Author: admin

Catalina Done!

by admin, posted in Pontiac Catalina

For now, at least.

October to January:

  • Engine pulled, re-ringed, re-bearinged, re-sealed
  • Ported #15 heads, 3-angle valve job
  • Summit 2801 camshaft (214°/224° 0.444″/0.466″ 112°)
  • Steering box rebuilt and re-sealed
  • Transmission pump re-sealed
  • Front Control Arm upper and lower bushings replaced
  • 3/4 coil cut off front springs
  • Re-aligned with -0.5°R/0.0°L Camber, +3° Caster, and 1/8″ Toe-in.

Read More: Pontiac Catalina

Forgotten Oldie

by admin, posted in My Shop

This was an old “never posted” draft from 2021:

New toy came home.  Paid scrap metal pricing, since the carriage didn’t work any more, no chucks, no tooling, and the camlock hardware was stripped.

It’s a Force International 12×36, possibly a “gunsmithing” lathe. Force no longer exists.

Replacement camlock screws and springs came from Grizzly (their 4003 lathe is the same). The detent pins have been deceptively hard to locate.  I ended up fabricating my own out of 1/4″ drill rod, hardened using motor oil.

This allowed one of the used chuck to be trial fitted. I’ve ordered a brand new 3-jaw, as you really need a decent chuck to do decent work.

A new $1 roll pin was replaced (6mm; the old one had worn down to 5mm and fell into the apron):

The carriage was reassembled:

Tailstock reinstalled:

I did a good service on everything since it was all apart. Lathe runs, and operates, and feeds. Waiting for the tool post to arrive. I can use my existing carbide tool holders.  Needs a new nut-thingie inside the tailstock.

End Update: I did get a Quick Change Tool Post, as well as a brand new 8″ chuck.  Lathe has been in service since – works great!

Back Together Again!

by admin, posted in Pontiac Catalina

We swapped out the old “outers only” valve springs, and installed Comp Cams 988-16 valve springs by pumping compressed air into the cylinder (through an old compression tester hose), and a valve compressor made from a “fiendishly low build quality” Wrecking Bar that I modified.

Handy tip for installing hoods – use a bolt with the head cut off and rounded (and slotted like a flat-blade screw) as a “pin” to hold the hood in the hinges. Much easier to support the hood while you argue with fasteners.

Now we just need to wait for some dry, no snow, no salt, days to break in the rings.