Value? My Father-in-laws 1971 Cutlass Supreme Convertible

[Camaro Dave]

If you look over the #3 in the casting number and then the #8 in the casting number you can see it sticking out ( looks like oil residue there too)

[Camaro Dave]

Hope this works

[njsteve]

Thank you!

[RPOLS3]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Fingers crossed. We shall see next week! Can't wait for the unveiling. I already ordered a new set of AC plugs for it since the ones in the photos look rather old. Initiate Mission creep in 3...2...1

As long as you're doing that replace those Autolite plug wires too - coming from someone who really understands scope creep on car projects

[njsteve]

I saw those and cringed at the cross contamination, as well. :-)

[njsteve]

Heading up on Wednesday to get the Olds. I'll update with new info and photos this weekend.

[njsteve]

13 hour round trip . We got my Father-in-law's Olds home. I confirmed the original engine. Only took around 50 tries with the camera and light source from an equal amount of directions. The last two digits are too faint to capture well on film but everything else is visible. "31M100191"

[njsteve]

Original transmission too

[grantprix]

As expected.

[njsteve]

I spent the day changing the oil and crawling around underneath (found the transmission VIN numbers, as you already saw). I sent an oil sample out to Blackstone Labs for analysis. That usually takes a couple weeks for the results.

I completely flushed the brake system of the old fluid, fully bled it and now we have a nice firm pedal. I adjusted the parking brake because the brake light was staying illuminated until you pulled the parking brake pedal up the last 1/2 inch. Once I adjusted the cable under the car, it works correctly now. I found a cross-threaded rear wheel stud and replaced that. Transmission fluid is at the proper level now and I checked the rear diff fluid and got doused in gear oil because someone along the way overfilled the diff by about a half a quart! That explains why there was a oil spray pattern under the tunnel but the seal isn't actively leaking when parked. It didn't help that the axle vent was covered in undercoating and not venting properly.

I cannot overstate how much factory and dealer-installed undercoating is on this car. I definitely saved it from the Buffalo winters but My Lord, it's inconceivable! BTW, all the body seams and the rocker seams are beautiful and original. No swelling or crustiness anywhere. The frame is covered in undercoating too, but totally solid. The only frame flaw I found was in the drivers side rear where somebody way-back-when, used those dreaded "J-hooks" to tie it down and made a 3/4" stress rip from the hold down hole.