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  #41  
Old 12-12-2019, 09:34 AM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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So my son and I started working on the wiring last night. Holy crap what a disaster. EVERYTHING that wasn't factory was twisted and taped. Zero solder, zero shrinkwrap, zero butt splice. There were some scotchlocks though. Yikes. We rewired a bunch of it, cleaned it up and soldered and shrink wrapped it. Still have a bunch to go but we are getting there.

The best was his wiring when he switched to the 1-wire GM alternator. It has an aftermarket battery gauge inside, so he had one the post wired to a piece of knob and tube wiring (that was bare about halfway down it....) twisted and taped to another piece of wire into the car to the gauge and then back out of the car to where I haven't traced yet. The plug wire was routed with the female spade connection stuck on the end of the wire and wrapped in tape, not crimped at all. Then it wound it's way into the car and onto the power block on the fuse panel.

We also pulled about a mile of speaker wire out and some other random wires that were abandoned and arc'd to the body. Yikes.

  #42  
Old 12-16-2019, 10:53 AM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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We did a lot more work on the car this weekend. It is definitely going to need a new wiring harness, but we'll get to that. We repaired as much as we could.

Installed a new Edelbrock carb I had in the attic and tuned it up a little and it starts and purrs along great. The brakes are really stiff so I'll have to address that this week. Transmission moves easily forward and backwards in the driveway, once I check the brakes I'll get it out in the neighborhood and check it out.

  #43  
Old 12-16-2019, 01:16 PM
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tempest1964 tempest1964 is offline
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That wiring sounds like it was a disaster waiting to happen. Yeeks. I never have liked working on wiring

  #44  
Old 12-18-2019, 10:00 AM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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So we took the car for its maiden voyage around the neighborhood. Still needs some tuning on the engine. The bad thing is that the transmission doesn't seem to like reverse and it was puking its guts out all over the driveway when we got home. Only drove it like 1/2 mile. Pulling it into the shop tonight and will get a check on where it might be leaking and do a compression check on the engine.

  #45  
Old 12-18-2019, 11:00 AM
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nikrnic nikrnic is offline
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Congrats on your Catalina! I had a 62 white GP with a burgundy interior. 8 lug whls. Cali car. Now have a 66 GTO

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  #46  
Old 12-19-2019, 09:47 AM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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Well, we had some plans dictated for us. The transmission is puking out of the front seal and when I did a compression test on the engine, it was acceptable but less than stellar. Four 120s, three 110s and one 105. If I am pulling the drivetrain to fix the transmission anyway, I might as well use one of the good spares I have here. So the Big Cat is getting a mild 400 and ST-10 4-spd. Easier to swap in known good stuff I have here than messing around with the stuff that I really don't want.

  #47  
Old 12-19-2019, 11:54 AM
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61-63 61-63 is offline
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If you are saying you are switching a more modern 400 for the engine in that car, and that engine has the original stuff on it, be aware that folks currently doing '61-'63 SD cars will want the old valve covers, oil pan, generator bracket, valley pan, and down draft tube and bracket, if they are on the engine. Don't take less than $100 for any of those items and the oil pan is worth more than that IMO.

  #48  
Old 12-19-2019, 11:56 AM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 61-63 View Post
If you are saying you are switching a more modern 400 for the engine in that car, and that engine has the original stuff on it, be aware that folks currently doing '61-'63 SD cars will want the old valve covers, oil pan, generator bracket, valley pan, and down draft tube and bracket, if they are on the engine. Don't take less than $100 for any of those items and the oil pan is worth more than that IMO.
It looks to have everything but the generator as it was swapped to a newer 1-wire alternator. I'm probably going to sell it all as a complete dropout with engine, accessories, transmission, everything. I shouldn't need anything off of the old engine.

  #49  
Old 12-30-2019, 09:22 AM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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Well, messed around with the car more this last week. I put some transmission conditioner in it to see if maybe somehow it would magically work and stop the leak. Drove it around for a few miles and it wouldn't stop barfing trans fluid. I pulled it back to the shop, pulled an old clutch pedal from a Chevy truck out of the attic and started bending and cutting and made a clutch pedal setup. I am going to figure a way to mount the clutch master cylinder once it gets here in the mail, I am going to go with a hydraulic setup.

