67 SWB Small Window Build

[67basketcase]

I liked to valve covers so much I orders a matching oil pan. Should be here any day now. Found a matching filter cover too, I'll probably have to get that too. Time to get good at polishing....

[67basketcase]

Well not much of an update. I haven't found time to get to the garage lately. I did manage to get out and bolt on some new shiny bits over the weekend. Here are some pictures of how the motor sits now. I'm hoping to find some time this weekend to mock the motor and trans into the frame and get my cross member set in place.

[67basketcase]

Alright now I need some help. I have this perfectly good old holley that is also perfectly ugly. I can't bring myself to bolt it onto this pretty motor without doing something more to it. I know it's due for a good cleaning and rebuild so why not make it pretty while i'm at it. Cause lets face it even a clean old holley is still ugly on top of shiny new parts. My questions are: has anybody had any luck polishing these out? Does it keep a shine very long? I'm not opposed to painting it black if there is a paint that will stay on it. Has anyone had any luck powder coating one? Polishing and powder coating clear would be awesome if it will hold up. Any help would be great. I know the easy answer is to just order a new polished aluminum one, but that's $300 that could be used somewhere else.

[67basketcase]

So, after weighing the options I decided to try to polish my carb. I started with the metering block and the bowls. After sanding all of the casting lines of from 220 to 1500 grit wet dry I went to work on them with a hard felt wheel on my dremel. It worked but took forever. I found some 8" buff wheels at harbor freight for cheap so that was became the new plan. I pulled the wire wheel off my bench grinder and went to work. It's a LOT messier. I now have treads, lint, and buffing compound all over that end of my shop. But I think it was worth it. I don't know how long it will last but it looks at lot better than it did. I wasn't able to get down into the low areas on the sides of the main body very well but those will be mostly covered up by the choke, vacuum pod, and linkage.

[67basketcase]

Here's a few more of my progress polishing.

[67basketcase]

And here is the finished project.

[67basketcase]

So with the carb project out of the way and a day off work. Time to install the rear drop springs and test fit the engine and trans. I dropped the engine in onto I6 mounts I already had in the rear position. From what I've been reading on here it will fit just perfect. I had to drill new holes for the trans crossmember. So now everything fits and is sitting perfectly straight.

[67basketcase]

Much to my delight the Summit Racing (fLowtech?) ceramic headers fit perfectly. I think I'll have to make a heat shield for my starter. There's only about 1/2" between them, but other than that they clear everything else so far.

[67basketcase]

A little more plumbing, get the tank mounted, get a driveshaft made, rebuild the transmission (it's good and pretty, but it's a stock 700r4 and surely won't be long lived), and a few more odds and ends. Getting closer to starting on the cab.

[chopnchaneled]

Looking great !!!!!!
If you said what width wheels, i must have missed it? also where did the valve covers
come from?
thanks

[67basketcase]

These are 15x8 stock rally wheels. Valve covers are an Ebay find.

[emilio impala]

Lindo proyecto! Hermosa camioneta!

[67basketcase]

Thanks, got to love google translate.

[emilio impala]

Originally Posted by 67basketcase

Thanks, got to love google translate.

sin el google translate, estoy muerto! lol

[67basketcase]

I managed to find a few hours this weekend to play in the garage. The headers being so close to the starter has had me a bit concerned. I decided I'd try my hand at fabricating a heat shield for the starter out of a piece of sheet aluminum scrap I had laying around. Here's some pictures of how it came together.

[67basketcase]

Crude but effective bender.....Various pieces of pipe, bar, tubing, clamps, and a dead blow hammer. Sure there's better ways. But it works

[67basketcase]

Here are a few of the finished project. Of course it didn't fit the first time. The header touched it, so I made the back mounting point adjustable. Now it fits.

[67basketcase]

Worked on my fuel system a little bit last night. I'm going with the Mallory 140 electric pump and return regulator to keep the noise down and hopefully long life. It would have been SO much easier and cheaper to go with a mechanical pump however my block won't allow it.

[67basketcase]

I finally got to finish my tank and get it sealed. The can says to plan on 2 hours...... More like 4.

[67basketcase]

The return regulator brought about another issue. My tank doesn't have provisions for a return line. After looking over the stock sending unit the supply line looked smaller than the 3/8 line required by pump. New project.... Redesign the pick-up - sending unit. It actually came apart much easier than I expected. Cut off the top and run a 3/8 drill down the tube through the top plate. The support was only crimped on, so that came apart fairly easy. The sending unit is tack welded onto the tubing. That had to be drilled with a little drill bit and it fell right off.

[67basketcase]

Here are some pics of how it came out with a return line added to the stock plate and the sending unit rewelded to the tubing. I decided to braze the tubes into the plate because I though soldering would be too weak. Side note, I hate brazing, probably because I'm no good at it. It all came together and looks pretty good, I think. My brazing job is a bit rough but it's secure and sealed.

[67basketcase]

Here is a top view of the fuel pickup. The lines lay down in the same channel that the original one did.

[67basketcase]

Note, the missing float. Guess where the current will travel if you don't have a good ground when welding... Yup, brass float = big hole. Add that to the list of parts to order. Lesson learned.

[67cheby]

Lol

[67basketcase]

I'm looking for a good spot to mount the pump and prefilter. I wanted to put it on the cross member in front of the tank, but it will interfere with the track bar. Next thought was the outside of the frame behind the tire, but if I decide to run the exhaust anywhere behind the rear tire it will too be close. Not to mention all of the road debris and burn rubber. I'm thinking the next best place is on the cross member behind the tank. It looks like there should be room and it should fit behind the bumper. I'm open to suggestions or other ideas.