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Project Update 12/4

Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Messages
4,611
Location
Newark, Delaware
Corvette
1965 Coupe L76 / 1978 L82
hi all, just a quick update for those who may be interested on my motor clean up project:

spent a bunch of time this weekend painting the motor. The Hi-Temp engine enamel paint I got from Bill Hirsch automotive worked out very well. The only area I'm not completely thrilled about is at the very back of the motor where it meets up with the bellhousing. I tried to get the bellhousing repainted also but with the motor still in the car I couldn't reach all of it and what I could reach to paint on that bellhousing area only came out "so-so" but i figure most of that area is hidden by the ignition shielding anyway so unless you really look carefully in there and with a flashlight who's going to notice? the rest of the motor came out very well. It's now nice and clean, no chips or stains so it will really help everything look better once it's all put together again.
The only area I still have to finish up today on the motor is the flat area on the heads where the intake sits in and the ports are. i'm going to paint that silver rather than the Chevy orange of the rest of the motor so it blends in better with the aluminum intake and valve covers. Hopefully i'll get that done and finished up today along with new paint on the brake master cylinder.

My radiator is back from repair from Tom DeWitt - Thanks Tom!

The water pump, radiator bracket, alternator brackets, ignition shielding brackets, waterpump pulley, fan blade, and a few other parts have all been cleaned and/or glass bead blasted and repainted
The intake and valve covers have been done and look awesome - much, much better than before. Those are the two items that started this whole project.
Exhaust manifolds have been glass bead blasted and coated in "Hot Stuff" than baked.

for reassembly i have all clean, new bolts to replace the old ones I removed and since I was getting new hardware I made sure to get the ones with the correct headmarkings on them.
also got all new studs for the carb, t-stat housing, and exhaust manifolds along with new french lock, donuts, hose nipple fittings for the intake and waterpump, most new clamps for the radiator and heater hoses, etc, etc, etc.
A couple clamps I was able to save and clean up to look like new including the corbin clamps for the heater hoses.
All the hoses cleaned up to look like new except I did get a replacement upper radiator hose and WP/intake bypass hose.
Got a new rotor, distributor cap, and spark plug wires to install.
All the ignition shielding pieces, expansion tank and tank straps cleaned up very well.
Even got new decal stickers for the valve covers (365HP stickers) and for the fan shroud (coolant warning sticker).
Of course, all new gaskets for the intake, valve covers, distributor, and waterpump, along with a new fuel filter

looks like everything so far is a go to start reassembly on Monday or Tuesday!

the only thing I'm waiting on is to get my carb back from rebuild but hopefully by the time I'm up to that step which should be pretty much last step, it will arrive also.

:beer
 
Tiger

of course :)
go to my website (address in signature)
go to "Corvette Pages"
go to "2005 Motor Clean Up Project"
links to different areas I'm working on or completed are under that.

sorry I haven't had time to update the pictures in about a week but most is up.
The Valve covers look better now than the "finished" pictures listed as I've gone ahead and redid them again as I wasn't satisfied with how they turned out and don't have the new pics up yet.
 
It's looking nice. You're doing a good job for a first-time wrencher!
 
thanks tiger :)

I'm trying - just going slow and trying to do it right best i can
 
Barry,

Been on a trip but it looks great...post some photos of the engine you just did....mine goes back into the shop after Christmas. Restoring more things and hope to go to Bloomington next year....
 
Hi Collin

progress photos are on my site. See post #3 in this thread.
 
Junk, I'm going to update the pics on my site today with the latest ones.
As I was painting the hear surface where the intake mates up and the ports I I used aluminum foil over the valve train as I don't have an old set of valve covers to use.
The aluminum foil worked great as it shaped around things as needed easily and I could get it to mold to where ever I needed to cover.
 
Looks great Barry,

This is what make owning one of these cars fun for me.


Quick question, How did you clean all of the sand out of the intake manifold? Does your have a sttel plate on the bottom of it?
 
Hi Larry
I still prefer driving the car to working on it, but so far it's mostly been fun learning to work on it, with just a few exceptions..... :)
It IS nice to have something to do with the car since I normally wouldn't be driving it in the winter anyway.

good question on the glass beads in the intake - I was wondering if anyone would pick up on that. :D
After glass beading it we ran compressed air thru it best we could but of course there were still LOTS of glass beads left sticking to any oily residue still in the runners and in the metal pan on the underside of the manifold. I than took it over to a local tranny shop and they were willing to soak the entire manifold into their solvent cleaning tank and left it in all afternoon and overnight and I picked it up the next day. The solvent cleaned any oil residue out of the manifold and the glass beads along with it. He told me when I picked it up that a LOT of glass beads were in the bottom of his tank. ;LOL better there than my motor though. I ran my fingers thru the runners as deep as i could and they picked up not a single glass bead afterwards so I think it got cleaned out pretty well. I'm still going to run a water hose thru the runners and inside the metal pan again and let it dry to be safe before reinstalling on the motor.
The tranny shop charged me $25.00 to soak it in their tank but I figured that was REAL cheap compared to a complete motor rebuild 500 miles after reassembling this thing because all those beads went into the engine instead of his tank.
 
pics on my website have been updated.
includes: motor painting, updated valve cover pics, intake manifold, and misc. painted parts.

see post #3 in this thread for where everything is on my website.


I guess with the motor painting completed it's time to start reassembly.
I need to run to sears today and get two ratchet torque wrenches. A ft/lb one and a in/lb one.
 
Barry bring the intake in the house.Let it sit for a couple of day in a nice dry area.then shake it to see if anything comes out. I treid this on an intake and ended up having it boiled and sent to mcneish as I could never get all of the glass bead out
 
geez, leave it to you Larry to get me all worried now.

It's been inside the house since it's been off the car and since I brought it back home from bead blasting it. I'll double check it again though. Thanks for the warning.
 
BarryK said:
geez, leave it to you Larry to get me all worried now.

It's been inside the house since it's been off the car and since I brought it back home from bead blasting it. I'll double check it again though. Thanks for the warning.

You know I am not trying to scare you just allowing you to learn from some of my mistakes.
 
Larry

as always I appreciate the info.
I just ran upstairs to check the intake and ran my fingers as deep down into the runners as possible. Came out clean and couldn't feel any grittiness at all. im hoping that means the solvent tank cleaning worked and it's pretty cleaned out inside the pan also.
 
coolhandluke said:
Barry Nice work !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


So when are you going to pull the transmission and paint that too?
You know it may not look right after you have painted the motor. :D

I'm thinking the rear axle could probably use some detailing as well.......
 
sure tiger, whenever you want to come over and do it for me would be great
;LOL
 
Hey Barry!

My wife and I are having a Holiday party this weekend and you and you lovely wife can come to the party and then you can help me on my 63 SWC project. Sounds like you need a little more to do.

Ray
 
Ray
with your experience I doubt you need any help. least of all from me!
I just walked in from the garage in discust and frustration. turns out all my work over the last two hours was wrong and tomorrow I need to undo everything and start over because I did it backwards! :mad
gee, learning new stuff is SOOOOOO fun sometimes. :eyerole

After realizing what I did I gave up for tonight and will start all over again fresh in the morning.

I don't think you need me "helping" you on your car if you ever plan on getting it finished
 

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