Grandpa Car

[DRIVEN]

People generally like these cars or they don't. The '78-'80 has that hip detail. The '81-'88 lost it but the roofline and opera windows are the same. I have had several Cutlass guys tell me that this car has them reconsidering their previous dislike for the earlier cars. I guess that's a compliment.
So, thanks!

[Taterhead]

Compliment indeed. Always loved these cars, especially since my grandma bought one new in 88. That got me looking into them more. Although I know yours looks different than that one.

[DRIVEN]

Started hoarding for the next phase...



The seller cracked the block in his jet boat and bought a 455 to replace it then ended up using almost all the boat stuff with the replacement block.
-G heads with screw in studs and Comp Cams guide plates. Supposedly need new valve guides.
-Crappy chrome Milodon valve covers
-Lunati Voodoo 282/290 cam and lifters
-Comp Cams roller rockers
-Edelbrock Performer intake
-Standard rod/main crank
-Std bore pistons on rods
-2nd set of almost new SpeedPro .030 pistons
-Timing cover, balancer, slinger, water pump, hardware, etc.
-A starter, alternator, distributor, oil pump, some brackets.
-He had a Milodon oil pan and pick-up but sold it before I got there. He also offered me the cracked block but I declined.

Small shower as I got home. Unloaded under a double rainbow. It's an Idaho Christmas miracle.

[DRIVEN]

Proof of life post...

[wayno]

[DRIVEN]

Bam! Ultra High Compression Toronado Rocket, bitches!


Drill spot denotes 39* cam bank angle. That's a really good thing.

I picked it up yesterday in the 100* heat and luckily the guy had a forklift to load it. It's been stored outside on a pallet under a tarp for a few years. Luckily it's from the desert. It was reportedly a solid runner and the guy was going to put it in his GMC motorhome but the 455 never died so that's how he sold it. Still had the TH425 attached and he claimed that it had been converted to switch-pitch but without any evidence I'll assume its stock. Gave him $100. Hopefully it's better than scrap.


After he loaded it and I got it strapped down I ran 200 more miles to my brother's new shop where we split the TH425 off of it. He also has a FWD GMC motorhome so I gave him the starter, transmission, and exhaust manifolds. Figured as long as he has the spares he'll never need them.



Once I get home I'll throw it on the stand and evaluate it a little more thoroughly. I didn't put any type of leverage on it but couldn't turn it by hand so I'm assuming the rings are stuck. There was zero rust/corrosion at the carb or in the exhaust ports so I'm relatively confident I can lube it up and break it free. The oil level was super black but right at the full mark so I don't suspect any water in the pan. When we rolled it on it's side, suddenly and accidentally, coolant poured out green and black oil started leaking out the weep hole in the fuel pump.
Best case, the short block can be refreshed and reused. Although, as long as the crank and rods are salvageable, I'm good. I won't be using the C heads or intake -- maybe the Qjet. Really, the air cleaner is probably worth what I paid so I'm not gonna feel too bad if it turns out to be junk


So, here's why this is kind of a big deal. The Tornado version of the 425 was Oldsmobile's hottest engine at the time. 385hp and 480tq. It's often referred to as "The best GM muscle car era engine that was never put in a muscle car." It's also common lore that they were purposely underrated because nothing was allowed to outshine the Corvette. Same thing happened with the Grand National in the '80s. '67 Toronado was 385hp whereas '67 Corvette 427 was 390hp...Interesting.
Toro spec has higher compression, hotter cam, bigger valves, 800cfm carb, and forged bottom end. They were known to rev quick and pull hard. Short of finding a W30 455 ($10k if it's all there), this is as good as it gets, and they aren't too common anymore.

[Taterhead]

Burnout videos, here we come

[DRIVEN]

You'll need some patience for that. I'm pretty much just stacking parts at this point.

[wayno]

Does that mean your getting a shop to store them parts?

[DRIVEN]

Maybe someday

[DRIVEN]

Got it home after a little drama. Got it mounted on a stand and stripped the accessories off of it. Pulled the plugs to spray some WD40 in the cylinders and it turned over immediately. No breakaway, no rough spots. I rotated it about 10 revolutions and it was smooth as can be. Looks like I might have a good starting point after all.

[wayno]

Looks a lot better without all that stuff on it.
Does that engine have a PCV valve, my guess is no, it never came with one.

[DRIVEN]

[DRIVEN]

It'll be configured a little differently when I'm done. Current plan is to run a more modern cam grind, some Mondello built ProComp aluminum heads, one of my Edelbrock intakes, and aftermarket EFI -- probably a Holley Sniper system. I'll also trim it out with these rare-ish. '73-only script valve covers I snagged a couple months ago.



This is just the beginning of the parts collecting. I'll also need to have a transmission built and replace the rearend with either an 8.5" or a Ford 9". I'll be at about triple the current horsepower and well over double the current torque. the stock rearend doesn't stand a chance.
I'm not planning to touch the car until I have all the new parts ready to go in. We're still a couple years away.

[Laecaon]

That sounds like a fun plan.

[wayno]

So that hose you have an arrow pointed at goes to the manifold?
Or does it go to the air filter housing?

[DRIVEN]

It goes to the carb base. The breather on the opposite side goes to the air cleaner.

[wayno]

I am so used to L blocks and older Nissan engines including diesels that I don't even remember how they did V8 engines anymore, it's been years since I looked at a small/large block.
When I seen that breather on the oil fill tube it reminded me of the 327 block I had a long time ago.
I still have that breather I bought for the older Torker manifold I bought for the 47 Chevy truck with a 350/350, but then I bought that TPI/stand alone harness for it, then I sold the truck, manifold, and TPI, but I still have that breather.

[DRIVEN]

Yup. That would be for the '55-67 engines that had the draft tube in the back and the fill tube up front. They didn't have holes in the valve covers until '68. My '66 327 has a PCV that screws into the fill tube but has a breatherless cap. The draft tube actually went to the air cleaner instead of down the back of the engine but I think that was because it was a California car and had A.I.R. too. There were exceptions to lots of rules in the mid 60s as they were adding emissions components depending on where you lived.

[DRIVEN]

50 mile taco run.


It ran as good as ever but it seems like the steering is getting a little looser over time. There's also a light clunk/knock below my seat. I'm wondering if maybe it's the frame extension for my transmission crossmember. guess I'll need to rack this thing and give it a once over. Noticed my sticker shows almost 2 years since the last oil change. Only been about 500 miles though.