AuthorTopic: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat  (Read 108101 times)

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Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #325 on: November 01, 2020, 10:08:38 PM »
I heard from RaceTec on Thursday!!  My pistons and rings may get done by the end of the week!!

I had some work done on my foot on Wednesday and the wife had her first cataract surgery on Thursday!  She's in for the second one this coming Thursday and I have another foot doc visit this week too!!

Parts are starting to pile up!!  Got a new timing cover, a new SFI harmonic balancer, some more of the cam retainer and timing pieces, and a full gasket set for it!!

I'm getting antsy!! 
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #326 on: November 21, 2020, 08:30:00 AM »
Dropped the reciprocating assembly and the new balancer off at the machine shop for balancing yesterday morning!!  Might mock up the valve train this weekend to see if I have to order new pushrods...
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #327 on: December 03, 2020, 06:09:05 PM »
I picked up the reciprocating assembly and the balancer from the machine shop this morning!!  My machinist told me we could have put it together without balancing it. It was that close.  There was one gram difference across the four pistons.  A quarter gram per piston ain't a bad average!!  Took a little work on a couple of rods and a touch up on the crank.  That new balancer is dead on!!  I took a chance on that one.  It's made in Australia and meets SFI specs for NHRA and NASCAR!! I'll get the box and pass along the brand next post!!

The next couple of weeks will be devoted to Christmas stuff and learning to walk on both feet again!!  I got the cast off of my foot yesterday and I have a couple of places left to get healed up!!  I'll keep procuring pieces, (I have to get crank bearings, a gasket set, an oil pump, and maybe a set of pushrods.) and finishing up the little details to the short block. I've still got to do a little clearance work in the lifter galley and to the camshaft, (the stroker crank puts the number two rod too close to the fuel pump lobe on the cam, so the lobe has to be modified or removed) and start swapping over the distributor, header and intake, and the starter and alternator.
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline McLovin

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #328 on: December 04, 2020, 08:52:36 AM »
Kool. Glad to hear your getting better.


Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #329 on: December 04, 2020, 09:32:08 PM »
I made another decision about Lockjaw!!  I have a pretty nice set of original C4 Corvette wheels sitting around, collecting dust!  I think I'll scare up a set of tires for 'em and put those on the li'l feller!!
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Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #330 on: December 08, 2020, 09:46:46 AM »
That balancer I found is a ProSport.  It's made in Australia and meets SFI specs, so it's safe for high RPM applications.  It's also dirt cheap and comes in many engine applications.  My machinist spun it up pretty high when he did the balance work on the little engine and said it was very true and well balanced.

You can find 'em on Evil-bay.  Be sure to specify the SFI approved unit. It costs a little more, but I'd say it's well worth it
« Last Edit: December 16, 2020, 10:09:26 AM by Blackwater »
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #331 on: December 19, 2020, 10:59:54 PM »
Got all of my gaskets and my rod and main bearings, Thursday.  I'm still not getting to work on it much, but I'm getting closer!! 

Came across a factory Chevrolet oil cooler setup.  It'll require new hoses and maybe a small fan, but I've already got some brand new fans just made for the job!!
« Last Edit: December 19, 2020, 11:03:09 PM by Blackwater »
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #332 on: January 10, 2021, 08:43:18 AM »
I spent a good bit of time in the shop yesterday!  I mocked up the head for the new engine to see what will and won't work. Was hoping to be able to use the Mercruiser valve cover.  NO WAY!!  I'll have to make a complete cover or an adapter and use a small block chevy cover 'cause the stud girdle won't EVEN clear the corners of the old one!

I THINK what i'll do is cut the flange off of one of these cast aluminum 4 cylinder covers, do the same to an old cast SBC cover, and then weld the two together with the SBC flange facing up.  Since small block covers are symmetrical, I can bolt the 4 banger flange to the head and then bolt a tall small block cover to the upward facing SBC flange! 

It would let me take off the cover as needed. The "adapter" could remain on the head semi-permanently, only needing to be removed if the head had to come off.

Guess I need to track down and old cast aluminum Chevy valve cover, maybe one of those old Ansen covers that we used to see years ago!!
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline McLovin

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #333 on: January 10, 2021, 10:45:00 AM »
Kool idea. Do you have a TIG/MIG welder for aluminum? I've been thinking about investing in a TIG just to weld aluminum. Probably only use it once or twice a year as I don't weld a lot of Aluminum. That may change if I get it.

Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #334 on: January 12, 2021, 05:47:07 AM »
I' don't have a TiG!!  Part of me wishes I did, but the expense and the fact that I seldom have any need for one keeps me from buying one.  'Spose I might would use one for chassis work, if I had it, but that would tempt me to start building race car frames again and buying chrome moly and T6 aluminum in quantity again!!
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Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #335 on: January 19, 2021, 06:16:31 PM »
Found a shop that I think can do my TiG work for me!!  I'll cut down the two covers I'm using to make the adapter, tomorrow.  Got a doctor's appointment Thursday, so I'll take it over there Friday.
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #336 on: January 20, 2021, 07:41:27 PM »
I got to spend some time in the shop today!!  YIPPEEE!!  Cut out the pieces to adapt the SBC valve cover to my little Nova 4 banger!! 

I cut the flanges off of one aluminum SBC cover and used some of the flat sections to make filler panels for the ends.  The Mercruiser valve cover is considerably shorter in length so I had to make up the difference. Both covers are basically the same width.  The bolt holes on the straight side of the 153 valve cover even line up with the small block bolt holes, but the other side of the 4 banger cover is real wavy and has three bolt holes where it attaches to the head. That side will take some filling material to finish it!

I'll have the welding shop fill the holes in the SBC flange and then I'll drill and tap for studs to bolt the actual cover to the adapter.  I'm also planning to stud the head so that locating the gasket will be simplified!!  Once it's all done, I'll probably epoxy the outside  of the seams to be sure it doesn't leak.

t think it'll look ridiculously cool with the intake and header and all the other little touches!!

PICS!!!
« Last Edit: January 20, 2021, 07:56:19 PM by Blackwater »
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #337 on: January 26, 2021, 07:51:13 PM »
Got the piece back from the welding shop yesterday afternoon!!   Needs a little dressing up to clean up some of the welds, but it rings like a bell and there are no signs of potential leaks.  I ground down a couple of welds that were a little too thick and got it all deburred and prepped for drilling and installing studs for the actual valve cover.

A little more sanding and a couple of good coats of black wrinkle finish paint and it's ready to install. 

Pics to follow...
« Last Edit: January 26, 2021, 07:53:01 PM by Blackwater »
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

Offline Blackwater

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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #338 on: February 01, 2021, 09:46:04 PM »
Finished up the rocker cover adapter today.  Sanded the rough and sharp edges, cleaned it with solvent, drilled and tapped the flange for studs and nuts, and installed those studs.  Heated it up a little, (it was about 29 degrees in the shop when I went out there this morning) and laid on a couple of good coats of wrinkle black engine paint.

I put the cover and a gasket on it to be sure it was all correct and took a few pics.
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Re: Blackwater's coupe's getting fat
« Reply #339 on: June 11, 2021, 05:50:13 PM »
I set up t the valvetrain on my 4banger to see if it would all fit and work with the adapter and the SBC valve cover. The adapter can be removed and installed so long as the stud girdle is removed.  Looks like it will all work great!
Never use a minor caliber bullet on a major caliber adversary!!

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