Project Highway Star - 72 Cutlass

[car_designer]

Here is my project. I bought this car in the summer of 2010, while on vacation in Arizona. I figured since I was there anyway, why not look at cars. This one looked like a nice solid car. I knew it needed paint, a new carb and lots of interior work, but the price was right.

It's a 1972 Cutlass S Sports Coupe (post coupe). It has an Olds 350 V8 and th350 transmission. It has power drum brakes and the original style suspension components. These are things I would like to upgrade and the reason I joined the forum.

I was looking at many of the other project threads and noticed projects are named. I don't have a name for mine yet. I'll take suggestions :)

Here is the car how I bought it.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/CutlassinAZ2-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/CutlassStart1-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/CutlassStart2-1.jpg


The interior just needs a little work, right?

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/CutlassStart6-1.jpg

[BulldawgMusclecars]

It's always good to see another Olds! I have 2 going together in my shop right now.

[BCHALK22]

Big red! ..... Red robin!

[SparkyRnD]

Welcome to the forums, and great looking car! I own Sabre, one of the Cutlaii that BullDawg is currently building. For yours, Red Rocket would be fitting if you kept it red (Rev. Horton Heat had a rockabilly song about that if I recall correctly)

[SparkyRnD]

..... Red robin!

yumm!

[car_designer]

Great ideas, but it won't be staying red.

I have been looking at the Sabre project thread, and I like it.

[SparkyRnD]

thanks, we're very excited to see it all come together. We are hoping to race at several of the ASCS (American Street Car Series) races, and if possible, the Hot Rod Power Tour and Holley LS Fest.

[72Cutty]

Looks like a good car to start with. I'll be interested to see what you do with the interior as mine needs a makeover too.

[car_designer]

For now the interior won't be getting any major changes. I have bought a good dash for it and a like new front bench as well. Door panels are on order and for now that is all that I am doing to the interior. I have been thinking about bucket seats for it, but that is a future plan.

It did look like a solid car, unfortunately, once the paint was stripped, we found that the passenger side door and quarter panel were hit at some point.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/CutlassAtShop029-1.jpg

While the car was at the shop, I decided to paint the engine. Here it is cleaned and primed and then painted in Olds Gold. I am not using the valve covers that are on the engine right now, so i didn't bother doing anything to them. The oil fill tube has since been repainted.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/CutlassAtShop075-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/CutlassAtShop076-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/CutlassAtShop078-1.jpg

[csouth]

Nice to see another Cutlass around. Not sure on if you plan on keeping the drivetrain Olds? Their small blocks can make good power but its not cheap. Can't help with the project name, but I'm here if you have any Olds related quest or may even have some original parts if needed.

[carguykeith]

If you can wade through the BS, there is a lot of good tech on realoldspower.com. There are several Olds people on here that can help out too, feel free to ask.

[csouth]

If you can wade through the BS, there is a lot of good tech on realoldspower.com. There are several Olds people on here that can help out too, feel free to ask.

I second that. I guess the good thing is you'll have a hard time even getting a account registered to post. Search, read your info and get out...lol

[car_designer]

I am a member of realoldspower

Chris, I do plan on keeping an Olds engine in it. The one in it now seems to be pretty good now.

Next update, engine:

After painting the block by brush, I wanted to take the oil pan off to spray along with the valve covers to get a smoother finish. When I took the oil pan off and looked in it, I saw a bunch of small pieces of something in it. Turns out it was the plastic coating from the cam timing gear. After taking off the timing cover, it was obvious where the plastic came from and I was quite surprised by how loose the timing chain was now. So the engine now has a new oil pump, timing gears and chain.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/CutlassAtShop087-1.jpg

[car_designer]

A friend suggested a name for the project: Highway Star.

[Jeff70]

I have a Olds 350 in my convertible and with 154k mi i'm almost positive it has the original timing gear and chain.

I was telling myself recently I should probably change it before something bad happens. After that pic I think its a must.

[car_designer]

Not a bad idea. I'm just glad I took the oil pan off to paint it.

[car_designer]

Finally decided on a name for the project. It was actually a friend who suggested Highway Star.

Today's update: cleaning up the engine compartment.

This is not a frame off project, but the painter suggested things he could paint while the front end was off the car to clean it up. He painted the firewall, the front of the frame, the brake booster and master cylinder and the steering box. I also painted the control arms.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/02/CutlassAtShop090-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/02/CutlassAtShop083-1.jpg

And just to compare, here is the engine compartment when I bought the car.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/02/CutlassEngine-1.jpg

And here it is now. Ignore the valve covers, they are going to be replaced.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/02/Engine001-1.jpg

Next update: Starting on the interior.

[csouth]

Nice prgress you're making. I can't wait for some of my parts to arrive so I can start moving again....

[Sincitycutty]

Looks good man!!! cant wait to see more updates:)

[car_designer]

Update on the interior. The dash in the car when I bought it was blue (the original colour, but the rest had been replaced or repainted black) and cracked. I found a good condition one at an Olds show swap meet, mostly painted black, but had some still gold. I painted it all black last summer.

