Projects Cutting my Hotrod Teeth (57 Chevy Budget build/revival)

So i have a guy looking through his bell housing collection here locally, wants the casting number of the bell housing i need. can any of you guys check your stash and see what you've got?

 

Picking up the right bell housing today or tomorrow, i have 3 of the trans bolts out, can’t get to the top drivers side one. The engine hoist i have pulls itself towards the car because the arm isnt quite long enough, and i ended up crunching the grille bar, but it was already cracked anyway. I think to get the engine out i’m going to have to use the hoist to get it lifted up, then pull the tailshaft down, disconnect the clutch linkage, then losen the last bolt


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If you have a automotive engine hoist, there is usually a bolt or pin through the arm to let the smaller tube slide out for a longer reach. If yours has this feature go out only as far as necessary to get centered over engine. the bottom legs must be moved out as well.

 

I have it all the way out. I’m going to worry about it when the engine is actually coming out completely


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Do yourself a big favor and take off the bumper and entire front cap. Its not that difficult and makes the job a whole lot easier. It will save you time in the long run.

 

If you are using a 1 ton hoist, then return it and get a 2 ton. The 2 tons hoist is bigger but also reaches farther. IF you already have a 2 ton, then you can remove the front bumper for some more room.

 

Yeah i have a 2 ton. I’ll have to take off the clip i guess. Didnt want to disturb the rusty fender corners but oh well. About to go get the correct bellhousing, cover and flywheel.


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Just scored a correct bell housing and clutch fork, a usable 168 tooth flywheel and another tri five starter.


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Use your original 6 cy clutch fork. Wether you use a long short or intermediate throwout bearing depends on the pressure plate you use. The flat diaphragm uses a long bearing. the bee hive diaphragm uses the short. and the borg and beck three finger used the intermediate.

 

does this intake look like it could be drilled for an oil fill tube? I don’t want to have to find an intake and carburetor just to use the valve covers i want to since that would double the cost of the engine, but i don’t want to paint the engine until i have it how i want it. Theres a machine shop here in town but i wanted to see what yiu guys think before i take the top half of the engine apart

 

I know nothing about flywheels. I can take a picture of what i just got and see what you think.

 

Definitely get that surfaced, but he asked to see the clutch.

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Your intake is newer and does not have a oil fill place.

 

I don't think your intake can be modified for an oil fill tube, looks like the thermostat housing is to far foreword. Here's a pic of a 283 with stock manifold. The 283 engine also has a provision for a road draft tube in the rear of block by distributor. Your later manifold probably has a PVC system in the valve cover. Engine has to have some type of vent system.

 

No.

 

just use valve covers with holes in them for now......super cheap and easy to find and really easy to change later when you do the intake........just get the car running and see how it goes......

 

Don't get sidetracked with ideas of pretty valve covers and such. Stick with the goal of getting a car that runs. Chances are, by that time the appearance parts will have shown up at affordable prices. The key is to take your time and get it right. Pretty paint and chrome are just distractions at this point. For all you know, this engine might be junk.

 

Don’t have a clutch yet.


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That flywheel is for the 11 inch clutch. Look for a flat diaphragm pressure plate. Yes the flywheel could stand resurfacing. But you can get by with it. Just sand the clutch surface with 320 grit. You can even use your smaller 6 cyl clutch disk if its in good cond. But the bolt pattern on the flywheel requires a 11 inch pressure plate. Now this is importiant. Don't use just any 3/8 bolts to hold the pressure plate to the flywheel. The proper bolts are hardened and have a shoulder that fits tightly inside the holes in the pressure plate. Hopefully your 6 cyl has the proper factory bolts and you can use them. My brother in law was installing a new 350 engine in a Camaro. I tried to tell him the new shiney bolts he was using weren't going to work. He snarled that they where grade 8 bolts. So I didn't say anything else. On its maiden voyage when he wound it out in second and touched the clutch at high RPM to shift to third. the pressure plate bolts all sheared off except one. And that pressure plate broke the inpuit shaft came out the aluminum bellhousing thru the firewall and dash and windshield. tore out the brake clutch and gas pedal. He injured his foot pretty badly. And the bolt that didn't shear was a old one of the proper type. He accused me of taking one of his new bolts. causing him to have to use a old one. He stated that if they had all sheared the carnage wouldn't have occurred.

 

Summit carries a lot of hardware, flywheel bolts, PP bolts, etc. And they're cheap, shipping is fast.

 

heres the pcv valve that was added to the motor. These have a valve in the block, not the intake. I understand you guys saying i need to just worry about getting the engine in and running, but i’m not going to put a grease covered 283 in without taking advantage of the road draft tube. I bought a 283 to use the old valve covers and i’m going to. It isn’t your car to do what you want with. If i just wanted to throw an engine in and not worry about the appearance i would have gotten tbi 350 and put a carb on it. And if i end up wasting $20 on paint and i get an intake and the motor is junk, then so be it. But i’m not going to take it back out to clean it up in a few months.

 

You can lead a horse to water....

 

If you're worried about wasting $20 on paint then you have chosen the wrong hobby!

 

I would always clean and paint an engine before putting it in a car, at minimum it helps you find the oil leaks later.

I'd also pull the pan and valve covers and probably intake too and have a look at the inside and replace the gaskets that are most likely to leak.



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Those exhaust manifolds will not fit in a tri five

and they are likely made in some other country and of poor quality.

. and the bolts holding the flexplate to the crankshaft are much too short to use with a stick flywheel.

 

Sadly, on a budget you can't afford American made parts.

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You simply go to the chevy dealer and buy the good factory bolts to hold the flywheel and clutch together. and if you really want good bolts go to the caterpillar dealer. I rarely buy bolts. I save the bolts from everything I take apart.

 

I'd just go to Fastenal for bolts.

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I would cover the carb hole to keep from dropping something in it.