1964 F-85 & Cutlass

History

General Motors introduced a new mid-size platform in 1964. Buick, Olds, and Pontiac dropped the sub-compact line of '63 and migrated the names of the Skylark, Cutlass, and Tempest from their compact models to the larger platform. The 64 Olds Cutlass was a trim package based on the baseline F-85 model. F-85's and Cutlasses were offered with a v6, and two v8 engines. The v8 was the new 330 and came in both a low compression 2bbl version and a high compression 4bbl version. This same v8 block would continue production into the late 1980's and see displacements of 330, 350, 403, 307, and 260 (There was even a diesel version of the 260). Three transmissions were available. A 3 speed manual, a 4 speed manual, and a 2 speed automatic.

Late in the model year, three months prior to the release of the 65 models, Oldsmobile executives demanded the production of a GTO competitor. Olds marketing assembled the 442 trim package. It was nothing more than an Cutlass the B-09 Police pursuit package with some 442 badging. the 290hp high compression v8 was fitted with a dual snorkel air cleaner and it's advertised horsepower was increased to 310hp. Also included as standard was a 4 speed, dual exhausts, and a unique rear anti-sway bar (the first US mid-size car to have one!). 3999 442 were produced, most were Cutlass hardtops, some were sedans and convertibles, and a handful were 4 doors. Identifying a 64 442 is simple, determining if it is authentic is very difficult. 442 badges on the fender fenders between the headlights and the wheelwells, and a 442 badge on the rear decklid on the passenger side. Originals had dual snorkel air cleaners (dual snorkels could be had on Cutlass models as well, despite any recently published 442 restoration guides may lead you to think). Original 442's had unique boxed lower control arms for the sway bars. All 442's were produced late in the 64 production year, so the date of manufacture should be the summer of 64.

The 330cid powerplant used a 3.938" bore and a 3.385" stroke (the same stroke for all Olds smallblocks, 260-403). The cranks were forged, and the valvetrain used a rocker shaft (unlike the small blocks of 65 and later which used individual rocker pedastals). The cam profile on the 4bbl cars was duration: 278/282 lift: .430/.432 (Int./Ex.). The Rochester 4GC 4bbl was used in 1964 (this is the same flange as a squarebore Holley or Carter AFB/AVS).

The Standard Cutlass engine was the 290hp 330 V8. F-85's could be had with a 230hp 330 V8 or a 155hp V6 as a standard drivetrain, the 290hp V8 was an option. The 230hp V8 used a 2bbl Rockchester carb and 8.75:1 compression. The 290hp V8 used a 4bbl Rockchester 4GC carb and 10.25:1 compression. The 155hp V6 was a 9.0:1 compression Buick engine and was available in F-85's in 1964 and 1965. It was replaced in 1966 with the "Action-Line Six" which was a Chevy L6.

A 3.08:1 rearend was standard on all Jetaway cars except the V6, which came with a 3.23:1, and the 230hp V8 Jetaway which came with a 2.78:1 . A 3.23:1 was standard on all standard transmission car except the 230hp 330 V8's, which was a 3.08:1. Option ratios on all engines were the 3.90:1 and the 3.36:1. The 2.78:1 was an optional economy ratio on 290hp Jetaway cars.

John Kastan's 64 Cutlass

John Kastan bought a beautiful all-original low mileage Cutlass in August of 1998. The black and white photo above shows the car with it's original hubcaps. John is the process of making several performance improvements to the car including a 1969 400cid Olds 400TH combination from a 442 (including W and Z exhaust manifolds), 66 442 SS1 rims, 442 boxed rear lower control arms, and a 79 Trans Am WS6 1-1/4" front sway bar.

He has located a set of NOS lap belts, an original power window setup, as well as a wood grain steering wheel. Below are a few select images John has sent AutoHobbyDigest (Thanks John!)

Pictures

Original Interior | Rear of the car | Interior | front of the car

Doug Ahern's Cutlass

The pictured car here is an unrestored 1964 Cutlass. Equipped with the 290hp 330 v8 and Jetaway transmission, it has over 300,000 miles on it with one rebuild in 1987. The car has been painted twice, the first time, a previous owner stripped the car of most of its trim. With a half a tank of gas, the Cutlass tips the scales at 3550 pounds.

