408 Build Thread

-
Here's a dyno sheet from one of the pulls.

Dyno%20Sheet_zpsgs8towsc.jpg
 
Sounds great Brian. That torque will be awesome.
 
A suitable core has been secured from member AlV and is on it's way to Continental. Thanks Al!

IMG_1157_zpsmshjfilx.jpg
 
I heard back from Kris at Continental. My converter is finished and it will ship today.

He took my core and added a stator from a Vega (from his personal stash of parts). He added an anti-balloon plate on the pump side and a new pump hub. He put in a new sprag, 3 sets of Torrington bearings and a new bushing. He welded the mounting pads, and did some TIG welding on the pump and turbine fins. He also added a new ring gear, balanced the assembly and painted it. All for a grand total of $350.

Kris is great guy and his customer service is second to none! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him to anyone for their converter needs.
 
Subscribed! Wish I was building my engine right now but got to get the rest of the car put together first!

Nates68
 
My buddy Shawn who has been promising to paint my engine compartment for months decided that he could find more time to work on it if he brought the car to his shop. I was okay with that because I need to get the job done, and also wasn't looking forward to over spray all over my garage. He came by Friday and we pushed the car onto the trailer by ourselves. It's amazing how light the car is without an engine and transmission!

6AFDF219-385A-4E70-8F6A-BDA2A3ADCBC4_zpsmw8e58oi.jpg


I received an email from Continental that my converter will be delivered tomorrow.
 
I'm having Kris at Continental Converters build me a custom converter. I've already been in touch with them, but they are out of the particular core that they need to build me one. I've got a Parts Wanted thread started and think that I have a lead on one.

Here is an on-line article that Hot Rod did on Continental. It's pretty interesting.

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/high-performance-torque-converters-by-continental/

That's a great little article Brian--I knew many places used cores to make custom stalls, but not the details or the original source. Almost makes me think of the thousands of custom apps one could potentially fill from a typical junk yard. The one back in Abilene (FM 600 Wrecking) used to have probably a couple thousand different junked cars from little imports to diesel HD trucks...with probably several hundred of the midsize V6 powered family grocery getters of all makes they mention.
 
The converter showed up the other day. I appears to be a nice piece.

F99E925D-57D1-4076-8887-2A5D7552198C_zps2fho6zkx.jpg
 
Home at last! Heat index was 105 today and I am whipped. That is all.

DC3C957C-5AC9-4F3F-ACD8-FADAC3544F86_zps1bk1c4ia.jpg
 
A little more progress was made yesterday. We continued to sand on the engine compartment and when we finished, my buddy hit all of the bare metal with some self etching primer.

AB0EC830-B260-47B6-85D3-3BB105EABB1F_zpsykq92lah.jpg


This afternoon we will prime the rest of the compartment and look for any major imperfections and maybe even shoot some color on it. That's the plan anyways.
 
Man this is cool I just got done reading a 69 Dart build a day or so ago, and had 408 also I believe and the guy had never even been on a drag strip---first time out for car and driver and went 10 something!!!!!!!!!!!! Have the time of your life when you get it going!!!!!! I think it was clinteqs car.
 
Looking good Brian. How's it going? Paint on it yet?

It was supposed to be painted last weekend, so I swung by his house on Saturday and he hadn't had time to get to it. He does minor collision work for some dealers out of his home shop and has been real busy. He promised it would be painted and at my house yesterday, because he's leaving for Florida on vacation this am. Yesterday afternoon he called and said to come out and help and it will be in paint. I told him that I didn't want him to rush the job just to get it done before vacation. He thanked me and said that he had two other cars to finish before leaving.

I've said it before, there is no made for TV deadline on this car. It'll get done when it gets done, although I'm getting very anxious to drive it. I'll work on getting the engine painted while he's gone and my car will be the first in line when he gets back.
 
Looks great man, will be keeping an eye on this. Exactly what I am looking to build for this Duster down the road.
 
It was supposed to be painted last weekend, so I swung by his house on Saturday and he hadn't had time to get to it. He does minor collision work for some dealers out of his home shop and has been real busy. He promised it would be painted and at my house yesterday, because he's leaving for Florida on vacation this am. Yesterday afternoon he called and said to come out and help and it will be in paint. I told him that I didn't want him to rush the job just to get it done before vacation. He thanked me and said that he had two other cars to finish before leaving.

I've said it before, there is no made for TV deadline on this car. It'll get done when it gets done, although I'm getting very anxious to drive it. I'll work on getting the engine painted while he's gone and my car will be the first in line when he gets back.

Good thinking. A rush job rarely turns out the way you want
 
Still waiting on the engine compartment to come back from paint so I went ahead today and installed the Canton oil filter plate.

0F4D4084-8C8D-4922-B1DC-05355CA8411A_zpsl6vo2ioa.jpg


I also took off the break-in filter and installed a new NAPA Gold (Wix) oil filter.

EC679B56-F0E1-4AC1-8EE9-2046078FD197_zpspgnb5qkp.jpg


The car was promised to be delivered tomorrow afternoon, but again, I'm not holding my breath.
 
The car didn't come back as promised, no surprise, but my buddy did come by and shoot the engine for me. I used Eastwood ceramic engine paint in universal red. It was a little brighter than the Chrysler Industrial red that I was seeing on line. I think it turned out pretty good.

E96EFD78-CFA7-47D9-9670-0555F64FA106_zps4nukgvat.jpg


35A68B70-D748-47C7-A66A-4EEA28B4E69E_zpslu7zq3sq.jpg
 
-
Back
Top