If you like a good scary novel, you will love this.

Last week: Pulled radiator.
Its rusted so bad and I got a quote to repair -
more to repair than to buy new. I will be ordering a
HD Aluminum radiator with all new mounting hardware.

Pulled radiator support.
It too is rusted bad and there is not enough good metal to
weld to for patching. So, I will be ordering a new radiator support with all new mounting hardware as well.

Drained the block.
Cut off lower radiator hose - Original hose.
Removed upper hose also original.

Bought new upper and lower radiator hoses.

The fan and power steering belts were original - Bought new.

I went to remove the Intake. I got 11 of the 12 mounting bolts out.
The last one snapped off. There is no easy way to get a threaded bolt in an Iron block that's been rusted in place for 33 years. So now I had to remove the head.

Not an easy task, especially when there are headers on it.
I tried to push and pull the header out of the way with one hand
and tried to get a socket and breaker bar on the bolt with the other.
A very tight fit. It was so tight that while pulling my socket off one of header mounting bolts, it fell into one of the header exhaust ports.

There was no way I could move the headers, even if I had someone helping me. They prevented access to (2) of the bolts at the head that mounts the head near the bottom of the engine. They were pretty rusty, full of scale, dented and in poor condition. There was a hole at the bottom of one of them as well and there was an exhaust leak somewhere. So in the end, I cut them off.

Once off, it was clear sailing after that. I took the head to a
machinist who, welded the broken stud to a press and turned it out and rethreaded it. Then, I pinched the fuel line, removed the carburetor and then the fuel pump.

Now I find myself having to buy a master engine rebuild gasket kit
instead of just an intake gasket. Since I had half the motor apart,
I took it one step further and removed the other head so I could replace both head gaskets.

On Friday, my friend and I Patrick started to clean the threads in
the heads. We found two of them stripped out at the exhaust manifolds. Ah Ha! I found the source of my exhaust leak.

Another trip to the parts store for Helicoils.
I bought a kit with the correct threads. It came with a tap
but no drill bit. Now a trip to Lowe's. We put one bolt in to determine the correct angle / slant of the bolt in the head and using as a visible guide, carefully drilled them out, tapped it and inserted the threads and Wohla! It worked! Finally something went right!

Prior to this, I removed the carbon deposits from the valves and
used several cans of brake cleaner to thoroughly cleaned them out.

Then, wire brushed the exterior of the heads and the block.
Then, applied a wax and grease remover. After getting it put back together with new seals, gaskets, sealant, I applied (3) coats of high heat Chevy Orange paint on the block over 3 days.

I was able to free up the emergency brake assembly.
I still have to install and bleed my new stainless steel brakes
with new O rings, all new brake lines, master cylinder. I'm waiting
for the correct distributor I bought in Carlisle to come back from being rebuilt and tuned up.

I have the new AC Delco plugs and wires ready to go.
I also bought a new fuel pump and horn relay. I still have a list
of things to get. I got in the mail the other day the correct exhaust manifolds for the car from a guy in Virginia. They were tanked, refinished with high heat paint and new studs.

Either this winter or next spring, I'll replace the exhaust system.

Its hard to believe, but the car has been in my garage on
jack stands since I bought it in July and needless to say,
it will be in the garage for at least another month.
I've attached some pictures of the progress.

 

You did all this with the hood on?!

Keep after it.

 

Yes - With the hood on.
After removing the fan and shroud,
lifting the radiator out was a piece of cake.
The same with the support. One would think they
would be heavy. It seemed light at the time, what with
lifting both of the heads up and off along with the Intake,
I must have conditioned my upper body enough to have the
strength to lift them up and out without a problem.

 

Congratulations! You are the first poster I've ever read who managed to put in pix sise by side . Anyway, nice job, keep after it. /:\

 

I think you should leave the aluminum foil on the valve covers, it looks shiny, LOL! Man, if it weren't for bad luck, you'd have no luck at all. I'm curious as to why your headers were a pain, mine were easy to remove and reinstall.

 

with the block that torn down, you should change the timing chain now.

 

The heads were not the problem removing -
It was the headers that caused me so much grief.
They not only interfered with (2) spark plugs on each side,
but they also blocked my access to (2) of the lower head bolts,
above the oil pan. I could not lift them up or push them aside enough
to remove the bolts. The previous owner had them welded to the return pipes
so I couldn't even remove them from underneath, only at the heads.

As for the timing chain - Well, there are several things I have thought about tackling.
However, like the old story goes - If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Why not just rebuild
the whole thing, since its all apart. Why not change the cam and so on and so on.

Its been in my garage too long. It should have been in the barn 2 months ago and
yet, here it sits. I'm not made of money and I'm only repairing what is absolutely necessary
as I go. No choice there.

 

A really bad day playing with old cars always beats a really good day at work.

 

Great pictures!! Those look like original bushings in the control arms.

Looks great, keep going!

 

Just because there's a horror story over at the CAC and also because a $50 timing chain cost me $1500 in engine rebuild costs is why I recommend it. Nobody ever fixes it till its broke, but a timing chain break can break more stuff that wasn't broke.

your call..

Here's what happened to the top of mine when the $50 chain finally DID break. Note custom push rods....

 

Believe me, I hear ya....BUT...If that timing chain has a lot of miles on it, you really should consider replacing it now while everything is out of the way. It's cheap insurance. And with old Corvettes the saying is "If it ain't broke, wait a week or two and it will be."

 

My Bad Gents...
Please take no offense.
Now I see your reasoning.
Being a novist and a self made Corvette mechanic,
I will heed your advise.

Thanks.

Rudy