Allan R

IMO it would have been just a lot easier to put the link kit bolts in the other way around.

foo

I didn't feel like taking the sway bar off, it only took a few seconds to cut them off anyhow.



I matched up the spacer only thing that was out of size was the bolt.

I am from a surrounding town, minoa, kirkville area

foo

Little update on what i did today: assembled the front a little more torqued bolts and pulled out old races in rotors and put in new ones.

Bunser

Slotted and drilled rotors...I'm guessing you're not gonna let your grandmother drive your Cutlass!

foo

HAHA!! Not a chance divers seat will be reserve for me

W70442

Wow. This brings back memories. I did mine from 1998 thru Jan 2001. Good times.
You may know this but you are supposed to torque the control arm bushing bolts with the weight of the car on the wheels. This is stated in the chassis service manual. I've seen a lot of guys rebuild their front end with new front springs, bushings etc and then complain that the front end sits too high. They initially blame it on the springs which can be the case but it often turns out that they tightened the control arm bolts with the suspension hanging. This preloads it so that when you do put the weight of the car on the suspension, the control arms don't give/move like they should.
Looks great. Keep at it.

foo

Yupper They are pretty loose right now as much as would've love to torque those guys I know I cant yet.

foo

A small update what I got done today before I got cold.






dust caps are too dented to use so I'm using them for minor coverage until i get new ones

foo

New linkage is here!

Allan R

Did you count the threads on the old linkages to make sure the new ones are set up the same way? That will minimize your hassles with the alignment when it goes back together. You did keep the shim packs together and labelled for the upper control arms?

I love new parts. You planning to paint those before installing?

foo

Have not looked at the old linkage yet into compareing side by side. The old shimes were far to rusted and gone when I took the car apart I ended up throwing them


New parts are great its like christmas everytime

I do plan on painting them, I wish they were painted before i got them, it wouldve saved me some time. Its also getting too cold out to do much of anything.

Allan R

Know what you mean. I painted all the new stuff before assembly and installation. Just have to be a little careful not to scratch it all up. Dry fit everything, and DON'T grease anything until you've finished the install. Use GOOD grease so it doesn't separate out during storage. When torque the linkages, I found a 30" extension on my torque wrench let me do some of the castle nuts from above the radiator support. I put my front sway bar on last so it didn't get in the way of the steering installation.

oldzy

Two bottom spindle bolts are supposed to be the other way around with nuts on the inside. If the inside surface of the rotor is not too close, does not really matter.

foo

you are correct, I cant remember why I put them on that way maybe I was in a rush

Eddie Hansen

Looking good:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

Allan R

When you change them, remember the right torques. Those smaller 2 are 90 ft/lbs and the anchor bolt is 120 ft/lbs. Don't be in a rush and forget that.

jahlyfe'scutty

woww man!!!Everyday i read your thread i like da look of your frame and da colors blk/red as that is the color combo im going to do on my car.I jus have to remove pass side drum/control arm and spindle to remove and i will be on to the next step which is sandblasting or sanding it myself with a palm sander n wire wheel.How did u clean up ur frame.And i see a gallon of blk paint in the pic so did u brush it on the frame.

foo

Thank you, Im glad you like it, as for the frame I actually had it sent out to get sandblasted, welded and painted(spray). as for everything else I did paint them, using wire wheel on angle grinder, primed and used VHT spray cans on all black add-on parts(cure time is about a week)

hawks70

Looking good. Your not far from me. I'm just east of Rochester. Good luck!

foo

Some updates:
Calipers are on

Linkage Prime and getting paint + brake line bracket

Linkages New nice and painted and old; turns out on the old the driver side tie rods were not evenly spaced.

foo

Box is primed

Painted and put on

Top view

(Abit of a bad pic)Front shot: linkage and steering box on with some crummy old wheels

Side Shot

ent72olds

Looking very nice! Keep up the great work.

Allan R

Yeah, working on the suspension without the engine/rad support or front clip on looks a lot easier. Hope you didn't torque those upper or lower control arms yet.

foo

definitely is easier with all the room on all angles to get at it, still have those guys untorqued.

Ill be trying to finish up the rearend this winter

foo

~Finally got the finishing pieces to the rear; new carrier and 3.73 gears, courtesy of (Jim aka monzaz).

~finished axles with paint and bearings pressed.
PRIMED

Painted top view with bearings

Side view

3.73 gears ans BOP 8.2 carrier

foo

I haven't posted in awhile. Been having trouble uploading pictures, Things are still moving forward though.

Rearend is done, frame is on all 4 legs, bumper brackets are done up, process is moved to the engine.
Engine: Had J heads on it, Moved it to E heads, brought block, heads and crank to the machine shop.
-Heads: Cleaned up and intakes opened up a bit more.
-Block: cleaned up, bored 30 over, plugs and cam bearings placed.
-Crank cleaned, still waitng on it to be bored for pilot bearing.

New parts so far:
-intake and exhaust valves
-pistons and rings

I'm just waiting for a good day to paint up the block and heads.

foo

figured it out.

foo

foo

TheBigBlueBoat

Amazing rebuild.

Good to see it can be done with a car that's actually worse than mine. It had about the same rust since it lived a couple hours down the 90 from you.

foo

foo

progress still being made slow but surely moving forward.

~pistons and rods put together


~Couple things painted


~My parts are stacking up pretty good


~I decided I was sick of waiting for all my parts to get started so put the Cam. in

choogs

nice man . doing an awesome job I cant wait to see more

foo

Thanks, I have the engine moving right along just have to put the pics up. Its starting to get cold out which is slowing things up.

sammy

Read your build thread...congrats on sticking to it...looks great

Ted

oldsguybry

Wow , awesome ride !

dfire25

*Attached* She coming along nicely. Looks like a lot of fun!
Did you ever find a Vin derivative on the frame? Just curious.

foo

No, I never did find it.

foo

Crank put in:


Pistons underside:


Front, underside timing chain:


Flipped view:

foo

This is what happens when I follow the directions rather than looking at the heads for the pistons(Intakes are inwards), flipped pistons to opposite sides no pic.


I threw a head on, Its starting to look like a engine again.


Head side: