Lapham3

Those cast iron bases don't really need other than the gasket. I don't mind these Rochester units except that the float bowls are divided as front/ primary and then rear/secondary as opposed to the Carter whose bowls are left/primary+seconday and right/primary/secondary. With the 4gc the fuel can go bad if a guy putts around and doesn't get his foot into it and get the secondaries working.

Yes-a gauge on it and then pull the #1 (and then maybe others individually)plug wire to 'unload' the cyl and see if the sound changes to verify-plastigage used to check bearing clearances-too bad you have to deal with this. Maybe step away from it for a bit for a reset-good luck

I used Bob about 15 years ago to remove-rebuild-reinstall the trans in my El Camino. He'd been a transmission 'remanufacturer' on the north side of Mpls. and most recently moved his operation north and was very happy that all his employees followed. He really knew his stuff and didn't overcharge back then. Glad that he's still doing the same.

I will offer a contrast to restore32 as I rarely 'show' any of my cars, but have decent looking and RELIABLE drivers. I think you've got your priorities right in doing the mechanicals first! I've not particularly seen much linkage between price and the finished product when it comes to body shops, so I've done it a bit different. Also, If a guy can possibly keep body work (dents and especially rust repair)out of and do just paint, it can be more straightforward. I had a very good single stage urethane paint job done on my Electra by an old guy that had moved from his neighborhood body shop to having a Maaco. When I went back a few years later after he finally retired for good, the 'new guy' couldn't paint a Wildcat worth beans. That had to be clearcoated=and he even struggled at that. Both were around 6-8 years ago and $1000. I also had an auto body school student who was the nephew of a neighbor paint my old Catalina single stage urethane for $800. That shiny steel looked so uniform and neat after the DA sanding, that I almost had him clear that car. good luck with it all! Dan Mpls. Mn.

No pics, but I parted one years ago. I also like the color. I do have a Midnight Blue '65 Wildcat-with both a lighter blue interior

Yup=1/8" pipe is what they are. I've done the T a number of times over the years-not a difficult job-good luck

Jason did a very nice write up on these, and I'm recalling over the years that not many folks realized that A/C was involved with this effort. It would also be a good thing if somebody could chime in as to the best repair technique for the many I've seen that failed the '4 foot drop test'=lots of broken corners! My Review and Bugle both came Saturday-first such that I can recall. Dan Mpls. Mn.

Gauges are the way to go-and your 270 degrees the best imo. I wouldn't worry too much over a bit of temp diff, due to location as once you know 'what your normal is', you're looking for deviations later on from that.That rear plug will likely be a bear to break loose. I wouldn't use a regular 3/8" extension there, but the dedicated tool with a better fit and sharper corners-hot wrench available-too -you should have enough room-good luck. Dan Mpls. Mn.

Over time I realized that I learned the most by actually 'doing'=getting some dirty and greasy=much to be avoided by many it seems! It turns out that my health world educator wife saw similar as many of her best students as measured by 'test taking' were not particularly good clinicians and the reverse of that. Probably a good measure of both makes for the most success

Yes-and I didn't trust them, recalling one broke on my '65 Pont GP. It happened in '69 and I was just able to roll into Lordsburg, NM. Overheated and blew a headgasket-been a worm type guy ever since! Dan Mpls. Mn.

And, if anyone is interested, the '66-7 Riv radios don't interchange with the '66-7 Wildcat-Electra-LeSabre as that 'upward slope' that Ed mentions, is more extreme with the Riv than the others. Dan Mpls. Mn.

The '400' transmissions have a good reputation and rarely fail. (I've tried for 50 years and never killed one yet). I've also saved a number of these over the years from boneyards and they've mostly all gone to fellas that want to convert from the Dynaflow. A couple should have had the seals replaced before the install as there were leaks. Others were OK. I still have a few if you want to drive to the Twin Cities. PM if you'd like. Dan Mpls. Mn.

Did anybody visit Calmar and check out his stuff? With the pricing of those parts and parts cars he mentions, I'm not too sure I'd be a buyer tho.

Sorry you were just talking to yourself on this one, but glad you got it figured out!

As he described well, I feel the same as Tom T as to liking a longer starter cranking time for oil delivery. Dan Mpls. Mn.

The exhaust manifolds for the 'big cars' are the same from '64-6. The earlier manifold passenger side manifold had the heat riser integrated into the manifold and the later were in a separate spacer plate. The '65-6 Skylarks with the nailhead 401 engines(see how I did that) had their own design-right and left.

Being able to move the seats back would benefit most and a good mod to make. My dad was a long legged 6' 3' and had trouble with this issue with a number of cars. He would usually bolt in 1" spacer blocks under the front mount to give more thigh support and effectively move the seatback a bit. I've been running some sets of the same Stewart Warner (Diversey Parkway Chicago) mechanical oil/water gauges in cars bought in the late 60's and early 70's with no issues. The good gauges have saved me from tearing up a crank with a bearing failure and warning of overheating with blown hoses. Keep in mind that the idiot lights come on at very low oil pressure and very high temp-thus no early warning or slow failure trend indication with them. My '66 has both factory, but this Delco stuff is a tad shaky imo and with no numerics.

Corey-that's way more than a "very long shot" as in very, very, very, very ect, ect. maybe just move on with life and I'd let that idea go! Good luck with your car

This pump shaft/pulley deal also gave me a surprise some years ago. Luckily I had what was needed in the 'parts stash'. It would seem that the 'running changes', ect would make for a long and interesting list. Dan Mpls. Mn.

Hi Greg-PM sent-for '65-I'll take them and can pick them up-Dan

Wish we had known about this yard when visiting Ken at Wheatbelt=not all that far away.

"Got most of the pan debris out with a device I made with Bic pen bodies and Monster tape on my shop vac." That's great-can you expand a bit {a pic?} on what/how you put it together? really like to see someone thinking in creative ways.

A couple of us were at a good yard today-they post scrap prices and 40/ton

I recall some similar postings on Buick sites(Bombsight maybe?) in early internet days. I had added a post of an issue I'd had and then owner Glen emailed me wanting the details in order to fix problems. Maybe it's something in the New Jersey water? Dan Mpls. Mn.

Yup-Ed's not going to tip in the Lazy Boy-he'll be on the creeper under a Riv. I thought you might be cutting sidewalls out of old bias tires!