[marks73ta]

I've been doing some body work lately waiting for parts to come in. I'm not too proud to say, I suck at body work. Either I can't reach something or, if I reach it with a dolly and the other hand with the hammer, I can't see the spot that needs hitting. I've never heard of blind body men making alot of money so I assume being able to see the spot where you are hitting might just be important, heh. But I have time to perfect my techniques so I'll stay at it, maybe it'll look OK once I get enough pounding done. Or else th equater panels will end up an extra 3 foot long.

Thanks for all the nice comments everyone. So Far So Good. Mark L

[marks73ta]

Update: Bought and received the rod and main bearings. The 4 bolt splayed caps are here and I sent for a used Northwind intake. It is ported to the 310 cfm size so I will have to finish opening the ports up. I have a Torker II ported to RA 4 size otherwise stock but the water crossover is removed and not there. I have a Holley Street Dominator in good shape. Bolt holes all good etc ready to use. It could use a corrosion clean up but not neccessary to run. I also have a wide port Wenzler Gutsram Tunnel-Ram with a single dominator top. In perfect shape. Going to sell them now that I found a Northwind.
Now that I have most of the block related parts in hand I'll be taking everything down to Paul in Tucson so he can start on the block mods. Once I get the bottom caps on and we know how much we cut, I'm going to order one of those new cam plate/timing sets from Scott Sims. We just needed to know the undersize for the chain set. Getting closer. Mark L

[poison heart]

Keep it coming

I guess that Gutsram only fits the 65+ heads?

[marks73ta]

I think it could be redrilled and used on the early heads if you can make or use a cut off water crossover. The casting at the ports is really wide so you might have to redrill the heads at the intake bolt holes right at the ports out a little, if there is meat enough on the heads to redrill there. The Gutsram is actually ported to wideport dimensions. To use it on my KREs, or the early heads, you will have to do some major aluminum work. The manifold porting is much wider than even my heads and certainly more than the early heads. You would have to weld up the ports and narrow them to work. I would also but the port height is OK for my heads at 2.40. If I do not sell it I'll do that down the road and see if my theory of the larger the plenums is valid. Although the manifold it's self kind of negates the direct swap, going from a single four northwind with curved ports to a straight port tunnel ram is not a good comparison. But just the simple mainfold to tunnel ram might be a good comparison. Something for later to do. Mark l

[poison heart]

Ah I see

Got pics of it anyway?

[marks73ta]

I'll get a couple. Mark L

[60man]

Originally Posted by poison heart

Ah I see

Got pics of it anyway?

The Gutsram has huge runners..spread out for wideports.
I have some pics of my old Wenzler T-ram on KRE's (now Mark's head's) and new Gutsram on my Tigers. The difference is apparent.
Whoops...Sorry Mark..didn't mean to stick my nose in..:-)

[marks73ta]

No problem Troy. Always good to hear from you. Yes the Gutsram is too wide for my ports. Would have to weld in material and port out narrower to run it. Plus the wide castings of the port walls causes the bolt holes to be about an inch farther out. To use the Gutsram you would have to redrill 2 bolt holes per head. So it will be up for sale. Mark L

[poison heart]

Damn that's rowdy

[60man]

FWIW: The original Wenzer T-ram is only rated to a 325CFM max & the Gutsram is rated in excess of 400+ CFM.. This info is straight from the horses mouth...Larry Wenzler. Nice guy to deal with, always replies to my emails..
I had no choice with my Tigers.


Mark....blow through dual quads would have been neat....but a pain I would think. I have enough problems NA...

[marks73ta]

Updates:
Found a pair of 15X4 slots that look just like the rears I already own. Got a pair of 175-65-15s for them. I'm assembling the front sheetmetal so i can bolt the front all together and build my tilt front end. I should get the slots soon. I'll get them mounted and on the car and we'll get a good look at what it will look like all together.
Kevin at CSU will be building another blow thru carb for me. He built the 830 I had on the TA. MArk L

[Bill Eveland]

Mark, are you drilling any "speed" holes in the axle? I'll end up with 11 - 3/4" holes in mine. I got my rear fixed mounts done over the weekend, I still need to mount up the front shackle mounts to the original frame.

[marks73ta]

Bill, funny, I had no idea what the heck you were talking about with the speed holes in the axle. My mind was on the rear axles when I was thinking about it and I was trying to think what you meant by the speed holes??? Then that little teeny weeny light in my head went on---tingggg---and I figured out you meant the front axle. Heh, had me going there for a minute. Not right now. But later I would like to dismantle it all and have everything chromed and then drill the holes. Bill throw up some pics so far. Mark L

[Bill Eveland]

I'm not at any picture stage yet. I still have a long way to go. 13 hr work days plus the wife and kids makes for a short time to get anything done. I'll update my own thread when I get closer.

[JC455]

Mark,
I'd be leary of chroming it. Something about embrittlement. It's VERY difficult to chrome them properly, from what I've read on other forums (the HAMB comes to mind).
It's an interesting build- keep it up!

[marks73ta]

Valid point John. I'll probably never get to that point anyway but I'll have to look into it to see if that is a concern. Good call. MArk L

[BruceWilkie]

You would drill before plating anyway but there is an alternative to metal plating from Alsa Corporation. They have a process that leves a mirror quality appearance with a "paint". Unless you have big bucks though the equipment to apply it is quite pricey. Best to find a shop with the equipment. I've seen products with this finish and it truly appears mirror like. Maybe there is someone near you that can do it for you.

I will re-emphasize this is NOT like the so called "chrome" paint you buy at the store! MirraChrome paint is incredible with 95-98% the reflectivity as real chrome!. Their lower cost Chrome FX is about same as "chrome" on most plastic models and modern dashboard "chrome".

http://www.alsacorp.com/products/mir...irrachrome.htm
http://www.alsacorp.com/products/mir...irra_show1.htm
http://www.alsacorp.com/products/mir...ACHROME-lg.jpg
http://www.alsacorp.com/products/chr...showcase4.html

[marks73ta]

I wonder if it would work on items like the front axle. The vid/link you sent me is very convincing. I just wonder how it would last. But then. The Catalina will not be in as much weather as the average car. Maybe it would work. The kit is $115 for all the application sprays. Might be worth a try. Mark l

[marks73ta]

Updates. I got some skinnies for the front, hung the sheet metal to see what it looks like, and I pulled the rear end out so I could get a good look at the frame in case I go ahead and narrow it and also to kind of mock up the big rear tires I have.

I would need to either get the tires all the way under and not modify the outside of the wheel wells, or leave them sticking out but not as much as the pic. Not sure if I have the talent to do a good radiused wheelwell. I don't want just a round cut. I would rather do something more along the lines of the hemi Darts. With more of a boxy/square cut. Either way I have to narrow the frame so I'll probably do that first, get the tire all the way under and see how that really looks. Or just stick with the slots and tires like in the previous shots. I really like the big tire look though.
Mark L

[aronhk_md]

Nah....put the slots on and pop that rear and the wheels/tires in the mail to me.

LOL

just kidding. Mark, thats the way to go right there. Forgot those slots.