Thread: Project "Left Overs" is back alive !

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Don,
I just discovered this thread! Seems like I remember you starting this project on a different thread and I was waiting for updates. I was beginning to think you had been sidetracked like me...

Anyway, back in the early 70s I had a '68 Olds 442 with the 400 engine. It started smoking and I decided it was time for a major rebuild. While I was having the block bored and the crank ground, the machinist talked me into splurging for a balance job. He said that Olds engines had some of the beefiest bottom ends of any engines made and they, therefore, are notoriously out of balance. I finally agreed to let him do the balance job on it and I was not disappointed. It made the thing run as smooth as silk even with a lumpy sounding cam. Improved acceleration, too. If the extra $$$ won't break the budget it's worth it...

I didn't balance my current engine as it was "factory fresh" but the 351++W in my last car was done and even with a very strong Lunati camshaft was really silky. That was probably the best $150-200 spent on a single thing on that engine

Jim and Dave, I agree about the balancing. Dan and I talked it over last night and I have his flexplate and damper in my car, ready to take over to the machinist. I'll drop that off today.

We took a quick look at what I want for the front perch on my project and I am going to cut the pieces today also, that way one night this week he can weld it up for me. Once all the critical pieces are done (that I don't trust my own welding on) I won't have to bug him to do those for me and can do the non structural pieces on my own. There are things I will weld and things I won't, depending on where they go and how good they have to look.

Don

I dropped Dan's flexplate and damper off at the machine shop today, and told them to go ahead and balance it. In for a penny, in for a pound, I guess.

After that I stopped at the shop to see what I could do to start building my front spring perch. I have usually just make a perch up out of some flat stock, but I had a Total Performance one laying around and although it was made for a round tube crossmember I figured with a little cutting I could hack off the parts I didn't need.

I wanted it to tilt up on a 9 degree angle because my frame should rake down at about 2-3 degrees and my kingpins will lay back about 6-7 degrees. There is some adjustability in the spring perches that go into the wishbones, so I can dial it in later if I need more or less king pin angle.

The hard part was figuring out how I was going to firmly hold the perch in the bandsaw because it is an odd shape. But after a little measuring and creative clamping I got it where I wanted it, and cut off the parts I didn't need. I was pretty proud of myself because usually I need Don or Dan's good eyesight to cut things straight, but somehow I hit it on my own.

Here is how I cut it and how it will look butted up to the front crossmember. One night this week I will have Dan weld it on for me, then I can start bolting the front end stuff on.

Don