Project TLOW - 1971 stepside

[Rod Run]

Did you not line it with anything?

I got two 2 mil drop cloths, that way if one rips the other one will still catch whatever fluid there is. I'm probably going a bit overkill, but I keep my garage cleaner than most. I even get a little freaked out when I get smudges on the epoxied floor.

I figure that I'll start with oven cleaner, then I'll do some scraping and grinding, before I spray it down with brake cleaner and do final wipe downs with acetone and lacquer thinner.

[Rod Run]

Started cleaning the engine today, but I found myself getting carried away, so I had to change my plans a bit.

After I did my initial degreasing, I decided that the block would look a lot better with no casting marks, so I fired up the compressor and started removing all of them. then I said to myself, "hey, wouldn't the block look better if it was completely smooth and all the sharp edges rounded off?" So after I started busting out the 3M sanding discs and working on that idea, that's when I decided I was getting carried away and that I needed to start doing something else.

With that being said, my new direction was to start tearing the engine down a bit. After taking the intake off, I saw that someone took the time to smooth out the area under the intake and paint it with Glyptol. Once I took the valve covers off, I also saw Comp Cams roller tipped-rockers.

Although the engine did run nice when I originally test-drove it (only about 2 miles), I kept wondering if the engine was just a boneyard swap, or if someone really did a proper build on it, because the previous owner never drove it and didn't seem to know the history on the engine. Today's findings made me feel A LOT better about everything. Now I can hardly wait to pull the pan off later this week and see what the bottom-end looks like

[Hankster]

Well thats good news man! Hopefully the bottom end will be just as good

[Rod Run]

damn it!

I should have just left good enough alone. I just came back from the gym and decided that I had to go check out my handiwork one more time, so I headed back into the garage.

As I was uncovering the engine, I noticed the cap to my #7 valve spring was broken.

Now instead of ending the day on a happy note, I'll be going to bed later, totally disgusted and my head will be spinning all night, trying to figure out how I want to handle it

[Rod Run]

This is not good. I'm not sure what I want to do right now. I have no idea what this engine has for a cam, or what the rating is on these springs

[Rod Run]

After more investigating, the retainer is still good. I just need to figure out which size retainers I need, to make up for the thickness of the caps once I take them off.

I also don't know what type of damage the broken off pieces went, when they went down through the engine. That's the part that's worrying me right now

[Palf70Step]

Drain the oil and see what bits you get out. If you don see any or get very few I think you would want to drop the pan and get them out before any damage is done.

[Rod Run]

Oil was drained out a long time ago and I didn't look at it.

I'm pulling the pan sometime soon anyway

[Hankster]

Originally Posted by Rod Run

This is not good. I'm not sure what I want to do right now. I have no idea what this engine has for a cam, or what the rating is on these springs

Ouchhh, that doesn't look good.

Originally Posted by Rod Run

After more investigating, the retainer is still good. I just need to figure out which size retainers I need, to make up for the thickness of the caps once I take them off.

I also don't know what type of damage the broken off pieces went, when they went down through the engine. That's the part that's worrying me right now

So does that mean that the motor will be okay?

[Rod Run]

Originally Posted by Hankster

Ouchhh, that doesn't look good.

So does that mean that the motor will be okay?

I don't know yet. I'll probably tear into it more within the next couple of weeks. I had to step away and regroup after seeing that.

I have 3 toys including this one and they're all broken and need attention, so I've got to put my energy (and money) elsewhere right now. I want at least one of them running before our cruising season starts around here. Now I've just got to figure out which one will be the easiest (Cheapest) to fix

[Rod Run]

Still not wanting to dig deeper into my engine yet, I figured I'd button up my rear end instead, jUST so I can run my brakelines and keep things going forward.

I bought an ARP 12 point stainless bolt kit for 12 bolt rearends (Like to keep things pretty, yet maintenance free at the same time) and went to install my cover today, but I hit another dead end. The bolts are way to long. I measured the depth of just the holes (which are deeper than the actual threads) and they aren't even as long as the bolts from ARP.

I called ARP and they said that my only option was to buy bolts out of a kit, but they only sell them in packs of five. That would have cost me over $35 for cover bolts and that's insane!

Their other option was to mail them back the bolts on my dime, and they will replace them with shorter bolts. They were in the mail less than an hour later. LOL

[RRR18]

I bought same ARP kit for rear end and had same problem. I just used the ghetto way and added another stainless washer.

[Rod Run]

I was going to just grind them down, but when I spend money for good product, I make sure I'm happy with it.

I'm a stickler like that. The way I look at things. If manufacturers keep putting out inferior product and people keep settling for it, then there is no reason for them to invest more time and/or money for better product development

ARP is standing behind their product though, so they done right by me. Like they told me "it's pretty damn hard to cover all the different little variables over 30+ years of vehicles", and I couldn't agree more

[Rod Run]

ARP called me last night. They said I should have my new bolts by Thursday.

I was at my local speed shop this morning and picked up a new Holley fuel pump and 1 piece oil pan gasket.

I also placed an order with Jegs last night and ordered the rest of the stuff I needed to put my engine back together enough, so I can sit it back in my chassis.

I didn't think I had the money to do it all so soon, but then I realized that I still had a good chunk of money in my PayPal and that account is used strictly for selling and buying auto parts. So in my eyes, that's like all those parts cost me nothing

If all goes well next weekend, I will hopefully have it painted, assembled and mounted in it's place. As usual, pics will follow.

[Hankster]

Sweet man! That's awesome!

[Rod Run]

Here is the beginning of my engine transformation

I started with a complete degreasing



Then I stripped the paint, ground off the heavy casting marks and did partial teardown




This was a free intake I got from a friend


I'm not a big fan of casting marks, so this is an in process picture of grinding the intake smooth. This is going to be painted and not polished, so it's A LOT less work than what I would normally do.



Sprayed with an etching primer and it helps fill imperfections also

[Rod Run]

Here it is almost done. Valve covers, intake and everything on top of the intake are just mocked up on there for the pictures. None of it is bolted down and I didn't install the Holley fuel pump yet, because I thought I had a gasket but I didn't have one.




Everything will be bolted down with ARP 12 point stainless bolts like on the timing cover. Not a fan of the white air cleaner element, so I will be getting a K&N element because it will match better. I am also changing the carb to a different Holley, but I still haven't decided which one will look best with the rest of the engine accessories. I'm just going to have to wait until I get a little further with more accessories, so everything won't look like it was thrown together without any thought

[RRR18]

Very clean.

[swamp rat]

Looks great!

[Rod Run]

And it's back in it's home!

[Hankster]

It looks good there!

[Rod Run]

I've had a busy year and really haven't had time to spend on this project, but I just started turning wrenches again this week, so pictures should start flowing into this thread soon.

I got a 700R4 rebuilt this week, installed all my brake lines, March Performance serpentine pulley set installed (just chasing down belts because the ones they said to use don't fit), ordered my fuel system and am getting ready to order headers and finally MIGHT have finally located e-brake parts after an eight month search

[jaros44sr]

Did you try rock auto for parts, I had very good luck with them. Good return policy on defective drums I bought

Nice build so far and your shop is spotless

[Hankster]

Glad your back on it!

[Rod Run]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Did you try rock auto for parts, I had very good luck with them. Good return policy on defective drums I bought

Nice build so far and your shop is spotless

A clean shop is a happy shop. With the warm-up coming later this week, I'll be mopping the floor again. I try to do that at least quarterly and sweep almost every time I'm out there

Originally Posted by Hankster

Glad your back on it!

Yup. Sometimes life gets in the way, but you just have to keep on chugging.