Major setback today, but it was something I should have expected. All the brake lines to the back of the car are rotten. Tried to get one wheel cylinder off the back, the line wouldn't budge, and since I don't have a hoist I figured it would be ok until I got the car passed and I could make arrangements to get it on a hoist. So I put the new shoes and everything on after a careful cleaning and was pretty proud of myself. The car decided it had other plans. The line started to leak as I put the last spring back on. Well that kind of changes everything. So, I had to do what I didn't want to do, crawl around on my back. I managed to clip the old lines, get the metering block down and out in the back, free the hose, and get it all disconnected. So the metering block, bracket and sheaves have survived. I went down to the parts store and bought up some new line. Can't find my tube bender, - that might have gone missing in the last century, but I knew I used to have one. Go to the local hardware store (Canadian Tire) and guess what; - they're sold out. I guess they don't make them in China or the boat got lost, the inevitable "supply chain issues". Well, if they run like the Supply Chain department at the plant I work at, I know what the problem is, they're staffed by a huge bureaucracy of people who have no clue what they are buying, - they don't know what anything is so they can't properly prioritize things. Long story short, I have to go hunting tomorrow and this sets my project back a day. The only good news today is that the drums were finished and I went and got them, all nice and shiny and new looking. the one I was worried about still "turned" ok. We'll find out just how good it is the first time I really heat those brakes up. The other bad thing was I took the Electra, and so far for 3 days of driving around for parts and bits and things I used $112 in gas; - that's half a tank. I paid $2.19 for 94 octane gas, that's $9.95 per Imperial gallon, $8.76 for a US gallon, so about $6.13 US per gallon for Premium with no ethanol. I'm going to go broke.
Got the rear brakes finished today. Managed to bend up the lines and make them work. They're a little on the long side, but once wired up out of the way they aren't noticeable. So now it has new lines from front to back. All new wheel cylinders too. The shoes all fit, (big surprise) and the drums went on easy and are round. Bled the brakes, (still a little soft, will go in again tomorrow) and took it for a drive. OMG...that car feels fantastic. It is tight, as in 70,000 original miles tight. It feels better than the Electra does! So tomorrow I'll put some gas in it and see about getting the exhaust attended to. But the nice thing is that it brakes evenly and smoothly; - once the shoes cut in they'll feel even better. It has a solid road presence, and that's on crappy tires, can't wait to see what it would do with some new ones. Time to get the Road Wheels cleaned up and painted and find some redwalls... After the mechanical is finished, then we'll attack the body issues. Got a good look underneath while doing the lines. It's as if the back end of the car was exposed to more moisture or what than the front, from the rear seat floor back is a little soft in places. I ended up having to use an impact to pull the plug on the axle to check the fluid, there was no way that was moving with a ratchet. My plan is once this car is all sealed up and passes a Provincial Inspection, I'll drive it, and spend some time on my Electra. I'll probably rebuild the buckets and the console I have and put them in the Electra, since it isn't selling or nobody wants it and I'll be stuck with it.
Took it out on the road after another brake adjustment. The shoes are "burning" in, breaking the glaze. It's getting better each time the brakes are applied. Did a couple of high-speed reverses, (actually laid rubber) that should set the star adjusters up in the back. Ripped out some old trailer wiring in the back, and that helped solve a few electrical issues. Then went and put some gas in it, ended up spending $100 and getting just about 3/4 of a tank out of it. Ok, it's going to be expensive to run. Then drove it around a bit, and now with the new brakes, a working fuel pump, a cooling system that's whole and complete along with a heater, the car was in fine form. It drove remarkably well, even on lousy tires. It feels great, nice and tight, responsive, straight and stable. The tune seems to be good; -- the car lights off in a couple of cranks now when cold, almost instantaneously when warm. Fuel gauge and cold lights work, the signals are an old time flasher, - haven't heard one of those since the 80s, the car is almost ready to be driven full time again. Now have to get the exhaust done; and then it's off to get the body sealed up again. The car has to be almost completely sealed off, all the body bushings have to be hooked up to something. There can be rust, but not on anything structural in order to pass the out of province inspection. It also can't have any leaks, - and right now, astonishingly enough, it doesn't. So not bad progress for a week off work; - oh yeah, I'm an old man with a bad back, I don't work like I was able to 20-30 years ago, so things take a bit longer. I'm just glad I can still do this sort of thing, I was actually pretty worried I couldn't anymore!
Took the Wildcat out to a buddy's place today, it may yet appear on YouTube, not sure though. They liked the car, we took it for a drive, and then coming home I couldn't resist it, I lowered the hammer off of a stop sign. OMG! The car roared, and I mean roared, and was a straight pull to 60 in what had to be 10 seconds flat, man, does that thing have balls! Lots of burnt rubber smell...It makes the Electra look like a slug. Drove all the way home with the biggest s--t eating grin a guy can legally have without hiding or having done something stupid. Blew a lot of crud out of the 4 barrels, and I think most of the innards of what was left of the muffler. It's running straight-pipe now. Now just in case anyone was wondering, this was out in the sticks, and I was the only vehicle for miles around, no one was in danger, except myself. The car pulled straight and true, the alignment is good, the brakes are really burning in now and getting to be razor sharp like I remember them, and that car just feels good!
