My new to me 1970 Olds Cutlass S

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Old Mar 20, 2016 | 06:07 AM
  #1  
olds 307 and 403's Avatar
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My new to me 1970 Olds Cutlass S






It has a good running Olds 260, actually not terrible power, dual exhaust, TH350 and I got 17.5 to 21 imperial mpg running 65-70 mph.
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Last edited by olds 307 and 403; Mar 20, 2016 at 03:34 PM.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 07:06 AM
  #2  
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Cutlass

Congrats on the new purchase.


You know you have to dump the 260 though, right?
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 07:21 AM
  #3  
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Congrats, so whats the plan for this?
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 08:55 AM
  #4  
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Nice find, I would love to find a 70-72 olds in similar condition up here in Ontario. Its getting harder and harder to find one at a decent price.
I'm still dreaming about buying one myself, X2 on your plans.

Cheers
Eric
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 12:28 PM
  #5  
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NICE !!!! i wouldnt touch it. i would do some suspension work to hook , stuff in a healthy small block and a th350. I would keep the steelies and buy some 15x8 steelies and drag radials for the rear and keep the white walls in the front. Love the sleeper look.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 01:02 PM
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T400

Originally Posted by coppercutlass
NICE !!!! i wouldnt touch it. i would do some suspension work to hook , stuff in a healthy small block and a th350. I would keep the steelies and buy some 15x8 steelies and drag radials for the rear and keep the white walls in the front. Love the sleeper look.
Why get rid of the perfectly good T400? Just find a nice 403 to bolt up to it & go. The 260 SUCKS. The TQ of even a stock 403 will perk that thing right up.

Last edited by oldsmobiledave; Mar 20, 2016 at 01:05 PM.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 01:07 PM
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Nice dry prairie car, congrats. Love the white interior!
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 01:10 PM
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Oldsmobiledave. The th400 eats up hp. And the cores are somewhat valuable. The th350 does a good job behind an sbo. I had a th400 and sold it and built my th350. I'm all about squeezing all the hp I can get. I think the OP is an od. Kind of guy so I can imagine he would do a 200r4 if he changed it. Either way that's what i said i would do not what he should do.

Last edited by coppercutlass; Mar 20, 2016 at 01:18 PM.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 02:45 PM
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Thoughts

Originally Posted by coppercutlass
Oldsmobiledave. The th400 eats up hp. And the cores are somewhat valuable. The th350 does a good job behind an sbo. I had a th400 and sold it and built my th350. I'm all about squeezing all the hp I can get. I think the OP is an od. Kind of guy so I can imagine he would do a 200r4 if he changed it. Either way that's what i said i would do not what he should do.
T350 is a great transmission..... Until you start making real power. Your T350 would not last long behind a powerful SBO stroker but it will certainly handle most 350 builds. Of course they can be made to live but it will cost. For the car in question there is no reason to remove the T400.

Parasitic losses thru a T400 will always be greater than thru a T350. I run a stout T400 behind my 470 SBO and would not trade the T400 reliability for the 10th of a sec that a T350 would shave off my ET.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 03:44 PM
  #10  
olds 307 and 403's Avatar
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Took a closer look at the grease, TH350, has a modulator valve. Rougher than those pictures show. Going semi gloss black and either the 350 in the 88 CSC with a cam swap, 2800 stall in place the 2300 in the 2004R with 3.90 gears and posi in the type O. Either that or finish the 424 stroker, just need a girdle, bearings, cam and machine work.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 04:22 PM
  #11  
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Th400 has a modulator valve too. you look at the pan ?

Oldsmobile dave most th350's will handle 400-450 hp with typical modification like extra clutches and hardened race and 700r4 support. Over that yes it will need much more work but i have seen th350's with the mods i mentioned live in 11 sec. 455 powered cars. the cost is about a 200 dollar diffrence but 200 bucks extra for 2 tenths is not a bad deal when you think about it

As for the e/t gains i have been told by many knowledgeable racers 2 tenths is usually the gain.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 04:23 PM
  #12  
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Fuel gauge is sitter over full and hasn't moved. I calculate 3.23 gears, runs 2450 at 60 mph with 215/75R14 tires. No wonder the 260 isn't so bad, the dual exhaust, no doubt helps too.

