New guy here

JB66CAT

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161
Updates

Got the trunk all cleaned out and sanded. Going to be painted this week, then put the cleaned and painted gas tanks, tubes and such back in with all new rubber parts. Really happy that I didn't find any rust! Whatever sound deadening or padding that was in there was stuck on pretty good. Tri Star did a great job of restoring the fuel sending unit. I know, small stuff but makes me smile.
 

Warren

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3,872
Indoor outdoor

Ah ha that's what lived under that indoor outdoor glued carpeting. My partner Lee is selling a stock radiator on eBay soon. As I recall yours has a baseball size dent did seller say how that got there?

Hope you have it together by Central coast British show that is a really nice drive up PCH from LA area..
 

JB66CAT

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Messages
161
Yeah, really hated to see the carpet go (not!) The radiator was upgraded to a CAT 3 row(?) years ago by PO. I think he was really pissed when it got punched. I think it was while in a shop and was accidentally pushed into something. Looks like the end of a 3x3 post hit it. It could be repaired. Or, maybe a Griffin ? Not sure. I'm not totally sure that a stock rad would be sufficient though since the engine is pretty hot as in hopped up. I need to decide soon though along with several other things. I'll keep my eye open for that stock one. I'm trying not to get too carried away with things but, once I start on these projects I tend to go overboard! Have decided to rewire, replace dash, etc. Here we go! Timeline? Just playing that by ear right now. Would love to be done for the run up the coast though.
 

JB66CAT

Gold forum user
Messages
161
Progress

Getting ready for paint. In the sanding process you can see the original white, then yellow, and the original oxide primer. The burgundy is history.
Radiator is out. Dam nice radiator if it hadn't been center punched! Sad.
A few weeks ago put a temp carb on it. The Holley 600 DP that was on it leaked from everywhere. Supposedly was a fresh rebuild, but 25+ years left the gaskets dried out.
That's a Boss 302 block with reworked 289 heads.
 

JB66CAT

Gold forum user
Messages
161
Bright work

Side chrome strips were missing. PO gave me what he had. Got all new pieces from SS. So, I have 1-front long, 1-door, and 2- rear. Included were two stainless strips of unknown origin. They are 5 inches longer that the longest piece for the sides and a tad wider. Not sure what they are for or even if they are for a Tiger! Here is a pic. Maybe someone will recognize it.
 

cobrakidz

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2,289
All the side trim pieces should be the same width so these are from some other make or model. Make sure all holes are drilled before paint as it can make a mess trying to drill them later--you can always clean out the holes if the paint fills them a little. Looking good.
 

JB66CAT

Gold forum user
Messages
161
Yeah, that's what I figured. Just some random trim pieces. Going to drill the holes before paint for sure. I have a partial layout pic (attached) that I pulled from the forum. Lot's of holes to drill! Thanks for the advise.
 
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JB66CAT

Gold forum user
Messages
161
Primer

I've been down with a bad back for a few weeks now but, my guys are making progress. Mostly in primer now. Doing the valance now and then the windshield will come off and prepped before final paint. Gaps all look good. (the hood is just sitting on it now). Also a pic of the dash and the shifter. The shop that the PO used did a nice job(IMHO) of extending the trans tunnel for the T5. Gonna need some extra carpet for that.
 

JB66CAT

Gold forum user
Messages
161
fun stuff

Looks good, now the fun part - assembly.

Thanks, most of it was there, and with a lot of help from Rick at SS, the good people here, Dale's, eBay, and scrounging, I think I have it mostly covered. A pile o' parts going to the plating shop!
 

Forrest39

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CAT Member
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406
Looks great Jim! What kind of paint is that and which color? It has a really nice depth to it.
Cheers, -Kevin
 

JB66CAT

Gold forum user
Messages
161
Kolor

Looks great Jim! What kind of paint is that and which color? It has a really nice depth to it.
Cheers, -Kevin

Thanks Kevin! House of Kolor Green custom mixed with minimal pearl and black. No flake. Over two coats of black primer. Finished with two coats of clear. I'm calling it American Racing Green. ;-)
 

JB66CAT

Gold forum user
Messages
161
Now for the differential

Going to re-fit the rear with a posi unit. Here are some pics of the rear end all cleaned up. Orange coating inside. Red oxide outside (what's left of it). Found those numbers too! I don't think it has ever been serviced.
 

