Hello guys. I've posted here before as I am looking for a 71/72 Cutlass. My question this time is do any of you use your Cutlass as a Daily or somewhat daily driver? I know back in the 90's I had a 71 S that was my only car. Sold it( like an idiot) to get a truck. Do you guys use yours regularly?
Also, I never owned a 455 Cutlass. Is the mpg that much worse than the stock 350 2 barrel? With gas prices the way they are now ( $4.05 for regular) would I be shooting myself in the foot buying an S with a 455 and than using it to get around?
Thanks for the input.

 

Drove my '72 convertible from Austin to Houston (190 miles) and it got 13 mpg. Pulled the 350 2 bbl and put in a 455/TH400. On the return trip it got 11 mpg on the freshly built engine with no miles on it. The mpg is getting better as the engine breaks in...your call

My silver car was a daily driver with a 455 until 2 years ago when I painted it and put a bigger 455 in it. It could easily be a daily driver but I would break the bank on gas...it takes 93 premium with a 10% mix of C-12 (108 leaded) at $10/gal. A tank of gas in it costs $70-$80 and it gets 6 - 8 mpg

 

Wow! So you're saying you got 13mpg on the highway with the 350 and 11mpg with the new 455? Not much of a difference for sure.
I know I read about installing an overdrive tranny (200 R4) improves the mpg. Does that mate to the 455? Does it really improve the mpg?

 

An overdrive transmission would greatly improve highway mileage. You can get adapter kits to mate almost any transmission to a 455 (BOP) bellhousing.

Again, the 455 mileage we calculated was on an engine that wasn't even broken in yet. I broke the cam in on the same day that the car went back to Austin...so the mileage is most likely better now as the rings seat fully. When we can make another long drive we'll definitely re-calculate the mileage.

 

if you look at the difference in price for a new car with some sort of comfort level to it, even if it does get 30 mpg, you can buy an awful lot of gas for the price difference. Then if you figure how much it costs for an emergency room visit after a wreck in a newer car (they are your crumple zone in the OLDS) The Olds is a HUGE bargin! I am putting in a bored and stroked 350 with a 200r4. I have been told by others with a similar install they get on the order of 20 mpg on the highway. My 4 banger pickup gets 24, my stang gets 27... Not far off with the Olds!
EFI will get you a bit more if you don't mind the expense and the hassle.
I vote for the FUN/MILE! Don't let those dinosaurs die in vain!

 

There's a few more variables to consider. What are your rear end gears, how tall are your tires, how much town vs highway miles do you drive? In the 1980's I drove a 1971 Supreme with a 455, TH400 and 2.56 gears. On the freeway high teens were common, one road trip I had three tanks that averaged 21 mpg. Then I swapped in a 350 as I wanted to use the 455 in a 1970 442 project car. The 350 got about the same milage.

Through the 1990's I drove the 1970 442 with that 455 and a 1991 ZF 6 speed (5th=.75 and 6th=.5) and 4.10 rear end gears. I still got the high teens on the highway but around town forget it... I was having too much fun and got around 10.

I have to say that in 1980's and maybe 90's Oregon gas didn't have any ethanol in it and probably had higher octane than now. So I can't say for sure this is apples to apples with what we have today. But I really enjoy driving a car with a 455 more than one with a 350.

John

 

Wow-that sounds good. Was there a "standard" rear that an S would have come with? One of the cars I called on is a 71 S with a 455 and 400 trans. The vin is 336871M223682. He sent me a picture of the rear. It has 10 bolts, but no tag. The engine has an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, not sure of the carb. It also has headers on it.

 

It was common for the automatic transmission cars to have highway gears. The 2.56, 2.78, 3.08 would all be easier on gas milage but not as snappy off the line. I do like the concept of an overdrive for the highway mileage. But how tall your tires are can change the gearing some. How heavy your foot is can change the mileage a lot! But for normal town driving even easy starts and stops will likely still be under 15 mpg and if the engine isn't performing at it's peak then closer to 10. On the other hand if you run it up to 65 and hold it there for long periods I would hope you could get mid to high teens. Not bad compared to many SUV's on the highway today. John

 

Ok. So than I would say how hard is it to find a 200 R4 transmission? Are they around and available?

