A True Low Dollar Backyard Build

-
Yes, it was a high dash car. It looked like a baby Benz. It was very quick, and handled great. After the OPEC'ers cut us off, I was very happy with the mileage it got if I didn't run it at 90% throttle. I've looked for another for years, but never have seen another one. The Lotus-Cortina is even more rare.
 
Got a little bit done today. Spent my lunch hour installing the 2" lowering blocks on the rear. Going for the level look. Still gotta replace the steel brake line from the distribution block to the rear. All the fronts are done.
 
Still following. Too good not to, after seeing your son with the torque wrench, and the ring compressor!
 
Sumbitch. As luck would have it (and I apparently have none today), I've got to pull the motor back out. Had previously bolted the bellhousing up a couple of months ago. Today, spent my lunch hour away from the desk and was buttoning up the bottom side - flex plate to torque convertor bolts specifically - and while turning the thing over by hand, "bonk!" I hit a hard stop. Went back the other direction about 2/3 of the way around and "bonk!" i hit a hard stop. You can actually hear the "bonk". Coming from inside the oil pan. Sounds kind of hollow.

What the hell, Horace? Counter weight throws hitting the baffle in the late model Chinesium Dakota oil pan because they are not in the right place? I hope it is that simple.

OK - jack the engine up until the bell hits the tunnel. Unbolt the pan. Dammit Gumby, I need another half an inch to get clearance to get the dang pan out - won't clear the bottom of the bell. GRRRRRRRRRR.......................

Got enough room to get my fingers in there and feel around the oil pump. No way the crank is hitting it, right? Guess what? That's exactly what it is. Managed to get the pump unbolted and let it fall in the pan. The dang thing will now turn all the way around by hand again.

The last time I turned it over by hand was on the engine stand before the oil pump and pan went on. Had no reason to turn it afterwards until it was time to bolt up the torque convertor.

Hope to make tomorrow's lunch hour a quick unbolting of the bottom side, and putting the hoist back together.

Once I get it out, I hope I can just grind some oil pump casting away to get clearance. Other than just enough to clear the counterweight, how much clearance should there be? .010? .020? The community's thoughts?
 
Aargh!!! Bang head time...
I have never had an oil pump hit the crank, but there's a first time for everything... are you sure it's not hitting the pickup tube? And a little twist one way or the other on the pipe thread may let the bends in the tube clear?
Fingers crossed for ya...
 
ragtopfury said:
Sumbitch. As luck would have it (and I apparently have none today), I've got to pull the motor back out. Had previously bolted the bellhousing up a couple of months ago. Today, spent my lunch hour away from the desk and was buttoning up the bottom side - flex plate to torque convertor bolts specifically - and while turning the thing over by hand, "bonk!" I hit a hard stop. Went back the other direction about 2/3 of the way around and "bonk!" i hit a hard stop. You can actually hear the "bonk". Coming from inside the oil pan. Sounds kind of hollow.

What the hell, Horace? Counter weight throws hitting the baffle in the late model Chinesium Dakota oil pan because they are not in the right place? I hope it is that simple.

OK - jack the engine up until the bell hits the tunnel. Unbolt the pan. Dammit Gumby, I need another half an inch to get clearance to get the dang pan out - won't clear the bottom of the bell. GRRRRRRRRRR.......................

Got enough room to get my fingers in there and feel around the oil pump. No way the crank is hitting it, right? Guess what? That's exactly what it is. Managed to get the pump unbolted and let it fall in the pan. The dang thing will now turn all the way around by hand again.

The last time I turned it over by hand was on the engine stand before the oil pump and pan went on. Had no reason to turn it afterwards until it was time to bolt up the torque convertor.

Hope to make tomorrow's lunch hour a quick unbolting of the bottom side, and putting the hoist back together.

Once I get it out, I hope I can just grind some oil pump casting away to get clearance. Other than just enough to clear the counterweight, how much clearance should there be? .010? .020? The community's thoughts?
Click to expand...
Had to clearance the oil pump on the last magnum I put together.
I know you said you torqued the converter bolts, but you may have one or 2 that are contacting the oil pan rail on the block. Ask me how I know. I have also corkscrewed an oil pump shaft on a 302 that a small but of dirt dobber grit got into the oil pump and locked it up.
 
Right here. See the dink off the end of the pencil point? That's the spot.
20211024_171631.jpg
 
So after the initial file out to the mark is gone, it's also hitting here and still at the original spot.
20211024_174322.jpg
 
It's been a few weeks and finally made a ciuple of lunch hours of progress the last few days. Got the bottom side buttoned up and the front of the engine accessories bolted on. Also modified the original exhaust Y pipe to fit with the cheap headers. Had to take 3 inches out of the right side and weld it back together. Brake system has been done for months. Just need to bleed them.
 
70dart340 said:
Still following you, brother. You're making a mark on your son.....
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm trying. It's harder to find time to get him out there with me while school is in. Was the same way with his older brother when we built his 65, but we pulled it off in 2.5 years.
 
Spent another lunch hour and a half away from the desk today. Got the belts on, radiator and fans are in and the carb is mounted. Also found my box marked "Shelby ignition" and laid it out on the workbench. It's just your basic mopar electronic set up. Have to route some fuel lines and figure out some linkage/brackets with going from the throttle body to a carb. Might use an aftermarket kick down cable just because it'll be easier. I still need to bleed the brakes, too.
We're getting there little by little.
 
Spent another hour-ish lunch break in the garage today. Got the ignition wired, fuel system plumbed, radiator hoses on and poured 2 gallons of coolant/mix in. And that is when I remembered that I never got back to the last header bolt that needed to be put in. Specifically the rear most one on the left side.....Yep, water level topped out right there and made for a mess.....LOL.
I've got to pick up some cheap plug wire looms to hold the plug wires back away from the headers and need to fracticate a small bracket to mount the fuel regulator to.
Also need to mount the throttle cable bracket that is just laying there. So close to firing this thing up, yet so far. Once I know it's all functioning properly, I'll clean up the wiring to be more presentable and more permanent.
20211217_134127.jpg
 
Another garage time lunch hour. My mother-in-law, who thinks I don't even have a job since covid sent a lot ulof home to work, calls it my recess.
Got the throttle cable bracket in place, mounted the hood, installed the hood pins and mocked up the scoop.
Knowing the air cleaner will interfere with the hood. because of the carb spacer, I'm going to serve up a scoop. In keeping with the low dollar aspect of this whole thing and not wanting to cut the original hood, I had found a $20 donor hood some time back. My son, Jake, had bought an eBay special twin scoop a few years ago that arrived damaged that he got a full refund on, and I picked up a $10 set of used hood pins from RAT ROD AL at one of his blue light clean out sales.
Still have to mark it and drill the mounting holes.. Before I do that, I need to put the stud in the center of the carb so i can locate where the BIG hole has to be cut, so I don't mount it too far forward/back.
I am going to paint the truck white. Hood will be body color. Scoop will be black. I'm leaning towards the Demon Sizzler type of blackout stripe around the scoop, or maybe just twin fat stripes leading into each snorkel.
20211220_125900.jpg
20211220_130337.jpg
20211220_125918.jpg
20211220_130000.jpg
 
ragtopfury said:
Now it needs one of those hood mounted tachs....
Click to expand...
I'll have to look, but I had a GTO hood mounted tach from 1970. If I can dig that far back in the treasure pile, I'll donate it to the cause. It was a looong time ago, before my 1971 Oldsmobile phase. No promises, but I'll dig into the mountain of cardboard boxes.
 
Got the hole cut in the hood a week or so ago. Bled the brakes out today. Dual exhaust kit is ordered. She's close, folks..... put the cart before the horse a little and painted the scoop. Moved it indoors for safe keeping. Still need to finish the throttle and kick down linkage.

20220104_152049.jpg
20220104_152248.jpg
20211222_123249.jpg
 
Picked up a battery today. Dropped it in place, hooked it up and turned the key to "run". Fuel pump kicks on - good deal. Let's see if she'll fire off. Had Jake tun the key, had Josh on video duties and that's me at the front. I raised Jake well. Before turning the key, he asked - Oil? Coolant? Fire extinguisher? Check, check and check.
Dribbled just a little gas down the carb and let her rip.
Sort of......... Fired right up, and died when let go of the key. Fired right back up and did when let go of the key..hmmmmm. tried another ballast resistor, even tho this one tested good. Same result.
Other than that, the motor sounded good. No odd noises, cranks easy enough. Runs very well as long as you hold the key in start.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top