Our giveaway project is back at the Mopar Muscle shop and being assembled. Don't forget to sign up for the drawing at TWSpeedshop.com, and maybe you'll be the new owner of the project Timber Wolf Super Bee!
If you've been following our latest project, you know we're working with the Timber Wolf Speed Shop to build a very nice '69 Super Bee that will be given away to a lucky winner. Although we began this project with a complete, very solid car, we won't say the build has been completely trouble free. Though the car's paint looked ok, it was poorly applied and had to be stripped completely from the car before we could coat it with Diamont FY1 Top Banana paint. The engine was another issue. while our car's engine ran when we got it, the motor was a high-mileage unit and needed a complete overhaul, so we decided to make some performance improvements along the way.
This month, we'll assemble the engine of our Super Bee, install it, and begin the time-consuming task of reinstalling the trim and interior components. To assist with our project, we enlisted the guys at Auto Instruments.com to refurbish our gauge cluster. Classic Auto Air also pitched in, rebuilding our car's factory airbox and installing an all-new air-conditioning system under the hood of our Bee. YearOne provided the parts we needed to make this car show-quality. As far as the engine, we enlisted the help of Auto Performance Engines to perform the machine work on our factory block, and then assembled it ourselves with parts from Mancini Racing and Comp Cams.
We haven't finished our project yet, but we're making good progress. Follow along as we finally get the main components of our project in place, and work on some of the details that will make this a great street/strip car.
You could win this car or one of five other classics at the Timber Wolf Speed Shop.
Go to Twspeedshop.com for details.
No purchase necessary to enter or win in the Timber Wolf Speed Shop promotion. For official rules and info on how to obtain a free code, visit www.twspeedshop.com. Starts 12:01 a.m. CT 5/15/07 and ends 11:59 p.m. CT 11/1/07, or while supplies last. Open to legal residents of the contiguous 48 U.S. & D.C. (excluding VA & MA), 21-or-older, tobacco users, and who have a valid U.S. driver's license. Void in VA, MA, and where prohibited. Sponsor: Pinkerton Tobacco Co. LP.
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With the paint applied, we rolled project Timber Wolf back into the Mopar Muscle shop to be reassembled. | 
Auto Performance Engines cleaned and inspected our block, then treated it to an .030-inch overbore and line honed the main journals before installing all new cam bearings and freeze plugs. We'll be assembling this engine ourselves with new parts from Mancini Racing. |
The cam we installed is a Comp hydraulic flat-tappet unit that should provide a broad torque curve and good power at a streetable rpm. | 
We recommend using a dial bore gauge or micrometer and telescoping gauge to check oil clearances, but if you don't have those precision tools, a set of dial calipers will work. Our clearances were right in the middle of the tolerance, so we were ready to assemble our 383. | 
Flat-tappet cams require special break-in lubricant to protect the lobes when the engine is started and broken in. Comp also has break-in additive, which we'll add to the oil before start up. |
Another upgrade we're making is by adding a Comp double-roller timing chain and gears. | 
The windage tray was missing from our car's engine, probably because someone either couldn't get it back in with the engine in the car or because they only had one oil pan gasket after dropping the pan for some reason. We had an extra at the shop, so we cleaned it up and installed it. | 
We always prime an engine's oil system after assembly. Make sure you spin the oil pump counter clockwise and turn the engine over while priming to get oil to the rocker arms and upper valvetrain. |