Last edited by olds 307 and 403; Mar 20, 2016 at 04:26 PM.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 04:51 PM
  #13  
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Anything with some gear has some pep lol. I had a 307 in my 72 that would smoke em and was really a fun driver. The 3.73's and exhaust and holley 650 dp helped lol. sounded fast and moved like it was fast but fell on its face after 3500 rpm .
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 04:55 PM
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It is the TH350, have the edge angled off. I have a chrome pan with a drain plug on the wall. I also have a new adjustable modulator too. I do need to adjust the kick down, not working.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 05:06 PM
  #15  
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It runs out around the 3500 shift points but it just runs so nice. Looks like someone was in the APT adjustment, thread in plug, spark plugs looked a nice medium brown and nearly new. The plug wires were original factory 260 with cracked silicone and one plug was cracked. I gave it a tune up with everything, even an air and fuel filter. There was dual pcv valves for some reason. I also put on my Accel HEI coil and MSD module too.

Last edited by olds 307 and 403; Mar 20, 2016 at 05:19 PM.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 05:18 PM
  #16  
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Nice. All the llittle things add up .
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 05:43 PM
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Congrats on the find. Enjoy!
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 07:21 PM
  #18  
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Old Mar 20, 2016 | 08:10 PM
  #19  
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Anyone have a decent source for door pull arm rests? I actually need the piece where the handle goes to open the door, where the arm rest sits on top of, the driver's side. Pretty sure I need a wiper motor as well. Driver quality used is OK for any of this. I will patch it for now to drive it.
Old Mar 20, 2016 | 09:24 PM
  #20  
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Have you tried contacting this guy? http://www.kijiji.ca/v-auto-body-par...ale/1096815251

I've been talking to him about a few parts and it sounds like he's got a fair number of parts.
Old Mar 21, 2016 | 06:16 AM
  #21  
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Thanks, I sent him a message. He is only an 1 and half away and we go to Regina fairly often.
Old Mar 21, 2016 | 06:26 AM
  #22  
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Another question is there a fresh air block off for the passenger and drivers vent? I assume it is one of the pull *****? What position is closed? Almost as A/C with the air moving through.
Old Mar 21, 2016 | 07:22 AM
  #23  
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There are two ***** on the kick panel, the top one is for the dash vent and the bottom for the kick panel vent. In both cases, the closed position is pushed in all the way and conversely open is pulled out. If there is still air coming through the vents when the ***** are pushed in all the way, then the wire cable must be disconnected or the flap in the vent is suspect.
Old Mar 21, 2016 | 08:10 PM
  #24  
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Where is the flap? That guy in Regina has the parts, just waiting for a price and where to meet him.

Last edited by olds 307 and 403; Mar 21, 2016 at 08:26 PM.
Old Mar 22, 2016 | 10:43 AM
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You should look under the dash up to the vent area and see the wire type cable that operates the flap which is inside the plastic round shroud that goes to the dash vent. Operate the upper **** and watch what happens with the cable. It should move a small lever which is attached to the flap inside the shroud I mentioned.
Old Mar 24, 2016 | 03:54 PM
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A new sending unit should fix your fuel guage issue.
Old Apr 5, 2016 | 06:38 AM
  #27  
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I picked up the parts from the guy in Regina, slightly darker than mine but good driver shape. He tossed one extra in the right colour and gave me a choice of wiper motor styles, my washer connection style and less rusty. After pulling the diff cover and counting teeth, I have the dreaded 2.78 open diff. I think the Olds GMail calculator was off because their calculator assumes lock up of the converter which a 70 converter does not have. It is bang on for my 88 CSC with a 2004R. If I run my shorter tires with current 2.78 gearing and a 2004R, it would mean 1500 rpm at 60 mph till I change to a 3.90 posi. If I run the 2004R and 215/75R14's with 3.90 gears, 1900 rpm at 60 mph.
Old Apr 11, 2016 | 06:51 PM
  #28  
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Many hours of body work turned out not bad considering I did it in a dark garage. Front fenders turned out the best but scratched both. Tremclad(Rustoleum) takes forever to cure.
Old Apr 11, 2016 | 06:54 PM
  #29  
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I am actually very happy how under the hood turned out.
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