Refreshing a 1972 Cutlass Supreme Convertible. 350 4BBL. A/C but not too many fancy original options.

Have wanted to do this for a long time. Spent the the last few years looking half-seriously. After getting some guidance from friends with experience, and these forums (thank you), I found what I was looking for.

Starting with a rust free car that spent the first 40+ years in Southern California and Arizona. Body is straight and mostly just the usual wear and tear for a car of this vintage. Supposedly under 60k miles - but who really knows.

The goal is to have a reliable Summer-only weekend cruiser that looks and drives fairly stock.

What I plan on having done first:

Engine:

• remove
• steam and scrub (hot tank the stamped metal bits)
• repaint - trying Fusick version of gold spray
• clean manifolds and repaint with the cast iron color
• correct plug for extra manifold hole (dual exhaust)
• new gaskets all around (Felpro)
• new hoses and period correct clamps all around
• rebuilding distributor (advanceddistributors.com) and installing original Petronix in place of points.
• rebuilding transmission (stock TH350 Master Rebuild Kit with bushings and remanufactured torque converter - from Fatsco)
• new stainless tubes for all around the engine (from inline tube)
• new water pump (from Supercars Unlimited)
• new washer fluid pump (from Supercars Unlimited)
• new (remanufactured) correct alternator (from Supercars Unlimited) the one that is on there works, but is a horrid blue.
• new fan shroud
• new plugs and wires
• new air, oil and fuel filters
• new water temp sending unit - still trying to figure this one out. (see dilemma on gauges below)

Other Stuff:

• Electric choke - decided that was not for me. see: https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...hoke-work.html
• Equus 8000 series electric "triple" gauges (don't love the fonts/typography but they are the only ones with a "dual" oil pressure sending unit that will also power the "idiot light"). I am still looking for a good solution for the water temperature to do the same (idiot and gauge), if anybody has good ideas.

Parts (mostly obscure) found from good folks on these forums, so far:

• A/C vent
• A/C ****
• A/C vacuum canister
• Matching passenger side mirror (not originally on the car)
• Electric window switch

A few photos attached

 

Question: how can a car that's only 41 years old have spent it's first forty-two years anywhere?

 

According to the Protect-O-Plate it was delivered in 1971

 

Maybe so, but it wasn't delivered in March of 1971. At most, it is perhaps 41.5 years old.

 

math corrected

 

Much better!

 

Completed

• Engine cleaned and painted (with about 4 coats of Fusick Gold).
• Engine regasketed.
• Sludge removed and new oil pump.
• Engine compartment cleaned.

Next steps:

• Paint water pump gold.
• Paint brackets black.
• Clean and paint carburetor.
• Clean and paint manifolds.
• Black paint on crossover area of frame underneath motor.

 

• The manifolds are cleaned and painted.
• New fuel pump installed.
• Water pump installed

Turns out that the head of the Distributor Vacuum Control Switch is loose. Was fortunate to find an old one in great condition from one of the kind folks on this forum (love this place).

The only thing I have been stymied by is trying to find a Slow Idle Carb Dashpot. Have looked everywhere I can think of.

Anybody????

My plea in the parts wanted section can be found here:
https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...b-dashpot.html

 

Was there a timing set included in your plan?

 

Ah, yes. Forgot that.
The chain was indeed worse for wear, so it was replaced.

 

To run your gauge set you will have to "T" your lines to run different gauges and idiot lights together.

 

I am going to be doing it like Miles71 did here: https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...gauge-set.html.
Image below is how he did it. You can see the two places to send data back to the interior.
Attached is the more factory elbow that I will be using to clear the water pump and manifold.

The Equus Oil Gauge sending unit also drives the idiot "light" - it was included with the gauge.

Sadly, as Miles71 points out, no go on the water temperature. So I will need to forgo that particular idiot light. The wisdom seems to be that T-ing it results in neither of them working (in the case of the water, as the sensor isn't in proper contact).

I also intend to put the "triple gauges" on a piano hinge, so that I can tuck it up under the dash.

Any additional word of wisdom you can add to the plan?

 

The dashpot on mine broke off. The engine has run and idled exactly the same as it did. I can't see what purpose it really served. Supposedly, it you jumped off the gas real fast, it would smooth that transition out. Again, I can't notice any difference.

 

Thanks. Good to know. Engine is now running without it (will post pix soon).

Would still like to replace it in the future.....hoping someone will see my plea over in the Parts Wanted section.
.

 

My 70 Vista Cruiser has a dash pot on it (broken but still there) My 71 Cutlass doesn't have one but now I wonder if it did and was removed?? It looks like the one for a 72 is also listed for a 71... Ah another new mystery....

 

Had the distributor rebuilt by Advanced Distributors. Very knowledgeable folks, and were a pleasure to deal with.

The crusty original needed a sprucing up, and did not move terribly smoothly. Hard to tell from the before and after photos, but It came back fresh as new.

Had them put in a Pertronix unit in place of points, too.

 

You can't see my mug, but you can see the car roll by at 1:44 of this video.

http://www.wcsh6.com/media/cinematic...toys-for-tots/

It was really hot weather, but a nice event.

 

why not get a rally gauge pack for the dash instead of a aux pod? lot cooler looking IMO

 

what did you use on your manifolds?

 

or try this for your gauges just ran across this looks cool https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-housings.html

 

true.
very cool looking.
but everything in the dash (including the clock) works perfectly.
so best leave it alone...lest i break something in the process.

 

Some high temp spray.
I think it was this:
http://www.eastwood.com/silver-hi-temp-coating.html

 

that is fantastic!

thank you for pointing that out.

 

Very cool im going to try the por15 manifold paint was seeing if you used it or not so I could get feed back

 

Hows the project coming along?

 

Thanks to @722drhdtp I was able to figure out the dealer from whence my car came (i have protect-o-plate)
24-860
Bob Werley Oldsmobile / American
830 South La Brea Avenue
Inglewood CA 90301

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post772714

With a little sluething (not much info on the short-lived dealership to be found online) I was able to track down an original license plate surround (see attached).

As so much of the car is original, it is a touch that I am really pleased with!






Bob Werley Oldmobile of Inglewood California - Plate Surround

 

Heater Core was leaking a little and so was the Heater Control Valve.

Got those taken care of with quality parts:

Posted pix over here: https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post932639

 

Convertible top swich decided to only go up, not down :-(

So it was time for a new one of those.

Posted some pix and some tips that will help others do it pretty easily over here (by adding my 2 cents to an already helpful thread): https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post933566

 

Happy 52nd birthday to my car.
Gave it a new set of radiator hoses as a gift ;-)