BUILD THREAD JRP's '87 Regal Thread

[joesregalproject]

Small update but it feels like a big one for me. I got door panels in today. It's been 6 1/2 years since this car has had door panels in it.

I vacuumed out the insides of the doors to get any loose dirt/dust out. Then sprayed in my Transtar Amber Rustproofing and let it tack up. Last night I made vapor barriers from some black visqueen leftover from another project using the old paper vapor barrier as a template. I stuck those on with 3M strip caulk and a couple pieces of book binding tape for good measure. I had to drill new holes for the upper panels since they are different than the originals. I reused my jute padding insulation as it was nearly like new. Then stuck the door panels on with all new clips. I still have to put the armrests on but I have to dig them out of the attic yet.

I need to find or make some screw covers for the uppers since they were missing from the car I got the panels out of. Shouldn't be a big deal. These door panels aren't perfect but man are they better than what I had and certainly better than nothing. So for the forseeable future they'll be just fine.

I also had one tire that didn't match the other three, so I found a matching tire and took them to work and swapped them, so I now have 4 matching wheels and tires. The tires are a little small but they have decent tread and aren't dry rotted. Plus they were free so... 👍

 

[1evilregal]

Those cutlass panels look good in there! I always liked the look of those over all the rest, other than the GP panels that is....

 

[MrSony]

Looks great man! Makes my interior look like sh*t.
... I got some work to do.

 

[joesregalproject]

Got over to the machine shop today to see how things are coming. I dropped both sets of heads off last week so Bob could start going through them while we're waiting on other parts. He got them apart and they are both pretty worn, the 76 heads are slightly better than the '72 heads but not by a lot. The seats in the '72 set are pretty hammered. My stamped steel rockers are worn, so I'm just gonna buy whole new assemblies from T/A. Both sets of heads magged fine, Buick heads rarely crack so that wasn't a huge concern. Bob has yet to start measuring them up, but we'll use whichever set is better. I have two sets of valves so hopefully I can make a set of 16 good ones from the 32 I have. I'm gonna have some bowl blending done but other than that they will be stock.

The rods have been reconditioned, none of them were in too bad of shape. We got my timing cover apart, and it's trashed, so I'm gonna have to pick one up from T/A along with their timing tab and distributor hold down. I was hoping I could reuse mine, but oh well.

I went to put in my rear sail panel inserts today and had to take the back seat out to gain access to the screws that hold the sail panels in. While I was back there I realized how ugly my package tray looked. I tried painting it once with fabric paint, but the color match was off and I got over spray on the plastic pieces. So I ended up pulling out the sail panels and the package tray and getting all the overspray off of the plastic trim using brake fluid, and then washed them in soap and water and 303'd them. I was gonna recover the package tray, but for $100 Mike's Montes sells a whole new tray, so I just bought a whole new one. I also got the rear headliner clips that I broke.

So kind of a boring update, but there is stuff going on.

 

[fleming442]

Bob sounds like a good guy!

 

[MrSony]

Got over to the machine shop today to see how things are coming. I dropped both sets of heads off last week so Bob could start going through them while we're waiting on other parts. He got them apart and they are both pretty worn, the 76 heads are slightly better than the '72 heads but not by a lot. The seats in the '72 set are pretty hammered. My stamped steel rockers are worn, so I'm just gonna buy whole new assemblies from T/A. Both sets of heads magged fine, Buick heads rarely crack so that wasn't a huge concern. Bob has yet to start measuring them up, but we'll use whichever set is better. I have two sets of valves so hopefully I can make a set of 16 good ones from the 32 I have. I'm gonna have some bowl blending done but other than that they will be stock.

The rods have been reconditioned, none of them were in too bad of shape. We got my timing cover apart, and it's trashed, so I'm gonna have to pick one up from T/A along with their timing tab and distributor hold down. I was hoping I could reuse mine, but oh well.

I went to put in my rear sail panel inserts today and had to take the back seat out to gain access to the screws that hold the sail panels in. While I was back there I realized how ugly my package tray looked. I tried painting it once with fabric paint, but the color match was off and I got over spray on the plastic pieces. So I ended up pulling out the sail panels and the package tray and getting all the overspray off of the plastic trim using brake fluid, and then washed them in soap and water and 303'd them. I was gonna recover the package tray, but for $100 Mike's Montes sells a whole new tray, so I just bought a whole new one. I also got the rear headliner clips that I broke.

So kind of a boring update, but there is stuff going on.

Be mindful, 74+ heads/blocks have slightly different coolant passages than 68-73 heads/blocks. No reason to not use the 72 heads. The 76 are slightly more choked down, but there is more meat there for porting vs the 72. The 72 can only take roughly 75% of the porting the thicker 76 heads can before cracking can become an issue. You can have him refresh both sets if you wish since you already dropped em off, but I'd keep the heads to their respective blocks.

 

[joesregalproject]

Bob sounds like a good guy!

He is, he's like a mad scientist. Right now he's also building another set of Buick heads, and just finished a Buick 350 for a customer before I brought mine in.

Be mindful, 74+ heads/blocks have slightly different coolant passages than 68-73 heads/blocks. No reason to not use the 72 heads. The 76 are slightly more choked down, but there is more meat there for porting vs the 72. The 72 can only take roughly 75% of the porting the thicker 76 heads can before cracking can become an issue. You can have him refresh both sets if you wish since you already dropped em off, but I'd keep the heads to their respective blocks.

Yeah, I know the coolant passages are a little different. They are interchangable as long as you use the correct head gasket. Reason I dropped off both sets was so Bob could pick the better of the two. Once he measures them up I can decide which ones to use. It'll depend on exactly how recessed the seats are, how much they need milled, and whether or not one or both sets need guides. Again, won't know any of that until that are measured up. I'd prefer to keep the 72 heads on the 72 block, but if there will be less labor in the '76 heads, I'm gonna go with those.

 

[joesregalproject]

My parts from Mike's Montes came today, they look good. Hopefully I'll get around to installing them sometime next week.

I stopped by the machine shop this morning and not much news, still waiting on parts since most places were off the last week and a half for the holidays. Bob was setting all 4 cylinder heads in the hot tank when I stopped, but that's about all.

I don't want to spend any real money until my engine is done, but I've been window shopping rear axles. I'm not sure which way I wanted to go. The 7.5 I have has literally brand new rear brakes on it and I'd hate for those to go to waste. I'm considering doing a full rebuild on my current rear with Moser axles, new LSD carrier, a new ring and pinion, bearings, seals, and girdle cover. I could take it out, have the housing blasted and powder coated and swap all the internals, probably for less than what an 8.5" would cost me. Then again if I find an 8.5" for a song and dance, I'm gonna jump on it. Either way I'm still a ways off from that point yet.

 

[MrSony]

My parts from Mike's Montes came today, they look good. Hopefully I'll get around to installing them sometime next week.

I stopped by the machine shop this morning and not much news, still waiting on parts since most places were off the last week and a half for the holidays. Bob was setting all 4 cylinder heads in the hot tank when I stopped, but that's about all.

I don't want to spend any real money until my engine is done, but I've been window shopping rear axles. I'm not sure which way I wanted to go. The 7.5 I have has literally brand new rear brakes on it and I'd hate for those to go to waste. I'm considering doing a full rebuild on my current rear with Moser axles, new LSD carrier, a new ring and pinion, bearings, seals, and girdle cover. I could take it out, have the housing blasted and powder coated and swap all the internals, probably for less than what an 8.5" would cost me. Then again if I find an 8.5" for a song and dance, I'm gonna jump on it. Either way I'm still a ways off from that point yet.

All that stuff is as much or more as a new rear end, about triple what 3.73 monte rears go for around me.

 

[joesregalproject]

Got my harmonic balancer back in the mail today from Dale Manufacturing in Oregon. They did a great job, and it's guaranteed for life, plus it was cheaper than a new one. Highly recommend them if you need a balancer rebuilt.

Here's their website- http://www.hbrepair.com

I'm planning on stopping at machine shop tomorrow to drop it off and get an update on the engine.