If it was easy indeed!!

Almost ready to buy and try the "442" shifter handle. The nice thing is the Magnum 6 speed that came from American Powertrain lines up really close to fit the stock 4 speed console pretty well - at least from the "eye ball" test at this point. We'll see how much "tweaking" is needed when we get that far along.

One of the latest challenges have been with the new hydraulic clutch setup - mostly because of my clutch pedal. Long story but once the hydraulic clutch was set up to spec per American Powertrain, the clutch pedal was way too hard. Apparently the spec for a stock 68-72 GM A body didn't work for my car. But....it turns out I may not have a "stock" clutch pedal. At any rate after lots of tweaking I think it's finally dialed in as it should be.

The other issue is the oil cooler. It had to be moved from being horizontal to vertical - with it horizontal it wouldn't catch the oil from the filter. With it vertical it will catch the oil and not make a huge mess!!

Hoping to start on the roll bar next week - huge custom project for it with my shoulder harness belts and everything else on my "wish list" that I mocked up with the pvc pipes. Frank and team have their work cut out for them on this project. - will add pics when I have some.

 

Didn't realize I never posted by lovely PVC mock up here. Some pics below. This is all done with duct tape, metal pieces from Home Depot, and cutting shears so I know it's ugly but it gave Frank and team a design to follow:

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Really happy with how the shoulder harness belts came out:

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A few new updates and pics. First I was worried the new 600 lb front springs wouldn't let the car lower down enough in the front where I like it. Happy to see it's now "settled" back down:

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Hyd clutch and clutch pedal issues are much better now. Clutch pedal is not as "soft" as I hoped it would be but a little softer then the manual, Z bar set up. Plus it is consistent from the floor to release which I like. Was able to shift through the gears and I'm blown away with how short and crisp it is from gear to gear vs. my Richmond 5 speed. Can't wait to drive the car. Still waiting on the custom metal piece to go over the top of the trans in the interior to be finished. Here's a pic of the hyd clutch reservoir and the trans from inside the car with the Big F'ng hole cut out:

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I hate the shifter handle that came with the American Powertrain kit. Can't wait to swap it out for this one:
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The oil filter relocater has been moved from horizontal:

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to vertical:

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The chromoly tubing has been ordered for the roll bar. Decided to add 2 small angled bars from the main hoop down to the floor board for some additional support. Will still allow back seat passengers even with these installed but it might be against the outside of the rear passenger's calf. Frank has it on one of his cars so you can see what I'm referring to:

passenger side:

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driver's side:

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Crude drawing but shows design of roll bar. White areas will be removable:

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door bars will be similar to this old Joe Mondello car - that big bend allows it to pass between shoulder and elbow but also as you can just barely see on the drivers door you don't have to move or modify the arm rests:

 

slowly but surely transferring all my photobucket pics over to a new 3rd party host site. What a frustrating waste of time. Can't believe photobucket went from zero to $400/year to host pics. For that much it's totally worth my time to switch all my pics - hundreds of them!! Oh well.

In the meantime - here's a new update I'm sure most could care less about but I'm pretty excited. I had gone with the fiberglass decklid years ago but even with the wing mounted, it's still so light that when you open the trunk it "flies" open way too fast and seems like it could rip right off the hinges. Also I have the factory power trunk button in the glove box but couldn't use it anymore...for the same reason....plus I have a key fab alarm system that COULD have the power trunk added but couldn't do any of this with the super light glass decklid. The only option was to add some type of "shock" to make the trunk open slowly. Additionally I have a requirement to be able to fit my golf bag in the trunk so any shocks that were added couldn't block the space. So...here's the end result. Really happy with this. You have to look close to see the 2 shock mounts on either side. Next the factory power trunk button in the trunk will be hooked back up and will have the power trunk added on the key fab.



The trunk is fully enclosed and nicely done when the enclosure pieces are "installed". Everything is removed now so the sub, battery amps etc are all exposed. Will have to notch the enclosure pieces in 2 places to accommodate the new shocks but will look nice and clean again when it's all done.

close up pic of one of the shocks to show how and where it was installed:
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Having a front spoiler similar to this one installed:

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I got the glass part years ago with the glass front bumper but need it secured/supported for speeds up to 150 mph. Frank and team are working on a plan to get it squared away.

