saving a baby elephant

[DirtyWhiteBoy]

Not a lot of progress here in the grand scheme, but I did get some Hemi goodness back from the machine shop last week.

this is one of the sleeved holes - the hole is gone yeah!


A head job is always a good thing!


and I did get started on the engine mounts, now that the block is home I can start the top pieces.

[Mater]

that cleaned up nicely

[DirtyWhiteBoy]

Ok I haven't accomplished much here, except motor mounts. It is time to complete this engine.

My brain is conflicted, I can save almost 50 pounds and a few inches of length by losing the cast iron front cover and water pump. (I can install an aluminum cover that adapts to the easy to find sbc water pump.) On paper it's all win, but in my gut, it feels like a sell out. I'm trying to make it look like it was built in the 60's, actually work on the street, and be reliable.
I'm afraid that I might have visited "THE HAMB" one too many times. Heck those uptight SOB's would probably ban me for having an aluminum trans adapter. LOL

What say you? SBC pump or rebuild oem iron one?

[Deaf Bob]

Me?, I'd get a SBC one... If you are awaaaay from home... What do you do? .. The old one'd be hard to find, maybe?
Plus the SBC one will keep em guessing...

[Bob Holmes]

How did I miss this thread, its a win all the way around.

Whatever gets it closer to done, its a hot rod.

[BigBlockMopar]

I always like it when folks go for more 'sculpted' motormounts. Muchos bonuspoints for that!

Do you think the chassis is strong enough just after the Z right below the firewall?
My gut says I would extend Z a bit further to the front of the car for more rigidity and less flex.

About the waterpump, I would be hesitant to 'cheap out' and mount Chevy-parts awell. But then again, weightsavings is also all about hotrodding and you could paint aluminium to look like cast iron. You could also install the alt/generator near/above the waterpump to block it from sight a bit more perhaps.

We won't spill the beans and tell it's there to the HAMB uptighties...

[DirtyWhiteBoy]

Me?, I'd get a SBC one... If you are awaaaay from home... What do you do? .. The old one'd be hard to find, maybe?
Plus the SBC one will keep em guessing...

parts availability is a big bonus!

How did I miss this thread, its a win all the way around.

Whatever gets it closer to done, its a hot rod.

I always like it when folks go for more 'sculpted' motormounts. Muchos bonuspoints for that!

Thanks It's one of those things that many people won't notice, but........

Do you think the chassis is strong enough just after the Z right below the firewall?
My gut says I would extend Z a bit further to the front of the car for more rigidity and less flex.

I do have some concern. I didn't build the chassis, the guy who built it has done several. it does have plate a reinforcement at the joint. That said, I will be adding some sort of gussets or reinforcements there

About the waterpump, I would be hesitant to 'cheap out' and mount Chevy-parts awell. But then again, weightsavings is also all about hotrodding and you could paint aluminium to look like cast iron. You could also install the alt/generator near/above the waterpump to block it from sight a bit more perhaps.

We won't spill the beans and tell it's there to the HAMB uptighties...

Oh yes, If I go the conversion route, I will paint the aluminum. This is not going to be sporting any "polished billet". I am trying to stay as "classic hotrod" as practical.


Thanks for the thoughts, keep em coming.