Under the hood looks better now...

[terd ferguson]

So I painted the engine bay and under the hood. I changed out the ugly orange heater hoses for black. I added a new carb, some sweet early corvette aluminum valve covers, and an old Edelbrock Torker intake manifold with the oil fill tube. I also got a different air cleaner. I still need to do something about those ugly headers. But besideds that and some small details here and there, all I really need to do is some cleanup. Check out the pics and let me know what you think.


Before as I brought it home...




After...

[MacAttack]

WOW! Night & Day difference.

[Nailz]

Those valve covers are cool!

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Yea, looks great. I love the Corvette valve covers, nice touch. Nice work. It looks too good to drive now. You'll have to park it.

[Bazooka]

Same air cleaner I am planning on using when I get around to detailing my engine

[Chevy Fleetside]

Just get some VHT Ceramic Heat Paint for the headers/ It will all come together and dose look alot cleaner now.

[monolith]

The truck just keeps getting sweeter.

Nice work!

[Bears63]

It's really amazing what a little paint, some fresh parts, and some elbow grease will do for an engine compartment. Very nice indeed!

[markeb01]

Nice improvement. IMO nothing looks better than early Corvette covers on a SBC.

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by MacAttack

WOW! Night & Day difference.

Thanks a bunch.

Originally Posted by Nailz

Those valve covers are cool!

I love 'em, they're my favorite covers. I got lucky and got them from a friend's dad for free.

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Yea, looks great. I love the Corvette valve covers, nice touch. Nice work. It looks too good to drive now. You'll have to park it.

No way. I love driving my truck.

Originally Posted by Bazooka

Same air cleaner I am planning on using when I get around to detailing my engine

I was looking for one that was the same or similar to the one my dad had on his '57 pickup from back in Slocal back in 1959. That truck was cool, this is a quasi tribute to his. It was named "El Relampago".

Originally Posted by Chevy Fleetside

Just get some VHT Ceramic Heat Paint for the headers/ It will all come together and dose look alot cleaner now.

That's what I planned on doing. I was going to do them in white. I just don't look forward to trying to get those bolts out between the headers and exhaust pipe. The headers have been on for a while and those bolts look "chemically welded" if you know what I mean.

Originally Posted by monolith

The truck just keeps getting sweeter.

Nice work!

Thanks bud. Slowly but surely.

Originally Posted by Bears63

It's really amazing what a little paint, some fresh parts, and some elbow grease will do for an engine compartment. Very nice indeed!

I know, right? New paint and some elbow grease makes everything look better.

Originally Posted by markb01

Nice improvement. IMO nothing looks better than early Corvette covers on a SBC.

I agree. Again, they're my favorite covers. A close second is the old Cal Custom finned covers.

[protrash64]

I like the looks!!! How does it run with the new combo?? Torkers were more a midrange manifold and I'm curious.

[Tx Firefighter]

Kevin,

An idea to clean it up further. Get a 72 type alternator bracket. It bolts to the head front and is very sturdy and sanitary. Still uses a short pump too. Here is one on my 327.

If you need one I can take care of you. I have an extra set.

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by protrash64

I like the looks!!! How does it run with the new combo?? Torkers were more a midrange manifold and I'm curious.

Thanks. I'm not sure yet. The distributer got spun before I could mark it. The installs took waaaay longer than expected, so we got the timing close so I could get home before my wife killed me, lol. I was supposed to be home at 6 for dinner and ended up finally home at 11 pm.

Anyway, today I cleaned up all the vacuum lines that were kind of pieced together during the install. I'll get the timing set good tomorrow and report back. I imagine I'll lose some low end power. The Torker is supposed to be more midrange to upper rpm's versus idle to midrange for the Performer.

It's not really my preferred intake because of the powerband (I like low end, I'm not a racer, lol), but the price was super right and I had to have a way to add oil with the vette valve covers. So I can't really complain.

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Kevin,

An idea to clean it up further. Get a 72 type alternator bracket. It bolts to the head front and is very sturdy and sanitary. Still uses a short pump too. Here is one on my 327.

If you need one I can take care of you. I have an extra set.

Thanks Kevin. That may work out cool, I was about to change my belts. I'll let you know in a couple of days. Thanks again.

[jason65]

Thats mo betta. Nice work Terd.

[Eagar1]

Might be a good time to use some header wrap, you can get it in black I think, and once you wrap it you can paint it with heat resist paint then seal it with their spay sealer. It would be best to get the headers clean as possible first, and seal them with a high heat paint. The wrap keeps the heat down in your compartment and actually adds a few HP.

[protrash64]

I'd be tempted to run a Torker just 'cuz they look cool to me!! I always liked the BBC Torker with the angled carb mount.

[Bazooka]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Kevin,

An idea to clean it up further. Get a 72 type alternator bracket. It bolts to the head front and is very sturdy and sanitary. Still uses a short pump too. Here is one on my 327.

If you need one I can take care of you. I have an extra set.

Let me know if terd passes I may be interested.. TY

[Bazooka]

Originally Posted by Bazooka

Let me know if terd passes I may be interested.. TY

Wow that sounds bad...

[joe231]

looks so much better now...and it appears to be working out well for both of us

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by protrash64

I like the looks!!! How does it run with the new combo?? Torkers were more a midrange manifold and I'm curious.

I got the timing set. The timing light wouldn't work so I did it by ear and by feel. It runs like a scalded raped ape. I lost a little low end but gained a bunch of mid range. The only bad news is I have an oil leak now from the distributor. I got a new seal today and will put it in tomorrow. I imagine with more accurate timing settings, it'll be even better.

Another bonus is I accidentally fixed my brakes. A previous owner had T'd off some vacuum lines to go together into the old carb. I changed the carb a while back but left the vacuum lines alone. I had to change some out due to length after the intake/valve cover swap. The new carb has a lot of vacuum ports, so now easch thing goes to it's own vacuum port. The power booster vacuum line must've had a leak. Imagine my surprise when I stepped on the pedal and almost went through the windshield.

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by jason65

Thats mo betta. Nice work Terd.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Eager1

Might be a good time to use some header wrap, you can get it in black I think, and once you wrap it you can paint it with heat resist paint then seal it with their spay sealer. It would be best to get the headers clean as possible first, and seal them with a high heat paint. The wrap keeps the heat down in your compartment and actually adds a few HP.

That's probably what I'll end up doing. They stick out like a sore thumb now.

Originally Posted by Bazooka

Let me know if terd passes I may be interested.. TY



Wow that sounds bad...

[terd ferguson]

Originally Posted by joe231

looks so much better now...and it appears to be working out well for both of us

Thanks a bunch. For the compliment and the money.

[joe231]

[javadoc]

Looks good man, nice and tidy. For some reason, the change in heater hoses made a huge difference. Inspires me to do something with my engine bay. Rusted out inner fenders first...