Lime Green 71OLDS 442 convertible

[71OLDS]

Getting it done, looks good. That sucks about the rust on the floorboards. The fun never ends.



Dan

Thanks Dan and you're right on the fun never ending. The only positive is I'm getting all the floor work done at the same time, new metal to replace the rusted part, plus all the work for the roll bar and bracing/brackets for the new seat belt/shoulder harness setup. Then the floors can be POR 15'd, touched up with the original paint code 43 lime green, re-dynomatted, and carpeted. All kinds of "might as wells" and new discoveries to be worked on like just about every project on our cars. The good thing is nothing surprises me any more!!

[badolds]

I wish we lived closer together, we would definitely have to line em up.

Dan

[71OLDS]

Maybe we can find an event or track to meet at some day. If I ever get the car done I'm hoping to do lots of events - 1/4 mile, 1/8 mile, cruising/touring events, and some of these autocross events like the one UMI just had in PA last month. Was hoping the car would be done and ready for that but it just didn't happen. I'm really looking forward to testing out all the suspension upgrades (new AFX spindles, new steering box, & new chassis brace) Of course I still have all the body work to do so will have to decide if I try to drive it through the winter "as-is" here in Virginia Beach or make some progress on all the body work projects...we'll see.

[71OLDS]

Lots of progress on the roll bar today:




removable crossbar and downbars:


close up of shoulder harness belt and pic of crossbar disconnected:


Close up of belt at the bottom - Frank did an amazing job of adding a plate and a custom bracket for the lower belt to bolt to:

[71OLDS]

Had to change the door bar plans. Since the door bars can NOT be "swing out" because they mount too far behind the door opening (so the mount will also work with the shoulder belt when the door bars are not installed), had to make the bar straight instead of having the big bend in the middle. The positive is it looks much better than having the bend in my opinion. The negative is the arm rests have to be removed every time the door bars are installed. The reason the big bend didn't work (which would have eliminated the need to remove the arm rest every time) is I couldn't get in and out of the car with the door bar installed with that big bend and it not being "swing out".

[71OLDS]

A few new updates - rusted passenger side floor board has been replaced and passenger side door bar is in:




Driver's side



- - - Updated - - -

Dynamat added:

[71OLDS]

Most will be like WTF is this but adding it anyway - the battery shut off switch allows anyone to shut off my car alarm so a pin has been added to prevent shut off when it's in place:




this is the shut off switch I'm referring to:

[71OLDS]

racing harness tabs added:

hood light and windshield squirters added:

the "442" shifter handle is not going to work "as-is" will need to be shortened and rebent:

[badolds]

I figured I would give you a reply, It seems like I am talking to myself on here sometimes lol.

Dan

[71OLDS]

I figured I would give you a reply, It seems like I am talking to myself on here sometimes lol.

Dan

Thanks Dan and I hear you. It's OK at least I have a good place to show/store the pics and provide a timeline for the progress and updates.

[wfo guy]

We don't always have anything to say.

[Mr Nick]

Coming along very nicely!

Do you have resonators in the tail pipes? Or is that 3" pipes necked down to 2.5" just before the tips?

[71OLDS]

Coming along very nicely!

Do you have resonators in the tail pipes? Or is that 3" pipes necked down to 2.5" just before the tips?

Thanks Nick - Those are just 3" trumpets but I see what you're saying from the pic. It's 3" tail pipes and 3" trumpets but they have that strange shape at the end. I think they are made by "Pypes" if I remember correctly.

-Joe

[Mr Nick]

Got it, thanks. I'm re-doing my exhaust in the Spring and if the new system is a bit too loud, I'll probably add some bullet resonators in the tailpipes.

[71OLDS]

Got it, thanks. I'm re-doing my exhaust in the Spring and if the new system is a bit too loud, I'll probably add some bullet resonators in the tailpipes.

Nick, here's my full exhaust break-down:

Exhaust: Hooker SuperComp Jet Hot coated 1 7/8" tubes, 3 1/2" collectors into a 3 1/2” down to 3” reducer, into a
3” X crossover, into 3” in Dynomax Ultra Flow welded Mufflers(17229), into 3” tail pipes, into 3”
Olds trumpets

I really love these Mufflers. They are loud when I get on it but pretty mild sound for 3" when I'm just cruising.

[71OLDS]

A few new updates. New carpet is in, working on console and 442 shifter handle, progress on front spoiler:



not real happy with the 442 handle right now. It's too long and bends too close to the driver's leg. Hoping Frank can work some of his magic and get it looking better by bending and shortening or may need to go with a different option. Was really hoping to find a way to make this work

[Jeff70]

Looking good! Glad to see the factory console works with the Magnum.

[71OLDS]

Thanks Jeff. Yeah the console is good to go. Just need to work the shifter handle out. I'm hoping Frank can cut about 2- 3 inches off the bottom, bend it so it's straight up, re-drill holes for mounting just below the "H" and make it look "right". If that works the "H" will be below the boot but the "442" will still show. if it doesn't work may go back just a short Hurst shifter handle that looks good but will be really bummed if I have to do that.

I hate this handle that came with the trans but maybe it could be used as a template to copy the 442 handle to:

[71OLDS]

Frank got it done how I wanted - cut the bottom off, re-bent it and drilled new holes so now it almost exactly mirrors the shifter handle that came with the trans. The "H" won't show once the boot is on but the 442 will and that's what I wanted:

[71OLDS]

Roll bar is painted - you can see the shoulder belt set up here on the passenger side and this pic really shows how tight everything fit with the design. Note the location of the main hoop just in front of the tress brace and the belt transitioner just infront of that. There is just enough room for all the pieces to fit and eventually be able to be hidden in the "box" to be built around it all as I detailed in earlier posts.



Removable cross bar with tabs for racing harness painted too: