Hawk-Rod: The Restoration

[HawkRod]

Looking at the exhaustive efforts and kil'r results of You Guys Helps Keep my Hope alive.....A Most Excellent Piece Hawk. A 66-69 Coronet is the one most important thing i have to do before i die....

Only you can decide the right time, but at some point you just have to go for it; it will never be the perfect time. When that time comes, start your thread and we'll be right here cheering you on...

...and speaking of exhaustive efforts. I resisted the urge to run out in the garage last night and turn the key. I went through every word in the 70 page FAST installation manual and checked/verified that I had completed everything. Hopefully I have my act together for the start attempt.

And speaking of that - time to get out in the garage!

 

[Bladecutter]

Hawkster....Thamkxs Man....Hope thing sail for You on Your Threshold. LOL...money is the deciding issue as usual...realclean turn key 67 Coro 440 (badged R/T) 383, ebay in wash st. buy now @ 9400.00. tight orig headliner..5oK mile car. Damn!...i actually have a Mopar @ moment..22 ft 73 Class C Fireball/Dodge...i'm tempted.....very tempted....the night Tokyo Drift came out....i had to teach rice burner kids in Torrance that the Japanese did NOT invent the drift w/ my 74 Dodge/Tioga 22. A little set-up, dropped spindles, footprint huge sways, Koni shocks & sub connectors....whet my appetite w some auto cross.

 

[440+6]

Fingers crossed for ya buddy, let us know how she sounds.

 

[HawkRod]

It's ALIVE!!!!

As is always the case, I had some things slow me down. First, I had a water leak at one of the heater hoses. Easy fix, but still took some time to get it right. Then I had a slight leak where my filler neck connects to my custom tank. Again, easy fix, but still ate up some time.

The thing that really took a lot of time was an electrical issue. The computer trigger needs power both in the run AND start modes. The circuit I hooked it to only had power in the run mode, but goes dead during start. I still haven't found a suitable wire - I finally just temporarily jumpered it to try and start the car.

Finally, getting oil pressure up took a bit of time. I took out the spark plugs and turned it over. Not the most ideal way, but for a broken in engine that has sat for a year, I think that was fine. Spark plugs went back in.

Then, I turned the key to start it for real, OMG it started first try!!!!!!!! :hello2:

I got it up to temperature, but by this time, I had to stop to head to a college graduation party for my good friends daughter. The only thing is that the timing does not quite seem right. When measuring with an old fashioned timing light it seems WAY too advanced, but then again, the FAST distributor is supposed to be mounted 30* BTDC. So I need to stop and figure some things out, get my act together, and be sure the timing is where it is supposed to be. Other than that and the computer trigger wire, everything else worked like a champ. I am thrilled!

Pictures and maybe a video coming (if I can figure out how to post it on YouTube)...

Thanks for all the support and well wishes FBBO! This is a MAJOR milestone for me!

 

[eldubb440]

its gonna fire right up!

I am always right,,,,,,,,, just ask the wife

 

[747mopar]

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing like hearing your baby come to life. Curious, why aren't you just using the power from the run position of the ignition, just double it with the ignition wire?

 

[CoronetDarter]

Congrats Hawk!!! That's gotta be an awesome feeling, after a year of blood, sweat, and beers. Can't wait to see the vid.

 

[kiwigtx]

Great news Hawk. :headbang:
I have found the easiest way to upload to YouTube is to film stuff on your smart phone...then directly upload - takes minutes, and is easy to do. :icon_thumright:

 

[hunt2elk]

Congrats on the fire up Hawk. I am always gun shy when turning the key for the first time after a resto, but it sure is cool hearing a new motor come to life. I agree with the others, we need to see a video of this one.

 

[HawkRod]

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing like hearing your baby come to life. Curious, why aren't you just using the power from the run position of the ignition, just double it with the ignition wire?

If you tie the run and ignition wires together, then you will back feed power the other circuit when you don't want it. Essentially, what you suggest is what I am going to do, I just have to do it through a relay or a logical "OR" circuit. I am still really surprised that there is no circuit that is powered in both conditions. I need to sit and think about this some to be sure I am not doing something stupid... LOL, it wouldn't be the first time!

Video hopefully coming later today or early tomorrow - still busy with various family functions, which makes me nuts because I want to be out with the car...

 

[MoparMitch]

Congrats Hawk !! I expect to see it in person at Carlisle !!

 

[Dad's69RR]

Congrats Hawk feels good doesn't it? I have some of the same obligations and want so bad to get the bird to paint. Can't wait to see some pics.

 

[Bladecutter]

Way to go Hawk....Proud Poppa. eh?!...if i don't get the right b by years end, the the Fireball is definitiely going up on stands,,,tweak the 360 mildly and 4 speed it....tyre it to death....stiffen it...lo-buck filler till i get right car.....i'm inspired Hawk....Good show Man...Please enjoy the Hell Out of Your Achievement,

 

[a68postcar]

good deal Hawk. you should be proud. well thought out, well executed. well done. unless we are talking about steak, then I will have mine medium please. just sayin'. congratulations Hawk. Very Nice.

 

[bobtile]

It's a great feeling to finally get her up and running. It was a 6 year journey for me. Congrats.