Here is part of it as bought.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/DashBeforePaint1-1.jpg

Here it is after paint.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/Dash01-1.jpg

I am not a huge fan of wood grain so I was thinking about what else I could replace it with. I was thinking about carbon fibre, or just painting sections of the dash a different colour. But I finally decided on this. It is simulated brushed aluminum.

Dash before

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/Dash02-1.jpg

Dash after

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/06/Dash04-1.jpg

I still need to add it to the glove box door and door panels.

[SparkyRnD]

looking good!

[car_designer]

All of my updates so far have really been playing catch up since a lot of the work was done by the time I joined this forum. I think I am going to jump ahead a bit... to the almost finished product.

The car has actually been painted since late last fall. And since the spring it has been slowly reassembling things.

The last couple of weeks have been really busy, finishing with exterior trim, getting the painted wheels back and installing tires, reinstalling all the moving glass with new channels and seals, but finally it is mostly done.

I still have a few interior panels that need to be installed, and there are a few things unfinished under the hood, but a few things have happened recently that have led me to decide to finally start driving the car.

So, just a little different from when I bought, right?

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/07/IMG_3825-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/07/IMG_3826-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/07/IMG_3828-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/07/IMG_3829-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/07/IMG_3831-1.jpg


I'll post more pics when the interior and underhood are finished.

[Mingus]

Looks great!

[car_designer]

I guess after 9 months it's time for an update.

With the paint finally done and the engine running well, I just decided to just drive it and enjoy it until winter.

Things were going well until I hit a bump one day while driving and heard a clunk in the driver's door. Long story short, one of the rollers on the window regulator broke which then caused the mechanism to jam and forced the track that is pressed onto the bottom of the driver's door main window to fall down and land in the bottom of the door (the above clunk).

It can be nice to have an uncommon car like a '72 post coupe, but can be a real pain to try and find parts unique to it as well. Can't buy the rollers and doesn't look like anyone makes the whole regulator either. I even have a pair of post doors but some of the rollers are broken on them too. I think I have a solution though.

So the plan for once winter is finally over is to focus on the interior. Parts are ordered, some stock, some custom.

I'll try to update as I make progress.

[car_designer]

Since the last post, I've been working on getting the interior finished.

I was debating either buying the rally pack gauges or going with something aftermarket. In the end I went with the latter. I looked at a few of the popular gauge vendors but didn't see anything quite that I wanted. Then I went to the custom places. In the end, I liked what I saw from Speedhut.

This is what I went with:
-customs speedometer with dual scale km/h|mph (I do lots of driving it the US so figured it would come in handy) with built-in turn signal and high beam indicators
-quad gauge including fuel gauge, oil pressure, water temp and voltage all with built-in, programmable warning lights
-tachometer with shift light and brake warning light
-Lokar LED gear indicator panel

Once I had the gauges, I talked with a friend who does custom machining about making a panel for mounting the gauges into.

Here is what he came up with (I didn't think of taking any pics of his panel before putting the gauges in). The panel uses all the original mounting positions (4 screws) as the original plastic gauge trim panel. The panel isn't finished, but I was heading to a show in NY state and needed to install the gauges. We are trying to figure out something to do to the panel to finish it.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/08/gauge_panel_back_zpse7cf52de-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/08/interior006_zps4bc2d871-1.jpg

Here is a picture of the gauges lit up at night. You can see the "P" of the gear indicator between the speedo and tach.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/08/gauge_panel_night_zps9eaf8aa8-1.jpg


One thing I was not a fan of in the interior was the woodgrain. On some cars it's fine, but I wanted to try and find something different. Looking around at pictures, I settled on the brushed aluminum look. Everywhere there was woodgrain, I put brushed aluminum. I think the aluminum gauge panel fits well with the rest of the interior.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/08/interior005_zps79a065ba-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/08/interior003_zpse4795267-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/08/interior004_zpsdac41b6f-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/08/interior007_zps7f380d38-1.jpg

[csouth]

Nice updates, gauges and indicator look good. I can't wait to have my car in a drivable state...lol

[deejai35]

Very well done. The brushed aluminum looks great. I am trying to get motivated again on my 72.

[car_designer]

Well, after enjoying driving the car for a couple of months, it was back to working on it.

The next project was upgrading from the 4-wheel power drum brakes to 4-wheel disc brakes. I went with the kit from The Right Stuff detailing. Overall installation was good, but I ran into a few issues because I have an Oldsmobile :banghead:

The first issue was with the rear rotors. Where the back side of the rotor goes over the axle hub would not clear the outer most edge of the hub. Luckily a friend was able to help "adjust" the rotors to fit. Sounds like it might be an issue only with Oldsmobiles with bolt-in axles.

The other issue I've had is that the factory 15" Oldsmobile wheels are rubbing on the rear calipers. I'm going to probably use a 1/2" spacer on each rear axle and longer studs to accommodate the spacers next summer until I get some other projects finished. Eventually I'll porbably get new wheels, I'm thinking maybe 18".

