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Thread: 1970 Cutlass convertible updates
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04-14-2017 #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Apr 2017
- Location
- TX
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- 138
1970 Cutlass convertible updates
This is my Cutlass that I have owned since 1995 in its native setting at the drag strip. When I first got the car drag racing was all I cared about. All of my effort went into making the car faster in a straight line, brakes and turning ability were not of any concern. This car got me started in racing and I moved on to faster less streetable cars but those cars have been sold and I kept this one long term. With the responsibilities of raising a family and running a business I just have not had time to drag race as much and the Houston TX drag racing scene has died down over the years. The car has been driven on the street the whole time but it became dated and time for some changes. A few years back I replaced the TH-350 with a 700r4 overdrive transmission to make it more street friendly. I had a guy cut me off and bend up a front fender in 2012. I had to chase them down after they fled the scene but ended up getting some insurance money because they had no insurance. The car sat since then while I came up with the direction I wanted to go with it.
This picture is from November 2016 when I stated the updates. The rear suspension is Currie upper and lower control arms with UMI springs and braces. Varishock single adjustable shocks on all four corners and Helwig Tubular sway bars front and adjustable rear. The front suspension is Global West upper and lower arms with a 1" taller upper ball joint. The engine is pretty stout and does not make much vacuum for the brake booster. The brakes were sketchy at best, I fixed that by installing a hydroboost system and now it can stop on a dime. The 12 bolt rear end has all Strange parts and axles with c-clip eliminators from its days as a drag car. There are limited brake kits available for c-clip eliminator axle ends so I pretty much had to go with Wilwood's Forged Dynalite-MC4 Rear Brake Kit. I wanted to match the rear pretty close so I went with Wilwood's Forged Dynapro 6 Big Brake Kit up front.
All of this work was a piece of cake compared to putting the Interior from a 2011 BMW 328i convertible in the car. I am a mechanic by trade and a bit of a perfectionist, I have never done any interior or upholstery work before. I can tell you that there is NOTHING perfect about putting a late model interior in an older car haha. The door panels were the hardest part, I just had to start cutting and forming to get them in. I have it roughed in for now and will finish it off when time allows. I need to get some new rims and tires, new convertible top and paint job to finish it off. I will update this thread as things slowly get done.