oldsguybry

Hey Allen , if you still have that rear bumper for sale , hold on to it for me for a decade or two .... I should be able to afford it by then

Allan R

Now as Eric pointed out it would be a lot easier to work with more space under the car. PartSource had trolley jacks on sale and I found this really nice Michelin 3 1/2 ton job for 129.00 I told my Mrs. I really needed it. She's been driving me nuts with suggestions on how to finish emptying the gas tank - more on that later. Bottom line? My lil trolley jack I've been using for the past 15 years just got upgraded with a new BIG brother.

GMC can advertise all they want about professional grade. I just joined the party.


Nice or what?? 21 1/2 inch quick lift, rubber pad on lift plate, extendible rubber grip handle, lock release for flat storage and it will handle anything I'm ever going to throw its way. Makes my old jack look like a Matchbox imitation of the 'real thing'. I think I'll lift the car another 3 or 4 inches for clearance - should do the trick nicely. It will give a lot more room to drop the tank without getting it hung up either.



Now for the remaining gas in the tank. I figured out I was just not getting the siphon hose down far enough into the bottom of the tank. So here's what I devised since I was sick and tired of sucking gas into my mouth.

I cut a 6 foot length of rubber hose. In one end I put a 4 inch heavy lawmower wheel bolt, and then used a cement twist wire to make sure it wouldn't come loose. Taped over the end. Then I cut an opening into the hose. The weight on the end of the hose now allowed it to stay at the bottom of the tank.

Instead of sucking the gas through the tube? I cut a small slit in the hose just large enough to slip the pressure hose nozzle from the compressor. Gave it a shot of air and it acts like a venturi sucking gas from behind. Wish I'd done that earlier. So now there's only maybe a gallon or 2 left in the tank. MUCH better than before.

Allan R

After taking the bumper off, I took off all the hardware: license plate bracket, backup lights, tag light, rock guards and tail light pods.

The rock guards look decent but will get a general cleaning. The others need a pretty good (I see hours of wire wheel, sanding and detail work on them) amount of work to restore to new condition.



With the tail lights, I haven't figured out how to separate the wiring from the buckets. Anyone chime in and help on that? I did move one of the boots back to expose the plastic connector underneath, but don't know how the connector is attached. How does it come out, because in the meantime they are still attached to the car!!



The tag light has seen better days. I'll be able to get this looking like new and also should be able to clean up that lens with some of the new headlight clearing kits on the market.


The back up light mounts have some surface corrosion. Still, not bad for a 40 year old part.



I expect there will be a slight delay installing the new gas tank because the sender was ordered from ILT just this past Wednesday. So in the meantime it will give me plenty of time to look at restoring this stuff + pulling the rear springs/shocks and Maybe dropping that axle???

Oh look!! An eagle.....

joesw31

Allen, ILT has all of the correct fasteners...MAW!

Nice new floor jack. MAW get ratcheting wrenches

oldzzy

You doing a good job there Allan! if you look through my pics you will see that i redid my tail light housings, reverse light housings and the license plate light housings.

Allan R

Larry, it would be great idea to do that especially if I was making it into DD, but I'm trying really hard to keep it as stock as possible. I know that 'stock' means as built to most, but I'm interpreting it to meet my needs of having as many period correct 72 options as possible. Might do the all wheel discs on a different project car though. Thanks for the thought!

Joe, which of the fasteners? The ones for the electrical or the bolts? Bolts I can get locally and cost is very reasonable. I normally buy a lot of my stuff from ILT because they have such a great shipping policy. BTW, last night I was looking through my bolts and stuff and found 4 new bumper bolts exactly the same as the ones that came out slightly corroded! I guess sometimes it does pay to be a packrat! Thought about ratcheting wrenches, but elected to buy air tools last year instead.

Thanks Shane. I'm going to have a look through those pics. Hope you don't mind if I PM you if I need some details explained?

joesw31

I owned a 71 supreme for years and the bumper bolts were different than my 70 and I say MAW get new bumper bolts...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/71-72-olds-4...item2569343d4e

MDchanic

... And thus my oft-repeated comment that you should never let ANYONE work on your car.

