Tech Day

[Gina K]

Thanks for the detailed update and the perseverance!🏁
Wish things could be easier but I'm finding out they almost never are.

[BPVan]

I had my head done at Action Machine and got the updated seals per Kenny's recommendation. I think they did a real good job, sold me all of the rockers as well. Might be worth the money to have them do it. Sometimes the money outweighs the headaches.

Is there a proposed tech day for this or anything else?

[doghows]

Probably soon Brian. My rack will be here Tuesday and I think as soon as the head issue is worked out we will be swapping engines in Gina's comet..
Ill post up details when we iron them out. Might be hard due to the holidays and so forth.

[Luva65wagon]

Still need to get back to the head work. I may try and lap the valves and see what pattern I get with them. Just don't like the looks of 'em though. My valve spring compressor takes so much time to operate. Spend more time messing with it than anything else. Should someday buy one like this:

[doghows]

Just a heads up, I think I'm closing the shop on Thursday and Friday after Christmas. Momma needs some time off. ( me too ) anyway if anyone has some time to waste I am going to tear into Gina's car and get it ready for the engine swap. And if I haven't got it done my rack and pinion is going in as well as the rest of my parts. I need to drive my car.
I don't think we'll be ready to drop the new motor in but who knows???
Ok back to you regularly scheduled program.

[Gina K]

Woks for me, those are my days off. Finally good timing😺Miles and I will be there to get started. I want to drive my car too!!!!!

[doghows]

Ok we'll see if anyone else has those days off. I know I want to get a lot done but need to keep momma happy too.
Anyone else??

[Luva65wagon]

I've got some days off, but my list is very long. I may be able to come out that Friday. The thinking in my head is one day to do some work on assembling the motor and then another to put it in the car. I just do not see this all happening in one day.

There is a BIG part of me, after seeing the head work, that says we disassemble the motor, clean things that way, then reassemble with mass quantities of assembly lube. We do not know how long it has sat and what may have crawled up inside. I found a dead spider in one valve. Not bad in a head as much as it might have been in an oil galley.

So - save that for me and look at getting the other motor out, along with the transmission. We'll then be able to look at all the gaskets and seals on it and replace all the fluids when we put it all back in.

Steve - do you have an engine hoist and leveler?

[doghows]

I have an engine hoist but not a leveler. Isn't there a club one floating around?? haha Just kidding.
Maybe we should have a team pulling the old junk out, and a team pulling the replacement apart. Might be able to get everything ready and then just a day to put it all together..
If all goes well we can stuff it in before the end of the year.. So lets plan for Friday at my shop around 9:30 -10:00 am.. If you need directions PM me..

[SmithKid]

I have another project lined up with my son and suspect I won't make the Friday after Christmas get together, but will plan as best I can for the next one (installation). Please post that date ASAP too.

[doghows]

Sounds good Gene we knew that weekend would be hard for most. I'll post up as soon as we know. By the way check the powder done cheap thread.

[Luva65wagon]

Having now taken three heads apart - the orange 170 head is the only one I remotely feel comfortable using - and that only slightly. I pulled the head off my Flarechero 200 as well only to discover it is a 170 head - not a 200 head. Explains a lot - never felt it breathed well with the Weber. It needs a valve job as bad as Gina's from her original engine. Valve guide are shot. I have a 200 head given to me by Thor a number of year ago, but it needs a valve job too. So, we got what we got and we'll just have to use it - or throw money at something. I've put new valve seals in it since I had them...

[doghows]

So I'm going to say tech day Friday the 27th. My shop 9:30-10:00am. We have Gina's engine stuff to deal with and I have my rack to put in as well as a few other things if we have a few people show. Gina's engine will be our main focus but to avoid tripping over each other I'll have my stuff for backup.
Unless Roger gives it the thumbs down due to lack of parts we are a go. If you need directions send me a pm or maybe carpool it up. See you there and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

[Luva65wagon]

My plan is still to drive over on Friday the 27th. If anyone wants to join me and isn't on a strict "got to return by... X" - let me know and you can ride over and save money on gas/ferry.

After discussing the cylinder head situation with Gina on Saturday I will be taking the (was supposed to be a 200) 170 head from off the Ranchero into Action Machine today to get a rebuild started on it. With the holidays, have no clue right now about an ETA. More on that when I know.

For what it is worth I took 4 heads apart last week and inspected each of them. Though the orange one supplied with the new motor was a regrind - it was horrific. It will not even be a contender because of the exhaust port crack repair. Gina doesn't want to use it. Wouldn't make a difference at this point, since all 4 would need a regrind - and it a re-regrind.

So the Ranchero head was chosen, being a 63 (C3) version, it has a couple benefits over the C1 heads. Larger carb opening to better accept the Autolite 1100 (and base flange) we'll be putting back on and the improved exhaust port design. Valve are identical size on all three 170 heads.

I wanted to use the 200 head Thor gave me, but as I took it apart I noticed 2 broken exhaust studs and a water outlet bolt had broken and someone brazed another stud into the hole. And though these things are not that big an issue, they would have added at least another few hours onto my already ever-growing list. If I had other 200 heads to choose from, I would have preferred to use a 200 head.

So, as of today the plan is for me - myself - and I - to disassemble the 170 on the stand, clean it, lube it, and reassemble it with everything less the head. No need for you - or anyone else - to mess with the motor. I want to do it forensic style.

All the other of you who (find it possible) to come, can help get the motor and transmission out of Gina's car and then work to clean the engine bay in preparation to reinstall the other motor. We will be inspecting the transmission gaskets and seals to see if we can fix any obvious leaks. This should be accommodated by having the correct transmission pan gasket and filter and rear-extension seal at the very least. If it is leaking anywhere else... silicone will be our friend.

So start looking for these parts now so we can move this as far as we can in the first day. When the head is done and picked up I will arrange another day to come back over and put it on and do the start-up.

And of course, we can help Steve too as much as possible. His shop is an asset and we should make it worth his while to offer it up for use.

[doghows]

Wow that was a story. I agree Roger one chef in that kitchen will be enough. There will be plenty of stuff to get your hands on so just let me know if you're coming so we can plan lunch and drinks.