Finally back on the road

[zac]

Spun a bearing in the engine last November. My target for getting something functional installed was no later than April. Actually got it fired up first week of August. Oh well.

A few hundred miles on the engine now, running good, carb problems more or less dealt with. About two years worth of discretionary car hobby money went into a bored and stroked flathead this spring, so this 350 is a low-buck special. A recycled short block from my grandpa's old van that I "reconditioned." One '68 441 head that someone gave me, the other is a '70 off ebay for $15. The machine shop that did the flathead did the heads, no doubt because they felt sorry for me. Took a good beating on the engine board for this, which was kind of amusing. It mystifies me why people get so uptight about something that should be a fun hobby.

Tried to make the engine look more or less stock, although most of you will notice right away I didn't try all that hard. That van oil filler tube is just so convenient, althought now that the engine doesn't really burn oil it's kind of pointless. It comes off easy enough. I now have a serious appreciation for you guys who do the hardcore detailing and restoration. I had no idea how hard it was. Keep it up, and keep posting your pics. They are extremely helpful.

See you guys on the road.

[no moa]

I love that van filler tube, you are right, its just so easy. Engine looks good!!!

[vectorit]

Looks great to me, I'd be pleased to run that.

[72ArizonaBurb]

Nice work!

[Average Joe]

Looks great! Diggin' the filler tube.

[YBNORML]

Why would the guys on the engine board give you grief? As a veteran of both types of engine replacements, I can testify that it's actually much harder to do it on the cheap
Nice work! Enjoy
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[zac]

Doing it on the cheap is certainly time consuming. All the cleaning and inspecting and measuring on the "seasoned" parts and such. Plus you're maybe stressing about "am I pushing this too far?" But it would be stressful also if I had $5000 in parts and machine work into it. I came in around $600 on this one.

As far as getting grief goes, hey, it's the internet, and there are all types out there. Almost every web board eventually becomes dominated by bullys. They actually have a term for the phenomenon now. Mercifully, the Burb board has been a shining exception.

Some people have no idea what they are talking about but still freely dispense advice and criticism. Some people have more "theoretical" experience than the real hands-on type. And there are some people with serious knowledge and experience who dispense very valuable advice. But everybody tends to be extremely opinionated-- though they are often well-meaning. Sorting it out can be impossible. But this is nothing new. Like I said, it's the stinking internet.

I think if I was a newbie who had never done an engine before but was thinking about it, my advice (Ha!) would be to get a book or two and a $100 Craigslist engine and go to it. And stay off your computer.