What was your first build?

[Schrade]

What was the first motor that you built? Did you have any bugs after starting up? Did you take shop in high school?

Mine was an '81 CJ-7, OEM 2.5L GM motor in a box - literally. Talk about red-headed stepchildren :L . In '91, auto stores had about 0 in their dbase for this combo.

Bored .010, head (1 :L ) shaved, header (1 :L ). Starter shimming was a pain, didn't find the EGR-carb vacuum port for a week (why does it hiss? why does it flood?), and forgot to plug in the OP gauge. After that, it ran like a top for 4 years... (no shop in HS for me ).

Yours?

 

[ex-x-fire]

The 1st car I did alot was an 84 Camaro.This was in '92. It was a v6, 5spd w/ a couple of options, not like todays camaros(that year they sold over 200,000 camaros). The rear end went out so I got a rear axle from an S10 w/ 3.73s, to do the gear change I needed a different carrier, put those parts in the camaro's axle.
I had the engine freshened up, added the Edelbrock cam & intake, a holley 390 cfm 4bbl. Total emission delete. Got a dynamax cat-back system, open element air cleaner, & a light weight cowl induction hood.
Went back to the junkyard to get some I-roc sway bars & front frame braces. Got a good deal on some 15x7 rallys & new raised white Good Years GTs. Fresh brakes & suspension parts finished off the chassis. It had a nice black interior to start w/ so I kept it stock, just added a tach & a 12 disc changer. The car was silver & peeling bad, so I had it painted black.
That car had a smooth ride, not like my 84 z-51 vette, handled very well (neutral) because of the light engine. I could run with any f-body unless it had a tpi engine, pretty even if it was a stock stock 305 HO. When I traded it in, the salesman could not believe it was a v6. I got a clean S10 Blazer on trade & it started rusting in 2 years.:ugh I should of kept it.:duh

 

[Marv02]

Car or Motor Cycle.

1st Motor Cycle compelte motor I think I was 14 Years old I learned the hard way with no one around to help I waited to Ride.

1st car 17 Years Old same thing I wanted a new motor read books asked freinds when I got stuck.

1st Diff 25 years old Dana 44 came out great next was a Ford 10 out my 2002 Ford 4X4 due to 38 inch tires screwed that up I never due a rear end again, ( I mite try a Ford 9 inch).

1st and last 700r4 6 months ago never again screwed that up.

Aircraft rework fabrication started 1996 Oh yea thats what I do for a living.

Learned Aircraft basic In the US Navy 1980 to 1996.

 

[BigJimZ16]

Mine was a 1963 Nova SS with the "optional" 194ci engine whn I was 16. My dad led me through it, he was the garage forman at New Jersey Natural Gas and thought I should know how to wrench. He never got to see any of my Vettes, I sure miss him. Car ran great when I was done. No auto shop in HS.

 

[Itshakes]

My first build

It was a '51 Chevy that I got from my grandfather. The 6cyl didn't last very long. I put in a 283 with 2 four barrels. I put a Pontiac bucket seat interior in it, and painted it Honduras Maroon. It was a real sleeper and even my Mother liked to drive it. If she met any of my buddies on the street she would race them and blow them away! Later in the day, if I met one of the guys, they would say, "I saw your Ma on North ave and she blew me away"!

 

[Toms007]

My first build was a 327 from a 64 Impala, I was 15 at the time. Nothing special, just a stock rebuild. We had auto shop in HS and I took it my senior year. By then I had a 383 magnum in a 64 Dodge Polara 500, it wasn't the fastest thing around but it would get up and go.

Now I teach in a high school shop classes, but not Auto, woodworking. But our auto shop is reasonably equipped, and the teacher is knowledgeable, the dang kids don't feel that they need to learn the basics though.

 

[gmjunkie]

1964 Dart (Competition)Cart,Twin Mac 30's,Live Axel w/Gear Box's

But our auto shop is reasonably equipped, and the teacher is knowledgeable, the dang kids don't feel that they need to learn the basics though.

They don't need too,They KNOW it ALL already!~!!:L
But they can TEXT 3,000 words a minute!~!! :eyerole:eyerole:eyerole

P.S. Both my kids know their way around a vehicle,My son is a Frame,Alignment/Body Technician and my daughter is a Store Manager for Trader Joe's,But she can still swing a mean Torque Wrench!~!! :L:L:L

 

[Mac]

My first kick at the can was rebuilding a 225 "slanted six" from my first car, a 1971 Plymouth Duster. It didn't start off to be a rebuild but one thing led to another, so to speak. No HS shop but my dad did most of his own mechanical work. That being said, I did the job myself until I was well in over my head and then he came to my rescue. It ran well afterward. Slanted sixes weren't powerhouses by any measure.

-Mac

 

[93Rubie]

Man, I wish I could have grown up back in the day. You guys are really lucky. I never had much experience with cars until I went to college. I did some normal maintenance and such with my grandpa, but not much. Messed around with my sleds and 4 wheelers some. Since I was about 13 I was a certifiable car freak. Got a Associates Degree in Automotive Technology now. Yes, I wrench for a living, no I do not know everything, no one can.

