Learning things the hard way.

[bullet18]

That radiator will likely be in the way when you’re putting the engine in.

We put the engine in without a transmission or a fan so it wasn't an issue. Im running an electric fan because ive heard stories about cats crawling into the fan shroud and getting killed and my mom has 4 less than brilliant cats.

 

[bullet18]

I actually wirebrushed and painted this engine before i put it in. Im gonna wirebrush and paint the valve covers soon. As you can see ive got the carter thermoquad on it. Ive got three holley 650s but supposedly the thermoquad flows 850 so in theory its better. If i cant get it to run right ill just put a 650 on it. The thermoquad was on it stock but with 2 3" headers instead of manifolds into 1 2.5" pipe i think it will lean it out quite a bit.

 

[bullet18]

It starts!!! It started right up. Weve got oil pressure and the fuel pump works! Thanks for all the help you guys have been, if not for this forum id still be working on the frame. Hopefully ill be driving it around my neighborhood this time next week!

 

[bullet18]

Well things have taken a little longer than expected but its almost driving. I got a ton of stuff at the nats for really cheap. I got a grill for $50 which is about 1/6 of what i expected to pay so that was awesome. I just got the tires on and they look incredible, i need to adjust the torsion bars because all of the old tires were different sizes. I got a fiberglass deck lid for $100 from a local guy. Im aware of all the problems with fiberglass parts but i figured its not like im gonna have perfect panel gaps anyway. The wheels spin on jacks, i just need to run 2 brake lines and install the steering wheel and i can scare all my neighbors.

 

[rbbruno3]

Way to go, nothing ever goes as planned

 

[DetMatt1]

I have to say what a pleasure it was meeting this young man at the Nationals last weekend. I would feel a lot better about the future of our society if there were more like him. Keep it up man!

 

[bullet18]

I have to say what a pleasure it was meeting this young man at the Nationals last weekend. I would feel a lot better about the future of our society if there were more like him. Keep it up man!

thanks!

 

[bullet18]

I drove it for the first time on sunday! According to the dmv it hasnt been registered in the last 30 years which means its been dead longer than it was running. I made it about 50 yards before we lost brake pressure but im working on that. Progress is going to be alot slower now that im in college and working on it one day a week instead of 6 but im still going to get stuff done. Thanks again to everyone who helped me get this far.

 

[bullet18]

Im back! I haven't been home in three weeks because of homework but its fall break so im gonna rebuild the transmission. Currently it moves forward in neutral and not in drive and no matter how hard i push backwards in any gear it will not roll backwards. I have a spare trans from a motorhome that has the shift cable bracket mount broken off and obviously the wrong tail housing so im going to take the internals out of that one and put them in the case i currently have in the car. I bought a rebuild kit with new seals, gaskets, and clutches so ill install them as well. Hopefully it all goes well.

 

[340challconvert]

Watching your progress.
Nice job

 

[aussiemark]

There are some good videos on youtube that show you step by step how to rebuild the trans. You will need to get hold of a clutch hub compressing tool to hold the hub down while you remove the circlip but that's the only special tool needed by the look of it.

 

[bullet18]

It turns out, among other things, the kickdown servo was broken so second gear was always engaged. luckily my spare transmission actually had better parts so this process was sort of an upgrade. Now i have 4 planetaries a heavier duty reverse servo and 4 forward clutches. It took something like 30 hours to get it rebuilt because i ended breaking a bunch of snap ring pliers so im out of time and wont be able to put it back in and see if it works untill 2 weeks from now.

 

[Grady Cain]

Nice work kid. You're getting it done...

 

[tonysrt]

And that's the reason I took my 727 to a professional rebuilder and especially since I don't know the first thing about them.

 

[bullet18]

I now have reverse but it still moves forward in park. I think the parking pawl isnt engaging correctly or something like that. Either way im gonna move onto getting the brakes functioning for now and worry about that later. Ive pretty much given up and am probably gonna go to a professional to get my brake lines done which sucks concidering how far ive gotten without paying anyone else to work on it but I dont have the time or patience to keep dealing with leaking fittings. Plus itll make my parents happy if the brakes are professionaly done.

 

[bullet18]

I drove it a full mile! The duct taped coolant hose blew and the pan gasket leaks but for the first time in over 30 years it has all the gears and it stops! My mom could hear the car in idle half a mile away through trees so im working on an exhaust system, especially since a sherriff can hear whenever i start it. Ive got 2 24 inch 3in od glass packs and im fabbing an h pipe so hopefully that'll quiet it down a bit for now until i can afford decent mufflers.

 

[Grady Cain]

Rock on Conner - good job...

 

[moparlee]

Good job on getting her back on the road and I bet you were probably grinning from ear to ear. Obviously you must have gotten your tranny and brake issues take care of.

 

[bullet18]

Good job on getting her back on the road and I bet you were probably grinning from ear to ear. Obviously you must have gotten your tranny and brake issues take care of.

Thanks! I was grinning the whole time. Yeah the tranny works and i took it to a brake shop to get the brakes done. Im hoping to get the exhaust on and the coolant hose fixed so i can tale it for another spin before i go back to college on sunday.

 

[bullet18]

Rock on Conner - good job...

Thanks!