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I have but 2.5 years into our build and have yet to really enjoy our 68 Cutlass S. To have a car for such a long time and not be able to enjoy it but be spending considerable sums over time is a real test of your inner being. The other part of any build is the set backs. Anyone who has undertaken taking their ideas and concepts and executing them on a car over 50 years old knows that this will happen. Given how long this has taken for your build I am sure that the smile on your face when you got to drive the fruits of your labor will take some time to fade. I know that my spouse will be very happy when our project is ready for enjoying! Go have fun with the car! Based on what you did on the motor it will be lots of fun! We are getting pretty close to the finish line I hope! Congratulations on sticking with it to completion!

 

Hi rummer - I hear ya. Definitely a slow process to get all these custom projects done and create your "dream car". It's nice to get to enjoy it for a little while between projects. After this "cycle" is done I'll have to see how long I drive it before it goes off to 3 steps of paint and body. Not sure it will ever end but for me it's worth it as the car continues to progress along.

 

New tunnel is getting there:

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Looks like console is going to work without any serious mods. Really happy about that!!

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The new UMI rear sway bar that works with the relocation brackets (part #4012) is now installed. The sway bar is Part #: 4047-XXX - this is the 1" pro tour chassis mounted bar. The standard Hothkis bar hung way too low with the relocation brackets so I had to move to a chassis mounted one. A nice feature with this bar is it's adjustable - choose the "longest" hole for street, middle hole for auto-x, road race and the shortest hole for drag use.

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Here's a close up of the relocation bracket - you can see where the old Hotchkis bar mounted:
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...and you can see here how far down the old bar hung-just not going to work - had to switch the a chassis mount bar:

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appreciate the updates how long till you see some more road time? you must be about ready to take it for a rip ?

 

I wish I knew - always takes longer than expected. Still a ways to go to finish up the console work around the new tunnel then get my "442" shifter handle in there properly, then the work will start on the roll bar and new shoulder harness belts, several other little projects - I've given up guessing how long these things take. Would love to say September but we'll see. Can't wait to see how all the upgrades "drive". Just shifting through the gears (sitting still) is so much faster and smoother than the old Richmond 5 speed. Plus can't wait to feel how it handles with the new AFX spindles, chassis brace, Lee steering box, and now that new rear bar. Plus will have the 2 step rev limiter hooked up for launches at a set RPM - hoping the relocation brackets will help a little with the launch too - added my 830 Holley back from the 770. Bottom line is LOTS of upgrades - first test drive should be interesting!!

 

OK 3rd img hosting site I'm trying here. This one is IMGUR - saw some others had success with this site after leaving photo bucket. If anyone can't see the pics below please let me know.

New trans tunnel for Magnum 6 speed is completed - now just need to paint and dynomat:

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Nice work!

 

Thanks!

Unfortunately - another delay - the old dynomat came up. Can't believe how bad the floors are underneath. Passenger side will have to be replaced:

Driver's side:
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Passenger side:
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Finally getting started on the chromoly roll bar

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Looks ugly right now but making good progress on the shoulder harness belt set up/door bar connector. Once it's all completed will have all the interior work done around the bar and shoulder harness by a professional so it doesn't look like a$$ but for now just worried about getting it all done correctly and in the right locations so everything works as it should.

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this was my mock up we are trying to match:
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got my idea for the set up from this mustang:
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Lots of progress on the roll bar today:

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removable crossbar and downbars:
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close up of shoulder harness belt and pic of crossbar disconnected:
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Close up of belt at the bottom - Frank did an amazing job of adding a plate and a custom bracket for the lower belt to bolt to:
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That shoulder belt design is super cool.

