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Looks really good.
If you have an Ace Hardware store near you, they are a great resource for bolts, nuts and other hardware.
If not then ARP!
I'm very lucky to have a hardware store around the corner from my house that has a MASSIVE hardware selection! I went there today and grabbed all the last pieces I needed, check out this aisle, and there's another next to it:
I've also been taking advantage of the Tractor supply bolts buy the pound, and I keep standard hardware stocked up at the house, so I have what I need most of the time:
I was able to get these nice hex head 1/4-20 x 0.5" bolts for my timing cover, that'll clear the Cloyes cover. Love the look!
I also was able to get some 3/8" bolts in 1.25" for the intake manifold, and finally got it torqued down with fresh gaskets!
Well it's been quite the heat wave down here in the swamp and it's been hard to spend time in the shop on the Stingray, but i've managed to get a little done:
Got a new thermostat, housing, and gasket on the intake. Decided to go with a 160F
started to button up my accessories - I have a harmonic balancer installer and water pump pulley bolts coming in tomorrow so I can wrap up these pulleys and start aligning the accessories
Then it was time for what I thought was going to be a "quick and easy" job running the new fuel lines... yeah nope lol It's annoying getting rid of the shipping bends and trying to get them aligned correctly, but it's coming together. I need new bolts for the brackets and I can finish this chore up:
I'm getting back into my shop and braving the heat: it's time to wrap up this chassis and get the engine installed!
Got bolts for my water pump 5/16 - 24 instead of the coarse threads I keep stocked! I then pressed the harmonic balancer on - how far back are they supposed to go? I went until it wouldn't go anymore, but didn't want to crank on the press like a gorilla!
Got the fuel lines sorted, bent , bolted down and done! This is a lot more tedious than expected!
I saw someone else on the forum with the same timing cover as me that got it to fit and seal with doubled gaskets. I had to try it, because I really don't want to fight the accessories with shims etc to get it to all line up. Well, it fit!!!!
I had a brand new harmonic balancer bolt, and went ahead and installed the pulleys once I found the bolts
Getting SO close to finishing the chassis and engine! Current plan is to have it all wrapped up, engine and trans installed, and fired up by the end of August. I'll then be able to turn my efforts to the bodywork.
Started working on the steering parts to put them back in the chassis. Had to sand blast and paint the steering gear bolts:
Steering box back home:
Now it's time to address my steering linkage: The ram, hoses, and some of the tie rods have already been changed. But the rods were greasy and crusty, so I decided to degrease, wire wheel, and re paint to make it look decent before I put it in.
Back on the engine, and over the weekend I decided to strip the paint off the oil pan because it had some cracking and imperfections... this was a fail and I made a mess! So I had to sand it back down and re paint it.. but it came out looking good. I took the oil pan off to change out the oil pan seal, and put the correct seal in.
Yeah yeah I know she could of been sanded down better, but it's 100F and no one will ever see this lol
Here's the difference between the "thick" and "thin" SBC oil pan seals:
Now we have the proper the seal we need!
Oil pan on, but going to let it cure over night before I put the bolts in And yes, I did notice I put my PS pump bracket on wrong LOL
QUESTION: Having issues getting the new oil pump in.. What's the trick here after a cam change on the push rod and compressing the fuel pump arm?
Your progress is looking good! Keep your energy level going.
If you were considering AC, now would be the time to start gathering up the parts and pieces needed. I have to believe installation would be a whole lot easier with everything apart. Rode in my buddy's non-ac car this past weekend and I think I left a puddle of sweat on his floorboard.