Improvments and Updates:

AFB replacment for the 4GC. The 4GCs were small CFM (low 500s) carbs and rebuild kits are deteriorating in quality. The carb flange is the standard squarebore pattern so new Holleys and Carters are simple bolt on upgrades.

70 Cutlass disc brakes. bolt on upgrade, moves tires 1/2" outboard on either side (so wide tries may begin to scrape). Good donor cars are 1969-72 GM A-bodies.

TH350 3-speed auto-trans. Bolt in replacement for Jetaways.

Added a working PCV valve. The original PCV valves never worked. The air moving past the front fill-tube seemed to pull oil up the tube and out all over the intake manifold. On this Cutlass a modern PCV valve was installed that routes to the PVC nipple on the AFB. This cured what was thought was a blow-by problem.

Technical Information

This information is a sincere effort to impart a basic understanding of automobile technology. If, while attempting to apply any of the ideas, procedures or suggestions herein, you should experience any kind of automobile system failure, it will be as a result of your own conscious decision and actions. All authors of text found here, or anywhere on this site, disclaim responsibility for any reader's actions, and any damage, injury, or death that occured or may occur based on information found herein. Before proceeding, please read our disclaimer.

Interchange

There were two different upper radiator hoses used on 330's. The A/C cars used a radiator with an inlet on the passenger side whereas non A/C cars used a radiator with an inlet on the driverside. The non A/C radiator hose is still available and can be obtained from Gates. For both non-A/C and A/C cars, the lower molded hose is no longer produced. 64 330's were unique in that the lower radiator exit was on the driver's side. In 65 GM changed this on 330's and 440's. The rebuilt water pumps are hard to locate but they can still be found (keeping calling! and consider keeping your old core). If you switch to the 65 and up water pump, switch the radiator too.

rear axles: 64-65 Cutlass and Buick Skylarks. The axles GM used in these A-bodies were made out of weak steel. the bearing races are made of tougher steel than the axles, so if the sealed bearing fails... the race spins and the axle is useless. then try and find a replacement! You've been warned. Station wagons are listed as having a different rear axle, but I haven't been able to confirm this.

rear axle housing: 64 Olds only.

glass: rear window, side windows, and windshields interchange on all 64-65 GM A-bodies (Cutlass, Skylark, Chevelle, Tempest..).

trunk lids and doors: 64 and 65 Cutlass doors and truck lids interchange. Otherwise, no body panels interchange.

gas tank: 64-65 F-85 and Buick Special '64-66 except wagons

The chassis of a 64 Cutlass is not identical to just any 64-67 GM A-body. The front rear suspension is generally the same for 64-65 Buick and Oldsmobiles A-bodies (but not Chevrolet and Pontiac). Some components are 64 Oldsmobile only. The front suspension's draglink (or centerlink) was used on 64 model year and some 65 model year Oldsmobiles and Buicks. There were two draglinks available, a 7/8" dia. draglink and 15/16" dia. draglink. This part is getting hard to come by. McQuay-Harris discontiuned it and it seems that the only place that sells it is Rare Parts, Inc.. Its quite expensive if you purchase it directly from Rare Parts, Inc. (try $275), however they give volume discounts to Autozone, Advance, and other large parts carriers. The draglink can be obtained for less than half of that $275 price that Rare Parts lists.

The ball joints are still widely available and are general in stock items at most parts retailers. The lower control arm (LCA) bushings are somewhat available, although the rear LCA bushing is difficult to track down (Note that each LCA has a front and rear bushing and the two are not the same). Below is a table of the factory part numbers as well as some major vendor part numbers. It is not complete, but it is what I have notes of:

OEM and Replacement Parts

Suspension Parts

Part	GM Part No.	OEM Replacements
draglink/centerlink 7/8"	5698848	NAPA #272-4039 McQuay/Norris #DS740 Rare Parts 25795
draglink/centerlink 15/16"	5695201	Rare Parts 26289
idler arm 7/8"	5699538
idler arm 15/16"	7801909
lower control arm bushings, front	382740	McQuay/Norris #FB235
lower control arm bushings, rear	382741	NAPA #267-4213 McQuay/Norris #FB236 TRW #12212
ball joint, upper	383929	McQuay/Norris FA487
ball joint, lower	5693552	McQuay/Norris FA993 Rare Parts 10307
upper control arm shaft	382976
upper control arm shaft (1965 models)	396678

