Success!!!! Finally got fluid thru all the lines! Only one hiccup- I left one flare nut loose on the rear axle. That's it! Everything bled out and the master is holding pressure. It was satisfying. Another monkey wrench in the works- the car came with the wrong steel wheels. The wheels that are supposed to be on the car are the large center wheels. What was on the car were small hole wheels with spacers. I didn't understand why the spacers were on the drums until now. What I'm mulling over is a way to enlarge the centers on these wheels. The spare, which is correct measures 3 3/8". Just thinking out loud here....do you think I can use a 3 3/8" hole saw? The inner diameter on the hole saw should fit against the raised edge on the small centers and centered. Too corn ball?
No, a hole saw need a center to grab on and also a steel cutting 3 3/8" whole saw could be hard to come by. Plus it sounds like it will wreck your wheels. Maybe a big conical reamer that would sit into the existing hole? Or maybe even better, find the correct wheels? Maybe Topcat has 'em in his garage?
Your probably right. I'll turn these wheels into junk....Eric is on the case. This week we're turning our attention to belts, hoses and getting this car running. Thank God...im braked out
There's a sticky in the Wrenchin' Secrets section: https://v8buick.com/index.php?threads/how-to-bend-and-flare-steel-lines.371728/
Jason, I know, but remove the front drums again & have the center of the center hub cut down on a brake lathe. Tom T.
If you decide to go with the hole saw, just cut a piece of 3/4” plywood and bolt it through the lug stud holes. Find the center and drill through plywood and wheel simultaneously. Finding the correct center is probably the biggest challenge.
Today's progress- -Installed new heater hoses -Ran new rubber fuel line from the sender to the steel line and from the steel line to the fuel pump. That was 10 feet! And also from the furl pump to the carb Installed new wires, cap, rotor, wires, points and condenser - new battery Installed - removed fuel sender and repaired the brass strap that goes from the rheostst to the top terminal. It was cracked. I soldered it. - 5 quarts of valvoline 20w-50 VR1 and a napa gold filter Primed the carb and she fired up and ran!!
Here is a picture in this Wildcat right after my win in the Nailhead class at the ? (have to look,got the trophy) GS Nationals Peace WildBill
I've helped some guys out w/good shipping rates if you need. Just send me weights & dims. I should have both your zip codes.
Thanks for the offer Ted! That's what's so awesome about this site, but I digress.... we just got a parts car dropped off today and it's got a set of big center wheels! I swear that Eric Stoldt has some sort of diabolical plan to corner the market on 61 parts.
And the carb is apart waiting for a rebuild kit to be delivered. Despite its outward appearance, it was remarkably clean inside. If I'm feeling ambitious, I'm going to throw the new rebuilt fuel pump Eric dropped off....
Rebuild kit is getting delivered Friday, which means I should be able to get it fired up again and get the engine fine tuned. I might have to turn my attention to an exhaust system The wheels and tires cant show up soon enough!
Make sure it's a US kit with leather accelerater pump or you will be rebuilding it again if its a chinese one.
So first monkey wrench in the works and a lesson in how stuff just gets out of control- Exhaust pipe flange was broken on the cat. So I wanted to make a repair to it. Flange nuts have to be taken off to drop the pipe.....break out the torch, get it hot and one comes right off! Excellent!! Heat up the other one and it snaps the stud....sonofab.. Now I'm contemplating my next move. Thst snapped stud ain't budging. Manifold is bolted to the head with 8 bolts going into blind holes. Hmmm......put a ratchet to one and it loosens up. Unscrews like it was put in yesterday. I go down the line getting them all loose. I can't believe it, they're all coming out! Until the last one under the alternator and you guessed it, it snaps. My neighbor down the block must of heard my profanity laced tirade. Now I'm contemplating pour gas on this car and lighting it on fire. Now I have to get the alternator and bracket out of the way. Alternator is frozen on the bracket. Now I'm contemplating my life choices..... Got the alternator bracket off with the alternator attached and learned one of the head bolts holding the bracket in place goes into water.....mental note for the next time I torture myself. So I get the right side up and get it just high enough to get a drill on it. Centerpunch it and let the games begin. Have to whizz wheel my bits a little shorter because of the control arm. After two hours I manage to drill it out perfectly and save the original threads. Now onto the frozen bolt in the alternator. After heat, pb blaster, hammer, more heat, more pb....it finally breaks free but not before I snap an ear off the bracket. This is why God created alcohol.... So now I need to source a new alt bracket or get this one tig'ed. I've had enough for one weekend
Got the exhaust manifold ears glowing cherry red after work. The broken stud unscrewed. The other one started to move but snapped. Resorted to drilling it out. I was able to drill it out perfectly on center and saved the threads. Alternator got dropped off at the rebuilders. Aluminum alternator bracket got dropped off at the welders. Let's see if he csn save it. I picked up a walker 6" long piece of 2" pipe and flange end for the exhaust repair. Got a new gasket for the heat riser. So far so good! New fuel pump is in! Everything is ready to go back together. Just waiting on parts!
