I've been slowly working on getting my dad's 1964 cutlass up to snuff over the past year or so. A quick background of the car:

My grandpa (on my dad's side) bought the car way back in the 60's and owned the car until he passed away in the late 90's. My dad inherited the car and my mom and dad drove it for a long time but the brakes went out and life got busy for them so my dad parked it in the garage until he could get around to fixing it. That never really happened and Fast forward to 2020 I started working on the car to get it back to running condition.

My brother was actually brought home from the hospital in 1994 in this car, so this car has some serious history with our family. I talked with my mom and dad and it seems like every relative we have, on both my dad's and mom's side, have at one point been in this Oldsmobile. My mom used to drive me and my brother to school, about a 20 minute commute from where we lived in this car. My brother and I called it the flying car since it felt like we were flying when we were in it. My parents weren't so well off financially and so my mom was forced to drive this car as her daily driver, it is all she had! My poor mother was reminiscing the other day to me about how she used to cry because she couldn't turn the steering wheel when trying to park (the powersteering pump had died). She said sometimes she would get stuck forever trying to get it out of a tight spot, all with two screaming children in the back seat. Of course once you got it moving it was easy.


Some pics of the same car under my Grandpa's ownership, early 70's?:

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My dad's health is not so well so I took it upon myself to bring this car back to its former glory. I got it running decently, rebuilt the brake system, pulled the fuel tank, changed every fluid from differential fluid to coolant. Anyways the engine has probably a few hundred thousand miles on it, my dad speculates. This was a daily driver for years and years! Engine was never rebuilt and the entire car is original albeit needs work all around. There is very minimal rust and the paint is even fair.


My mom, pregnant with my brother circa 1994:

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Fast forward to 2020:


I pulled the engine last summer to give the engine a reseal/cleaning. Prior to its removal it didn't run too great and now I've got the block on a stand, debating what to do with it (until recently). I've decided it needs a rebuild and I want some serious input as to where I should get it rebuilt. I know there are plenty of shops who will take on this engine but I want some suggestions. This car means a lot to us and I want this engine to be restored to pretty much exactly how it was. It is a 2 speed automatic with the 330 engine so it has okay power. It will never be a race car so I feel there is no reason to bore the engine out. I want the engine rebuilt to original specs if possible, or as close as can be done with what we have.

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Theres a ton of material in the oil pan which I thought was no big deal. All of this was at the front where the timing chain was eating the cam/crankshaft sprockets. I did however find a big chunk of metal in the next picture which is very worrisome.

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A friend of my dad's who works on Buick's came over and thought that it was some bearing material:

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Looks like the crank and camshaft sprockets have been changed at some point at least but now they are worn again and there is also a ton of slack in the chain.

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Long story short, can anyone suggest where to get this engine rebuilt by someone preferably who works with Oldsmobile engines? I am located near Sacramento and I have a truck I can drive it to somewhere give or take 4 hours. If not, I hope you at least enjoyed the story behind this car.

- Sonny

 

Great story and pics!
​​​​​​ I've not a clue where to go for a rebuild but I'm wondering what is wrong with the engine. The engine if original was a 330 not a 350, it's going to matter when looking for parts. The 64 ,330 is a bit unique, different radiator and water pump, timing pointer, and shaft rockers vs individual rockers.

Before deciding to rebuild an engine I like to know what is wrong with it. I'd suggest pulling the valve covers, removing the rocker shafts and doing a leakdown test. Next inspect the crankshaft they were steel cranks, you may just need bearings. Find out where that piece of metal is from. Is it magnetic? It may be a chunk from the old cam gear.

If you choose to pull it apart keep EVERYTHING in order from where it was removed.

Sometime those old engines need from way less than you expect to being not repairable. This is why I like to know what I'm getting into first. It may just need a cleanup, gaskets, and timing chain etc.

Start with identifying that chunk of metal and looking completely inside the oil pump screen and open the pump. Take pictures and keep EVERYTHING in order.

I had a '64 vert, yellow with black interior. 330 4bbl High compression.

Good luck!!!

 

Yeah 330 I mean, no idea why I wrote 350. I think because I remember the block is almost identical. So far yeah I took apart most of the engine while labeling everything in the original order. So we are good in that department. I remember you helped me on my other thread a bunch, thanks for that!

Sounds like our cars were very similar!

Good idea, I should assess where that material came from.

 

Last year I had a 455 short block stoked to 488 by Victory Machine in Campbell, CA, near San Jose. Call and ask for Vic. Not really close to you but they do good work and stayed on schedule. Pre-covid they were pretty backed up with work but once I got my engine slotted in they got it done promptly. I don't know how busy they are right now. The primary machinist Scott did a lot of Olds Jet Boat engines over the years so he knows what to do differently on the Olds blocks.

 

If you are just looking for a stock rebuild you might also consider buying a rebuilt long block from your favorite parts store as it is likely to be 1/2 the cost of getting a local shop to rebuild your 330. All your small block accessories would transfer over to a 350 or 403 long block. Rebuilt long blocks are available from autozone and oreilly around here for $2200 to $2500, a little less if you give them a matching core. They are all likely full of offshore parts but some of them come with a 4 year warranty. If you can find one a 403 would be lots of fun in your car, even with the Jetaway 2-speed.

 

Gene, 64rocket is in your part of the country. He might be able to help.

 

hello, I'm in Fremont, the Bay area.
You can message me here,
or at gene@oldsmobileonly.com

Gene