my winter project

[AL Inc]

Well, since I don't have any plowing pics to share with you guys, I figured I would share these. Last year was my 10th year owning my landscape business, and I had promised myself something nice. My friends brother owned one back in the mid 80's and I have loved the 60's/70's cars since then. So last year I started looking and found this car in Oklahoma. My wife and I flew down there for a weekend and I bought it. Hooked up with a trucking company nearby, and the car was in my garage a week later.
1970 442, 455/TH400. Car is pretty basic, bench seat, column shift, AC, power steering and brakes. Was re-painted in about 1980, not show quality but very nice driver quality. I have all of the original paperwork, including owners manuals, Protecto-Plate, and even a picture of the car when it was new.

[AL Inc]

Of course I enjoyed the car a lot this year, and just did basic maintenance on it. I can just go out to the garage at night or on the weekends and tinker with it, it has been very relaxing for me, as I don't have a lot of hobbies.
The Olds was super reliable and just a lot of fun to cruise in. We did a lot of Sunday morning rides.
But there was the issue of the car using a LOT of oil, and smoking quite bit when getting on it. And the issue of the transmission leaking.
Soooo, I have a friend who is a mechanic and a fellow muscle car head, that just happens to owe me a few favors for landscaping work at his house. We got together a few nights earlier this month, and here is the result.

[AL Inc]

Sorry, last pic didn't post

[AL Inc]

Pulling engine

[AL Inc]

Engine out

[AL Inc]

Car back inside. A little tight right now as motor and hoist were behind car. I usually have about 6 feet in front of the car to work. Engine is now in my friends shop and is stripped down. We found two broken rings among other things, it was time for a re-build. We are doing most everything new, just got most of the parts Tuesday from Summit. Looking forward to getting it back together!

[wyldman]

Nice ride !

Looking forward to seeing the finished product. :D

[snowplowjay]

Sweet ride can't wait to see the progress!!!

I have 2 buddies with a huge interest in Hurst Olds/442's so I enjoy seeing these kind of projects a lot :D


One of my buddies has a 65' and (2) 67' 442's and my other buddy has a Hurst/Olds 1972 Indy Pace Car...


Jay

[towman]

good looking car, i have a 1972 olds 442 that i've had for 26 years now, while camaros are everywhere when you have an olds you don't see to many of them at the cruise ins

[AL Inc]

Thanks for the compliments guys. The Olds definitely are unusual, I think that is what I like about them. I always see lots of Chevelles and GTO's at the car shows, and not a lot of Oldsmobiles. I joined the local Olds club here and hopefully will have the car back together for the spring car show in May. Towman-got any pics of the '72?

[snowplowjay]

The local Olds/Cadillac Dealer (well now just Cadilac) holds an ALL OLDS car show every summer here in central CT. I will have to keep you posted on the dates when I find out since you aren't that far away...


Jay

[AL Inc]

Cool Jay, I would appreciate that.

[derekbroerse]

Definately a nice ride! We've been GM A-Body fans for as long as I can remember. Our first project was my brother's '72 Chevelle... followed up with my ride as pictured below... a '68 Beaumont (The Canadian Pontiac "brother" to the Cutlass 442, Half Chevelle/Half GTO). Not sure if I ever posted it before.

My friend has a half-done 455 powered '71 Cutlass... future projects here squirreled away in the barn include a '70 Chevelle convertible, '69 Chevelle SS396, '68 and '69 Beaumont wagons, '68 Chevelle 300 2-door post, and a bunch of other assorted odds and ends. Also helps to have your own personal a-body wrecking yard in the back!! ;)

[derekbroerse]

Hard to tell from your first picture, looks suspiciously like a set of 1969-70 Chevelle SS (painted silver and black) or Buick (chrome and black) Rally wheels...

:grinz

[towman]

Hard to tell from your first picture, looks suspiciously like a set of 1969-70 Chevelle SS (painted silver and black) or Buick (chrome and black) Rally wheels...

:grinz

they are basicly the same wheel, olds and chevy look the same with a trim ring while the buick had all chrome with no trim ring, so they would be the correct factory wheel for that year

[Pickering Snow]

A.L

Nice ride because of my health this winter were not doing any resto work . I have a employee that works for me we worked together back at the Buick, Olds, Jeep dealer together he has somewere close to 6 442's all diff time area's . I have done a couple 455 Engines threw a Olds program even have a picture somewere with MRS Hurst the queen that still attends big car show events Hurst was heavily involed in the Olds camp with premiring just about every shifter they made in Olds Cutluss.


I bought a 83 15th annver Hurst Olds with lighting rods back in the early 90's from a cust at the dealership it had 16k miles on it when i bought it kept it for about 5 yrs and had somebody that wanted it worse than me the guy made a offer i couldnt refuse and i sold the car.

Nice car and iam sure your having fun winter is the best time of the year to take on a project like that helps pass time.

[derekbroerse]

they are basicly the same wheel, olds and chevy look the same with a trim ring while the buick had all chrome with no trim ring, so they would be the correct factory wheel for that year

Guess I've never seen that style wheel used as a factory piece on the Olds... only the more common steel rallys with the stainless 'pentagon' inserts, bolt on cap, and trim rings...

[AL Inc]

Hey Derek...yes those are the original wheels, they are the SS1's. The SS II's and III's are the ones painted either gray or the paint color of the car, with the trim rings and center caps. SS1's do look like the Chevy/Buick wheels.
BTW, nice car, I've never heard of a Beaumont.
Machine work is starting Monday, right now I am working on detailing the engine bay. Ordered most of the parts I needed, including the correct metallic blue paint for the engine. Lots of work for me, I am an amateur so things take me a long time:help

[AL Inc]

BTW, guys..can you recommend a good way to clean up the wiring harnesses? I found the special black tape to wrap them from Year One, but they are dirty and discolored, would love for them to look cleaner. Thanks!

[wyldman]

Spray-nine seems to do a good job on wiring.Brings it back pretty close to the original color.A quick wipe with some silicone tire dressing will keep them looking new.Do all your taping first though,as the silicone will prevent the tape from sticking.

[AL Inc]

Thanks Chris, I'll give that a try. Just got in from scraping out all of the grunge that was in there, they are saying 65 degrees here tommorrow, I might try to de-grease and power wash. Still lots of parts to clean!