pdx-sanity66

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Great work on that Console lid...

Thanks, Don.

Originally Posted by 66farmer

Looking good keep up the good work.

Thanks, man. You did quick work on that suspension mod and the truck looks much better.

Originally Posted by bj383ss

PDX great job on the bead blasting. Are you using a cabinet? Also where do you get you glass beads in different grits?
Bret

Sorry on the mix up the way I wrote what I did. I actually just used an 80 grit glass bead and then the rest was hand sanded to the point it is now. I use the cabinet that I made out of a 55 gal drum and I get my blasting media from a local outfit here in Portland. Very inexpensive compared to retail outfits. I think I paid about $10-$15 dollars for a 50lb bag.

[pdxhall]

I don't really have anything to show for the last week or so but I have been doing a little work on Sanity. My new trans came with a black paint job that didn't match my vision and there was some casting crud on the case so I decided to strip it all off and prep and paint it over with Eastwood's aluminum paint. The stripping and sanding is done but I ran out of time to get it sprayed. I hope to get it done on Wednesday.
Other than that, I chased down some nuts and bolts I needed and cleaned up the shop. Once the paint dries on the trans I'm pretty much ready to get it mated to the engine and get them installed in the chassis.

[Frizzle Fry]

Been researching panting cast aluminum myself. Decided to go the route described in post #9 here. Are you going to use a clear coat?

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by Frizzle Fry

Been researching panting cast aluminum myself. Decided to go the route described in post #9 here. Are you going to use a clear coat?

Hey man, good to hear from you. I tried the diamond clear on another piece of cast aluminum and didn't really like the look. Eastwood's Alumablast, however, looks very nice. I painted my serpentine brackets with it and I really like it so that's what I'm going with on the trans.

[TJ's Chevy]

Looks good but.....it is kinda hard to imagine what it looks like...I mean you know....maybe a picture or two...or three....

[pdxhall]

Here's the transmission stripped, sanded, and painted. I also bolted up the flexplate to the engine. The trans needs one more day for the paint to cure enough to mess with it. Hopefully tomorrow the trans will be hooked up to the engine and maybe they'll both get moved into their new home between the frame rails.

[bj383ss]

Looks great. What brand are using to hookup the 700R4 throttle valve and lockup with?

Bret

[rusty76]

Looks good

[NurseBen]

Truck looks very nice. I hate to impose on your build thread but do you have a Suburban for sale in the ad section? Please feel free to PM me with info, thank you, Ben.

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Looks great. What brand are using to hookup the 700R4 throttle valve and lockup with?
Bret

Thanks, I haven't decided yet on the hookups. I've looked at several.

Originally Posted by rusty76

Looks good

Thanks. I'm pretty excited about getting to this stage.

Originally Posted by NurseBen

Truck looks very nice. I hate to impose on your build thread but do you have a Suburban for sale in the ad section? Please feel free to PM me with info, thank you, Ben.

Thanks for looking in. I sent you a PM about the Sub.

The latest update. The engine and trans are in. I still have to drill the holes and bolt in the trans crossmember but seeing it all sitting in there gives me great motivation to continue on.

[rusty76]

We're slowly starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Awesome man.

[Bomp]

Congrats on getting the motor in. Now slap some fenders on and lets go for a ride.

[bj383ss]

Looks awesome. Good motivation for me even though I am way behind you. I'm going in the opposite direction. Just pulled both of mine out.

Bret

[Tx Firefighter]

I don't know how I missed this great thread all this time.

One question though. Earlier in the thread you said you didn't know what ratio your rearend was. How did the transmission man set up your 700R4 speedo gears without knowing what ratio you're running ? The only reason I point this out is that it would be easier to deal with that issue now, rather than later when the trans is full of fluid and you're having to crawl under there and swap speedo gears to get it right.

[Ta2Don]

Engine and Trans at home...

[coulter]

that engine and trans looks right at home man!!! it looking good man keep it up

[TJ's Chevy]

That engine and trans look like they are meant to be in there! Man that looks sharp! Great work!

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Congrats on getting the motor in. Now slap some fenders on and lets go for a ride.

You know how slow I am. You'll probably beat me at getting a running truck.

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Looks awesome. Good motivation for me even though I am way behind you. I'm going in the opposite direction. Just pulled both of mine out.

Bret

Thanks man. It's been a long time coming.

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I don't know how I missed this great thread all this time.

