Beginning of the End - my 73, 340 Duster rest-o-rod???

"OTR" - Thanks, I was hopeful someone would appreciate my "Story Time". Captainkirk" has the "best" stories.

Anyway, I left some folks hanging on the media blast find. A place called "U-Blast" = you do the blasting they supply the facilities and materials!!! $120/hr in the booth, includes media. There are two booths; one for removing paint and for priming, the other for removing rust and shot blasting. They also have cabinets big enough for small body parts; hoods etc @ $60/hr also includes media. I figure I can knock the body and underside in 1.5 days and primer the last 1/2 day (priming cost $60/hr, you bring gun and etch primer) shouldn't take but 2 days +/-. Regardless, its better than $1700 for someone else to do it and that doesn't include priming, it's extra = no way, I'm doin it myself.

So back to my findings with the engine: crank-mains & rods 0.010, pistons 0.030, purple stick (not sure which one - yet) new springs, rockers, lifters etc. As you'll see in the pictures below there is still color on the springs and cross-hatch marks on the cylinder walls. BUT . . . the bearings are all wiped:angryfir: Must have been running to thick of an oil instead of a break-in oil:oops: And probably, knowing my buddy, just wrung the livin snot out of it for a "break-in" - run hard and put away wet. The oil pump (not sure of the company but think it's a Melling? I'm sure its a high volume as it has HV stamped on the cover plate and in the part number) gears are all scored to hell, bearings (in some areas) worn beyond the babbitt to the bronze under layer and cylinder walls show signs of piston skirt slap, along with a few slightly tight wrist pins. The crank has some pretty decently scored areas, which I hope can be polished out - not sure yet? Oh, and a major fo-pah - the number two cam bearing oil hole wasn't correctly lined up, so the cam and crank's #2 bearing were restricted, which is shown in one of the crank pictures. Lastly, the oil pan had a big dent right where the oil pump pick-up sat:violent1: All of the above were a recipe for failure. No complaints here because I actually was able to buy it back from my buddy. And since it was sold back and forth between he and his twin brother god knows who had their hands on it and did what ? ? ?

The engine and other rustable eng parts are now coated with spray-on white lithium grease and stowed in a 4 mill plastic bag, wrapped by another bag and in my shed. Nothing begins with the engine until the body is fully painted, tubbed out, connected, wired and hose/lined up = ready to drop an engine into.

Oh, before I plant the pictures below, while I was taking the pictures I noticed the build date on the block - it has to be destiny this is "my" block - the date casting reads 1-20-76, "N" for Night shift and time looks to be just after midnight . . . my birthday is 1-21-59 (older than dirt - I know, but young in the mind) and I was born just after midnight = made on my 17th B-day. Quite the coincidence, eh?

Anyway, here's the pictures as promised: