New life for my old olds
November 28th, 2009, 11:51 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: South Portland Maine
Posts: 362
New life for my old olds
Hey folks,
I am a newbie here, and I am excited to see so many dedicated olds people, as well as a great depth of knowledge and experience.
I have been the proud owner of a 1971 Olds Cutlass Supreme since 1989. I bought it in March of 89, put a ton of work into it, some good, some bad, drove it through 7 years of college, then put it in a garage in 1997 when I bought a pickup with a cap for my DJ business.
I lost storage for 3 years from 2003 to 2006, when I welcomed it to my new garage.
Now business is good, and life is stable, so off I go to get er back on the road. I will post pics as soon as I get the starter in.
I am going to do all the basic maintenance, fluid, hose & belt changes, points, plugs, filters a carb rebuild & a master cyl rebuild, & turn the drums, then get all the lights & electrical things working properly and see if I can get it registered as an antique.
Once registered as an antique, I can drive it to places for repairs if and when need be.
My big questions are, at least for now going to be bodywork related, as I have no welding experience, and will need some in order to get this old gal back on the road again.
Was there anything on my list I am missing? Should I do anything to protect a motor that hasn't been started in about 3 years before starting it?
Thank you for having me here, I am looking forward to learning from all of you, and sharing my experiences as I go!
I am a newbie here, and I am excited to see so many dedicated olds people, as well as a great depth of knowledge and experience.
I have been the proud owner of a 1971 Olds Cutlass Supreme since 1989. I bought it in March of 89, put a ton of work into it, some good, some bad, drove it through 7 years of college, then put it in a garage in 1997 when I bought a pickup with a cap for my DJ business.
I lost storage for 3 years from 2003 to 2006, when I welcomed it to my new garage.
Now business is good, and life is stable, so off I go to get er back on the road. I will post pics as soon as I get the starter in.
I am going to do all the basic maintenance, fluid, hose & belt changes, points, plugs, filters a carb rebuild & a master cyl rebuild, & turn the drums, then get all the lights & electrical things working properly and see if I can get it registered as an antique.
Once registered as an antique, I can drive it to places for repairs if and when need be.
My big questions are, at least for now going to be bodywork related, as I have no welding experience, and will need some in order to get this old gal back on the road again.
Was there anything on my list I am missing? Should I do anything to protect a motor that hasn't been started in about 3 years before starting it?
Thank you for having me here, I am looking forward to learning from all of you, and sharing my experiences as I go!
November 29th, 2009, 04:51 AM
#3
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Korat, Thailand
Posts: 360
Welcome to the forum and best of luck on the resto.
I can give you a few tips on starting an engine that hasn't run in awhile.
1. Drain all the fluids and replace with new fluids
2. Put 1 qt of auto trans fluid in with the oil. The detergent in the trans fluid will help clean the engine. Drain out and change filter after 100 miles.
3. Before starting leave the spark plugs out and crank the engine for a few minutes to get oil to the upper parts of the engine.
4.If you have cork gaskets (pan, valve covers) do not tighten them until you have driven about 1000 miles as these gaskets will be dry and hard and if you try to tighten them before they get soft (think oil soaked) they will have a tendency to crack and you will have to replace them.
5. Do all the other regular things you would do on a tune up like replace plugs and points. Also replace all the belts and plug wires.
Verroooom!!!!!!!!
I can give you a few tips on starting an engine that hasn't run in awhile.
1. Drain all the fluids and replace with new fluids
2. Put 1 qt of auto trans fluid in with the oil. The detergent in the trans fluid will help clean the engine. Drain out and change filter after 100 miles.
3. Before starting leave the spark plugs out and crank the engine for a few minutes to get oil to the upper parts of the engine.
4.If you have cork gaskets (pan, valve covers) do not tighten them until you have driven about 1000 miles as these gaskets will be dry and hard and if you try to tighten them before they get soft (think oil soaked) they will have a tendency to crack and you will have to replace them.
5. Do all the other regular things you would do on a tune up like replace plugs and points. Also replace all the belts and plug wires.
Verroooom!!!!!!!!
November 30th, 2009, 11:29 AM
#7
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: South Portland Maine
Posts: 362
Thanks!
Thanks for the welcome!
I am excited to be here. I've apparently done a far better job of documenting my cutlass on paper than in pic's. I had taken a bunch of pix bet. 2003-2006 while out of the garage, but I took tem with a digital camera, and can not remember what I did with the files.
Anyway, here are a couple pic's from back in the early 90's. one of me finishing an oil change, and the other of me with 2 friends in front of The Winston Churchill in Montreal. It was a great daily driver through college!
The Montreal trip was great, 1200 trouble free miles, and then when I had to go to work, 8 hours after returning home, she would not start, and I had to bum a ride to work.
The starter should be in tomorrow. Thanks rdrokit & citcapp for the advice! Should I use any specific kind of ATF? Pending good weather I should have some pics up by weeks end. I know the sitting time has not been kind to my old friend, but I hope to be able to at least get it out & about come spring.
Bulldog, the 71 looks real nice. I had been contemplating getting rid of the lower bodyline trim myself, but I'm too afraid of having it confused with a 72, which already happens with some frequency.
Thanks again! Chat soon...
I am excited to be here. I've apparently done a far better job of documenting my cutlass on paper than in pic's. I had taken a bunch of pix bet. 2003-2006 while out of the garage, but I took tem with a digital camera, and can not remember what I did with the files.
Anyway, here are a couple pic's from back in the early 90's. one of me finishing an oil change, and the other of me with 2 friends in front of The Winston Churchill in Montreal. It was a great daily driver through college!
The Montreal trip was great, 1200 trouble free miles, and then when I had to go to work, 8 hours after returning home, she would not start, and I had to bum a ride to work.
The starter should be in tomorrow. Thanks rdrokit & citcapp for the advice! Should I use any specific kind of ATF? Pending good weather I should have some pics up by weeks end. I know the sitting time has not been kind to my old friend, but I hope to be able to at least get it out & about come spring.
Bulldog, the 71 looks real nice. I had been contemplating getting rid of the lower bodyline trim myself, but I'm too afraid of having it confused with a 72, which already happens with some frequency.
Thanks again! Chat soon...
December 1st, 2009, 10:25 AM
#11
Registered User
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Toronto,Ontario
Posts: 467
71supreme, Yes the 2 years are very similar in appearance.It starts alot of conversations about the car.However for the record I didn't remove it myself I bought the car the way it is.I have bought all the missing pieces and plan on putting them back on the car when it's painted hopefully next year.That said thou I really don't mind driving like it is.
December 1st, 2009, 05:07 PM
#12
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: South Portland Maine
Posts: 362
well, the oil is changed & the starter is in, I am off to work, and will pull it out of the garage for pics tomorrow.
Question, has anyone here used shims for a starter install? I have not, my new starter came with them, and damnifiknow what to do with them. any thoughts/help/advice?
This is my 3rd starter over the last 70,000 miles, so I am thinking there might be something to this shim thing. again, any helpful words at all would be greatly appreciated!
Question, has anyone here used shims for a starter install? I have not, my new starter came with them, and damnifiknow what to do with them. any thoughts/help/advice?
This is my 3rd starter over the last 70,000 miles, so I am thinking there might be something to this shim thing. again, any helpful words at all would be greatly appreciated!
December 1st, 2009, 05:18 PM
#14
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: South Portland Maine
Posts: 362
ok, I just checked the manual, and it explains the shims. Is there a standard # to use? what have you all used? I ask because I haven't noticed the noise the manual tells me to look for.
Thanks! ~Mike
Thanks! ~Mike
December 1st, 2009, 05:22 PM
#16
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: South Portland Maine
Posts: 362
that's alright Bulldog, it looks great the way it is. I've got a ways to go b4 mine can even come close to what you've got. I am still mulling over just what to do with just about everything.
December 2nd, 2009, 12:33 PM
#17
Registered User
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Toronto,Ontario
Posts: 467
71supreme, Under normal circumstances if it didn't have shims originally then they are not required. I believe the noise that the manual speaks of is when the starter drive doesn't line up properly with the ring gear (Thus the shims).What type of exhaust do you have because the starter could be over heating if the exhaust is too hot.This usually happens on cars with headers.
December 3rd, 2009, 02:31 PM
#19
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: South Portland Maine
Posts: 362
pics finally....
I was hoping to get her out of the garage, but with the brakes being as bad as they are I didn't want to take chances, and there is a small step up to get into the garage, so I didn't want to chance pushing her in/out......anyway, here are the pics I could get in the garage....
December 3rd, 2009, 04:06 PM
#23
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: South Portland Maine
Posts: 362
yep, it just scares me to think it's this bad after being stored indoors for 1/4 of its life.
I don't know about a cat, but I am pretty sure kittens could jump in and out of the car from underneath if I took the carpet out.
I don't know about a cat, but I am pretty sure kittens could jump in and out of the car from underneath if I took the carpet out.
December 3rd, 2009, 04:49 PM
#25
Registered User
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Toronto,Ontario
Posts: 467
As citcapp said this is very typical of east coast cars. If you can do some of the work yourself then it shouldn't be to bad. However before you go to far do yourself a favour and do a good inspection of the frame for rot. If the body is that rough the frame could be too.As long as the frame is good I've seen worse cars then that restored.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
J-(Chicago)
General Discussion
11
April 25th, 2012 07:52 AM
