Deltatech's 1973 Plymouth Duster

[Deltatech]

I don't mind cutting and welding the floorpan if needed and it'd be a good excuse to throw in a few drive shaft loops.

 

[dukeboy440]

I don't mind cutting and welding the floorpan if needed and it'd be a good excuse to throw in a few drive shaft loops.

Hmmm you’re only 4 hours from me, not far at all.

 

[340sFastback]

D: save the aggravation and get a 833 or t56 and simply swap bell housings as you go thru your phases

Yeah T56 because you are older and mature and will behave yourself when out playing around, right?

 

[dukeboy440]

Yeah T56 because you are older and mature and will behave yourself when out playing around, right?

Nope quite the opposite haha

 

[mygasser]

agree about the conversion, you can get a short slip yoke for a gm th400 that's out of an rv so it's doable. still, a sliding part is easy enough to make into the prop so....
neil.

 

[Deltatech]

I ordered an engine run stand and an elcheepo intake to break in and tune the engine before installing the tunnel ram an 2 450's.
I daily drove a Chevy 350 with a tunnel ram back in the 90's and learned to synch and tune them but it's quicker and easier to break in with a dual plane single 4 barrel Edelbrock/Carter carb.
I'm not a racer so my Holley tuning skills are lacking and have a lot to learn there.
It may sound conceited but I've forgotten more about building and rebuilding classic cars than most people ever learn.
The more I learn the more I realize there is to learn and how much we still don't really know about this now "ancient" tech.

 

[Deltatech]

I 've found the perfect use for my old 163 casting heads today!
My little brother uses a set of Chevy camel humps for spite because I used to talk about how good they were before the Vortec came out.
I'm glad my influence was positive!

 

[Deltatech]

AAND I just found out Fedex almost sent my Engine run stand that I ordered from Summit last week was supposed to be here and delivered TODAY to Edinburg,Tx and on it's way to MEXICO.... ANOTHER SETBACK...
Every time this happened before (which is too often) the box gets here MANGLED, holes in it and MISSING half of the parts...

 

[340sFastback]

FedEx sent it across the southern border to Mexico?

 

[Deltatech]

FedEx sent it across the southern border to Mexico?

It was headed that way,I think they caught the mistake at the border, it went south to Edinburg instead of North to Missouri.

 

[Deltatech]

I made some progress on the 440 today.
I got some parts cleaned back up from sitting for 18 months, lifters in,heads on and torqued to 70 ftlbs, oil pump shaft just about lined up the way I want it.

 

[Deltatech]

Just got the Fuel pump and rod loobed and installed. I test fitted the timing cover but it's coming back off tomorrow.
I don't like the 1/16 gap in the top.
The HB seal was a biyitch to pound into the timing cover. I had to sweet talk it with a finger/thumb alignment gauge and a piece of wood.

 

[Deltatech]

and I just realized I didn't order a timing tab.

 

[Deltatech]

I already have a felpro bathtub style valley pan. But I don't like the way it'll look under the tunnel ram and it looks like it will be harder to keep clean.
I'm thinking of this Stainless from 440 source.
and it's ordered.

 

[Deltatech]

and the Fedex debacle continues. Guaranteed to be mangled, tore open, and missing parts.
Has anyone else ever noticed it's always the expensive items that you've scrimped and saved for years to get that always get delayed and show up late or not at all?

 

[mpgmike]

Yea, I spent over a $grand on an AquaPulser ignition system last August 15. Still hasn't arrived. Tried contacting the seller, tried canceling the credit card payment, just got screwed. I feel yer pain.

 

[Deltatech]

I spent a few hours online ordering parts to finish out ordering for the Phase 3 440 engine build.
Going from scrimping every penny for 5 years after completeing phase 1 to spending every last dollar is kind of tough.
I'm trying to get every single part I can before tarrifs and inflation make the parts unaffordable.
The fuel pump is being upgraded after break in... IF the engine run stand I ordered from Summit ever gets here...

 

[Deltatech]

I had to massage the extra thick sealing plate under to two lowest bolts on the 440 source chrome timing cover with a skin remover so that the socket would fit on the Head of the bolt. A thin walled socket would have worked but I don't want any specialty tools in order to repair anything in the future.

 

[mygasser]

could you use cap head bolts instead as the allen key goes in the head not over it?
neil.

 

[Deltatech]

could you use cap head bolts instead as the allen key goes in the head not over it?
neil.

I could have ordered allen bolts, but 10 minutes of grinding and a little filing the edges solved it.
Because, American, if it don't fit force it. The People across the pond in the old country are more civil.
and I have no idea what neil means and google didnt help.

 

[mygasser]

I could have ordered allen bolts, but 10 minutes of grinding and a little filing the edges solved it.
Because, American, if it don't fit force it. The People across the pond in the old country are more civil.
and I have no idea what neil means and google didnt help.

it's my name, lol.

 

[Deltatech]

AAAND FEDEX strikes again!
New Intake delivered today, Shipping damage and box mangled. Holes in every single side of the box from being thrown around carelessly.

 

[Deltatech]

Another good deal ruined by Fedex and their shipping damage practices.
Every 2 out of 3 parts I've received in the last 3 moths has been damaged during shipping and is delivered with holes in the box. Both UPS and Fedex.
The intake sealing surfaced is damaged on 2 sides. The corners were hit hard enough to compress the aluminum. It's either wait for another to ship and have the same outcome or hammer it mostly flat and sand it level. So here goes another hour of my work because of some douche bag that hates their job.

 

[Deltatech]

I'm not chancing WORSE shipping damage and more time on a return and replacement. So hammer and sanding flat it is. I hope it will seal and not crack after a few heat cycles.
I'm only using it for initial break in and tuning with a known running Carb so it should be ok I guess.
Break in with a tunnel ram and 2x4's out of the box and unsynched would be more chances for something to go wrong.
I also have a 2nd 440 to rebuild later that this can go on permanently.
Last pic is after hammered and a quick hit with 40 grit, I'll hit it stepped down to 600-800 before install.

 

[Deltatech]

As for my Other problem from FEDEX this week... Still in TX 2 days late...What a bunch of Blue Falcons.