oldcutlass

When I was doing mine, I looked at the kit you purchased and decided against it as it was very different than my car. Purchased the rubber kit from Yearone instead. All my bolts install from the bottom.


As I lived through the 60's and 70's in New York and Central Jersey, it really makes me thankful not having to go through those winters any more.

DLaz70OLDS98

Thanks Eric. I am really leaning towards returning this kit and getting the rubber one.

I found out in May that my company is relocating to SW Florida and my group is scheduled to move early next year. Leading up into the winter I was pretty set against it but after this winter I am really considering it! Screw this cold and snow crap!

Thanks for your input Eric, as always it is very helpful!

Eddie Hansen

Drew I bought 1 kit from year one and 1 from ilt I liked the hardware better on the wilt as it is more stock looking at the time year one gave what looks like off the shelf bolts just wanted to remind u the kits rarely include the Core support bushings or shims etc..

I hear you for the cold weather 14 degrees this am down right chilly

DLaz70OLDS98

Thanks Eddie. I am actually sitting here with all the poly bushings laid out and I have the right number of bushings but the 4 solid pucks have been replaced with 2 piece bushings like the rest. I will upload a picture later on as I am using my android phone and I can't upload a pic from it. So how the hell do you install them so the bolt isn't ramming the underside of the body in these 4 locations. I am also looking at the OPGI catalog and thinking of going with the rubber set from them which includes the rad support bushings. I already bought the hardware from inline tube.

DLaz70OLDS98

Here is a shot of the poly bushings and the instructions sheet showing the bolts from the top. I also included a shot of all my front end goodies and my restored steering column for a floor shift car that I got from a CO member, Patton Glade. He does amazing work.

jeffsims

Nice Cutlass. I think I found the answer to a post that I just made from your pictures. Just in case, will you let me know if the rear wheel stainless to rear qtr chrome looks like my picture below. Just doesn't look right to me.

DLaz70OLDS98

Jeff,
It looks the same to me. Here is another shot of mine.

Oldsmaniac

If I can comment the fit looks close but not perfect. Perhaps some repair was done to quarter or wheel well?

jeffsims

I looked at it a bit more last night. I had repair work done to the RS, which I have not made it there yet on the trim install. I did have the qtr chrome on both sides rechromed. The more I look at it, it looks like there might be a bit too much chrome on the upper edge of the pc. This excess is against the body. The fit is pushing the stainless away causing my gap.

I will start grinding away a little bit this morning. Cross my fingers and hope the chrome does not start peeling off.

Eddie Hansen

Drew I don't know? I suppose the factory did it the way they did for a reason ???
I suppose you can put just the rubber pucks for those, or you could make some mods to clearance that area, I don't know if there is an area to weld in some caged nuts like the body would have?

I know the poly is stiffer etc but won't it take away any cushioning or vibration absorbtion ? I know your trading this for better handling etc but when I decided on what kind of bushings etc for my car I thought will I ever really have this on a road course etc? And if I did with the rest of the suspension being stock type would I really be making a huge difference? I mean not lowering the car, no adjustable springs etc, then I thought about how I would hate doing all this work and finding I feel every bump, so I went with the factory type


Anyway column looks great

DLaz70OLDS98

Now you’re talking crazy Eddie , welding in additional cagenuts. I think I will just returnthat set and order the rubber set. I did get the poly bushings for the frontend rebuild. The main reason I did was because I bought the original factoryrubber set for the 1970 Ninety Eight I have and about 3-4 years later theylooked like CRAP! I don’t want to go through all the trouble of redoing thefront end to have the bushings turn to hell in a few years, JMO.

On a side note does anyone have an estimate on how much blast media will beneeded to blast the frame? I plan on scraping and degreasing the heavily soiledareas first.

67Olds442X2

Not sure if you have the assembly manual or not but here's the body mounting. Drew, as you know those mounts, #3 both sides, #4 (plugs)both sides and of course #6 both sides are literally gone. You may have mentioned replacing the floor boards and braces which I believe have the nuts for the mount bolts. A link to the nuts is below. I know you can get the trunk pieces set up with the mounting provisions. I assume the welded washers are for the frame? Anyway I'm preaching to the choir.

http://www.ss396.com/part/BCN-716.html

DLaz70OLDS98

Thanks Dan! The link is helpful. I've been looking for the right cage nuts. I value all bits of information that I can gather up. Thanks again and I hope all is well!

DLaz70OLDS98

The nice weather this weekend allowed me to make some good headway on my project. I finished removing everything I needed to allow me to remove the body. Once removed, I found a lot of rot in the underside along most of the driver’s side that will need to be cut out and replaced. I also found a section of the frame cracked. I do not think it is a huge deal as it is the section just past the frame mount perch behind the axle. I can make two pieces of metal stick together but I don’t have the skills to make it look pretty so I will be enlisting the help of my friend who is a welder.
I guess the project will be on hold for a few weeks waiting on the weather to warm-up so I can sand blast and paint the frame and all the other parts that I have piled up. Here are a few shots of the body supported, nothing to exciting…

oldcutlass

Where are you working that car, looks like a storage unit?

