Project two tone.

[66Submarine]

Don't see the LPG pistons listed by Clifford; their prices seemed scary enough to make me plug the old ones back in, anyhow!

A '64 wouldn't have had the blue head gasket from the factory. Might have just had the head off before, but old rebuilds are always suspect this far in the future; 85,500 might actually be 185,500 with a little freshening up done at some point. Should be a super nice truck/engine if it really only has 85,500 on it since new, though!

I'm sure you'll be able to make something work, but it's always a very good idea to wait and disassemble/inspect/measure before buying stuff. My 292 had ate the cam (I think it was because of oil dilution), but it was a recent .030 rebuild with the crosshatching still visible; just a new set of moly rings + quick touch-up with a hone and it should be good. No sense paying someone to bore it out and buying new pistons for fun!

You can also save a lot of money in other ways by doing that; the 250 in my truck right now is a pretty recent rebuild (no oil consumption, good leakdown numbers, etc), but the oil pressure is a little lower than what I'd like to see; probably has some wear on the crank and would need to be ground undersized to be "right". But I got another "scrap" 250 full of water for free, and that one had a beautiful standard sized crank in it! A new set of rings/bearings along with the crank out of the scrap engine, and it should be great engine again--and for almost no money.

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by 66Submarine

Don't see the LPG pistons listed by Clifford; their prices seemed scary enough to make me plug the old ones back in, anyhow!

A '64 wouldn't have had the blue head gasket from the factory. Might have just had the head off before, but old rebuilds are always suspect this far in the future; 85,500 might actually be 185,500 with a little freshening up done at some point. Should be a super nice truck/engine if it really only has 85,500 on it since new, though!

I'm sure you'll be able to make something work, but it's always a very good idea to wait and disassemble/inspect/measure before buying stuff. My 292 had ate the cam (I think it was because of oil dilution), but it was a recent .030 rebuild with the crosshatching still visible; just a new set of moly rings + quick touch-up with a hone and it should be good. No sense paying someone to bore it out and buying new pistons for fun!

You can also save a lot of money in other ways by doing that; the 250 in my truck right now is a pretty recent rebuild (no oil consumption, good leakdown numbers, etc), but the oil pressure is a little lower than what I'd like to see; probably has some wear on the crank and would need to be ground undersized to be "right". But I got another "scrap" 250 full of water for free, and that one had a beautiful standard sized crank in it! A new set of rings/bearings along with the crank out of the scrap engine, and it should be great engine again--and for almost no money.

Well...compression was around 120 pounds in all cylinders...so I think it has 85,500 on it...if it was to have 185,500 and have that same compression I'd say that was one pampered engine! LOL! If it was bored .030 over then all I have to do is have it bored .010. LOL! That'd be a waist....well..i'll figure outta way to measure the cylinders. One of those blocks outta work anyhow! lol!

[66Submarine]

I actually have some really tired/borderline "WTF?!" stuff that makes really decent numbers with a comp. tester. "Tighter" engines will supposedly make the pressure with less revolutions/cycles or whatever, but I don't think it's really a good way to determine engine condition beyond a very basic "nothing terminally FUBAR"; the leakdown test is what you want to check for ring condition/wear.

I don't think it's at all unlikely that it might have 185,500 if it's a little tired--especially if the head has been off and it's been worked on or potentially rebuilt. The 250 in one of my trucks has several hundred thousand on the clock with bad cam lobes, smoking, extreme oil consumption, rolling down slight hills in first gear, etc., and it still made nearly the same numbers as my nice 250 using the compression tester; it also somehow still lights right up and runs great, despite all that. The leakdown test didn't lie, though; something like 20% for the good one, and IIRC something insane like 65-80% for the tired one (did I mention it's somewhat tired? ).

The problem with it already being previously rebuilt at .030 is that there's a good chance it won't clean up at 0.040 and you will need to bore it out more than that to clean the cylinders up. Not a big deal if you have another block that will go 0.040 and clean up, but it's just unnecessary potential BS IMO. I don't really see any potential benefit to ordering parts before it's even apart.

FWIW, I'll attach a picture of the 98,500 mile 307 in the '68 Impala I just bought. It's borderline unusually clean (besides the milky oil from a botched intake install), but it illustrates that 98,500 ain't a whole lot for close to five decades. This engine seems to have great compression (tight), lights right up and runs like brand new, is super quiet (no lifter noise, etc), doesn't have a bunch of blowby, and seems to have good leakdown numbers like it should. The car is also pretty much like new mechanically, with no play in the door hinges, no leaky pinion seal, gouged up/replaced brake drums, etc. The 350 with something like 100,000 on it in my father's truck is also still very nice. I think most people really underestimate how many miles the odometer in their truck has really counted off in the years past...

[TJ's Chevy]

Washed the truck today after moving some crap...also installed this...

[Dean'smeanmachine]

nice sticker!

[Ta2Don]

X2...

[TJ's Chevy]

Alright ya'all! This is the LAST update on the engine until its done..which should be sometime in the next few months or so...waiting on my machinist. But..seeing the pistons and these should give you a perrty good idea of what I have in store for this engine. Anyway...so NO updates on it till its complete...there'll be small updates on the truck..but nothing on the engine...that's gonna be the big surprise. Enjoy!!!

[Dean'smeanmachine]

nice! your the 6 banger man

[Ta2Don]

Too Cool!!!

[Palf70Step]

Very Nice!

[1963c-10]

Side plates look great tj

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by Dean'smeanmachine

nice! your the 6 banger man

LOL! Thanks bud!

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Too Cool!!!

Thanks brotha!

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Very Nice!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

Side plates look great tj

Thanks man, getting excited..slowly but surely.

[TJ's Chevy]

Just letting ya'all know I went through a name change.

[jcramsey]

I like those side covers! Cant wait to see the engine when it's done!

[1963c-10]

You have to hate the wait.....I know I did. Looking forward to pics of the completed engine.

[rusty76]

You know I thought something looked different....

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by jcramsey

I like those side covers! Cant wait to see the engine when it's done!

Thank bud!!! I'm like cray excited to! lol!

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

You have to hate the wait.....I know I did. Looking forward to pics of the completed engine.

I'm looking forward to THE completed engine. lol

Originally Posted by rusty76

You know I thought something looked different....

lol! Got ya.

[TJ's Chevy]

WOOOOHOOO!!!! My NOS unity spotlight came today!!!! Brand spankin new NOS beauty!!! Can't wait for my mounting bracket kit to arrive!!!

[Palf70Step]

Very Nice!

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Very Nice!

Thanks!

[1963c-10]

Nice!!!!

[Ta2Don]

Finally checking in Brotha!
Spotlight is Spot On!!!! All joking aside, Very Nice!!!
How come it's not installed yet?

[Dean'smeanmachine]

im digging the spot light

[jcramsey]

That's gonna look good on your truck TJ! Just don't come back telling us how the law man caught you poaching deer off the side of the road with your spotlight

[TJ's Chevy]

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

Nice!!!!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Finally checking in Brotha!
Spotlight is Spot On!!!! All joking aside, Very Nice!!!
How come it's not installed yet?

LOL! Thanks brotha! Spotlight ain't installed cause some company called Unity USA obviously ain't in a hurry to send me my brackets!!! Oh the drama! lol!

Originally Posted by Dean'smeanmachine

im digging the spot light

Thanks man!

Originally Posted by jcramsey

That's gonna look good on your truck TJ! Just don't come back telling us how the law man caught you poaching deer off the side of the road with your spotlight

I'll make sure not to use it when the law man is around!