Author Topic: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!  (Read 129531 times)

elagache

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Wagon and engine reunited. (Re: Assertive billy-goat station wagon!!)
« Reply #75 on: September 15, 2015, 12:03:46 AM »
Dear WeatherCat fans of a certain "assertive" 1965 Buick Special station wagon,

Well, it has been a very long wait, but TA-Performance finally managed to finish putting back together the engine for my trusty wagon.  It arrived about 2 weeks before the Orinda Classic Car show.  At that point Orinda Motors was completely swamped with other classics needing some luv' before the show.  The crew over there worked really hard and managed to clear a few days for the engine installation.  My wagon was transported to the shop, a week ago Tuesday and the engine was "installed" on Friday.  That was cutting it real close since the show was Saturday!  The installation isn't quite complete.  After looking over our options to have the transmission checked out, we decided to instead get another TH200-4R from a more reputable rebuilding specialist.  So my wagon still cannot run.  However her new engine is oh so beautiful!



Here is the tour moving toward the front:



Here is the straight on front view:



Here is the in between driver's side view:



Finally the driver's side:



Here are two more photos during the car show itself.  Here's one with a driver's side angle:



Finally a look at her chrome grill with the engine behind:



She certainly isn't ready for any cross-country trips yet, but at least she is getting closer to becoming a operable car once more.

Cheers, Edouard

Blicj11

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #76 on: September 15, 2015, 05:00:25 AM »
This has been quite a saga. Loved the pics; thanks for sharing.
Blick


elagache

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She has come back to life!!! (Re: Billy-goat station wagon!!)
« Reply #77 on: November 09, 2015, 03:43:53 AM »
Dear WeatherCat classic car enthusiasts,

My trusty wagon has been conspicuous in taking up huge amounts of my time, but until now has suffered from a serious shortcoming - no engine.

As a quick recap, the story starts back in April 2014 when after only 3-months of operation, a lot of shards of non-ferrous metal were found in the oil pan - at least one bearing had failed.  At this point, I asked Mike Tomaszewski and TA-Performance if he would be willing to take on this patient.  Thankfully, he consented and thus started the long and twisted path to heading to my wagon?s return to health. 

By December 2014 Mike finally was able to dismantle the engine and determine it was the rear main crankshaft bearing that had failed, damaging the crankshaft in the process.  Unfortunately, TA-Performance had a large backlog of engine orders based on their aluminum big-block, so my wagon just had to wait her turn.

At last report Biquette had successfully made her presence at the Orinda classic car show - alas, minus a transmission!  The reason was that the original GM 200-4R overdrive transmission was considered a suspect in having caused the rear main bearing to fail.  In addition it was leaking profusely.  Rather than taking a chance with it, I decided to go with a new 200-4R from Art Carr?s California Performance transmissions.  One reason for this choice was that Art Carr promised me a transmission in 2-weeks.  Getting the old transmission repaired would have meant sending it back to the builder in New York.  That likely would have taken many months.

Well, two weeks came and . . . where?s the transmission?  Art Carr was backlogged and 2 weeks became a month.  Okay, if you own a classic you?ve got to be patient.  Sure enough a 200-4R was finally delivered but it had . . . . a surprise!



Yup, that?s a nasty crack in the case at the base of the bell.  Art Carr is now shipping transmission by strapping them down to a wooden platform.  It appears that they might have overtightened this transmission and stressed the case to the point it cracked.

At least Art Carr quickly responded and rushed another 200-4R in a week.  Soon the transmission was fitted and at last my wagon was able to run her engine for the first time in 18 months.  Here is a video of one of the first runs:

https://youtu.be/GY1RfXjlFyw

Mostly the news is all good.  The engine starts very nicely and idles smoothly.  However, it was also stumbling when you first nudge the accelerator.  Even stranger, 3 of the spark-plugs were getting fouled.  After a bit of troubleshooting, it turned out that the distributor failed somewhere between the engine being test run in August and now.  So a another type of distributor was purchased that was more reliable.

With that problem solved it was time to see what this car could do.  How?s this as a first example!

https://youtu.be/V7q01MnNOQA

As the Orinda Motors classic car guru says in the video and that?s only 1/4 throttle!

Here is another run at about the same time:

https://youtu.be/78k1iZRJkF4

The rough idle is actually part of the EZ-EFI self-tuning process.  It determines how to get a smooth idle by seeing how low it can go and then correcting for that.