  #50  
Old 02-10-2020, 10:31 AM
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Well, long time coming for an update. Finally got around to working on the car again once I cleaned the shop a bit and made space for it. The old drivetrain is out, engine bay is cleaned and painted and the new engine and transmission should be going in tonight.

Engine is a bored/stroked 1978 W72 400 out to a 462, transmission is a rebuilt Super T-10 4-spd.
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  #51  
Old 02-10-2020, 01:03 PM
skipp65 skipp65 is offline
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That's going to be fun!!!!

  #52  
Old 02-11-2020, 09:52 AM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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Yay setbacks. The scattershield that I had in my attic forever has a BOP pattern, but for some reason the safety block plate is a Chevy pattern. I didn't even check when I bought it, just threw it in the truck. I'm a design engineer, so I'm drawing up a new plate today and going to have it sent out to be cut.

  #53  
Old 02-11-2020, 03:25 PM
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geeteeohguy geeteeohguy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Birdman98 View Post
Yay setbacks. The scattershield that I had in my attic forever has a BOP pattern, but for some reason the safety block plate is a Chevy pattern. I didn't even check when I bought it, just threw it in the truck. I'm a design engineer, so I'm drawing up a new plate today and going to have it sent out to be cut.
One thing you may already be aware of: when I got parts to rebuild the ST10 that is in my '61 Chevy that uses a Lakewood scattershield and a block saver plate, Paul told me I would need an extended pilot bushing to make up for the thickness of the block plate in order to fully support the input shaft. It turned out fine. Also, be sure to dial-indicate your scatter shield to verify trueness. Mine had been installed with the dowel pins driven into the block, and was off-center. That caused the transmission input shaft bearing to be wiped out. I had over .120" run-out, and max allowable is .005"!!!! The thing had been really hacked. So, be careful to dial it all in on the install. '59-'62 Big Pontiacs are some of the prettiest cars ever made, IMO. Looking good!

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  #54  
Old 02-11-2020, 03:33 PM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by geeteeohguy View Post
One thing you may already be aware of: when I got parts to rebuild the ST10 that is in my '61 Chevy that uses a Lakewood scattershield and a block saver plate, Paul told me I would need an extended pilot bushing to make up for the thickness of the block plate in order to fully support the input shaft. It turned out fine. Also, be sure to dial-indicate your scatter shield to verify trueness. Mine had been installed with the dowel pins driven into the block, and was off-center. That caused the transmission input shaft bearing to be wiped out. I had over .120" run-out, and max allowable is .005"!!!! The thing had been really hacked. So, be careful to dial it all in on the install. '59-'62 Big Pontiacs are some of the prettiest cars ever made, IMO. Looking good!
Yup, I have the right pilot bushing for the setup. Also will be dial indicating it to be sure. I have a pretty nice rebuilt ST-10 and don't want to frag it!

  #55  
Old 02-17-2020, 01:15 PM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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Got it in the car, just need to do the trans mount and I can start buttoning stuff up. My block ended up having the bosses for the old style mounts so I drilled and tapped it for the old mounts. Got it all in the car. I think I am going to have to modify the alternator mount, at first glance it looks like it'll hit the hood.
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  #56  
Old 02-17-2020, 01:52 PM
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SRR SRR is offline
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Looking good!

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  #57  
Old 02-19-2020, 02:50 AM
6-pack 6-pack is offline
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Hey birdman98, I have a rebuildable 1960 starter that I need to get rid of, but it would probably be better to rebuild yours,
Good luck 6-pack

  #58  
Old 02-19-2020, 11:37 AM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 6-pack View Post
Hey birdman98, I have a rebuildable 1960 starter that I need to get rid of, but it would probably be better to rebuild yours,
Good luck 6-pack
Thanks, but the engine and trans that I am using is from a 78 and I am using the setup from that.

  #59  
Old 02-21-2020, 02:53 PM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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Got the trans crossmember made and installed. Pretty happy with the engine and trans placement. I need to get the fuel lines run, radiator installed and all the button up crap done along with having a driveshaft made and the shift linkage installed.

But at least the major part is done, actually getting the engine in the car. LOL

  #60  
Old 02-24-2020, 10:42 AM
Birdman98 Birdman98 is offline
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Got the engine all set up, new fuel pump and hoses, ignition stuff, fixed up some of the underhood wiring, new battery, etc. Tried to fire it up but it just burped a pop out of the exhaust. I was tired and it was late so I just left it for maybe tonight. I'll check timing and get it all straight.
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