Magna86

This is another sad example fo when someone gets a bright idea!

http://lexington.craigslist.org/cto/3962224603.html

oldstata

I almost lost it didn't see what you were talking about tell I saw that side view wow

oldcutlass

You are so 4 seconds ago.

svnt442

Ack!

yamahondarider

This ones by me. Granted its a 55 chevy not an olds so its a tad off topic but a shorty none the less http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/3985446564.html

oldstata

Could you imagin seeing that nice front grill in you rear view mirror ! Slow down so they could pass you and see that ack job I think I would wreck in shock or my thumb up would turn to a bird

oldcutlass

I wonder if some amusement park is missing some merry go round cars?

I bet some clown climbs out when it stops.

yamahondarider

They really do look ridiculous

The only acceptable shortened vehicle is a VW short bus, their just perfect that way. But an olds? a 55 chevy? Just stupid

Charlie Jones

That's what you call a real " Funny Car " !!
Not my cup of tea. But, hey! Barnum says there is one born every minute.
I just pray that they used a Cutlass to make this abortion and not a real 442.

nsnarsk65cutlass

It looks like it is what it is a 4 door with the 2 front doors removed,I guess the one that did that must like 2 doors better that 4?

2Olds4U

Well, it is definitely not a 442. Regular Cutlass hood, no louvers, There is a cutlass emblem where the 442 should be, It has the wrong rear bumper for a 442.
and if somebody changed all that Stuff to make a 442 look like a Cutlass (no even a CS), thay should be talking to thier doctor to upgrade their meds.

kitfoxdave

Wel at least it looks classier than a Smart Car....

mzbk2l

Even though I'm not a fan of the style, I enjoy seeing someone think outside the box and execute the plan nicely. I'd like to check it out up close and see what they did.

For the naysayers: It's openly stated in the ad that it's a 442 "clone," and it looks pretty clear that it was a 4-door plain-jane Cutlass to start with. (Grille and center bar, hood, fender emblems, stop lights and trunk trim not blacked out, 442 emblem on the wrong side of the trunk, plain Cutlass bumper and backup lights). Most people woulda sent that to the crusher, so the car was going to be a write-off anyway.

s i 442

It was probably just a 4 door in the first place so no real loss.

redoldsman

Don't forget these and they sold them new.

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.49329...pid=3.1&qlt=90

firefrost gold

I wonder how it would drive withthat short wheel base ? Was alot of work to just not have to put in a drive shaft hoop to make it pass track inspections

1arunem

Had a guy hear with a 66 Chevelle shorty that he ran in the bracket class at one of the local dragstrips. Ran 7.50's or so in the eighth if I remember correctly and would wheelie like no ones business..

joe_padavano

This isn't the first one of these I've ever seen. Actually, it's a relatively creative use for a more-door.

Summerof84

My former B-I-L's brother built a '55 Chevy shorty. A real 2 door was 10k, a more door was $1500 back then. If you want something bad enough, you try to create it, so he did. Just like all the clones of 442's out there.

oldstata

With all the fab work would you not pay more in the end ? Unless it was truly a ack job ?

Summerof84

The car was so far from a hack job. Probably less than a pound of body filler in it, and that's saying something when sectioning the roof. He had his own labor and about $1000 1977 dollars into it. If you want to see what people accomplish doing things themselves, I suggest you visit the HAMB board and be amazed.

jag1886

That's a lot of work to end up with a really ugly car. I'd of kept the more door.

Railguy

I saw a 55 like that once.I think they did it for drag racing.I'm not sure but maybe it was done to stay inside the rules somehow?As for the Olds I don't think it looks that bad,Kinda reminds me of a Thuderbird.Don't get me wrong I never do that to an Olds any more than I'd own a Thunderbird.
railguy

Charlie Jones

This is from the little I know about chassis engineering .
The distance between the steering axis (kingpins, if you will )must be slightly more than the distance between the tie rod end centers. And that straight lines between those points should intersect at the center of the rear axle. This was for proper steering geometry.
If you look at a parts book for a truck, you will see that there may be several different steering arms ( or spindles if you will). And that the choices were dependent on the wheelbase of the truck.
I used to work at a place where we altered used trucks. We would move axles back or forth on the frames and shorten or lengthen frames to suit a customer's needs.
If we only changed the wheelbase slightly we didn't worry too much. But on larger wheelbase changes we always recommended changing steering arms. Most customers listened.
One time however, we had a customer that brought in a big, long wheelbase box truck and wanted us to make a semi tractor out of it.
The boss of course recommended the steering arms be changed. The customer argued and told us he wasn't going to pay to have new steering arms. The boss said " Ok, we'll do it your way. "
What we wound up with was a vehicle that drove perfectly good in a straight line. However the front tires would squeal like he!! when going around a sharp corner. And front tire wear was atroucious.
The customer soon returned to complain. And the boss just told him " Told ya so ! "
I would imagine that the same might be true for these "shorty" cars.