'73 Vega GT All Aluminum Wildcat 355 Project

Contents:
Page 1: Engine Block prep
Page 2: Head mods
Page 3: Induction/Exhaust
Page 4: Engine Assembly
Page 5: Front Suspension Mods
Page 6: Rear Suspension/Weight Transfer Mods
Page 7: Rust Repair and Undercarriage prep
Page 8: Frame Rail fabrication/Unibody support
Page 9: Body Mods
Page 10: Transmission Mods
Page 11: T5 Rebuild
Page 12: BMW Radiator Swap

My project started life as a D&D Fabrications Buick 215 V8 Vega conversion. The documentation goes back to '78. It was owned by a body shop guy who didn't drive it much. I bought it as a feckless youth and used it as a daily driver through two Minnesota winters. Kinda stupid but we didn't have much money back then. As you can see from my pic here's what the Vega looked like when I started. It looks a little worse right now because I've got half of it apart for modification. I'll be using this page to document the modifications I've made and will be making. My ultimate goal is to drive it in the Targa Newfoundland . I hope my successes and mistakes are helpful to some other motorheads out there.

The body work is working out great. Here's a preview. Details on page 9:

The 'Cuda lights turned out really bitchin'. Since going to the CarCraft Summer Nats I've decided to run cold air intake from the marker lights in the front. Those two round holes right there. I think that will look bitchin'.

Here's a quick segway... Look what I found in the Hawaiian jungle on a recent trip: A WILDCAT 355! WOW! I couldn't believe it when I came across it. It's a pretty rare version of the SBB and to find it in the jungle was a r eal treat...

I figured I should add a couple other pix of me. First is a pic of us dorks working on our project cars in Winter. In this pic it was about -15ºF outside in the middle of January. NASTY! The second is a good pic of me welding on my buddies project: Grassroots Motorsports $2009 Challenge Car . Fun project. Learn more about the Grassroots Challenge here .

_________________________________________________________________________________

Wildcat 5.0 Aluminum Tribute (actually a stoker Rover/Buick Hybrid)

After I bought this Vega I really got into the aluminum Buick V8s. Since '96 I have researched and planned on a larger capacity version. I never thought I'd manage to actually do it until I discovered that Rover had started producing cross-bolted four bolt main versions of the Rover/Buick small-block.

The weak part for these blocks was the cylinders slipping in the casting... interupted

_________________________________________________________________________________

OK after all is said and done. I'm actually having the block resleeved afterall. I woke from a nightmare that my pins (discribed in detail below) fell out and chewed up the pistons. Then the pieces got all tied up with the other parts and it just went to shit. SO, after I woke with a start and dried the tears from my eyes, I bought some flanged sleeves from Westwood Cylinder Liners in UK:

Westwood Cylinder Liners: Rover V8

I've decided to go ahead an have these pushed in. It's an expensive proposition but with this process all the potential cylinder problems. Cracking behind the sleeves are no longer a problem and no more sleeves slipping. It also allows your machine shop is able to mill the block a few thou lower than the sleeves for better cylinder sealing... I'll post the final cost as it comes. The liners came to $609 shipped from UK.

A bit out of order but since we are on the subject of recent acquisitions: I found a listing for this single plane Harcourt intake for my project on the Triumph Rover Spares website. I was lucky enough to speak with the proprietor Ian Wilson. It was great to speak with him. TRS has done really well in recent Tarmac Targa Rally competitions resently including an overall win and 5th in the 2006 Adelaide Classic Tarmac Rally. NOT a Porsche WAY hotter! TR7 with ROVER beef. HOT! Go to their website and read all about them. Thanks TRS!!!

_________________________________________________________________________________

I've got some pix of the 5th and final mockup install. The placement is pretty good after moving the engine down and back by 2.5". I was able to do the last of the header fabrication and fitting. Now those are out and ready for coating:

I've included some pix of the space under the hood too: