Getting the slugs out is not all that tough. I still marvel at all of the gyrations some guys go to...47 different chemicals, oils and occasionally mol***es. Get out your ½" drill motor and bit and start poking holes through the tops. It doesn't take long, certainly faster than waiting for some kind of panther piss to magically clean up 40 years of use and 10 years of sitting outside. But why mess with an old Hemi anyway??? Everybody already has one, they're boring at the rod runs, they don't make a power, and parts are so easy to find it no longer is a challenge. Yeah, buy a sbc instead... .
I have found that driving stuck pistons down is better than trying to get them out the top. If they won't go all the way out the bottom due to hitting main bearing bosses, I just break off pieces as they immerge from the hole. Driving them up thru corrosion will split the cylinder wall. I also like to drill out the top of the piston and drive down the pin and rod. This will often seperate from the piston top. The top can be cut up at this point and save splitting the cylinder.
I am not worried about it being stuck. I will get it apart one way or the other. If it needs sleeves then thats what its going to get. Its making appointments with the guy and having him canceling them the night before has been my biggest problem. I am going to give him a call over the next couple of days to see if I can get down there.
The Jalopy Journal
