I got underneath my Catalina today to change the oil and filter. I noticed the flywheel is exposed underneath the car while I was under there. It seems like road debris could easily hit it. Should the flywheel be hidden by some sort of shield or guard that may be missing? It seems odd to me that this would be "normal" on any car, even an old one, because it may not start if you damage those teeth. I'm also used to cars where everything is protected by plastic crap, and/or buried behind or above other parts. I've never really seen the flywheels in my other vehicles because they're newer, and it's buried, haha.
Yeah, you're missing a lower cover.
I'm going to the junkyard to look pick parts off of an '83 Oldsmobile Delta 88. It looks very similar to my car, so I'll check it for that shield.