Projects BACK AT IT FINALLY!! RE-BUILD OF AN EARLY CHEVY COUPE WITH A 392 HEMI

Good to see you are moving along, thanks for keeping us in the loop

 

Been following the entire way. You got some cool stuff going on here. Carry on brother!!

 

And believe me - it feels GREAT to be moving along! Even better that most of my original followers are popping up to see what's new - Tuck, Mad Mikey, Cactus1, Six Ball, 31 B'ville, tb33anda3rd, Stogy and many others!

Coming from you - that means a lot brother!!!

 

How did I just stumble upon this.. Early Chevy, with a hemi, and you’re in Mesa?! did we just become best friends? (YUP!)

killer build! Did a quick glance through but will definitely be re-reading when I’ve got more time, great looking car and who doesn’t love a hemi!

 

After reading your post here, I had to see if you had a build thread here on the HAMB. Finally finished reading here, closing in on midnight - with your '35 literally in pieces and big rust holes... A truely amazing feat Neil! Look out for a PM from me.

 

Meep Meep!!!...awesome things coming together here Mike...

 

It's great to hear from you Stogy - I'm picking up a 700R4 trans in less than two hours, hoping it's the correct type from '87 to '92 2wd that I specifically asked for when answering these Marketplace ads on Facebook... I need to quietly keep my cool when I meet this guy at his storage lot, because of the fact that he DID NOT send me a photo of the important serial number that will tell what year his trans is. I also mentioned why he called his trans a HOT ROD 700R4 and his response, "I have no idea". So naturally, I'm thinking that it's possibly a modified high performance - 30 vane pump, HD Sun gear, Corvette servo and overdrive billet servo, upgraded HD steel bands, etc. Wishful thinking... It would still be a great start, these transmissions are usually HARD to get locally here in Arizona.

 

...I hope you're on your way home after a smoother transaction at the point of sale...hopefully there were numbers. I guess you'll rest easier after going over it to make sure it is in good working order...as this is something that gets a workout right from the get go...

 

Well, I contacted my buddy Shorty, who is a much better than the average transmission builder in Apache Junction, AZ. Showing some numbers after cleaning that area after tipping the trans over on its side and seeing the trans fluid a bright red, it was confirmed that the first number is 8 and the next three letters is THM, it is a 1988 700R4 with a like-new lock up converter (THM700-R4 - 4 Speed transmission used in GM cars and light trucks with the 2.8, 3.1, 4.3, V6, Chevrolet built 305, 350 and 454 engines from 1982 to 1992). Whether it is higher than stock stall, remains to be seen. Before I take this trans out of my Solara, which has a decent size tarp under it, I doused the entire case with Simple Green, letting it soak for a few days and trying not to get caught cleaning it at a local car wash...

Shorty also gave me a very good price on a HIGH PERFORMANCE rebuild, a new 2,400 to 2,800 stall lock-up torque converter, saving me a good amount of cash!

 

Dale is a great guy. He helped me with my 32 ford 5 window project. He does great work and is very knowledgable. Great project by the way.

 

You mean Dale McInnes from the Phoenix area? At the time, after waiting over 4 years here in Arizona, he was the only fabricator/welder who took on my '31. Professional hotrod shops were blowing me off, one was going to charge me around $180 per hour and started out with handing me a bill for ONLY 40 hours at $8500. Anyone can figure out that this was a cruel setup, raising the bill afterwards to a number that there was NO way that I can afford. I came up with a $3,600 deposit until I brought them my hotrod in two months waiting until a slot opened up! After insulting this shop with my remark, "You should only charge your "RICH" customers that $180 an hour rate and charge me a typical rate like most shops at $90. I immediately got a refund of my deposit back to my bank in a few days. It was then that I decided to run a Wanted ad here on the HAMB and Dale responded in three days. Seriously, I could not thank him enough for what he completed.

 

Mike and Brady thanks for the appreciation. I always enjoy helping somebody get the car on the road.

 

You're welcome sir! I'm more motivated than EVER to push every step of the way to get her street ready! Thank you so much...

 

God bless those who help us when we need it! Sometimes a shop can be a lonely place when solving build problems just isn't happening.

 

Haven't done much, from the freakin' heat being too hot to bear in my garage, so I left everything where it was, till the weather gets cooler which it's starting to... Purchased parts, tools, whatever I needed for my next big goal to sling my hemi and trans in its rightful place... Replacing some needed seals, gaskets and bushings in my trans for the front pump seal and rear tail housing so she's ready to mate with my hemi! Bought a solid and strong chain to utilize my cherry picker, but turns out that it's too long... Tried to cut it shorter this afternoon with my mini air saw, but didn't even make a cut. So I ordered a 24" chain to allow more height to swing over the rails.

