Project Mr. Green Jeans (now 5.3 LS turbo build!)

[bnoon]

Pulled a few more bolts/etc off and went and picked up my old cherry picker and load leveler from a friend. Sold it to him years ago and he lets me borrow it back whenever I need. Best storage situation ever! LOL!

[bnoon]

Ordered a re-ring kit from Summit Racing last night. Dug out some other stashed parts from previous sbc projects like small cap HEI, ARP header bolts, and tall cast aluminum Trick Flow valve covers. Now I need to pick some heads and a carb and this thing will be ready to get started... it's practically done! <yeah right>

[bnoon]

Motor mount bolts pulled, trans mount pulled, all connections removed. Hood hinges marked by drilling a few small holes. I'm ready to pull the hood and pull the engine/trans Saturday morning.

[bnoon]

Well that didn't happen. Stupid head and chest cold took over and I didn't see the garage since Thursday night. Feeling better today, but talking like I have a bunch of pebbles in my throat. Ordered shift kit and filter/seal for the th350.

[bnoon]

Finally pulled the engine and transmission today thanks to a friend and his son (13 years old, has a "thing" for these trucks). Pulled the hood, yanked them out, then put the hood back all within about 20 minutes. Had everything but the two clamps holding the + wire from battery to starter undone. Pulled the engine and trans up, then unbolted those two studs, then it was free! Separated the engine from trans once on the ground. Dirty, but salvageable! Updated "Julius" thread too. Been a busy weekend!

[bnoon]

Finally got a chance to get the engine up on a stand yesterday. Pulled the pan, timing cover, all 8 pistons/rods, cam, oil pump, and knocked all the mains free. Measured the bores and journals and everything is within spec as standard size. Someone had been through this engine before as the rod caps were all marked 1-8 and the crank has some markings on it. I can't believe they put a stock puny cam back in it though (no part numbers and teeny tiny lobes with very very little duration).

I need to pick up some parts dip to save the rods and free them from the pistons... man are they sticky. Been sitting a long time. Maybe use the stock pistons with the new rings, but might have to see what I can find for ultra cheep flat tops instead. Still have to buy some heads too...

[bnoon]

Power washed it all again. Ready to be honed tonight or Thursday. Flat top pistons and 1 piece pan gasket just ordered. Assembly scheduled to begin this weekend.

[bnoon]

Last weekend I picked up a lightly used 1850 600CFM Holley vac secondary carb with missing electric choke. Spent 60 bucks on it. Filled with fuel and the bowls don't leak and the squirters are good. Still going to pop it open and make sure all of the jets and float needles are clear.

Yesterday the new flat tops showed up. Under 100 bucks shipped from Rock Auto! Silvolite sold under the DNJ Engine Components name.

[bnoon]

Worked on it for a few hours last night and only got 3 pistons swapped out for new ones. I had trouble with one of the new pistons going on... I heated up the rod, but fumbled the new pin a bit and only got it halfway inserted before it cooled and got stuck... I had to press it back out and in the process I dinged the bore of the piston on one edge... I had to hone the pin bore to remove the ding, then heated and reinserted the pin. No issues now, but killed my evening. Hopefully I can get everything assembled onto the rods and start massaging with oil so that they're ready to stab into the block soon.

[bnoon]

I got the rest of the new pistons put on. Had a tough time with one more piston/rod combo that took 4 tries to get it to go through the rod correctly.

Also, showing pictures of the process using a homemade piston pin press. 1 foot section of threaded rod, two coupling nuts (to get a LOT more thread engagement to reduce stripping threads), a 3" section of 1" threaded pipe with the threads ground down on one side to clear the rest of the piston, an old 5/8" socket hollowed out to slip over the 5/8 threaded rod, and some washers.

[bnoon]

Got everything cleaned and polished up on the crank journals, worked a nice cross-hatch into the cylinders to aid in ring break-in (pictured about halfway through working the first cylinder), installed bearings, and crank is back into the block and torqued. Pistons got their rings file fit and I found out why those pistons are so cheap... I had to file 3 oil control ring groves so that the rings had free movement. Quality control = lacking.

Also, I could only throw 4 pistons/rods into the block as the package of rod bearings was missing half of what it was supposed to have. Called Summit Racing and they are overnighting me another box of them. Their only questions were "where to?" and "Is there anything else you need?" Love their customer service.

