Denny Aungst’s ’71 Oldsmobile Cutlass “S”

Denny Aungst’s ’71 Oldsmobile

Cutlass “S”

"My Dad and I rebuilt this car from 1981 to 1983 and still have it. It is mostly a stock restoration and a nice driver. I really enjoy this car even though it doesn't set the world on fire at the track. Lots of good memories include spending time in this car, front seat and (especially) the back seat. Watch for minor improvements in appearance, drivability and performance to begin to take shape throughout our web site at the various events on display for your enjoyment."

Denny Aungst (GC member # 83 & GC Web Site Creator)

These are a few pictures from my high school days. Anyway, the photo to the left was robbed from a cruise night video at Maple Grove. The one below was taken by someone in the Graphic Arts department in front of the school where we all parked and given to me as a gift. The '70 'Cuda behind my Olds was Mike Potts' car.

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Olds Fuel Injection?

An idea I have been considering using on my Olds. Send me your opinions.

Oldsmobile Speed!

1st attempt at 100 MPH at Beaver Springs.

100 MPH at Beaver Springs.

100 MPH at Numedia.

How I came about owning the car:

We were happy riding our motorcycles for a few years, upgrading from my first bike, a YZ80, to a YZ100, then a TT250. (Boy, I could wheelie that bike for miles!)

Well, this is about the time we were turning 14 and Dave Lehr now had a cool blue/gold '67 Camaro RS. Time to start thinking about girls and cars. I was in Boy Scouts and enjoyed camping, traveling, and all the fun stuff involved. Well, Dave's stories of street racing and the chicks he met in the process started me thinking about buying a car. This almost cost me my Eagle Scout awards as I put the scouting on the back burner while I pursued the two subjects above.

One day at work, my Dad came out to the shop where I was doing something or other. I used to clean tools, sweep school busses, and pump gas for money. He asked me if I was interested in buying a car. I said, "sure", and wondered what he was talking about. Well, he took me out on the lot and there was a guy with this brown car he was selling. Dad hopped in and said we wanted to go for a ride. Off we go.

I thought it was the coolest. It had a 4 speed transmission that threw me back when Dad slapped the gears. It had a four barrel carb that growled when he put his foot to the floor. It had cool wheels instead of hub caps. I loved it and said I wanted the car. It was so much cooler than the station wagons I was being driven around in by my parents. I bought my 1971 Olds Cutlass S at 13, almost 14, years old, and, wow, it was cool!

Well, I spent a few month looking at old Hot Rod magazines deciding how to build this car when Dad explained that the car should be "restored". That's what we decided to do. Two and a half years of taking apart, sanding, painting, re-chroming, and rebuilding followed. There were good times to remember and quality time spent with Dad and my brother Scott. There were bad times that I just felt like quitting and we fought terribly. In the end, it was ready by the time I was 16 1/2. Enough time to learn on the family station wagon before turning me loose with the Olds. Even so, I still lost my license by the time I was 17. Twice.

This is a picture of me on the starting line at the "Jensen Engine Tech" Mean Street Nationals at Beaver Springs Dragway on August 28th, 1999.

I had a great time in the "Hot Dog" race and the "Nike" race. I went all the way to the quarter finals of eliminations with the Oldsmobile at this event.

I drove the Olds every day to school and everywhere else. It was my driver. We went to Maple Grove for "Cruise Night" several times, pictured above, and lots of cruises and car shows. After a couple close calls in the snow, I came to realize that I should probably buy a beater and garage the car in bad weather. I bought an Old 1974 Ford F100 2wd with a 360. After a couple years with the truck, I decided to buy my first brand new car and sold the truck. I think the truck is still running, but that’s another story. I have really been back into enjoying this ride and several years ago did a few things that really made the car stand out.

Sometime in 2003, I decided that I liked the look of a “slammed” car and lowered the Olds about 3 inches. This really streamlined the car and made it corner better.

These pictures, taken in front of my place, shows my Oldsmobile since it has been lowered approximately 3 inches. This was done by installing Eibach Springs. See how nicely the tires tuck under the fenders? The fronts were a bit too weak for the added Olds engine weight and they have since been replaced by factory springs with 1 1/4 coils cut out for a stiffer ride.

There was a downside however. The oil pan and front frame section have been taking a beating and I sometimes have to use boards to make it into some garages and lifts.

In 2005, after many years of looking, then forgetting, and looking again, I finally found my factory louvered "S" hood. I picked it up from an “Ebay” seller in Baltimore, MD. It took a while, but I sent it to the paint shop where Frank Tankalavage, another talented Garage Club Member, tried to color match it to my car. The rest of the car was quite a bit faded from being painted all the way back in ’83 so it is just a bit off. You can hardly tell unless the light is wrong or you really look for it. Still, the hood had been bent back around the windshield and dinged all up from walnuts. Frank got it straight and sprayed.

The picture to the left is from the Williams Valley Car show.

Due to the fact that the rest of the paint is over 20 years old, eventually, I would like to have the whole car freshened up. I will also eventually add some "W-31" side stripes (Just cause I like them). See the example in the pictures below:

After driving with my new hood, I decided I would also add the optional (but original) center hood strip for a Cutlass "S". I feel, this stripe alone thoroughly changed the appearance of the car and we can tell by the attention this car gets compared to before the stripe was installed.

13.92 @ 104.13 MPH