Build thread - Resurrection of an old Contemporary

[767Jockey]

Well, an update of sorts. First, the bad news - engine still isn't done. However, there is good news. I saw the engine today, and it's a thing of beauty. The guy truly is an artist. The handiwork on this thing is second to none. Everything done so far is absolutely perfect. The hand made parts and custom work done on it is awesome. Minor examples, among many: The intake is a Edelbrock Performer RPM. The manifold was port matched by Keith Craft to match the KCR CNC Stage II head ports. I gave the intake back to the engine builder, and he machined the "Edelbrock" and "Performer RPM" off the manifold and blasted it with some unknown media, and the manifold looks perfect. You'd never know it was ever on there. Same with the Edelbrock water pump. He also custom built me a single 4bbl. fuel log that looks absolutely perfect. I'm running an electric fuel pump, so he mounted an fuel pump block off plate where the mechanical fuel pump would normally be. Down in the area where the diaphram business end of the mechanical fuel pump would normally be, he mounted the fuel regulator, then ran perfectly formed hard line up to the fuel log. Unless you crane your neck to look under and see that it's a regulator down there and not a pump, it looks just like original. Just a whole bunch of things like that making a huge difference in the detail of the engine bay. Add this to all the awesome custom work that Nick Acton has done ("Mickmate" here on CC) and the level of custom details on the car are second to none.

Right now it's basically a complete engine except for the intake not being bolted on and the ignition. He has assembled the entire valvetrain without the intake being on to run the engine by hand through a bunch of cycles so that he has a good view of the entire valvetrain in motion and can see clearly any issues involved. Now that he's satisfied with all that, he'll pull the valvetrain, install the intake, and get the rest of the engine buttoned up. He expects to have it running an a week or two, ready for delivery.

I saw the carburetor today and it looks awesome. I custom ordered a Quick Fuel 950, but had them leave off all the purple or red bling, whatever that color is, and had them make it all original Holley color. I then went to Carl's Ford Parts and bought two complete LeMans bowl assemblies. I had my engine builder assemble the whole shooting match together, and it looks great, and should work even better. Today's visit was just what I needed to get a jolt of ambition to get this project moving again. Once I get the drivetrain installed I can drop the body over it and start making all my final hookups.

I don't know if I'll have the time to do it all, with the car being in NY and me just having bought a house in Texas, but I'll do the best I can, and if I can't get it done I'll trailer up the whole thing and bring it up to Nick Acton in NH and let him finish it all up. If any of you guys reading this are up on Long Island, sometime in the near future I may need a small group of guys to help me lift the body on to the chassis. I'll supply the beer and pizza if anyone on the Island cares to spend a night spinning wrenches and lifting. The car is completely rebuilt so you won't even get dirty. That's about it for now, I'm ready to run down the final stretch with this thing, I just need that aluminum powerhouse in my hands to get going. I'm starting to get motivated and eager again. Finally..........