Tom01, you mentioned the kids do not want to learn the basics? That is a big mistake. The school I went to was very good and affordable. Our first classes where on basic point style ignition, carburetors, and other old school stuff. Next class was engine rebuilding. 2.2L GM 4 cyl. I did it all myself and when it fired it sounded like an angry weedeater, open manifolds. It was great.

IF you understand basic ignition and carburetor, you should have no problems understanding computer controlled ignition, Fuel injection, etc...it is all the same principles just executed differently.

 

[navy2kcoupe]

By then I had a 383 magnum in a 64 Dodge Polara 500, it wasn't the fastest thing around but it would get up and go.

Tom, I had one of those too, except that mine had the old reliable 318 in it. I found, and installed, a tri-power setup for it while I was stationed at Ft. Carson, Colo in 1967. Made a few trips up Pikes Peak with that old girl, and even slept in it on the mountain the night before the Pikes Peak hill climb in 1967. Black with a champagne gold interior, and the bulletproof Torq-Flite transmission. Sold it to my father when I bought the 69 SS396 Chevelle, then he sold it to my cousin when he got tired of it. I loved the ride that you got in that car and would like to have it back. I let my mother use the car while I was in Vietnam, and she made me block off the front and back carbs after she "twisted the wheels" pretty good when she first drove it. Laughin' at THAT memory right now...........
Andy Anderson

 

[Toms007]

Man, I wish I could have grown up back in the day. You guys are really lucky.

Tom01, you mentioned the kids do not want to learn the basics? That is a big mistake.

I don't know how lucky we were...it was the pits growing up at that time.....sometimes, but we did have access to some pretty neat machinery. Some of my friends at that time had SS396 Chevelles, one had an LS6, GTO's 389's 400's 455's, another had a 440 Roadrunner, another a Hemi RR, one had a Hemi 67 GTX (My favorite car Black, Black and Chrome Cragers SS wheels), another had 440 6 pack Cuda, and yet another had multiple Corvettes (the 67 roadster, Sunfire yellow with black interior and the 427/435...wow what a machine) Any one of these cars would make mincemeat out of mine. The LS6 was a beast, but boy did it need a lot of routine maintenance, adjusting valves, plugs and wires about every 8-10k.

Today, it seems, most kids either think they know it all (Like Junkie refers to and yes they can text like nobodies business), or they just don't think they need the basics and want to head straight for the advanced stuff. I don't know, I try to keep those ideas in check by proving to them they don't know it all and they DO need the basics.

Tom, I had one of those too, except that mine had the old reliable 318 in it. I found, and installed, a tri-power setup for it while I was stationed at Ft. Carson, Colo in 1967. Made a few trips up Pikes Peak with that old girl, and even slept in it on the mountain the night before the Pikes Peak hill climb in 1967. Black with a champagne gold interior, and the bulletproof Torq-Flite transmission. Sold it to my father when I bought the 69 SS396 Chevelle, then he sold it to my cousin when he got tired of it. I loved the ride that you got in that car and would like to have it back. I let my mother use the car while I was in Vietnam, and she made me block off the front and back carbs after she "twisted the wheels" pretty good when she first drove it. Laughin' at THAT memory right now...........
Andy Anderson

Andy, my 500 was a bonafide special car. My moms first cousin was the second owner of this car, the first owner was Chrysler corp...it was a true "Executive car". When he bought it, he had to go to Detroit and pick it up. It had nearly every option you could get on it. Including factory 383 magnum, torqueflite, Black Vinyl top, Factory AM/FM Stereo, Factory Reverberation system, PS, PB and factory Mag 500 wheels with the three wing spinners. These wheels were actually magnesium. It was silver with the black vinyl interior, buckets, floor shift, console. My moms cousin had added AC. It had almost 100K on it when I bought it and he had taken such good care of it, that it looked and drove like new.

Of course I couldn't leave well enough alone, I added air shocks and glass packs, I had to take off those stock mufflers.

I miss that car, wish that I had never sold it. Sold it to buy my 64 Corvette coupe. I fall short of saying I wish I had it back, it's not to be, as the kid I sold it to let his brother take it out one night and he wrapped it around a telephone pole. That absolutely made me physically sick to see it wrapped around that pole. I do wish that I could run across another to restore though.

 

[Mac]

I know where there's a 1963 Polara Convertible with the 383 and a 4 speed but the guy is a bonefide Dodge fanatic and would never sell it...

-Mac

 

[Toms007]

I know where there's a 1963 Polara Convertible with the 383 and a 4 speed but the guy is a bonefide Dodge fanatic and would never sell it...

-Mac

That's some good property, Mac.

 

[navy2kcoupe]

Andy, my 500 was a bonafide special car. My moms first cousin was the second owner of this car, the first owner was Chrysler corp...it was a true "Executive car". When he bought it, he had to go to Detroit and pick it up. It had nearly every option you could get on it. Including factory 383 magnum, torqueflite, Black Vinyl top, Factory AM/FM Stereo, Factory Reverberation system, PS, PB and factory Mag 500 wheels with the three wing spinners. These wheels were actually magnesium. It was silver with the black vinyl interior, buckets, floor shift, console. My moms cousin had added AC. It had almost 100K on it when I bought it and he had taken such good care of it, that it looked and drove like new.

