Bad day in the garage beats a good day at work.

[Fathead Racing]

Spent the day in the garage again, very productive. Removed the splash pan from the 881 manifold and bead blasted both it and the manifold. Found out that the previous owner(s) ground off part of the intake so it could be used on low performance heads. Not too big of a deal but whoever did the grinding work should have left the job to someone who cared what it looked like when done no1: . I will have to clean up the crappy work of the offending hillbilly :stooges . Placed the new heads on the block using the old steel shim gaskets and just a couple of head bolts so I could mock up the valve train and check the pushrod length. Turns out that the stock pushrods are a touch too long. Witness mark on valve tip was in the middle of the valve tip with the lifter on the base circle, damn! More $$$$$$$$$. Looks like I will need two different length rocker studs also. Things are moving along pretty well so far. I should have a handle on the lifter link problem in the next few days.

 

[SS425HP]

All the live long day!

Hey, Ray, Ditto here. Got the new trailing arms installed. Put the Hotchkis Arms on. Air bags reinstalled. Feel like I have wrestled alligators all day. Nothing went easy on this install. Is there something to be done to these cars that is EASY? I want to do it. Just once. Would be FUN. All that's left is to re tie the lines to the airbags. Back to the front of the car, now. Have the electric water pump motor pretty much rigged up. Got to do the electric fan, next. Got to decide which fan or which way to go.

Ain't this Fun?????????????????????????????

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Fred, "is there something to be done to these cars that is easy?" Changing spark plugs. I have always wanted to thank the design engineers responsible for spark plug placement. Only cars I have ever seen that , with some extensions. ,, you can stand up and change plugs. Even easier than an in-line flathead, if you stop and think about it.( Gotta bend over).. Other than that , I cant think of one other thing that is easy to do with these cars.

 

[Fathead Racing]

I pulled the engine, tranny and rear pig by myself in less than 4 hrs. Didn't seem that hard, did most of it in 30 dg weather. Does this mean I'm still a hard *** Working on the Chevy is a great stress reliever for me, just wish I wasn't on a deadline!

 

[DIV1RACER-2]

garage challanges

Must have been the weekend of frustration / did not get nearly enough things accomplished.

Ray , i understand the time crunch , all week long & now i'm running out of winter & haven't run out of winter projects / mostly not mine.

First race in 6 weeks & car is still in trailer from last year.

 

[SS425HP]

Yeah, and it will still run 10.50 with no work. I work my butt off, all winter, and will be lucky to be within a second of you. Don't get me wrong, not knocking you. You have been doing this a long time, and have a lot of experience on your side. And, I admire that. It's hard to jump right in and run with the big dogs. I just have to accept what I can do and go on. Getting there, though. And, with your help!!!!! It is fun watching you run, though. Allen, too. Maybe one of these days. I had my day 40 years ago. But, I am having fun. That counts. Stopping to think about it, first out the car ran 12.50. Then ran a 12.0 at Bowling Green. Then Denny helped with it, and went 11.68. There is a lot of knowledge in that head! Can't go wrong listening.

 

[DIV1RACER-2]

Thanks Fred , Just having fun !!!!

 

[SS425HP]

Rear Arms

Denny, I figured it would take a couple hours to get those trailing arms in. Was I wrong. Was like fighting Alligators. Almost like the mounts were bent. They are not, just took a lot of twisting, jacking, moving, CUSSING, and about anything else you can imagine to get the darned things to line up for the bolts. The front was no problem, but the rear?????????????????????? Push, pull, twist, drift pins, jack it up, let it down, you name it. We did it. 4 hours. But, we got it. Not as easy on stands as in the air on a hoist. I'm sure a hoist would have helped. Maybe.

 

[TomO]

Ray and Fred - You guys anywhere near Delta OH???

TomO

 

[SS425HP]

Delta, Ohio

Never heard of Delta, Ohio. I'll look it up, but don't think I'm near it.

 

[SS425HP]

Delta, Ohio

Tom, Delta, Ohio is near Toledo. About 180 miles north from here. Almost on the Michigan border. Probably farther from Ray.