Did some cleaning under neath the hood today, said I would post a photo of before and after.. Before photo was taken just after I purchased the car and was able to drive it with very low oil pressure in fact first season started a lower end knock so I parked it and started working on it.

 

This photo was taken today after cleaning however, the engine and has looked like this since 2002.

 

I did my first floor pan patch today. I have alot of experience doing stick welding, but man it can get tricky welding this thin metal! Lol. Anyway it turned out pretty good for my first time. The lines you guys see are the edges of the welds. I was concerned with grinding too much weld out. Looking from underneath it looks good got full pen. Looks a little rough but once I get the other panels in and primer and paint it should look nice. For an aftermarket it lined up pretty well. The plug welds on the floor brace added a little headache but I wanted to do it right.

 

Looks awesome!

 

You must be good with stick! I mig'd mine, and had to turn it down pretty low to keep from burning thru.........

 

Lol randy. No I mig'd it as well. I'm a very experienced welder with stick and wire feed flux core but I'm used to welding 3/4" steel pipe. This mig with gas is a whole different animal. It's pretty tricky but I figured it out in short order. But butt welding that thin metal was fun. I've heard of people lap welding patch panels in but I wanted a more seamless look. Getting everything to line up took a lot of time and trimming. But it'll look good when it's finished.

 

Well wasn't today, but this past weekend I gave my '77 a much-needed polish job. Bought a heavy-duty DA polisher and the highest-cut Macguire compound they had, as the paint had developed deep-ish cracks along with the oxidation and fade. Hard to describe, but it didn't look good.

Not going to win any car shows, but it definitely has it's shine back after about 4 hours straight, 4 pads, and a bunch of compound to make it through all 5 acres of paint. It is always fun when you do a project that has instant visual results, unlike so many car projects and MAW's!

 

Turned out great!! Nice job!

 

I rotated and got wheel time with the Oldsmobile clan. Green one is dad's and receives the least amount of attention of his stable; and I store it for him to boot. Rallye and silver are mine - I forgot what nice posi burnouts ol' silver does (on a rural business road away from prying eyes of course); green one just makes a James Bond smoke screen with the right rear. Rallye holds her own and screeches the 1-2 real good.

Yet, the self-imposed honey-do list is still long for all three of them. And I'm on call to help dad with his other non-oldsmobile muscle and hot rods.

Oh well, one cannot wrench on the rides all the time without occasionally getting some wheel time - isn't that what it's all about?

-Christian

 

Guys:
I got the rolling chassis finished, engine / Turbo 400 trans installed, Hooker headers, core support and radiator installed. The plan is to break the engine in before we drop the body back on the chassis. Here's Hoping! It was a crap winter here in Ohio, so we were able to get alot of work done.
Thanks, Ron

 

Not today but Saturday drove it to two cars showed and had a real nice time.
Sunday installed some Moog replacement rear springs.

 

What a nice surprise! Back in 2013, after purchasing my 1965 Starfire, I pulled out the lower back seat cushion and found a build sheet attached to the spring (with a small metal hog tie)...problem was, it wasn't for my car (build date 11-16-64)! Earlier today, I removed the upper back seat cushion to remove and restore the package tray and was surprised to find another build sheet, this one was correct (build date 11-23-64)!

Has anyone ever heard of this?

 

Changed the oil, greased the front end and drove it.

 

I changed the oil, filter and grease up the ball joints and sway bar links, transmission oil and filter, fuel filter and rotate the tires on my 02 Bravada.

 

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I also greased the front joints as well as the U-joint needle bearings, and while I had my yoke off I drilled and tapped the vent hole for a 6-32 screw to stop an annoying leak. Changed tranny fluid & filter. Then I cut and re-flared a trans line to cure yet another leak. Removed and painted the headers while I had it in the air, changed the engine oil & filter, installed colder plugs (R43S), added a shiny new fuel pump, touched up the engine paint, and enjoyed every minute of it. Still beats the hell out of changing Oil in the wife's Tiguan.

 

Try this.

 

I put the coon tune on the MSD Billet distributor in my car. Silver bushing, light blue, light silver spring. Dialed in the timing old school. Run it, stop, adjust the timing. Rinse, repeat. The car jumps now at any RPM. It really makes a difference to set your stuff up correctly. They come with the slowest timing ramp available installed. YOU have so set it up.

 

Man, I have done so much over the last month! Today, I got the old gas tank in. One day I will replace it, but for now it's on the low end of the list. I did clean it out the best I could. Hoping to drop some fuel in it this weekend and retune the tired engine to go for it's last few joy rides! before being pulled to make room for that BB.

 

Ran three gallons of gas through the tank and lines today. rebuilt the carb for the 2nd time, to get that crap gas out. hopefully I won't have any more problems with the sealed tank

Just can't get it to tune like I want. Broke my vac gage during adjustment, so tuned by ear and most likely not even close.

 

Put new shoes on him! White walls!

 

Raced the 87 Olds today.

11.53 11.51 11.52 11.48 and 11.60 (spun tires) all @ 116.0 to 116.98 mph. Made the last 5 cars in no box but lost on a double red light. Try again tomorrow. Getting the car ready for next weekend 11.50 class street car shoot out. I'm all over that 11.50 index. Qualified #1 last year and lost in the semi final with the only olds in the field. Try to win it this year.

