86 Cutlass g-machine

[86Cutlass383SR]

My name is Doug Gulley and I have an 86 Cutlass I'm building into a Pro Touring driver. It's a long term project.

I'm building a 383 SBC with Accel SuperRam, 58mm tb, 30# SVO inj., AFR 190 heads. I'm currently deciding whether to use hypereutectic or forged pistons and which cam to run. I have a Comp 218*/224* .495/.502 112* hyd roller... deciding on if I should got to a 224*/230* hyd roller or jump to a 230*/236* solid roller. Hmmmm....

Tranny is a Tremec Aftermarket T56 with a Spec Stage 3 clutch and mechanical linkage.

For the front suspension I'm running Moog 5662 (IROC 702#) coils and the IROC 36mm swaybar and XH steering box. GW upper arms and GW bushings in the stock lower arms. B-body spindles will mount red powdercoated C5 calipers with drilled/slotted rotors.

The rear suspension pieces are yet to be determined but will be upgraded stock type parts. LS1 rear disc will also be added.

Wheels and tires are yet to be bought but I have my heart set on Vintage Wheels Works V40's in 17x8 & 17x9-9.5's with 275/40 & 245/45 tires. Backspacing yet to be determined.

The exterior will look sorta "old school" with black paint, 86 442 rear spoiler, 442 style 'glass hood and updated sidepipes.

I'll have lots of questions along the way but nothing members cna't handle. Maybe I can answer a few along the way.

Pro Touring rules!!!

Doug

[Tony_SS]

Welcome Doug! Post up some pics of the project.

[86Cutlass383SR]

Thanks Tony.

My car is really nothing to look at right now. Basically just like any other run-of-the-mill Cutlass with the interior out and sitting in the back yard. The blue interior is out and I'm presently cleaning up the Claret (burgandy) interior I'm putting back in. When I get the dash ready, I'll pull the blue dash and run my Howell harness for the TPI and install my clutch/brake pedals. Then it'll be ready for the burg dash and rest of the interior. I'll add 4th gen f-body seats in matching upholstery.

I am compiling pictures (non-digital) of all my steps along the way, I just don't have a scanner to send any pics as of yet.

Doug

[jackfrost]

awesome to see some more of these... at least i know i'm not completely crazy... :D

[86Cutlass383SR]

LOL... Yup. As Waylon Jennings sings... "I've always been crazy but it keeps me from going insane......"

Doug

[86Cutlass383SR]

Jackfrost....I was checkin out your webpage.....DEJA VU!!!!!!!! I've seen my car in those same stages!!!! Dash......gone!!!!! And mine is about to go thru that yet again. I found a better body so now my 86 burgandy interior (dash and all) will have to be re-installed in my other car...

So....no....you're not the only "crazy" one. I'm lovin it!!!

Doug

[Tony_SS]

Check this one guys:
http://www.fe3xolds.com/

Looks pretty mean!

[jackfrost]

Yeah, Angelo's car is pretty sweet. very clean.

the only one cooler is the original FE3X in the GM museum. before pro-touring was even a concept! :D
http://black85.oldsgmail.com/fe3x.htm

[86Cutlass383SR]

I've talked to Angelo a few times when I was on the Olds list. It is sweet.

Doug

[gmchevolds]

86 442 as well
welcome aboard

[TPI Monte SS]

Hey Doug, welcome to the site! I remember you from a few years ago on the Monte Mailing List. Glad to hear you still have the car, and still wrenching on it. Good luck with the project!

[86Cutlass383SR]

That would be me Steve. Good talking to ya again.

It's not actully the same car...just another like it. My 84 was rusted so badly all over it was more feasible to replace the whole car rather than the rust. I'm putting everything I had on it onto the 86 and refining as I go along. It's not my daily driver anymore so I can take my time and get it all sorted out properly.

Doug

[RatMalibu]

Welcome aboard

[Samckitt]

Welcome G body brother. Definitely post some pics.

[motorheadmike]

Do you have any info on mounting the C5 calipers to the B-body spindles?

[86Cutlass383SR]

motorheadmike... yes I do have that info. I've got the stuff to do it, I've just yet to get mine installed.

I'm going to use an alum bracket to adapt the C5 caliper to the b-body spindle. I can't remember where I got my bracket but if nothing else I could make a full scale tracing and snail mail it to you. I might be able to did up the dimensions online also.

