Bought this car about 6 months ago, would have preferred a Regal wagon but couldn't find a good roller. This is an '81 Olds Cutlass Cruiser. Bought it from a friend for $400. Was originally a diesel so it has the heavy front suspension and a hydroboost brake system. Car had been sitting for 9 years, five of which were out in the Oregon weather. Had 3 inches of water in the floor but remarkably no rusted through areas. Color is called "Pastel Waxberry", no joke. Came on Olds and Cadillacs that year. I prefer to call it "mellow yellow". Completely gutted the inside, put in a Regal dash and found some decent bucked seats. Rebuild LC2 motor and 200-4R trans, all completely stock. Have a 3.42 non-posi rear end I'll be installing soon. Put on some 16" Prostars I had lying around. Have had it running about a week now, still needs some tuning, have a bit of a miss at top end...no biggy. Didn't take many pics during the rebuild but have a couple of when I towed it home. Is a fun project, still some minor things left to do but I intend to make it my daily driver.
couple more pics Here's when I towed it home. Needed very little body work, just has a Maaco paint job. Already getting some good looks and comments.
Nice job, Triple C! My Dad once brought home a new, PINK, Buick Wildcat . . . GM called that color "Canyon Tan."
Update Got the tuning fixed on the wagon. Turns out just a bad spark plug wire. Installed the 3.42 open rearend. Totaly stock engine, turbo, IC, etc. Took it to the 1/8th mile track this week just for fun. Street tires and through the exhaust, 15lb boost, turned 8.7sec. Equates to mid 13's in the quarter. I'm happy with that!
Love it. Probably doing something similar myself. Not too out of the ordinary but still a cool driver without a bunch of fab work. Do you know how much it weighs? I'm trying to decide if I should do mid size like the cutlass/regal/century or full size like the park ave/electra estate. I think to get 9 passenger you need the big one, but kinda wondering how much more it weighs.
NICE! That's one thing I want to do before I die...is find a G body wagon (preferably a Regal) and transplant an LC2, with 200-4R trans and 8.5 rear/3.42's from a wrecked/donor GN/Ttype...I'd even have working a/c and power windows...I'd have the engine and trans built (maybe even a stage II) but I'd put on the 3 muffler set up everyone talks of so the car would be super quiet, yet very sneaky. I could use the car to haul the family, drive to work and still blow the doors off most anything at the track. You sir have an awesome machine and the groceries in the rear are a nice touch.