 

After 3 carbs I still get the same hunting and shaking of motor at idle. Cam is not big enough to cause it and all external vacuum hoses have been checked. Had a smoke test done today and found the rebuilt carb choke housing did not have a gasket in it.(smoke test is awesome for finding this stuff but lots of smoke comes out the carb). Not a solution to this long multiple carb idle problem but at least one issue is fixed (gasket added) and while doing the test originally no smoke came from the engine or exhaust. Ruled that out. Going back tomorrow to have speed shop look into this further.

 

Shop tuned carb transition circuit to .046 w/drill. Disconnected OAI vacuum actuator due to defect. Runs a lot better now but occasionally stumbles at take off. Headed in right direction at least.

 

This was on Sunday. Pulled the 425/T400 combo out of the "parts" car. My neighbors should thank me for lowering their property taxes!

screenshot windows

 

That parts car looks pretty good. I had a neighbor complain about a 69 Roadrunner that I had in the back yard with no plates or motor. I got plates to her dismay. She would complain if your trash cans were out 1/2 hour too soon. Good luck with your build. Did I read right 425 motor?

 

I took my 54 to the shop to finally have the AC plumbed and charged. I get it back tomorrow right before our weather hits the 90's.

 

Yes. It was advertised as a 455 but it is a D block with B heads and has the "check mark" cutout on the back of the crank. Plan is to degrease, paint, change some leaky gaskets then install into my 68 442.

 

Added 455 logo to the grille
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Waxed it with white Sonax, buffed it with new lamswool on my polishing disc
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It was actually yesterday now but I picked up my 54 from the AC shop. These guys really did a nice job of hooking up my AC. I had everything mounted and all they had to do was plumb it and charge it. They did have to turn the condenser over since I had mounted it upside down. I drove it home with the windows up and the AC on and it was our first 90 degree day here. My compressor bracket that I designed and Richard (gearshead78) made for me really worked well. This all started with an old Frigiking unit I bought last year on ebay for $20.00. That was the cheapest part in the whole system. This was my last big project on the car.

 

today we pulled body for frame and suspension mods

 

Washed and waxed mine in prep for show tomorrow.

 

Could not find any old ac ducts, so I replaced them with 3.5" PVC Flexduct Light-Duty Hose. I'm not sure if it will fit once I install the dash, since the old ducts were rectangular.

 

Yesterday I drove the cutlass to a Friday evening cruise. Had a nice time, then tossed the alternater belt about half way home. Made it home had 11 volts left. Shut every thing down was like watching Apollo 13! Installed a back up belt this morning now have to get another back up belt. Drove car around today after I did some honey do work and now the shifter got stuck in second gear! Close to home less than a half mile not to bad. Then rolled up drivers side window and seems either my crank Handle stripped or my window regulater took a crap! Like I have some gremlins. My wife says I've been spending to much time with the plymouth.

 

Took trickle charger off of battery .. Re torqued aluminum racing wheels ..
Went to car wash self service bay gave her a bath and dried her off
First time out since last year!!! ( horrible winter up here in boston ma)
Ready for first car show tomorrow!!!
71 w 30 auto coupe......

 

I had my son get in drivers seat and i joined him and told him to start up my strip/strip 1970 442 468 ci eng with my new ARH 2 by 3 1/2.Then we proceeded to go on a drive! Went about eight miles on a paved country road i told my son to stop the car a set the brake a pump the brake pedal a couple time then push that little red button on the shifter.He did ran it up to four grand and left twin darkies on pavement for over fifty foot after he released the button! He was grinning from ear to ear!He said dad when is it going to the track?I said next week is regular race week and i will be there shooting for a eleven second time slip.

 

Man, haven't done much to the Olds lately. Work and other projects getting in the way.

 

We had absolutely gorgeous weather here in Ohio yesterday(Sat). had a bunch of things around the house I could of done but since it was so nice I said the hell with that & played with the toys instead!!! Last weekend sucked, we had monsoon type thunder storms,man did it rain!! Took my Roadking out for a nice ride early in the day,came back home to grab the 442 around 4:00 to head out to the local car show in Brunswick. It's a nice size gathering,sometimes over 200 cars shows up from all over the Cleveland area. There's a dj & the diner that's at the front of the parking lot puts out a grille for burgers,dogs,etc. My Olds is running awesome!!! I don't get it out & bang through the gears enough!!!

 

Put her on the show field in WI.

 

Made the last 6 cars in a 50 car field in my 1987 442 in the 11.50 index street car class in Medicine Hat. I had the only Oldsmobile in the show again. I was #1 qualifier second year in a row (made the last 4 cars last year).

Ran 11.61 in the final & lost to an 11.60. Touch of tire spin off the line & he got me by .08 on the tree (damn I hate a Pro Tree).

Best pass on the weekend was an 11.48 @ 116.98 with a 1.59 60' @ 4600' in 82 deg heat.

That sea level corrects to 10.83 @ 124.0 mph according to NHRA correction factors.

HP calculators show 513 rear wheel hp to propel a 3967 lb car to that ET & MPH. I weighed the car right after a pass with driver & 1/2 tank of fuel. This is with my 470 cid diesel stroker.

Guess I'll have to go back & try again next year. Switching back to the BBO powered 72 442 for the rest of the season.




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Well today nothing except domestic duties. I have my frame on the rotisserie,yesterday i finished boxing it, then smoothing the welds a bit. Then took it outside and started sand blasting it. I have a fairly big compressor but that sand blaster will drain it fast. I got about a third of it done. When finished ill paint it then assemble all my new goodies on it, along with the motor and transmission. Ill need to get a drive shaft made up for it. Then very little body work needed, paint it. Then "some assembly required"