There are 2 ears to cut off the spindle so the adapter bracket will sit on the spindle correctly. Basically the ears for the old caliper needs removed.

Bolt bracket to spindle and PBR caliper to adapter bracket.

It's that simple.

To mount the rotor you remove the brake area from a rotor and use the rest as a hub for the Vette rotor. The Vette rotor doesn't have a hub.

If I can find more info for you I'll send it along to you...it's not that difficult to do tho

If you are mounting these spindles to a g-body then you need to use either a Global West or Hotchkis upper a-arm. Other companies may also make them. They are shorter to give better angles for the suspension geometry. It's hard/impossible to align using the stock g-body spindle.

Doug

[GinoRin]

More G-bodys! yessss.....

Welcome!:bananna2:

[TPI Monte SS]

That would be me Steve. Good talking to ya again.

It's not actully the same car...just another like it. My 84 was rusted so badly all over it was more feasible to replace the whole car rather than the rust. I'm putting everything I had on it onto the 86 and refining as I go along. It's not my daily driver anymore so I can take my time and get it all sorted out properly.

Doug

That's great! Sounds like the same thing I did a few years ago. My original car was a super-rusty 199K mile '85 SS, that we had the whole drivetrain and suspension in. We chopped that car up in November of 2003 after my wife bought this clean '88 SS for my 30th birthday, and transferred everything over to this car.

Again, good luck on the transformation, and be sure to post pics when you can!

[racereno]

I'm glad you're here Doug. I've got an '82 Cutlass that I'm looking to give it a similar treatment. Mine is frame off right now prepping for paint and wanted to order the full AirRide kit but I really don't know what to expect. I notice now that AirRide has some spindles added to their kits that are like the APC spindles and their full kit is the way to go but ...dam$$...at around $6200 for the full kit, what can you do?

[motorheadmike]

Doug,

I have the B-body set up already; my kit was put together by Robert Adams years ago. I like it, but there is an upgrade coming to the rear and I want the front to match. :ssst:

This C5/B-body setup sounds like the same process as the LS1 brakes onto the stock spindles.

You have a PM.

Thanks!

[86Cutlass383SR]

Mike

You too, have a PM.

I've heard of the big brake swap using the 1LE f-body 12" rotor but it uses the same spindle and upper a-arm. The C5 upgrade you cut the caliper mounting ears off and use the adapter bracket. You then remove the brake surface of a B, F, or G-body rotor which has the bearings in it and use it as a hub. Mount the hub as you would any front disc and that will allow the Vette rotor to be mounted. You then mount the caliper assemby to the bracket. WaLa ... You now have C5 13" brakes!

I've never dealt with Robert Adams but I know several people who did. Were you ever on the Monte-List.nu mailing list? If you know Robert, I bet you were.

Doug

[jackfrost]

i didn't know the C5 upgrade uses the b-body spindle. maybe some day in the distant future i could upgrade to C5 stuff by only changing the caliper and rotor.

[86Cutlass383SR]

Yeah, you sure can. And it'll be as good as "brand *B*" setups. Depending on where you get your parts, you can figure it 2 ways. You can have C5 front brakes AND the LS1 rear disc brakes for the same cost as what they want for just the fronts or you can have the fronts for half (maybe less) than theirs.

Doug

[motorheadmike]

I've never dealt with Robert Adams but I know several people who did. Were you ever on the Monte-List.nu mailing list? If you know Robert, I bet you were.

Now I were are starting to date myself against the timeline of internet based information exchange. Yes, I was on "the Monte List" for many many many years and got into many many many memorable exchanges of opinion with it's membership.

Lots of good memories from those days. Even made a few long term friends out of the deal.

Keep us posted on this build, Doug.

[Samckitt]

Doug,

I have the B-body set up already; my kit was put together by Robert Adams years ago. I like it, but there is an upgrade coming to the rear and I want the front to match. :ssst:

This C5/B-body setup sounds like the same process as the LS1 brakes onto the stock spindles.

You have a PM.

Thanks!

The LS1 calipers & the C5 calipers are basically the same, some extra cooling fins on the C5s, not sure if piston size is the same or not. The main difference between the assemblies is the carrier bracket for the caliper that mounts to the spindle/knucke is shorter on (I think) the LS1 calipers than it is on the C5 calipers.