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Wanting ‘72 Olds Cutlass

AlphaBetaBase

AlphaBetaBase

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Wanting ‘72 Olds Cutlass

I’ve been thinking of buying one for years now and I’m kind of tired of dreaming. I want to know what I’m getting into from a realty standpoint. It won’t be super fast since the 350 Rockets HP is hovering around the 200 hp mark but the torque should be fun. It will most likely see only summer days.

Just want to see what everyone’s opinion is in general regarding owning a car in its mid 30s. Is it just a maintenance headache? Do you constantly work on it? Do you become kind of “Monk-ish” with all the little imperfections you wish you could fix? Will I have to be selective as far as where I take it at to get fixed since some newer guys may only be used to new cars?

I was going to go to an olds forum but I would like yall feedback first.

I would like to have something like this :D
1972_oldsmobile_cutlass_442.jpg
 
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they are great cars (I've restored 2 myself) the engine has some oiling issues that need to be addressed (many books about what to do) if you can't do mechanical work it is probably not a good car for you, there are few people today who can tune a carb.
 
I've had two older cars, a 1976 Corvette Stingray and a 1973 Mustang Convertible Mach 1 Clone. I also started a project 1972 Plymouth Scamp but ran out of money and interest before it was finished. With that, my best advice to you is to buy one already completed if you can. If you're just looking for a good "driver" you can usually buy them cheaper already finished than restoring one yourself. By "driver", I mean a car that you can drive and take to cruise nights or whatever. One that is not so meticulously perfect that it has to be trailered or you are scared to drive for fear of a small rock chip or something.

My '76 Vette was purchased for $8000 and my '73 Mustang for $9000. They were both already finished. I didn't have to do anything but drive them and enjoy them. I drove the Corvette from Kansas City to Bowling Green, KY to tour the Corvette museum and assembly plant, as well as three times to two different annual Corvette shows in Bloomington and Effingham, Illinois. Never any trouble. The Mustang got driven everywhere also and it never gave me any problems. All I ever did to both of them was routine maintenence stuff you would do on any other car.

Shop around and take your time, you'll find one that's right for you at the right price eventually. Don't be afraid to kick a few tires and don't let emotions control your purchase. People are always afraid an old car will be nothing but trouble, and they can be if you buy the wrong one. Do your homework and pay attention to details when shopping and if you get the right one, it can be a great experience. My car's weren't perfect by any means, but I shopped around and bought the best I could afford and was very happy with them both. Now if I just had enough walls for all the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place hardware from car shows I've got stashed all around. ;)

Not really any specific knowledge on Cutlass' per say, but if you need any help or anything, don't hesitate to ask.
 

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I have a friend who has a '71 (?) Cutlass Convertible (red with white interior).
They drive it approximately 5 times a year.
It makes me sad. :(
 
I have built lots of olds engines over the years being an oldsmobile guy and all.... I sorta just fell into the 3800 stuff lol. Anyways I would rather look for a 70 than a 72 but that is just my personal preferrance. The W31 engine was rated over 300 hp , in 71 it dropped and 72 on was the lower end of power numbers. The maintenance on the car really depends how it was treated. The price on them has really gone up the past 5 years and it seems either you find a really nice one that is original or restored and someone wants an arm and a leg for it OR you find something that needs a lot of work. A 72 will be in your advantage as it was the last year of that body style and probably least desirable from the engine output drop, but if that is not a concern then the newer car of the vintage may be fine for you. Mondello and Dick Miller Racing are two great Oldsmobile engine resources for info, and there are a slew of websites with info about the engines and the cars in general. You can go to 442.com and I think it has a pretty good overall range of stuff.
 


Wow, thanks for the feedback guys. Gave me a lot to think about.

Do your homework and pay attention to details when shopping and if you get the right one, it can be a great experience. My car's weren't perfect by any means, but I shopped around and bought the best I could afford and was very happy with them both. Now if I just had enough walls for all the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place hardware from car shows I've got stashed all around.
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Coincidentally, I actually looked at getting a 79 vette and a 72 mustang a while back. I test drove an unrestored mustang a few years ago and it wasn't that bad. As I feared, rear quarter panel view was non-existent. The brakes were surprisingly much better than my GTs at that time (thank goodness for the 12”s now). I was close in getting it until he had to park it on a 10 degree incline. The car kept stalling. The way that sales person hustled to get that car stared was sad yet pure comedy. He must have tried 20-30 times.