 

Thanks - hoping the end product is what I designed/envisioned for the shoulder harness functionality and safety and it still looks nice once I have the professional enclosure done. Goal is to have it look as "stock appearing" as possible using the original interior materials, 71 wood grain etc. As I expected it's been a huge challenge to get everything to fit and function correctly but so far it's still mostly done per my mock up.

-Joe

 

Had to change the door bar plans. Since the door bars can NOT be "swing out" because they mount too far behind the door opening (so the mount will also work with the shoulder belt when the door bars are not installed), had to make the bar straight instead of having the big bend in the middle. The positive is it looks much better than having the bend in my opinion. The negative is the arm rests have to be removed every time the door bars are installed. The reason the big bend didn't work (which would have eliminated the need to remove the arm rest every time) is I couldn't get in and out of the car with the door bar installed with that big bend and it not being "swing out".

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A few new updates - rusted passenger side floor board has been replaced and passenger side door bar is in:

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Driver's side

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Dynamat added:

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Most will be like WTF is this but adding it anyway - the battery shut off switch allows anyone to shut off my car alarm so a pin has been added to prevent shut off when it's in place:

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this is the shut off switch I'm referring to:

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racing harness tabs added:
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hood light and windshield squirters added:
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the "442" shifter handle is not going to work "as-is" will need to be shortened and rebent:
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A few new updates. New carpet is in, working on console and 442 shifter handle, progress on front spoiler:

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not real happy with the 442 handle right now. It's too long and bends too close to the driver's leg. Hoping Frank can work some of his magic and get it looking better by bending and shortening or may need to go with a different option. Was really hoping to find a way to make this work
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Frank got it done how I wanted - cut the bottom off, re-bent it and drilled new holes so now it almost exactly mirrors the shifter handle that came with the trans. The "H" won't show once the boot is on but the 442 will and that's what I wanted:

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Here's that same handle that came with the trans - hated the way it looked. Really glad to have a Hurst "proper looking" shifter handle

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Roll bar is painted - you can see the shoulder belt set up here on the passenger side and this pic really shows how tight everything fit with the design. Note the location of the main hoop just in front of the tress brace and the belt transitioner just infront of that. There is just enough room for all the pieces to fit and eventually be able to be hidden in the "box" to be built around it all as I detailed in earlier posts.

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Removable cross bar with tabs for racing harness painted too:

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I'm supposed to pick the car up from Frank's shop in Beltsville, MD on Saturday, December 16th and drive it back home to Virginia Beach barring any show stoppers that come up between now and then. So many upgrades since I drove it last. The biggest is obviously the Magnum 6 speed with the 4.10 gears but there's also the roll bar, including the new shoulder harness belts, the new front spoiler, the shocks put on the fiberglass trunk so it opens slowly now, an oil cooler so I can pound on the car more now even with the AC on in the summer time, the entire front end/suspension upgrade from the B-body spindles to the AFX Spindles, SC&C adjustable tubular uppers, and chassis brace, the new Lee 800 steering box and upgraded the front coil overs from 500 to 600 lbs. In the rear had the UMI relocation brackets added for better launching and the new UMI chassis mounted sway bar. I had Frank set the car up so the front parking lights stay on all the time like the Corvette's day time running lights. I just really like the way the car looks with the front parking lights on at all times. There were lots of little upgrades done too including switching back to my old Holley 830 carb from the current 770, Adding back the factory hood light and windshield squirters to my repro ram air hood, hooking up the line lock to the cruise control button on the dash (still to be completed), setting up the 2-step option on the MSD digital 6 box so I can launch off the line each time putting the gas pedal to the floor but the RPMs stopping at a set RPM (around 3500 ish), shortening the battery shut off switch on the rear bumper and making sure it can be locked so my alarm can't be shut off - bottom line is TONS of upgrades - I'm sure there will be some testing and tuning and working through all the adjustments with the new upgrades but I can't wait to get the car back on the road and start putting some hard miles on it again.

 

All the best with your upgrades and testing!

 

Thanks!

