Just tossing this out here so I can have a running log of my 76 build. I know some guys like looking at pictures and seeing stuff like this so I figured I would put it out there. This way it's easier to get questions answered and I can keep track of them as this will be my first Corvette.

So far I have been picking up things for the engine and brake system since they seem to be the worst part of the car outside of the interior.

Picked up a set of Hedman Thermal headers, Full Magnaflow Stainless dual exhaust system, Full tune up kit plugs, wires, cap, rotor, valve covers, billet davis distributor, CC Magnum 270h cam and Lifters, CC magnum double roller timing set, CC pushrods and rockers, full felpro gasket set for top end, and an aluminum water pump. I also grabbed a used but in nice shape performer intake and a new 600 cfm dbl pump holley. I am a fan of QJet's but this one needs a good rebuild set for my application and I want the car streetable sooner than later.

I currently have an aluminum intake on the current engine. It has GM markings on it so not sure if this was a factory alumunum from newer vette or what the deal is. It is leaking oil down onto exhaust and more than likely causing my issues of initial smoke when starting due to the oil leaking onto manifolds. I would say it's dry seals but the amount of oil leaking onto manifold is considerable.

Outside of the engine the brakes pull so hard to the right when initial pedal is hit. Soon after it goes back to the left pull then back hard right then left. Stopping in the car is extremely scary so much so that in a high speed turn on interstate on ramp hitting the brakes even so softly almost makes the car loose control. So I went and bought all new calipers, lines, rotors, pads, and all the trimmings for the front and the rear.

Steering has about an inch of play mixed in with the fact the column is very wobbly so driving it mimics that of a drunk driver. I figured the gear box was out on the car and it may need adjustment but the actual culprit is the coupler. Can we say DETERIORATED!!!



Some shots of the motor and the mess I am going to start on....hopefully be the end of the weekend the next shots you will see will be an extremely nice Engine bay..we shall see.








It was definitely time for some spark plugs....WOW

 

any thing rubber or fabric must be replaced on these cars.(if original)there is rubber in more places than people realize.i have the same flex fan as you and it will do the job with a proper shroud.(you don't have one).many other things will cause loose steering in addition to the rag joint.tie rod ends,worn or misadjusted steering box,power steering control valve,ball joints,idler arm and a-frame bushings.good luck on your rebuild.

 

^^ For sure man. I do not have a shroud however the temperature in the car is good to go. It's actually a funny thing about that. I bought the car the fella told me the heat works but it's not the greatest because it doesn't have a thermostat. So I took him at his word since he was a Dep. Sherriff and on the way home after buying the heat seemed to work fine not too hot not to cold. However when I tore the top end down tonight it very much had a thermostat in it and I tested it to see if it was working and it was opening and closing as it's supposed too. Not sure why he would have told me that knowing it had one in it.

After tearing down the top end I located the culprit to the oil burning and I found out the original owner broke a bolt off thats why the exhaust was never fixed. The culprit to the oil was a blown intake gasket. I could see where it was leaking oil down into the exhaust port on the head. On the drivers side in the center one of the manifold bolts was broke off flush. It just so happens that while it was being backed out part of the threads where in manifold part in head so the head would not just pop off. I had to take a saw-zaw and cut down through between manifold and bolt. Tried to easy out the bolt but it was in a position I couldn't get the drill in there to drill a pilot hole at all. Not to mention it was froze in the manifold that's why it broke in the first place. After I cut the bolt the manifold fell off and I then used my finger nails and unscrewed the part in the head out. The bolt in the manifold is stuck good luckily I don't care if I ruin the manifold headers are going back on.

I left off with the exhaust pulled off, the radiator drained, the manifold pulled off and I started to clean stuff up and give everything a good once over so I can make sure nothing else needs attention before I tear anything down further. My headers, full stainless dual exhaust system and gaskets arrived today. Still waiting on Cam lifters pushrods rockers carb and distributor to put it back together. All that should be here by tomorrow though so this weekend will be a nice build weekend.





Not sure which intake this is but it's def an aluminum stock GM type


Carefully pulled intake off revealed all the oil going into the port. This would be why the car smoked a little bit.






