63mako

Oh, I did get it off the rotisserie engine stand and mounted on a roller stand that mounts to the motor mount locations to install pilot bushing and mount everything to the trans. I will dial the bellhousing in with a magnetic base dial indicator once the ball stud comes in. Only want to do it once.

63mako

Today was Ignition day. I have Hooker sidepipe headers. They will NOT be included in the build cost. I mounted them with a couple bolts to figure wire lengths and layout. I bought a set of looms. I had a package of Spectre wire spacers on the shelf. Bought AC Delco spark plugs For Vortec heads. MSD Street fire wires (cut to fit). TSP 1 wire hookup Corvette tach drive HEI distributor with adjustable vacuum advance.
Total Pricing with shipping.
Dist $61
MSD wires $38
Chrome hold down $6
Plug wire looms $41
AC Delco R44LTS plugs $18
Ignition system total cost, All new, shipped $164
I have heard positive experience with these distributors. We will see.

63mako

Ignition system day. Installed my Hooker sidepipe headers with a couple bolts for ignition and wire routing They are coming right back off and back in the plastic wrap. Set #1 at TDC on compression stroke and moved the oil pump drive to point the Dist vac advance at a 45 and line up #1 on cap with rotor and aligned oil pump drive to mesh. Got it right on the second try. PERFECT. Gapped vortec spec plugs to .045, installed and torqued to spec. Mounted looms. Hooked wires to plugs and routed them to clear enerything and be neat. Threaded wires through looms and installed cheapie Spectre spacers where needed (had then sitting on the shelf.) Worked my way through the firing order cutting the wires to length and installing the dist cap ends working my way through the firing order. Used a TSP Corvette Tach Drive Dist, HEI, 65000 volt coil, 1 wire hookup, w/adjustable vacuum advance $61 on Ebay but have heard they work well. We will see. All boots and wires are 1 1/2" minimum from header tubes everywhere. Enough slack to adjust timing.


Ignition system price all new, shipped.

Distributor $61
MSD Streetfire 8 MM cut to fit wire set $38
AC Delco R44LTS Spark Plugs $18
Chrome dist hold down $6
Plug wire looms $41
Total cost of ignition system all new $164

Here are pictures

63mako

My father in law was the guy that started Oswego Drag Raceway about 15 miles from my house in the 50's. I raced there from the time I got my license till they closed. I worked in the Plano Auto Parts Machine shop during that time. The Owner was one of the other originators of the dragstrip. They took a trip to Southern California down old Route 66 to figure out how to do the layout as there was nothing closer. Organized Drag racing was in it's infancy then. Plano Auto Parts did all the High Performace work for the racers within 100 miles. I spent hundreds of hour porting them old iron heads and intakes, doing valve jobs ect from 1974-1978. My old boss and my father in law had a saying then "If it don't go Chrome it!" Hopefully this goes too cause it is pretty shiny. Here is a picture of my Father in Laws car at that dragstrip. Phone number on the door is only 5 digits. Date on Photo July 1960. Miss that guy, Passed 10 years ago.

63mako

Todays progress. Removed the wires from plugs, pulled the plugs, removed the headers. Installed block plate and flywheel, torqued to spec. Installed Lakewood bellhousing, torqued to spec. Mounted magnetic base and dial indicator. Checked it .026 off. The rumors were true. These scatter shiels are screwed!! Looked and realized the dowel pins did not protrude far enough to catch the block plate and scatter shield. I needed to move the dowel pins out. Looked behind and seen there was 2 small, 1/8 " holes. Using them as a pilot I drilled a 3/8 hole from the backside of the dowel pins and opened the hole in the block a little. Slid a 3/8 bolt into it and hit it with the flat side of a big ball pean hammer. Dowel started moving. I bolted the block saver to the block on each side and tapped the dowels out until they stuck past about 3/16. Remounted bellhousing and dial indicator and bolted down the bellhousing, torqued to spec. I zeroed it at 12:00, +.001 at 3:00, +.0085 at 6:00, +.00775 at 9.00, Zero at 12.00. This means total bellhousing runout is .00425 top to bottom and .003375 side to side. This is well within tolerance even for a TKO or T56. I will be running a BW Super T10. I think this may be an issue with a lot of the guys that end up with excessive runout, the dowels are recessed into the block too far. Pulled bellhousing back off.(had to drive a screwdriver between the blockplate and bellhousing on both sides to get it off the dowels due to the powdercoating. Installed alignment tool, 11" rebuilt truck disc, and my old HD Pressure plate, (it was in really good condition.)Torqued to spec, rubber Lakewood dust boot, 63 corvette clutch fork and Centerforce short TO Bearing. Lakewood rubber boot came with 2 Lakewood stickers. Used them on the bellhousing. Bolted bellhousing back on with Grade 8 Bolts and lock washers, torqued to spec. Installed grade 8 bolts, washer both sides, lock washer on nuts side blocksaver to bellhousing torqued to spec.

Used bell housing and Blocksaver $175
Blast, Aluminum powdercoat, clear powdercoat $90
Flywheel $124
Flywheel bolt kit $8
Pressure plate bolt kit $11
Lakewood boot $32
Long pilot bushing $12
Grade 8 bolts, washers, lockwashers nuts for blockplate/bellhousing $5
Centerforce Throw out bearing $35
Total block to trans cost $492
Photos

63mako

Waiting on parts. No work today.

63mako

Finally got all my fuel line parts and time to assemble it. There will be one more post on a cost breakdown. All prices are shipped. Dual feed chrome line. $16, AN lines fittings and filter (used, barely) Ebay $19, Fuel pressure gauge $12. MIP to 6AL elbow, 1/8" pipe thread chrome elbow and 5/8 flare to 6AN adapter (fittings) $18, Chrome ford coil bracket to mount filter $10. Total $65. There is plenty of clearance for the heater hoses and lower radiator hose. Will have one more post with total costs for me on this build.

63mako

Total cost

Short block, 4 bolt mains, LT4 hot cam lifters, spyder under 10,000 miles $320
Sold original cam -$113
Oil pan $37
Pickup $12
Windage tray $13
One piece gasket $21
Bolts $7
Dipstick $13
EQ Hybrid 64CC Vortec chambers New Craigslist $610
Gaskets Felpro 1094 $42
Head Bolts $40
Rocker studs $22
Self aligning Crane Gold 1.6 rockers W/ Polylocks, Almost new takeoffs $150
Comp Magnum Pushrods $84
Intake and air cleaner after blower top buy/sell -345 (profit)
Intake bolts $9
Quickfuel 680 VS carb (Claysmoker Forum member) $375
Adapter/spacer $14
Mr Gasket ultra seal intake gaskets $20
Dual chrome feed line $16
AN lines and filter $19
Chrome filter clamp $10
Gauge $12
Carter elect fuel pump 6 PSI 72 GPM $65
Serpentine setup with Water pump and Alt (slightly used) $250
Valve covers $63
Wire looms $41
T hold downs (off shelf)
VC gaskets $13
PCV Breather and oil fill cap (off shelf)
Distributor $60
Dist hold down $6
MSD wires $37
AC Delco plugs $18
Flywheel $125
Lakewood Scattershield, Blocksaver powdercoated $265
Pilot bushing $13
Ball Stud $19
Lakewood boot $32
Pressure Plate (Off shelf)
Centerforce TO bearing $35
Clutch disc $52
PP Bolts $11
Flywheel Bolts $8
Grade 8 Scattershield/blocksaver bolts $5
Misc Solvents, Cleaners, Paint, Bolts, Sealers $100

TOTAL OUT OF POCKET COST COMPLETE $2609

BLEW MY $2500 BUDGET by $109. Still need a couple vacuum lines and using my old starter. The Block to trans components are included.

Finished product.

vettezobsezzed

That's awesome. here, in the boneyard, they still want $500 for an engine in unknown condition, (could be trashed). Take that into account, 2500 for top notch, haha not bad!

63mako

This one was off Craigslist, just a rebuilt short block. Got the receipt from the original purchase and some parts. Checked cylinder wear, and pulled a couple caps. It looked like it was just broke in. It was a deal but I looked a long time to find it. Still have the serpentine setup that came on the front to sell so I will be closer to my $2500 goal. Could have came in cheaper but was looking for some bling also.

jb78L-82

That is incredible-$2,500!!! Especially when you consider my 355 L-82 using most of the OEM internals except pistons (paid for the short block assembly, reconditioning the L-82 forged crank/rods) plus the AFR Heads/Roller cam cost me about $5,000 (reusing L-82 intake, shorty headers, Holley 4175. OEM distributor, etc) doing the top end assembly, engine pull and reinstall….Great job!

63mako

The only thing I question is the Made in China distributor. Easy swap if there is an issue.

63mako

Special thanks to forum brothers Claysmoker (carb) and The13Bats (air cleaner). The13Bats found this air cleaner in Florida after I posted a thread in the C3 parts wanted/for sale section, drove over, picked it up and shipped it to me for actual cost. Went way above and beyond! Thanks guys!

bluedawg

Nice build mako. What's it going in.

DO MA NEU!

63mako

The car in my avatar. All new plan for it.

bluedawg

I can't see it on my phone, but is it the maroon vette?

DO MA NEU!

63mako

Red and black now. Yes.

Little Mouse

is this a temporary engine for your car.

bluedawg

Yea I was wonding the same, unless he has two vettes with the 383" in one.

Little Mouse

My guess he will use it awhile then sell it off. While he does some aftermarket large bore aftermarket block deal. Has to be a SBC he just seems like SBC man.


I'm thinking of going over to the dark side. Temptation from a neighbors block.