 

Yes, they used them for several years on lots of different cars. If you want to put one behind a 455 you'll have to beef it up as the stock transmission wasn't designed for the torque of a 455. There's several members here running them. When you have time do a search and read through the threads. Here's one that comes to mind:

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...new-combo.html

 

They say the best are the ones
out of the late 80's models 442's, Grand Nats
and Chev SS's. All have the dual bolt patterns
and will have metric embossed across the oil pan.
I got lucky and found a core from a 87 Grand National.
If I ever get my 69 442 back together this will be the tranny.
And it will be going behind a 455. My original G block will be
holding up the shop floor, lol.

 

Basically figure an average of 10-12 mixed hwy and city. If you can live with that than go for it. Think of it as a car payment.

 

Oldcutlass: so you're saying a 455 in an S will get about 10-12mpg. Ok, that's what about what I figured. Back in the 90's when I had my 71 S I don't remember what the mpg was, but I don't think I cared back than. And than I sold it to buy a full size Ford Bronco. Bigger tank! More gas!

 

I use mine as a daily driver, it has a pretty potent BBC. I get 6-8 city with 3:08 gears and on a good day maybe 12mpg hwy. Most of my driving is @ 45 mph or less. My work commute is 8 miles round trip, and I spend about 35 - $40 per week at current prices for 93 octane. So like I said look at it as a car payment on say a $10k beater car.

 

Well I'll tell ya. I've been using my wife's 2002 Trailblazer for the last week. The mpg in that is not much better than what you're saying you get in your Cutlass.
My 99 F-150 needed some work done this week. Idler pulley,serp belt, fuel pump, fuel filter, two rear tires and inspection. It's a six cylinder and it's not too bad on gas though.

 

Before my truck went in for repairs I had been looking at a 71 S with 58k documented miles. Real nice, all original car. Didn't make an offer on it seeing as I didn't know how much I would have to lay out for my truck. Got my truck back , called the owner and he had taken a deposit on it. So there it goes.
Now I looked at one thats also nice but, as I said, it has a 455 in it and that kinda makes me nervous about the mpg.

 

Going to an overdrive (and a lock-up-converter on automatics) is a big win for especially highway gas mileage. I get horrible mileage with my 69 H/O, but a 455 and 3.91 gears with a TH400 it was not designed to deliver gas mileage.

At one point, I had a manual trans Rallye 350 with 3.42s and managed to get 24 mpg on the highway taking it very easy on a trip (in the '80s). The engine was very loose so that had to have helped. I use to get around 12 mpg avg with my H/O. With "modern" gas, I don't get close to that so the gas makes a difference too... Back when I had a bunch of cutlasses and 442s and used them as daily cars, the stick cars always got noticeably better mileage (with the stock automatics in the cars). A modern automatic would be very close to a manual.

 

If you want mpg daily driving but want an Olds for fun, keep your eyes open for a cheap mileage car so you can have both (if you've got parking for two cars). I picked up a 98 Cavalier with a five speed that gets 30-34 mpg for $800, put tires and brakes on it and done. Just found a 98 Grand Am GT, 2.4L DOHC, needs two tires and an alignment, gets at least 29 mpg without tuning, also $800.

The gas money you save will help fund your fun time.

 

All I can say if you have a 455 cu.in. engine and worry about gas mileage you might want to consider another form of transportation!

Mike

 

Well I just googled 200 R4 transmission. There are a lot of places that sell a beefed up tranny for the 455 application. All it takes is a fat wallet. I guess the perfect situation would be to find the perfect Cutlass that needs a tranny, haggle the guy down for the price of tranny repair, than swap in an overdrive trans. Than you'd be good to go all the way around. Of course, life doesn't work that way.

