Dug up another "Dead Soldier"

[Kennybill]

I've been busy working over the "Boss Lady's" house, my Daughter, the Attorney. She's "working" from home. She's home schooling the Grandkids and on a remodeling kick. I'm caught up till she thinks up another project.
I buttoned up the timing cover and the "big" Toro oil pans. I installed the Toronado baffle and timing area blockoff plate. I've decided to put the "big gunner" ported, crossovers filled, exhaust divider welded, big valved C heads. These heads have been 10.90 on a 455. For head gaskets, I dug out a set of .017" steel head gaskets.
I figure I might as well use them. In the old days when all we had were steel shim, I'd just put them on and button it up. I have sprayed them with copper and I'll probably spray these.

 

[Kennybill]

One other thing, I need 7/16" stud roller rockers. I was looking for Comp Cams 1632 or the Harlen Sharp 7/16" rockers. I'm using parts I've had for +/- 20 years. The roller rockers I don't have. I have the studs and guide plates. I advertised and I'm buying a set of Crane Gold rockers. There 1.6 ratio. I almost looked for a set of 1.7 ratio but settled for 1.6 like factory. Cam will be a whimpy Erson tq 40. I would have liked a Tq 50 but I already had this one. I have a set of 3/8" factory length black anodized pushrods that hopefully will work. They will be better than the stock 5/16" flexrods. If factory hp rating is 365hp, then I'm shooting for 371 "ponies.

 

[Kennybill]

I plan on painting the intake "bronze" to match the engine. I want to use a Preformer. I grab a real dirty one because I was going to grind off the Edelbrock lettering for the "sneaker" factory look at a glance. Most guys don't know an Olds 350 to an Olds 455 or any engine in between. I grabbed this intake. I chased the threads, all good. Then I turned it over, opps, can't use this one. The bad boy C heads have the exhaust crossovers filled "more ponies there." This intake is pretty ugly but don't judge a book by it's cover. Turn it over, ahhh, now I remember. This intake is cut, filled/welded on both sides of the exhaust crossover, pretty trick. I'll save this for my next build using big valved B heads that are not filled. I have half a dozen Edelbrock manifolds. I'll have to find my ugliest one.

 

[Kennybill]

I don't want to pull any intakes off engines. I have two candidates at this location. An Edelbrock Torker and a Edelbrock Performer, hmmm, which do I pick? It's going into a 4-speed car, 3:73 gears. Probably 5,500 to 5,700 rpms. I probably should go with the Preformer but I like the runners of the Torker. I'll have to see if both fit under the hood, 1967 442.

 

[Kennybill]

Happy Easter, hopefully everyone is doing well. Staying home today, as every day lately. I sprayed the head gaskets with copper last night. I was in the garage at 5am today. I cleaned everything, put the bad boy C heads on. Rather than use 53 y/o head bolts, I dug out a set of ARP bolts with the hardened washers. I did use the one factory " accessory" bolt, the one with the fastener threads. Most times its the second lower fastener on the passenger side but for the 1967 çars, it's the lower 2nd bolt from front on the driver side. I dug out a pair Moroso tall valve covers. Man, were they ugly, 20 years in unheated storage is tuff on stuff. Chrome polish, thinner, steel wool, scotch guard pad, looking pretty good.

 

[Kennybill]

Valve covers cleaned up decent. Just set the big "sucking" Edelbrock Torker on it mainly to keep dust out. I'm looking for an intake gasket. I found two "turkey trays" but I don't want to use one of those. I think I have a set over in one of my buildings. It's about a 3.5 mile drive, maybe tomorrow. I'm waiting for the Crane Gold 1.6 ratio 7/16" stud roller rockers. If I would have had to buy a new set, I'd bought 1.7 ratio to wake up that Erson TQ 40.

 

[Kennybill]

Well good news, bad news. Good news is I got a Christmas present early(from myself). I spent some of my " communion money"(a story I've been using for a half of century) and bought a used but nice shape Crane 1.6 roller rockers. I had the studs and guide plates. The bad is I can't use the black anodized 3/8's pushrods because the guide plates are to narrow. I thought about opening them up but it'd be a lot of shitting around. Good news, I have a new set of Comps pushrods, stock length, bad news, there short, more bad news, I can't find my pushrod length checker. More bad news, from my research it looks like I can't use anything but a factory intake because of clearance issues with the factory air cleaner that I want to use. Looks like I'll have to use a Quadrablog oops I mean Quadrajet also.