I was able to bring my wagon home last Thursday and I?m tickled pink!  The engine was performing very poorly before.  It was extremely noisy and sluggish.  Now it is extremely responsive and it has more power than I think I really want!

Better still, the engine is much quieter with all the changes I?ve made, my wagon is much more pleasant to drive.  On the freeway the noise level is quiet enough to hear the stereo or have a conversation.  Even the Vintage Air air conditioner works extremely well.

Having been able to take my wagon outside, I took a second set of photos of the engine in it's very pleasing green and clear aluminum color scheme.  Here is the passenger side view:



Here is the ?in-between? view:



Here is the front view:



Here is the driver?s side ?in-between? view:



Finally, here is the driver?s side view:



This whole project really goes back to the 1980s when my Dad and I daydreamed of modernizing our then 20 year old station wagon.  Many of things we talked about, like an overdrive transmission, seemed impossible then.  My Dad died of a brain tumor in 2000.  But before he died he asked that we take car of ?da? trusty wagon.?  It has been an awful long struggle, but I think he would have been really pleased to see how she has turned out!

I?m sorry to have left the WeatherCat community without as much of my services during this long process.  I certainly appreciate the support of everyone here.  Unfortunately, there is still some important work to do, but I should start getting a little more time.  Of course what would free up much more time is if it would really rain in California!  Then I couldn?t do much of anything else besides work at the computer!

Cheers, Edouard

xairbusdriver

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #78 on: November 09, 2015, 04:00:22 AM »
As a father, I'm sure yours would be well pleased in your persistence and high standards! As a son, I know how important it is to do something for your would appreciate. [tup]

Well done and welcome back... pretty much! [rolleyes2]
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Steve

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #79 on: November 09, 2015, 04:01:37 PM »
Beautiful results to a classy classic, Edouard. Now, get out there and drive the daylights out of it before the snows start! (err, I mean before is sprinkles a little... ;) )
Steve - Avon, Ohio, USA


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Bull Winkus

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #80 on: November 09, 2015, 07:14:20 PM »
At's what I'm talking about! Congratulations, Edouard! The end of your road of creative reconstruction is the beginning of new roads to conquer. I'm proud to call you friend!

 [rockon]
Herb

elagache

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Thanks!! (Re: Assertive billy-goat station wagon!!)
« Reply #81 on: November 09, 2015, 11:00:34 PM »
Dear X-Air, Steve, Herb, and WeatherCat automotive enthusiasts,

Thanks!!  It has been a very long struggle!  Honestly, I'm a little worried that my trusty wagon might be a bit too assertive now for towing, but in the meantime I'm definitely going to enjoy her - when I can!

Now, get out there and drive the daylights out of it before the snows start! (err, I mean before is sprinkles a little... ;) )

Well, it is too late!  This morning we got 0.43" of rain!!    I want to drive my wagon, but until the drought is really over, rain always gets priority!

Perhaps she'll get out tomorrow, and if not, most likely on Thursday.

Thanks again everybody!  :)

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

Blicj11

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #82 on: November 10, 2015, 05:29:44 AM »
Well done mate! I have followed the saga via your posts and am so pleased that you are where you are and not where you were.
Blick


Randall75

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #83 on: November 10, 2015, 02:27:43 PM »
Hi Edouard
 Glad things are starting to look your way.
But now since I have your license plate number I think I should call the police and report it stolen.  [biggrin]


Good luck with bell housing and trany  [tup]


cheers


 [cheers1]

xairbusdriver

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #84 on: November 10, 2015, 04:20:52 PM »
Quote from: Randall
I think I should call the police and report it stolen
You're too late, Randall, I called them yesterday! [lol]

Reminds me of the time I was sitting in a movie and they stopped the film to announce they had found a $50 bill in the lobby. [cheer] They asked that the owner please form a line at the snack bar...

Quote from: Edouard
my trusty wagon might be a bit too assertive now for towing
Don't know the laws in CA, but some states allow you to pull a second trailer behind your first one; your trusty, well-powered wagon followed by a 30' Airstream, with a 20' pontoon party barge behind it, and maybe a 10' dinghy bringing up the rear? [rockon]
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elagache

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Another tale and tractive effort (Re: Assertive billy-goat station wagon!!)
« Reply #85 on: November 10, 2015, 10:28:51 PM »
Dear Blick, Randall, X-Air and assertive wagon fans,

But now since I have your license plate number I think I should call the police and report it stolen.  [biggrin]

Bummer dude!  I really did try to keep Biquette's license plate a secret but it is just too hard to hide it on videos.  I'm seriously thinking of getting a vanity plate in the original 1960s California license plate colors.  Her current plates had special meaning when Biquette received them because this what the plates we got after she had been stolen and her original plates had been removed by the thiefs.  We read the "RNU" as renew, and it was to us, symbolic of Biquette coming back home after we thought we had lost her forever.