One question though. Earlier in the thread you said you didn't know what ratio your rearend was. How did the transmission man set up your 700R4 speedo gears without knowing what ratio you're running ? The only reason I point this out is that it would be easier to deal with that issue now, rather than later when the trans is full of fluid and you're having to crawl under there and swap speedo gears to get it right.

Thanks for looking in. At the time of ordering the trans I wasn't sure what I had for a rear end so I had them put a speedo gear based on a 4:11 rear. Since then I discovered that the rear is a 3:73. The trans shop said they would swap me when I knew for sure what I had but I had forgot that until you mentioned it so thanks for saving me a hassle.

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Engine and Trans at home...

Thanks, Don.

Originally Posted by coulter

that engine and trans looks right at home man!!! it looking good man keep it up

Thanks for the encouragement, man

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

That engine and trans look like they are meant to be in there! Man that looks sharp! Great work!

Thanks T.J. If you get a chance to get to Portland/Gresham you'll have to stop by.

[Jeff La]

Like the way the trans looks, better than new and it all looks great sitting in there getting ready to go

[REEDS 72]

Brett, motor&trany looks killer, that's got to be nice to have them in place. Your truck is coming together very nice, not much longer. I can see you and Joanne getting in it and going to breakfast on a nice Sunday moring, anyway it really does look great and a super good build thread on it, I hope you guys had a good Christmas and a happy New Year! Tell the boys hello from us and I will get my build updated ASAP Reed.

[63sbssbbw]

Looking awesome Brett
Keep up the good work
T

[bj383ss]

Are you going to run a carb or fuel injection?

Bret

[siggyfreud]

Looking great. I'm also behind you, at the point of (hopefully) pulling the motor and trans from the frame today .

[McMurphy]

I remember when I was at this stage.... Hang in there buddy.
In the end, it is ALL worth it !!

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by REEDS 72

Brett, motor&trany looks killer, that's got to be nice to have them in place. Your truck is coming together very nice, not much longer. I can see you and Joanne getting in it and going to breakfast on a nice Sunday moring, anyway it really does look great and a super good build thread on it, I hope you guys had a good Christmas and a happy New Year! Tell the boys hello from us and I will get my build updated ASAP Reed.

Hey Reed, good to hear from you. Speaking of out for a Sunday drive, you should be doing it sooner than me. I need to see some progress pics. Your truck is too nice to keep hidden. I hope you're all getting through the Utah winter okay.

Originally Posted by 63sbssbbw

Looking awesome Brett
Keep up the good work
T

Thanks for checking in, man: metal:

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Are you going to run a carb or fuel injection?

Bret

I'm going with a 650 Edelbrock, I'm trying to stay fairly old school since that's what I know.

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Looking great. I'm also behind you, at the point of (hopefully) pulling the motor and trans from the frame today .

Good luck, they're pretty easy to get out. I've got some comments below on putting one back in, though.

Originally Posted by McMurphy

I remember when I was at this stage.... Hang in there buddy.
In the end, it is ALL worth it !!

Thanks, man. I'm kind of at a spot now with the engine and trans in that I need to organize my priorities again. I'm thinking of so many things that can be done now that I have to get focused again.


Okay, so this is what's been going on. I haven't got too much time to work the last couple of weeks but I've done a couple of things.
I got the holes drilled in the frame for the trans mount and got it bolted down just fine. Now for the hair pulling and head banging part. Here's my experience with motor mounts so others my be spared my pain. I first ordered a couple of rubber mounts, old style with the single bolt through the old style perch and into the mount. One of them seemed fine but when I was testing the bolt to the thread before installing just to make sure it was okay, I found the threads were a little tight. I thought it might just be some paint of the threads so I proceeded to try and thread the bolt through. With barely any torque on my socket wrench, the threaded part of the mount broke away from the mount. Okay, I should have learned my lesson here, but not, I went to the local NAPA store and bought 2 of their mounts( at least I wasn't going to use the other so called good one of the other pair). The mounts appeared okay and I went ahead and installed the engine and trans, and got everything bolted down except a little snugging of the motor mount bolts. You may have guessed it, but yes, one of the new pair came apart in the same way and I was even more careful with tightening than I had before now that I was aware of a possible problem.
So as I sit right now, I have ordered a pair of tubular perches and the later style mounts from CPP. I shouldn't have been a cheap A$$ and did this to start. I had considered it.
While I'm waiting, I ordered and received my power steering adapter plate from Capt. Fab so I can get that hooked up. I need to pick up a new pitman arm first, though.