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JB66CAT

Gold forum user
Messages
161
And so it goes

Funny how things evolve. The rebuild rear end and posi are in and painted.
Engine: The engine in this car when I bought it, as I have previously stated, was a Boss 302 with heavily worked 289 heads and a Rhodes cam and lifter set up which I was dubious about. It was built back in the late 80s by a hot rod shop. I did get it started and it was very lumpy. I worried about all the seals etc. after a 25+ year snooze and I kept thinking about the possibility of having to re-do it after getting it all back together. Plus, I wanted to paint the engine compartment. So, pulled the engine and replaced it with a new 347 stroker with aluminum heads. It already had the T5 so I replaced the ring and pinion set with 3:31 gears. (also running 15 inch wheels) It's back on the ground now and ready for rewiring and dash refurb. Did some clean up on the front cross member, brakes, rack, etc. and re-painted the parts. More to come...
 

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MT Roads

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Messages
46
Details.....

Just found this thread. The car is looking better and better! A lot of good work already done, and just a bit more to go. Congrats!

You may have already heard some or all of this, but here are some of the details about the previous rebuild of that car.

The Boss 302 Block also has the Boss 302 Forged Steel Crank & OEM Rods [shot-peened]. Those items alone should be worth something to someone, should you decide to sell it separately. The Head Bolt holes in the block have been heli-coiled & ARP head studs used, in case the heads have not been removed yet.

The engine was built with 12.5:1 Compression. Perhaps not the best plan for a street build then [& not my idea, nor that of Mike, the engine builder], but sometimes the wild hair takes root. So the pistons would need to be changed if someone wanted to build something milder for the street.

The engine was built by Mike Partlow of “Mike Partlow Racing Engines”. Mike had a side business building engines in his garage at night. Some of these were short blocks to order for Speedway Motors a Speed Shop in Santa Fe Springs [moved to Azusa, last I heard], others were to order for a variety of cusotmers. the business was mostly to earn extra $$ to support his racing habit.

His last major personal project car was a 56 Chevy 2 door street car that was Concours quality.

Prior to that, he had found a cheap salvage 1972 Mitsubishi Colt project car & turned it into a tube frame drag car with a 427 sbc that ran in the 8s. Guys that saw it run still talk about it. Mike was a machinist for COLA Cranks for years, then went to JE pistons to help launch the SRP brand on the sales side when they were still in Huntington Beach. He passed prematurely and is still missed by most everyone who knew him.


Back to the Tiger. The engine & 5 speed install [and the trans tunnel work] was done by “Doc’s Hot Rod Welding” of Long Beach. Some of his work had been featured in magazines. When the engine was first fired up for the initial run-in, we discovered that the original Tach had been changed sometime in the past [prior PO] to one from an MGB or similar, as many did in order to have the face with 6K RPM red line rather than the puny looking 5K original. That owner was not aware apparently, or did not perform for whatever reason, the necessary tach conversion from a 4 cyl application to that for a V8. Therefore the tach was always registering 2x the actual rpm of the engine.

The brake system was completely rebuilt with new master & wheel cylinders, rather than rebuilding the originals. All of the suspension bushings & tie rod ends were replaced. A new exhaust system was fabricated when all was done.

When completed, the car needed to be smogged prior to registration. The smog shop struggled to get it to pass, and no doubt leaned it out a lot.

After the smog session, it was finally taken back home. Before it could get re-tuned for street use, the accident with the radiator occurred. That became the final straw in the rebuilding process. The owner at the time had other interests, job stress, etc. and decided not to indulge any more time & resources to it.

Best wishes for the rest of the project!

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