 

Actually, I have two other cars I could use. And there's plenty of room in my driveway,so bring on the Olds!!

 

Where are you located? This might be a good drivetrain to start with. At least the price is right for a setup you can test drive. But it's on the Oregon coast and odds are your several states away! John

http://roseburg.craigslist.org/pts/3289198145.html

"The engine: '72 Olds high-nickle block bored to .060, stnd. compression with balanced nodular iron crank assembly .010 under, Clevite 77 bearings, ARP connecting rod bolts, high volume oil pump, two row timing chain, ported (AIR bumps removed), block welded to divide the center exhaust, port-matched, 7a heads, Olds A-4 aluminum intake with EGR, '88 CC Quadrajet, HEI distributor.
approx 45K on assembly

The transmission: 2004-R Rebuilt by Anglin Transmission of Salem, approx. 35K on assembly

The Catch: It's still in the car. The good part is you can hear it run & verify the transmission works. Lots of parts go along with the '88 Caprice Classic SW, including another set of SW wheels, tires, caps and trim rings.

For another $100 I have a B-body Station Wagon factory posi rear end, hub to hub. They're not the same as a sedan, BTW.

Call Deane @ 54One-Two 65-903One for more information. I won't respond to e-mails except to ask you if you can actually read."

Tags: Cutlass, Delta 88, rat rod, hot rod



• Location: Newport, Oregon
•it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 3289198145

 

Thanks for the info and the effort. I don't think I could be any further away. I live in the middle of Long Island, NY. 11757.

 

I think you're forgetting reliability too. The car is 40 years old regardless of milage. Lots of parts deteriorate over time. If you're going to get fired for being occasionally late, you might reconsider.
I use my 72 as a DD but I rebuilt the electrical/gauges, suspension, steering, brakes, rear end, transmission, replaced the engine with a modern efi, and updated AC. Nice thing about the new 5.3 motor is 22 mpg city/hiway, and you just turn the key and drive it.

 

I only drive my '83 Cutlass on nicer days, but pretty regularly. With a 455, TH350 and 2.41s it just got 17 MPG on the last tank, mostly city. My daily driver '01 Blazer gets around 14 MPG with an overdrive transmission, mostly highway. Gas is expensive, but I completely agree with Kitfoxdave, you'd need to drive a newer car for a LONG time before it pays for itself in mileage savings. And in order to drive it that long, it's going to cost a LOT more than the older car to repair issues as they crop up.

 

Intragration:17mpg is pretty darn impressive and thats and very nice car!
Like I said, the missus' Trailblazer gets 16mpg, I would much rather be driving that Cutlass of yours!

 

Thank you! I was pretty impressed with 17 myself. It usually gets about 15, but either way, it's cheaper to drive than my DD...for now...

 

I have 3.23;s w/out an overdrive and it is livable on the highway with 275/60/15's so the same gear with an overdrive would be fine.

What are people's thoughts on sourcing a 2 bbl intake for this application & running that?

 

I don't think overall mileage with a 2bbl would improve that much unless you're getting terrible mileage because you can't keep your foot out of it. If you're driving a 455 and mileage is a consideration to the point that you're thinking about downgrading to a 2bbl, you should probably consider a lighter car with a smaller motor. JMO.

 

Some say with the smaller primaries on a quadrajet that a 4bbl might get better gas mileage as long as you dont open the sedondaries. But yeah it probably wont be much different.

I plan on driving my 455 around daily. I'll have a v6 for backup.

 

My 72 Cutlass 350 4bbl convertible thm 350 and 2.73 rear gets 13-14 around town and up to about 16 on the road with the A/C on and maybe 17-18 without the A/C. Back in 1980, just before they stopped making high octane leaded gas, my 70 Bonneville convertible 455 4bbl thm 400 and 2.93 gears got over 20 mpg on a Thanksgiving trip from Florida to North Carolina and back. I was driving very conservatively, because my radiator was partially blocked and was running a little too high.