First Trip
August 2nd, 2016, 09:23 PM
#1
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Join Date: May 2016
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 540
First Trip
We just returned from taking our 65 Cutlass convert on its first trip. It was a 400 mi. round trip up to our lake cottage. We had NO problems. I had forgotten how well these cars rode and handled, except for the over boosted steering. We discovered that it badly needs new weatherstripping around the top. The wind noise was terrible, much quieter with the top down. Also there was some vibration at 60+ mph that I'm thinking is bad u-joints or out of balance driveshaft as I had the tires balance.
That little 330 4bll is amazingly responsive even though I think the timing is later than it should be and/or it has low comp pistons as there was no evidence of pinging on 81 octane. Even so it got ~16 US mpg at 65 to 75 mph.
I am very pleased with this car and it sure turned a lot of heads!
That little 330 4bll is amazingly responsive even though I think the timing is later than it should be and/or it has low comp pistons as there was no evidence of pinging on 81 octane. Even so it got ~16 US mpg at 65 to 75 mph.
I am very pleased with this car and it sure turned a lot of heads!
August 3rd, 2016, 02:58 PM
#2
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 1,587
Congratulations. Sounds like a great car.
You can perfectly balance a square, but it won't ride as smooth as a circle. I have always had, and continue to have, troubles finding a tire tech who can actually mount Olds SS-II wheels straight on a spin balancer. The last guy told me that all of my wheels are bent, with two of them being terrible. He "balanced" all four. It rode horrible. I then brought the car to my favorite chassis shop where they balance the wheel assembly on the car. Turns out that all four wheels have almost zero run-out; they aren't bent at all. And all four balanced up nicely (though one tire had more than 1/8 inch run-out itself, which is something else you should check).
You can perfectly balance a square, but it won't ride as smooth as a circle. I have always had, and continue to have, troubles finding a tire tech who can actually mount Olds SS-II wheels straight on a spin balancer. The last guy told me that all of my wheels are bent, with two of them being terrible. He "balanced" all four. It rode horrible. I then brought the car to my favorite chassis shop where they balance the wheel assembly on the car. Turns out that all four wheels have almost zero run-out; they aren't bent at all. And all four balanced up nicely (though one tire had more than 1/8 inch run-out itself, which is something else you should check).
August 4th, 2016, 04:27 AM
#4
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,325
Weatherstripping will definitely help, but it wont get rid of it. I had to replace all of mine because of dry rot, and while it helped, it is still noisier than having the top down. I just play it off because I almost always have the top down anyway.
August 4th, 2016, 12:05 PM
#5
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Join Date: May 2016
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 540
Not what I wanted to hear lol as we often have to have the top up especially spring and fall
August 4th, 2016, 12:38 PM
#6
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Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,325
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