Cutlass Fun!

I wasn't sure if this should go in the Other or Pics and Video section....but since it's pics, I put it here.

My Cutlass engine work got finished last night. (Woo-Hoo!) New intake manifold gaskets, carb rebuild, and went ahead and had him put on the plugs, wires, cap and rotor I'd been procrastinating about doing myself.

Got a ride down to the shop at lunch. My buddy that worked on it ribbed me because the car had Champion plugs in it. I got the "Champions are for lawn mowers and weed-whackers" lecture....even though I didn't put them in, they were in the car when I bought it! Has Delcos in it now, as God intended.

It runs AMAZINGLY better. It's no LT1, but the little 307 no longer feels like it's missing 2-cylinders, and it's smooooth. I just have to save up for 442-style dual exhaust and then I'll be leaving the drivetrain alone....for a while.. Cruises fine now!

Gorgeous day here today, upper 60's...may hit 70. I first went to the car wash and then popped off the T-tops and took the long way back to work, through the country/farmland east of town. I did NOT want to come back to work AT ALL. But I think I sunburned my ears and neck...I'm a real redneck now! ; )

I don't think I've posted since I re-did the pin stripes, and I've replaced some trim both inside and out. I know it's off topic but I got some pics of my #2 favorite car on my drive today...here ya go.

Enjoy! - Mike

That interior just about made me cry. I miss our Cutlass. I've got to find one. There's no other way around it.

Yeah well I hate the stupid 442 dash carpet cover, but I hate the cracks around the defroster vents more. Will order a dash-cap for it soon.

Other than that the inside is in really nice shape for a T-top car. I nabbed a set of perfect door panels from and '87 in the junkyard that are just like what I have now but have the Cutlass Supreme script chrome emblems on them. GM took the emblems off in '88 when the car became the "Cutlass Supreme Classic". I guess that was too much to put on the door panels! I'm debatging about installing the '87 panels...you know my emblem fetish....

I really love that car, despite the fact it's not "weird" or "odd" like the cars I normally play with (Citations....Pacers...). Ha!

I get a lot of thumbs-up in the Cutlass, but I honestly think my wagon gets more attention. The Vette engine details helped the wagon SO much. At the car shows people just fall all over themselves when I open the hood on my Roady. ; )

Such fun!

-Mike

I wonder when they actually changed the door panels on those. I distinctly remember that ours had pull straps on its doors.

It also had crank windows. Awww yeah.

Brokecello loves carpet dash mats

I do too, honestly. :hide:

But I agree, the 442 one there is out of place. Dad bought one back in the day that he had custom embroidered with Cutlass Supreme in the proper script.

The Cutlass Salons and Broughams had the big long pull-straps with the wood and chrome "buckles" on the ends. I believe the 83-84 Hurst/Olds and 85 442 also used the pull-strap panels. The 442's switched to the "sporty" panels like my car has in '86, but the Salons and Broughams used the pull strap panels through 88.

I like the pull-strap panels a lot. I think they look classy, and the door pull design on my car blocks the front lower part of the armrest...turning it into more of an elbow-rest....design over function I guess.

The '85 Cutlass Salon my boss's Mom drove when I worked at the Amaco in high school had the long pull straps. That's the car that made me fall in love with Cutlass's. I'd consider getting the fancy panels for my car but they used a softer cloth that seems to fade badly in the sun along the upper edge, so I've yet to see a good set in the salvage yards.

Stingroo wrote:

I do too, honestly. :hide:

But I agree, the 442 one there is out of place. Dad bought one back in the day that he had custom embroidered with Cutlass Supreme in the proper script.

The 442 one came with the car. I wish it said nothing at all, but if I'm wishing, it'll be for a Coverlay dash cap. $100...

EVERYTHING seems to cost $100 these days....

These are the pull strap and door panels I remember, except with crank window handles. And I'm 100% sure those speaker pods didn't exist either. :p

Are those not Monte Carlo panels?

I do like the custom speaker in the lower plastic part!

No clue. I just remember our pull strap had weird tiny plastic caps, and no wood grain. Maybe the car was falsely badged as a Supreme.

If only I had the VIN to that car...

Here is the base-level Cutlass door panel, for the 80's cars. The 78-80 were different too.

There it is, except I swear it didn't have woodgrain... maybe I'm wrong. It's been a decade since I was in that car. That's the steering wheel it had though, I knew I wasn't crazy when I thought I saw a different one... Ours had a floor shift and full gauges though, unlike the one pictured.

Maybe it really was an odd animal.

They made some weird option packages on these cars.

My car is pretty well optioned, even has the reading lights in the rear-view mirror, but whoever ordered it did not check the "convenience" package, so I don't have power seats, the lighted vanity mirror, my right door mirror is manual not remote, and can you believe it, it does not have a power trunk release!! I HAS a power antenna, but I have to use a key to get in the trunk. What were they thinking?

