Rookie's First Restoration Attempt...

stinger12 · May 11, 2008

Twin_Turbo said:
You should have checked the downloads section, under engine & perf. there's a zip file with a bunch of dd2k head files, amongst them is.... sbc air flow research 180cc.flw

I'll check it out. Thanks Twin Turbo:beer:

MYBAD79 · May 11, 2008

stinger12 said:
I am still playing around with it, I want to move the HP band lower in the RPM range.

A 3.75" stroker crank will move HP and TQ to lower rpm .... the 1103 cam has very low lift numbers, most aftermarket aluminum heads are good for max .575" lift... 1.6 ratio rocker arms increase the lift of this cam to .471/.492

How much are these heads ? AFR isn't cheap.... try a 383 setup with cheap Procomp or Summit heads and see what the desktop dyno says....

stinger12 · May 11, 2008

MYBAD79 said:
A 3.75" stroker crank will move HP and TQ to lower rpm .... the 1103 cam has very low lift numbers, most aftermarket aluminum heads are good for max .575" lift... 1.6 ratio rocker arms increase the lift of this cam to .471/.492

How much are these heads ? AFR isn't cheap.... try a 383 setup with cheap Procomp or Summit heads and see what the desktop dyno says....

AFR heads run about $1400 - they aren't cheap. Going to a 383 setup would mean I'd have to pony up more money for a new crank and rods - we will see. I am still playing around with the specs in desktop dyno.

MYBAD79 · May 12, 2008

The most expensive way to build an engine is to to it all over again, the cheapest way is to do it right the first time.... it's not like you need the engine tomorrow, take your time :thumbs:

I'd be concerned about the crank (cast ?)

stinger12 · May 12, 2008

MYBAD79 said:
The most expensive way to build an engine is to to it all over again, the cheapest way is to do it right the first time.... it's not like you need the engine tomorrow, take your time :thumbs:

I'd be concerned about the crank (cast ?)

Mike said that if I want to go to 450 HP, then I'll have to upgrade to a stronger crank and new rods. Like I said, I'm still playing around with the specs and everything - its not final.

MYBAD79 · May 12, 2008

It's not the HP, it's the rpm that kills the rods and crank. With the AFR heads you can (and should) run a hotter cam to take advantage of the good flowing heads.... the engine will easily rev above 6500 and still make power (and break the weak bottom end in the process)...

Now, a stroker makes good low rpm power and could actually work even with your stock heads if they're still ok and not cracked.... you could buy cheap/used Vortec or Procomp heads... A combo like this will work with a weak cast bottom end.

Or just leave the engine as is, run it for a year or so and build a nice engine while you can still drive the car. That way you can buy the parts as your budget allows and take your time assembling the engine... Swapping the engine later is no big deal....

stinger12 · May 12, 2008

We will see - I'm still thinking about it. Maybe I'll save up a bit more and then buy the eagle 383 4340 stroker kit...who knows.

MYBAD79 · May 12, 2008

stinger12 said:
We will see - I'm still thinking about it. Maybe I'll save up a bit more and then buy the eagle 383 4340 stroker kit...who knows.

The 396 stroker kit isn't much more, I think it's actually about the same price, roughly $1600 all forged ....:1st:

stinger12 · May 12, 2008

MYBAD79 said:
The 396 stroker kit isn't much more, I think it's actually about the same price, roughly $1600 all forged ....:1st:

I have to be realistic with myself - I don't have enough money to build myself a 383 dream engine right now. I still have to find myself a used body in better condition, and that alone is going to set me back a couple of grand. I think its best to build the 355 which I have planned. I'm trying to save up for school at the moment, and that is more important. This engine should keep me happy for several years...then I can build something bigger.

SmokinBBC · May 12, 2008

stinger12 said:
I have to be realistic with myself - I don't have enough money to build myself a 383 dream engine right now. I still have to find myself a used body in better condition, and that alone is going to set me back a couple of grand. I think its best to build the 355 which I have planned. I'm trying to save up for school at the moment, and that is more important. This engine should keep me happy for several years...then I can build something bigger.

What's the problem with the body?

stinger12 · May 13, 2008

SmokinBBC said:
What's the problem with the body?

Everything - bubba did a number on it. The front end needs to be replaced. Most of the bonding strips on the firewall are trashed. The door skins are trashed. Couple this with my frustrations while working with bubba's mistakes (AKA my mistakes from being frustrated), it makes for a terrible start on the body. I don't know what I'll be doing with that half of the project; its going to cost me more to try and fix up the old body than it is going to cost me to find a good used one. Hopefully I can find one for about 2500. We will see.

