Lapping new valves into rebuilt single port heads Assembling heads Testing for leaks by filling combustion chambers with gas New Mahle 85.5 pistons, cylinders. The best stuff. About to finish up the short block… Short block complete. Everything torqued. Valve lash set. Rebuilding the distributor

Short block got torn apart again. A head stud wasn’t seated deep enough and interfered with the #3,4 rocker assembly. Pulled the head and fixed it, but decided to replace the cylinders and pistons. A set of 85.5 Mahles are on there way. I do believe this means that nothing but the flywheel will remain from the short block that was in the car when I bought it. What a deal.

In the meantime, here’s a preview of the dope paint I’m spraying on the tins:

What a roller coaster. Here is what it took to get here:

1. bought “turnkey” car
2. week later, so much oil leaking I pull engine. Looks like pushrod tube seals and oil cooler seals
3. after much cleaning of the case, heads, etc, realize the case deck is uneven
4. bring case to machinist, it’s already on its last line bore, was a 40hp case bored for 85.5 jugs. Line bore is fucked, case beyond repair
5. new case, crank, cam
6. find mushroomed valve seats, cracks in head. Time for new heads
7. shit, while I’m at it, might as well upgrade to doghouse cooling… Get oil cooler, fan housing, fan. Oh yeah, why stop here…
8. get case bored for full flow oil filtering (fuck yeah)
9. crank is stiff after assembly. Shit, case needs line bore
10. better get an oil pressure gauge now that I have a new oil pump, full flow. Will want to keep an eye on pressure and adjust viscosity

God. What a money pit of a motor that came in this “turnkey” car. All that remains from that which drove it here is the flywheel, pistons, and jugs. And I think half of one rocker assembly. Now I’m just waiting on all the missing OG tins to paint (hammered silver). Sooooo close to starting it up….

Ready. Heat slipping the gears on was fun. Tomorrow, the cases start getting studs and assembly.