80 Catalina Safari

Discussion in 'Station Wagon Projects' started by OldFox, Feb 26, 2013.

  1. OldFox

    OldFox Curmudgeon

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    Just posted my intro in the Welcome Wagon. Pics of the car there. I just got it at the end of January and working as weather permits. It's a 301 4bbl engine....last year before computers arrived.

    Started with the top end. It had a lifter pecking and engine virtually untouched at 128k. Tore it down, cleaning and painted parts as I went. It had 4 lifters showing pitting on their faces. Everything else was showing its age. I put in a CompCams 252h cam and lifters, timing chain and gears. Don't need a tire smoker anymore. Replaced belts, hoses, and about 25 feet of vacuum lines. New water pump, thermostat, fuel pump and lines, power steering hoses, starter and radiator.

    Eliminated the smog pump and found the proper pulley so the alternator runs off the engine instead of off the pump. Saw too many pumps lock up and strand people because their battery went dead.

    Didn't touch the AC because I will have to convert it to R-134 later. Next comes air shocks and duals. It had an AM radio but I found an AM/FM cassette unit which I promptly installed. Now I can listen to my 50's thru 80's tapes which I still have.

    It will get new paint as what's on there is the original dead lacquer. Need to re-arrange my shop to get it inside as my gun business is taking up too much space now.

    Need some body and interior parts but it doesn't look like anyone is making B body stuff on the repro market. I hate all that plastic crap they are assembled with.

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  2. Dewey Satellite

    Dewey Satellite New Member

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    Nice work indeed!
     
  3. Fat Tedy

    Fat Tedy Island Red Neck

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    :Welcome:, really like the look of the split headlamp Phonchos, real clean looking plain janer you have:) Sooooo, lets see a pic of the dogs in the back:D
     
  4. OldFox

    OldFox Curmudgeon

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    No dog pics yet. One is a hair shedding Australian shepherd and the other is a beagle/basset mix that slobbers like Cujo. Both were dumped off in the country and found their way to my house within days of starving to death. The shepherd was down to 17 lbs from her normal 65. Had about 300 ticks hanging off her body along with heartworms. Her fur looked like a buffalo shedding its winter coat and was matted tightly she had open sores. We named her Mattie.
     
  5. Fat Tedy

    Fat Tedy Island Red Neck

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    Kudos to you for saving them:tiphat:, different storys but been there with our mugs.

    Rescue, my favorate breed of animal!
     
  6. Olds Weighty Eight

    Olds Weighty Eight New Member

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    Welcome aboard. That engine's looking sharp. How far west TN are you? :D
     
  7. MikeT1961

    MikeT1961 Well-Known Member

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    Great job on the old wagon. It is great to see one of these plain Jane wagons getting love and affection!

    Amazing how the dogs were lucky enough to find their way to you, and many, many kudos for taking them in and bringing them back to health. Can't wait to see them! As Tedy says, what's a wagon without dogs in the back?
     
  8. fannie

    fannie Well-Known Member

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    How there both doing better now. How long ago was this? Man I hate it when people do this! :mad:
     
  9. OldFox

    OldFox Curmudgeon

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    I'm your neighbor out in rural Somerville.
    I always preferred plain janes for my personal vehicle. You can do more with them and there's less stuff to go wrong. There can be a downside though, like idiot lights instead of gauges. Drives me nuts, especially on an older car. I've got an aftermarket set, but there's really no place to hang em where they are visible and not in the way. Still thinking on that. May be able to find a factory set and replace my dash panel.
    Funny how destiny happens. I was in the back yard working on my Deere mower. Mattie came inside the fence, laid down, looked at me with her sorrowful eyes and said please save me. We did. She's been with us for 6 years now.

    I was dressing a deer in front of the shop. Bubba snuck in and stole a foreleg, carried it off a ways and started chawing down on it. I took it away from him and tried to chase him off. He kept coming back and trying to carry stuff off. The wife finally took him in the house, fed him and gave him a bath and we were stuck with him. He's been with us for 10 years now. We had another beagle that was being abused by the neighbors. The wife went over and took it away from them and threatened to turn them in if they raised a stink. She's hell on wheels and they didn't. Sadly it died from a fast spreading cancer last year.
     
  10. jrwscout

    jrwscout New Member

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    Nice work on the engine refurbish. I like your approach towards getting it road worthy.
     
  11. Krash Kadillak

    Krash Kadillak Well-Known Member

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    Nice work!,
    I was saving this info, but I don't have any $$ to buy parts right now. This guy in New Jersey was parting out a '80 Bonneville coupe. He had bucket seats, console, factory gauge package, maybe more.

    http://southjersey.craigslist.org/pts/3550161642.html

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