I'm glad you're putting it back together RIGHT, Allan .

- Eric

joesw31

That is right!

oldcutlass

Never a truer statement!

Allan R

Thanks guys! I'm glad to hear that you feel the same way I do about it. I wish to God I'd taken a more serious interest in doing all these things myself much earlier in life. Well one thing anyway. If I run into stumbling blocks periodically I have a great support group who can help me through pretty much anything I've tackled so far. That's a personal comfort for me.

Joe - the bumper bolts I found are exactly the right ones. Not sure why 1970 would be any different. When I go down to Part Source, I plan to take all the samples I need to replace just to be sure I'm getting the right phosphate coated stuff I need.

Now if I ship this baby down to TX when it's done, I just know y'all will have fun with it huh? I think there's more members (registered and at large) in TX than just about anywhere in the US of eh! Sorry, couldn't resist

joesw31

Yep, Steve and I would have a great time! However, I get to drive first. If this is the case, then, MAW drop a 455 in it for our enjoyment.

Allan R

Yer killin me here Joe! I'd ship it down with it's 350/350 and let Steve drop in a 455/400 for me. You know how bad he wants another 455 project right? THEN you could take turns impressing the local chicks

joesw31

we would make it a 4 speed...

Allan R

And I would be ok with that. You'll also need to install buckets, console, change the column, speedo, add clutch pedal, z bar yada yada. But I KNOW it would be a totally cool car when done by people that KNOW Oldsmobile. You know I'd have to be there to lend a hand and learn at the same time right?? You might need to install a beer fridge for that build.

joesw31

No console needed, no buckets needed. Bench seat 4 speed! Like my F85

Allan R

I could get used to that! I got the bench but it will have 4 way power control. That also means I don't have to change the carpet. Bonus!

sammy

Great to see you at the car Allan! I will be watching......

Ted

oldcutlass

I think we need to do a blower motor for the Canadians! Then the bench with 4 speed!

DENT

Lookin great Allan ,

Tony72Cutlass'S'

You know, in a couple track videos from '71 they were testing out a w-30 convertible that had a 4 speed floor shift WITH a front bench seat!

That's the way to have a sports car. With two babes in the front, one sitting between your sick.

Wait.... I could do this...

Tony72Cutlass'S'

4 SPEED BENCH

how hard is it to find a clutch assembly for an olds?

Allan R

Here's that pic I promised ya earlier when I found the gas leak. I'm indebted to Tony for helping me find this sooner than later. Could have been out for a cruise with the Mrs. and had the rear end catch fire. It looks like the leak is from the top seam on the right side and goes down the tank - pooling and dripping in close range to a hot exhaust.

sammy

Too old, too soon

11971four4two

" a fine fox in front and 3 more in the back"

Allan R

Wutchu talkin bout Ted? You're way younger than me, and Tony is less than 1/2 my age. Older is better buds! We gets better breaks on most everything including insurance. And BTW, who says chicks don't like grey hair, a friendly smile and no fear of rejection by paying them a compliment about their looks/endowment??? I don't wear my ring when I'm working on the car and sometimes I 'forget' to put it on when I'm going shopping. Don't think for a second they don't look to see whether sugar bear is attached...

Troys Toy 70

After this statement, I'll bet the Mrs thinks you have been huffing too many gas fumes while siphoning the gas out of the tank. LOL.

Just so I know, where is the point of no return, where do the MAW's stop for this project? and how do you control them? Maybe, I should ask you later once the fog lifts.

Allan R

You think I let the Mrs. read this??? Are you nuts?

The point of no return was when I put it up on the Jack stands....everything just seems to evolve from there. Believe it or not there's some method to the madness, just not sure where...

I control the MAWs by creating white MAW cells. Thousands of them, like Mitichlorian that controls 'The Force'. Every so often though they run up against the Dark Lord (Rob Young and company) and during the ensuing battle other parts of the car mysteriously come off in my hands... but I usually have my trusty camera out in the garage to pinpoint what happened.

So I guess in that roundabout explanation, the MAW factor is actually controlled by the Green things in my wallet. No $$$ = no project. Also, no parking spot in the garage over the winter for my Mrs. = a VERY LONG COLD winter if you get my ... drift..sorry couldn't resist the SNOW JOB! Almost like being caught in a 'blizzard' of Austin Powers jabber, huh?

oldcutlass

Your going to need the MAW hat for this one.

joesw31

It's not hard, you just need to pay attention to detail.

ah64pilot

I wish I could've helped sooner...but here's a tip for future reference. When siphoning gas, use a 3/4" clear hose about 5' long. Insert as much as you can into the tank, then while holding the clean end, put a kink in the hose with both hands. ABOVE THE TANK, put your mouth on the hose and loosen the kink slowly while you suck on the hose. Repeat until you get gas about 1" from the kink. Hold the kink tight, with the gas in the hose and lower it below the level of the tank...then release the kink.

It's the same principle as putting your finger over the end of a straw that's in a drink and pulling some of the drink out with the straw. It keeps you from getting a mouth full of gas and starts the siphon easily.

Seff the body plugs go in from the inside, under the carpet. He'd have to pull the back seat out to get them out...unless you meant to suggest an interior overhaul as well

Allan, when you put a new sending unit in the tank you MAW put in a RobbMC 1/2" pickup unit to feed the new engine I hear we're putting in it. From what I've gathered so far we are doing a twin turbo 496 stroker with a 4 speed Muncie? Oh, and a bench seat lmao!

P.S. when you get ready for buckets I have a really nice console I've been trying to sell...I'll make ya a smoking deal

Seff

I may or may not have been hinting at that, yes. It seems only reasonable, right?

Lady72nRob71

Just HOW did you mispell this??

Great tip for next time!

Allan R

Jeepers, I wish I'd known you earlier. I already bought the A65 power seat assembly and a new tilt column shift steering column..You telling me you got buckets and a console sitting around??? And whattaya mean you don't have a machine shop in your living room? I thought it was compulsory for 455 builders.

Ha ha! Seff, the bottom of the car is solid - no rust. I've taken the carpet out 3 years ago to dye it black (it's OEM and in really great condition, it was just faded) and the body plugs are all perfect. Lucked out huh? BTW, that's were 1 of the 3 broadcast cards for my car was found.

You know something I don't my Dark Lord??? You're assuming there will be a next time...Hmmm, maybe the neighbors don't have locking gas caps....NOW look what you've gone and done.

ah64pilot

I had everything up until last year. I planned on converting my car but after sitting in another persons bucket seat car I realized I'm not comfortable in them. Its the leg cancer thing ya know? Anyway, I already sold the bucket seats, the NOS Dual gate, the NOS top plate (D/G), but I have the console and wiring harness still along w/ the floor mounts for it. I paid so much money for a restored console & now I'd like to just get rid of it. Its not gonna get used.


Sorry to say but my bench seat (w/ 2" relocation brackets I made) is the most comfortable way for me to ride in the car

Allan R

Heck Steve, no reason to apologize at all. I remember what we talked about in the PMs. Chances are I'm not going to go with buckets for my car. I originally thought it might be a good idea, but after reviewing the cost to refurbish them, add console, change carpet, speedo, column I just didn't want to go to all the hassle. Almost as bad as buying a Thornton hood and I have higher priorities for the $$. My Son and his college.

ah64pilot

Yeah, cost was another deterrent for me. Even having all the stuff it costs a lot of money to do...with covers and all.

11971four4two

Dear Alley cat

I have a muncie. Tony has the sofa Lets Do It

Allan R

ah!! I see you've been under the car!!! Any chance of taking a pic of that elusive air dam attachment I'm looking for? IIRC you said you have one

Tony72Cutlass'S'

Freshly recovered front bench seat, CHECK!

If its for a good cause you guys can totally borrow it. I didnt torque down the bolts "that" tight when i installed it.

Actually, i've started keeping a guestbook in my car. Each new girl i take for a ride writes a quote.