How would you...

Just curious how some of you guys would motivate (say on a challenge budget) an '81 Cutlass? My uncles brother has one sitting in his back yard, no engine or trans, it was a spare body from back in his stock car racing days that never got stripped.

Anyway I might be able to get it for a case of beer. So I'm thinking hmmm what to do for an engine and trans setup for it. I'm thinking something along the lines of the Monte SS or GNX but you know on a budget lol.

One benefit is I live out in the sticks now so no emissions or even visual tests so I can basically do whatever I want to the thing. I miss having a V8 beast to kick around in.

Can you spell SBC, no cheaper way to make HP and torque, and it fits

aussiesmg wrote: Can you spell SBC, no cheaper way to make HP and torque, and it fits

Yeah that is kinda the way I was going but which SBC? Fuel injected or carb? Crate motor or find a wrecked Camaro or something? Then what to do for the trans hmmm.

find a wrecked manual camaro.. takes care of the trans and engine... and probably all the parts you need to make the cutlass a manual

Better yet and i speak from experience pick up an abandoned project with much of the engine work done already.

As for which one, 327, 350, 400 all are good but 350 being common give more options

Living where I do I would more than likely go with just a 350 so I can get parts local when need be. I wish I could get my hands on the engine I built for my old Camaro.

Carbs for simplicity. Ghetto EFI will make you contemplate killing an auto engineer.

mad_machine wrote: find a wrecked manual camaro.. takes care of the trans and engine... and probably all the parts you need to make the cutlass a manual

The pedal assembly from a 82-9? Camaro will work if you cut off and re-weld two of the ears, I believe the top two, and the clutch Mc rod will pass through the hole the body wiring harness goes through, move the harness and you should be good.

holy crap 81 Olds/GNX clone built around a 6.6 liter Duramax http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/24/looks-can-deceive-6-6l-duramax-powered-buick-gnx-clone/print/

I do like those old cutlass'. nice styling, decent upgrades.. look killer when modded...

GM needs to make more cars like that

You want a chevy 350, for your purposes that would be the best of the small blocks to start with. The most important part for making power is to get the best heads you can afford. Vortec heads are easily available for under $200 a set now, so that would be a good choice, just leave room in the budget for a matching intake.

aussiesmg wrote: Can you spell BIG BLOCK, no cheaper way to make HP and torque, and it fits

Fixed to go fast. Buick, Pontiac, Olds or Chebby-it doesn't matter. Boneyards are filled with them for cheap.You can't beat cubic inches.

I was thinking a 455 in it could be interesting just harder to source than a 350 lol. It would also make it much more nose heavy.

70s 454s (at least in trucks) are slower than small blocks. Peanut port heads=crap. If I remember right a buick 455 is the best one of the bunch, at least stock.

rebelgtp wrote: holy crap 81 Olds/GNX clone built around a 6.6 liter Duramax http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/24/looks-can-deceive-6-6l-duramax-powered-buick-gnx-clone/print/

ZOMG, that rules. All that performance and mid 30's mpg highway. Awesome.

Stick an elephant block 350 in it with a good cam the standard goodies, add station wagon springs all around, and call it a day.. what a fun car my 80 was...

until it was stolen and wrecked (a bit too much power for the bad guys and not enough suspension work), but the engine ended up in a 79 firebird, which was also good..

Yeah, there was a time where that generation Cutlass topped the stolen car list--back in the late 80's IIRC.

I've always wanted a similar vintage G body, with the cheapest Vortec headed SBC I could throw together with a pair of turbos hanging off of it.

gamby wrote:

rebelgtp wrote: holy crap 81 Olds/GNX clone built around a 6.6 liter Duramax http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/24/looks-can-deceive-6-6l-duramax-powered-buick-gnx-clone/print/

ZOMG, that rules. All that performance and mid 30's mpg highway. Awesome.

As much as I love diesels.. This car is a waste. 12's in the quarter and mid 30's highway. I think an LS1 could be set up to do this for a E36 M3 ton cheaper on much cheaper fuel.

cool idea though.

The floor should already be stamped to fit the clutch pedal and shifter assembly if you wanted to dump a manual trans in it. I owned an '87 Cutlass a few years back that originally was an automatic, but we ( me and the previous owner) did a trans swap and stuck a 3 speed manual trans in the car.When we pulled the carpet back, there was the holes and everything just waiting to be punched out. Cool thing about those cars, is they are the G-body platform, which means parts are everywhere. Just be sure to check the frame for rot right after the rear axle.

ignorant wrote: As much as I love diesels.. This car is a waste. 12's in the quarter and mid 30's highway. I think an LS1 could be set up to do this for a E36 M3 ton cheaper on much cheaper fuel.

Yeah, but it can tow itself to the track.

ignorant wrote:

gamby wrote:

rebelgtp wrote: holy crap 81 Olds/GNX clone built around a 6.6 liter Duramax http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/24/looks-can-deceive-6-6l-duramax-powered-buick-gnx-clone/print/

ZOMG, that rules. All that performance and mid 30's mpg highway. Awesome.

As much as I love diesels.. This car is a waste. 12's in the quarter and mid 30's highway. I think an LS1 could be set up to do this for a E36 M3 ton cheaper on much cheaper fuel. cool idea though.

BUT the LS1 couldn't be converted to be run on animal fat ;)

So I'm softening up my Uncle by taking care of their dogs while they are on vacation to the NASCAR race in Vegas in a couple weeks. That and a case of beer for his brother and I should be dragging that beast home. I'll let you guys know what happens. Nice thing is there is a shop up the road from me with a few old stock cars sitting out back wasting away, figure I'll go talk to them about some possible parts scrounging.