Restoring Rusty

[Gregski]

So picked up and installed the new freeze plug. I inspected two others (one on opposite side, and one in front by the fuel pump) and they looked ok. I could not get to the two in the rear of the engine, or the two under the engine mounts, nor the last one by the steering pump.

I used a 1" socket to get it started.

Looks good, so does it leak?

OH HECK YES - First thing tomorrow I am off to AutoZone for a new one and their Freeze Plug Installation Kit.

[Gregski]

even took off the starter cable to clean it ~ I'm a sick puppy

Can someone tell me why this positive terminal cable is BLACK instead of RED?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by sgr60

Subscribed - awesome work you're doing!

Thank you

[Gregski]

Finally got the blower unit reassembled, and put back on the truck, and I must say it looks the business!

I ended up using the 3M Strip-Calk product aka "dumb dumb" between it and the firewall as someone on this forum recommended, thanks again.

[Gregski]

Winter Projects Suck, even here in Cali, especially painting in the winter, so you have to get creative. Here we peak inside our paint booth and literally watch paint dry, as I had to get creative. This little yellow halogen jobbie is 500 Watts and puts off some good heat.

[Gregski]

man I thought I would never change that oil, always wanted to line my oil cans up like that, TV car show style and all, LOL

I know its cheap Oil but if there's anything my daddy taught me it's that it is better to replace cheap oil often than expensive oil NEVER, am I right fellas.

Splurged $2 bucks on a new 1/2 inch drain plug as the washer on my old one was crusty.

[Gregski]

Look at that radiator drain plug, can you see those buggers stuck in it, that would explain why I had to remove the lower radiator hose to drain it.

Interesting design GM, flushing the cooling system hinges on one tiny 1/4 inch hole, why couldn't you just give us a wing nut type plug and call it good.

No hon I did not see your Q-tips, why would I take em?!

[Gregski]

Took out this passenger side engine block drain plug for no reason, well I guess to drain the coolant out of the block to replace the poorly installed new freeze plug again.

I wish I had a picture of this little guy cleaned up, thought I did, oh well, used a wire whee, and it cleaned up real good. I opted no to remove it's twin from the driver side, didn't wanna push my luck.

[Gregski]

First time I dealt with a starter with shims, I guess that explains the two busted starter teeth I found in the bell housing under the fly wheel, must have been from the old starter.

[Gregski]

got some new wiring mounting clips/hangers only to find out they are not the same kind, the old ones only have a bolt hole on one side and just bend over, not too happy with these, does anybody know where to get the OEM style hangers?

So cleaned up and re used the old ones. These run along my oil pan and hold the positive starter cable and others to the pan.

[rusty76]

You're making progress. A lot of it really.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by rusty76

You're making progress. A lot of it really.

Yes, this phase kicked my butt.

[Jake Wade]

What product did you use to paint that blower unit? That is the perfect underhood finish, not too glossy, not too flat, just right.

[Gregski]

Finally some pics of the finished passenger side of the engine bay.

Blower assembly, painted - done
Inner Fender, replaced/painted - done
Battery Tray, replaced/painted - done
Frame Rail, painted - done

What do you think of the body color instead of black on the inner fender?

I only painted the lid of the air cleaner housing because I am going to replace it with the Retro one from LMC Truck next month.

[Jake Wade]

I don't know if you have installed the oil pan yet but, the position of the pickup screen to pan needs to be 1/4"-3/8". I like to tack the screen to the pump as I have seen them fall off.

[Dball]

Awesome thread Greg,really entertaining and you do good work. Lots of good info for us rookies....keep it up.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Jake Wade

I don't know if you have installed the oil pan yet but, the position of the pickup screen to pan needs to be 1/4"-3/8". I like to tack the screen to the pump as I have seen them fall off.

Wow, had no idea about that requirement, figured Malory pump and Malory tube should have the proper bend to it, let's pray.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Jake Wade

What product did you use to paint that blower unit? That is the perfect underhood finish, not too glossy, not too flat, just right.

Thank you, I like it too. I've used KRYLON Rust Tough Enamel - Semi Flat Black on everything from the wheels, to the front bumper and now for bits under the hood. However it is getting too expensive at $7 bucks a rattle can. Thinking about switching to Rust-Oleum.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Dball

Awesome thread Greg,really entertaining and you do good work. Lots of good info for us rookies....keep it up.

Thank you so much, yeah you have to have a sense of humor with these old wonderful machines, otherwise they'll break your heart!

[MikeB]

Originally Posted by Gregski

What do we have here, a shinny brand new Weiand 8120 Action +Plus Aluminum Intake Manifold

Yup, ordered that off of eBay for $85 bucks and FREE shipping can't beat it, the seller is holleyperformance

This is in preparation for the Holley 0-80457SA 600CFM 4bbl Factory Refurbished ALUMINUM Carb with Electric Choke I am buying from them next month

Good choices for manifold and carb! Can't beat that combo for a stock to mild small block.

I just bought the Vortec head version of that manifold for my 355 that's under construction, and will be using a 80457SA or 80458SA carb. (The latter has center-hung float bowls and dual fuel inlets on the passenger side).

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by MikeB

Good choices for manifold and carb! Can't beat that combo for a stock to mild small block.

Man, that is music to my ears, so good to hear some validation, thank you. So what cam would you recommend, keep in mind I plan on buying aluminum heads to go with it. Looking for a street truck, nothing crazy, goal is 300 hp.

[rich weyand]

Comp Cams 12-235-2 will give you 290hp and 410lbft from a stock 350 with stock 76cc heads, as long as you put a dual plane manifold and long-tube headers on it.

If you're going with new heads like the Dart aluminum heads, it's pretty easy to get 400hp and 430lbft from a stock 350, using Comp Cams 12-238-2.

Basically, 300hp is a pretty low goal for new heads. Or another way to say it, you can get 300hp without spending big bucks on heads.

Download Camquest6 and play around with it. Just google camquest6.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by rich weyand

Comp Cams 12-235-2 will give you 290hp and 410lbft from a stock 350 with stock 76cc heads, as long as you put a dual plane manifold and long-tube headers on it.

Wow Rich, great recommend, I'm liking this one I believe they call it the Xtreme 4x4 pronounced "Torque" LOL, Good Idle and 1,000-5,200 RPM range, what's not to like, but doing more homework still, thank you very much

[rich weyand]

I personally went with the 12-300-4, which is 285hp and 420lbft, because I wanted even more grunt in the bottom. Performance above 3000-3500 rpm isn't a prime consideration for me in a street machine.

Here is the dyno simulator run for the 12-235-2. The left side gives you all the parameters for the stock 350 you need to set. Then you can try all the cams you want.

[Gregski]

oiled the hood hinges with some White Lithium grease, and my god what a difference I can open and close the hood with two fingers ~ keep 'em lubricated boys!