Lots of things getting finished up since pick up is 2 weeks from tomorrow:

Vertical part of back seat has been notched for the down bars and re-installed. This will be professionally re-done later by an interior company but wanted it back together for now:
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"442" shifter handle with 6 speed shifter ball installed with the stock console:
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with Door bar attached:

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Kick panel speakers had to be relocated because of the location of the new removable door bar bottom connection on the floor board. Had to also make sure there was room to press down the emergency brake on the drivers's side:
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Line Lock is now working using stock cruise control button on the dash - put in on position, touch the brake and it locks the front brakes, push cruise control button to off to unlock. - really happy with that.

Original glove box trunk button is now working -so the glass deck lid now opens much slower with the 2 shocks added and works using the glove box button. Will also have it set up so I can use the key fab to open the trunk. I know this is a little thing to most but since that glass decklid is so light it flew up way too fast and would almost rip off the hinges. Now it's nice and slow and can press a button to open - plus the light is working how it should - love getting all these little things dialed in. Here's a quick video:


Horizontal part of rear seat is back in but not locked yet - still need to get the rear belts re-installed. Was a tight fit in the corners where the shoulder belt retractors are mounted at the bottom:

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Got racing harness belts all set up. They will only be used for racing when door bars and cross bar are attached - will use the shoulder harness belts for street driving w/no door bars or cross bar:

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rear belts added and horizontal part of rear seat is locked in

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Frank went on the first test drive with the new trans - said it shifted through the gears like butter. Still lots of little things to work on. Didn't want to get too crazy with the brand new trans and brand new 4.10 gears. Will slowly increase length of test drives and how aggressive the driving is. New 830 carb still needs to be leaner but car didn't get that heated up on the short drive so don't want to change/adjust anything yet.

 

Years ago I ordered a fiberglass bumper, front spoiler, and rear decklid. I'm fairly certain they all came from Glasstek but it's been so long ago now I'm not 100% on that. I happen to have some of the original pics when they arrived. I'm guessing this was around 2004 or 2005 and I believe this was Brian Trick's driveway in Erie, PA:

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That glass rear decklid is the one on the car now but that bumper was sent back because I wanted it without the holes. I was trying to copy the front end look of the Buick GS with no holes in the bumper and the front spoiler:

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so I ended up getting the bumper redone w/o the holes which is on the car now:
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I actually found an original Olds dealer pic of a 1971 442 with a front bumper with no holes in it. Not sure if this was a prototype or why it had no holes. I've never seen another one like it and I have the hard copy of this article/pic saved. I'm guessing it was originally planned to have the front bumper have no holes like the Buick GS but obviously at some point that changed:

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Here was an Olds wagon I showed in some pics earlier that had a similar look;
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You can see this wagon still has the holes in the bumper but the design of that front spoiler is spot on to what I envisioned on my car.

So I asked Frank to take my flimsy piece of fiberglass in that first pic above and mount it to the front of the car to look like the pics above and oh by the way make sure it can withstand driving at 150 mph (one of the future goals of my car). He came up with this metal frame idea from a pic I showed earlier:
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Here is the end result:
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and the underneath metal frame for support:
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When I have all the fiberglass fixed up for the paint and body work the spoiler will be made to look pretty but really happy with the way it turned out. To make it even worse for Frank I also asked him to install a hook for towing so the car could be pulled onto a flatbed w/o having to remove the front spoiler. Obviously if chains were hooked to the frame to pull the car on a flat bed it would bend or crush the spoiler and I don't want to have to remove the spoiler to be able to tow the car so Frank is working on the hook plan now.

 

Frank is going to make an L bracket off the front bumper bolt and the frame for the tow hook. This will give the vertical face needed to screw the tow bolt through. The L bracket will fill up the inside of the frame opening:

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Painted the underside of the front spoiler and metal frame:

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had to put about 7" extensions on the 2004 Nissan 350Z female belt connectors for the shoulder harness belts. This was required to get them to stick up far enough above the Strato bucket seats:

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The racing harness belts are all set now as you can see in this pic but you can also see the connectors for the shoulder harness belts sticking up just above the base of the strato seats.

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looks great been following the build the whole time. Lots of time and hard work almost to the end, can't wait to see finished up