The trouble is that she was stolen in 1986 and now that being renewed just pale's into insignificance compared to her coming back now.  I have a possible plate name in mind, I have to check if it is still available.  Since it isn't at all likely to be popular it should be.

Don't know the laws in CA, but some states allow you to pull a second trailer behind your first one; your trusty, well-powered wagon followed by a 30' Airstream, with a 20' pontoon party barge behind it, and maybe a 10' dinghy bringing up the rear? [rockon]

This is one of those situations where railroading and automobiles intersect.  The problem isn't power but tractive effort.  Whatever I'm going to tow has brought into motion solely by the ability of the rear tires to move the entire load.  High up on the priority list is larger rims and tires.  I've already decided to go with larger rear tires so that will further help.  Alas, even with all this, it will be very easy to cause the rear tires to spin.  That's what happens in this video:

https://youtu.be/V7q01MnNOQA

If you think about steam locomotives one of the important properties was how many pairs of wheels were powered.  More wheels allows the locomotive to get a heavier train started.  The same principle applies to automobiles - just scaled down appropriately.

So the selection of trailer will have to balance the limitations of how much weight Biquette can start moving and control with only 2 tires powered, against my strong desire to have as much braking power as possible coming from the trailer.

Cheers, Edouard

xairbusdriver

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #86 on: November 10, 2015, 10:50:45 PM »
Quote
So the selection of trailer will have to balance the limitations of how much weight Biquette can start moving and control with only 2 tires powered
OK! I see your problem. Simple solution: Stack the towed vehicles on the Airstream instead of having them trail 'her'! All the weight on the hitch, leave the weight distributing hitch un-adjusted and just get stronger springs on the powered axle! Problem solved!

Next!

You may want to reconsider wider tires. The coefficient of friction may actually be lower if the total contact area between tire and pavement increases! I'm thinking steel on steel friction (even with sand) is not quite equal to rubber on pavement (even without sand)! Maybe you should consider some of those really sticky dragster tires, but narrow enough to fit in your wheel wells... at least for the rear/driving tires. Of course, some delicate welding torch action could make the fitting problem moot... Furthermore, with all that weight on the rear, you could likely get by with some motor cycle tires up front!

You're welcome! [coffee]
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elagache

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Next up: new wheels, tires, and differential (Re: Assertive billy-goat wagon!!)
« Reply #87 on: November 11, 2015, 11:47:34 PM »
Dear X-Air, and WeatherCat station wagon outfitters,

OK! I see your problem. Simple solution: Stack the towed vehicles on the Airstream instead of having them trail 'her'!

In the voice of Colonel Klink of the long ago TV series Hogan's Heroes: "Request denied!"  [lol2]

You may want to reconsider wider tires.

Actually, my wagon will need larger rally wheels to accommodate larger wider tires.  I've already purchased larger Buick Rallye wheels of the same type she presently sports so that she'll continue to look as pretty as she does now (isn't that what is really important?  ;D )  My current thinking is to give up on rotating the tires from the front to the back so I can have somewhat larger tires on the rear axle where I desperately need the most traction.

Unfortunately, as you change all this, the rear end ratio will change, so she'll need a new differential to get a reasonable engine speed at various driving conditions.  All this needs to happen relatively soon because until all this is straightened out, the speedometer cannot be calibrated.  Right now it is a little "off."  I definitely shouldn't drive her too much under those conditions!  :-[

Cheers, Edouard  [cheers1]

xairbusdriver

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #88 on: November 12, 2015, 12:03:32 AM »
For a second I feared this might have been you! I saw "Davis" and thought it was referring to the weather related company. Turns out the fellow is about as far away from CA as possible while still speaking English as a mother tongue! Then I read that you don't have a calibrated 'instrument' and my fears came back!!! Please tell be this isn't you! => Shaun Davis jailed after filming himself driving at 192mph
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WCDev

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Re: FYI: I'm getting one assertive billy-goat station wagon!!
« Reply #89 on: November 12, 2015, 06:23:08 PM »
Very nice Edouard - great videos!