tobywoodard

I can't seem to post a profile pic. Can someone explain it to me, please?

Allan R

Toby, your profile pic is the picture that will show on your user home page. Clik on my user name and go to my home page. You will see a cartoonized pic of my car as the 'profile pic'.

tobywoodard

Maybe its not called a profile pic. I mean, the pic that appears with your user name on the left. Yours says "Oldsmobile Service".

Allan R

That's an avatar.
Use the same User CP access and simply use the "edit avatar" instructions.

carl 87 cutlass

check control panel it will say user cp click, you should be able to post picswhen box comes up go to edit profile

tobywoodard

I uploaded a profile pic, but don't see it yet. Can you see it? Thanks, Carl.

Allan R

Yes, nice CC. Green with no roof racks.

Allan R

That's in your profile though. Do something similar for your avatar.

tobywoodard

It's actually gray. Does it look green?

tobywoodard

I think its the reflection of the grass! I figured out the avatar.

Allan R

Good to see you're up and running. You actually painted it outside??? You're a brave individual. Hope someone was running interference for you from dive bombing $hit hawks.

What's with the hood emblem? Not sure if that was your idea or someone elses. IMO it just doesn't fit the theme of that car.

tobywoodard

Hey Allan. Yes, I sanded down and repaired the rust spots, taped and newpapered everything well, and sprayed it with many thin coats. That's the best I can do for now. So, the car is actually 2 different colors! The new paint has a bit more metal in it and a touch of gold, but you only see one color at a time and most don't even notice it! In the spring, I'll put a clear coat and wax on it. The hood emblem is actually the only thing not original on the car (even has the factory working 8-track player). It came off of a '55 Olds w/ a Rocket engine. I'm surprised to hear you say that. That is commonly the very first thing people notice and compliment me on, is the hood emblem. Did you see the pic of it from the front. I love it!

tobywoodard

And this car does have the Rocket 455 in it. Those emblems were banned at some point, thanks to Ralph Nader (Green Party guy), under the accusation that it would impale someone in and accident, so that kind of ticked off the previous owner, and he found one to put on, feeling that it was supposed to be there!

tobywoodard

I would love, someday, to have the car professionally painted. Not sure about the color. But, maybe an GM orange (?), or even a metallic purple. That would look pretty wild, with the dark metal screens in all the windows, and the front windows tinted dark, to black out the car (screens came from the manufacturer, I assume b/c originally it was used by a funeral home as hearse!). Or maybe just keep it gray, which looks good w/ the chrome highlights. We'll see! This car has been quite a project, but she's really coming along now, and is in great shape. I have never seen another, that I know of. Have you?
It's already such a part of me, you know?

tobywoodard

That's a gorgeous Cutlass you've got there, Allan. What's underneath the hood? And what is a "rail instructor". To do w/ the railroad? My father worked for 30 years on the railroad.

Allan R

I saw the pic of the front. That's why I made the comment.
Show me another 70's Custom Cruiser with a front ornament like that. The only other one I know of with a hood ornament was Jeffrey's which was sold a couple years back. He had the breakaway hood ornament on it and IMO it looked really nice. To each their own though.

I've seen lots of Custom Cruisers over the years. Owned a 73 that was a real pig on gas but would haul a brick $hithouse if you asked it to. Had a few whistles and bells like AC/power tailgate, luggage rack, woodgrain trim. Contrary to popular belief these big old boats did not come factory loaded. Most of them had manual features for seats, door locks, windows and came with a front speaker only AM radio.

Those 'screens' you're talking about were never manufactured by Olds and never came with the car. They are add on rain drip moldings and were added by a previous owner. Most funeral homes generally didn't use a stock wagon as a hearse. It would be an interesting story to have documented if they did. Most hearses were converted from 4 door sedans - Cadillac was the forerunner, but some Olds Ninety Eights, Pontiacs and Buicks were also done up.


I'm more familiar with the Cotner Bevington




and Miller Meteor convesions of the full size sedan to hearse. Extensive body modifications were done including raising the roof line and beefing up the suspension

You might be interested in this: http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/

My car has it's original 350/350 under the hood. 120K original miles and I'm thinking about a rebuild as soon as I finish the rear end project I started last fall.

