Thread: I couldn't build it for $3 K either!

Tweet

Those powder coated parts look great. This should really be a looker when complete. I like the wheels with the moons too!

Mike, you do exceptionally nice work. You and Ken Thurm are both true innovators when it comes to finding fresh ways to solve common problems. If I had seen your turn signal switch before I modified and mounted my steering column, I would have stolen your idea...

I really like the powder coated parts. It looks like old chrome which is just what I'm looking for to use on my roadster's bumpers and nerfs. We have a couple of powder coating outfits around here; I'm going to check into it. Thanks for the idea.

Thanks guys!

JR - The chrome looking parts are ceramic coated. I don't know if anyone does powder coating in that color.

The engine is pretty much together now. When the chassis is complete, I plan to run the engine before bolting on the body to check for leaks or other problems. The brakes will be bled and functional, too.

The specs on the motor wound up a little different than I had originally planned. I never did come up with a usable pair of Vortec heads. Actually, I gave up because I got tired of driving 40 miles to the wrecking yard and then paying the machine shop to check them for cracks. I already had a set of "camel hump" heads that had a good bit of work on them. They have 7/16" screw in studs, big valve springs, one piece stainless valves(2.02 and 1.6) and the guides have been cut for better seals. In addition, they have had some port and bowl work done. These are the older style with no accessory holes, but that doesn't matter because I don't need them. They don't have the "fast burn" combustion chamber of the Vortecs, but they should do OK on this motor. If this was 1970, they would be a killer set of heads though!

The bottom end is stock Vortec. It's interesting that GM used a lot of "hot rod" tech in these late model small blocks. I had heard that the rotating assemblies are supposed to be lighter due to the "forged powdered metal" rods as well as lighter pistons. Out of curiosity, I wieghed an old style piston/rod assembly and one from the Vortec. The old stuff was 2.7 ounces heavier than the new. I was told the crank is about the same weight as an old style 305 unit. The rings are thinner than the old small blocks, too, which should reduce friction loses. It even has a small windage tray. I also went with a 6" light weight balancer instead of the 8" stock unit to eleminate clearance issues with the front crossmember. The lighter balancer should allow it to rev quicker, too. Since the stock Vortec heads and the ones I'm using both have 64cc chambers the CR should be unchanged at around 9.2 to 1. That's the only downside since I may have to run premium gas.

The cam is a GM "Ramjet 350" unit from their 350 HP EFI crate motor. It's a pretty tame cam by hot rod standards with 196/206 @ .050 duration, but it has decent lift at .450 intake and .487 exhaust with 1.6 rockers. Those duration figures are close to the old 300 HP 327 cam, but with it's much greater lift it should be a little more aggressive than the old 327 cam. It also has a tighter lobe seperation at 109 degrees. I went with 1.6 rockers because that is what GM uses in the Ramjet. I doubt I'll be getting 350 HP out of this engine with the old style heads, but my original goal was 300 and I'm pretty sure I'll be over that with room to spare. Low end and mid-range torque should be great and this cam should work well with the OD trans. Since my engine speed at 60 MPH should be in the 1800 RPM range, I'm expecting gas mileage to be excellent.

The intake setup is an Edelbrock 3X2 with Rochester 2 barrels. The carbs were redone by Hot Rod Carburetion with their linkage and fuel line. I modified the manifold for a semi-hidden PCV setup. I had a similar rig on my 46, but had to abandon it because it sucked oil. That old setup didn't have an oil baffel underneath. The new one does so it should work OK(I hope). The old style oil fill on the intake has a breather cap, but that may not be enough vent, if it's not I can add Moon style breathers to the valve covers. The Stellings and Helling(copies)"helmet" type air filters look good, but I may have to change them out as they appear to be pretty restrictive. The 4" filters are restrictive by themselves and the helmet cover fits very close to the filter element, probably choking it off even more. I may go with some finned aluminun open filters from Obrien Truckers or Vintage Speed.





The ignition is MSD and I plan to trigger the box with a point type distributor. The 3X2 requires a small base distributor and I picked up an Accel Blueprint unit on Ebay, but I had to change the gear to a "melonized"(that's actually what they call it!) gear from GM. That's just a hardened steel gear that's compatible with the steel roller cams used by GM. By using points to fire the MSD unit, I have the option of swapping over to regular point ignition if the box fails. All I need is a resistor in the coil circuit and a quick "rewire" of the coil.

The plug wires are still unfinished. I want to run them under the headers, but they may interfere with the steering shaft. I hope not, since I really don't want to go over the top.

I must say that this engine build is a lot different than any other I've done. Since this one will be totaly uncovered, I have taken extra time to assemble and detail it. I can usually knock out an engine in a couple of days, but this time I tinkered around on little details off and on for several days till I was satisfied with the way it looked.

I tried to give the engine an old school look to go with the overall look of the car. I could probably pass it off as a 327 to most folks if I wanted to, but I won't since I don't have any problems with the "belly button 350" thing.

