M
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Guest
I finally found a Big Block for my Vette!
I was driving last Friday and saw a salvage yard that had a wrecked truck in front w/ a 4 sale sign. I stopped and was looking through the crumpled hood when a worker walked up. I asked him what kind of engine did this truck have. He said a vortec V6. I then asked him if they had any Big Blocks for sale. He pointed to a wrecked Wrecker and said that it had a High output 454 and the owner wants to part out the truck. I asked him a little more about the truck and he said he thought it was a 1998 or 99 GMC. I left him my number and ask him to give it to the owner, and that I was very interested in the engine. I got a call about an hour later, and it was the owner of the salvage yard, and the truck. He told me that he wanted to sell the entire truck, and that he wanted $1,500. I asked him more about the truck, and he told me that it was a 1992 GMC. I told him I wanted it.
Saturday, I went to make the deal, and discovered that it was in fact a 1992 Chevrolet 454 w/ a 5 speed overdrive transmission. The only way I could tell it was a Chevrolet was the title and the horn button, because the grill no longer existed. The wrecker was involved in a low speed head-on collision that wiped out an Explorer. The owner told me the trans was rebuilt last year along with the dually rear end. I hope to get my money back by selling a lot of things off the truck. The interior is in good shape and has the factory full gauge set-up. The body has the above windshield louvers, and fiberglass thing that goes over the roof with fog lights on top, as well as matching running boards that were not damaged in the wreck.
After getting it delivered to my brother's property, I started working my way though the wreckage. Getting the hood up, finally, I discovered that the engine was untouched by the wreck, and so was the entire serpentine belt setup that included a new high amp alternator. The A/C compressor looks good, but was expose to atmosphere because of the busted up condensor. I was getting pretty excited by this point, then I noticed that it also had a fairly new hybra-boost brake setup. Putting the cutting torch to work, I was able to clear away everything in front of the engine. (Any one need a radiator that is bent at a 45-degree angle?)
I now have to figure out how to lift the engine out and get it on the lowboy trailer. I have two chain hoists, but they are no good if there is nothing to hang them from. I am thinking about renting a hydraulic hoist and getting several sheets of 3/4-inch plywood for the lift to work on. I think I can lift the engine out, turn the hoist around and back the trailer under the engine and lower to the trailer.
Definitely shade tree mechanix!
To top off the weekend, I am having my backyard graded to re-route rainwater to the ditches, instead of through my garage. In the process, the bobcat, as well as shovels cut though my phone line in three places. So I have no access to the Internet at home right now. When I do get back online, I will post some pics of all the fun I am having.
Bill
I was driving last Friday and saw a salvage yard that had a wrecked truck in front w/ a 4 sale sign. I stopped and was looking through the crumpled hood when a worker walked up. I asked him what kind of engine did this truck have. He said a vortec V6. I then asked him if they had any Big Blocks for sale. He pointed to a wrecked Wrecker and said that it had a High output 454 and the owner wants to part out the truck. I asked him a little more about the truck and he said he thought it was a 1998 or 99 GMC. I left him my number and ask him to give it to the owner, and that I was very interested in the engine. I got a call about an hour later, and it was the owner of the salvage yard, and the truck. He told me that he wanted to sell the entire truck, and that he wanted $1,500. I asked him more about the truck, and he told me that it was a 1992 GMC. I told him I wanted it.
Saturday, I went to make the deal, and discovered that it was in fact a 1992 Chevrolet 454 w/ a 5 speed overdrive transmission. The only way I could tell it was a Chevrolet was the title and the horn button, because the grill no longer existed. The wrecker was involved in a low speed head-on collision that wiped out an Explorer. The owner told me the trans was rebuilt last year along with the dually rear end. I hope to get my money back by selling a lot of things off the truck. The interior is in good shape and has the factory full gauge set-up. The body has the above windshield louvers, and fiberglass thing that goes over the roof with fog lights on top, as well as matching running boards that were not damaged in the wreck.
After getting it delivered to my brother's property, I started working my way though the wreckage. Getting the hood up, finally, I discovered that the engine was untouched by the wreck, and so was the entire serpentine belt setup that included a new high amp alternator. The A/C compressor looks good, but was expose to atmosphere because of the busted up condensor. I was getting pretty excited by this point, then I noticed that it also had a fairly new hybra-boost brake setup. Putting the cutting torch to work, I was able to clear away everything in front of the engine. (Any one need a radiator that is bent at a 45-degree angle?)
I now have to figure out how to lift the engine out and get it on the lowboy trailer. I have two chain hoists, but they are no good if there is nothing to hang them from. I am thinking about renting a hydraulic hoist and getting several sheets of 3/4-inch plywood for the lift to work on. I think I can lift the engine out, turn the hoist around and back the trailer under the engine and lower to the trailer.
Definitely shade tree mechanix!
To top off the weekend, I am having my backyard graded to re-route rainwater to the ditches, instead of through my garage. In the process, the bobcat, as well as shovels cut though my phone line in three places. So I have no access to the Internet at home right now. When I do get back online, I will post some pics of all the fun I am having.
Bill