Here are all the boxes for the brake kit, and also a new exhaust system.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/12/CutlassAtRM013_zpsf08cf8c2-1.jpg

Here is a rear wheel set up installed.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/12/CutlassAtRM023_zps67927b93-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/12/CutlassAtRM024_zpsdccf24db-1.jpg

And since the best part of an exhaust system is sound, here's a video of the car running with the new system (video taken at a friend's house).

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/12/th_CutlassInSnow_zps1c202e45-1.jpg (http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb356/car_designer/1972%20Cutlass%20S%20Sports%20Coupe/CutlassInSnow_zps1c202e45.mp4)

I've also installed lowering springs, but have no good picture that shows how the car is sitting now.

[car_designer]

Hmm... 4 years since my last update. Guess I've got some catching up to do.

Summary: new engine, new gauges, new suspension components.

Once I installed the gauges I noticed that I was getting low oil pressure at times. I could either rebuild the 350 or look at other options. I decided to get a 455 rebuilt and put it in.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2018/01/32707650521_64aa920fe2_c-1.jpg

Although I liked the Speedhut gauges I had in the Cutlass, I found the quad gauge difficult to read at night with the small font. Just about this time Dakota Digital released their gauges for 1970-72 Cutlass. You know where this is going. In the last couple of years I still haven't taken a picture of the new gauges with the trim panel installed.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2018/01/36527667435_37772cb91a_c-1.jpg

Finally got a lot of the bugs ironed out and got it to the point I could drive it. Now was when I realised I needed to focus on the handling. I was also having issues scraping over bumpy roads.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2018/01/35692709204_72d7a19e07_n-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2018/01/36131070750_0b8f00a95e_n-1.jpg

I bought spring, shocks and a rear swaybar from Ridetech. I couldn't believe how much this changed the car. I was even looking for roundabouts! At some point I'll probably buy at a matching from swaybar to finish the set. It also solved the scraping problem. Finally I was surprised at how well the ride was even with the improved handling.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2018/01/34553340104_ac134e780d_c-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2018/01/36130312451_6e69dd6509_c-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2018/01/35431471904_bf2a008fc0_c-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2018/01/35229512912_6750bb4cf6_c-1.jpg

As most of us do, I've still got a long list of stuff I'd like to do but waiting for the budget to build up again first.

[badolds]

Haha, looking for roundabouts!! Have you ever missed your turn on the roundabout and went around twice? Good times.

Dan

[raustinss]

Love how the blue pops in the sun , keep up the nice work ,eh...lol

[car_designer]

Haha, looking for roundabouts!! Have you ever missed your turn on the roundabout and went around twice? Good times.

Dan

LOL, not yet! We have one weird one in town here where lanes change positions midway way around, parts of it are one lane and others are 2. No confusion there.


Love how the blue pops in the sun , keep up the nice work ,eh...lol

Thanks!

[jetmech442]

Man what a great looking car! I wish the 69 had some more of the aggressive styling the 72 had! Thats a real nice ridetech package you got, its amazing what a well thought out suspension can do to these cars. Once the budget builds back up, a set of adjustable SPC front upper arms with the long Howes ball joint makes the wheels camber in properly for a turn and aren't too hard on the wallet. Just my .02, good luck with everything, I'll be following for inspiration.

[car_designer]

Man what a great looking car! I wish the 69 had some more of the aggressive styling the 72 had! Thats a real nice ridetech package you got, its amazing what a well thought out suspension can do to these cars. Once the budget builds back up, a set of adjustable SPC front upper arms with the long Howes ball joint makes the wheels camber in properly for a turn and aren't too hard on the wallet. Just my .02, good luck with everything, I'll be following for inspiration.

When I was shopping for the Cutlass, I was seeing quite a few 69's but I like the sharper lines of the 70-72. I've been thinking about the balls joints. When I was putting together my Ridetech shopping list I noticed they sell the tall ball joints, but I bought parts in a few batches and never got the ball joints. Maybe this year.

[car_designer]

I guess it's time for another project update :D

After going with the brushed aluminum interior trim and switching to the Dakota Digital gauges a few years ago, the gauge trim panel looked out of place. I just couldn't see myself cutting the perfect round openings needed to use the vinyl wrap I used on the dash and door panels.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/02/46970426772_20af065ea2_z-1.jpg

This summer I heard about a local shop doing hydrographics. I stopped to check it out and it looked like it would be perfect way to finish the trim panel. I'd say he got a pretty good match.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/02/40057624183_46d9a79904_z-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/02/32080815377_fccd8eae7c_z-1.jpg

The other mod was improved lighting. Saw these Dapper Lighting headlights online last winter and really liked them the moment I saw them. I think the halos match the stripes nicely and the switchbacks for the turn signals give the car a more modern touch.

Installation was pretty straightforward and the fit was good without the need to cut the headlight buckets.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/02/32081020267_7d20a7dd8a_z-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/02/33078952148_a6b1ac599e_z-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/02/33078952048_e8b6997344_z-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2019/02/33078951808_b365db4b31_z-1.jpg

Now I'm debating trying to fit fog lights into the factory turn signal openings since they aren't being used for turn signals anymore.