MichaelWB

Hi

3 weeks ago I bought a 1971 Cutlass Supreme convertible.

This is my first classic car and it is my first american car.

It's great to find this Ols community, and I will be looking for help and information here

I know you like pictures, so here is a shot of my car

Jamesbo

Welcome aboard

Nice ride

What are your plans?

cutlassgal

Welcome to our site!! Thanks for the pic - your car looks beautiful! You picked the best one for your first classic car - you'll really enjoy it!

MichaelWB

I plan to drive it and have fun!!

The car seems to be in good shape, which is why I bought it, so the plan is to drive it and fix what needs fixing along the way. I'm allready working on a list!!

I do not plan to restore it. The car is nice enough without being show quality, but not so nice that you don't want to drive it.

belgium57olds

hello michael ,

welcome to the CO , nice car where from denmark are you ?

belgium greetz

marc

MichaelWB

Hi Marc

I live in the suburbs of Copenhagen, just north of the city.

Oldsguy

It is sure nice to have you with us Michael. Welcome to CO.

Bluevista

Welcome. Beauteous car, looks very good to me, but now I want/need front bumper guards.
'71 is the best year Cutlass...or Vista Cruiser.

olds425

Welcome, nice car and thanks for the pics.

cutlassgal

Excuse me, sir????? I don't think so!

Miniucco

Welcome on the site.
Nice to see here other Scandinavians.

Gearhead442

Welcome, nice car, i like the color.

derek nesdoly

Welcome to our site Michael!! You will get lots of support and helpful information on your Olds from the folk here. I am nominating you as head of Classic Oldsmobile for Denmark. Your first step will be getting that mermaid on the rock into a 69 442 ...on the rock Derek

citcapp

Glad to have you aboard. Lots of guys from several different countries on this site so your in good company. You'll find lots of help here

OLD SKL 69

Welcome to the forum Michael. Congrats on your purchase. Did you buy it in Europe or did you get it shipped from the U.S.?

MichaelWB

I bought the car in Denmark from the guy who imported it in 2009.

It was made in Lansing, Michigan. First sold in California, and as far as I know it staid in California til 2000 when it moved to Florida. From Florida it moved to North Carolina in 2004 and then in 2009 to Denmark. It's a car thats been around

MichaelWB

That will be a challenge since the Little Mermaid is visiting China right now!
Ofcourse that will give me some time to find a 69 442, but I have this feeling, that my wife will put the limit at a maximum of 1 classic car a year

Willidog

Welcome to the site and nice car!

Miniucco

Do you make trip to Power Big Meet/Sweden in juli 8-10?
Look the site:
http://www.bigmeet.com/index.php

MichaelWB

No I wont be going to Power Big Meet. We have a seven weeks old son, so only local cruising for me

This summer is not of to a good start, bur today the weather was nice:



But I will be going to Viking Run in Roskilde, the biggest US car show/meet in Denmark.
http://www.viking-run.dk/forside.php

1969w3155

Welcome, another nice Olds to the site!

rane

Welcome! Hello skandinavia!

MichaelWB

Can anyone tell me where I can see the different engine options available for the Cutlass in 71?

I know mine is a 350 with a 2 barrel, so I'm guessing it's the base V8, bur how much power and wich other 350 and 455 where available that year?

And since you guys like pictures, heres another one

oldsdroptop

Nice droptop Michael....is that sienna brown?....I had 1 that color once....and then it turned Viking Blue.....good looking ride mine wasn't anywhere near that shiney and I was going to have to paint it no matter what. But at least the pans and quarters were mint. Good Luck with the Droptop. Oldsdroptop

MichaelWB

The guy I bought it from called it Cocoa brown, but it might be Sienna. One of the many mysteries to unravel about this car!

It is not that shiny, but it looks like it had the clear redone sometime, but it otherwise look to be the factory paintjob, which I think is pretty cool, so I can live with a few dings and scratches.

1969w3155

[quote=MichaelWB;185416]Can anyone tell me where I can see the different engine options available for the Cutlass in 71?