At this moment, I've been trying to lift my hemi enough off the floor to remove the broken engine cradle and prepare to finally mount the Hot Heads trans mount, spacer, flywheel and torque converter. Problem is, I'm having trouble lifting the hemi off the floor. The back of the cherry picker is lifting off the floor as I lift the hoist, pivoting where the legs fold for storage, even with me standing on it! Gonna try having my brother Scott join me on standing on it as well. Plan was to remove the engine cradle while the hemi is off the floor and place a strong rubber mat underneith the oil pan and lower the engine back on the floor, leaving it chained to the engine hoist tight to balance my engine and protect the candy paint on the bottom of it. Once I get the engine ready for the trans adapter and the rest of the parts, I'll start shooting some photos to share. I've never had to sling a BIG BLOCK in any earlier engine swaps, let alone a massive hemi, so this task will put my adrenaline into orbit!!!! I'll be back at it in a few days!

 

Way to much horsepower is still not enough.

 

Is the arm on your hoist adjustable? Most store-bought hoists are. As you go up in lifted weight, you have to shorten the arm length... and a Hemi was called the Elephant for a reason.

 

Be careful man!

 

Well said, although this time around, I'll be kicking it up a few notches...

Yes, thinking this out more, it feels like the engine cradle is jamming up against the legs of my hoist. My brother will be checking on this as I lift the hemi again, soon enough. This task will be focused more so on the coming weeks as the weather is trending to be cooler - finally!

Thanks Mike, I will! With my hemi on the floor with the hard rubber mat and still chained to the hoist, I can proceed finally with this BIG task with a lot of enthusiasm!

 

As stated, be careful Mike and keep going with your hot rod.

 

Mike if you need a hand let me know. Glad to come help. Might be on your side of town this Saturday

 

With no doubt whatsoever Mikey!!!

You usually have some side A/C jobs on the weekend? What do think? If you have a few hours (possibly less), would you consider helping me wrestle with this monster hemi and trans install? I have to finish prepping the trans with new seals and gaskets for the front pump seal/bushing, rear tail housing seal/bushing to connect to the hemi. I'll have the trans in position within the frame on my motorcycle jack, very close to the rear trans mount. While the hemi is dropping down with the hoist, we can pull the two together, install the bellhousing bolts and tighten with my torque wrench. I'm thinking once the two are mated, we'll rise it up and I can quickly pull the motorcycle jack and position it carefully under the oil pan with some soft microfiber towels to hopefully protect that AWESOME Candy Orange Prisma metalflake paint and gently lower the two into position WITH THE motorcycle jack, not the hoist. This jack can handle 1,500 lbs for my peace of mind and sanity... After about 15 minutes later after finishing the install, I'll be wiping the "drool" off my face and feeling tired of smiling, along with you and my brother as well, we can discuss a plan for the next task! Appreciate your help tremendously once again!!!!

 

Let me know what day and time works for you. I can probably work it out

 

Dale, picking up some extra bushings today to use as a tool to remove the old ones from the transmission. I am also prepared to remove the front pump seal today as well. Just need my trans to be ready to mate to my hemi before it's installed in my frame.

I'd like to give all of the threads to mount the trans, adapter and spacer refreshed to remove the candy paint from them so they would be much easier to mount to. I have new rubber mallets to help with the installation too. How's tomorrow sound to sling the hemi in place? I feel the morning would be more ideal for us... Bring David with 'ya because I know he would not want to miss this rare occasion!!

 

Definitely a setback for the moment... I shortened the chain somewhat that is bolted to the intake (thickest links that I've ever seen for engine hoists) so I can lift the hemi as high as possible, so the oil pan can clear the frame rails. Turned the hemi around that's still in the engine cradle so the cradle is clear of the hoist's legs. The boon is set at 3/4 ton, which is 1,500 lbs, twice the lift weight of the hemi (See my pics).

Before lifting the hemi, tested the cylinder by allowing it to lift up and down with the handle and seems to be working as it should. Any other tests that can be done, please let me know. The hoist WILL NOT LIFT my hemi. Like I said earlier, the rear of the hoist is raising off the floor as I stand on it as you can see in my pics. WTF??? I'm stumped at this point... Possibly the cylinder went bad somehow? Been over 5 years since I last used it when I moved my hemi into the garage.

 

Try it on a different section of floor? Maybe it’s not as flat/level as you think.

 

Did you check the fluid in the jack? What does the Hemi weigh? Move the arm out to 1/2 ton. Not only will you get more leverage on the lift (and more height) but it will move the wheels back and help keep them on the floor. If necessary add weight to the back to counter the engine weight. I know some will disagree but the 1/2 ton is a ball park figure.

 

Are all 4 pins in the extension legs?
It appears to me that the two forward pins are not inserted on the extension legs.

 

Is that leaking fluid?

 

Officially a 392 weighs 737 lbs. That is with OEM intake, heads, W/P, starter, generator/P.S. pump.