The Woofwagon. Beginning pictures

[Woofwagon]

Been a rough couple of months. Lost my uncle due to old age in July. He was a huge influence in my engineering career. Then my best friend was killed in a motorcycle accident two weeks later. My friend Jon helped me with all the wiring on this beast and I'm continuing to work on the Suburbillac as a way of memorial to his memory.

I coated the lower half of the Suburbillac today with roll on bed liner. I just masked it off and rolled it on with a paint roller. I put on two very heavy coats. Since it was a very warm day today, it made sense to do it and get a very hard cure on the coating. I've got a very strong feeling that we're due for a very bad and snowy winter here in Puget Sound and I want to be damn well prepared for it as my other two rides are not 4X4. I've got a console designed up for a CB and HAM radio system I just need to get serious and build it.

 

[Colorado_Outback]

Love the mud flaps!

Is that back bumper a little saggy or is it just me?

 

[Woofwagon]

I purposely put the back bumper at a slight down angle so that when the retaining nut is removed the carriers go do an open position by default and don't have to be pinned or bungeed open. I let gravity to the work.

 

[Colorado_Outback]

Cool. My jeep had the hitch built into the bumper so I used a gas shock to hold it open.

 

[Woofwagon]

Had the Centerlines mounted today. I put the steelies and hubcaps on my biodiesel processing trailer.

 

[chilliwak]

The woofwagon looks cherry there Mr Woof!:wings:

 

[Woofwagon]

This was last Saturday at the Monroe Swap Meet. Gotta love the cavernous hold on this old beast. Also I'm going to be sending the heads in soon for rework with 3 angle valve job, new springs, seals, keepers. I'm going to ask the machine shop if they could put in Chevy 454 valves for more flow. I may just stick with teh stock valves as I won't be spinning this thing up tight all the time.

 

[chilliwak]

It will be nice to see the upgrades you get into Woof!

 

[Woofwagon]

Update: I scored a pair of NOS Cadillac 500 heads last night that were purchased in the mid 70s but never used. They have all the valves, springs, seals and guides. I got both heads for 350 bucks! They do not have rockers on them but I was going to put stronger rockers and valve springs in anyway. I will consult with MTS or Cad Company if these unused springs can stand up to an RV pattern cam. I have no intention of revving this engine beyond 4 grand so it shouldn't be an issue, I like to double check things though.

 

[Woofwagon]

Some update pics

Pics of the 400W voltage inverter for the cab, converted ammo boxes into toolboxes between the seats and the bare block of the Cadillac.

 

[chilliwak]

I am looking forward to seeing your rig on the road..

Mr Wood!:bike_rider:

 

[Woofwagon]

Oh it's fully driveable now . I just want to make double sure that the Cadillac mill is all put together correctly before I go through the large job of this swap. The next research task is how to regulate the TBI fuel pump pressure down to 5-6psi for the Quadrajet to handle. IIRC, TBI runs at 19psi? Or is it lower? I know we talked about the possibility of using a 454 TBI on the Cadillac manifold.

 

[cyclic]

TBI is supposed to run 12-13 psi, but most are around 8-12psi. Basically to run a carb, all you do is add a fuel pressure regulator to the stock set-up. You can even run a return style using the stock TBI lines.
I'd very strongly recommend getting a DynamicEFI computer and a larger TBI. Should make for a strong running, easily tuned and reliable set-up with the least amount of changes from stock.
You could even do the computer upgrade right now to increase drivability and power with your stock 350 TBI.

 

[Woofwagon]

I had thought about the pressure regulator solution, but was uncertain as to the TBI fuel pressure. My Cadillac plans include using a fully rebuilt Quadrajet 825 cfm carb specifically designed for use on an engine of this size. I do like the news of being able to reprogram a TBI computer though and the thought of using a slightly modded 454 TBI on the Cadillac is really tempting.

 

[chilliwak]

I had thought about the pressure regulator solution, but was uncertain as to the TBI fuel pressure. My Cadillac plans include using a fully rebuilt Quadrajet 825 cfm carb specifically designed for use on an engine of this size. I do like the news of being able to reprogram a TBI computer though and the thought of using a slightly modded 454 TBI on the Cadillac is really tempting.

Getting tempted is a good thing Woof. Lets see some results....:drool: