Alright, so, I've decided to part out my 1989 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser to fix up the 1986 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, the reasons for this are extensive, and I will not go into them. As a note, this is going to be long, take time to read it if you have it, and please give input. Basically, if I buy my fathers 1992 Camaro RS from him, for $1200 (It's worth it, great gas saver, V6 auto, gonna be a 5 speed stick again soon, was originally), he's gonna use that money plus some more to find him a good truck, and I then I get the 1986 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser. So it works out, I get the Camaro, a car I wouldn't mind having, and the Custom Cruiser, a car I've wanted since I was a teenager. My plans are as follows for the 1986: First and foremost, the 1989 has a new exhaust system, that is going on the 1986 so it'll pass inspection in June. Remove the roof rack and seal the roof, I have a friend who will do this for about half what a body shop would, and he'll do it right. Remove the rear quarter windows, seal up rust back there, possibly convert it into a panel wagon, same friend would be welding in the sheet metal, also would pay the friend for this work. If converted to a panel wagon, I will use side panels from a van to fill the holes. Cheap sheet metal is just as good as what you can buy new if it comes from a car already built Remove the interior from the 1986 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, this step comes after removing the rear windows and roof rack 'cause I'm not worried about the interior already in the car, I'm just gonna strip enough of it so there's nothing to set on fire by accident. fix the rear quarter damage (I backed into a light pole back in December, the pole lost, not kidding, it was bent . For the record, it was a modern replica of a gas lamp, some flimsy piece of garbage, probably of Chinese origin). Put new front carpet in 1986, and headliner Once that is done, Strip interior from 1989, all of it, except front carpet, and headliner, even the pedals, steering columb, the whole of the interior is going into the 1986, 'cause the stock interior has pretty well gone to hell. Install interior from 1989 into 1986, including features like power mirrors, the door mounted seat controls, and entire dashboard. Remove power motor, and glass from rear tail gate, possibly remove entire tailgate from 1989 to transplant onto 1986. Might get the tailgate off of a 1983 in the junkyard, I do not believe it has a third brake light. Install new stereo and speakers as the "new" interior is going in, to save from having to do things twice. Using factory 3.5" dash holes and 4x10" rear sail holes. Change bumpers, grill, and brake/parking light assembly from 1989 to 1986 Finish backdating 307 as a stopgap until I can afford a 350, non EGR edelbrock intake, Mallory distributor, 4bbl carb with electric choke. Say what you like about electric chokes, I like them. Remove worn out heavy duty truck springs, remove air shocks, remove trailer hitch. Remove any damaged trim, attempt to replace, remove any trim I do not like Custom hood ornament install: http://www.deathtrapkustoms.com/SKULLPICS.html The car has to have attitude, nothing gives a car attitude like primer spots darted too and fro, a loud V8, a whacky hood ornament, tinted windows, and chrome bullet hole wheels with some white letter tires. Get new Cragar Soft 8 16 inch chrome wheels: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CRR-3987850P/ And then find the best size in 16" tires to fit. Start saving for a 350 and trans, once 350 and trans is bought: Remove 307 and trans, work over brake, suspension, and steering system Once the brakes have been replaced, and the suspension and steering have been built up to my liking, I will drop in the 350 New exhaust, not sure what yet. That's about it so far, I will have some parts left over from the 1989, not sure what yet, but I know the two drivers side doors and fender will be unused, as the fender has a cornering lamp, and my 1986 does not. Anyway, thoughts, or input on this rough drafted plan? EDIT: I will revive this thread when the madness starts.
WOW! And I mean WOW! That is one heck of a resto list. You difinitely have given this some thought. Is there a time line?
fannie I will bet if you made a list of what you've done and still need to do to your fannie it would be even longer. As we tell dewey and others "git to work."
If both front fenders from the 89 are good, I'd be tempted to use them and wire up the cornering lamps. I have had them, and miss them a LOT! All you need is a switched power supply and am instant on/1 second delay off relay per side, and tap into the positive signal wire. They are really handy at night finding dark, narrow driveways, especially in a large car.
Sorry for the delay, I've been working out a temporary job at a local elementary school as a night time janitor, might turn into something a little longer if I can get them to hire me over the summer, they only have three older women working there, and moving all that furniture is really hard on them. I shadowed the woman I'm gonna be filling in for last night, I don't start working until after spring break, April, the 16th. Anyway, the passenger side fender on the '89 is ruined, otherwise I'd keep the cornering lamps. I will be keeping the header panel and hood, as well as reusing the grill, and a bunch of trim that's damaged on the '86. It's going to be a bear to get the window glass out of the '89 without breaking it, but I want that tinted glass, that is professional tint, not that cheap crap that bubbles. I'm pretty sure it's the more expensive 3M tint. Yeah I know it's a lot of work, this car will be primer grey and tan for a while before I can afford to have it painted, paint is at the very bottom of my list, I will not paint a car then drop a motor in, I do not have the resources to ensure the paint will not be damaged. I may change the passengers side fender entirely when I take the front clip off to drop in the new motor. Eventually I'm dropping another motor in that '86, a 350 or something, at that point I'm taking the front clip off and replacing all the suspension and steering linkage underneath the front, also going to redo the rear end, during which I'll probably clean up the front frame section and spray it down with some heavy duty undercoat, as well as the underside of the car. After the motor is in and the front end is done, I'm gonna redo the back end, differential may be changed, I dunno yet. The suspension will be setup similar to how it is now, for heavy duty use. Half ton Chevy/GMC truck springs upfront (yes, they fit), three quarter ton Chevy/GMC truck springs under the back, with heavy duty coil over shocks, instead of air shocks, I don't like the way the air shocks ride when they're low on air. A few other small and unimportant things I'd like to do is figure out a place for front speakers that looks factory, so I can have something larger than 3.5" dash speakers, and I might remove the factory rear locking glove box compartment and fabricate a custom subwoofer box to go into that spot, make it look factory, probably just use a 10" low power subwoofer, only about 200 watts. I don't need a lot of boom, I just want fill. In the mean time, I'll likely install a Infinity Basslink at some point, it's not high on the list, as long as I've got four speakers and a stereo that'll work without distorting when I decide to have it loud, I'm happy. I may also look for a gauge cluster alternative, so I can have a tach, oil pressure, temp, and voltmeter gauges. Basically my goal for this car is to convert it into a utility panel wagon that, while still luxurious, is heavy duty enough in the back end. The back half of the headliner will be that rubbery vinyl stuff some of you may have seen, you can get it in a color that's a close enough match to the headliner, I'll also use it over top of some dynamat on the window panels to prevent resonating and vibration, either from the stereo or from the tires. It will be setup to tow, haul, or just cruise. I'll be lining the back cargo area with removable rubber padding, except on the back of the middle seat, that'll be permanently attached, and finding a rear end that does not have a third row seat, I do not want the third row seat, I just want a storage hole. I will be taking the carpet out of the storage hole aswell, so I can keep my tools, jumper cables, and spare fluids down there. I'm going to, if possible, make a drain plug back there, so if something spills I can rinse it out of the hole easily. The rear cover panels will stay, they're tough enough to handle this. Basically I'm the guy who always has a full standard, and metric set, as well as a 12 foot set of heavy duty jumper cables, and spare oil/antifreeze in case I need it. I don't want a truck, I want a car that can perform like a truck, and that wagon, as I have seen it prove, can do that quite well. Does anyone know where I can get heavier sway bars for towing for this tank? I'm looking to beef it up so I can tow pretty good, the ride quality won't be as good, but it won't be near as bad as my daily, the '92 Camaro RS. Tell me your thoughts on this plan, I know some of you use your wagons for utility, but has anyone gone this far before? On a side note, just 'cause I'm nuts like this, if I find a way, I may set the car up with side exhaust pipes. I know the crossmember would probably have to be modified, I don't know of any cheap way to do that. So, this idea may never happen, though I'd like for it to happen, a 350 with side pipes setup right can sound real mean. Good set of chambered mufflers, they'll think a Corvette is coming then they'll see a Oldsmobile.