DLaz70OLDS98

That is where it is right now. My brother owns a well drilling company where I will be sandblasting, painting and reassembling the frame. Unfortunately, during the winter months my brother has the drill rigs torn apart and rebuilt for the upcoming season. So that means no room in the shop for the Cutlass. The body will be going to my friends shop where we will repair all the sheet metal. I was going to wait till the spring to start this project in the shop but since I am getting transferred for work to Southwest Florida in just about a year I needed to get moving on this project so I had to start it in the storage unit.

DLaz70OLDS98

After I removed the body from the frame I was able get someadditional information regarding the polyurethane bushing kit that I had mentionedin previous posts. In the service manualit identifies body mounts #4 and #5 as being the solid plugs (no bolts connectedto the body). Upon removal I wasinspecting these two (2) locations and found that there are cage nuts locatedin the braces on the body in the #4 and #5 locations. I assume that the Prothane polyurethane bodybushing kit has you replace the solid plugs with the body bushings that are usedthroughout the rest of the frame and connect it to the body. I am going to consult Prothane and see whatthey have to say about this.

oldcutlass

All of mine had caged nuts, I don't think any of the bushings just slipped in place without a bolt. There are one on each side if I remember correctly that were only used in BB cars.

DLaz70OLDS98

Ericif you look at the picture attached from the service manual it shows #4 and #5as being those solid plugs. It does notappear that these plugs mount to the body via use of bolts. Rather it appears that the body just restupon them. On my car I have exactly whatis shown in the service manual, but as I indicated earlier #4 and #5 do havethe ability to be bolted down to the frame. I hope that I am explaining it correctly, if not I welcome beingeducated. Thanks guys.

oldcutlass

I'll have to out and look at mine and see if there are bolts for the ones at the top of the wheel well frame area. I'll report back later.

DLaz70OLDS98

No Rush Eric, I am a looong way away from intalling anything. But your assistance is appreciated.

oldcutlass

Ok, mine have bolts in them at the #5 position. All of my body mounts are bolted in place.

DLaz70OLDS98

Awesome, thanks for the information Eric!

DLaz70OLDS98

I haven't posted in a while but I have been making progress. I have the control arms sand planted painted and all new bushings pressed in. I am currently working on replacing all the floor braces and patching the floors and inner rockers. I am also working on repairing the frame where the body mounts. I've been making a list of all the parts that I need. The list has the supplier and part number and price. Well my wife took it upon herself to take my list and order a bunch of parts off the list for my birthday. I got a hurst shifter, fuel pump, and a bunch of bolts from AK. I couldn't be any luckier to have married such an amazing woman.

DLaz70OLDS98

It's been a while since I have posted on the build. I have been very busy working on repairing the floors, floor braces, and inner rockers. Here are a few pictures of the floor. I still have 2 more floor braces to install and the trunk pan to repair. I have also fixed 6 of the holes in the frame for the body mounts. I sandblasted the entire frame and I was able to paint it. I plan on getting the suspension, engine, trans, rear, fuel and brake lines, and exhaust in place before I set the body back on.

DLaz70OLDS98

Here are a few shots of the body mount holes that I repaired.

67Olds442X2

Looking good, keep it up.

Oldsmaniac

Was wondering where the project was, keep the updates coming!

DLaz70OLDS98

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys. The floor took a little longer than I thought it would but I'm pretty happy with the outcome. I will try to be better at posting updates.

JTz442

Nice Car... good luck with the project

DLaz70OLDS98

Thanks, I appreciate the compliment.

DLaz70OLDS98

Well all the floor braces are in and everything is ground down and sealed. All in all I am pretty happy with the floors. I just have to paint the floor but before I paint it I wanted to get my ratchet shifter positioned. I got it in place and drilled the holes. I ended up making backing plates to reinforce the tunnel where the bolts secure the shifter and I tacked them in place. I also re installed the ball studs for the gas pedal.
My next project will actually be starting to work on the inner rear wheel wells. Once I get them patched I will paint the floors. I attached a few pictures of the shifter in place.

Oldsmaniac

Picts and progress reports are always nice! Looking good.

oldcutlass

That's one of my future projects the shifter looks great.

DLaz70OLDS98

Thanks Joe and Eric. The encouragement is always appreciated.

ent72olds

Making great progress, looks very professional.

DLaz70OLDS98

Professional..... I don't know about that, but thanks for the compliment.

DLaz70OLDS98

So today I tore into the driver side inner wheel well. It was ugly, a lot of rot. Once I cut out the rot I was faced with the rotted out trunk brace that is located just behind the back seat. What a hump that pig was to get out. I am happy to report that it is out. My plan was to work the two inner wheel wells then that brace but seeing how the front part of brace was sandwiched between the back seat pan and the upper trunk floor l figured it would be easier with the wheel wells out of the way. I am not sure what my next move is going to be. I am thinking maybe just cut out the whole trunk pan before I put the wheel wells and brace back in and do it everything at once. However, my concern with that approach would be support of the quarter panels, etc. If I remove the trunk pan at this point. Any thoughts????
I am going to go and reassess the situation tomorrow. I will take some pictures and post them.

Oldsmaniac

I get worried when I cut too much metal away because something may move so I do one thing at a time. Its just my way and I need not have more problems than I already have with the car. My trunk pan for the TC was a 3 piece unit and I welded one in then cut the next out then a new then the last section was cut and welded.

DLaz70OLDS98

That was my original plan. I think I'll stick with it. I'll replace the brace and then get the wheel well in place and finally tackle the trunk pan in the same fashion you did. The ks for your input Joe.