1971 Olds Cutlass SX Convertible
Mike Izzi, Feasterville, PA
Best E.T.: 12.45/105
When Mike Izzi was just a young, budding gearhead, his dad used to always stop at the same Sunoco station where a tough-looking Olds convertible sat off to the side. Mike stared at it whenever he was along for the ride, and long before he could drive, he knew he'd found his car. Once he turned 16, Mike inquired whether the car was for sale every time he stopped to fill up his dad's tank. The answer was always "No." He was persistent though, and one day the answer changed. Mike couldn't get the $2,000 out of the bank fast enough.
Mike knew what 442s, W-30s, and Hurst Olds were, but he'd never heard of an SX. After a little research, he found that it was a package only offered in '70 and '71, and that there were only 357 convertibles made in '71. Sounds like a candidate for stock restoration, at least according to many Olds aficionados he's run across, but Mike's plan was to enjoy the Olds-its rarity be damned.
To keep the ram air functional...
To keep the ram air functional with the tall Torker intake, Mike had a custom base made and chrome plated. This 455 makes good power and stump-pullin' torque, but future plans include a 496ci Olds stroker with much more compression and cam.
But that's not to say that Mike hasn't been respectful to the SX heritage. Nearly everything Mike has done has been with an eye toward clean integration into the Olds' character, from the 3-inch pipes that use custom factory-style tips, to the 200R4 with 3,000-rpm stall converter that is shifted by the factory column. There's really nothing on the car that couldn't be returned to stock, and Mike has all the parts, though says he often wonders why he doesn't just sell them since he'll never put them back on.
Still, the purists balk. An SX convertible owner at the Olds Nationals with a concours-perfect resto gave Mike an earful about what he'd done to his car and its value. Mike laughed and told him that car was built for his enjoyment, not anyone else's. That guy would probably have a conniption if he knew about Mike's future engine and rollcage plans.
The perfectly stock, near...
The perfectly stock, near showroom fresh olive green interior is one of our favorite parts of Mike's SX. The Auto Meter gauges on the console monitoring the vitals and the tach strapped to the column give it just enough of a hot rod vibe without quashing the vintage '70s muscle look."
| WHERE THE MONEY WENT |
| '71 Olds Cutlass SX Convertible: |
$2,000 |
| Paint and body: |
$2,300 |
| Engine, carb-to-pan: |
$5,700 |
| Trans and converter: |
$1,500 |
| Radiator and twin fans: |
$800 |
| 140-amp alternator: |
$200 |
| Distributor: |
$250 |
| Wheels and tires: |
$1,250 |
| Chrome plating: |
$2,000 |
| Starter: |
$270 |
| Fuel pump: |
$250 |
| ARP bolts: |
$250 |
| Stainless hoses |
$250 |
| Driveshaft |
$300 |
| Headers: |
$600 |
| Mufflers/exhaust: |
$2,000 |
| Suspension: |
$1,500 |
| Rearend: |
$1,200 |
| Interior and top: |
$1,200 |
| Fittings: |
$300 |
| Misc.: |
$1,000 |
| Total: |
$25,120 |
| BY THE NUMBERS |
| '71 OLDS CUTLASS SX CONVERTIBLE |
| Mike Izzi, 45 • Feasterville, PA |
| Total cost to build: $25,120 |
| ENGINE |
| Type: |
Olds 455ci |
| Block: |
stock Olds |
| Oiling: |
stock pan, Melling pump |
| Rotating assembly: |
Olds nodular iron crank, |
|
stock rods, Speed Pro 8.78:1 pistons |
|
with Childs & Albert rings |
| Cylinder heads: |
'67-69 Olds "C" iron heads, ported and |
|
polished with 2.07/1.71-inch valves |
| Camshaft: |
Mondello Engle .542/.558-inch lift; 238/246 duration |
| Valvetrain: |
COMP Cams roller rockers, |
|
Mondello pushrods and springs, |
|
and Cloyes timing set |
| Induction: |
Edelbrock Torker intake manifold, Demon 975-cfm carb |
| Ignition: |
MSD 6AL box, distributor, and coil |
| Fuel system: |
sumped stock tank, Mallory 140-gph electric fuel pump |
| Exhaust: |
Hooker 1 1/8-inch headers, |
|
custom dual 3-inch exhaust with electric cut-outs. |
| Cooling: |
stock water pump, Be Cool radiator, |
|
and dual 11-inch electric fans |
| Output: |
340 rear-wheel horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 478 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm |
| Built by: |
Bill Moss |
| DRIVETRAIN |
| Transmission: |
GM 200-4R and 3,000-stall Vigilante lock-up converter; |
|
Hurst Dual Gate shifter, custom driveshaft |
| Rear axle: |
Olds 10-bolt rearend, 4.10:1 gears, |
|
Auburn limited-slip differential |
| CHASSIS |
| Front suspension: |
rebuilt stock with Poly bushings and KYB shocks, |
|
Hotchkis sway bar, AGR quick-ratio steering box |
| Rear suspension: |
rebuilt stock with Poly bushings, |
|
KYB shocks, and Hotchkis sway bar |
| Brakes: |
stock Olds disc, front; stock Olds drum, rear |
| ROLLING STOCK |
| Wheels: |
Center Line Convo Pro 15x6, front; 15x10, rear |
| Tires: |
T/A 215/60R15 BFGoodrich Radial, front; |
|
325/60R16 BFGoodrich drag radials, rear |