Shop recommendations for Orange County/ Los Angeles area?

1964SuperStocker

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
I went through all spark plugs. Cylinder 1 plug wreaked of gas. Looks like cylinder is running rich for some reason. Cylinder 2 and 3 slightly smelled of gas, the others were ok. I also got the camera down into the cylinders, all looks OK except for some carbon buildup. I'm pretty relived being that there's nothing catastrophic at this point. View attachment 87005View attachment 87006View attachment 87007View attachment 87008View attachment 87009
1a 5944P30.jpg
Looks like you have Ross 10.5:1 compression. Plenty healthy compression and a good piston.
 

409gang

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
I took the advice and reached out to a local chevy classics car club already. Going to my first meeting Saturday and to get vetted I guess. And you're right though, I said impala...it was like ok, then i said 409 and t10...the guy was like "ya so come to a meeting on Saturday". Group has a bunch of old timers in it which I love. They have quite a few old Ford hot rods too which attracted me because I inherited a 1935 Ford 5 window coupe from my pops. That's a project that's been going on for decades. Hoping to get that thing running soon too.
:winner
Just don't let them talk you into putting dingle balls around the windows. Lol
 

409gang

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
Well, I'm a GM guy at heart but can't help wjat my pops was into before he passed away. I have to say I am tempted to drop a 350 crate motor in there, but that's like asking Harris to be Trumps VP. Ford belongs with a Ford and Chevy can go with literally everything else....lol. :taunt

Haha! In all seriousness though I'm making progress thanks to you folks and I really appreciate it!!! :D
Not so fast on the Ford in a Ford, if there is no engine in there yet you got plenty of choices. I like to be a little different thats why I'm into these 409's, so with that being said the engines that I gravitate to are 348 & 409 W engines, 401 & 425 Nail Head Buicks, 331 and 354 HEMI's, FE Ford (406 and 427) engines and Flatties (Ford flat heads) heck anyone can put a 350 Chevy in a Hot Rod. The engine is the main focal point of a Hot Rod which means you don't want a boring engine (SBC) in it, you want something sitting between the rails that draws attention (eye candy) something that people will talk to you more about the engine than the car. A lot of these engines are still out there fairly inexpensive (except for the FE Ford engines) and can make interesting Hot Rod mills.
 
Last edited:

ORO62

Well Known Member
Not so fast on the Ford in a Ford, if there is no engine in there yet you got plenty of choices. I like to be a little different thats why I'm into these 409's, so with being said the engines that I gravitate to are 348 & 409 W engines, 401 & 425 Nail Head Buicks, 331 and 354 HEMI's, FE Ford (406 and 427) engines and Flatties (Ford flat heads) heck anyone can put a 350 Chevy in a Hot Rod. The engine is the main focal point of a Hot Rod which means you don't want a boring engine (SBC) in it, you want something sitting between the rails that draws attention (eye candy) something that people will talk to you more about the engine than the car. A lot of these engines are still out there fairly inexpensive (except for the FE Ford engines) and can make interesting Hot Rod mills.

That's a fair point...maybe a 409 in the Ford? :winner:brow
 

409gang

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 1
Does this mean the crate truck motor (zz code) was upgraded before the dropped it in?
Why do you think this is a truck motor? I am not familiar with a "ZZ" code, what is the seven digit casting # on the back of the block on the drivers side behind the cylinder head on the block extension where the bell housing bolts up to. Truck and passenger car blocks shared the same casting with the only difference being a truck block has a notch cut into the top of the cylinder to lower the compression. As far as your engine being upgraded the answer is yes as those pistons are not an original factory piston, truck or car.
 

ORO62

Well Known Member
Why do you think this is a truck motor? I am not familiar with a "ZZ" code, what is the seven digit casting # on the back of the block on the drivers side behind the cylinder head on the block extension where the bell housing bolts up to. Truck and passenger car blocks shared the same casting with the only difference being a truck block has a notch cut into the top of the cylinder to lower the compression. As far as your engine being upgraded the answer is yes as those pistons are not an original factory piston, truck or car.

Really sorry. Getting confused with all these codes. I meant XXG. Which shows as a replacement truck motor which is what I was told was dropped in. Apparently they 2nd owner back upgraded the motor before dropping it in which has been confirmed by the piston type and related compression ratio according to prior comments and my photos. Here's what I have - maybe this will shed some light onto the story of my 409. Found the attached chart by way of Google.20201001_165420.jpg20201001_165204.jpgScreenshot_20200914-114649_Chrome.jpg20201001_165420.jpg20201001_165204.jpgScreenshot_20200914-114649_Chrome.jpg20201001_165420.jpg20201001_165204.jpgScreenshot_20200914-114649_Chrome.jpg
 

IMBVSUR?

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I'm from San Francisco proper. Sunset district.


The wife lived several places in the city before I met her. She was from Marin County, I was from the East Bay, and in some people's eye's the other side of the tracks :D We met in the South Bay, Union City / Hayward.
 
Top