Under the hood looks better now...
 

So I painted the engine bay and under the hood. I changed out the ugly orange heater hoses for black. I added a new carb, some sweet early corvette aluminum valve covers, and an old Edelbrock Torker intake manifold with the oil fill tube. I also got a different air cleaner. I still need to do something about those ugly headers. But besideds that and some small details here and there, all I really need to do is some cleanup. Check out the pics and let me know what you think.


Before as I brought it home...
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...0truck/109.jpg



After...
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...k/DSCF5905.jpg

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

:metal: WOW! Night & Day difference. :metal:

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Those valve covers are cool!

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Yea, looks great. I love the Corvette valve covers, nice touch. Nice work. It looks too good to drive now. You'll have to park it.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Same air cleaner I am planning on using when I get around to detailing my engine :metal:

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Just get some VHT Ceramic Heat Paint for the headers/ It will all come together and dose look alot cleaner now.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

The truck just keeps getting sweeter.

Nice work!

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

It's really amazing what a little paint, some fresh parts, and some elbow grease will do for an engine compartment. Very nice indeed!

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Nice improvement. IMO nothing looks better than early Corvette covers on a SBC.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Thanks a bunch.


I love 'em, they're my favorite covers. I got lucky and got them from a friend's dad for free.:metal:


No way. I love driving my truck.:lol:


I was looking for one that was the same or similar to the one my dad had on his '57 pickup from back in Slocal back in 1959. That truck was cool, this is a quasi tribute to his. It was named "El Relampago".:ito:


That's what I planned on doing. I was going to do them in white. I just don't look forward to trying to get those bolts out between the headers and exhaust pipe. The headers have been on for a while and those bolts look "chemically welded" if you know what I mean. :lol:


Thanks bud. Slowly but surely.


I know, right? New paint and some elbow grease makes everything look better.


I agree. Again, they're my favorite covers. A close second is the old Cal Custom finned covers.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

:thumbs: I like the looks!!! How does it run with the new combo?? Torkers were more a midrange manifold and I'm curious.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Kevin,

An idea to clean it up further. Get a 72 type alternator bracket. It bolts to the head front and is very sturdy and sanitary. Still uses a short pump too. Here is one on my 327.

If you need one I can take care of you. I have an extra set.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Thanks. I'm not sure yet. The distributer got spun before I could mark it. The installs took waaaay longer than expected, so we got the timing close so I could get home before my wife killed me, lol. I was supposed to be home at 6 for dinner and ended up finally home at 11 pm. :mm:

Anyway, today I cleaned up all the vacuum lines that were kind of pieced together during the install. I'll get the timing set good tomorrow and report back. I imagine I'll lose some low end power. The Torker is supposed to be more midrange to upper rpm's versus idle to midrange for the Performer.

It's not really my preferred intake because of the powerband (I like low end, I'm not a racer, lol), but the price was super right and I had to have a way to add oil with the vette valve covers. So I can't really complain.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Thanks Kevin. That may work out cool, I was about to change my belts. I'll let you know in a couple of days. Thanks again.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Thats mo betta. Nice work Terd.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Might be a good time to use some header wrap, you can get it in black I think, and once you wrap it you can paint it with heat resist paint then seal it with their spay sealer. It would be best to get the headers clean as possible first, and seal them with a high heat paint. The wrap keeps the heat down in your compartment and actually adds a few HP.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

I'd be tempted to run a Torker just 'cuz they look cool to me!!:cool: I always liked the BBC Torker with the angled carb mount.

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Let me know if terd passes I may be interested.. TY

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

:lol:

Wow that sounds bad...

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

:lol:

looks so much better now...and it appears to be working out well for both of us ;)

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

I got the timing set. The timing light wouldn't work so I did it by ear and by feel. It runs like a scalded raped ape. I lost a little low end but gained a bunch of mid range. The only bad news is I have an oil leak now from the distributor. I got a new seal today and will put it in tomorrow. I imagine with more accurate timing settings, it'll be even better.

Another bonus is I accidentally fixed my brakes. A previous owner had T'd off some vacuum lines to go together into the old carb. I changed the carb a while back but left the vacuum lines alone. I had to change some out due to length after the intake/valve cover swap. The new carb has a lot of vacuum ports, so now easch thing goes to it's own vacuum port. The power booster vacuum line must've had a leak. Imagine my surprise when I stepped on the pedal and almost went through the windshield.:lol:

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Thanks.


That's probably what I'll end up doing. They stick out like a sore thumb now.


:lol::lol::lol:

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Thanks a bunch. For the compliment and the money.:metal:

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

;)

Re: Under the hood looks better now...
 

Looks good man, nice and tidy. For some reason, the change in heater hoses made a huge difference. Inspires me to do something with my engine bay. Rusted out inner fenders first... :)