Cutlass engine inspection - as I recall, you cannot open the cover so your engine check is limited to dip stick at the top, fuel sample at the bottom and feel for the belt behind the prop. For what is worth in the wake of the expert dicussions above, I was taught NEVER try to pull the prop through.
I was taught to sample all 10 under wing fuel drain points (5 each side) as apparently the Cutlass has prior convictions for localised condensate lurking in the tanks. Sounds a lot but it is easy and very quick.
My flying school insisted on dipping the tanks - you need a small ladder, unless your Cutlass has the conversion which entails fitting foot rests to climb up. But I think this applies to all high wing Cessnas(?)
I am not a widely experienced aviator as many posters here are but I grew to LOVE the Cutlass - it has a useful combination of weight limits/fuel which enable some quite long flights, with safe margins. And it cruises at a good pace (yeah,yeah, I know thats all relative...)
The comment on the shimmy above interested me - our Cutlass used to shimmy like merry hell on take off and the AMO never seemed to manage to eliminate it. A bit of yoke back-pressure did the trick when taking off. Never did it on landing (thank goodness!)