69 Catalina Rescue

[mrocketscience]

How about a Monday morning update? I'm making progress towards getting this thing running. I installed new motor mounts since the old ones had the oil pan sitting ON the crossmember. I reattached the exhaust pipes to the manifolds, rebuilt the 2 barrel, replaced the fuel pump(figured the diaphram would be history and don't need gas in the oil), replaced the tune up items( points, plugs, rotor, cap, wires). An interesting thing: It seems that the engine is not a 69, or at the very least the heads aren't. When I attempted to replace the old spark plugs, the ones that came out were much smaller than the ones I had bought. Hmmm... So it seems the engine is from a newer (70's) Pontiac. At this point it's a mystery motor, I have no idea if it's a 350, 400, or 455. Could be anything I guess since they all look the same. I forgot to get the number from the head, I'll check that today. So it's a smog era wheezer, looks like, and I'm ok with that I guess since I'm not looking for performance, just reliable cruizing. I also tested the starter and reinstalled it and now the engine turns over with the key. And, most importantly, the convertible top goes up and down at the touch of a switch! Or really, whats left of the top anyway;)

[455 LeMans]

This may help: http://www.teufert.net/pontiac/bloccast.htm

[mrocketscience]

I haven't tried to find the block casting number, but the heads have 7J2 cast on them, and that turns out to be for a 72 400 engine. So, lower compression than the 69 engine which is fine. I might be able to fire this thing up on Saturday or Sunday! Fingers crossed...

[TheSilverBuick]

[mrocketscience]

It lives! After wrenching all day on Saturday it makes noise finally! Doesn't appear to be smoking at all, the valvetrain is very ticky sounding though. Maybe that will quiet down after running for a while. I tried screwing around with points, but man, with the distributor where it is I have to lay on the engine to access it, so I just went and bought a Pertronix ignitor and put that in so I never need to mess with that again. I need to get a set of gauges cause I don't know what the oil pressure is and not sure yet if the idiot light works. Guess I should look and see if it's even hooked up or did rodents eat the wire. I tried cranking it for a while without moving the distributor on the theory that it was running when parked so should be fine where it is. However, it would not fire until I advanced it about 25 degrees or so, obviously I was one off when I put on the spark plug wires. I'll put a timing light on it today, and there is a wire broken off on the alternator, so no charging yet. Doesn't seem to have any trans fluid in it so I'll dump some in today and see if it'll move at all. Added brake fluid and it seems to have pedal pressure. It's a real possibilty it could go around the block today. Cool to hear it run after 16 years of hibernation!

[racingsnake440]

Awesome!! Good luck on getting the test drive in!

[milner351]

Great progress!

[mrocketscience]

Pretty dang cool! It went up and down the street yesterday, so it'll drive. I know why the trans fluid was gone, theres a small hole in the trans pan. I guess the same rock that destroyed the oil pan did a little more damage. I'll just order a cheapie chrome one from Summit and swap it, do the filter while I'm at it. After I reassemble the front end I'll get it registered and drive it around locally to sort it out. I need to get a convertible top next before the rainy season comes since there's not anything left up there. I want to get some new mufflers on it, the old glasspacks that are on it sound like crap. It has one lifter that seems to have a problem and hasn't pumped up, but I'm hoping that with time it'll come back to life. Maybe I'll go old school and dump a little Marvel Mystery Oil in it. Can't hurt I guess. My wife and I have decided it's going to get 1969 Pontiac Crystal Turquoise for color, but theres a bunch of bodywork to be done before that happens so maybe by next year we can have paint. For a car I wasn't even sure I wanted, I'm now getting kinda exited about it!

[milner351]

Sweeet!

[mrocketscience]

I've got the car registered and insured, and have been driving it around locally to smoke out problems. Had to run a new wire from the headlight switch to the headlights to get that to work, had to retorque the lug nuts on those unilug rims, had one start wobbling. I also drove it to the local Bear Frame & Alignment to get the front end set up. Amazingly, the power brakes work great, the turbo 400 shifts well and it drives pretty nice. I get a little blue smoke on fire up, but doesn't seem to smoke while driving so I can live with that. So right now I've got maybe $600 invested plus 2 months of weekends to get to this point. Not bad. I've got new carpet coming this week, and next up saving some $$ to buy a new top. Looks like the rubber on the steering coupler is in rough shape so I'll have to get to that. The funny thing is, with the exception of our new vehicle this is the only one that doesn't leak a drop on the driveway! I like that

[racingsnake440]

Too cool!

[Scott Liggett]

Wonderful! The blue smoke on start up shows valve seals have probably hardened and leaking into cylinders when you shut the car off.

[mrocketscience]

Hey hey!!... New carpeting and a new convertible top have arrived via the brown truck! I love that guy... I've got stuff to work on now for Saturday. Oh, I'm not gonna attempt the top install, I've got somebody lined up that knows what they are doing, but not sure yet when he can do that... Pictures on Saturday..

[milner351]

SWEET! I wouldn't mess with a convertible top myself either.

[mrocketscience]

Alright, the new carpet is in. Makes the interior feel and look a lot nicer. The removal of the back seat was fun, another treasure trove of acorns and mouse turds. At least I'm working towards making this car a "turd free" zone. I think that was the last hiding place. Unfortunately, there was a hole in the floor back there, so I hit it with some rust buster stuff and patched it. No, not the right way. I couldn't get my welder out of the garage since the Mustang is up on jackstands with no rear end in it. So, I fiberglassed it. It fixes the hole for now. Then, after the carpet install I went to get 2 new Radial TA's put on the front so they match the back tires. I hate mismatched tires. Tomorrow I have an appt to get the new top installed, so I'm gonna have to call in "sick" ;) I can't afford paint right now so I'm going to have to touch it up in the drive way myself. I think I'll get rid of the blue and just make it all white for now, save money for paint next year I hope.