Topic: "Piper's Restoration (engine)

[TurdPolisher]

I replaced all the control arm bushing and ball joints after I cussed more in 2 hours then I think I ever did during my 6 years in the Marines. Now I'm just waiting for the coil isolators and my rusty rotors to be sand blasted and turned.

 I then had it on my agenda to start her up and do a compression check.  First thing I did is drain the old oil to check it's condition just in case.  Damn glad I did as it was full of water. Rut RO!  Then, I felt a bead of sweat on my forehead as this wasn't a good sign. Keep in mind this is a numbers matching vehicle with a rather rare interior package that I was hoping to restore to almost perfection.

In addition to finding water in the pan,  further inspection of the engine revealed  it was missing 2 freeze plugs on the passengers side.  NOT GOOD.  With that in mind,  I went straight to the kegarator and poured a tall glass of  Mirror Pond beer to ease the pain of what I was about the witness.

WARNING!!  These Pictures may cause a heart attack if you are an old skool hotrodder, Die Hard Trans Am fan, or collector!

Oil pan off.........anyone for a mocha milk shake.


Ummm  yeah......bad valve cover gasket and UGLY RUST on passenger side!



Even worse............check out the lifter valley.......and all the baked oil. Clogged lifter oil port found near #4 piston with clogged valley to crank housing same location.  .........things got real hot!!



Then I nearly lost the beer from my gut as I looked down, saw something odd, reached for a rag and some brake cleaner and found THIS!! 




Not good I know!!  ,,,,,,  but it Looks like I get to learn how to pin stitch a crack as I want to do all that I can to save this block!!  And NO not with JB weld. If it doesn't work out, then the plans for the car change and I get a 400 to build and customize it with side pipes and 275's in the rear!     Or just get a 403 and change the numbers. 

On the brighter side, everything else looks OK.  NO broken rings, just very slight grinding marks on all the bearings and
piston walls.  So far the heads look good too, but magniflux could tell me different on the passenger side. If they are bad, I will just go with the 70s heads (which I might do anyway).  The engine has never been rebuilt so I can aim for .20 over. I think I may not have to turn the crank and can get away with new bearings at the journals instead.  My local machine guy will tell me more later. 

[eroc022]

Good luck! You will have some money invested in the block if you really want it to stay a numbers car.....

My advice is to build the car you want..... That way it's not as stressful and you can enjoy it more....

[pancho400cid]

Oh man..... that is NASTY!  Sorry to see that.

Otherwise, looking good so far.

[NWW-79 T/A]

Well... you did say you thought it had been raced.. not good for these motors. Is still try to save it. Good luck

[TurdPolisher]

Good luck! You will have some money invested in the block if you really want it to stay a numbers car.....

My advice is to build the car you want..... That way it's not as stressful and you can enjoy it more....

I like your advise kind sir as you are right, maybe I'm just too caught up in the thought of a concourse restoration for value reasons when I should be having even more fun with the project by making it personal and unique.   I will still aim for the goal and try to stitch up her broken heart with some Lock-and-Stitch pins.  $50 bucks vs $200 for a used engine that might have the same issues seems worth it to give it a shot.   Plus I get to learn something new.

Then again, a custom color from House of Kolor paint with this hood eagle from a Salior Jerry tattoo would look rather Kick A$$ with side pipes and 245s in the rear. GRRRR

[TurdPolisher]

Well... you did say you thought it had been raced.. not good for these motors. Is still try to save it. Good luck

yeah, she was raced. I'll post up the stitching up of her broken heart when the small kit comes.......I say worth it for $50 to see if it works. I'm more then confident it will though but I like Eroc's thoughts on it if it doesn't work.

[TurdPolisher]

Good luck! You will have some money invested in the block if you really want it to stay a numbers car.....

My advice is to build the car you want..... That way it's not as stressful and you can enjoy it more....

I like your advise kind sir as you are right, maybe I'm just too caught up in the thought of a concourse restoration for value reasons when I should be having even more fun with the project by making it personal and unique.   I will still aim for the goal and try to stitch up her broken heart with some Lock-and-Stitch pins.  $50 bucks vs $200 for a used engine that might have the same issues seems worth it to give it a shot.   Plus I get to learn something new.

Then again, a custom color from House of Kolor paint with this hood eagle from a Salior Jerry tattoo would look rather Kick A$$ with side pipes and 275s in the rear. GRRRR

[TurdPolisher]

Oh man..... that is NASTY!  Sorry to see that.

Otherwise, looking good so far.

Yup...........pretty fugly indeed and a heart breaker to me as well, but I expected that for only paying 5 bills for the entire car.............but she really did clean up nice.