The bolt in the head came right out easy after the manifold was cut off

 

the pic of spark plug didn't look all that bad to me...

 

They were bad, that was the first I took out and I thought it was bad but as I pulled the rest it got WAY worse. Cylinder 3 and 5 were oil fouled, several had(including the one in the picture above) alot of little reddish colored deposits down inside the core area hard to see in the picture but there on there. Not sure what these deposits are it looks like a bunch of sand stuck to the core and porcelain. These plugs have seen better days for sure.

 

looking good. Make sure you dont forget to file down the area where you cut into the exhaust port on the head, it might leak.

 

Interested in following your build. I see you got a Mag 270h cam - are you changing heads also?

 

My apologies if I sound dumb on this but doing extensive research through this forum and a couple others I came to find out that the consensus was, if the engine is otherwise stock a 270h would work fine with stock heads and give it good power. 2 threads in particular a guy had asked about cam on an otherwise stock L48 and everyone said get the Comp Cams Magnum 270H as the guy was not upgrading anything but intake, carb and a re-curved dist. I backed this up by searching on that cam with stock setup and found a few people with this setup.

If this is not the correct cam or it won't work please let me know as I can change the order today. My original goal was to install a set of Ebrock aluminum heads I have laying around but as of now I just want to upgrade the top valve train and use existing heads. Don't get me wrong, I thought the cam was a tad aggressive for stock, I just thought since more than several recommended this to others with stock setup that they knew what they were talking about.

If anyone knows of a decent cam that will allow me to work with my stock heads and one that will compliment the supporting mods, headers, distributor, intake, carb, then please feel free to chime in. Would rather do this once and be done than to throw something in that's wrong and not like the way it drives. My goal is to up power, actually hear the cam in the car, but not so big that I need a canister or a stall. I plan to drive this car more than not.

 

Roger that! Luckily I didn't get to close to the port so the gasket should seal it up right there however I did smooth down that area and I plan on trying to put a small extra piece of gasket in that area to fill in some of that. A friend mentioned getting some JB Weld and putting it right on that area and make it smooth and flat. Just don't know how well that would work.

 

While you have it torn down that far, a set of valve guide seals and new springs might be a good investment. The exhaust valve seals typically disintegrate with age and that commonly causes the smoke on start-up. With your otherwise fresh valve train, those old springs may limit the power improvement. Fel-Pro seals (o-ring and umbrella) and Sealed Power springs cost about $60 total. The job is reasonably easy with a $50 head-on spring compressor.

 

Well, I know for sure the smoke on startup was from bad intake gasket. I mean, it does make sense that the side that smoked is the side with oil going into the exhaust and intake ports on the head. Those 2 plugs were also oil fouled as well. The motor has been rebuilt at some point is the last few years as the springs, gasket, paint on block all are very fresh. Compression on the motor is crazy high so I have a feeling all the springs and valves are good as they are. However, you are right while I am in there it's worth going the extra distance to just swap them out. Would rather know with certainty there new than to guess about when they were last replaced.

 

I ended up going with a cam I picked up at the local speed shop. It's equivelant to a CC 268H or so the specs show.

It's an Elgin cam kit specs are below.
http://catalog.elginind.com/app/engi...E-1065-P&Go=Go

I went with this for a couple reasons. Main reason... they just happened to have one installed in otherwise stock 78 Vette sitting in there shop of the owners son. They had just installed it the weekend before so I asked if I could hear it. They did better than that his boy let me take it out and get in it. Cam sounds good, idle was some what choppy, worked with stock convertor, the brakes seemed pretty decent so vacuum must be ok with it. When I hit the peddle the engine came to life and was very snappy. I believe the only mods they have to that Vette are about the same as mine with the only difference being the carb and distributor. They run a Holley I have a Edelbrock and my dist is aftermarket theirs is stock. The car is night and day from mine in that it has incredible power. I mean, were not talking 600hp or anything but it tossed me back in the seat and got up and moved. I can only take his word at the car being otherwise stock bottom end and heads but if it is I have something to look forward to.