63 - 67 Sting Ray Registry
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Richard Fagin's '66 Convertible
Here’s the end product of 4 years worth of restoration work, picture taken in December 1998. The car is a 1966 L-72 (425HP) convertible. The story doesn’t end there, though. I bought the engine from a supplier in Los Angeles, from where it came by Delta Air Freight to Houston. Right away, I had problems, because the supplier forgot to cut an oil groove in the rear cam bearing journal. The motor came out for that and to have the main bearings align honed – the first time. Little did I know what was in store. I had substituted a BIG Comp Cams hydraulic cam for the factory mechanical one, just to do away with the noise and bother. Sure enough, it dropped an exhaust valve, bending 2 pushrods. Turned out the pistons needed to be fly cut! Out came the motor for the second time. Took the car home, only to have it drop another exhaust valve! This time, I finally figured out that the pushrod guide plates were improperly made. The pushrods rubbed the base of the guide fork! Then, my big hydraulic cam rounded a lobe and shattered a lifter. What a mess. I replaced the cam, but apparently too much metal debris got in the oil system. The week before I took the bar exam in Feb. 1999, the motor seized solid. Out it came for the third time. I got the car running again in May 1999. It did well until Feb. 2002, when it started making a nasty rapping noise under load. Out came the motor for the fourth time for a rebuild in April 2003. I had to wait until December to get the car back – only to find out that the machine shop installed the rear cam bearing incorrectly. I burned a few rocker arms before figuring out what happened. Well, out came the motor for the fifth time. Finally, it was finished in late January 2004, 0.040 overbore with a Comp Cams Nostalgia Plus solid lifter cam, 10.2:1 compression, and Total Seal gapless piston rings. Runs super on 93 octane pump gas and gives the “kids” in their Mustang GTs the fits. Camaros –you’re next!
, Houston, TX