A next project for me is to restore and detail my engine compartment. This is a 71 base 350 auto vert with a/c. I was hoping for your help in spotting a list of issues that are incorrect from the original specs to be fixed. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

Hi jf,
LOT'S of nice original parts in that compartment. VERY nice 5 port washer pump, and CEC delay and reversing relays.
I'd start by cleaning everything very well and painting the various parts in their original colors.
This compartment really is very striking!
Depending on how interested you are in originality you may want to change a couple of parts that are no longer in their original configuration.... the master cylinder and the water pump. These OFTEN need to be routinely replaced, but the ones on your car are service replacement parts. There are parts available that are closer in configuration to what was on this car originally.
The vapor and pvc hoses had black cloth tape on them not wire ties. I don't think the heater hoses had the GM logo on them in 71. The carburetor is missing the 71 only CEC solenoid and it's metal tube and rubber hoses. The clip for the advance line running to the distributor is typically on the head bolt to the rear of the choice stove cover.
How's that for a start?
Regards,
Alan

Would you mind sharing the serial number from the VIN?

 

I agree with Alan. Cleaning is about all you need. It's nice to see an unBubba'ed engine compartment.

 

I could only tell the carb/vac advance issues Alan outlined above.
A VERY nice engine/compartment indeed!
Carter

 

I agree.....that's already really nice.....clean and paint, and not much of that is really needed as it is!

Let's see some pics of the rest of that car !

 

nice compartment to start with.use any photo of my engine and if yours matches you know it's wrong.

 

pull the engine and do it right the first time, doesn't take long, take plenty of pictures before pulling it.

 

Body off !


LOL...kidding.....

 

Thanks for the list of items, thats extremely helpful. I actually have the original master cylinder and water pump, but don't know if they could be rebuilt. The carb is a service replacement. I have the numbers matching original that I am about to have rebuilt. Alan, the last 6 digits of the engine stamp are 108500, which match the pillar post vin. ( I don't have a pic of the vin with me). I wanted to avoid pilling the engine because for now it is running well. Just turned 47,000 miles. Some more pics for your review and comment.

 

Wow.......BEAUTIFUL car........

 

Wow. Speechless. Nice.

 

Hi jf,
That's a very nice looking 71 convertible.
I think doing some serious cleaning and a bit of detail painting will really enhance the overall appearance of your car. (Cars always look their best with the hood open!)
You can do quite a good job of cleaning and detailing the engine compartment with the engine in place.... it's just a bit more work and takes some creative methods.
The original water pump can probably be rebuilt and it's likely the master cylinder can be too.
Thanks for posting all the pictures. It's always fun to see a 71 as special as this one.
Regards,
Alan

 

The recommendation of pulling the engine was strictly for detailing of the engine and engine compartment. Other than maybe putting new pan and valve cover gaskets (prior to paint) or plugs/wires while you can actually get to them, I don't think there would be a need to do anything to the engine.

But, I did the engine/compartment refurb with the engine still in position [with intake and heads off for other reasons]; and I would never do that again. There are some many detailed things that have to be done, different colors of paint, presicion masking, etc. It is just a LOT of trouble to do all that with the engine in place. Not to mention that you can't really do a good job on the exhaust manifolds with them installed. And, if you take those manifolds off, pulling the engine at that point is pretty easy anyway.

So, this was just discussion for you to thoroughly consider which way would work best for you.

If you need some specific info on paints/colors to use for various parts of that work, we can offer that advice. I am specifically enamored with Seymour 'Cast Blast' cast iron colored Hi-Temp ceramic paint for the exhaust manifolds. Bead blast the manifolds, clean/wash off the residue, shoot 2 coats of Cast Blast paint and let dry. Install the manifolds carefully so paint is not damaged, then run the engine for 3-5 hours to allow that paint to bake into a permanent ceramic coating that looks exactly like bare cast iron. You CAN NOT tell that they have been painted.

Here's what mine looked like 5 years ago. And the exhaust manifolds (and alternator housing which was processed similarly) still look exactly the same. And I've put over 10K miles on it since then.

 

I would detail and paint everything while I had the engine out putting a nice big block into it.

 

that car deserves a complete motor and engine compartment detailing with the engine pulled to do it right. There is no reason to believe the engine won't run right after pulling it and putting it back in. You could also do any clutch and transmission work. Just take plenty of pictures and note where all the wiring goes to. Good luck in what ever you do.

 

I used this product to rejuvenate my exhaust manifolds. http://calyxmanifold.com/

 

Calyx is OK to help restore the 'appearance' of a cast-iron surface. But, you can't really get the manifolds thoroughly covered with the engine in place; and the stuff is not permanent. It will flake off and you will need to continually refresh it. But, it does look pretty good for an inexpensive way to make exhaust manifolds look "better than rusty hunks of cast iron".

In the long run (if you plan on keeping the car for many years), removing them, blasting them clean, and shooting them with something that will stay looking good forever, is a better choice, IMO.

 

The only thing that looks odd other than what has been noted is that heater-hose running over the A/C compressor; mine runs underneath, which I think is stock.

 

Hi,
I'm not too familiar with a/c cars so I looked at the AIM.
UPC C60, Sheet D6, shows both heater hoses running above the a/c compressor with a 'clip/strap' of some sort surrounding both of them and located near the rear/top of the compressor.
I don't know if this configuration was typical for 71 model year production or not?
The Dobbins book shows one sb with 1 hose above the compressor and another sb with the hose below as BB described... so?!?
Regards,
Alan

 

I've seen it run both ways and both were [supposedly] factory-original. It probably depended on who was working that station on the assembly line.