 

[Kennybill]

I spent yesterday "playing" with these Crane "gold" roller rockers. I'm only using the Erson TQ 40, an okay camshaft for street use. It's 220/228 @0.050 .504/.504 110. I used this camshaft in another engine near 20 years ago. Cam and lifters are like new. I would have used standard rockers and bridges or the Comps Cam roller tip rockers BUT the ported, exhaust crossover filled with the divider welded up, big valved, new springs and retainers, already have 7/16" studs with poly locks but no rockers, these are the heads I wanted to used because there stamped with 442 numbers. These heads were drilled and tapped for rear oil drains but I re-opened the rear oil return drains and plugged the rear outside lines . So I had to have 7/16" stud type roller rockers. Being a cheap ass, I didn't want to put near $500 in a set of rockers. I got the fairly new Crane rockers for $180 shipped. I tried two different length pushrods. The bottom of the Crane roller just touched the top of the retainer with lifter on base circle and lifter preloaded. Hmmm, time to grind for more clearance. I started grinding, fitting, grind some more. Towards the last, I had it down pretty good. I have at least 0.005" clearance, most a little more. I have them all set. Hopefully all good. I don't want to "pop" off a retainer.

 

[Olds 307 and 403]

Good thing they are thick, ah aftermarket parts, nothing ever is just a bolt on.

 

[Kennybill]

Tomorrow I'm breaking "quarantine" to make a parts run road trip. Where I'm going is out in BFE, (Bum F*#k Egypt) It's actually still in Ohio but so hard to get to. I have to drive into W.Va 30 to 50 miles then hang a right and back up into Ohio. Yikes
Hopefully the Gestapo doesn't stop me. B95 masks, check, multiple types of rubber gloves, check, 3 bottles of hand sanitizer, check, food & water, check, $$$, check.
It's a hair over 5 hours, ONE WAY! I'm planning on leaving by 6 am. My Lady Friend is going with me. She riding "Shotgun." I'm picking up a set of 1967 bucket seats. I've learned, you have to snag certain parts when one gets the chance. I will be "careful" but if you don't hear from me. Sayonara

 

[Kennybill]

I made it back, SAFE! I didn't want to go through Columbus, OH so I went the longer way down. I actually went to Charleston, WV then hung a right heading west then another right towards the Ohio River and back to Ironton, Oh. Going back I went the 20 minutes faster through Columbus. I was on a new highway with zero traffic for 40 miles, cruising at 85 mph. The deal was okay, the seller was a good guy. I bought a pair of core 1967 buckets all taken apart and a single drivers side decent but 1968 GTO seat. I had to buy all for the better deal money wise. I've taken the GTO drivers side and another 1967 passenger side along with a 1967 convertible rear seat to the upholstery guy. $$$$ These are for the 1967 442 convertible money pit. The 1967 seats have the latches on the side plus metal backs and bottoms. 1968 they went to plastic. Yesterday I decided to take down a set of 1969 bucket seats that I've had hanging on a 14' high wall for 20 years. I have 2 sets of 1969 rear seats also plus a automatic console and shifter all for 1969 Cutlass/442. It's not doing me any good and may bring a good buck as a package deal. I have a Sport steering wheel and steering column also. I was pretty athletic at 50 y/o, not so much @ 70 y/o. I trimmed a ancient wooden extension ladder, it was a near 20' ladder. I use one section fixed to get up to the attic in the building, 14' walls, I'd planned on putting in a lift. When I got it the correct length, I racket strapped the bottom of the ladder to the wall to keep the bottom from not kicking out. I use a heavy C-clamp and a gambrel pulleys. I had the seats tracks holes hanging on nails with a third nail and heavy wire tied for a safety. It was a bit of a challenge but I got them down with no problems. Now I'll have to figure out a decent price for 1969 interior.

 

[Kennybill]

I've been keeping busy, cleaning up and mowing. It's a real project every spring. Probably 60 trees in the front yard alone. Lots of sticks! Thank Goodness for those grabbers with the suction cups! When I buy a pair I epoxy the screws in and drill two holes in the suction cup for small zip ties. Makes them last for years. I use to go thru a couple a year. I worked on repairing a 1967 4-speed console. I've collected 3 broken ones over the years. I was plastic welding it. Pretty much done, only one more piece. I attached the top lid to "glove box". I was leery with the lock, afraid I wouldn't be able to get it opened. I just had it so it latched, everything was good. I got another partial console out to cut a piece off of it. I was working on a table cart. I'd pushed the "good" console back, lid pops open and the weight propels it off the table. Boom, it explodes. The 53 y/o plastic was brittle and probably "stressed" from the plastic welding repairs. I threw all the pieces in a box. I got online, did a little research. OPG, price was okay, free shipping, plus I bought two sets of the console mounting brackets. I got 20% off plus free shipping. Just a hair under $500, $493. The way I'm looking at it, I can't take it with me. This China virus has me thinking I better do anything I want to do. Another good thing is, I've got a pilot bushing turned down to fit the recess of the 409 (actually a 410 cu. In., 403 plus 0.040") that I have on the engine stand. I have to get some brackets and knick knacks ready and put it on the startup stand. I'm shooting for 200 hps.