yamahondarider

So this here is my latest project. Dad's old 1969 Cutlass S. My great uncle bought it new in Oklahoma and later gave it to my great grandmother who rarely drove it. In the 80's my dad and grandparents went from NY to Oklahoma in a big ol' Winnebago and brought er back 1500 miles on old tires after sitting for a few years. He drove it thru college and parked it when he went off to grad school in Oregon. Sat in a barn since 1988 and now its here in the driveway ready for me to save it. It looks horrid but the only real rust so far is on the driver's rear quarter and bottom of the door. rockers, frame, floors, ect are pretty solid. Interior is a swamp. can't get the trunk open (Does the glove box key match the trunk? I have an ignition/door key and another that fits the glovebox which slides into the trunk lock but won't turn it). So far all I've done is cleaned it up and got the throttle pedal unstuck. Shes got 62k original miles and is all original down to the hub caps and chrome trim. Anyway, on to the pics

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heres bin number 2 of **** I dug out of the battery tray area. what a pain
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tru-blue 442

Welcome to CO.
Looking forward to your progress.
However, there are several ladies on this board....

yamahondarider

Thanks! Yeah I just have to get out to the auto parts store then the focus is on getting her running

about the ladies comment. not sure what you mean, is it because I used a little harsh language? I have a habbit of saying "Hey guys" at the begging of my posts but didn't this time

501Paratrooper

Nice to keep these in the family. My first was a 69 Cutlass S like yours I got from my Aunt.
Good luck on your project.

sicky olds

lol pretty sure it was the F******** that sucked comment . Looks like a great project though.

Seff

This looks like an awesome project. I miss that early stage with lots of energy and jobs that didn't warrant being overly careful. Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

yamahondarider

Very cool, thanks. I'm sure I'm gonna need that luck

Thats what I figured hahaha. Yeah it sure is a project. Its more solid than it looks. Can't wait to get some real progress

Yup, full steam ahead I made a deal with my dad, I can never get rid of this car unless its selling it back to him so wether I like it or not (and I very much like it) its getting done. I travel a lot between NC and NY so progress will be on and off but keep an eye out, I like to document my projects

don71

Welcome to the site. That key for the glove box should open the trunk too. Spray some WD-40 or what ever lube you got in a can, into the lock. Then try turning it ...carefully while pressing down on the trunk lid. Maybe even jiggle the lid the best you can.

Look forward to your progress. Let us know how it goes.

yamahondarider

Ahhh thats what I figured. I had a 69 lincoln with a key that was different for the glovebox than the trunk, and likewise for the doors and ignition, so I was a little worried that I was missing a key. Well, good to know, I'm curious whats in the trunk. All I've found in the car was a couple of ice scrapers, some beer cans, and a lotta rats nests

don71

Well anything can happen in 40 odd years. Two keys should be all you need. Things get changed So, maybe it won't work but it should. Maybe its a worn out and well used key, just not quite getting it. But that's not the end of the world. If it still doesn't work, you can usually get in by removing the back seat and the right combination of tools ...That can wait till later.

Its pretty cool you have history on the car, and at least know the previous owners

oldcutlass

Welcome, looks like quite the project you got there. BTW you can go back and edit your post to be a little more family friendly.

Sampson

Welcome to CO. Love the projects that have history attached. Looks like you got a lot to keep you busy for a while.

f85 rocket

The hardest part is to not get discouraged. The 69 in my avie was just about as bad off as yours.

yamahondarider

Yeah the car has a clean history of being unmodified. low mileage too.

done and done.

Thanks for the welcome! Yeah I'm glad, I've been going nuts around here with nothing to do. Moving and all, theres not much around and I don't know many people. This'll keep me busy

Yeah I put about 9 months of work into my last project and just lost steam on it. Ended up trading it for another project car (a ferrari kit car). I'm not allowed to get rid of this one though so It'll get done.... eventually

Jaybird

Take a little bite out of this meal at a time. You don't have to restore this thing in one day/month/year!
Concentrate on the mechanicals. Get it running and stopping first. (engine, brakes, etc.)
I like the family history!
Thanks' for posting.

Charlie Jones

This one IS your father's Oldsmobile!

yamahondarider

Yeah I'm taking it one step at a time, my main focus is to get the motor running. Once the motor is running I can move on to the brakes and eventually get the wiring sorted out whatever problems there may be

Thanks for reading!



Hopefully tomorrow I'll run to napa and get some supplies. I have most of my tools but a bunch of my other stuff (PB blaster, oils, rags, ect) is still in NC. I also have to buy a battery ($85 I really don't wanna spend). Then the real fun can begin

oldsman72

Welcome to the site bro! That there is a labor of love (and family history).

Good luck with your project. There's lots of folks on here with parts stockpiles. It's a good resource for those hard-to-find parts.

yamahondarider

Thanks!

