Hi Everyone, A little over a year ago - I introduced myself here and told y'all about my plans to get my '70 Wildcat back up and running. This is an update - and I have to tell ya it has been a rocky road. This is a picture of her coming out of storage... I quit driving the car about 12 yrs. ago when the engine that I had built for began to have (you guessed it) oil pressure problems. At the time that I parked it - I had thought about just dealing with the problem, but a big part of me wanted to build another engine for her. Something with a bit more go and based on a block other than my numbers matching one. But life intervened and it was a long time before the stars were finally in alignment. Anyway - Last summer I built a motor for it - really the engine that I had always wanted for the car - nothing too radical, just a respectable BBB - more or less disguised as a stock motor. For some reason - every bit of the assembly while being on spec was a fight. When we fired her for the break-in things got really exciting...The engine promptly pegged the oil pressure gauge (140 psi) and blew the gasket out of the oil filter. We lost 3 quarts of oil in something like 2 seconds. Luckily my wife stalled it (she was the "throttle man") right at the instant that it blew. Backed off the relief, refilled the oil, primed the pump up to a reasonable pressure with the drill and refired the engine - over 100 psi at idle. At this point we were afraid to rev it - and it was too late in the year to really drive it - and I was disgusted - and the car fund was broke...so we let it sit for the winter. This summer it was time to try again...We solved the oil pressure problem. But found two leaking soft plugs. Replaced those - and got through a successful break in. Drove her for the first time in 12 yrs. - and lost both rear wheel cylinders (to be expected I know). Fixed those, developed a little issue with the front brakes (12" disc break conversion). Along with a piddly list of other minor things. I have hauled cars out of fields and hedge row that have sat twice as long with fewer problems... Anyway - here is the good news. We have been driving for a few weeks (almost a couple of hundred miles) and I can't believe that I am back in my 'Cat. It is a great feeling. There is still plenty to do - but there is always plenty to do... Thanks for reading this long thing - I just wanted to share the frustration and triumph with a group that would really get it...Here are some pics of her all cleaned up.
Sure thing...Started with a '72 455 from a Limited. Sonic checked out good - so... +.038 Wiseco Pistons, Hastings rings, Clevite bearings, block square decked, align honed, ARP rods and mains. Rotating assembly dynamically balanced... The cam is a TA 284-88H (.475 lift, around 230 degrees duration..), advanced 4 degrees - I wanted the engine all in at about 5000 RPM. The heads are my original '70 small valve heads, with a good (but older) three angle job. Stage 1 springs. Stock '70 intake. '70 exhaust manifolds. Other stuff: Cloyes double roller, new timing cover and oil pump assembly (with thrust plate, blue printed, etc.), stage 1 fuel pump, 800 cfm quadrajet (Everyday Performance), Mallory Unilite. It all came together at about 9.9:1 static compression - 7.6-ish dynamic compression. The noteworthy thing about the engine is it revs FAST. It looks (and sounds once it warms up) pretty stock. Only the Unilite stands out. My plans in the spring are to have the '72 heads worked over, larger valves, some bowl work etc. Also, adding a set of roller rockers. I also plan to port a set of factory exhaust manifolds - since you can clearly hear the restriction in the exhaust. I will probably should also add a MSD 6AL. Thanks! The color combo is a combination that I have always loved - it is the factory combo on the car.
Nice looking Cat! Always liked the 69-70 body style; for a big car they had quite a sporty feel about them. Congrats on getting back into it; - feels good, doesn't it? As with anything, the more it's driven, the longer it'll last.
You know it! I had forgot how good it feels to be in it... For all of you out there dragging your feet on a project...hang in there and keep twistin' them wrenches.
I believe so...It has been on the car for the twenty years I have had it. The car wasn't messed with when I got it (two owner and one of them inherited the car). It matches the remote mirror on the other side - having two black lines around the edges and the trishield on it. Is it unusual? The car is pretty low optioned in general...
I swear they made 2 big cars with pass side mirrors that year, and you have one! Can you take a close up pic?
HaHa...that is funny. Someone told me that the soft-ray windshield was pretty unusual too. I'll grab you a pic in the next few days - I am working out of town for a bit....
Keep at it man! I've my '68 6 years....and every time I think I have everything licked..something else pops up.....or I fix one thing and that seems to create three other problems. But when everything's right and I'm cruising top down on a summer day...I know why I keep doing this. Good luck and keep the faith! Dave
