I am still at the very beginning of my resto, but what I do on the suspension will determine the route I take on the rest resto wise.

My '72 Cutlass Supreme is a 3J57K2M.. and originally came with single exhaust and hubcaps. Also, my body tag is 14/14 paint, but it came with a dealer installed vinyl top. All these years, I thought it had vinyl trim as well, but I found an old pic in a photo album today when I was prob 7 or so (b/c I am in the pic also), and it had chrome trim. The dealer must have put that on, then vinyl trim when the roof must have been redone at some point. I am 50/50 whether or not to put a vinyl top back on, since it was not that way 'originally'.

When I was a kid (6-10 or so), I remember driving around in this car and it was a sleeper. It was very quiet, but would burn the stock 14" tires so very easily (no doubt light to light). It was my grandmothers car then, and she would get the urge sometimes. Our family doctor was the original owner.

I just wonder how many here put hubcaps and single exhaust back on? I know it is ultimately what I want, but just having a hard time deciding now. One issue is that I just spent much $$$ on the Hotchkis TVS kit with Bilstein shocks, so a purist resto would eliminate using that stuff.

Curious though, what could one potentially run in the 1/4 with 3.42's and this bone stock setup above? Just wonderin b/c if I did go the 'purist' route, I could prob get away with some more gears.

Thx

 

More gear always works and 3.42 are a nice gear for a small block. I would run a little taller tire.

The thing about these cars are you can do a restore and still put a lot of good parts on them. I would go with a duel exhaust if you want. It won't take away from it. You could always get some SS11 wheels if want a stock wheel that looks good, but if you want to use the wheels with hubcaps that would nice too.

The vinyl top yeah I'm in the same boat. I can't make up my mind on it either. My car came with it, but these cars look good with or with out them.

I guess I'm trying to say you will have a nice car which ever way you go. Good luck.

 

Since you aren't dealing with a 442 or H/O or convertible of any sort I don't think the difference between original equipment AS INSTALLED ON YOUR CAR and any other configuration your car could have been in would make any difference value wise. In fact, I think dual exhausts and some tasteful appearance changes might increase the value if you ever sold it. People have removed the vinyl top because of the corrosion problem it can cause especially if it is in poor condition anyway. As to the stock steel wheels with hubcaps, you mentioned "sleeper" and that treatment fits perfectly with that word. Personally I like that look with black wall tires on some Cutlasses. Anyway, ultimately it is your car and you should do it the way you would like it.

 

My Vista Cruiser has stock size whitewall tires with wheel covers.
Every Olds in town has Rally wheels, herd mentality.
The few cool kids used to stand out from all the nerds, now everybody thinks they're hip and the nerds/wheel covers are unique and the cool ones.