I'm taking Amber to karate tonight so I don't know if I'll get anything done tonight, tomorrow I'll be able to finish things up on the motor and I'll be driving it Friday, so i'll let you know how it feels. I barely got into 3rd as all I did was crept up the alley and came back up my street, but it feels pretty solid from that much. Maybe I'll take it for a spin this evening, I dunno.

Go set the rings and tell me how it feels. Chuck it into a few corners...hammer on the brakes. We are now living vicariously through you.

Vice grip cruise control. It's an Alberta thing.
Sharing in your satisfaction buddy!

I could take it no longer. The engine is buttoned up for now, rockers reset after head retorqued, timing and dwell checked, tank full, and I'm out driving it around.

The overdrive doesn't work, The Prof figures it's a couple of O-rings on the solenoid. I have another D-type in my shed, I may pull it and rebuild it while driving, or I may rebuild the whole tranny and R&R it. This one shifts well and though it whines a little, basically feels alright. When I pulled the drain plug it had it's share of metal shavings on it though.

The suspension bushings are sketchy. While I'm ordering the overdrive kit I may get some bushings for the rear axle. I'm picking up my fairly new front suspension in a couple weeks, I can live with this for now. I'll swap it out before Streetwheelers and will do an alignment then, it's close enough for now and with the bushings I'm not sure I'll get it any better.

The passenger seat webbing needs to be redone, should probably redo both. I may rearrange and/or redo the anchor for the front seatbelts to bring them down and back a little bit. They're fine but they ride a little high right now.

The rear seatbelts need to be installed, and while I've got the welder out I should patch up the inner rear fenders.

I'd like to wire the headlights over to switched power. I've gone too long driving cars that won't let me be stupid enough to drain the battery to trust myself with this one. Better headlights are needed, but they can wait since it currently doesn't get dark until way past my bedtime.

The alternator belt howls a little, and it's about as tight as I'd like it to be. Perhaps it's all this freshness getting used to each other. The alternator is new so the pulley is shiny and smooth, the belt is likewise. It IS a 78 amp alternator, though, so getting a bit big for one belt even though the Olds it was meant for only used one belt. Will wait to see how things pan out there.

Otherwise, game on!

What fantastic progress, Matt! Can I ask if you replaced any parts, and where you picked them up from? It's hard for me to think this is just an interim project judging by the work done. Nice work!

"Replaced any parts", David? You bet I did, I'm not sure how you might believe otherwise?

I get parts from all over the place. Many of them are from parts stores like Auto Value, or through Dale's Worldpac account, but some of those parts are wrong or dissappointing. Upper & lower rad hoses, for instance: "you think those are gonna fit here?"; and "what do you mean you can't source a thermostat?" Many of the esoteric parts come from Vintage Import Parts in Delta, BC. Olof supplies everyone I know. Swedish Treasures has the same catalogue as Olof does, so if one doesn't have it the other might. Waiting a week or two can suck, and they're generally more expensive but the parts are pretty much bang on. I got all my bolts from Bolt Supply House in town, and a few speed parts from Mopac. Finally we have a good source of used stuff in John Paulson, a local enthusiast who cares for client's cars. I can send you his contact info if you like.

(Pending editing)

Remind me to give you a proper battery hold down...

Ooooo! Me likey!

Thanks Craig, but this works better with this battery. Holding it down the "proper" way crushes the case (I tried it). I've got a rubber pad under it and this is holding it tight, it's not going anywhere.

Thanks for the information, Matt. The car is looking great!

Leakdown all between 6 and 8%, which is well within the "set" scale on my gauge (better than "low") and cranking compression at 188/182/186/184. I'm trying SAE30 in the carbs because ATF gave me lean hesitation and AFRs in the 17:1 range when hot (worse when cold, big stumbles). Overall runs pretty well!

Edit, those readings were taken warm, about 1 hour of cool-down after my evening commute.

Heavy leak from the steering box, though, and still need to take apart the overdrive and get it working.

The adventure continues!

Crushing the case? How many Dupuis you using on those nuts? Put away the stretch gauge! It's like the popped collar thing for battery hold downs!

Very few Dupuis needed to crush that case, I would have been able to do it with wingnuts. This battery is obviously wrong, but I wanted something fairly lightweight and available at Wal-Mart, where being flexible on fit is important. It's a bunch shorter than the OE battery, as you can see it doesn't use much of the notch in the inner fender and I'd have to have shortened the hooks for the factory hold-down.

And don't get too sassy about battery hold downs, mister. That one in the 242 isn't a whole bunch sexier!

You haven't seen the one that I just made for the 242 after the NAPA one broke at the last race...Remind me to give you an absorbent battery matt, I've got a few kicking around.