Thread: Bought an old race car today.

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I don't know if I previously mentioned this, but for the past two months I have been attempting to buy an old 79 Camaro drag car. My first thoughts were to clean it up, make some improvements, and go racing on the cheap. Finally this week I was able to make a deal and today I had it towed to my shop.

I've now realized that the 6 years of outdoor storage have taken a big toll on the body so I am going to scrap that. What I really wanted was the engine, transmission, and rear axle because I now think I will transplant them into my 46 Tudor and make a daily driver out of it.

The previous owner spent A LOT of money on the engine and it looks like it only ran briefly before being parked. I am learning that every decal on the car really represents a part he used. Here is what I know I have so far:

70-76 350 sbc, maybe 2 or 4 bolt mains (I hope and bet 4 bolt)

World Products cast iron Sportsman II heads with (I think) Harlan Sharp roller rockers.

Edelbrock RPM intake with a Holley DP 650 carb.

MSD distributor, MSD 6AL box, and coil

A solid lifter cam of unknown make and model (I haven't torn it down that far yet)

A fluidampr harmonic balancer

A Weiand electric water pump

A deep and flat racing oil pan.

Headers

Edelbrock Elite valve covers

Forged flat top pistons (I'll know more when I tear the rest down)

It also has a 350 turbo that looks fresh with a smallish blue torque converter

The decals on the car indicate there is an Auburn limited slip rear and Richmond gears. Don't have a clue what ones though yet.


The oil in the engine is like new and the tranny fluid is purple and also like new. They had pure antifreeze in the cooling system and must have sprayed the internals with rust preventative because the cylinder walls and all are shiny clean.

I'll take it to my machinist and have the block and heads done over and have the crank checked too. I forgot to measure the bore and stroke tonight but it looks like a 30 over 350 to me from glancing at it. I'll probably save the racing stuff for another engine and tame this one down for the 46. Here are some pictures of it all.

Don

Looks like you got some good stuff . Is all that rust and corrosion normal
for a car stored outside by the ocean ?

Congrats on the new ride, from the pics the body does not look to bad. But from living in Cape Coral for 3 years I know that its not just the salt air but the sun also beats the crap outta vechicles too.

The body looked pretty good to me when I first saw it but upon closer examination it really is shot. I had to set off 6 insect foggers and a whole can of Raid ant killer to get the big carpenter ants out of it......must have been a million of them in there. Last night standing inside the engine room working I was a little worried there might be more critters still in there, like a SNAKE! I hate snakes.

The three tarps they put over the engine both saved it and hurt it. They kept the rain from getting on it but the humidity was able to get up under there from the dirt underneath. Mostly though it isn't as bad as the pictures show, just that normal corrosion that happens to aluminum.....it will blast off. The internals were my concern and they are very clean and show no rusting. I think the PO fogged the engine because the cylinder walls are shiny yet. He also was smart enough to put what looks like pure antifreeze in the cooling system so it is also rust free. The tranny fluid is full and is a clean purple color (Royal Purple maybe?)

But I am going to have everything hot tanked and remachined, just to be safe. Can't wait until I get the pan off and see what other goodies are lurking in there.

Don

You have the Edelbrock Performer RPM air gap manifold, which is very good! Look like Harland Sharp rockers to me also. They should be nice pieces for a street engine. Nice find. The '46 looks like it will be a real nice driver. And I tried the 650 double pumper on the street for a while. They make for a very responsive engine, but whew they love that gas! Enjoy the new project Don.

I had a 74 Camaro that I tried to drag race. The 350 was the best thing about that car. So many options and so many was to go with it. Good idea to dump the car and keep the drive train. JMHO

Rick

Deuce, yep this one evidently liked gas too as it was running way rich. Maybe the combo of a high volume mechanical pump being fed by a second electric one in the back.

Rick, I even looked to see what body parts I could salvage to sell and about the only part worth keeping is the hood and even it has a hole cut in it for a scoop or something. Funny thing is, the floors are perfect. Maybe the 3 large garbage bags of trash I cleaned out of it and all the ants protected it.

Don

WOW Don ...... you didn't have enough projects??? Good luck.

I just sold my RaysonCraft boat cause I need to only deal with one project at a time.

Paul

I agree Paul, you are probably really anxious to get more done on your 46. I read a long time ago a golden rule of rod building. "Don't get sidetracked by any other car projects until you get one done." For some reason I seem to break that rule a lot.

Tonight I got the engine and transmission pulled out of the Camaro. Dan was worried I was doing it by myself so he came to the shop and gave me a hand.

I think I am going to leave the rear axle assembly in the Camaro so the junkman has an easier time loading it onto his rollback. The reason I am going to let it go is because I think there is a spool inside instead of a posi unit. When we were pushing the car backwards tonight into it's parking spot the inside wheel was scrubbing on the pavement, like a spool would do. Also, when I dropped the driveshaft and the rear wheels were off the ground there seems to be a lot of play in the rear end. You can turn the yoke quite a bit and there is a distinctive clunk in each direction. Does that seem normal for a spool setup? I may still pull off the rear cover to see what I can see in there.

I also got the timing cover off tonight and the timing chain is a double roller and very tight, like it should be. So I'll reuse that too. I think that is a cam button on the end of the timing gear. The cam will come out tomorrow or Saturday and then I'll tear down the rest of the engine to see what rods, etc are in there. I do know it isn't a stroker () The stroke measures just about 3.5 inches.

Don

I dig it Don ...... "roller" cam botton no less!!

Can't give you info on the spool ...... have ALWAYS used a posi set up.

Paul

Me too Paul. I've never had a spool nor a cam button, so they are Greek to me. The way the tires were scuffing when we were pushing the car on a turn looks like the rear is locked. I don't think any posi would do that, or maybe it would.

When you look into the rear cover area of a 10 bolt Chevy, what does a spool look like compared to a posi unit?

Don

Don - no external diff. but what your describing may be a locker ..... one slide ratcheting as the other is moving ......

A full spool replaces the ring-gear carrier. It has no provision for spider gears and the axles are splined directly into it. I don't have a pic but a summit cat. might help.

Perhaps its a mini-spool. This consists of a set of four blocks. Two have a splined hole for the axles; the other two fit in slots in the first box to lock the two axles together.


http://image.automotive.com/f/techar...spool_10_z.jpg

Paul

That makes sense. The excessive play is what has me concerned. Even when Dan was turning the one wheel to spin the driveshaft so I could get to all four bolts, it seemed to be hanging up some. Could be rust and dirt in the brake drums though as the car sat on flat tires for years. But the excess play is what I don't understand.

I guess when I look inside tomorrow night I'll have a better idea of whats what.

Don

Update: Uh, I will definitely be taking a looksee in there. I just went to Auburn Gears website and these things are expensive! I'd hate to send good money to the scrap yard.

Oh you bet ....... an Auburn is not a CHEAP auto part!!!

X your fingers ..... you might have a score ....... or not.......

Paul

Congrats Don. Lots of good stuff there.