Mods
350 SBC, TH 400, headers, Sum-1785 cam, dual exhaust w/x pipe, handmade electric fan shroud with 2 12" fans, aluminum rad, serpentine system from 93 S10, driveshaft out of an expedition, starter cables made from locomotive jumper cables, chin spoiler from 67 camaro, front and rear chromoly sway bars, boxed in factory lower rear control arms
Build story
My now wife found a junkyard on her way home from work that was only open on Saturdays for a few hours. We went and walked the yard and the Cutlass just spoke to us. It only had 30k miles on it but the original motor was long gone and in its place an unknown 79 block Olds 350 that had never run in the car. She bought it for me as an early birthday gift in March 2017. We got the engine running it I pulled and sold it because I knew nothing about it and parts were really expensive. I built the 350 Chevy for it using the long block from a boat that had dropped a valve and killed a piston. I replaced the piston, put all new bearings and seals in it. New cam, valve springs, and seals, topped it off woth a GM bowtie intake that is a cast iron version of the Z28 high rise, and heads from a motorhome 350. I took the low mileage TH400 from the same motor home and put it in behind the fresh 350. I got it running and driving in October 2017 and used a driveshaft that I made out of its original and a junk one I found to do its first burnout! It got a new one from an expedition and I have been driving it and working on it since. I hand made custom seat covers, rhino lined the roof(instead of vinyl), hit the whole car with brillo pads dipped in CLR to bring out the paint and patina. The dash,, door panels, seats, and even 2 of the headlights are all factory original.. I have tried to put my own twist on it but keep it looking favtoryish. I drive it every chance I get all over the place. Needless to say I had a keeper who would buy me a car for my birthday and we got married in April 2018. And yesterday March 13, 2021 we took our 9 month old son for his first car show in the Olds! I'm not afraid to beat the snot out of it and go anywhere with it and hope to take it on Power Tour one day!