GM in the 80's was ODD.

-Mike

We didn't have the power trunk release either. I seriously thought for the first decade or so of my life that all cars used the keys to get into the trunk.

the ones with the speaker pods are the new aftermarket ones sold by Dixie monte carlos, they do look nice. But were not available 7 years ago.

I like to scavange the yards and look for things that I can mod to use, so I found a set or lower door pockets with speakers from a first generation vw rabbit GTI(not the US built later rabbit GTI's but the first German built GTI's, round headlights) they fit nicely in the carpeted lower section of the door panels.




I've since changed the upper sections of the door panels, they look the same with the red trim just no cloth insert, all black vinyl like my seats. I would like to add pull straps, even if the malibu classic did not come with em, the elcaminos and caballeros did so they are available new now, just need to find a set of plates that they screw into since my doors don't have em.

Mike I have a NOS power trunk release still in the GM package sitting on my shelf.......with the factory glove box button and bracket, all you got to do is run one wire for power and one ground wire for the switch, the trunk release is self grounded...

the door panel with the wood grain on it look like the doors panels that were in my brother's 81 calais

81X11 wrote:

Are those not Monte Carlo panels?

yes 81-88

Are the new pinstripes painted or tape? I need to repaint one fender on my Cadillac, and I will have to redo the original painted pinstripe.

buickestate wrote:

Brokecello loves carpet dash mats

Hehe...yes I do. Lol. I am totally into the 442 one... And I love Pics! Beautiful Cutlass...

81X11 wrote:

I wasn't sure if this should go in the Other or Pics and Video section....but since it's pics, I put it here.

Glad you did!

I had a '79 Cutlass Supreme with that same blue interior and baby blue outside.
It was a fleet car with manual windows, no power locks, hubcaps with the matching color ring on them. The gutless 260 V-8 and a manual bench front seat.

My second car. Have to round up a picture of it....

Costco online sells carpet and velour dash covers, they are custom made, choice of colors and are nicely done. I just got one for the RMW a couple weeks ago, paid $24. Currently $29 but several times a year they do a $5 off coupon. CoverKing Dash Cover

You want gutless how about a 84 Cutlass with the 3.1 liter V-6.My dad bought new in late 83 after buying a new
Tempo which he kept for 2 weeks.Thought he was saving gas with the Tempo until he realizes how much more time
it took to run simple trips.The Tempo measured o to 60 in minutes and the Cutlass was just as bad.Cutlass was the
deep maroon and black interior.That car came off the lot new with rust as a no charge option.It was less than a year old when one day I was checking oil and noticed the battery tray.Underneath the battery the tray was gone due to
rust.Sure was a good looking car and dad kept it for a long time until some druggies rear ended them in a parking lot
and then tried to scam dad out of 1000 bucks.Cops showed up and arrested them and then called me.I went and got them and sent car to body shop for repair.Traded it in for a 88 taurus wagon.
Taurus turned out to be the best new car they ever owned.
Take Care
Jim Gordon

[quote="buickestate"]the ones with the speaker pods are the new aftermarket ones sold by Dixie monte carlos, they do look nice. But were not available 7 years ago.

I like to scavange the yards and look for things that I can mod to use, so I found a set or lower door pockets with speakers from a first generation vw rabbit GTI(not the US built later rabbit GTI's but the first German built GTI's, round headlights) they fit nicely in the carpeted lower section of the door panels.



Neat mod on the lower doors. Good work.

The upper door panel looks just like what was on my former boss' 83 and 85 El Caminos. He was a Camino nut. Had a gold '83 Conquesta, a custom green 85 hot rod with an LT1 and a 79 Malibu front on it, and a gorgeous black 87 SS Elky.

I need to go vist him and see what he still has around....

buickestate wrote:

Mike I have a NOS power trunk release still in the GM package sitting on my shelf.......with the factory glove box button and bracket, all you got to do is run one wire for power and one ground wire for the switch, the trunk release is self grounded...

That's tempting, but I already swiped a lock popper and a button at the salvage yard....just have not figured out how to run the wiring yet.

the door panel with the wood grain on it look like the doors panels that were in my brother's 81 calais

I'm sure they are the same. GM only changed things on these cars when they had too!

jayoldschool wrote:

Are the new pinstripes painted or tape? I need to repaint one fender on my Cadillac, and I will have to redo the original painted pinstripe.

I cheated. The original painted stripes were about totally worn off, so I put tape over them. I did get actual 3M tape in the correct color, and not cheap Autozone stuff. The only hard part was the tips of the front fenders, where it comes to a point. Took a few tries to do that right.

