72 Cutlass Supreme Low Budget and Slow Progress Thread

[72cutlassS]

As I have been a member and lurking around here for years and figure now is time to make a thread to track my progress or lack thereof.
My grandfather purchased a 72 Cutlass Supreme back in 1989, the same year I was born. Growing up I would always see the car in the driveway, for some time my uncle was daily driving it and then it sat in the driveway for years. My dad always had a Camaro or firebird when I was a kid, but he wasn’t really into modifications in any way, but this got me interested in older American cars.
In high school I was able to convince my grandfather to sell the Cutlass and it was my first car. What I remember of the car at the time, original 350 2 barrel and drum brake car that had been converted to 4 barrel and front disk brakes. Had been repainted due to some minor front-end damage at some point and vinyl top was redone a few years before I got it.
I daily drove the car through high school only doing minor modifications that included headers back exhaust and radio install. As a graduation present, I got Hotchkis 1” lowering springs and sway bars, Bilstein shocks, boxed rear arms, and poly bushings all around. The lowering springs essentially kept the height the same as the old sagging stock springs, car ended up being squeaky, but I enjoyed the minor improvements at the time.

198820

I did not want to keep the Olds on campus at college so I wanted a daily driver. This is where my focus shifted away from the Olds. I ended up getting an e36 328i. Over time I ended up s52 swapping, full m3 brake conversion, rear subframe reinforcements, lightweight flywheel, e34 m5 clutch, etc etc.

198816

198818

After the e36 I wanted a nicer daily. Got an 05 s60r, ended up modifying that. FMIC, dp, exhaust, turbo inlet, suspension, wheels etc. More neglect to the Olds.

198819

During this time got interested in drifting. Picked up a 1990 volvo 240. Put a BMW m50b25NV in, zf trans, welded diff, built coilovers with koni adjustable shocks, roll center correctors, s60r front rotors with Cadillac Brembo calipers, hand brake etc. Drove this for a few years and it got beat/smashed up. Fixed all the damage and resprayed cortez silver and new wheels.

198821

198822

198823

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[72cutlassS]

Daily drove some Toyotas while I was still drifting the 240, back into another 05 s60r daily driver for now.

198829

The Olds mostly sat in a garage. Over the last 10+ years I have done minor things and taken it out sporadically. It got MSD distributor, MSD 6al box, aluminum intake, edelbrock 1406 carb and GC steering box. I picked up a mostly complete minus intake/flexplate 425 with b heads many years ago and it has been sitting in my dad’s garage ever since unloading. Never did anything major, always put it off to mod other cars but have always wanted a pro-touring style build.

198830

This brings us to the present day. I got rid of the 240 and I really wanted to start focusing on the Oldsmobile.

Over last fall and the winter I did some floor pan repair/patching, new sound deadening/carpet and swapped the worn body bushing for polygraphite which made a noticeable height difference. I also replaced some window weather stripping and trans pan gasket to fix a leak.


I needed new tires as they were last replaced in 08 so I opted to go with new wheels as well. Got the YearOne SS11 in silver, 17x9 square setup. I wanted to keep some classic styling while upgrading size and not spend a fortune yet.

To improve handling I went with BMR upper and lower a-arms. I wanted to get AFX spindles but after using the c5 brake template I found out my wheels would not fit them. Got g comp 2” lowering tall spindles and retained previous brakes for now.


To fix the stance (kinda) after all these changes I installed BMR 2” drop rear springs and UMI front stock height springs.

198831

198835198836

Get it all together and excited to test drive. Radiator has a pinhole/boiling over, my diy alignment wasn’t good need to revisit that, changed the oil/filter and I have some flakes in the bottom of the change pan.
198837
I have ordered a radiator and will do an oil change again after some small drive time to inspect. I need to get the 425 out of my dad’s garage and over to my house. There is no plan for what I am going to do yet. I want to somehow enjoy the car this year.

Goals were to build the 425 and manual swap the car but I wanted time to collect parts. I may just have to check the health of the engine and slap it in for now. Never wanted to take out the Oldsmobile power plant but that idea crosses my mind more and more these days.

[TANKMASTERJ]

Cool start and I love the 72 cutlas. I drove a blue one in highschool with a 350 rocket. I get people wanting to keep the pontiac or olds engines for nostalgia. But for every other reason it LS or at minimum SBC.
Whatever way you go it will. Be a cool ride.
I'm watching the thread.
Jason

[jetmech442]

Man, you've had some nice rides.

Back in my Navy days I found a 425 in my neighbors yard and had all these plans to make a high revving big block but the aftermarket support wasn't quite there 20 years ago. I ended up with a 455 and the all the anecdotes about boat loads of torque were true(and so fun). I ended up having to rebuild it 3 times in the span of about 2000 miles for what I realized later was due to shifting at 6k.
After graduation I bought an LQ9 for literally a tenth of the build price of the big block (1300 vs ~13,000).

The big blocks torque was sooo great, and it was also cool to be able to pull up to a car show and not have the other Olds guys hate on me as they do now usually for the LS motor. Just like TankmasterJ said, whichever route you go will have it's benefits.

[813Demon340]

Cool build, I really like your wheel choice!

