MarkC

If you are going to pull the intake I would pull the heads too. The valves are probably rusty and if it has the original head gaskets they are probably shot too. Good luck with this restoration.

Railroadman

Heading out there later today. Weslotorn and MarkC have offered 2 different suggestions - complete teardown vs. diesel etc.

My thought at the moment is - now that it has had an overnight to drip into a catch-pan, I'm going to finish cleaning up the pickup. Then I'm going to look up each cylinder from the bottom as best I can, perhaps using a screwdriver on the flywheel teeth to very slowly move it around a revolution, might see where coolant has been running down.

Then pull the intake and see what - if anything - looks obvious.

If I have to pull the heads, bearings etc, I will, but obviously I'd rather not. I agree everything will at a minimum need to be purged and cleaned, and if I don't pull heads etc the oil will be changed after a very short time.

And in my OTHER ear a voice is saying "you will have to pull motor and trans to address the frame issues anyway, just do a complete motor rebuild while you are at it. I WOULD like to be sure this motor will run - I'm not obsessed with keeping the original motor but if I can, I'd prefer it.

pop23235

ATF does a better job, more detergent additives plus adsorbs more moisture and lubricates. Would not start with anything more than motor oil, but turning with ATF would not do further damage. New filter each change.

Railroadman

Before today's update, here's the "other half" who not only put up with my getting it, but even wanted to spruce up the interior. I told her it's a long time before we can drive it, and it will need a new interior and dash pad, but she says it will help my morale and motivation if it looks even a little decent. She's not into turning wrenches but will and has done so if I need a hand with something. I consider myself "over-chicked"

Railroadman

Here's the latest, here's where I'm going from here, and why I made that decision. We have some things on the calendar the next few days so I probably won't get back out to work on the car until Tuesday or Wednesday at the earliest.

I used a screwdriver and the flywheel teeth to inch the motor around. Did not even go a half revolution but enough to run my fingers along the bottom of the cylinders when the piston was up top. All were smooth and clean - EXCEPT #5. I could feel some crud, and some very slight pitting or corrosion on the outboard part of that - where liquid would have come down. I took a piece of Scotchbrite and it ALMOST all cleared up, but not quite.

At that point I tried to be rational. We already know it has serious frame issues, and whether I fix this one or get another, the body has to come off. The reason I had wanted to fire it up - aside from the fun of hearing it run - was to determine whether it was healthy enough to just transplant and start driving. Given what I just found, I'd have to say the answer is "no", and since it has to come out anyway why bother trying to patch it together and start it at this point?

So I will be doing a motor teardown. Tonight I took the intake off. Unfortunately in the process, the gaskets got distorted and partly pulled away so I could not confirm the intake is the problem. Plus it hit me as we were on the way home I was looking at the heat passage, not the water passage (it's been too many years since I went through this process) so I'll just have to wait till next time for further confirmation.

I factored for surprises while negotiating a price so I'm not upset financially. It IS another thing to deal with before I can drive it, but since the work of doing it is half the fun, and since I'll have a more reliable car when it's done, I'll take the bad with the good.

silver837

Good attitude and a good plan. If you are not enjoying the process it's not a hobby

elwood13

USMC 0802

Railroadman,
Thanks for the post, I’ve enjoyed the journey thus far! Kudos to Mrs. Railroadman for being a good sport and keeping your morale up.

With regards to the engine, I applaud you for being as thorough (and hopeful) about the engine to this point in trying to save what’s there.

I would humbly offer that once you “pull the Band Aid” off and have the motor rebuilt, that will be one less thing to worry about as long as you own the car. Now you can focus on other stuff...Like the frame

Best of luck to you and thanks for updating the thread.

Railroadman

I hope that this thread may contain something helpful to someone else doing a similar project, either now or in the future. It's neat to see 2 or 3 parallel projects on here - we all have some similarities, and some differences.

Westlotorn

You now have a plan, enjoy the process.
My 66 is waiting for a frame still. I was under it last night wanting to drop the spare tire cover and get it out of the way. Totally frozen bolts and I have been soaking them for quite a while. I ended up welding 3/4 inch nuts on the long bolt heads, I will try and twist them out today.
With a rusted frame even simple things can turn into hours. I can't wait to get rid of my old frame.
Hope yours is less of a struggle.
Mark

Railroadman

I'm not betting on it.