That's going to be a really heavy-duty wagon when you are done, good luck, it sounds great! I like your idea on modifying the lockable storage bin to house a sub in back too, very clever, I've been trying to figure out where to put an extra speaker without affecting much of the original finish. On the springs you use out back - what age of truck would those be from? Are they concurrent to your car's year? Roads where I live are pretty bad and I really need to uprate my springs for heavy-duty carrying. I have an 89 Electra 307. Also, I'm looking at removing the entire smog control system from my car as most of it is disconnected anyway and we have no emissions testing here. Have you ever attempted this? I'd be interested to know what, if any issues I might face. Thanks and good luck with your projects!
I'm not entirely sure, they're from a Chevy 3/4 ton C/K from the 80's, or for it rather, that's what's under the back of the '86. BUT! You should really put at least half ton truck springs under the front otherwise when you hit a bump, it's quite unstable with the stock strength springs. The front end will look like you've got hydraulics, boing-boing If you didn't have a B body I wouldn't know what to tell you, but since you do, I can tell you, you WILL feel the 3/4 ton springs in the back, it'll feel like you've got struts back there, that's why I say you SHOULD NOT use them all around, that and it jacks the car up a bit. Back end looks like a hotrod, That was with air shocks, so, you're Buick won't be quite that jacked in the rear if you just use coil over shocks and some heavy duty springs, but you'll be able to load it up or tow with it without a problem as long as you have good control arms, sway bar is nice but not always needed unless you are towing something that meets or exceeds the weight of the car. Personally I like the look of the '86 with the air shocks inflated, though my plans may have changed, my brother seems to want to keep both of the cars intact, and he has some say over the '86 even though it's supposed to be mine. Truth be told, I'll probably get the '86 and forget about the '89 'cause my brother will stonewall me trying to take it apart, let it rot then, he'll learn. I can find another parts car, I'm sure. For now though, it's just keeping gas in the tank, if I didn't have my '92 Camaro RS, V6, auto, I'd be walking, I swear you can see the gas gauge moving with my lead foot in that '86 Can you blame me? Blowing past people with the four barrel open in passing gear is fun, especially someone driving a hybrid. I passed a Nissan Leaf (Fully electric, fully FAIL!) in it once, man was that funny, guy gave me the stink eye for that, but it's not my fault it can't do 45, should've left the toaster on wheels plugged in longer. I can promise this entire forum this though, if gas ever gets down around $2.50 and stays there, I'll be running the wheels off that '86. Anyhow, the plans to restore the '86 still stand, but I may need a new donor. EDIT: Does the touch climate control in you're Buick work? I haven't seen one of those in person before.
Thanks for the input, I have adjustable air shocks now which are due replacement so will tackle those and the springs in one go. I don't need to tow so much as carry the odd big load from time to time. I checked out your photos, that could be a nice car if you can find the donor you are looking for - good luck with that - cars and family can be difficult! Like me you have the fibre-optic indicators on the wing tops - stylish but completely useless as far as I can see lol I know what you mean about the watching the gas gauge go down - fuel here is $6US per gallon too lol Yes, my climate control does work as do most of the other gizmos, seats etc. apart from cruise control. I'm surprised this stuff even works after all these years.
Ah alright, not much works on our '86 at this point, rear drivers side door window doesn't work, upper track guide is missing off the passengers side window, power locks only work on the passengers side switch, speedometer was broke for a long time due to the spindle in the transmission. It has some quarter damage not yet seen in the photo's, I'll probably take some of it tomorrow if I'm not busy. And most recently, the tailgate won't unlock with the key 'cause the lock solenoid is broken. So guess who gets to crawl back there and open it, then figure out how on earth to work around it? That car needs a lot of work on big and little things, I mean it runs and drives fine, it's just been kept on the road with the least possible 'cause that's all we've been able to afford. I heard about the absurd fuel costs in Cali too, they aren't NEARLY that bad here in Virginia. $3.37/ga last time I was out today at the station I get gas. If it got up to $6/ga, I'd have to buy a moped and even IT would be running on fumes most times. Oh side note, my '92 Camaro RS is doing the same thing our Custom Cruiser did with the speedometer, mechanical sender in the trans is going bad so a lot of times the speedometer doesn't work when I first start the car, but I'm good at judging my speed in that car, learned how to do that when the one in the wagon didn't work.
Hang in ther DR remember...baby steps. Just pick one thing and fix it first, small accomplishments will keep you motivated. Don't let all the issues come flooding in.