The frame, rearend and other small frame parts have been sandblasted and painted I did these in PPG single stage urethane. They turned out OK, but I'm not a painter. I may get a pro to paint the body. I still have to paint the trans and gas tank before the frame can be completed.

I need to replace a bearing in the rearend(and maybe install the posi). Hopefully, that'll get done next weekend.

That about catches me up for right now. The frame should go together in the next few weeks.

Lookin great Hotrod. I like the gloss black!

I'm sure glad you showed that pic of the frame in primer/paint, I've been waiting/hoping for 7 or 8 pages for a look at your headlight mounts!!!!
I have been needing ideas for mine. I tried the J.R. method of imagineering, but couldn't get into that mode for some reason!! haahaa. He's made a GREAT Mentor for me. Really gifted and talented (and cheap), know what I mean? Build before buy! Great outlook. Hard to believe I've Scottish Ancestors! Perley

Originally Posted by oldrodder43

I've been waiting/hoping for 7 or 8 pages for a look at your headlight mounts!!!!

You really didn't need to wait! I would have been more than glad to post more pics for you.

The mounts wound up shaped like they are to clear the shocks. A case of form follows function.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask(really).

Mike

Wow that is coming out great! Seeing your bare frame and all reminds me of my project towards the end! All ready to come together. I remember I was blowing Grabber Blue paint out of my nose for 2 months. Looks fantastic. Keep up the good work. Don Jr

Don

Thanks!

The closer I get to being finished the harder it gets to take my time!

Hope I can actually get this thing back on it's wheels soon.

Mike

BTW Your car looks great.

Patience, Patience, Patience!!!!! Take your time, enjoy the process of the build!!!!!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Take your time, enjoy the process of the build!!!!!

Funny you should say that. I was telling my wife the other day that as much as I'm wanting to finish, I'm going to miss working on this project when it's done! Go figure!

I have really enjoyed this build. Even if anything that resembles a "budget" went out the window long ago!

Mike

Originally Posted by Hotrod46

Funny you should say that. I was telling my wife the other day that as much as I'm wanting to finish, I'm going to miss working on this project when it's done! Go figure!

I have really enjoyed this build. Even if anything that resembles a "budget" went out the window long ago!

Mike

Hey, we all start with a budget in mind...... Sticking to it is another thing....

Big thing is, as a build progresses plans usually change. In the course of a build, new ideas surface that take more time and money, there's always a lot of parts, bits, and pieces omitted from the original budget...

Heck, I've got a bunch more excuses, just saving them for another project!!!! and I only have to justify my spending excesses to myself!!!!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

In the course of a build, new ideas surface that take more time and money

I know what you mean. Sometimes, I just have to tell myself, "You need to save that idea for the next project"!

But, don't tell my wife that I'm already thinking about the next project!

Only thinking about the next project?????? Geez, I have 3 in the garage and two more outside already waiting!!!!!!!!

I was working on the rearend, but had to stop and finish painting a few parts. Since Mother Nature controls the temperature in my "paint booth", it has been a little too cold to paint. I saw a window in the weather, so I figured I had better take advantage of it.

There were a few more parts left to paint than I had thought, but I think I have them all done now. Maybe I can make some headway on final assembly.

As for the rearend, it turns out that it was a carrier bearing and not a pinion bearing going bad. I went ahead and changed all the bearings since I had bought a Raytec kit that had them all in it. I did go with the posi and also swapped in the 3.42 gears out of the Camaro rearend. I may not like the posi after I start driving it, but I'll never know for sure if I don't try it. I do appreciate all those that gave their opinions on whether to use it or not.

The 3.42's will lower my cruise RPM's a little, but I don't think they'll hurt my performance too bad. With the 3.06 first gear in the 700R4, acceleration should still be plenty quick. Might even help my gas mileage a little.

The swap went pretty good and I only had to change the pinion shim 3 times to get it where I think it needs to be. The pattern looked good so maybe it won't howl like a banshee!

I did use a solid pinion spacer and shim kit instead of a regular crush sleeve. I really liked how easy it was to use and it's supposed to help keep the rearend together when you're beating on it. I don't know about that, but I'd use it again just for the ease of setup.

I also swapped out the pinion yoke. The old unit had a rubber mounted balancer on it. It was probably on there to dampen some unwanted harmonic vibration in the S-10 driveline. I doubt my 12" driveshaft has anything close to the harmonics of the original driveshaft. Not only that, but that thing weighed right at 10 pounds! The one on the Camaro weighed just a little over 2 pounds. That was an easy way to shed 8 pounds of rotating weight and drop a little unsprung weight to boot. All good in my book! Besides, from a safety standpoint, I have no idea what kind of RPM's that thing was rated for. It has the potential to spin at crankshaft speed(or higher in OD) and if it let go, there would be big hunks of cast iron flying around right under my butt! Probably not very likely to happen, but you never know.