A Rail Instructor/Examiner is exactly what it says. Someone who developes and teaches teaches training programs for Railroad Rules and Policies, wayside signal systems, train handling, troubleshooting, track configurations, track safety, communications networks, and examines those proficiencies (written and demonstrated) against documented standards. Motormen are graduated only if they achieve 90% or better on most competencies. Safety Critical testing requires 100% competency. It's a tough set of criteria and there are a lot of washouts.

tobywoodard

Wow, Allan! Did you own both of these beauties? I much prefer the front end of the second one, with the 4 round headlamps, like mine. This one is a real hearse! I don't know where the screens came from for certain, but they were made for that purpose and it was utilized as a hearse as is, for about 7-8 years or so. It has only been driven a few winters ever, and that was over 30 years ago. The suspension on my CC is really rugged. Heavy leaf springs in the rear, coil springs in the front, and shocks all the way around. It could handle a lot of weight, or towing weight! Just more to love about my "ship", as I love to call her! My Dad started out painting railroad bridges, then worked as a brakeman for many many years, mostly nights. In the end, Amtrak bought out Boston and Maine RR, and he worked his last 3 years as an Amtrak conductor on the commuter lines,selling tickets, etc. Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos! Do you think these gems are still in existence??

tobywoodard

Aside from the front end and the roof rack, the first one looks very similar to mine.

Allan R

Toby,
All the Custom Cruisers from 71-76 share the same side profiles. The only differences were interior exterior trim including the dash, header panels, tail lights, bumpers. I'm not sure, but I believe that 74 was the first year the CC started using fibreglass or plastic rear skirts. The metal ones were notorious for rust because not too many owners ever took them off to clean inside, and automatic car washes (being the vogue of the day) sure didn't clean in there either.

With the exception of 1976, all the others ^^ had round headlights. Those pictures I took from the web to illustrate what a production hearse would look like. I'm sure they are still around, but most funeral homes like to upgrade their vehicles every so often so they can offer top o the line luxury to the grieving families. Heck, one funeral I was at for my Aunt had a PREVOST motor coach all decked out with the funeral home colors and name on the side. Inside was pure opulence. Elvis would have been jealous!

All of those year Custom Cruisers had HD suspensions which included leaf rears and coil fronts. Was confused by your statement:All these cars had front / rear shocks. They are technically called "dampers" because they limit or control the bounce of the suspension. Without good shocks, the car would plow around and bounce like a jackrabbit dodging a coyote.

The 1975 455 was the standard engine in this car. In 1975 though you wouldn't have seen the air cleaner advertise it as a Rocket 455.

CC's are still very much in existence; but at a wide variety of condition offerings.

tobywoodard

Allan, Wow! You are very knowledgeable on these old cars! They did use my car as a hearse, just the way it was from the factory, except for the screens, and possibly the rear window tinting. I know that for sure. right here at Gardiner Funeral Home, in which I live. And it does have the Rocket 455. The decal on the air cleaner cover says it. I don't know much more about performance/HP, 0-60, etc. I would like to find out, or maybe you know. I know that by that time, they had really tuned those engines down, b/c of fuel economy, insurance, etc. I think the compression ratio is only 8:5 to 1. I but for the weight and size of the vehicle, she pulls just fine when you get on it. The cruise control is amazing in this (one of a few things that started working again on its own, after being stored for 15 years) It maintains 1-2 mph either way, from where you set it, no matter if there are hills or not, and at any speed. And the transmission shifts more smoothly than any car I have owned, I believe. You can barely feel it shift (TH-400?) would love to see another one like mine, but don't expect to... Thank you, Allan!

Allan R

LOL, you made me chuckle with the 0-60 question on your car. Ummm, no I don't have numbers, but I'm sure it would be somewhere around 12 seconds or more depending on the rear gears.

These year CC's were always paired up as 455/400. 455 is a torque monster when built that way and the TH400 will handle anything the 455 throws its way.

The cruise control is a decent option for long hauls and I'm really surprised that more of the big cars didn't get them as they were really designed to be highway cruisers. You will find good general averaging on flat or slight uphill terrain. The cruise will not compensate for downhill grades. Your car probably weighs in around 5300 lbs. It will pick up speed quite rapidly going down hill and the cruise will not compensate like smart cruise controls in today's cars. So better make sure your brakes are in good shape.

My 73 CC had only 225 HP, but used conventional distributor. Your 75 should be HEI ignition, but I believe I read somewhere the HP was downgraded to around 205 and CR could have been as low as 7.5:1

tobywoodard

Yeah, the car was def. set up for heavy loads, and even towing. Since the drive gear is relatively low in this car, it slows down, but for the steeper hills. Actually, I was thinking, this car really should have an overdrive. On the Interstate, it would have plenty of power to dog up the hills, I'm sure. And it would get better gas mileage. The pic that was NOT the car setup to be a hearse, was that your '73?