Xplantdad
01-01-2007, 06:20 AM
Oldsmobile Cutlass One Adam 12
By 1998 I had accumulated some significant Olds 442’s in my collection and had sold a few cars as well. Everything I had done was a concours correct restoration.
I had always been intrigued with police car packages as well. I had owned several Chevy’s with the 9C1 police package and was always looking at the Mopar police cars.
Being an avid Olds fan and knowing that the 442 was born out of the B09 police package from 1964 I decided I wanted to “create “an Oldsmobile Cutlass Highway patrol car. The project had a dual purpose-build the ultimate Cutlass Police car; one that would have dominated the highways of North America had Olds been aggressive in perusing this business. Second purpose was to build a car that could compete in some rallying as I had competed in Car and Driver’s “One Lap of America” several times.
I already had many of these parts from various projects from the past 15 years. I needed a good 4 door sedan as a candidate for the project and found one in Seattle WA. In August 1999. I was fortunate to find an intact 72 with air a blue interior and a painted white roof. The car body was rust free with some minor front-end damage. I already knew where there was a low mile 71 Toronado 455 (see the specs, they are close to the w-30) The Toro engine had the deeper pan and baffle, a must for a police cruiser. A local trans shop built a Th400 to specs and built a 3.08 posi from parts I provided. My son and I started the task of replacing every suspension piece with Polygraphite bushings and heavy duty everything. A steering box from an IROC Z Camaro was installed along with the biggest brakes we could fit under 15” wheels
We had the engine/trans/diff in place and the suspension completed by August 2000. Over the following months the tinted glass was installed and the blue interior was cleaned and fitted. The bucket seats were re upholstered in a plain blue vinyl’s was the rear seat. A rubber floor mat was ordered from Auto Custom Carpets. The carpet at the bottom of the door panels was replaced with vinyl to match the doors.
By January 2001 we had a complete rolling body/chassis and installed the front clip. I brought the car to Mark Nicoll of mark of Excellence Restorations, Coombs BC in March 2001 to have the white top repainted and the black paint applied.
Although Mark was quick to get the car ready I was busy getting ready for the Denver Nationals and put the project on hold until August to complete the final assembly.
In knowing that the 442 was an offspring of a police package is probably what attracted me to these cars in 1970. Over the last 30 years I have owned 15 Oldsmobile’s with 12 being 442’s. Of these I have restored 7 of them to show quality standards. Throughout these restorations I have often wondered what a Cutlass police cruiser would have been equipped like. I am sure Olds did provide Cutlasses to Lansing the early 70’s. This is what might have been in your rear view mirror instead of that big Polara.
To date the car has not seen Rally duty but had been to a few shows and entertained the unsuspecting Olds owner.
The One Adam 12 monicker was bestowed by the guys at Fusick Automotive.
Thanks,
Paul
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b156/lotsayenkopics/Paul%20Martins%20Red%20442/cop%20car/tn_IMG_2585.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b156/lotsayenkopics/Paul%20Martins%20Red%20442/cop%20car/tn_IMG_2561.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b156/lotsayenkopics/Paul%20Martins%20Red%20442/cop%20car/tn_IMG_2563.jpg
By 1998 I had accumulated some significant Olds 442’s in my collection and had sold a few cars as well. Everything I had done was a concours correct restoration.
I had always been intrigued with police car packages as well. I had owned several Chevy’s with the 9C1 police package and was always looking at the Mopar police cars.
Being an avid Olds fan and knowing that the 442 was born out of the B09 police package from 1964 I decided I wanted to “create “an Oldsmobile Cutlass Highway patrol car. The project had a dual purpose-build the ultimate Cutlass Police car; one that would have dominated the highways of North America had Olds been aggressive in perusing this business. Second purpose was to build a car that could compete in some rallying as I had competed in Car and Driver’s “One Lap of America” several times.
I already had many of these parts from various projects from the past 15 years. I needed a good 4 door sedan as a candidate for the project and found one in Seattle WA. In August 1999. I was fortunate to find an intact 72 with air a blue interior and a painted white roof. The car body was rust free with some minor front-end damage. I already knew where there was a low mile 71 Toronado 455 (see the specs, they are close to the w-30) The Toro engine had the deeper pan and baffle, a must for a police cruiser. A local trans shop built a Th400 to specs and built a 3.08 posi from parts I provided. My son and I started the task of replacing every suspension piece with Polygraphite bushings and heavy duty everything. A steering box from an IROC Z Camaro was installed along with the biggest brakes we could fit under 15” wheels
We had the engine/trans/diff in place and the suspension completed by August 2000. Over the following months the tinted glass was installed and the blue interior was cleaned and fitted. The bucket seats were re upholstered in a plain blue vinyl’s was the rear seat. A rubber floor mat was ordered from Auto Custom Carpets. The carpet at the bottom of the door panels was replaced with vinyl to match the doors.
By January 2001 we had a complete rolling body/chassis and installed the front clip. I brought the car to Mark Nicoll of mark of Excellence Restorations, Coombs BC in March 2001 to have the white top repainted and the black paint applied.
Although Mark was quick to get the car ready I was busy getting ready for the Denver Nationals and put the project on hold until August to complete the final assembly.
In knowing that the 442 was an offspring of a police package is probably what attracted me to these cars in 1970. Over the last 30 years I have owned 15 Oldsmobile’s with 12 being 442’s. Of these I have restored 7 of them to show quality standards. Throughout these restorations I have often wondered what a Cutlass police cruiser would have been equipped like. I am sure Olds did provide Cutlasses to Lansing the early 70’s. This is what might have been in your rear view mirror instead of that big Polara.
To date the car has not seen Rally duty but had been to a few shows and entertained the unsuspecting Olds owner.
The One Adam 12 monicker was bestowed by the guys at Fusick Automotive.
Thanks,
Paul
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b156/lotsayenkopics/Paul%20Martins%20Red%20442/cop%20car/tn_IMG_2585.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b156/lotsayenkopics/Paul%20Martins%20Red%20442/cop%20car/tn_IMG_2561.jpg
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b156/lotsayenkopics/Paul%20Martins%20Red%20442/cop%20car/tn_IMG_2563.jpg