i 'm in the process of maybe buying 1980 cutlass LS i believe and want to know what to look for,as far as problems..car been sitting for couple years, what type of rearend gears.. shocks, springs... any free mods ? what can be done... where to look for new parts replacement parts? thanks

 

Look at the engine. If it is the Olds 307 then you are good to go with another Oldsmobile transplant. If it has the Buick or Chevy engine in it then you will have to work a little harder to swap in a larger Olds engine.

Shocks and springs are probably available at your local auto parts stores. Definitely check out the front suspension. The 80s G bodies were notorious for snapping coils off of the front springs. Then whenever you would turn you would hear a loud popping as the coil moved around in the control arms.

I bet your rear gears are shallow highway gears. I don't know how readily available replacement gears are. Try to get tag info or casting numbers off of the pumpkin and post them. Someone might be able to tell you what it has.

 

Take a good close look at the rear frame rails, behind the rear wheels. North of the mason-dixon line it is hard to find a g body that you cant put your hand through the frame rail due to rust. Even cars with nice looking bodies often have considerable rust in the rear frame rails. Legally it wont pass inspection with holes in the frame, so take a good long look.

 

In 1980 the only available engines were the Buick V6, the Olds 260 gas or diesel, the 350 diesel, or the 305 Chevy. If this is a 1980 442, it would have an Olds 350. No 307s in Cutlii that year.

 

anyone know where to find stock specs for 80 cutlass