Hillbilly Garage
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Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 191
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From: Oregon
There was very little rust. Mostly grime in between the coils. I got most of it off. One of the nuts is pretty badly chewed up. Will file it down to get rid of the boogers.
I’ll definitely keep an eye on the whole system though, thanks. I’ll use threadlocker (medium strength, blue) on it. If it leaks I’ll know right away.
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Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Oregon
Fortunately I made enough photos of the engine before disassembling it. I think I was able to figure out how the pieces go back together. The plan for September is to 1) clean parts & assemble engine to make sure everything goes back together properly. 2. Disassemble engine again for final cleaning & painting 3) reassemble engine with new gaskets & replace broken parts (so far, I know it’ll need a new radiator, rebuilt starter, & a new oil pan; maybe a new water pump & some small odds & ends).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2022
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From: SE Ohio
Lots of stuff to do. Fancy phones make pictures so easy and immediate - very handy. The nice thing is you can look back at your work at the end of a day and see progress. Everything looks great!
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Good job on the pics...figuring out which brackets go on first is the hard part
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Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Oregon
Cleaning & painting engine parts before final reassembly. I went with high-heat primer, silver, & clear coat for visibility, grime reduction, leak-detection, etc.
The first layer of paint has been removed, collected & properly disposed of, using several single-edge razor blades, a tarp, a 10 gallon plastic tub & a dust brush for sweeping paint chips. I’m wondering whether to take it all the way down to fiberglas; or to leave the primer coats where they are then fill & sand with epoxy fillers, primers & sealers.
It’ll be awhile before I do much more on the body. I’ve got a new starter, oil pan, spark plug wires, hoses & other parts ordered along with the shop assembly manual. The radiator’s being checked out at the rad shop in Medford. More engine parts to wire brush today…our rainy & cool Fall weather will be warming up again for a few days. Looking forward to painting in autumn sunshine this weekend. 🌞
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Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Oregon
Cleaned & painted the gas tank using etching primer followed by two coats of clear. Squeak padding underneath tank & (painted) straps are folded tar paper. New fuel line, breather lines & hose clamps.
I finally finished cleaning & painting & replacing the water pump, fan clutch, fan, alternator. power steering, pulleys, belts, brackets…
…after cleaning & painting the new oil pan, I used a one-piece Fel Pro gasket, Permatex oil-resistant Ultra Black sealer, new pan rails, stainless steel bolts & lock washers. I bought slightly longer bolts (+3/16”) to accommodate the added thickness of the gasket & rails.
At Sauer’s machine shop in Medford, where I had the exhaust manifolds surfaced, they recommended Remflex Graphite Exhaust Gaskets. I installed them without using sealer on either surface, as recommended.
After squirting Mobil 1 0W-40 onto the valve stems & springs, I used Fel-Pro cork gaskets & Permatex Ultra Black on the valve covers.
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Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 95
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From: NC Mountains
You are certainly making progress and the clear over silver is a very clean look. I may be wrong and I can't be sure because of the camera angle but, it almost looks like you have a kink in your fuel hose at the pump. If so you need the correct molded hose to make that bend. Keep up the good work and keep the pictures comming.
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Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Oregon
You are certainly making progress and the clear over silver is a very clean look. I may be wrong and I can't be sure because of the camera angle but, it almost looks like you have a kink in your fuel hose at the pump. If so you need the correct molded hose to make that bend. Keep up the good work and keep the pictures comming.
I moved the intake line to the fuel pump to unkink it. but it’ll need to be replaced.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Oregon
The old starter needed to be replaced. There weren’t any shims, but the teeth have a bevel in the leading edge of the gear that engages the fly wheel.
Another view of the old starter. I’m wondering if this is normal wear? Or should I add a shim or two to the new starter?
This is what the fly wheel looks like. It seems to be in pretty good shape.
This is the brand new starter, after turning the engine over a few times. It has the same wear marks on the gear already. Any insights from the forum braintrust would be much appreciated!
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
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From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Ook at the directions if it came with them. There is supposed to be .030 min clearance at the bottom of the gear valley. Thats about all the info They give you. Measure that and shim as necessary. A paper clip is .030 ish
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From: Oregon
I removed the flywheel cover & still couldn’t get in there to measure with the drill bit. So I eye-balled it. I looks like a 1/4” but I was hoping to avoid beveling the starter gear.
The starter turns the engine over, so that’s a good sign. Maybe all starter gears get beveled like that in the course of normal wearing in. I can’t imagine they line-up perfectly every time, so a little beveling may be inevitable.
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Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Oregon
New radiator & silicone hoses installed & ready for coolant.
The radiator hoses had to be trimmed a little to reduce the angle of the bends, but they fit well.
After squirting 0W-40 Mobil 1 European Formula down the valve stems & through the spark plug holes, filling up the new oil filter, and putting new gaskets on the valve covers & oil pan, I used a socket, ratchet & cheater bar to finally get the engine to turn over completely, without getting hung up on whatever crud there must have been in the cylinders. It took a few days of letting the oil work it’s magic, but it was a huge relief once it turned over.
Last edited by 78Corvetter; Oct 20, 2022 at 10:46 AM.
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Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Oregon
I moved the engine/chassis & hood into the barn ahead of the wintery weather. The body is outside under a heavy duty canvas tarp. Holley 12-803 fuel pressure regulator is installed, using a steel bracket found hanging on the wall of the barn. Thanks to “Shift Happens” on YouTube for the bracket idea!
I’ll be installing Edelbrock’s banjo bolt & steel fuel line set up next, preceded by a clear glass & chrome fuel filter, coming out of the pressure regulator, with the pressure gauge facing forward.
Once I get the fuel system buttoned down from tank to carburetor with appropriate hose clamps, replace heater hoses & vacuum lines, hook up the electric choke, fill the radiator with antifreeze & fire this engine up for the first time.
Is my vette stock?? HAHA
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 20,174
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From: Im not allowed to tell you
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
Good job on the build,,, Dont make the cover air tight or it will get moldy under there if you havent had to cover something like this in the weather before
there will be complaining about the glass fuel filter saying it will break and burn down your car or the 6 psi will cause the line to come firing off the banjo connection and spray around like a fire hose........probably will never happen or they would have been pulled by DOT and The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. but just letting you know, we have folks here like that.
there will be complaining about the glass fuel filter saying it will break and burn down your car or the 6 psi will cause the line to come firing off the banjo connection and spray around like a fire hose........probably will never happen or they would have been pulled by DOT and The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. but just letting you know, we have folks here like that.
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Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Oregon
I’ve been anxious to get at the ugly old paint plaguing my beautiful, superstylie hood; so just before the warm weather ended, I took a break from wrenching & got out my trusty razor blade, brush & bucket.
After scraping off the first layer of gel coat with a single-edged razor blade, I busted out the stripper, split a plastic garbage bag & employed a variety of putty knives & plastic spatulas with limited success…
Several hours later, layers of various materials were chemically excavated. Even after four applications of stripper, the molted ugliness persisted.
After a couple of hours & half-a-dozen sheets of 100 grit paper on a vibrating sander, layers of gunk eventually gave way to gratifying smoothness. I’ll block sand the scratches out, eventually working down to a 600 grit finish. After watching painting videos on YouTube, at this point I’m thinking about spraying Feather Fill G2 Primer for the first coat.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Oregon
After a couple of hours hand sanding with 400grit, it’s better than it was, as good as it’s going to get for now.
I flipped the hood over & did a quick clean-up on it with a wire wheel on the metal bits, followed by 100grit on a vibrating sander. I’m thinking about what to paint it with. I’m thinkin maybe satin black VHT primer. It’ll be covered by a pad anyway, but as long as I’ve got it this far I’d like to finish it out.
Driver’s side door & headlight valences are next to be scraped & stripped.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2021
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From: Oregon
For now, I’ll use the glass fuel filter so I can see the gas flow when I fire up the engine for the first time. I decided on the braided steel instead of a banjo bolt fuel line since there are no hard bends this way & the air cleaner will cover it up anyway. Today I’ll be moving the fuel filter away from the AC bracket, closer to the carb inlet, wiring the choke & hooking up the vacuum lines.
Last edited by 78Corvetter; Oct 30, 2022 at 12:47 PM.