The 283 Rebuild Begins

[joe231]

Yeah Mac, wasn't sure before....but now I KNOW, your as crazy as us


fly-over states

[MacAttack]

Well, tried to mount the fat ol’ radiator Saturday, but the "U" pieces riveted to the frame aren’t wide enough and the new rubber puts way too much squeeze on new radiator. These tanks are bigger than the original and the new rubber creates a press-fit that’s not good.

Bent the flanges out a bit with a ball peen, but that’s "H/A" and doesn’t fell or look good.

Thinking about bringing the inserts into the shop and band sawing the thickness down a bit, or replacing the "U" pieces with wider units - if they exist, or taking the rivets out, cutting the channels in half and using two carriage bolts to hold the two pieces in place - about 3/8" further apart than they are now.

Haven’t located the upper piece in my collection of boxes yet, but I’m sure it’s too narrow too.

BTW - didn't make it to Wal-Mart over the weekend, but I'll hit them on the way home from work tonight.

[jason65]

Looking foward to the pics Mac.

[4dranch]

Originally Posted by jason65

Looking foward to the pics Mac.

x2

[joe231]

Nice pics!!!

[Captainfab]

It sounds to me like your radiator mounts are going to have to be either altered or custom make some new ones. Ones for the factory 4 row core radiator may work, but they are hard to come by. I made some once out of 1/2" x 1" x 1/8" channel and just cut the rubber cushions in half. And yes the top radiator bracket is the same size as the lowers.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

And yes the top radiator bracket is the same size as the lowers.

Well, that answers that. Brought the rubber kit to work today - will see how this stuff cuts and/or grinds. Push comes to shove: Cork Tape. Really don't look forward to cutting those big rivets out to alter the original set-up.

Thanks for the input.

Mac.

[joe231]

my rivets came out pretty easy.....pilot hole through the rivet, then drilled it out with a 3/8" bit, then a hammer and chisel finished them off. Just need a good sharp bit. I have a $20 set of DeWalt pilot point bits from Home Depot...they cut like butter and stay sharp

[MacAttack]

Well, that turned out better than I thought it would.

Band-sawed the rubber pieces with a super-fine blade and it worked!

Only had to do the two end pieces (because these pieces are jointed and relieved at the corners where they bend) that actually contact the sides of the radiator's tanks, while leaving the center part (that contacts the top and bottom) stock thickness.

Quickly learned that it's not good enough to just support the sides of a piece of rubber being shoved through a band saw, but after it is separated it tries to go down the 'rat-hole' where the blade comes down.

Put a thin piece of plywood under the rubber and cut it at the same time.

Bingo. And I didn't even lose the end of a finger!

Mac.

[jason65]

Thats great Mac. Glad to hear your kicking some a$$.

[MacAttack]

Yeah - can't wait to get home and try them out. Just didn't want to do the hyper-press-fit on the brand new radiator tanks. Cut right at the base of the lead-in chamfers. These are the stock strips:

[MacAttack]

The C10’s radiator shroud kicked my caboose on Saturday.

The placement of the radiator itself (after cutting the rubber mounts and using high-temp black silicone to fill any voids) went perfectly, all without tearing up or altering the stock "U" pieces riveted to the frame and as part of the upper support piece.

Then came the "Chicken or the Egg" routine.

My initial fan (the one from the straight six engine) is a nice S/S unit, with an extruded aluminum spacer that bolts to the water pump. Assembled it up and put a dial indicator on the pulley: Within .003 - good enough.

Put on the V-belt and adjusted the alternator. Perfect. Thanks for the belt number, BTW. Tried to slide the brand new shroud over the fan: D’oh! Same size as the opening. (Don’t ask me why I didn’t check first - cause I never do!)

Had a smaller diameter 6-blade fan from the Chevelle - with another spacer (not pressed into the fan) so we put that one up and check the run-out.

Shroud fit with about ¾" clearance all around. Messed around with the shroud mounting hardware and had to modify the very bottom of the two pieces of sheet metal coming off the radiator support - to make it fit.

Now here’s the fun part. I put four ¼" diameter S/S studs in the shroud to hold it on to the truck’s sheetmetal, already had the radiator in place and bolted in, and couldn’t get the shroud back in place - with nuts on the studs, because there was no way to tighten the nuts on the inside of the shroud housing.

Couldn’t point the studs inward on the passenger side because the battery tray gets in the way - and there’s no way to get your hand in past the fan, because with six smaller blades - from the top or the bottom approach.

Again: D’oh!

So my next idea is to put studs in the sheetmetal, use large fender washers to spread out the load on the sides of the shroud (because every one I’ve ever had starts cracking at the mount holes once the material gasses out and becomes more brittle), with some silicone in between - just for good measure.

Yes - I know: Too much drama, but the radiator’s lower hose spout wouldn’t allow me to put it in after the shr0oud was mounted.

Arrrrrrggggghhhhhh!

[joe231]

and just think...........some people call our hobby "FUN"

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by joe231

and just think...........some people call our hobby "FUN"

And as long as the Chevelle continues to run - it will remain so.

But the minute I have to rely on it as my daily driver - it will become a major PITA.

Mac.

[joe231]

[4dranch]

[MacAttack]

Part Number: GM AU 3972148 UX

That’s the upper radiator hose that will actually work with my new radiator and my little ‘283’ with the oil filler tube in the front and a 360 degree swivel thermostat housing.

What a quest! After trying at least 6 "stock, will work perfectly, this is the one you need" hoses - and spending 45 minutes in the last NAPA Store in my part of SoCal last night - to no avail, took a lunch time jaunt over to Original Parts Group in Seal Beach (about 15 minutes from the shop) and patiently waited 30 minutes for my turn at the counter.

The dude wrote down a couple of part numbers and took my thrashed example hose (with no markings or reference numbers to refer to) and ten minutes later emerged from their warehouse with what appears to be exactly what I need!

Customer Service: Who would have thought?

A little trimming on the thermostat housing end of this hose (about 3") and I should be able to fill the system with anti-freeze. I’m quickly running out of excuses.

Mac.

[MacAttack]

(Logan's Happy for GrandPa)

[4dranch]

Congrats Mac.
keep the pn# for later.......

[jason65]

That hose looks a lot better than that flex hose I ran. Does the grandson help you on the truck?

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by jason65

Does the grandson help you on the truck?

Every chance he gets, but my daughter-in-law makes me suffer for that, severely. Guess 2-1/2 year old boys aren’t supposed to handle tools and get their hands dirty. Who knew?

[jason65]

What? At that age I was throwing mudd at girls and getting into trouble most of the time.

[TimE]

Originally Posted by jason65

What? At that age I was throwing mudd at girls and getting into trouble most of the time.

Some things just never change...

Originally Posted by joe231

Jason has been too quiet lately......just trying to get him riled up

[joe231]

that helps explain a lot Jason

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by joe231

that helps explain a lot Jason

Is it me, or is Joe going out of his way to dance in the mine field this morning?