my intro for sdcarguy
July 20th, 2012, 09:20 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: San Diego East County
Posts: 45
my intro for sdcarguy
I am an Oldsmobile crazy person from the git go. I presently am restoring a 70 Toronado. I have the front and rear windows out fixing the pinch welds. It is stock everything and it's staying that way. This is my first foray into the bodyworks side of the business.
I hope to sell the Toro to fund a restoration on a 2dr no post 67 Cutlass. Again, all stock. It is going to replace the 67 Cutlass Supreme my wife and I had when we were kids.
I am also dickering with a guy for a 69 Vista Cruiser. My first car was a 56 88, transferred that drivetrain to a cleaner 55 88 and drove that car for years and years. Tried to restore a 50 2 door and ended selling it. I had transferred a 54 drivetrain into it that was hot. It was the 324 cid (at least, I was told) with a Carter AFB carb, Mallory dual point distributor, solid lifters and cam and a B&M hydrostick. I had the frame beefed up in the front because I heard they would crack under the torques of the v-8. Hated to see it go.
I have worked as a mechanic and shop owner for over 44 years and still love getting into a car's guts.
I hope to be able to contribute meaningful stuff to the forums and absorb some stories of other people's successes. sdcarguy
I hope to sell the Toro to fund a restoration on a 2dr no post 67 Cutlass. Again, all stock. It is going to replace the 67 Cutlass Supreme my wife and I had when we were kids.
I am also dickering with a guy for a 69 Vista Cruiser. My first car was a 56 88, transferred that drivetrain to a cleaner 55 88 and drove that car for years and years. Tried to restore a 50 2 door and ended selling it. I had transferred a 54 drivetrain into it that was hot. It was the 324 cid (at least, I was told) with a Carter AFB carb, Mallory dual point distributor, solid lifters and cam and a B&M hydrostick. I had the frame beefed up in the front because I heard they would crack under the torques of the v-8. Hated to see it go.
I have worked as a mechanic and shop owner for over 44 years and still love getting into a car's guts.
I hope to be able to contribute meaningful stuff to the forums and absorb some stories of other people's successes. sdcarguy
Last edited by sdcarguy; July 20th, 2012 at 09:21 AM. Reason: clarification
July 23rd, 2012, 12:05 PM
#6
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: San Diego East County
Posts: 45
Pictures in my galleries. The Toro has a white tarp in the front seat we have been using for a welding blanket. It's not an exploded air bag. The Toro will get to the body shop for etching and priming of the window openings today or tomorrow. Things are moving kind of slow as I had some vertebra fused in my neck and Doc says to lay low. Both front fenders are off the car now. I bought a much better pair and am going to hang those on there. The engine runs strong. Engine leaks oil from the valve covers, (what's new?), did leak from the oil sender and the trans pan leaks.
The Cutlass is what keeps me doing these things. My wife INSISTS! She wants her Cutlass on the road.
Made an offer on the Vista Cruiser this weekend, and he is considering it.
Did I mention somewhere that my son-in-law has an old Chevy, 34 or 38? he wants me to make road ready? I have time on that one because he wants it for my twin grandsons, but they are only 3 1/2. Hope I live long enough for all the projects. It has what I would guess is about a 51 -53 Olds drivetrain. His Dad built it and drove it here from Canada. It even has a 3x2 and 3x4 intake in the trunk. It looks like enough parts to make 3 Strombergs.
The Cutlass is what keeps me doing these things. My wife INSISTS! She wants her Cutlass on the road.
Made an offer on the Vista Cruiser this weekend, and he is considering it.
Did I mention somewhere that my son-in-law has an old Chevy, 34 or 38? he wants me to make road ready? I have time on that one because he wants it for my twin grandsons, but they are only 3 1/2. Hope I live long enough for all the projects. It has what I would guess is about a 51 -53 Olds drivetrain. His Dad built it and drove it here from Canada. It even has a 3x2 and 3x4 intake in the trunk. It looks like enough parts to make 3 Strombergs.
July 23rd, 2012, 01:43 PM
#7
Just an Olds Guy
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Edmonton, AB. And "I am Can 'eh' jun - eh"
Posts: 24,525
Sorry to hear about the neck problems. I can appreciate how frustrating it must be for you to want to do stuff and be limited for now. Well, get the wife to start turning wrenches too. Then she can see what you've been doing and appreciate it even more. Tell her to be prepared to break some of her nails.
3 Strombergs? Why would you want to do that? From what I remember about my buddies 76 TR, those were notorious for constantly needing adjustment.
That Toro has a lot of potential. I looked at your album...sigh... was hoping for more than 2 pics.....I know. You'll get around to it when you can. It's definitely a start. Is that by any chance a Toro GT?
3 Strombergs? Why would you want to do that? From what I remember about my buddies 76 TR, those were notorious for constantly needing adjustment.
That Toro has a lot of potential. I looked at your album...sigh... was hoping for more than 2 pics.....I know. You'll get around to it when you can. It's definitely a start. Is that by any chance a Toro GT?
July 23rd, 2012, 03:08 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: San Diego East County
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I have 2 shops, and the wife manages/writes service for the 2 techs there. She and I have been together since high school and married for 41 years. She is a mechanic by injection, is what I like to say.
They are the old, old, Stromberg 97's with a 3 bolt base. The side draft Strombergs were only a pain if someone that didn't know what they were doing monkeyed with them. I didn't know how. But the old 240Z SU's were something I knew. Syncing multiple carbs is just doing the steps in the right order, like some of these aces on this website do. I just read through the restoration of the Vista Cruiser that ent72olds is doing. Yeah, adjust them like that. One beautiful step at a time.
Unfortunately, I didn't start taking many pictures early on, because it is so butt ugly. One of my employees insisted and pushed me once it got to the shop. I was working on it on the dirt in my backyard when I first started with it. I got frustrated after I got the right fender off, and trailered it down to the shop. More to come, I promise.
They are the old, old, Stromberg 97's with a 3 bolt base. The side draft Strombergs were only a pain if someone that didn't know what they were doing monkeyed with them. I didn't know how. But the old 240Z SU's were something I knew. Syncing multiple carbs is just doing the steps in the right order, like some of these aces on this website do. I just read through the restoration of the Vista Cruiser that ent72olds is doing. Yeah, adjust them like that. One beautiful step at a time.
Unfortunately, I didn't start taking many pictures early on, because it is so butt ugly. One of my employees insisted and pushed me once it got to the shop. I was working on it on the dirt in my backyard when I first started with it. I got frustrated after I got the right fender off, and trailered it down to the shop. More to come, I promise.
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