Author Topic: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!  (Read 129661 times)

Randall75

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #45 on: January 11, 2014, 07:20:06 PM »
Hi Edouard
 So since you are getting the  [banghead]  out of it and getting to use it a little more did you squeal the tires in it yet or are you just taking it easy on the billy goat  [biggrin]


cheers


 [cheers1]

elagache

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Already got two "kills" . . . . (Re: Billy-goat station wagon!!)
« Reply #46 on: January 11, 2014, 11:01:18 PM »
Howdy Randall and WeatherCat "performance automobile enthusiasts" . . . .

So since you are getting the  [banghead]  out of it and getting to use it a little more did you squeal the tires in it yet or are you just taking it easy on the billy goat  [biggrin]

Well yes and no.  No squealing of tires, but Biquette and I already have two "kills" (slang for beating an opponent at the turning of a green street light.)

Of course, both kills were of the ambush variety.  In fact one was completely accidental and the other was for the sake of safety.

Nonetheless for my trusty wagon, they both must have been very satisfying.  The first one was a Subaru Forester SUV.  SUVs nearly made station wagons go extinct.  The second was an even better case of "just desserts."  It was a very late model Mercedes crossover wagon.  Mercedes owners are specially snobby, but at least one has a new found respect for American Muscle!!

After what my car has gone through and after all, having her 49th birthday in May, it was high time that she get a little more respect!!

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

P.S. And how do I know that I got a "kill"? . . . . .   Well, remember that Biquette now has a very loud aggressive exhaust and I noted that in both cases, these cars very timidly followed behind Biquette, staying behind by a very long margin!!  :D

elagache

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Spring pick-me-up photos (Re: Assertive billy-goat station wagon!!)
« Reply #47 on: February 24, 2014, 09:32:00 PM »
Dear WeatherCat fans,

It has been a little slow on the WeatherCat forum, so I thought I would share with you'all a few photos of Spring in California:







Every year, I try to get out my trusty wagon for a few photos among the spring flowering trees.  After all my reports about the drought, I had to take these photos in a hurry.  We are expecting two very juicy storms later this week.  If we manage to get a wet spring after all, that might be enough water to refill the reservoirs to the point where minimal rationing would be needed.  Better still (I think) there is now a prediction that next year would be an El Nino year that would mean (normally) a greater than normal rainfall season.  Perhaps there is hope for California!

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

Blicj11

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #48 on: February 24, 2014, 09:35:57 PM »
Edouard:

Nice photography - a great blend of splendid car with beautiful spring blossoms.
Blick


elagache

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Patient comes home - without an engine. (Re: billy-goat station wagon!!)
« Reply #49 on: April 22, 2014, 10:00:26 PM »
Dear WeatherCat automotive enthusiasts,

Yesterday was the big day.  My trusty wagon was secured as best as could be done and a flat-bed transport truck brought her back home to wait until her engine is properly repaired.  Even if the journey was only 5 miles (8 Km,) delays wasted most of the afternoon and there was a quite a struggle turning the car 90˚ to get into her stall without an engine.

Fortunately, with the help of a tow chain, the mission was accomplished and da' Patent was resting as comfortably as circumstances permit:



The engine will be picked up by the shipper this afternoon for the journey to Arizona and the "forensic investigation" into what went wrong.

Stay tuned . . .

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

Blicj11

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #50 on: April 22, 2014, 10:06:25 PM »
Thanks for the update, although I can't believe you don't trust everyone on the Inter Webs with your vehicle license plate numbers.
Blick


Steve

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #51 on: April 23, 2014, 02:23:24 AM »
I hope things get sorted with the engine this time, Edouard!

I'm well into my engine build for the MGA. Block, head, crank, etc. have all been cleaned, machined, balanced, and ready for assembly. Thousand$ in new parts have been purchased, unobtainable parts have been rebuilt my master machinists. Engine assembly should start next week, and then the builder will come and get the car to swap engines. We're upgrading from a previously mediocre running 1497cc (before it seized) to a fully built 1840cc and from 69 HP to whatever the new engine will produce (stock 1800 is 100 HP.)

I hope my transplant goes much smoother than yours has!
Steve - Avon, Ohio, USA


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Blicj11

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #52 on: April 23, 2014, 05:58:03 AM »
Steve & Edouard:

I didn't realize there is a requirement to rebuild old cars if you are a personal weather station hobbyist. Thanks for the reports. Steve, post some photos.
Blick


elagache

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Best of Luck Steve!! (Re: billy-goat station wagon!!)
« Reply #53 on: April 23, 2014, 09:34:45 PM »
Hi Steve and WeatherCat Automotive enthusiasts,

I hope things get sorted with the engine this time, Edouard!

Thanks, I sure hope so too!!

I'm well into my engine build for the MGA. Block, head, crank, etc. have all been cleaned, machined, balanced, and ready for assembly. Thousand$ in new parts have been purchased, unobtainable parts have been rebuilt my master machinists. Engine assembly should start next week, and then the builder will come and get the car to swap engines. We're upgrading from a previously mediocre running 1497cc (before it seized) to a fully built 1840cc and from 69 HP to whatever the new engine will produce (stock 1800 is 100 HP.)

I hope my transplant goes much smoother than yours has!

