Factory Correct Restoration Details

[Graham57a]

Originally Posted by burb71

In a way, but that is a publicity photo its meant just to look good in the sales catalog, the first thing I see wrong is the orange transmission.

But I'm with you 100% on compiling for factory correct restoration, thats the way I'm trying to do my truck

True, I'm pretty sure the transmission is supposed to be silver. But you can see some nice details in the picture on the fuel pump and pulleys. Not 100% accurate but definitely a good start

[Andy4639]

The exhaust manifolds are for 73 and up trucks. 72 down had ram horns. Nice clean picture though.

[davepl]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

The exhaust manifolds are for 73 and up trucks. 72 down had ram horns. Nice clean picture though.

Are you sure? I think those look right for big blocks. Of course the colors are all wrong, but the manifolds look like my '70s originals. [Edit: Just saw I was the third person to say that, sorry!]

In my teardown I didn't find much in the way of chalk marks on the firewall, I'd be curious to see what anyone has for photos of originals that still carried them. Unless the assembly line process was different enough from the cars that they didn't use them.

I'm not aiming for Pebble Beach style correctness, but still trying to make it look stock. So I use shiny bolts where they would have been painted and so on, so don't panic when you see the photo, I'm not claiming its 100%. Still, to me one of the biggest things in keeping the engine looking original are:

1) Correct paint sheens. Most black things underhood are 20% gloss, but the radiator is different (high gloss) and so on
2) Correct clamps and hose fittings and so on
3) Clean everything (check out my clutch fan in the pic below, it was seriously ugly, and that's just a lot of time with a toothbrush)
4) Correct stickers
5) Correct plug wires, correct distributor cap (not HEI), looms, etc. Mine are even Packard wires, though not date coded (I'm not that hardcore)

...and a personal peeve, but one of the most important:

6) If they didn't make or use it in 1970, don't use it. That means no zip ties, as handy as they are. No corrugated plastic wire covers, yellow 10mm plug wires, and so on.

Although not always correct, I'm a big fan of "contrast". That means different colors on different parts, different gloss levels, and so on. That's why my shocks are blue below (and because the original GM shocks I've seen were blue) and you'll see about 8 different finishes between the control arm and the spindle. From the factory it'd probably just be all black, but I'm into the variation.

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by davepl

Are you sure? I think those look right for big blocks. Of course the colors are all wrong, but the manifolds look like my '70s originals. [Edit: Just saw I was the third person to say that, sorry!]

In my teardown I didn't find much in the way of chalk marks on the firewall, I'd be curious to see what anyone has for photos of originals that still carried them. Unless the assembly line process was different enough from the cars that they didn't use them.

I'm not aiming for Pebble Beach style correctness, but still trying to make it look stock. So I use shiny bolts where they would have been painted and so on, so don't panic when you see the photo, I'm not claiming its 100%. Still, to me one of the biggest things in keeping the engine looking original are:

1) Correct paint sheens. Most black things underhood are 20% gloss, but the radiator is different (high gloss) and so on
2) Correct clamps and hose fittings and so on
3) Clean everything (check out my clutch fan in the pic below, it was seriously ugly, and that's just a lot of time with a toothbrush)
4) Correct stickers
5) Correct plug wires, correct distributor cap (not HEI), looms, etc. Mine are even Packard wires, though not date coded (I'm not that hardcore)

...and a personal peeve, but one of the most important:

6) If they didn't make or use it in 1970, don't use it. That means no zip ties, as handy as they are. No corrugated plastic wire covers, yellow 10mm plug wires, and so on.

Although not always correct, I'm a big fan of "contrast". That means different colors on different parts, different gloss levels, and so on. That's why my shocks are blue below (and because the original GM shocks I've seen were blue) and you'll see about 8 different finishes between the control arm and the spindle. From the factory it'd probably just be all black, but I'm into the variation.

No need to be sorry man, we are all human. I'm just a small block guy and didn't realize it was a BB. I gues I need to look at more BB motors and get better versed on them.
Nice build by the way.

[davepl]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

No need to be sorry man, we are all human. I'm just a small block guy and didn't realize it was a BB. I gues I need to look at more BB motors and get better versed on them.
Nice build by the way.

Easiest way other than the big valve covers (and not everyone knows it) is to look at the exhaust manifolds. Small blocks have the two center ports together, big blocks have four individual ports spaced evenly. Same for the intake, but not as easy to see.

Sort of how I sort out my first-gen Camaros:

1) 69s have the side fake air vents are different enough to spot easily
2) 67s have vent windows
3) 68s are everything else!

[Graham57a]

Great info guys, Dave thank you for the pictures. Your motor is exactly what I would think it would've looked like off the assemble line. So would the manifolds be painted on a big block or would they be cast?

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by davepl

From the factory it'd probably just be all black, but I'm into the variation.

Not necessarily - because the various components could/would come from different individual suppliers. Wheel house aprons would be from a different source than the radiator support, or control arms from a different supplier than frames.

There could be slightly different tints and gloss levels on these parts because the parts were painted in diversely different locations, temperatures and mixes.

K