That could come in handy. I've been poking around the parts for sale section. I'm sure once I tally up what I need I'll throw up a wanted add (in the right section of course). I doubt that carburetor is any good but its good enough to have it fire on starting fluid for the time being. I just hope the motor doesn't have any rusted rings or stuck valves. It turns over by hand but until I get a battery in it I don't know how it'll be. Its numbers matching so I'd like to use that motor but worst case I'll pull er out and rebuilt it, theres a 69 455 Toronado motor about 15 miles from me for around $500 that might find its way in there if that 350 has to be pulled to rebuild atleast for the time being

nsnarsk65cutlass

Good luck with your project ,you,ll find many replacement parts are available for 68-72 cultass.

yamahondarider

UPDATE! Today I pulled all the plugs, sprayed PB in the plug holes and put new plugs in. I don't have spark. The coil's distributer wire socket is horribly rusted/corroded and so I'm not getting spark (I did test the coil). The rest of the ignition system is clean and I'm getting 12v to the coil. Looks like I'll buy buying another coil. Question, under the rotor in the distributer there is a condensor, but theres also a (what looks like) condensor mounted to the coil bracket and wired to one of the posts on the coil. On my old VW's there is only 1 condensor inside the distributer. Whats the dealio with this one on the coil bracket? Do I need to order a specific coil to work with that setup? Or can I pick up a universal one from autozone and let er rip?

tru-blue 442

The condersor on the coil
is for the radio. It supresses
noise from the coil/points set-up.
You can unhook it and it won't affect the fire
to your dist.

I would replace your points and condensor
under the cap before replacing the coil.
The wire that runs through the dist. to the coil
can be notorious for insulation cracking and grounding out.
Make sure you clean the contacts on the coil
and wires attached to it. Good luck, let us know
how it goes.

Charlie Jones

The second condenser mounted to the coil is a radio interference condenser.
Points type ignitions will send out small radio signals which interfere with AM radio reception. The condenser is there to smooth out the oscillations in the ignition system. Thereby reducing the "buzz" in the radio reception.
As to the ignition coil, my advice is not to use a "universal coil". The proper ignition coil is readily available at Autozone. If it isn't in stock, I'm sure it will be available on 1 days notice. I would advise installing new points and condenser also. Even easier to install is a "uniset" which combine the points and condenser into one unit. Most quality unisets will be close enough in factory adjustment that they can be installed and the engine will run. Then they should be adjusted with a dwell meter to 30 degrees with the engine running. Useing an allen wrench through the "window" in the side of the distributor cap

oldcutlass

x2 on new points and condenser, set your initial point gap to .016 and that will be close to 30 deg dwell. Also make sure your getting 12v while cranking not just with the key on.

yamahondarider

Thanks for the info guys. I tried to remove the rotor, but its a big plastic blue circle like object with screws on either end. I unscrewed it but theres a metal spring and blade type setup that I'm guessing controls the advance and I can't find how to remove that. Any advice? If I can get it apart I'll swap the points out for sure.

oldcutlass

The plastic rotor comes off when the screws are removed. It has a square dowel and a round dowel molded into it.

yamahondarider

I got all that off, that was easy. The problem is with the metal contraption under it blocking everything. Any ideas how that comes out? I tried pulling it but that didn't do anything

tru-blue 442

You have to work around those weights.
You can bump the engine over to move them
out of the way somewhat. They are removable,
but you may not want to do that. If you do, take
a pic, and don't lose the two little springs that
hold them down and together...

yamahondarider

Ugh that sounds fun. Its already a pain to reach the distributer being 5 foot 3. I may yank it out and do all that. Honestly I'm gonna swap the new coil in and if I get spark, great, if not, new points and condensor (which will be done very soon I just wanna hear the motor fire before wasting a bunch of time on it). The coil thats in the car right now, the socket where the distributer wire goes is complete rusted out. I tried cleaning it but it just keeps coming out in pieces and orange sludge.

tru-blue 442

If that socket is that bad, then yes toss it.
It probably never would give a good spark if any, anyway.

You should be able to find a good replacement
for a fair price at the auto parts store.

yamahondarider

Thats what I was thinking. I also have to pick up a battery and terminals so I was just gonna do it all at once. I love getting new parts but I hate watching the number in my bank account get lower and lower

tru-blue 442

Ha ha. I know what you mean.
If you haven't jacked with the points yet,
leave 'em alone untill you get your new coil.
You may get lucky and it will fire up.

yamahondarider

Thats what I'm hopin for, but I'm rarely that lucky We'll find out I suppose. Once I have spark, I'll fire up the video camera before I toss some gas down the carb and see if it'll run. I wanna catch the first fire in 25 years on video. I'll be sure to post it up

oldcutlass

The weights and springs are your mechanical advance assy. You don't want to mess with that. Even at 6'5 I get tired of reaching that far also. Make sure when your cranking the engine the points are opening and closing, if so it should fire well enough to start.

I like to play the Frankenstein sound track when I first start an engine.

tru-blue 442

^^^Nice! And soooo true!

yamahondarider

Hahaha If it does fire I'll probably add that clip to the first run video!

oldcutlass

Let us know how you make out.

Charlie Jones

You don't need to remove any of the advance mechanism to change points.
Simply loosen the 2 screws holding them to the dist. plate almost all the way. pull the points upward and outward.
When installing the points, make sure the pin on the bottom registers in the hole in the dist. plate. Push the points all the way onto the screws and tighten them.
Takes less than 1 minute if you're slow. (like me!)

Sampson

If you need a hand getting that beast running send me a PM. I would be glad to help. Especially since it seems you are right down the road!

yamahondarider

Thanks! But, while I still have a house in NC (its on the market) I spend most of my time in Saugerties NY and thats actually where the Cutlass is . I still go to NC every few weeks mainly because my 76 Datsun 280z is still down there and I need to get it (Its only a 4 speed so doing 75 on I95 for 700 miles would kill it so maybe I could give you a hand with something your working on at some point