Tried two of the body mount bolts yesterday, briefly. Been soaking them but both seemed like they are rounding off. At that point I left that project for another day.

pop23235

Impact wrench on low setting helps!

Railroadman

Hopefully will be able to get out there tomorrow and give it a try. If not, Wednesday.

Anybody ever try drilling them out if the nut rounds off?

Westlotorn

If you are replacing the frame you can drill them, cut them or grind them off.
Your new frame will be rust free you will just need new bolts. Access varies for each bolt so your technique will be unique for each. Maybe some will spin out. Good Luck

Railroadman

Not certain I'm replacing the frame.....have a lead on a place which says they can repair this one. They have a decent reputation on Corvettes and I will be asking a bunch of questions of them when time permits.

No pics today but not much to see. Did not have a lot of Vette time anyway. Went after some of the body mounts. If I understand, there are 5 on each side on a convertible - very front of the frame near the radiator, just ahead of the firewall, under the sill near the front of the door, ahead of the rear wheel by the kickups, and behind the rear wheel.

The #5, at the rear, came out nice as can be on both sides.

The #3 left is rounded off. The #3 right turns but does not raise up, may be stripped.

The #2 left went most of the way off but hung up with about a quarter inch of threads outside the nut. I tried working it tighter and looser with no luck, so I gave it a PB bath and will get it next time.

The #1 left I worked back and forth and now it turns freely but will not come out - again, probably stripped threads. Saved that for next time, too.

The #1 right, #2 right, and both #4's I did not monkey with.

Not sure when I'll be there next, and I have several acres to mow when I do return. That was supposed to be on my list for this evening, but I made the "mistake" (wink) of doing a few things with the Vette, and then before I knew it the sun went down!

hcallaway

We determined it was the only way to go for us. I described the math on my build site. You may not agree with my addition or logic.
Attachment 48352559
It was $3700 and does not need to be sandblasted and $0 repairs.
I was a 66 and has new front spindles, bushings and is set up for disc brakes, it seemed like the right way to go. With the body off, it will be the proper time to address cleaning up the engine, brake and gas lines etc.
They are out there and maybe even cheaper than what we paid.
I love your posts as they are right with where we are at this point.

Railroadman

Yeah, and I spent that night out at our other place working on my '64 and when I got back home to the computer, that had been posted and you had already bought it before I even saw it. Otherwise it would be under mine, not yours! I concur with your logic, and agree it's a lot simpler than trying to repair what's under there now. There will be another one at some point, maybe I won't be asleep at the switch when that one comes along!

Railroadman

Since several others are at about the same stage of the process, here's something which might be a help. Nothing new, not rocket science, but FWIW:

Wound up with 3 body mount bolts which were stinkers. The left and the right mounts behind the seat, at the kickups, both were spinning. The captured nut underneath was loose but in limited space I just could not get anything on it to hold firm. (the fact the edges of the thing were tapered, not square, did not help).

After trying various things, I finally decided that regardless of whether I replace the frame or have this one fixed, the part right there was totally rusted out. So I took a grinder and opened it way up.

At that point a Dremel was used to cut off the end of the bolt, flush with the nut, like this:




Then I used a drill, coming straight up from below where the frame used to be, to drill out the bolt until I could get the nut off.


The third "problem child" was left side, under the trim plate near the driver's left knee. This was simpler, I just drilled straight down from above, through the bolt until the head separated.

Like I said, no great genius involved, and I'm sure there are other ways to do it, but those worked for me and all body mount bolts are now taken care of.

No date yet for the body removal but I AM starting to talk to a few friends to see what their schedules are looking like.

pop23235

You have or have access to an engine crane? Makes the lift easier!

Railroadman

Yes, I do. Just a Harbor Freight hydraulic engine hoist but should work fine. Only issue is after building the body dolly I read here the casters needed to be bigger so the hoist can go under the dolly. We can improvise I suppose.