[Wikid61]

Very nice score. I can polish this rig to a killer shine when you are done w/the mechanicals. I live in Anamosa IA and buff Semi-tractors all the way down to motorcycles w/a 3" min wheel.

[bnoon]

Originally Posted by Wikid61

Very nice score. I can polish this rig to a killer shine when you are done w/the mechanicals. I live in Anamosa IA and buff Semi-tractors all the way down to motorcycles w/a 3" min wheel.

Thanks for the offer. I actually used to detail cars myself back about 20 years ago. I still have my old Chicago Electric 7" buffer, a newer 7" buffer too, and a dual 3". I used to polish metals as well, mostly ATV's and snowmobile parts.

[bnoon]

235/60/15 front and 255/60/15 rear Cooper raised white letter tires ordered. Will be going on white 15x8 rallies with center caps and no beauty rings. 2.5" spindles up front ordered and flip kit for the rear ordered as well. Pulled apart the front brakes on the '76 to swing them over to this one since they're not even 6 months old. Rear end will come over from that truck too for same reason. I think I've decided to use the th400 instead of the th350 since I know it works for sure. Now I have to get that part of the harness wired up too.

[bnoon]

Shortblock is assembled and cam timed. I need to buy some heads next and order an electric choke kit. Will also refresh one of the transmissions, can't decide on the TH400 or TH350.

Got the passenger lowering spindle put on today. Lots of trouble getting 40 year old bolts to come off. Broke two shock mounting bolts and a dust shield bolt, and two of the cotter pins were frozen in place with rust. All better now. Sits about stock height after lowering but there's no engine or transmission in there. Once she's back together that will be perfect height for me. Took probably 5 to 6 hours to do the one side. I'm beat!!!

[bnoon]

Ordered Pro Comp 190cc assembled heads last night and added screw in studs, moly push rods, and guide plates. Delivery date is scheduled about a week before I leave for the last two days of Power Tour. Cutting it close.

[bnoon]

Did the driver's side 2.5" lowering spindle this morning. Broke two cotter pins off that were frozen. One tapped right out with a pin punch, the other.... not so much. An hour and a half and three drill bits later... I could reassemble. Still not as bad as the passenger's side yesterday.
*(Note: Still no engine/trans in the truck, so it will come down quite a bit)*

This afternoon I cleaned/disinfected the interior a bit. I had to swap out my cleaner/water solution 6 times!!! I think I'm going to power wash the carpet *YUCK!*

Also cleaned/lubed/aligned the doors as well as put on PEX tubing on the striker pins. Both doors shut better than new!!!

[Greenlee]

I love the compass on the dash. That's old school! The interior cleaned up pretty nice.

[bnoon]

Yeah I love the compass too! One of the "old man" type mods that make it farm fresh look. Now... to get rid of that "farm fresh" smell. I think the carpet is holding onto too much of the past. Time to pull it all and power wash it!!!

[bnoon]

Pulled the gas tank last night. I'm going to swap the one over from Julius since I knew for sure that tank was 100% operational (not to mention 100% full of gas). This tank looks fine however. Just going to de-rust it and clean it up, and probably sell it.

[bnoon]

Rear rallye wheels arrived!

[Low Elco]

Ooh, OOh, not to be a jerk, but where from and how much on those rallys? I'm considering the same plan.

[dragonball98312]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Ooh, OOh, not to be a jerk, but where from and how much on those rallys? I'm considering the same plan.

Dito

[bnoon]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Ooh, OOh, not to be a jerk, but where from and how much on those rallys? I'm considering the same plan.

Summit Racing has them in stock. 4.5" or 5" backspace available.

Some pictures from so far this weekend. Converter mock up to the flexplate, rear wheels painted white to match the fronts, converter in the trans, engine and trans married together, then back in the truck.

[bnoon]

Got the gas tank from Julius put in with new lines. Pulled some of the interior out, vaccumed about 5 pounds of dirt and gravel from under the carpet, power washed the carpet and mats, rubbed down and softened the seat using GOOP hand cleaner and the heat of the sun (really, really works!!! The vinyl is so much softer now!)

Next is put the newer steering wheel in, put the interior back in, and replace the brake distribution block and lines with those from Julius. Heads will (hopefully) arrive next week.