Wildcat-need some help identifying

Starting to loose patience with this project. That being said, without writing a novel of what I have done..... looking for input on why I would keep burning ignition coils (2) and it hasn’t even ran!? All the research and trial and error I have done are putting me back at square one. I’ve Gone over the simple wiring diagram at least 10x. Points,gap,dwell,firing order, wires 7mm, plugs gapped.
I MAY soon be asking if anyone is interested in the project or parts

[QUOTE=SWANY] Just an update for Ken- I now have spark. So thank you! /QUOTE]

Kinda nice of Prestolite to use a lot of the same parts in their distributors for different brands.

Mallory has even more interchangeability of the internals

Since there's no shaft in the boat and you're not worried about alignment, why not just jack up the back of the engine enough to get the starter out?

Just an update for Ken- I now have spark. So thank you! Confirms I got the wiring all correct also. As mentioned this thing was a mess and sorting out the problems. Need to get yet another starter solenoid, I’ve gone thru two trying to get it running. Going to make all new cables up to the starter. I am running out of solutions to the low cranking issue. Joe suggested pulling the starter to clean, and I would be all for that except I don’t see how I can get one of the bolts even loose without pulling the motor or cutting a notch in the stringer now. Which it is getting stringers so.... pulling the starter is two steps down my list of options

phatsat67 wrote: Joe, I think in marine/industrial applications Chrysler still opted to use the good old 1:1 starters. In automotive world they went to a different style that has the signature Chrysler starter noise. Early 426 street hemis still used the 1:1 and sounded just like the marine starters. Newer style gear reduction Chrysler starters spin reallllly fast but I don't know if anyone makes a RR setup unless a rear entry would get the job done. May be an option for replacement.

The marine BBC starters of that era are definitely great big 1:1 starters made by prestolite - the polys used a very similar if not the same starter. They get the job done but often make you wonder if they are turning fast enough. - If I was running one of these engines in a day to day ski boat that I was going to start and stop a hundred times a day Id consider finding a gear reduction solution.

Joe, I think in marine/industrial applications Chrysler still opted to use the good old 1:1 starters. In automotive world they went to a different style that has the signature Chrysler starter noise. Early 426 street hemis still used the 1:1 and sounded just like the marine starters.

Newer style gear reduction Chrysler starters spin reallllly fast but I don't know if anyone makes a RR setup unless a rear entry would get the job done. May be an option for replacement.

The only crazy plan is one that has you doing more work than is necessary, use good epoxy at it will happily bond to anything that is solid and dry.
Big battery, small battery nothing really makes a big block Chrysler sound like it wants to crank. In my experience they all sound like they are barely able to turn over right till they bump to life. If the timing is off at all it will be even worse. Make sure the wires and connections are good, and consider giving the starter a quick tear down. Its intimidating to some people but it's a quick project to pull the starter pull it apart and clean as needed with some crc electric parts cleaner and emory cloth.   
I strongly recommend you start by turning the engine by hand to top dead center then pull out the distributor/collar/cam gear and then manually operate the oil pump until you build pressure, and then long enough to make sure you move oil up to the top end. After that I would put the distributor back in and compression test, if everything went well there then check for spark and consider starting it.   

I'd pull most of the foam out of it and let it dry out really well. If you're lucky, most of the stringer system will be solid and you can get away with using Git Rot in the areas that have rot, if they're not too bad. Unless you're dying to do a stringer job....

JoeinNY wrote: Zach knows his mopars but it is still a 440, and will be stamped on a pad in the front top of the block (hanging out in front of the valley cover on the port side) with the displacement as well as the casting numbers on the side.

Joe know's his marine Chrysler big block parts better than anyone.

Joe, I remember the video. What kind of damage did the engine suffer?

Fire it up, that will tell you a lot!

Congrats Boys!!

Brian- We need you to pull out the card and buy a cover...kidding.
The block is moving freely!!! Had a couple minutes of day light to try and spin it. Found 6 freeze plugs real quick all in the right spots. There's even more hope now.

SWANY wrote: Joe- just out of curiosity did that cover you have come with it? At badin it looked identical to my original 2001 hull cover. We put it on the boat for the time being and it's not very close to right.

I bought that cover last year from boat covers direct, its not what I could call luxurious up by the bow flair so you have to have it centered just perfect to stay on, but the price was right and they just happened to have a pattern for a 68 Wildcat on the books.   I figure I might have to add a little material to the front sides at some point to make it easier to cover from the dock but I still feel pretty good about it.   They also had cheaper materials available.

Product: Tie-down Kit and Storage Bag
Part #61001
Carver Tie-down and Bag Combo - Promo
Quantity: 1
Price: $0.00

Product: Styled-to-Fit Boat Cover
Part #74100A
Material: 9.25 oz. Sunbrella Acrylic
Color: Royal Blue
Manufacturer: CORRECT CRAFT
Model: WILDCAT
Years: 68
Quantity: 1
Price: $413.74

Subtotal: $413.74
Shipping: $0.00

Thanks Larry.
Good info thank you. Hopefully I'll dig into it soon here and see if the block turns. So the condition of the motor is unknown at this point. Although I spun the shaft when I was tying things down and it moved like it just had an alignment! Steering moves freely and the controls. Only thing that's missing is the bow light, tech, and the pylon. We have the rear seat, motor box and then it has two steel bucket seat frames for the front. There's one spot up on the Bow where somebody probably hit a dock so there's some kind of patch work there, a couple spots along the chine but otherwise it's in pretty good shape. Floor is gone....enough said.
Lots to dig into and investigate
Joe- just out of curiosity did that cover you have come with it? At badin it looked identical to my original 2001 hull cover. We put it on the boat for the time being and it's not very close to right.

Zach knows his mopars but it is still a 440, and will be stamped on a pad in the front top of the block (hanging out in front of the valley cover on the port side) with the displacement as well as the casting numbers on the side.

Mojo wrote: Polish that snot colored beauty and get it to Green Lake !!!

Well Brian certainly seemed to have the Wildcat bug pretty hard after a quick ride around in the Fennessy/Pinkham collaboration down in NC so I don’t see this one getting too far away if he is involved. Especially if he got a ride in one that is running right… That's a 440 for sure, 71 seems a big late but possible and certainly I would put it 68+ with that cooling system. I can compare that SN to whats in my garage at some point and we will be closer. What is the status of that engine, known bad or just unknown?    The technology and parts are around to rebuild her for sure, just a question of time and money.   I am going to do my best to get out to GL with a big boat this year- just need to get a few more out there from Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri… and Chicagoland and we can have ourselves a BIG time for sure.