Man I swear this truck is just BAD LUCK.

[Marv D]

Can't wait to get it sold and let someone else's luck have a shot at it.

Pulled the Dart block motor and took a nice little 383 short block I have had sitting here for a number of years all sealed in a engine bag. The motor used to be in the shoebox Nova when it was a mid-10 second car (with different cam and top end)

Anyways with the 70cc chambers of these AFR220 heads it made a nice little 9.2:1 pump gas motor for the ol girl. It's a GMPP 4bolt casting,, with ARP studs, Cola crank, Eagle ESP 6" H-beam rods, SRP flat top pistons, Put the AFR 220's heads with the Crower shaft rockers,, and a moderate little Howards hydraulic roller cam. Ought to make a plenty stout street motor for the truck to go on the market.

Put it on my test stand and to set timing, but a used short block and hydraulic roller,,, it really didn't need any 'break-in', but just more a systems check so to speak. Well good thing I did,, had a rear main leaking like a sieve.

So back on the engine stand and flip it over,, find I put the wrong rear-main seal in it. (used one for a 400 apparently <shrugs> don't know how the hell i did that!!!) Not a big deal...
BUT the bad luck.... rear main bearing looks like CRAP!!! I don't know WHAT or WHEN trash went through this motor,, but the King bearings did their job well. The crank is all but pristine,, but looks like it's all coming apart AGAIN for bearings and when your that far,,, might as well touch hone and put new rings,,, polish the crank,,,,

ShEEEEZUS will it never end with this damn truck!!!

[BR3W CITY]

Sorry to hear that Marv. We'll welcome you with open arms in the LS section, should you desire to make big numbers and not take the motor apart every 6 weeks

[nxtruck]

Didn't know that you were planning on selling the truck, Marv. It sounds like your luck and my luck are kinda similar. Well, I hope you get the lower end taken care of and the truck running without any more drama.
What are your plans after you sell the truck?

[Marv D]

Chris I'm going to run the Nova until my NHRA license expires, then sell it. All the headache just doesn't hold the 'fun' it used to. 2 year project is sell out, sell the sand rail, and take up knitting.

[BR3W CITY]

You'll end up knitting nitrous bottle warmers.

[nxtruck]

Originally Posted by Marv D

Chris I'm going to run the Nova until my NHRA license expires, then sell it. All the headache just doesn't hold the 'fun' it used to. 2 year project is sell out, sell the sand rail, and take up knitting.

Marv,
I hear ya on the part about all of this work not being as much fun as it used to. I guess we're just getting old.

[hotrod 80]

Originally Posted by Marv D

Chris I'm going to run the Nova until my NHRA license expires, then sell it. All the headache just doesn't hold the 'fun' it used to. 2 year project is sell out, sell the sand rail, and take up knitting.

I honestly just went through this . I turned down a really good offer on the Yellow truck mid summer and ran a real buyer for the new blue truck off with a $25,000 asking price ( I didn't want to sell it ) . Thought just but radial on the 69' SS and run DOT . Sad part is nobody wants your stuff when its for sell .

[Marv D]

So true Hotrod,, When you want to sell you have to make it more attractive (reads: spend $ on it) and still anyone interested thinks they are on a BS TV show like Pawnstars where they have to offer 1/2 of what it's honestly worth.

I will give these auto-reality TV shows credit for sparking an interest in the car culture but honestly they have TRASHED the market. You have Mechum and Barrett Jackson driving a 'rich boys club' that is just trying to impress each other with how much $'s they are willing to spend on a pretty garage ornament,,, and then every moron with a POS 1976 Nova 4Door think he has a $20k diamond in the rough.

And the flip side is the 'count' , pawnstars and 'grease monkey' out there with a standard offer of HALF whatever your asking,,, and 'flipping' it after a coat of paint for 3x what they paid. The thing these and the build shows like Overhaulin and chop, build cut,,,,, don't show is the hundreds and hundreds of man hours that goes into doing it RIGHT.

One guy working just 1 day a weekend for 3 years is a good 2000 man hours,,, or the BS reality car show does it with a team of 10 guys (on screen,, another 30 off screen) in 30 minutes.

I wish JUST ONCE they would show in REAL TIME what actually gets done in 30 minutes in a shop WITH THE GIRL ACTORS playing wrenchtwister. Yeah,, put a cute girl and 4guys in a shop and just watch how much gets done in 30 minutes!!!

LMAO,, OK rant off.

[BR3W CITY]

I think I saw a movie once with one girl and 4 guys in a garage....Some fluid levels got checked, thats about it.....