Low buck 68 LeMans

[Thumpin455]

Drums are cheap, they work so they stay. Probably never will put discs on this thing, no reason to because it's just a beater that I plan to stuff engines in and use as a mule. That way the 70 GTO can get the frame off it needs/deserves and this one can enjoy the abuse.

[milner351]

Nice work Todd! Are you keeping the front drums?

[Thumpin455]

Today's progress. Headers are easier without the front end on the car.



Hey look, wheels up! Told ya this thing has power.

[Thumpin455]

If I had some jack oil, this thing would be going in right now. Engine hoist has a leak and it wont lift it. Can't go any further until it's in the chassis. Im going to run a stock air filter assembly, might go with heat risers over the headers too. I want it to look sleepy and near stock. Should be sitting in there tomorrow with a Th350 behind it. Ma6be I'll spring for a 400 high stall converter, maybe not. The Edelbrock carb is there until the tank is cleaned out running pump gas with a bit of alky in it. Lots of varnish and rust.

[Thumpin455]

Car talk is always fun. Can you believe it? I'm considering building a couple chevy engines...for trucks of course.

This is what I did today, spent more time cleaning parts and looking for my last can of paint than doing anything else, but now it's only a couple hours from being stuffed in the LeMans. The valve covers are soaking, I don't need the tall ones for these heads. I have another set of small chamber heads that will go to Canada for some 270cfm CNC port work.



This is my brother's truck, has a Dodge 360 with ported heads and a similar size cam in it. He just got it drivable and put plates on it, and it's my first victim when I get the LeMans running and some decent tires under it. Sibling rivalry goes to what we drive too. Mine is being built in four months on a small budget, his has been under construction for ten years or so. I have more free time though.

[Scott Liggett]

Saw Giggles Saturday and rest of the Thumper stash. Jealous. Like a typical gearhead I only see possible projects. Had a great afternoon bench racing with Todd. Great day.

[Thumpin455]

Ran out of welding gas

[74NovaMan]

Nice!

[STINEY]

I like it, stealthy!

[Thumpin455]

A little body work and some grinding, you might never know they were stretched.

[Mater]

what ever works

[Thumpin455]

Blah blah I'm a cheap bastard blah blah roller clearance blabity blah blah tall enough now.

[Thumpin455]

I've read about those lifters, never used them, so I don't know. The machinist in me is dubious at best. I suppose I could try a set in a beater engine that more or less moves something around the yard, and see how they hold up. Roller cams are bare minimum $1000 for my engines, I have only two in Pontiac engines. I haven't had a flat lobe in a long time. I built a solid roller during the time cams were going south.

[milner351]

Todd - what are your thoughts on the flat tappet lifters with the holes in them designed to get more oil to the wear surface?

It seems like the hysteria around failed flat tappet cams / lifters has faded now that folks know they have to use additives, or the cheap junk parts have all been purged, I'm not sure which.

Like with your Pontiacs, FE Fords are a mighty high price to convert to roller cams....

[G-Motive]

One of the things I noticed on these A-bodies is they ran the fuel line on the left side, I thought that was mighty white of them.