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Thought it might be time to show off my latest old school SHP small block engine project. Several forum members here helped me acquire pieces for this build so I thought they might like to see what I am actually doing with all that stuff. We started with nearly nothing so there was a LOT to find and source. Those of you who expect to see aftermarket aluminum heads, EFI and roller cams need not scroll down any further - We are not using any of that here. Just the best good old school GM parts being used and modifications were kept to a minimum. Changes were made only where it was absolutely no question about the need. Dennis (bmans vette) shipped me a nice clean 4-bolt main engine block and core plug set that only needed a stone hone to make it ready for use. Joel (JoeMinnesota) shipped me a very clean set of factory big valve fuelie heads that just needed 8 intake valves and a set of screw-in studs to finish them off. I got a factory steel crank off Ebay that turned out to be a little problematic but more about that in a bit. The oil pan, windage tray, mounting studs, harmonic damper, oil pump, pickup and numerous fasteners system came from Adam (NewbVetteGuy). Nicolas (Strokemyaxe) sent me Holley 650 DP that just might get installed once we rebuild it. Phil (Griff2002) sent me a take-off GM '71 LT-1 Intake manifold that will look perfect on top of this period correct SHP engine. Other parts were either laying around here in my stash or bought new.
crank is in! The pilot bushing and lower timing gear were installed before the crank was dropped in. We don't want to hammer on the thrust bearing if we can avoid it. You can see where the dip stick goes in this shot. Look at those sexy brass core plugs. The GM windage tray attaches to those 5 extended main cap bolts.
The crank miked up good on the rod journals but the mains were all a bit too much on the loose side. I ended up installing a set of race bearings in .021" undersized in order to close up the clearances just a bit. We will have more engine **** pix as the as the rest of the assembly comes together.
When ever I see SHP I think of the SHP dart block. I have my original hot rodded L-82 with smeared Hyper pistons in the bores. I always thought about throwing it back together. 186 double hump ported heads .030 over. Just fun to work on something so simple
Back in my younger poorer days I used to build engines like that. Me and a couple of my other gearhead buddies would use a lot of GM high performance parts because they were inexpensive, especially used, and they worked. Fun project!
I remember owning, driving and building 60"-70's big blocks in Chevelle's, Camaro's, Buick GS's, and Firebirds.
Throw in a cam, some headers, an intake and a Holley on a Saturday, and you had a monster right off the car lot.
Good times!
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
I built my 327 up to L76 specs last winter (l79 but with solid cam) runs awesome, lots of pep. But I decided I wanted 400 HP so Im popping in a new cam this winter. Love small block SHP motors. easy and fun to play with.
Still like old school basic builds, they dont have to cost a fortune and can be plenty of fun.
Wish GM would start producing all the old performance parts they offered back in the 70s/80s guys would buy them .
Maybe even update some (like camel humps) wiht a better runner, vortec CC, cams etc. Those nitrided steel cranks they had were sweet!
Think they get their crate motor cranks from Scat now.
The most painful part of the build is over...The 32 spirolocks piston pin retainers ARE INSTALLED!!!
Those nasty little spring steel torture devices have been responsible for much pain, blood loss and few empty bad-aid boxes. I only got skewered 2 times on this build so I consider myself lucky.
The JE/SRP forged pop-ups used here are designed to use double spirolocks just like the Chevy Power Manual racing modification instructions. I do not worry about the pins falling out on this one. The production line forged pistons used in '69 Z/28's were single spirolocks on babbit plated full floating pink rods but that was an expensive setup even back then. Crazy high to try to do today. '70 and up LT-1's used pressed pin pink rods but those are expensive now too if you can find them. Now, we just have to make do with the well respected SCAT forged rods with bronze bushings in the small end. These SCAT rods come with the better bolts already installed. For the money, you can not build a stock rod up to this level even if the cores came free in a box with an extra $50 bill in it.
I can't swear to this as to being 100% accurate, but back before the proliferation of all kinds of speed parts manufactures the "Pink" chevy forged rods were what every hot rodder wanted. So anyway I took my 79 L-82 motor down to have the block bored and all the pistons which were pressed fit removed and then balance all the new assembly. Anyway they were looking at the forged L-82 rods and it was brought up that they looked exactly like "Pink Rods" They were the same thing down to the forging numbers on the beams.
So it might be possible that GM continued to use the supplies of Pink rods in all the forged crank, windage trayed, 4 bolt L-82 motors through the 70's. does anyone here know for sure?
I believe there was really only one rod forging design used from that time period but "pink" rods got the special inspection and surface treatment before the pink paint was applied. All the rod forgings were lightened up in the early '80's
Can't say I remember any paint on mine but I was not looking for it either. I need to look thru my pictures and see. It was built in the last 2 weeks of L-82 production.
I believe there was really only one rod forging design used from that time period but "pink" rods got the special inspection and surface treatment before the pink paint was applied. All the rod forgings were lightened up in the early '80's
Can't say I remember any paint on mine but I was not looking for it either. I need to look thru my pictures and see. It was built in the last 2 weeks of L-82 production.
There is no paint on my l-82 rods, but the shop had sets of Pink rods. When we did side beside comparisons they were the same down to the size and forging stamped numbers. What i'm saying is it possible that GM bought tons of rods thinking that life was good and no problems making LT1 motors in the future and then smog laws and the gas crunch ended all the fun.
George, I’m no expert by any stretch but some Googling around seems to say all L82’s got the ‘pink’ rod. IDK...
I have been researching " Pink rods" and came across this:
Large-Journal Rods In 1968 and 1969, the 302-ci engine received a large-journal rod with factory installed full-floating piston pins. These rods receive the same special attention as the early Z28 rod. The part number for these rods was PN 3946841; the big-journal pressed-pin rod used in 1970–1979 Z28 engines was listed as PN 3973386. These large journal rods were fitted with stronger 3⁄8-inch rod bolts, which are adequate for any street application and some automatic transmission bracket cars. Here again, if you want to run the engine at high RPM, install ARP bolts to avoid early failure.
The current standard large-journal, pressed-pin rod (usually referred to as a 350 rod) is PN 14096846. It is the “Pink” rod used in the 350 HO engine. A heavier-duty version of the same rod is PN 14095071. This rod is also the well-known heavy-duty 1038 steel “Pink” rod, but it is Magnafluxed, shot-peened, and heat treated. Both of these rods have 3⁄8-inch-diameter rod bolts. The “Pink” rod was used in the 1970–1972 LT1, 1970–1974 Z28, and all L82 350s. A floating-pin version of this rod for 1969–1970 Z28s is available under the original part number PN 3946841 as listed above.
Nice build Mark.
Love the old school sbc blocks.
Lots of fun memories from early days building high compression solid lifter cam motors to put in Camaros, Chevelles and my buddy's lead sled Impala...
Looking forward to hearing it run.
Dennis (Bman)
Old School SHP Engine Build
I have been researching " Pink rods" and came across this:
