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New member here and thanks again for the welcome. Thought I would document this one from the beginning. I’ve been an Olds guy for most of my driving life. My dad had a ‘64 F85 when I was a kid that unfortunately was totaled. We later found a ‘64 Cutlass that became my second car and I still have it. He also had a couple ‘67 GTOs and a ‘64 El Camino (which was eventually my first car). But BOP A-bodies are my favorite.
I was not looking for another project and certainly have my hands full already. But last week I was looking through the local estate sales online as I usually do and spotted this ‘69 Cutlass S. If I were going to get another olds, I decided long ago that it would have to be a ‘69 or a ‘63. It looked a little sad and very neglected, but solid enough to put a bid on. I set my high price (which was pretty low) and watched other bids come in right until the last minute…but in the end I won it. Even if it was a total disaster it would be worth just the parts. I went to look at what I bought Saturday morning and to see what I had to do to get it home. Came back Sunday morning with a trailer, a set of wheels and tires, a jack, and a shovel. All in all it went really well.
It’s always the way !! I wasn’t looking for a wife either ( 34 years ago) lol was just going out for a beer, but found the best partner, wife, friend I could have hoped for , so you weren’t looking but you found her! Looks like great bones!
welcome to the forums and I’ll be following along, what’s your plans for her?
Well played! I'll be watching your journey. Like Mr. Hansen asks, "What are your plans?" You mentioned in your other thread the missing back window and probable rust issues on the floor board. I imagine you've got quite a project, from the looks of things. In your first two pictures in this thread it looks like it was sitting low in the detritus, with leaves, etc. piled up to the rockers.
Dang it, had a whole big reply written then messed up and lost it!
Anyway, once I got the car home I dug into it and found out what I had. Pretty bare bones car, other than being an S. It has power steering, but manual brakes and no factory A/C. Bucket seats but no console (which might be because of the 3-speed shifter location?). As mentioned, has the Dearborn 3-speed. Type-O rear end. Everything looks to be pretty original. The floors are rusty, as is the package tray and rear window channel at the bottom due to the rear window broken out of it. I haven’t tried to turn the engine over but I doubt it’s any good. They parked it for a reason right??
I thought I might flip it, but after cleaning it up for a day I kinda fell in love and decided it was a keeper. Found the Protect-O-Plate under the spare in the trunk. It was a Texas car all it’s life. I’ll fix the floors. It needs a complete suspension rebuild. The whole interior is junk, save for the front seats which need everything. I have a 350 ready for assembly that I was saving for my ‘64 but will work well in this one. I plan on keeping most everything factory, save for a little more power and will probably keep the SSIII wheels on it and get some SSI’s for the ‘64.
Last edited by Anderson; Feb 25, 2022 at 08:15 PM.
With the rear window broken out, there were a lot of leaves in the car. The rear seat is a complete loss and the package tray had some damage but is fixable. Squirrels also had a happy home under the hood until I kicked them out, what a mess! Overall, the car isn’t that bad. I’m sure I’ll find more rust once I really dig into it, but I am pretty confident that it is overall pretty solid. While I am not much of a fan of the patina look, I think I’ll try to clean it up with some CLR and leave it for a while. Paint and bodywork are out of the budget for now.
I have another project in full swing currently so anything I do with this one will just be disassembly and cleanup until the other car is on the road. But stay tuned, and give me a couple years
Last edited by Anderson; Feb 25, 2022 at 08:15 PM.
I’s do the same, get it running and have fun driving it as is. Here in Phoenix I often see cars that look as if they’ve been on the road for the past 50 years, with faded paint, dings, and dents but they’re driving along in traffic just like everyone else. Except they stand out as survivors that are still plugging along. Way cool to see those on the drive to work on a mundane workday. Better than fully restored cars that look like they should be parked in a museum.
I’s do the same, get it running and have fun driving it as is. Here in Phoenix I often see cars that look as if they’ve been on the road for the past 50 years, with faded paint, dings, and dents but they’re driving along in traffic just like everyone else. Except they stand out as survivors that are still plugging along. Way cool to see those on the drive to work on a mundane workday. Better than fully restored cars that look like they should be parked in a museum.
Agreed. The more I look at this car the more I like it. White interior car? What a cool car new. Three speed on the floor. Wow I can't say that I have ever seen one. Buckets no console. I really dig this car. Good on you for saving it. Love it
I dug out the block to recheck the numbers, and turned out it’s a ‘68-‘70 350 block, so perfect! I bought this as an assembled short block at least 10-12 years ago. I disassembled it to check everything out, and while I was working as an engine machinist, cleaned and rehoned the block. It’s .030 over. Pistons are forged, and on 403 rods. A stock cast crank came with it but I have the original 330 crank from my ‘64…just have to figure out a flywheel if I go that route. The heads on the car are the original 5s, but I also have this set of 7a’s that had been rebuilt with new exhaust guides and seats. They need disassembly and cleaning and maybe a light surface cut, but are in great shape. I used to know what this cam was and thought it to be similar specs to a W31 cam, but can’t find the info now.
I see aftermarket a/c was added at some point. The console was optional, and was the same as the four speed. Three speed console came with the shift pattern on it, if someone ordered a four speed the factory put the four speed shift pattern over the three speed call out.
Nice save and project! And a post car too! I'll be following along.
I have a 3 speed on the floor Dearborn 69 as well, except mine is a 442 convertible. Mine does have a console as well which has the non drilled over 3 speed shift pattern.
and so it starts lol …..just a tidbit here, just a widget there… yup we will all be following your frame off thread lol !! Jk enjoying your thread :-)
The more I look at it the more work I see that it needs…tough decisions!! Haha.
This one was a planned expense, but I had been looking for a complete set of wheels/tires to put on it to get the G-body wheels back on my ‘64. Went to a swap meet this morning and actually found an old used set of Kelly Springfield 205/75-14 tires for cheap! And where there’s a will…and a sawzall and some pry bars and soap, etc., there’s a way. I had thought to get new valve stems on the way home but promptly forgot all about it. And against my better judgement I went ahead and put my “new” tires on. Well, they all leak. But hey, if I had perfect judgement then I wouldn't have this car in the first place! We’ll see how long they hold air. Cleaned up the original hubcaps and put them back on too.
Here’s some more shots of the problem areas…the majority of the quarters are in great shape, but the bad areas are pretty bad. Drivers fender had some rust and old filler, should probably just find a replacement. Both rear wheels roll now, but both fronts are still stuck. I unfortunately have to just ignore this car for the next year or so. I have been working on a Model A roadster to take to a show in Oklahoma in October, and it needs a LOT of work.
I hear you man ! Do what cha gotta do lol if it lets you! Lol love the radir? Wheels , as an aside the available repop quarter skins fit fairly well I’ll let you know about the fenders lol ,
anyway love your build keep us posted on all of em :-)
Thanks Eddie! The wheels are American Racing TTO ( torque thrust original, straight spokes) that are polished. I have some M&H Nostalgia slicks coming for the back...and I built this car with a GM bolt pattern, so these wheels will also fit the '64 and '69...and my '57!
Wasn’t going as planned with the other project today so I thought I’d mess around with the ‘69 and see if the engine would turn over. Thought ids check out the carburetor situation…well, that didn’t last long either.
That colour looks cool ... i wonder what colour it is? GM had so many good colours in the 60's ! Id try and see how well you can bring back that original paint