Right now the biggest thing is gas . We barely have money to keep gas in our '92 Camaro RS, and it's a V6, so the wagon pretty much only has enough gas to make it to the gas station near here and refuel, the low fuel light comes on as soon as you start the car. Poor thing needs a bath bad too, but I'm afraid if I move it to clean it it won't have enough gas to get me up the road. Anyhow, got some pictures of the quarter damage caused by me hitting some ice in a parking lot, and therein, hitting a rather stout light pole.. http://s55.photobucket.com/albums/g139/Dead-Reckon/1986 oldsmobile custom cruiser 2012/ Fired it up for the first time in about two months yesterday (It's been that long since we've had gas to put in it, and counting), little bit of hesitation, but she fired right up, battery was strong, she sounded like she was ready to go... And then came the low fuel light. That car will have an outing at some point, probably take it to go see Men In Black III if I can at the end of this month. She doesn't like to sit, never has, as with most old V8's.
This may strike some as off the wall, but I bet you could pull at LOT of the damage out of the quarter panel with a simple sink plunger. Wet the area well with some soapy water, put the plunger on the dent, and get the panel vibrating. Give a good yank. Repeat until you can't get more out. It is amazing what that will do.
Yeah I've heard of stuff like that, if you notice the rust hole at the bottom of the wheel well, you'll see why I haven't yet messed with it. I'm gonna pull the cover to secure the spare tire the next time I go for a drive. It works its way loose and sounds like you've got a rubber mallet bouncing back there. I'll see how bad the rust really is on the inside, if it's really bad, I may not worry about the dent at all for fear of reprisal from my father for making the rust hole worse. Might have to do some sheet metal work on that car, I dunno yet. I know it needs a back drivers side door, or a way to pull a dent out of the bottom along the crease, a passengers side fender, though that may be salvageable, a tailgate (Whole tailgate is pretty rough), either a hood or hood hinges 'cause when my brother worked at a local theater some mall rats sat on the car, he chased them off with the tire iron in the back . Roof rack looks like it's been attacked by hammers, and it's coming off, hard to see in photo's, but if you stand on the back bumper (Or are about 6'3" or taller), you can see the dents in the roof rack. Most recent one from when I was picking up a free 27" JVC CRT "HD Ready" TV from my friends house when his step mother pulled in, activated the automatic garage door opener, and guess where the wagon was? Part way in the garage... The driveway is blind, coming down a hill, she could not see the tank parked there. My friends father wondered out wondering what the loud bang was, something along the lines of... KA-THUNK! It actually buckled the bottom of the garage door a little, but only put a minor dent in the roof rack. My friends step mother was panicking, thinking she'd damaged the car, she hadn't seen that car before, only the Camaro, once I pointed out she had done more damage to the garage door than the car, she simply said "Oh.. Oops." and wondered into the house. Anyhow, I love that wagon, I grew up in that car, we had a station wagon before it... The fireball express (Ironically it was light blue)... 1978 Ford Country Squire, 351 modified, caught fire twice, smoked like you would not believe before it was junked, still ran, but it burned as much oil as it did gas. I was only six years old at the time we got rid of the Fireball Express, got the '86 Custom Cruiser in 1995, sold it in 2002, repo'd it in 2003, bought the '84 Cutlass Supreme we had in about 1998. Side note, my father debated on getting a 1983 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser, it was black, black interior, it was a flower car for a funeral home, instead of the '78 Ford... Only reason he didn't is 'cause my mother would've had a panic attack when she found out she was in or driving a car that once hauled the occasional dead person, mostly flowers, but, the occasional dead person... Eh, who cares? Maybe someone's grandma would've looked out for me on the road... Or just griped at me from an empty back seat... Anyhow, enough ranting, oh, the reason why I know about the dent trick is 'cause my neighbor tried it on a Mazda pickup he had with a dent in the passengers side of the bed. Oh boy did that work! So well, there was no dent! ...Just a rusty hole where someone patched the truck with sheet metal hastily before a cheap paint job... He couldn't get the dent to budge, so he asked me to give the thing a pull, I was fourteen at the time, 'bout nine years ago, I gave the thing one good tug, and off came the sheet metal...