SmokinBBC · May 13, 2008

stinger12 said:
Everything - bubba did a number on it. The front end needs to be replaced. Most of the bonding strips on the firewall are trashed. The door skins are trashed. Couple this with my frustrations while working with bubba's mistakes (AKA my mistakes from being frustrated), it makes for a terrible start on the body. I don't know what I'll be doing with that half of the project; its going to cost me more to try and fix up the old body than it is going to cost me to find a good used one. Hopefully I can find one for about 2500. We will see.

I don't know, but I think that any body..especially in the 2500 range is going to need work. Have you started looking yet? Perhaps place some WTB posts?

stinger12 · May 13, 2008

SmokinBBC said:
I don't know, but I think that any body..especially in the 2500 range is going to need work. Have you started looking yet? Perhaps place some WTB posts?

Anything is better than this POS body of mine - everything needs work on this one, and I mean absolutely everything. Mike Dyer said he would sell me a very nice body for $1000 - the only issue is getting it to me would have cost $2800 by freight, and around $1000 for a crate. My dad said no to that, and that he wanted me to find a project car we could buy, take whatever parts we needed (body and whatever chassis parts I was missing) and then part out the rest to make some money back. But that's another can of worms. I've been keeping my eye open in the classifieds, craigslist and kijiji.ca for the past couple of weeks. We'll see what will happen once I finish the chassis. I want to have a rolling chassis with everything done on it so that I can roll it into storage at my dad's work and then start working on the body. I've made a few WTB ads, but no hits. My dad told me two weeks ago to start looking for another project car that we could gut out, and if I couldn't find one within the two week time period, then to go ahead and spend the money I've been saving on the engine rebuild. Then once the engine is done, start saving up for the body again. I'm going ahead with the engine rebuild right now (nnless some major miracle happens and I find a really nice body cheap here in Calgary).

stinger12 · May 15, 2008

Okay, I'll eat my words from the last post. Mike finally convinced me to start working on the body again - its going to cost more to fix this one, but I can pay it off slowly as opposed to dropping 4000 for a new body all at once. this is the first time it has been outside of the garage since like 8 months now. Gave it a wash to remove all the crap and dust before I start separating the firewall tonight.

1Michel · May 15, 2008

the way youre going at it you should take it appart and redo it like Chris (69myway) did.

http://mcspeed.homestead.com/vacation.html

http://mcspeed.homestead.com/Photo_Gallery.html

His car was probably worse than yours and he took it apart.

it's a huge project but looking at what you accomplished to this date I dont see why you shouldn't give it a try.
Nothing to loose ( ok ok I cant spell!!!) anyway, if you miss and crash attempting it and you trash it, you find another body.

I know you can pull it off.

stinger12 · May 15, 2008

There is lots of stuff you guys can't see in the pics - it is a thousand times worse than anyone thinks. I have about 2 years of work ahead of me until this car will probably be finished. Most of it is the body work. rear quarters are coming off, and so is the door jamb piece. Lots of work - Hopefully I haven't bitten off more than I can chew. I pulled the firewall off tonight - almost no bonding adhesive anywhere...what a joke. There is this seam sealer crap in every joint - its as soft as clay. Birdcage only has surface rust. I was able to pull it off in about a little over an hour:huh:

MYBAD79 · May 15, 2008

That doesn't look all that bad to be honest... just because other cars are clean and have fresh paint doesn't mean they look any better beneath the skin.... the birdcage needs a little fresh sheetmetal but that seems to be it....

It'll look a lot better once it's all clean.

stinger12 · May 15, 2008

MYBAD79 said:
That doesn't look all that bad to be honest... just because other cars are clean and have fresh paint doesn't mean they look any better beneath the skin.... the birdcage needs a little fresh sheetmetal but that seems to be it....

It'll look a lot better once it's all clean.

yeah, you're right - I'm just not used to the fact that it is going to look like crap until everything is done and put together. I was the same way with the frame...it looked like for crap for 4 months, but it all came together and looks great now. One day at a time I guess.

stinger12 · May 17, 2008

Pulled apart the rear fiberglass pieces today - the door jambs and quarter panels are getting replaced. Looks real bad right now - hopefully I can put her back together.