1969 Cutlass 442 - Golden Nugget

[Dave Pratt]

Glad to hear your health is better.The car looks great I really like the color combo...very cool

[CamaroSS27]

Great work, nice to see an Olds in here!

[Big Dawg]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

[Big Dawg]

Just finished installing hydroboost on the nugget.

Got a Hydroboost out of 94 Astrovan. Sandblasted and primered it and gave it a high gloss paint job. Got some new fittings for the gearbox and hydroboost and made my own hydraulic lines with PTFE fittings.

I ended up using the actual bracket off the old power booster and welded it onto the hydroboost, the way the bolt pattern lined right up. Cut the rod and welded in another 6 inch rod in between that and the coupler that bolts up to the brake pedal.....still have about an inch or 2 of adjustment.

Just have to pump and prime it and get all the air out and top it up with fluid...won't be taking it for a drive until the weather is better here.....our bad weather is rain. Haven't seen snow at all this winter.

Here are a couple of pics,

[Big Dawg]

Wow been a year already, since my last update.

So the car got a new Heartbeat.....LS, and me health wise got a new Heartbeat as well....had my AORTIC arch and Aortic Valve replaced with a Mechanical one.....just turned 44 today.

Will update soon with more pics. Almost finished changing out the body bushings and next is to fit the new front fenders as well.

Sorry pics are all over the place.....moved the FPR regulator closer to the tank now.....I had just set it there as the fuel lines were closer to fire up the motor from my previous motor. New heater core as well, and Russell Fuel Pressure Gauge on the rails now as well.

Be safe and take care of yourself and your loved ones!!

[deejai35]

Awesome build. What prompted the change from the BBO to LS?

[Big Dawg]

Ever since I got my 69 in 2012 I was on the fence about doing an ls swap. So I started researching and reading on what was all required in A-body swaps. I posted my olds motor for sale before my surgery and got a gentleman with a 68 cutlass convertible that jumped all over it. So I had already grabbed an LS1 out of 2002 for a very good price and started slowly piecing together all what was needed for the swap. I did a valve and trunnion upgrade along with the SUM-8707 camshaft and freshened it up a bit. I removed all the wiring I didnt need out of the wiring harness and the day before my surgery date I dropped the LS in the car.

Here is a quick vid of the first fire up:

https://youtu.be/tdSrXTyCAw0

Just fit up the passenger side repop fender yesterday.....fit surprisingly very good.

[deejai35]

Thanks for sharing. Really cool build. I have been on the fence as well. I have a rebuilt 350 now that has been great for cruising. However, I have been thinking 455 or LS in the future. I saw a 442 with an LSA swap. It changed my life. 🤔

[Big Dawg]

So I was sourcing out a Chrome plater locally and found out it would cost almost 2200 to have both my original bumpers rechromed. I was like heck no.....I seen a couple of youtube videos using aluminum foil to clean up small chrome items so I decided to give it a try. I used aluminum foil dish soup and orange gojo soap.

Here are some before and after pics of the front fender.

[Big Dawg]

Hey everyone,

It's been awhile since i have updated this thread. I decided to sell my LS setup to a buddy that is building a 66 Nova, and decided to go back to a BBO 455. My car is all gutted again as I am taking care of all the rust that was on the quarters, trunk pan, wheel wells and the roof. The repop quarters surprisingly lined up pretty close to the factory ones and the old truck pan has been cut away and the gas tank braces fixed and trunk pan braces replaced. I also ripped the vinyl roof off as there were some bumps that I could feel under the vinyl. I have slowly purchased a alot of new parts for the car. I bought a new hydroboost unit for a 2500 chevy pickup and purchased a Fast Billet mount for it. I will slowly be updating the thread when I have time. I had purchased a 1985 Grand National in Aug 2020, which I drive when the weather is nice and keeps me away from the olds.

Here are some pictures of the block, heads and parts. Have painted the pulleys and brackets black. I will be painting the motor POR15 Olds Gold. I know that is a 350 color, but my Car is going to stay the factory gold with black stripes, so I wanted to keep a bit of contrast between the gold on the motor and body.

[Big Dawg]

Some more pictures

[Big Dawg]

Here are couple pictures of the the new hydroboost unit. I have already threaded the pushrod 3/8 24 thread and attached the correct clevis as well, will update those pictures tomorrow. I purchased a new set of power steering hoses as well from a 2000+ Tahoe.

[Big Dawg]

Here are some pictures of the panels and trunk pan repair

[Big Dawg]

Here are Couple pics of the 85 GN,

There are a couple from when I pulled the car out of the sellers barn after 18yrs of sitting, hadn't been started in over 12 yrs. Took alot of effort and patience to get it driving amd insured with Collector.Plates on it here in BC. $300/yr for insurance.

This is a rare car in its own rite, there was only 2008 original T-Top cars built in 1985 and it is 1 of 143 Canadian Imports (WE2).

[Turbobuick]

Buicks and Oldsmobiles rule lol!! Beautiful cars and love what you have done with the 69. I like the colors as well. My 1st car was a 72 Cutlass supreme switched to my 1st turbobuick in 1989 which was a 1985 WH1 Ttype. Hot airs can be a PIA feel free to hit me up if u need any advice or where to find parts.

Today I have a ridiculous 87 GN I'm putting back together for drag week events and a frame off pro-touring 86 Ttype. I would love to get another BB Olds maybe 72 HO someday. Actually any 68-72 BB A body would be nice to own again.

[Big Dawg]

Slowly making some progress, got the heads, block, intake, and waterpump painted POR15 OLDS GOLD.....

[Big Dawg]

Some more engine assembly:

[Big Dawg]

Some more pics:

[Big Dawg]

Heads are on, valves are set!

Getting closer....

[jetmech442]

Hey man, not sure how I missed this thread for so long but I'm glad I found it. I love how you painted the outside of the grills/headlinght bezels silver, adds a nice bit of distinction where it otherwise almost disappears. I had a 468 with nearly every goodie from Modello running an 850 Mighty Demon on an Offenhauser intake. I will forever miss the unlimited amounts of torque that thing made. Just 20% pedal off idle was always such a special feeling, cause you knew as you laid into it things were about to get violent.

I moved to an LS also after I had to rebuild the BBO 3 times in the same number of years. I took it to two Olds specialist machine shops to find the problem, in the end I think it's cause I kept shifting at 6k. The LS is great and reliable and has great power up top...just miss the torque lol. At this stage its a better engine as I've moved away from drag racing to autoX and road courses. i

I hope the new BBO treats you well and makes you smile everytime you hit the gas-sounds like you've earned a few smiles. You may want to look into antihop bars(not traction bars)-they increase your anti-squat and plant the tires firmly into the pavement when you launch. That and a good set of Nitto 555R's are what helped me hook up with the 468 . Cheers brother.