[72cutlassS]

I got replacement radiator installed. Went with a cheap ebay unit as I had great luck in the past. I'm pretty happy with fit, just had to bend the upper trans cooler line. Will hopefully see how it performs soon. Trans seems to still have a leak, maybe from overflow. Haven't had a chance to borrow a truck and get engine from my dads to my house yet. Still trying to get what I have working to get to cars and coffee and cruise locally.

199101199097199098199099



Man, you've had some nice rides.

Back in my Navy days I found a 425 in my neighbors yard and had all these plans to make a high revving big block but the aftermarket support wasn't quite there 20 years ago. I ended up with a 455 and the all the anecdotes about boat loads of torque were true(and so fun). I ended up having to rebuild it 3 times in the span of about 2000 miles for what I realized later was due to shifting at 6k.
After graduation I bought an LQ9 for literally a tenth of the build price of the big block (1300 vs ~13,000).

The big blocks torque was sooo great, and it was also cool to be able to pull up to a car show and not have the other Olds guys hate on me as they do now usually for the LS motor. Just like TankmasterJ said, whichever route you go will have it's benefits.

Appreciate it. I have been looking around the internet for a 455 block to swap my 425 internals over to but no luck within a reasonable distance. I might start looking into adapter plates to keep my th350 with a ls based swap. Probably better to switch to overdrive trans anyways though. Manual swap would be ideal. I need to make up my mind.


Cool build, I really like your wheel choice!

Appreciate that. Wish they were 18s or 17 had more tire choices but I wanted to get something that looked OEM+

[68Formula]

Appreciate that. Wish they were 18s or 17 had more tire choices but I wanted to get something that looked OEM+

There's USMAGs Saber US497, but those are forged, so get out the checkbook.

[cdrod]

I really love those wheels but soooo wish they came in an 18" size for better tire selection; there just aren't enough 17" tire options IMHO. Don't be offended, but I think those 40 series tires are just a little too short and don't fill out the wheel wells. The stock tire size that came on these cars would have been around 26.5" tall and your 275/40 tires are about 25.6" tall. My dream combo would be those 17" SSII wheels with 245/50-R17 on the front and 285/45-R17 on the rear to have a bit more tire sidewall showing; but that just ain't gonna happen with 17" tires. What do you plan to do for center caps? Do these rims come with an Olds-looking center cap?

Although I prefer the SSII/SSIII wheel, for my '72 442 convertible project I went with some US Mags Bandit (U109) as it's a close match to the Olds SSI wheel and comes in cast 17" & 18" sizes with 8" & 9" widths. With a little grinding and some ingenuity I managed to fit the stock Olds SSI center caps for a more authentic look. I'm running 245/45-R18 on the front and 285/40-R18 on the rear looks pretty good and easily fits the wheel openings without any body/fender rolling drama.

Really like your car, good luck with your upgrades!

Rodney

[gardnerme]

Love it! I have always liked the Supreme roof lines. I had a 1970 Supreme in whatever Oldsmobile call Butternut Yellow, and I really regret letting that car go. Keep up the good work!

[72cutlassS]

No real updates yet. Have a new fuel pump and battery to put in, just havent been able to find the time. Seems that my radiator drain plug is leaking a bit and trying to get that to seal up. Front has seemed to settle a little bit and I am liking how it looks.

Sourced a flexplate for my 425 but have been looking into ls swap things and trying to get a parts and price list together to compare with potential 425 or 350 build. 5.3 would likely be the route I would go unless a reasonable 6.0 popped up.


I really love those wheels but soooo wish they came in an 18" size for better tire selection; there just aren't enough 17" tire options IMHO. Don't be offended, but I think those 40 series tires are just a little too short and don't fill out the wheel wells. The stock tire size that came on these cars would have been around 26.5" tall and your 275/40 tires are about 25.6" tall. My dream combo would be those 17" SSII wheels with 245/50-R17 on the front and 285/45-R17 on the rear to have a bit more tire sidewall showing; but that just ain't gonna happen with 17" tires. What do you plan to do for center caps? Do these rims come with an Olds-looking center cap?

Although I prefer the SSII/SSIII wheel, for my '72 442 convertible project I went with some US Mags Bandit (U109) as it's a close match to the Olds SSI wheel and comes in cast 17" & 18" sizes with 8" & 9" widths. With a little grinding and some ingenuity I managed to fit the stock Olds SSI center caps for a more authentic look. I'm running 245/45-R18 on the front and 285/40-R18 on the rear looks pretty good and easily fits the wheel openings without any body/fender rolling drama.

Really like your car, good luck with your upgrades!

Rodney

I totally understand where your coming from. I may not have seen all the oem looking wheel options out there. The overall diameter of what's on the car now and what I had on the 14s is very close so i am used to the look.

Fitment seems pretty spot. I wouldn't mind a little more of a flush look but like you mentioned rolling/trimming would likely be needed and I don't want to give up the wheelwell moldings.


Love it! I have always liked the Supreme roof lines. I had a 1970 Supreme in whatever Oldsmobile call Butternut Yellow, and I really regret letting that car go. Keep up the good work!

Thanks for checking in. Covert beige I believe you are talking about. Thats the color my car is supposed to be but respray is a little dark.