Engine Gaskets

Part	OEM Replacement	AZ 3/10/06
engine gasket kit, exec. intake gaskets	Felpro KS2613	$38
engine set, complete, exc. intake gaskets	Felpro FS8171PT4	$90
engine set, complete, exc. intake gaskets	ROL FS31160	$46
head set, exc. intake gaskets	Felpro HS8171PT4	$48
head gasket (2 per engine)	Felpro 8171PT-1	$17
head gasket (2 per engine)	ROL HG31160	$17
head gasket (2 per engine) high-temp graphite .045" compressed	ROL HG31160HT	$22
valve covers, cork	Felpro VS13403C	$8
valve covers, rubber 3/32" thick	Felpro VS13403R	$9
valve covers, rubber 11/64" thick	Felpro VS50259R	$8
valve covers, rubber 3/16" thick, 30% swell w/heat	ROL VS5875HP	$17
valve covers, cork 3/16" thick	ROL VS476	$16
valve covers, silicone rubber	ROL VS1724R	$23
intake manifold set	Felpro MS9947-1	$15
intake manifold set	ROL MS3853	$13
exhaust manifold set	Felpro MS90021	$6
exhaust manifold set	ROL MS3716	$5
timing cover set, w/o balancer sleeve	Felpro TCS13417	$8
timing cover set, w/ balancer sleeve	Felpro TCS45270	$14
timing cover set, w/o balancer sleeve	ROL TS11325	$7
oil pan set, cork-ply	Felpro OS30471C	$10
oil pan set, cork	Felpro OS13419C	$7
oil pan set, cork	ROL OS5350	$6
oil pan set, reusable rubber, swell 30% w/ heat	ROL OS5350HP	$19

Magazine Articles

Car Life printed an article on the 442: page one (120K) and page two (160K).

Images and Manuals

Chapters on "Instrument panel and accessories" and "Brakes" from a 1964 Oldsmobile Shop Manual that (provided by Esko Ilola).

Rear quarter window regulator diagram for Convertible, Hardtop, and Sedan.

 

Wiring diagram for all F-85/Cutlass models:

• pg 1 (121K jpg),
• pg 2 (101K jpg)
• pg 1 (1mb postscript),
• pg 2 (1mb postscript)

 

Owner's Manual Technical Specifications pages

• cover ( 21K),
• light bulb, demensions, and capacities (53K), fuse specs ( 46K)

 

Reference Photographs:

• spoke wheel cover (33K)
• Engine 442 330 (69K) mostly original,
• Engine 330 (34K) modified.
• Engine 330 4V, unrestored original (except coolant hoses and gas line), note A/C radiator.

 

Oldsmobile Prototype photos:

• prototype (24K)
• 4 door prototype front (20K) and back (39K)
• 4 door prototype (32K)

 

Other photos:

• 1964 F-85 B/MP drag car
• 1964 Vista Cruiser ( 51K)

 

Recycled Cutlass

A 1964 Olds Cutlass hardtop parts car. This car was found in Jan. 2000. It was 100% complete had had been a good running car until a tree fell on the right rear quarter bending the roof, trunk and rear fender. This was a 290hp 2-speed cutlass with A/C. This car has been parted out.

A 1964 Olds Cutlass sedan parts car. This car was found in Feb. 1999. It was almost complete, missing was the center console and tach, and carb. It was crushed along with 3800 other 60's cars in September 1999. Before this was crushed almost everything worth saving was saved.

Other 64 Oldsmobile sites:

1964 4-4-2 Sedan owned by Jim Chasse

Hot Rod Harry's v6 64 Cutlass

Awknowledgements and bibliography

1964 Oldsmobile 442: Muscling In ON Ponycars,
Special Interest Autos magazine, 6/82.

Oldsmobile Cutlass 442, Car Life magazine, 8/64.

prototype photos courtesy General Motors.