Redbird

I would not try to drive the car at speed w/o flushing/rebuilding the brake system. I pulled the rear hub off my and the brake lining turn to dust in front of my eyes. The wheel cylinders front should end in large 527 & 528 and the rears are both 649. My wheel cylinders had no pitting and used all the old components except for the center spring. Replaced old fluid with Dot-5 and re-sleeved the MC. My car sat on blocks for 20+ years. Just turned 49000 original miles. You are going to have a lot of fun, depending on the route you take.

ragtop00

New MC, steel brake line and flex line kit on the way already. I took one drum off and found fresh parts including wheel cyl and shoes but will flush system and reset everything... IF the engine runs. Yesterday I picked up plugs, points, rotor, cap, coil, condenser and fan belt. I'm ready to try to roll the engine with the starter if it works.
Mike

Jimsjam33

Ragtop ,

I have thoroughly enjoyed this thread . It's been an adventure . Thanks for sharing !

ragtop00

Update. Was all set this am to really get something done. I had my buddy over for skills, support and encouragement. We put a battery in and found that the starter was shot. I figured it would be so yesterday I bought a new one and had it at the ready... Installed it, clipped and plugged the fuel line before the fuel pump(I didn't want to suck what ever is in the tank through the pump) and hit the starter... It turned over Nice! I was on a coffee high already and this almost gave me a woody! So what next? Well we thought to pull a compression test... this is when my day turned. 50#, 50#, 0#, 0#.... 2 cylinders had stuck valves and the rest had little to no compression. So here I am at the computer at 1:30... I can't believe I feel like having a Martini already! I have a lot to think about. If I R&R the heads I might still have stuck rings. If I pull the engine to go through it, I want to put in a 4 or 5 speed. If I put in a 5 speed I want big horsepower. If I get big horsepower I'll want to pull the body to fix the frame and redo the body and, and, and... So you might see this thing on the big auction site!
Have a great day!
Mike

MrPbody

You're giving up WAY too easily. pull the valve covers and spray some penetrating oil down the valve guides. a few gentle taps with a hammer on the valve may also help to free them up. 50# would not be a cause for major concern with an engine that has sat for many years. cylinders and rings are dry etc. did you squirt some oil in each plug hole before you cranked on her?
now get back out there and get to work.

Russ

ragtop00

Thanks Russ, That's just the encouragement I need! It seems that I have 2 stuck valves. I sprayed PB Blaster through the springs hopefully getting to the valve guides. Any tips or tricks?
Mike

MrPbody

No special tricks. let it soak for a wile and start tapping on the end of the stuck valve. doesn't usually take very much to jar them loose. lots of small taps are usually way more effective than one or two big ones . be careful to NOT hit the spring retainer, as you could pop the keepers out and cause yourself a lot of extra work.

Russ

frankturbo

very cool tread and looks like a nice project !

ragtop00

PB Blaster did the trick... It freed the valves but they made an unbelievable racket as they popped free each cycle when I rolled the engine over. So I blasted them again and just now cranked it and they are quiet. This thing might start!!

rtruman

way to go Dr.

ragtop00

Thanks for the encouragement MrPbody. I spent the day messing around in the garage. Funny thing, when I finally decided that I should install the points, rotor, condenser etc I found that I was going to need 2 sets of points. DUAL POINT Dizzy!

Has anyone seen an intake like this? It's GM but looks odd with the right side open and the left with two holes. I'm going to use an Edelbrock carb. It should work.

And the last pic is the latest Bubba.. It's an interesting use for an air tool connector.

Cheers,
Mike

Westlotorn

Now that the valves are moving replace the PB Blaster with Oil. PB is for removing rust. With that done the valve guides will need oil or you may gaul a valve stem as the engine turns over on dry guides. Congratulations on the progress.

emccomas

What is the casting number on the intake. I can see some of the digits, and it looks like 6 digits total, ending in "49". Is that correct?

ragtop00

Oiled 'em up We're going to give it a go tomorrow am.
Mike

ragtop00

It looks like 3795397 with GM below that.

I just Googled the number and found it is an early 62 340HP manifold. That is probably why I have the dual point mechanical advance distributer.

Mike

emccomas

If it was asked and answered, I missed it. What is the redline reading on the tachometer?

I am wondering you have an original 340 car that had the engine replaced, but they reused the intake and distributor.

Any identification on the distributor? Is the band still on it?

The frame, as I recall, was a manual trans frame. Be interesting to see if it is the original frame for this car.

Keep us posted.

jimgessner

I am late to this party, but yes it is a rare 1962 Corvette 340hp intake. It was used on early applications, which means early vin number cars. They are hard to find today and very costly. 4412 cars were made with this option of the total 14531 production. The engine originally was the same as fuel injection, but with this intake, AFB carburetor and duel point distributor.

Check the heads. They may be 62 originals also. Should be #3782461X, with camel hump casting on the end and. Casting dates that match the car like B152= Feb 15, 1962 will also identify more engine history.

The carburetor should be a CARTER AFB, #3269S. That number is on the base plate front between the adjusting screws. You may have the original.

The distributor should be a 1110985. There should be a small aluminum band attached at the base of the distributor. Close up it will have this number and a date code like 2B15 which equals Feb 15, 1962 production date.

What is your vin number? The tag should be on the steering column under the hood about half way down.

You need to check your tachometer for redline. It will also tell you what horsepower engine was most likely originally installed. My bet is it has a 6500 redline that was used on 340hp and fuel injection engines originally. 250 and 300hp engines used 5500-6000 redline.

Your exhaust manifolds should also be the larger 2.5 inch #3797902 RH with a hole for the carb choke heat line.

A #3797901 LH is the first design 2.5 '' generator boss ''RAMS HORN'' HP Manifold used on 300, 340 and 360hp engines in 1962 and Corvette and passenger cars.

The car should have a Borg Warner T10-1C trans with an aluminum case. It was used only in 1961 and 62 Corvette and 409 passenger cars.

Finally, best guess is your differential was more than likely a 3:70 or 4:11 positraction, as these hi po engines usually came this way. You have not even looked here.

The current engine may have been a solid lifter camshaft replacement which may explain the compression and starting problem. PLEASE TAKE TIME and care to start this engine. The first 10 seconds of running on an old dry engine with old oil and gas washing down the cylinder walls is like 40000 miles of wear. It's neat to hear it start, but only you and your friend will understand that excitement.

I believe you have valuable parts and clues here as to the original driveline. In racing, we always had to go slow to go fast.....by that I mean you have to take your time, get all the facts before you start making expensive purchases that later you discover should have been thought out better.

Where is the rush? This car is 52 years old and it has been waiting for your loving care to get it back to good health. Good luck. It is an excellent fun car to restore.

I owned two 62 Corvettes in my lifetime, both fuel injection cars. One was black / black and had been drag raced extensively. The other was fawn beige. Neither had their original engines, or injection units. I had fun finding all the corrrect parts, 327 dated engine blocks and restoring to original. You may want to go modern, but if you do, let me know and I will buy the parts. Have a great Thanksgiving !!

emccomas

From the pictures of the engine in post #44, when OP opened the hood, the carburetor looks like a Carter AFB to me.

I am not sure what a 62 Corvette AFB should look like.

62corvette

There really is nothing "early" about that 62 340 intake. It was used throughout 62 production. VERY late 62's (the last several hundred) occasionally came with 63 340 intakes and carbs. Jim gives excellent advice and covered the engine options well. I've owned 28 62's over the past 40+ years! and can't disagree with him a bit on all he suggests.
By the way, the heads are not 62 461 heads because they have casting clocks on them. The carb could very well be a 3269s because it has the somewhat unique bell crank on it. That carb was used on both 300 and 340 hp 62s.

jimgessner

THANK YOU.....THANK YOU. 50 YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE IN 20 MINUTES OR LESS. Isn't the INTERNET just great.