My new Wildcat 455 has arrived..SWEEETT!

few more final pics with everything pretty much together now including restored 71 GS grille. I will have to start a new thread when i get it on the streets ans begin melting the tires.:laugh:

 

engine compartment looks great :beer

 

Everything looks great! It just gets nicer and nicer, every time you post. I really envy your stock look. I really wanted to keep much of that myself, but had to make some sacrifices, to hopefully get where I want to go. By the way, nice grill! I bet that guy who posted a week or so ago, is a bit envious of it. I think he used gum wrappers for the grill in his mouth. Not quite as nice as yours. (If you didn't see the post, you won't get the humor, sorry.) Nice work. I hope you get many years of enjoyment from it.

Regards. John.:TU:

 

Thanks John! It certainly has been a learning process for sure. Now I just need to get some help with lining up my GS hood correctly again I got it back on but its sitting up higher in the back and on the driver side when its closed ou: always something to learn. I want to thank everyone for all the help and encouraging comments. As many people have commented before: This site and Buick guys and gals are truley above and beyond the best around:TU: :TU: :TU: :TU: :TU:

Hey John, Lets see some pics and hear about your progress.

Mike

 

Mike,

If all goes well, I will post some pics and some time slips on late Sunday evening. Hoping to "release the hounds", at the strip on Sunday. Wish me luck. I don't need anymore problems. (Sorry Mike, didn't mean to hijack your post.)

Regards, John. :TU:

 

I"ll be looking for your results too John, that beast should really run.
Don't be too discouraged at first if the numbers don't come in where you hope, its all in the fine tuning...................and where the fun begins :laugh:
But I'm sure you'll still be rewarded with a huge grin :TU:

 

Thanks Dave, it is nice to hear from you. When we get this car going, I will start a new thread and explain my issues and how I might have messed up the first time.

Regards, John.

 

Well had her out a couple hours ago. Boy the cam Mike set me up with is wicked:TU: the kind of rumble that scares the old ladies at the light. And its all there when th pedal begins to go down. Really cool thing was as I came out of my development I was doing about 25mph and got on it and the car broke loose with ease:eek2: got me a little sideways and woke me up:Brow: . Ran good no leaks. It got up to about 200 degress and i was just round town driving stop and go. This is the first time I drove it and it has been dynoed.That is OK correct? When do you guys start to worry about heat 210+? I am running a 4 core rad hoping thats good enough. Should I worry about extra heat with the billet march pullies I am running since they are different diameters than stock. I got these from Poston.

Mike

 

March underdrive pulleys are a bad idea as they lead to overheating. Many on here removed theirs for this reason yet Poston will sell them to you without a word of caution.

 

Glad to hear you got to drive it :3gears: I agree with Jim :Smarty: I would expect to see no more than the thermostat rating especially this time of year and just cruising around. 200+ is not good.

 

How about the Billet pullies from TA. They sell some overdrive billet pullies??? Jim??

 

Mike,

I don't think you need overdrive pullies, stock pullies, fitted to your water pump snout length, should be more than adaquate. You may even be able to keep the ones you have, if everything else is working right, and you get an aluminum radiator. Lets start with the simple stuff first.

Regards, John.

 

Thanks John. You are the Wizard Junior! Ha Ha. I checked like you said and guess what? something was missing.ou: ou: ou:

 

Just a little update.
had to sodder in a diode for my MSD 6AL to the external voltage regulator because I was having engine run on. thats fixed now
I think I will have the cooling alittle better now. I popped in a 160 Mr. Gasket high flow thermostat. I swaped out the stock old fan clutch (may have been an original one it was pretty old ou: ) that I had for the NAPA HD fan clutch. Usually easy job but I have the long nose water pump on the motor because I got it in a package deal new with some other parts. So I had to trim off about a half inch of the steel snout (thanks Larry and John) with my high speed Dremel tool ( I love that tool) which worked quite well and it all bolted up perfect and is sitting in the fan shroud nicley. also added some Water Wetter. Had it running for awhile and it stayed below 180. didn't take it out cause its pouring out. While it was running my freakin wires from the solonoid where to close to the headders and thy melted some and grounded out.ou: . So fixed that
got it restarted but was only pulling 10 volts and it didn't start as smooth so I thought I either damaged the Alt, battery, sstarter or external volt regulator when it grouned out from the wire melting incident. When I pulled the Positive cable off the batery it was REALLY hot so I had the Alt tested and it was OK. had the battery checked and it has a bad cell now. starter is fine. So i think I just need a new battery and will be back in
business. Oh well like i said before its a learning process and I still am having fun. and when it was running i am :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Mike

 

Update:
Well my cooling issue is no more an issue. I installed the high flow Mr. Gasket 160 thermostat. The NAPA HD fan clutch and she stays at 165-170 while driving in town and highway. and will get to maybe 185 if i am sitting for awhile.
Thanks to Johnny Angel and The Wizard for the help.
Now I am chasing down what sounds to be an exhaust leak. Wasn't sure so under the direction of my engine builder we pulled the valve cover and found no loose rockers. So next is a good stethescope check. Probably the headers. Will let you know.

Mike

 

Mike,

Glad to hear that you have been able to fix your cooling issue for the moment. You may need to revisit the Aluminum radiator, come summer.

Keep posting, about your engine noise, I am very curious. Good luck.

Regards, John.

 

I agree John. I am hoping Santa puts a nice Alumitech one under my tree this yearray:

 

Hey Mike.Sounds like you have your heating prob fixed, but we always lost 10 to 15 degrees by running distilled water.Probally the same thing the water wetter does.Just tossing it out there.Good luck...

 

We found the annoying ticking noise. It was a slight manifold leak coming from the very front of the drivers side. We sealed it up and no more noise. I will change the oil this weekend and take her out for a nice run. Hopefully post a new video :3gears:
Thanks to everyone for the interest in following my thread. This Board just simply Rocks!!:TU:

 

Mike,

Do you mean exhaust manifold leak? What did you "seal" it up with? Just curious.

Regards, John.