I know mine is a 350 with a 2 barrel, so I'm guessing it's the base V8, bur how much power and wich other 350 and 455 where available that year?

The base F85 was a L6 110hp SAE net/145 Gross brake hp. 350 2bbl, 160/240hp. 350 4bbl, 180/260hp. 455/2bbl, 250/320hp. 455 4bbl, 270/340hp (442). 455 4bbl, 300/350hp (W30).

MichaelWB

Great - thanks for the info!

Not much difference between the 2 and the 4 bbl 350's then.

Is the only difference between these 2 engines the carburator and manifold?

geckonz08

that is beautiful . I love the look of a clean uncluttered engine bay and engine .
mike

1969w3155

Carb, manifold and dual exhaust.

Col Wickham

Welcome from Australia Michael. Really nice convertible. Doesn't look like it needs too much doing to it. How's our Mary going over there? She behaving herself?

MichaelWB

So do I, but how would you know what my engine bay looks like? I haven't taken a picture of it yet

Lets just say, it's not clean

MichaelWB

Ok. Mine allready has the dual exhaust, so it would be a relatively simple upgrade.

MichaelWB

It has some dings a scratches but not many for a 40 year old car, and I plan to drive it as is. I kind of like the fact that it does not look like a new car. It gives the car some history.

I think Mary is doing fine. I'm not one who follows the royals closely, but I haven't heard of any scandals

MichaelWB

Does anyone know the correct wheel/tiresize for a 71 Cutlass?

I have this feeling, that the combination on my car is somewhat bigger than original. The car got so much ground clearence that I could use it for offroading!

1969w3155

The wheels size if equipped with SSI or SSII would be 14 x 7", the tire size would be 225-70-14 if ordered with the 70 series wide oval tire, Original size G70x14. A 26.20" tire diameter would be very close to the original size. Looking at your pics, I don't think it's your tires, the suspension looks "lifted" by at least an inch. It may of had new springs installed before you bought it. For some reason new replacement springs make the car sit about 1" higher, which always baffled me as they did not sit that way when showroom new...with of course, new springs.

MichaelWB

The shock absorbers are supposed to be relatively new, så that might be part of it. I don't know if the shock absorbers are the right ones, but the car definately handles like a car with fresh absorbers.

The tires on the car right now is 235/70-15, but to match the tiresize 225/70-14 it should be 235/60-15, which would give me a wheel that is 47 mm smaller or 1.8 inches to you americans

Col Wickham

Michael. They sit pretty high even without new shockies. I'm seriously considering dropping mine a little because I think they sit too high. Then I watch the guys with lowered cars inching their way around speed humps etc and I'm grateful for the clearance. Comes down to what's important to you I guess: Looks Vs practicality. eBay has got some nice looking US made 2" drop spindles & 1.3" lowered springs for smallblock 1972 cars at reasonable prices if you do want to get down. Also some nice 17" x 8" & 9" wheel & tyre combos if your happy to move away from the stock wheels. My head's there but my heart isn't just yet.

MichaelWB

I know what you mean. I love the low look, but the car needs to be driveable as well. I don't have any short term plans to lower it, but when it's time to change the tires, it will be for some with the same heigth as the originals, and that will lower it some.
Even with the smaller wheels, there will be plenty of ride height

Col Wickham

I think they could come down 2" without looking "pimped".
Mine has stock wheels (14") and Firestone Firehawk tyres that are pretty much the original profile from what I can figure out. These tyres have probably been on the car for 10 years. I'd prefer not to see the top of the tyre in the wheel arch. My last Olds, a 67 convertible, had a great stance. It looked lowered even though it wasn't, and it rode really well. I'd like to replicate that one day with this car.
I'll put the question into the appropriate forum when the time comes. The last thing I want to do is spend $3k on wheels, tyres & lowering stuff then hate the ride and handling.
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MichaelWB

I agree, the wheels need to fill the wheel arch nicely, I don't like a lot of air between the top of the wheel and the body. That's not a problem with the big tires on the car now, but I hope that once I swap them for a right size tire, I will still have the same god "fit" that you have on your car.