Rubber, and seriously evaluate mine.

Small world, I helped load your F85 wagon to bring it up from the barn down in San Jose area. I am working on one of the convertibles that came out of the same barn. If you saw the pic of my red car, your wagon was sitting right in front of it.

jensenracing77

Keep an eye on eBay. I picked up a set of side ones NOS on there about a year ago. I will see if I can find the seller, He said he had more of them at the time. I have yet to see a front one come up for sale.

62 Cutlass Convert

Thanks much. Hope he's still around.

jensenracing77

This is the guy I got them from. He has a large amount of NOS items on eBay all the time. When I got mine he said he had more. I would contact him and see what he has. They are part number 579067 group number 7.010.

http://www.ebay.com/usr/washprotim

62 Cutlass Convert

I'll give him a try.

Thanks very much

62 Cutlass Convert

Nice looking Jetfire. Are you running a Roto trans in it or did you convert it? My friend has a 62 Jetfire and we keep going back and forth about using the Roto or digging in and doing a 200 or 200r4. And please don't tell me you're lucky enough to have the 4 spd!

jensenracing77

It is the automatic. Not lucky enough to have a 4 speed but I am lucky enough to have one of the best automatic transmission rebuilders in the country. He rebuilt it and it is working very well. After I installed it I did not have the linkage adjusted correct and burned the fluid. My transmission guy said I didn't do any harm to the transmission but that I need to flush the fluid out and use type F fluid. I also adjusted the TV for a little more line pressure and not a problem since. I will say that these transmission should not have been used on a 300 ft lb torque engine. I don't let it shift while I am standing on it to often. I am not sure it would hold up long term doing that. I do hot rod it more than I should but not had a problem.
I will recommend that he takes the radiator and have it recored. Just boiling it out is not going to do it. It will need a good quality modern core or he WILL over heat. I just dropped $500 into a new USA made core. Also, Add a transmission cooler.

62 Cutlass Convert

That's great. I have an old tranny shop here that says they know it and rebld it well. I'm going with the Roto and live with the idiosyncrasies. I actually beat one pretty good in my dad's 64 Catalina and it held up at the time. I'll pass on the info too.

joe_padavano

The Roto5 in my 62 is working pretty well now. I've done nothing to it other than changing the fluid after it had sat for 30 years. When I changed to the E-brock carb, I naturally had to ditch the stock linkage (including the throttle valve linkage) and fabricate my own. Without the special Burroughs Tool adjustment gauge, setting the TV rod has been trial and error - mostly error. I've been lengthening the link little by little, and earlier this year I finally hit the sweet spot. The trans downshifts correctly and actually upshifts pretty well too. It's not a TH400, but it's OK to drive now.

joe_padavano

Cool, and thanks. I saw all of Dean Scott's cars almost two years ago when I first heard about the wagon. Gene McKay and I went to look at them in Jan '12.

62 Cutlass Convert

I am rebuilding the stock brakes on the car and I have not been able to buy a brake hardware kit (springs) that match the springs on the car. The local autoparts store sold me Centric parts which they eventually said started in 64, not 62.

I saw Kanter had a kit and bought front/back on those and they are similar to the Centric springs, shorter and bigger around. They say that's the right kit.

Joe, do you or anyone else have experience doing a brake rebuild and what hardware kit did you use or did you go with the old springs. This car sat for a maybe 40 years so I gotta think the springs are likely originals.

jensenracing77

The original 62s were manual adjust brakes. The 63 had the automatic adjust brakes. I know the 63 complete setup will fit the 62 but i am not sure what all is differant between them. They may be selling a set to retrofit everything to the 63??? I am interested in knowing more about this also because I plan to update my brake system to the auto adjust setup. Another good source for info and parts is Ken Dennison. He has his number posted in this thread.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...purchased.html

62 Cutlass Convert

Still checking around on this. I don't believe only a spring kit will convert it to self-adjusting. It would at least need a different adjuster but I think you are right in that the adjuster spring in the kit is smaller than my original and appears to be for a self-adjuster mechanism.

62f85deluxecutlassconv

Anyone know if the 579067 mount will interchange with the 585271 used on a 62 convertible?
Mine do not have the ribs as shown in the pictures of the 579067. Plus mine appear to have slits on each side of the rubber inside the mount.

62 Cutlass Convert

I have the 579067 mounts which I haven't tried yet. The subframe has not been removed from the car but I do not the top of the busing is flat on the mounts that are on the car vs. the ribbed or jagged look the 579067 mounts have. Once I drop the suspension I will post an update.

Where did you get the part number? Do you have a factory breakdown or assembly manual or have you pulled the mounts and they have a pn noted on them?

I wouldn't think the various models would differ, maybe one is an update?

62f85deluxecutlassconv

Number is from the bottom of the bushing on my car.

There is also a parts book online.

Oldsmobile 1949-1962

It's a pain to work with, but being a parts guy I can figure it out.

If your familiar with GM parts catalogs it will help. Otherwise you will go nuts trying to understand it.

62 Cutlass Convert

Do you have a link or a site where it is located? Took a quick look and I didn't see it.

Is this an online document or a purchase. Either way I want one!

Thanks

62f85deluxecutlassconv

GMPARTSWIKI.COM

You'll have to search the catalog.

Here is the starting cover page link.

http://www.gmpartswiki.com/getpage?pageid=1698

And the last page is here.
http://www.gmpartswiki.com/getpage?pageid=2479

62f85deluxecutlassconv

You can go page by page, or jump by guessing the page number.

62 Cutlass Convert

Thanks, I'll give it a try

62 Cutlass Convert

Found the correct pages, I see the different #s for 1962. Picture is probably generic from 61 showing the ribbed mounts and they didn't change it for '62. I'll be checking mine out in a while and can report back. Also, I'll take a look at the other 62's we have and see if ANY have the ribs, 2 convs and 2 jetfires.

62f85deluxecutlassconv

Great. Thanks.

62 Cutlass Convert

Hey, checked out the other 62's and all have a flat top to the mount and the lower washer.

I took some pictures with a tape so you can see dimensions on my new 579067 jagged top mounts which are still in the box. If you send me your email address I'll send them out to you and we can see if 61 mounts are same dim as 62.

62f85deluxecutlassconv

It would be great to have the dimensions to see if these would still fit.

I'd say the critical numbers would be as follows
ID for bolt diameter. Mine is .5600" and the bolt fits a bit loose.
OD at of top of inner sleeve just above the ribs. To make sure it fits hole in sub-frame. Mine is roughly .720, but that's where mine have damage.
OD of outer sleeve. Top and bottom. My opening in crossmember is 1.9880" at bottom (it may taper from top)
Height from just under lip in outer sleeve to base of inner sleeve where it fits into sub-frame. Mine is roughly .70" this would set the height of the crossmember.


Thanks
Kevin

62f85deluxecutlassconv

Well, after some work last night, they appear to fit.
I just don't like how they fit.
The inner metal sleeve does fit into the frame rail. That's great.
The problem, the ribbed section sits about 3/8" below.
This also moves the crossmember down, maybe 1/4" below the original style bushing used on my car.
I would think on the earlier cars, maybe it had a recess so the ribs would sit against the frame horn.

62 Cutlass Convert

I am going to be pulling my front subframe soon to service everything and check parts. That get's me off my back under the car and I'll be checking out your feedback on the old style mounts too. Maybe some more info then.