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After a year and a half of saving money and working a ton of overtime at work my 442 restore is back in gear. I had my stepson weld in the floor pan I got from the donor car that came with the car I bought a couple years ago. I finished stripping the frame and sandblasting it. Then I painted it with Chassis saver. I thought about powder coating but decided not to. I cleaned up the rear end, changed the seals and converted it to disc breaks. The body is on my parts car frame at the body shop getting blasted, rust repairs done and ready for paint. When I get the frame and drivetrain built they will set the body on and put the sheet metal and trim on. I will post later about the story of the parts car I picked up. Engine came back from the machine shop just needs paint and a couple odds and ends. Riverside gear went thru the 4 speed for me so that is ready to go. Now I'm trying to figure out something for exhaust. I would appreciate some input on that if anyone would care too. I want something similar to stock as far as sound goes. The car is going to Dad when its done. He ordered one from the dealer when he hired in to Oldsmobile in 65 but had to sell it when he was drafted to go to Vietnam in 67.
That's cool that your building it for your Dad. So what do you think he would he enjoy? The rumble of low resistance mufflers or more quiet like a stock setup? Does it have the 330 or did you install a different motor?
It's a 400 b block with a heads...they bored it out 30 over, decked it, pistons, bearings, the works. The heads were a bit of a challenge but I eventually found what I needed for those. I was talking with him tonight and he said the car had a little rumble but not a lot...so I'm thinking something a little more rumble then stock but not anything that gives you that annoying drone when you're cruising around...I have pretty much everything but the 4 speed console...I saw one on FB for 3k but that's a little more then my wallet can spare... Dad paid $2800 for the car when it was new lol...as things progress I'll post some more pics.
welcome back tom,i just had mine blasted with crushed glass,last wed of November. on rotisserie in garage now. what shop is doing the body work? been gonna get out your way but stuff keeps getting in the way. ill come out to see it soon. I'm in n/c right now. what color is it going to be? how is your dad doing? keep us in the loop
Last edited by oldolds88; December 8th, 2017 at 03:18 PM.
Cool that you have the 400, getting hard to find, let alone the A heads. As far as bit of rumble, the chambered tailpipes add a nice sound. The 65 tailpipes are 2", but the 66-7 are 2 1/4.
Hey Robert... hope all is well. Krawczyks Designs is doing my body work for me... place in Eaton Rapids, I grew up with one of the owners wives...you can see some of there work on Facebook...I'm having it painted Dark blue or Nocturne mist... Just like dad's was...Dad's is 71 years old and he slowing down from what he used to be but he says he can still push in the clutch lol...he said he wished he got around better he would give me a hand on the project...he is painting some trim and cleaning up the chrome at his place. Good to here from you...shoot me a text when you want to come out...if you don't have my number send me a pm and I'll get it to you. Have a safe trip home!
The engine was a mess when I got it...froze pistons and rusted cylinder walls and the heads were tough to find the correct rocker pivots, thx Oldolds88 (Robert) up there got me squared away...and the machine shop in town did a excellent job cleaning up the cylinders and getting it back together...I went with Classic Exhaust for my exhaust system...read some good reviews and read there system was little louder then stock but not insane like others.
I got a few pics of the metal work today! Rebuilding in around the windows and changing that panel... windows edges were bad...they are cutting pillars out of my parts car to fix those areas.
I installed the shortest glass pack style muffler from summit around 12 inch just after the headers and two more 20 inch ones as the tail pipe and connected a 3 inch resonator on that as the exit under the bumpers. 2.5" pipes. It is a very deep bark. I have alot of compliments on the sound. Just my two cents. Looking great.
Hey Tom, I see you are a homeboy, when you mentioned Eaton Rapids it got my attention, I had Stew's Auto Trim do my top. I am actually north of Lansing about 35 miles, but used to work in Lansing. Car is looking great, My first was a 65 Cutlass bought used from Story Olds back in 72.
December 7th, 2017, 10:01 AM
