Details 52...

Not a very productive day Saturday.... sometimes I'm my own worse enemy! Started installing the transmission yoke u-joint and, not paying close enough attention to what I was doing, installed the wrong one in the yoke! FUK, couldn't get the blunt ended snap rings back out, so I turned my attention to other things until I figure out the solution to this dumb ass mistake!

I got the header bolts torqued to 20ft/lbs, then turned my attention to things I knew I was safe in doing.... I remove some of clips from the factory valve covers and got the areas dressed out and started removing some of the small dents from years of service. I'll use the OEM covers until I can get the M/T covers straightened out....

I also started painting the crank and water pump pulleys. Was another scorcher at the dealership, so I called it a day before I could screw up anything else!

Until next time...

ZEBRA 3 OUT

Drivetrain installation...

REAL PROGRESS! Thanks to my brutha from a diffunt mutha, Jim Conley, we were able to marry the engine and transmission together and then wrestle the engine hoist across the undulating wood flooring to get them set between the frame rails and secured!

One little snafu was we had to separate the passenger side engine mount and lift that side of the 460 to get the transmission cooler lines fitted, but everything is now in place! Was also able to get the headers reinstalled (and look how tightly they wrap around the steering box!!)....

so all that's left to do is install the driveshaft and the drivetrain is complete!

Next weekend I'll focus on getting the starter installed, all the various bracket, pulleys, hardware, etc blasted, painted and ready to reinstall as well as dragging out the engine compartment wiring harness to start cleaning it up, detailed and ready to rehang.

Getting really close and I can't wait to light this bad boy off and hear it rattle the rafters!!!

Don't touch that dial!

ZEBRA 3 OUT

Details 51A....

A bit of midweek progress.... trimmed up the header gaskets to match the Crites individual header flanges.

Hopefully with any luck, I'll get the engine and transmission married and dropped into the car this weekend and maybe even the headers installed so I can keep moving forward getting things installed for the FINAL time.

Stay tuned to find out......

ZEBRA 3 OUT

Details 51....

Well after taking last weekend off to have some medical tests performed, I was back after it this weekend! Another scorcher upstairs but was able to make a bit of progress. Checked in all my goodies from Summit...

installed the fuel line onto the carb...

torqued the flywheel in place...

put a quart of transmission fluid into the torque converter...

repaired the threads in my crank snout and got the harmonic balancer installed correctly (amazing how easily things go together with the right tools!)....

then fought for two hours the transmission/jack/engine/floor before finally calling NO JOY and pulling the engine and transmission back out of the car and hooking them together on the floor.

I'll torque everything together next weekend and install the engine and transmission as an assembly. Hopefully won't be quite as big a battle as this weekend was!

Stay tuned........

ZEBRA 3 OUT

Details 50...

Well today Mother Nature and contrary parts kicked my azz!!!! Nothing more frustrating that trying to roll around a 600lb (??) engine hanging from an engine hoist on an uneven wooden floor in 100+ degree temps...

and then being so hot and exhausted you can't think straight and you have the harmonic balancer 90% onto the crank only to realize you have it on backwards! Pull it back off and then it fights you going back on until finally surrendering and popping it back off to wait for a cooler day!

On a positive note, the engine is in between the frames rails for good (fingers crossed!!) and the fan clutch came out pretty nice....

a bit of yellow zinc chromate on the center section section and some black on the spring and rear mounting foot and she'll look like new!

My butt was draggin' and there were a couple cold ones in the fridge calling out my name so I called it a day before I passed out from heat stroke!!!

Until next time....

ZEBRA 3 OUT

Details 49....

A bit more progress today.... located my hard heater lines and pulled the retaining clip off so I could paint them

along with the engine oil dip stick, painted the harmonic balancer...

and blasted and cleared the aluminum section of the engine fan clutch.

I installed the engine mounts onto the block and then set about dry fitting the MT valve covers still trying to figure out how to spread them to fit correctly), Holley carb and spacer, oil filter and the Crites headers.

Looking pretty good in my book!! Next weekend I'll install the harmonic balancer and fuel pump, pop off the headers, carb and valve covers and set this baby between the frame rail for good!!

Stay tuned....

ZEBRA 3 OUT