Of course I couldn't leave well enough alone, I added air shocks and glass packs, I had to take off those stock mufflers.

I miss that car, wish that I had never sold it. Sold it to buy my 64 Corvette coupe. I fall short of saying I wish I had it back, it's not to be, as the kid I sold it to let his brother take it out one night and he wrapped it around a telephone pole. That absolutely made me physically sick to see it wrapped around that pole. I do wish that I could run across another to restore though.

Funny you should mention that.........My car was ordered by a Chrysler dealership owner for himself (and family.......read TEENAGE SON) and didn't want the bigger engine. I had dual exhaust put on it while I was stationed in Colorado and that made run much better. I loved the bucket seats and console in that thing and let my younger brother "dress it up" for his graduation in June of 1969. I got many miles out of it, and my Dad and cousin got a bunch more. When it finally went to the junk yard it didn't owe anybody anything. Small world, Tom...........
Andy

 

[Toms007]

Funny you should mention that.........My car was ordered by a Chrysler dealership owner for himself (and family.......read TEENAGE SON) and didn't want the bigger engine. I had dual exhaust put on it while I was stationed in Colorado and that made run much better. I loved the bucket seats and console in that thing and let my younger brother "dress it up" for his graduation in June of 1969. I got many miles out of it, and my Dad and cousin got a bunch more. When it finally went to the junk yard it didn't owe anybody anything. Small world, Tom...........
Andy

Isn't it though.

 

[Mac]

That's some good property, Mac.

Agreed. It isn't perfect but he drives it. Black with white interior and roof. He's also got a couple of other interesting cars buried under piles of junk in the barn awaiting time & money which will never happen. One has a nose that looks like a split-grill Superbee but it isn't polite to dig so I'm just guessing.

I know of a few buried treasures but it always seems to be the eccentric collectors who would rather have 'em rust to nothing than give 'em up.

I'd like to know how many business cards I've thrown away over the years. I pestered one guy about his SWC for nearly 7 years. He was driving it and it was complete but rough... He drilled through the rear bumpers and installed tractor tail lights when the factory ones died. I saw it last in 2001. He's likely still driving it unless something broke worse than he could fix it.

-Mac

 

[Hot Rod Roy]

First car engine was a Ford flathead V8 in H.S. auto shop. We were only supposed to take it apart and put it back together, to learn what all the parts were. No budget for anything (except solvent)!! Honed cylinders, ground valves, set valve gaps by grinding the ends of the valves (non-adjustable lifters). Disassembled the carb for cleaning & inspection. Put it all back together with all the old gaskets. Set ignition timing with cellophane in the points so I could tell when the points opened. Brought some gas from home and started it up!! Startled the whole class!! Shocked the teacher!! Aced the class.

otflotflotfl

 

[ldf44]

My first engine was out of my 56 Chevy six cylinder. I was my freshman year in college. I backed it in our single car garage and did a complete overhaul. A machine shop did the head, valves, etc. I did the rest. Then I ran the heck out of it for a couple of years. Then I became the shop teacher! We had a 65 Corvette donated to the school. It had been dropped off a transporter, we had to sign a paper that we could not ever fix it up to drive. We completely took the car apart. Each year the small block was taken apart by a class and re-assembled. You should have seen the look on the students faces when that thing fired up in the shop each year. I'm now retired after teaching 40 years.

 

[Toms007]

My first engine was out of my 56 Chevy six cylinder. I was my freshman year in college. I backed it in our single car garage and did a complete overhaul. A machine shop did the head, valves, etc. I did the rest. Then I ran the heck out of it for a couple of years. Then I became the shop teacher! We had a 65 Corvette donated to the school. It had been dropped off a transporter, we had to sign a paper that we could not ever fix it up to drive. We completely took the car apart. Each year the small block was taken apart by a class and re-assembled. You should have seen the look on the students faces when that thing fired up in the shop each year. I'm now retired after teaching 40 years.

When I was in college the auto tech dept had a black 455 Trans Am (just like Smoky and the Bandit) donated, same deal they dropped it off the transporter. It buckled the rear fender a bit. Same deal had to sign off and then we tore that thing completely apart. The engine was torn down and reassembled each year. BTW I'm a shop teacher (drafting and cabinetmaking in my 32nd year).

 

[Mac]

That is awesome!!

-Mac

First car engine was a Ford flathead V8 in H.S. auto shop. We were only supposed to take it apart and put it back together, to learn what all the parts were. No budget for anything (except solvent)!! Honed cylinders, ground valves, set valve gaps by grinding the ends of the valves (non-adjustable lifters). Disassembled the carb for cleaning & inspection. Put it all back together with all the old gaskets. Set ignition timing with cellophane in the points so I could tell when the points opened. Brought some gas from home and started it up!! Startled the whole class!! Shocked the teacher!! Aced the class.

otflotflotfl