What a week. Took a couple days off work while mama and baby girl went on vacation, and got some stuff done around the house, including tearing the roadster up more... It was filthy. After I cleaned on that for a bit, and fixed a few other things, I got back to the matter at hand. I started taking off all the external stuff that I was gonna have to use on the new motor. I re-found this cute little guy. And I drug the new block over to figure out what I needed to scavenge off the old motor. We wound up having to drill and tap a hole for my clutch linkage ball mount, and we started to inventory the parts I had ordered. We got the majority of the motor buttoned up friday night, and I taped up the rest after my buddy left, so that I could do "a little touch up work" well, I'm helpless. The following photos I stole from my Instagram stories at 1:30 Saturday morning when I finally went to bed. What I started with... what I got to.. And since it was another undrilled fuel injection block, I was essentially forced to cut the fuel pump boss off. I ended the night with a heavy coat of grey primer, getting ready for paint. And remember kids! cast iron dust will try and kill you! so wear a respirator and a face shield! I did, and I still looked like this by the end of the night. Saturday, I decided that since I was gonna have to run the single 2 barrel at least part of the year, that I should probably make it look decent again. So I stripped the bubbling paint and texture off it, and did a bunch more grinding. I also loctitied a bolt into the unused coil bolt boss and cut it off flush. It's not perfect, but that's not the point. yesterday afternoon we finished getting the stuff all buttoned up, and would have put it in the car, but the high chances for rain kept me from dragging everything outside to install. it sure looks good though... after I took this picture, I did a slight redesign on the crappy alternator mount I've been fighting all year, and tried to align the pulleys a bit more. with any luck it will be in, and running today! wish me luck!
So, sorry if I missed it. Is that a 350 block since it's a fuel injection unit with the pump boss closed up?
I'm busting to get some miles in before Pete and Jakes open house and then the wheel hub event at speedway. The new exhaust will happen when I start work on the top again. It is a 350 vortech block. setup for a fatory roller cam (though it has a lumpy lunati roller in it) and it has been bored 30 over to clean up the bores.
Hate wires getting greasy, hate factory corrugated covers ( uncleanable). Took old garden hose, stripped off green plastic cover down to black, split length wise, mini tie wraps can wipe dirt right off. I sure liked it.
yeah it sucks, but open wires are easy to fix on the road. I cut all my zip-ties off, and cleaned the wires up one by one, When I put it back together I'll zip-tie it all back up. I actually redid the wiring on my fans and turn signals, so it will be cleaner when I re-install.
Step one of cleaner wires. Install a motor that doesn’t blow oil all over everything. Thats it. One step process. You seem to have it under control.
Sorry, no running tonight, we fought for longer than I care to admit to put the motor in, turns out the new crank isn't drilled as deep as my old crank, and the input shaft was bottoming out in the crank. frustrating time solved by 2 minutes with a cut off wheel. We are delaying the fire up till Wednesday night, I want to button some more stuff up.... nicer. I'll put up some photos tomorrow. Oh' and in case you thought I was slacking, I also put front rotors and pads on my 3/4 ton daily tonight. . .
Think you had to slice that once before didn’t you? Frustrating how long it can take to put a motor right back where it once was.
nope, I was actually surprised I didn't have to last time, the old crank was drilled deeper, for whatever reason. Oh boy! I love mail!
Yes way....heading out the 8th or 9th in a banger of course we shall see if it is Roadster weather Be there or be square
ok, so pictorial update, as previously stated, I got the motor in last night... notice how it has stamped steel covers on it? well, I screwed up. I stated with the chain from exhaust bolt to exhaust bolt, hanging over the top of the motor, and with towels over my prized 'vette covers... then as I was struggling to get the motor in with too long of an input shaft, the chain shifted, and I heard a POP! I didn't wanna look. big notch, right out of the front passenger side cover. boy it sucks. any ideas on sticking it back together? after that happened, I stuck the steel covers on, and finally got the motor in. I pulled it back into the shop, stuck my covers back on, and started putting it together again. I'm gonna try for a Wednesday fire up. I started re-looming my wiring last night. I'm trying to consolidate everything I added in after I finished the initial harness and make it cleaner. Any weather is Roadster weather if you want it bad enough!
As much oil as has been soaked into those things I’d say JB weld if staying as cast. Round them off and ignore them if polished
I've seen where people knock down the outer fins, or all the fins and just leave the Corvette script. Might be good candidates to get creative?
yeah I was gonna try jb weld or something of the sort, but they may wind up modified. the only problem is then I loose the killer patina these have. You guys would not believe how many old guys about come unglued when I tell them I have no plans to polish the covers.. .
Tape a tongue depressor on either side of the fin and fill the void with a melted purple crayon . Done deal.
JB Weld will work great, especially since it's cosmetic and carries no load. If you are a JB weld ar-teest like me the seem won't even be noticeable...
The Jalopy Journal