I was looking for one that was finished and didn’t need any mechanical work. Even if it was a trailer queen, I’d still drive it and not worry about rock chips. I live for the moment but I do a TON of research before I purchase anything. I am also not super mechanically inclined so I wouldn’t want one where I had to replace piston rings.

I don’t let emotions weigh my decision much even though a black convertible with gold pin stripe did touch my heart. They wanted $16,000 for it but I decided to get a 2nd house instead. Now the guy who bought it just leaves it outside. Every time I drive past it I think “you could have been mine” but I also question its condition when I heard it running.

I've visited 442.com several times as well as a few other googled sites and forums. 442.com is a pretty good site. Guess I wanted the 72 only because of the grill design. Truthfully, in my heart of hears, my dream is to drop a LS1 or LS2 into one. Not sure on all the details how to do it besides the obvious ones but eh, it’s a dream. I did quite a bit of searching but all I could find is a guy who did one in a newer cutlass.


hmmm i have a 72 olds cutlass S but i not rdy to let it go quite yet. Sorry
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:(
Curious...How long have you had it? Any periodical maintenance you have to do on it beside oil changes?
 
My quarter view wasn't bad..... as long as the top was down. LOL! Top up, and you couldn't see anything.

By emotions, I just meant that I have seen people just slap the money down because it's their "dream car" and "it's even the right color!" sort of thing. They get so wrapped up in it, they forget to check the small stuff. Sometimes they even overlook the big stuff. There's good and bad restorations and sometimes without an eye for the small stuff, it's hard to tell the difference until it's too late.

Good luck with your search and I'll keep an eye out for one. The wife and I hit lots of cruise nights and car shows and there's always a plethora of things for sale.
 
well since were dreaming here. Mine would have to be a 1970 chevelle ss 454 ls6 cherry red black pin stripes, munchie 4spd rockcrusher oh sorry sorry i got alittle carried away in my dream lol. Im gonna post a new thread for everybody's one dream car. So check it out and dream away!
 
Agreed on the concept on emotions. ESPECIALLY if it is the right color. There may be some things wrong with it where it isn't worth it.

How realistic is it to place an LS1 or LS2 in a 72 olds? Better just to get a GM crate engine?

Also, has anyone thought of changing out their carbs for an aftermarket one? Kinda curious on if it is worth it.
 
I owned a 71 cutlass, great car got a lot of looks, still an affordable musclecar to buy in today's market. Had a 350 rocket with descent hop ups, (10.25 pistons,headers,ported heads,cam,etc.) I did all my own work and it was very reliable and fairly qwick, my only problem was the valvetrain needed constant attention.
Loved that car but mpg became an issue and couldn't afford it. My brother also currently owns a 70', also a nice car. He went with all Edelbrock stuff and the damn thing is a dog, looks and sounds fast but it's slow as molases.:o
Anyways great cars.
 


valvetrain needed constant attention.
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That's probably the main question I have. What type of attention did you have to do and at what intervals? Was it the standard maintenance which was part of owning a car in the 70s i.e., grease this/that, tweak this, water that, give back rubs?

He went with all Edelbrock stuff and the damn thing is a dog, looks and sounds fast but it's slow as molases.
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I was thinking that would happen. All new stuff on the engine i.e., new intake, carb, etc. but with no actual increase in getup-n-go.
 
AlphaBetaBase said:
That's probably the main question I have. What type of attention did you have to do and at what intervals? Was it the standard maintenance which was part of owning a car in the 70s i.e., grease this/that, tweak this, water that, give back rubs?


I was thinking that would happen. All new stuff on the engine i.e., new intake, carb, etc. but with no actual increase in getup-n-go.
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I think the issue is the edelbrock, I have yet to get an edelbrock carb to work properly, switch to a holley, and the engine comes alive every time
 


sure, just would take some work as I don't think anyone makes a kit for the olds, anything is possible with enough money and a welder
 
swaping over to a ls based motor can be done but not a kit and requires welding and you will have a field day with it.


Your honesty going to have to replace nickel and dime stuff here and there. alternater, voltage regulatr etc. Olds motors have bad oiling to the mains, to much oil gets up top so when rebuilding afew things need to be done. I currenty have a 508 ci BBO based motor. 455 60over with longer bbc rods, pontiac pistions and the crank is ofset ground. Its a pretty cheap build and gets more displacment in there and gives it a better rod angle.

I love running a bbo I did toy around with going with a lsbased motor. Glade i stuck with what i did.
 
350 olds and a 350 chevy are 2 different animals, but the olds crate engines are going to be aftermarket, and have most issues addressed already (if you find one at a decent price)
 
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