 

[HawkRod]

Video

OK guys and gals,

I tried to post a video, so please accept my advanced apologies if I screw this up. First time I uploaded anything to YouTube and the first time I have linked a video. Bear with me if this doesn't work...

[video]https://youtu.be/Av57bJD2QX0[/video]

 

[Hemirunner]

Great video. Did you get the timing figured out?

 

[HawkRod]

Timing Woes

So I have been struggling with the timing on my car. I can get it to run, and even run somewhat OK, but I can't get the computer to know what the timing is set at, and my timing mark on my balancer is no where near where it should be. Part of my problem is that I only have a basic timing light, so I can't dial in an advance on it to see where it really is.

I am wondering about the FAST distributor. A number of things just don't add up between the documentation and the part. Here is my first issue. The distributor allows for the module that senses rotor position to be mounted in a 0* or 50* position. However, the instructions (that are supposedly specific to my big block Mopar), have the opposite notation for the 0* and 50* positions. Now we all know that like it or not the world revolves around Chevy, and that distributor rotates clockwise while a Mopar B engine rotates counter clockwise. So I am inclined to believe the metal part markings since it has a "CCW" marking on it. But if that is wrong in the instructions, then what else is wrong? When I rotate the distributor base to get the LEDs to light as per the instructions, the #1 ends up way retarded from TDC. I that right? It sure doesn't seem so because I may have even backfired and destroyed my one muffler.


The next issue is that according to the FAST instructions "the rotor is pre-phased from the factory at 30* BTDC". Now I know my pictures below are hardly precise, but I will certainly argue that it is NOT 30* BTDC. If anything, it is further retarded than a standard Mopar distributor. I took these by using my adjustable to "index" the slot at the bottom of the shaft. Is this another issue with clockwise vs. counter clockwise? I am also not convinced that the electronics module is mounted correctly either. Is there another issue with clockwise vs. counter clockwise? I need to talk to FAST techs and see if I can figure out what is going on...

 

[Bladecutter]

Hawk....this is not a , You shoulda' done....post......i like old...conventional, physical parts werking with eachother and not all the 'by wire'....i will never get on a fly by wire aircraft same as i won't get on helis. Anyway it just comes to mind....my Brother was a Drag Boat Pilot in 70's just into 80's His own boat was Black Rush'n..... what started as Sanger flatty, went to Hondo and ended in Brendella...all flats...... motor was always a "Dandy" Dick 426 punched to 522, Wieand real hi-rise w dual 1500 Holley dubble pump and dual Scintilla Vertex Mag ignition and always ran hard as hell...Mike was the 'Shoe" in every bodies sights in UGF. the record of 135 in lo 9's was never broken at time they changed start rules from 275 ft pair up - 75 ft around 89-90. I met Landy a handful of times in the pits because He made as many events as He could in order to do final tweaks on the hardware of his that people ran....Landy did not use timing lights...strictly ear,,,with that big assed stoge sticking out of the corner of His mouth...harder He listened, harder He chewed the stoge. One thing i know...if i break on the side of the road with anything pre- computer, say pre 75, i always get em running again at least good enough to cripple it home....comps, sensors, egr, relays and all that i don't have a grasp on, might as well play switch for what i'll be able to do. whatever i end up building, when it comes to ignition, i'll go mag, or ACCEL maybe. i do want to build the linkin 4.6 (281") 6 bolt main alloy 4 cam, 4 valve V-8. which is stupid w/ eng mngmnt. MSD makes the alternative ignition/mngmnt conversion for it, while edelbrock offers holley induction. and Kar Kraft offers a set up with same Weber 48's as they made for Shelby 289 AC's. If i can figure a way to run dual mags i will. but if that's the bird i end up tweaking, i'll have to do the full electronic...pretty sure those don't have shaft distributors, so probably can't plug one in. The MSD alternate is supposed to be much less complex than the OEM mngmnt.
I wish You luck with sorting it out....it's great that You are running Man...home stretch andYou've got the whole summer...boo-rae!.....last pic is record 206mph run in 76 @ World Finals in Firebird. BFH, Deaver hull w/ Kieth Black/Donovan...boat was owned by Gene Deaver....Dennis "Godfather Pollacia" assumed the helm on it shortly after this run. Mike was real good Friends w/ Kenny West Who was piloting Sirunian's Western Mag Special BFH. West, prior to Mike's Firebird run was @ Oakland(pretty sure Oak) and the boat took off towards end of run and ejected Kenny(open days) San Francisco Chronichle ran front page the next day, big color photo of Kenny West timed through traps at 185.....w/o the boat. Kenny retired on that one & Mike decided that it was a sign He should quit pushing the envelope, so He started His retirement following the 76 World Finals, went out with a record. not long afterward Kenny, Who lived in Denver, had gotten home on a rainy night off a long flight, driving home, in His neighborhood, doing 25 mph ended up off the road and head on into a very big tree....punched His ticket.......Mike ran a few more times and then hung it up.

 

[HawkRod]

Thanks Bladecutter. No doubt if I had a simple carb then this thing would be running already - but where is the fun with that?? (smile)

Seriously, like anything, there are pros and cons. I am hoping the pros of this system will outweigh the setup headaches when I am driving both at sea level at in Denver without need for adjustments!