My wagon is finally being picked up on Tuesday in MT and coming my way 5 days later (it has been like a month, jeeeeez). I want to see more wagon build ups. Hey avc1966, I love the vette story. Would youmind sharing some photos & a little tech info on that baby (thanx for the sway bar info). Hope I don't drive you wagoners nuts, but I got to see some build-ups. Nice sporty! Thanx.
I'll get somepics resized this weekend. Its is pretty basic. I got it stock from a board member John Massoud which in itself was the best experience I have ever had buying a car. He has since become a friend who I keep in touch with. It was originally Bamboo creme with a near perfect saddle interior. It had 78,000 on it, power windows, cold A/C, disc brakes etc. I wanted to do it up as a road trip car, since whenever the guys I hang around with went to a national show, we ended up taking an SUV. This wagon made sense. The first year I painted it, did the hood, rechromed the bumpers, polished the stainless, and added the grill. I bought another wagon which is still on the board, and swapped some parts to end up with the best stuff I could find. It was a great running 350 / 2 barrel, so it wasn't a big push to do the mechanicals. I ended up doing the front suspension, putting on the larger sway bars, rear air bags, a 2.8 fast ration steering box and buick wheels that same year, and took it to Bowling Green that way. It was a big hit. Drove it most of that first summer that way. The following winter I did the heart transplant. 70 sr coded 455. The motor was gone through but was a virgin 40,000 mile motor I pulled from a 70 Electra that was hit hard in the rear. Edelbrock performer intake, 750 holley, and a GS 118 cam. I tried headers (postons) and a built 200R4 trans with a 2400 lock up converter, and a big 4 core radiator. Exhaust is 2 1/2 custom with an x pipe and maramount big quiet truck mufflers. This combination was good for low 14's and was getting 17 mpg on the highway with a 323 gear using the lock up. This was the second year at BG. Well disaster struck on the way home and we squeezed out a head gasket around Indy. It had an external leak, and was eating 1 gallon of coolant every 200 miles. We made it home with alot of rest stops, and that started its last phase. I added a set of Gessler ported stage 1 heads since I had to take it apart anyway, and yanked the headers for a set of ported exhaust manifolds. The headers were just a headache for me. I have been playing with the carb alot and am finally getting it to where I want. The heads put the wagon into the 13's very easily, and had a seat of your pants improvement. Since then I added a 3:90 12 bolt to it which made a huge difference to how it gets out of the hole. It still will not spin the tires from a roll. It just squats and goes. My 60 foot times are sub 2.0's, and it is a riot to drive. This year I will probably upgrade the ignition, and invest in some dyno time to help tune it in even more. It is also getting a power bench seat with an armrest. I have actually added weight to the car with dynamat in the doors and floor, and spray in sound deadener wherever I could. The goal was to have a fun, quiet, trip car, but the quest for speed has made me deviate a little. If you have a wagon with a little attitude, you have to back it up. In retrospect the hood, gs grill, and color change really made this car. I anguished over the color, but with a saddle interior I was limited. It still wears it trailer hitch and electic brake set up, and has pulled a car trailer and my boat on ocassion. (talk about funny looks) I will just keep playing with it until I get bored, or the right offer comes along. It has been a blast, and gets alot of attention. Good luck Tony
Tony, were you at the Loren Buick/Pontiac show in 2004 with a for sale sign in the window for this car?
Mike your losing it. We already had this conversation. That was the other copper 70 which I owned at the time that had a sign in it. The other 70 was also at Elkhorn with a sign in it later in the year. This car was at the Loren show in 04, and won a trophy in its class. This car has never had a for sale sign in it while I owned it. I have been asked if it was for sale, but have never publically advertised it. See the other post on "lets see some sportwagon pics" for the full story". I guess my question is why do you ask? Take care Tony
Great build-up. I love the final result. I love the pre-head gasket failure result. Nice how you stayed with manifolds. Headers can be a pain w an AC car. I'd love to see some photos. Thanx so much for shiaring. It is still a pretty basic build-up then? A stock shortblock w/a 118, killer heads & an intake (and 3.90's of course). And you are into the 13's, radical.