I certainly hope your rebuild goes well!  The reputation is that smaller European engines require more meticulous rebuilding, but since you are going to specialists, your engine should get the love it deserves.

I'm certainly disappointed since I went with an engine builder with a very good reputation.  Alas, reputation alone is no guarantee.  Still hopefully I'm just the guy with the bad luck.

Best of Luck Steve!  [tup]

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

Steve

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #54 on: April 24, 2014, 04:01:28 AM »
Steve & Edouard:

I didn't realize there is a requirement to rebuild old cars if you are a personal weather station hobbyist. Thanks for the reports. Steve, post some photos.

It is not a requirement, but all the cool kids are doing it. Stu spends as much time fixing his Land Rover, too.

Not to hijack Edouard's thread, but here's a link to some photos. CLICK ME
Steve - Avon, Ohio, USA


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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #55 on: April 24, 2014, 03:05:01 PM »
Not to hijack Edouard's thread, but here's a link to some photos. CLICK ME

I just went through much of your SmugMug postings. Wow! Nice photos and cool hobbies. What is your latest camera? And for that matter, what camera are you using Edouard?
Blick


elagache

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Hi Steve, Blick, and WeatherCat automotive enthusiasts,

It is not a requirement, but all the cool kids are doing it. Stu spends as much time fixing his Land Rover, too.

Yes indeed!  Not only that, but Stu already has the caravan that I'm only dreaming of!  [sleep]

Not to hijack Edouard's thread, but here's a link to some photos. CLICK ME

Congrats Steve!  That's a wonderful looking roadster!  [tup]  I have a soft spot for those little runabouts.  In a perfect world, I would have one of those in my garage too.

The engine rebuild seems to be going well.  The engine looked in good condition when they pulled it out of the car.  It always helps to start with an engine that was always luved:)

And for that matter, what camera are you using Edouard?

I have a now somewhat dated Canon T1i/500D.  It has served me very well for many sorts of jobs from catching the birds on the feeder  :) to . . . . catching the leaks from the engine.  >:(

Thanks to Steve, I also have a SmugMug account.  Alas, unlike Steve, my galleries were created to either ask questions about a problem or to document specific parts of the car modification.  There are 52 galleries alone under the topic: "Drive Train makeover."  So I'll spare you'all any links until I can digest that information into something suitable for public viewing.  That was one of the reasons I wondering about WordPress.  The car has a very colorful story.  It would be nice to tell that story in a way that others could enjoy.

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

Steve

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #57 on: April 25, 2014, 03:24:12 AM »
I just went through much of your SmugMug postings. Wow! Nice photos and cool hobbies. What is your latest camera?

Thank you, sir! As the note on the home page says, having photography as a hobby comes in handy in documenting the other hobbies.

Cameras! Did someone say cameras? I've got a few... [img=http://www.morrisgarage.com/clique/]http://Click Me[/img]

Most of the photos were captured using my current Nikon D200 or my previous D70, both mid level Nikon "pro-sumer" dSLR cameras. Some are with various iPhones, or Sony and Canon pocket cameras. Click on the D200 link on the above linked page for the lenses and accessories I use.
Steve - Avon, Ohio, USA


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elagache

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Waitin' . . . (Re: FYI: once assertive billy-goat station wagon!!)
« Reply #58 on: June 12, 2014, 09:27:40 PM »
Dear Blick and fans of a certain billy-goat station wagon,

Well, . . . . since ya' asked . . . . . . . .

The news is . . . . . . .

Obviously, the engine failure wasn't exactly "planned," therefore I couldn't schedule myself with the new engine builder T/A-Performance.

http://www.taperformance.com/

T/A-Performance is actually a manufacturer/retailer of Buick engine performance parts and only build engines as a side activity.  The recently introduced an aluminum reproduction of the original Buick big-block that can be used for engines developing over 2000 horsepower.  They have orders for 3 or 4 of these all aluminum engines that still haven't been finished.  The engine for my trusty wagon is in the back of that queue - so clearly it is going to be a while.

In the meantime, I'm going to clean up, refurbish, and upgrade anything that is easily accessible.  I finished up restoring the front parking light housings and managed to grab some New Old Stock (NOS) parking light lenses off of eBay.  I hoped to upgrade the running lights to LEDs, but I can't find a combination that would fit and produce more light than the original incandescent bulbs - oddly enough.  There is a halogen headlight upgrade kit I'm planning to install, stuff like that.

However, for the most part it is . . . . . . 

Oh well, . . . .

Cheers, Edouard

elagache

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Rear crankshaft thrust bearing failed. (Re: Billy-goat station wagon!!)
« Reply #59 on: December 17, 2014, 09:37:39 PM »
Dear WeatherCat Automobile enthusiasts,

The engine builder who now has the big-block engine for my trusty wagon had some unexpected free time and started tearing down the engine.  They found that the rear thrust bearing has been overloaded and failed.  There was some sort of excessive force pushing into the engine from the back.  The crankshaft has been damaged and they might have to replace the crankshaft.  There was no obvious reason for the bearing failure within the engine.  So other factors need to be checked like perhaps the transmission.

The engine builder will shutdown at the end of the week for a holiday break, so progress will halt until after the first of the year.  However, at least there is some progress to report.

That's all the news to this moment!

Cheers, Edouard