I am now back on this project and will have updates and photo's soon...... Ted.....anything to report from the Taj-ma-Garage p Peace WildBill
Had a hell of a time with one of the torque converter bolts that cross-threaded..........had to send a set screw backwards thru the hole to chase out the threads and then a tap thru the frontside to make everything perfect. NOT FUN when you are laying on your back under a car in a garage that's over 95 degree's I finally got the shifter down rod in just the right shape......J-B Welded the boot to the newly modified floor section and adjusted the linkage to work correctly.....everything is ready to go :TU: The console is now permanently mounted and the front bucket seats are next....... Door sills look good but i hated to use these Taiwan Chevy supplier repo's.....guess it's better that Chinese......o No: This is my custom built oil pump priming tool that was used while i turned the motor over to attach the torque converter bolts....... More soon....... Peace WildBill
I would like to thank Mark and all the people at Then and Now Restoration for my wonderful stitch-for-stitch re-creation of a original Deluxe Wildcat Bucket seat interior......TWO Thumbs Up !:TU: :TU: Peace WildBill
Seat looks awesome! Hope they didn't put the little cat head button upside down like one of mine ended up.. I'm yet to fix that, after probably two years ou:
John.........get that plane ticket.....a "skid" is waiting for you in Bowling Green this year ! Peace WildBill
Hi Bill, Lookin' goooooood. I would love to take up your kind offer, but I can't make it this year. :beers2: Maybe you could send me a picture of you doing a 'skid' at Bowling Green, preferably with lots of smoke. :TU: :3gears: Cheers, John
John....no "skids" for me this Nationals.......NEXT Year will be the "SKID" Nationals for Wildcats ! I finally got the interior installed and most of the exhaust installed back to the mufflers.Speaking of mufflers....these are some DYNOMAX Stainless Steel Super Turbo 3 inch'ers that i picked up New in the Box at a swap for $30.00 for the pair.....been saving them for almost 15 years p Those are Torque Tech 3 inch mandrel bent aluminized pipes for a 70-72 A-body....i specified 67 Mopar GTX tailpipes because they go between the gas tank and the frame rails...they will need a little modification...... Notice the aluminum duct tape trick to keep the plastic chrome bucket seat trim in place for years to come.....you don't see it if you do it right.....used that trick on TOPCAT ! Exhaust will need some "tweaking" at my local shop to make it "just right"...... Had to "cant" the mufflers to make them fit because they are so much BIGGER than stock More real soon....... Peace WildBill
Shame about the no skids. :3gears: Your car is looking better and better, looking forward to the finished pictures. BTW, my wife thinks that your 'Cat' is really cool. :beers2:
Well,it looks like the original grille will get the call for now to go on *****. Busted it down and gave the bars an inch by inch cleaning and then polishing..... The brackets and bolts were bead blasted and then refinished correctly plus new speed nuts were waiting for the grille re-build. The upper and lower grille bar's tabs for locating the center bar were pretty wind blasted so i masked them off and sprayed some semi-flat black....looks like new p These grilles are the most intricate,massive and Beautiful......the absolute PEAK of die-cast grille design and production. Think about it......p After lots of TLC......this one looks good for it's age. Oh.....just about forgot this........:3gears: More REAL soon :laugh: Peace WildBill
Yes.....there is some progress. p I had a trans leak since i dropped everything in place and filled it with fluid. I was afraid it was the torque converter seal but i did not see a trace of fluid from it so i pulled the pan that i was gonna leave on it until i had everything broke in.....then change the fluid and filter. Turns out to be the pan.....had a mashed lip on one side.It is NOT the pan that was sent on the transmission:rant: Oh, well.....out comes the B&M Deep sump finned cast aluminum pan that i have been saving for this build :beer A whole lot more soon........:grin: Peace WildBill
I used Permatex High Tack Spray a Gasket to attach the gasket to the pan....... Then i had to order a filter extension that i needed for the B&M pan......thanks to JEGS......ordered it on thursday at 3pm....had it by 4pm the next day :TU: Then i hung the filter and figured the distance i needed for the new filter support.....made it out of a carriage bolt...... Put a thin bead of red high temp RTV on the gasket then installed it......the pan looks good !! Peace WildBill
Mark I'd take your 'Cat and detail it like my 'Cats are........ might take me 10 years :grin: See you soon my friend......got some cold ones waiting for you :beer Peace WildBill