Marc, Sounds like you're making great progress! There's nothing quite like that feeling you've just done some great work only to have something else come along and bite you in the rear. And then again, there's nothing quite like that feeling you've conquered that other issue and now all is right with the world! Great work on the car by the way. Funny, you have a '66 Electra 225 and an '04 Solara Convertible. I've but one '70 Electra 225 and one '03 Solara SLE. The Solara is my wife's, but it's a great little car. I always liked the Wildcat. Always wanted one, but when they showed up, the cost was too high for me at those times. Fallin in love with my '70 225.! Since I got it, I've done the usual; oil, filter, coolant, replaced rotted vacuum lines. Replaced the leaking Th400 vacuum accumulator O-Ring, shift shaft seal, speedometer driven gear and O-Rings, rear shocks and springs. Just pulled the diff cover, and getting ready to do the brakes my-self. I still have rocker arms to replace as well. But so far, she's a great running car with 71,400 original miles on her. Keep up the good work on yer Wildcat, sounds like a great car. Paul
Thanks Paul, it's slowly coming along. This week the car goes in for exhaust, and this week I'll go see if it's still in the registry. If it is, I'll license it, if it isn't the bodywork has to be expedited. A 70 225 is a cool car; - at one time it was on my bucket list. Always wanted on with the most powerful version of the 455...my 66 225 is an acceptable compromise. there's nothing like Electra comfort, the car just floats down a highway. The only issue is the convertible is damn loud and almost impossible to seal off from wind noises and leaks. If I had my druthers I wouldn't own a convertible, sure, most people think they're the coolest cars and it must be great to own one, but for me that ship sailed and sank a long time ago. The Solara was originally my mother's car, they bought it new. I never had any dreams or desire to own it, - until my mother just handed me the keys one day and said, "Take this with you, we don't need it anymore." I grew to love that little car, it's the closest thing to a sports car I'll ever own or fit in. My only complaint is that the top is degrading fast, much faster than the ones on my Buicks did. That's one of the reasons I bought the Wildcat, it has a roof, and will be nice and quiet, - can't wait until the end of the week when the exhaust is done!
The Wildcat went into the exhaust shop today. It seems like everything, it's getting wildly expensive to get any work done. Once complete, I will have never paid as much to get an exhaust done. Oh well; - the car runs fantastic, it has the power, and it will make it saleable when the time comes. Once the exhaust is in, then comes the bodywork. Start with the front fenders, gain some confidence, and then progress on to the back where there's going to have to be major surgery.
Got the Wildcat back this afternoon, - it cost a fortune but was worth it. Got a real professional job too; - the pipes are well bent, it's crisp and clean looking, and he even put in a crossover pipe to balance it all off. So this afternoon I got to drive the car "normally" without any concern for waking up the dead; - OMG; - the thing has power, - it is nice and tight, it really feels like 71,000 miles, it handles well, now it stops well, and I can spin those bald tires down to the cords if I wanted to. It moves, even the Switch Pitch is working right, and that makes the car a lot more interesting. I'm loving it!
My good friend Allan came over today and we took the doors apart and got the window regulators lubed up and working. Now it isn't a chore to drop the windows or to "hardtop" the car. It was amazing at how little lubrication in the right areas it took to make a difference. Someone had been into the driver's door before us and completely screwed it up, I think they were drunk. We got it all back together and working right. Took the car for a drive, tried to hammer on the gas pedal, and the car fell flat on it's face. If I didn't know any better I'd say it's a plugged fuel filter. Allan was sure that it was running rich; - there was some black smoke. In one respect, not a surprise; the carb is an original Rochester Quadrijet and it hasn't been rebuilt. The aircleaner is also filthy and probably older than the dirt that's in it. So...Looks like the carb and a tune up are next. I'll try and shoot some pictures of that fiasco when I get to it. The problem also is someone borrowed my 'professional" carb cleaning solution and never gave it back. I just hope there's a modern equivalent that works just as well, and maybe isn't so harmful to the hands or the environment.
I have the steel for one corner of the car; - if you want to see how that happened, check out Cold War Motors on YouTube, the episode with the Wildcat on it. The owner/filmer of that channel, Scott, is an absolute whiz when it comes to bending and forming up sheet metal, we made up the patch panels in little less than an hour. He's done a couple of neat restos on his channel and has quite the eclectic car collection. They also did a "straight 8 challenge" a couple of years ago with a Packard and and Buick that was featured here on this site which is how I got to know them. He also owns a 59 LeSabre and a couple of 1950 Buicks, Now it's just a welding project. So I bought a brand new little Lincoln MIG welder, now just have to get the gas, and then start to weld it up. Oh yeah, I also have to learn how to weld too. That ought to be worth a few laughs. One of these days I'll get this car restoration thing down...
Your comment about the rear of the car being more exposed in combination with the old trailering wire leads to the theory it was used to put a small boat in the water and take it out? Nice ride!
Jeez! I hadn't thought of that, but it makes sense! The car is originally from Saskatchewan, and there are a ton of lakes there or in Manitoba a few miles to the east. The only thing is, if the a$$end of the car is in the water, - what stops the water from rolling into the tank, - isn't the cap vented?
