When I am a bit older and can afford it I plan to do quite a few things with the cutty.


For one, I plan to pull the engine out and rebuild it stock (since California is a @#$% [pardon my French] when it comes to performance parts) and paint it up. Rebuild the carburetor of course. The air filter housing needs to be aesthetically restored and the "OLDSMOBILE 350 ROCKET" sticker put on there. Maybe change up the springs on the distributor. I plan on daily driving the cutlass so nothing too high performance

This one should be interesting. I plan on swapping out the 350 with an M20/21/22 (I really love the gear whine of the 22) or a Tremec 5-speed like the ones that came with the Olds 260-8. I really want the M22, I just love the whine but I dont want to hurt my economy haha oh well. With that comes swapping out the rear gears from a 2.41 to a 3.23, 3.73? I'm hoping that 67-77 GM manual transmissions would fit, that way I could find say a corvette or camaro with a 4-speed in the junk yard or an olds with a 5-speed and restore the trans and put it in. But the one thing is that I have a column shift...

A dual exhaust would surely make my car roar, so that needs to go on my car. I like the sound of Flowmasters but then again Cherry Bombs do sound nice too. I would put headers but then again... California (maybe i'll smog check my car with exhaust manifolds and enjoy 2 years of headers before smog checking again , theoretically, it could work).

It needs some aesthetic touch up on top of all that.

 

The factory 5 speeds that were behind the 260 will blow up in short order behind anything with torque.
You can't just plop a manual trans behind an Olds engine that came with an automatic because the crank is not drilled to accept the pilot bearing. There is a conversion bearing that is made, but you need to modify the input shaft on the trans (shorten it) to make it work. Then it can't ever be used in another application without a new input shaft being installed in the trans.

 

Column to floor shift conversion is not that difficult. I'd buy the parts in stages. Finding a column for that car should be fairly easy. I'd probably opt for the Tremec TKO 500, that would be a good fit for overdrive. Personally I'd stay away from flowmasters, despite the name they are very restrictive. If you like the sound, check the Hooker Aerochamber, similar sound and better flow.

 

Like a Cutlass S body. In 1976/77 the 442 was only available with the Cutlass S platform

 

I dont care for the 77 cutlass s I would of rather seen the 77 salon with a 442 option

 

I agree. The fastback just doesn't look as pleasing as the Supreme and Salon do.

 

As you pointed out recently in one of my post that is merely your opinion. I disagree and find the S far more attractive. But who cares really?

Leave the highway gears in it and install a Richmond 5 speed.

 

I was merely pointing out that the 442 option wasn't available on the 76/77 Cutlass Supreme models. I can appreciate both the CS and the Cutlass S profiles, although I like the styling for the grills/header on the 76 better.

There are plenty of cars that don't look pleasing to many observers. But putting 442 emblems on the 76 CS is like putting them on the 72 CS coupe - it was never offered that way from the factory. To each their own I guess.

There will be a 76 442 at the All Olds show here in AB on July 16. It's been there every show I can remember, and it looks fabulous. I've had the opportunity to sit in it and admire the feel of the car. The owner (Ken Pilidis) has incorporated a forced air hood (of which there weren't any produced for 76/77 - made by VFN IIRC) and deck lid spoiler from a Buick. I know Ken kept the original hood. The car looks simply amazing and is a solid performer too. One of only 143 made with a 455 in 76. Regardless of personal choices, IMO this is one well done car, and I really like the style. I think the body lines are better than the 73-75 models (sorry Dave).

 

The previous owner did put the old 442 badges where it said "Cutlass Supreme" and imo that in combination with the black stripes makes it look nice. I'm not a fan of the body style of the cutlass s.

 

Sounds like your planning on keeping your 77 for a while. Your plans sound good to me, a little bit of work to make it all happen, However will be well worth it, if you plan on keeping it for many years to come.
If you keeping the engine mainly stock with duals, I wouldn't go much more than 2 1/4 pipes. 2 inch back to the mufflers would be more than enough then 2 1/4 out the back. Much more than that and you'll loose bottom end torque.
Headers are a nice addition, not sure if I would out them on a daily driver though.
I have flowmaster super 44's, they have a good rumble to them, a little loud WOT though.
Looking forward to the thread when you get started .
Cheers
Eric

 

He can't do that in CA. The CARB ***** would chew him up and spit him out. LEO's can and do issue citations for "illegal mods" and they would have to come right back off the car.

 

Haha really!! Well I guess that's a good thing then. I have headers on my 76 and I don't think they were worth the $$ plus the install price for the benefit on a stock 76 350 smog engine.

 

With the transmission choice, going manual is doable but is ambitious & involved. As stated, the five speed behind the 260 won't hold up to any real torque. if you are doing the engine over the crank can be drilled for a pilot bearing at that time. As far as choosing rear gears, if you go four speed the final drive is the same 1:1 that your turbo 350 is so you'll still be revving the same on the highways as if you went to a different gear & kept the Turbo 350. For how you said you'd be using the car you should look at a five speed to keep the revs down.