True that.... So the msd tach adapter didn't fix the problem, and after using the same wiring to hook up and old cheap tach I had laying around, I've pretty much nailed down that the tpp repro dash tach I have is no good. Best part is, I purchased it from a board member that bought it new but never used it, and hasn't been on for a while. Guess I have a really expensive perfectly useless dash ornament for now... After simmering down from that fiasco, I decided to get back on track with something simple so I pulled the cowl screen and cleaned up and painted that area. I went ahead and did some wiring inside the car, getting the volt gauge and gauge pod lights hooked up. And since I try to make light of a bad situation, I modified my tach to make it more useful.... I also started doing some filler work on the fenders. Today we mocked up the front end (again, for the umpteenth time) and shimmed the fenders to make sure we were still in the ballpark. With it all bolted up, it seemed a logical time to make provisions for the stage 2 scoop. So my buddy jake has been very fascinated with the entire "cutting a big friggin hole in the hood" concept, and has also never got to play with a plasma cutter. So it was all marked up, and he got the honor. Taulb dove in and trimmed up a bit more bracing (by the way, how'd I pawn off all the tough labor on this one????? Winning!! Haha) And now my carb has a sunroof It still needs cleaned up/opened up a bit more, bit its close. The 14" filter fits right up in the hole very close, so close in fact that we need to open it up slightly to allow for the engine movement. Nobody snagged a pic with the filter and scoop on, but there will be plenty of that later. Also got the doors and roof block sanded. More bodywork on the fenders and hood tomorrow. Not sure if it'll be ready to go to paint next weekend as I had hoped, but progress is progress and I'll take as much as I can get. After working on it yesterday from 6pm till 130 this morning, and then getting up at 730 and starting all over again, I'm calling it am early night tonight!
So a little update, I've been on an "overhaulin" schedule the past few days trying to get this thing to paint by my goal date (tomorrow). I actually took a personal day from work today and spent about 13 hours in the barn bustin my butt. Sooooo This morning Rusty made her first maiden voyage under power! With rain coming the next few days and no driveway from the barn to the front of the house, going through the yard is a messy endeavor. So I fired her up, and went for a 1/16 mile cruise up to the front garage. Success! Now that the fun part was over, back to work. The fenders needed a little more filler work (skin coat of dolphin glaze, which is some of the best stuff I've ever dealt with by the way) and more sanding. To start After lots more spreading and LOTS more sanding, they seemed good. I then cleaned up and sealer primed the insides (for corrosion protection obviously since the majority isn't visible Then for good measure some satin black epoxy I set them up and was ready to go Then came some epoxy primer on the outside Followed by 3 generous coats of high build And here we sit! I'll be blocking them tomorrow. I'm hoping for a break in the rain tomorrow afternoon to get the car and fenders over to paint. I'll be dropping it off and coming home to immediately jump on the hood and start stripping it and doing the bodywork on it. I'm hoping to get it to the painter by mid week. Still have some mechanical and minor electrical gremlins to chase down when it gets back, then its interior install and we should be off and running (after the new wheels and tires are on and its aligned etc). If I can keep up the good flow, I might actually make this pig fly in time for BPG which was the ultimate goal.
I commend you man. My project was moving pretty smooth and I got a new job that jacked up my schedule. Use to work 6 AM to 2 PM which worked well. When my wife had to work late say 6 or 7 at night I got some quality buick time. So now I work to much Monday through Friday to get to the garage to really do much lol. At least next week she works a late schedule til 8 and I may get in 10 hours of work during the week and all day next Saturday, April 11th to get my Motor in. Have all the parts. Just a question of do I have the time. The one good thing about my new gig is I will get 14 days of PTO this year and like 18 next year. So some of those may get used for staycations in the garage. Then the wife has a girls Trip in July. It its up and running it may be my daily driver that week lol. Keep up the good work though man. I'm partial to your car. They have very similar Torque makers under the hood. I got lucky down her in Texas and scored a Stage 2 Hood that was already fabbed and ready to bolt on for 240 bucks. The guy was building a Skylark for a client and apparently the client was a stickler about having the Stage1 Ram Air hood. His loss my gain. My dilemna is I only have a B4B intake for now. Maybe later a nice SP1 or SPX will find its way under there, plentl of room. May fab up a shhet metal tran and foam to create a huge Ram Air effect by sealing it up. Who knows. Alright enough rambling on. Hope to see it all mean and green in a couple weeks. Turnin heads and pissing off bought not built little Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers. And as for you Hellcat, GT500, and ZL1 thumpers, let me put 60K in my lark and prove again Built will always be better!!!
Haha, thanks man! My wifey has been so cool about this whole deal its unbelievable. She'll come home, I'll come up from The barn and see how her day was, and then back to work. Shes totally cool with the insane amount of time I spend on it. By the time I get in she's in bed. She's in school full time (graduates in about a month) so between that and me living in the barn, we joke that we're gonna need to start dating again to make sure we still like each other! But as for the car, it'll be going over to paint tomorrow morning as the weather didn't cooperate today. Thunder storms all day don't bode well for hoodless vehicle transportation. We did however move taulbs car to my front garage as he's moving soon and his temporary garage wasn't really work friendly. We have an oiling issue that needs addressed by Tuesday, so we can at least get work done comfortably here. (And the wife didn't mind giving up her spot in the garage for a few days. Again, she's cool like that.) What's cooler than a classic Buick in the garage??? 2 Buicks in the garage!!! Wonder if he'll notice any parts missing....
Well, we made the self-imposed deadline!! (Sort of). Yesterday was a rain out, but this morning we loaded the car up and dropped it off. The fenders and hood will be a few days behind as I have a little blocking to do on the fenders and the hood still needs a fair amount of work, but no biggie. Painter said it should be done by the end of the week, so if I get the fenders/hood to him by mid-week we'll be golden.
Just saying this would have been good for me. Now with that teaser picture, I will be sitting in front of my computer all week just waiting for the update of when the car is in full color, and not just jammed........ and congrats we are now on page 7 with 150 replies, and you thought no one would be interested.
Haha, I have been accused of being long winded at times Ryan. Firewall-back may be in full color tomorrow depending on how timing works out, but we'll see.
Yeah, well, its crunch time so you better come back to work ya slacker! Off buying houses and jumping outta airplanes, we got cars to finish!!!