This car is a pure toy, and is FAR from perfect, but for a weekend runner it's a really fun ride!



My father wants me to take the Hurst/Olds spoiler off when I re-paint the car. He thinks it makes the car look cheap and like something it's not. I'm torn about it.





I tended to like the front end with the four sealed-beam headlights better than the "Euro" front, and was looking for and 85-86 Cutlass Salon when I found this car....but the smooth front is growing on me now.


Now if I could just get motivated to work on the other car in my garage...





Such fun!

-Mike

brokecello wrote:

buickestate wrote:

Brokecello loves carpet dash mats

Hehe...yes I do. Lol. I am totally into the 442 one... And I love Pics! Beautiful Cutlass...

It wouldn't be so bad if the car WAS a real 442. ; )

Sprocket wrote:

I had a '79 Cutlass Supreme with that same blue interior and baby blue outside.
It was a fleet car with manual windows, no power locks, hubcaps with the matching color ring on them. The gutless 260 V-8 and a manual bench front seat.

My second car. Have to round up a picture of it....

Could be worse, could have been a diesel! If I remember the 260 was a slug but was pretty reliable. As to the rest of the car, I sure remember that light blue paint color with that powder blue interior. My 79 Bonneville was the same colors. The enterior plastics turned white. Neat trick!

Flasheroo wrote:

You want gutless how about a 84 Cutlass with the 3.1 liter V-6.My dad bought new in late 83 after buying a new
Tempo which he kept for 2 weeks.Thought he was saving gas with the Tempo until he realizes how much more time
it took to run simple trips.The Tempo measured o to 60 in minutes and the Cutlass was just as bad.Cutlass was the
deep maroon and black interior.That car came off the lot new with rust as a no charge option.It was less than a year old when one day I was checking oil and noticed the battery tray.Underneath the battery the tray was gone due to
rust.Sure was a good looking car and dad kept it for a long time until some druggies rear ended them in a parking lot
and then tried to scam dad out of 1000 bucks.Cops showed up and arrested them and then called me.I went and got them and sent car to body shop for repair.Traded it in for a 88 taurus wagon.
Taurus turned out to be the best new car they ever owned.
Take Care
Jim Gordon

I thought the only gas V6 in the Cutlass was the Buick 3.8 V6. Had one in my 83 Bonneville Model G wagon. Not a ball of fire, but ok for what it was.

Hurts that moving from a Cutlass to a freaking Taurus was an upgrade. ; (

-Mike

Oh man, this thread has got my memory churning...not as good or as deep as Mike's, but still takes me back.

I don't know why the Cutlass pics never triggered my brain before, but this thread got those juices flowing. Back in HS, my brother had an 86 Monte Carlo SS that was in beatuiful shape. He's two years older than me, so he was driving by the time I was a freshman. Well, the whole time he was looking for a car, it was mostly for Monte's, with a few Aerocoupes thrown in...now that car was the one that was got my blood pumping from about age 12...swore I would have one some day.

Anyways, back on topic...my brother got his car the summer before his junior year, my freshman year. It was a gorgeous silver SS that I first saw when he met me and our other brother at our grandparents house in northern WI. I still remember that day, seeing his car for the first time...I really didn't like the maroon interior (which is probably why I still don't them to this day in the B's), but it was pretty low miles and had a recent paintjob. Well eventually when summer came to an end and we were back in school, his friend showed up with an equally gorgeous 86 black and silver Cutlass Sumpreme. Back then, I always dogged that car, because the Monte's were my first love and I don't think he evr took very good care of it, but thinking back on that car now, it was a much classier animal...too bad he never really took that great care of it and I think just ended up dumping it...was a sweet looking car though, for sure!! I really wish I had pics of those cars together, but they ever took any...well anyways, back to the regularly scheduled thread!

An 88 Monte SS Aerocoupe is in the top 10 of my "want" list still. Goregous and unique!

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/cto/2183274546.html - This would work nicely.

http://houston.craigslist.org/ctd/2122059791.html - Or this with the stock wheels back on it.

I'd also like a find an '86 Grand Prix 2+2. Those had even larger rear windows, and are more rare.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sISeVvBgUzI

I like the grand prix 2+2 better than the ss aerocoupe.

I beg to differ with that guy in the video, there were a few that were optioned differently and painted differently from the factory. I've seen em with and with out T tops. Different pontiac rims.

I seen and sat in a green 2+2 at the Detroit auto show in 86, it had a grey cloth interior. It had those ugly grand prix steel ralleys, no decal package, just standard pinstriping and lower body moldings. it was just a standard plane jane grand prix that happed to have the 2+2 rear window and deck lid.

Was that a pre-production 2+2 or something? Interesting.