New engine runs!

[Coupeguy2001]

I cranked it up on lunch break. runs awsome....

[wildearp]

Smog motor? Lots of questions from that photo.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by wildearp

Smog motor? Lots of questions from that photo.

maybe retired smog motor.

[Coupeguy2001]

The exhaust + manifolds are from the wrecking yard so I can run engines on my run stand.
THe exhaust is off of an 86 corvette. The engine is an 89 corvette minus the TPI. (same as the ZZ4 just different cam) Once it is in the truck, the TPI goes back on after I modify my fuel system.
The cam is the crate motor ramjet 350 cam, it is also the chevy crate motor HT383 cam.
I learned my lesson installing new engines without running them first.
I had the crank turned .010-.010 , bored and honed, etc. then put it together and ran it, only to have it smoke like a banshee.
Turns out, the ring expander on one cylinder was defective, and I had to take it back out of the truck, tear it all apart, and figure out why it was smoking so bad. I called the piston ring manufacturer, and they sent me another set of rings. I just got it all back together, and ran it for the first time today. The cam has a nice little lope, and the engine sounds really good. Got the valves and the timing adjusted, and the carb sat so long I had to change the orings on the needle and seat. Now it sounds really good.

[ChuckDriver]

That should be a screamer in the 57!

[Rude Dude]

Nice I like it when the motor lopes and makes that sound, I also like a gear drive on the cam when it whines, so much so I put a SS gear drive on my Harley too, love than sound ZZZZZzzz.

[Coupeguy2001]

I had a pete Jackson gear drive in the truck for a while. It drove me crazy.
One of my best friends is Pete Jackson's son in law. I gave it back to him and said It was too noisy, and he said that's one of the quiet ones!
I would hate to think what the noisy one was like.
My wife could hear me over a half mile away with the quiet one! Yikes.......
Besides, the gear drives don't always work well with knock sensors and cmputerized engines. The harmonics seem to induce a resonance that the computer can't ignore.

[Coupeguy2001]

Chuck, I have a pic of your truck on my desk. I am memorizing the stance. (front tires to the fender lip and rear wheel to the fender lip. I am close, but maybe an inch lower than that. I can't wait to drive it.
Engine and trans are out of it again as of last night.
Getting ready to clean the frame, swap engines and plumb the hydroboost. Since the truck was originally black, everything but the exterior paint job is black.
Soooo I will be repainting everything black. I'm just having trouble picking a paint line place where the truck goes from the black to white.
I am thinking just go for it. The paint is so old, the edges are starting to flake a bit. It was painted in 1977, so the luster isn't there and the paint which is aircraft paint is scratched a tiny bit from all those polishing swirls it received since it was painted.
The paint is so hard, it chips instead of accepting the dings regular paint would absorb.

[ChuckDriver]

Are you just repainting the engine bay black?

[Coupeguy2001]

yes.
it has been black since I bought it almost 40 years ago.
Don't want any heart attacks if I forget I painted it any other color when I open the hood.
Besides, It always looked petty good with all that shiny black paint under the hood.

I might just get our aircraft painter to do the hood, fenders, doors, splash pan and upper grille bar.
I really need the underside of the hood stripped to the metal, but probably not gonna happen.
I don't want the cab painted on the frame. I will just have to break out the flitz and get the cab polished up.
If I didn't put 7000 miles on it every year in the dustiest city in the U.S., I might push for more paint on the frame.

I was going to take the heater core out of the heater housing and install the evaporator for the air conditioning in it, but
I couldn't find a sturdy polycarbonate tray that would fit in the confines of that small housing. Without the tray,
the housing would rust out in a few months with the condensation.

[AUSSIE54]

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[AUSSIE54]

G'day Coupeguy, love your motor, it looks really neat.
In response to our banter on the show us your trucks site, I must say that you really got me thinking about the turbo 350, so I did quick calc and yes it will be doing 3300 rpm at 65 mph so congratulations and thank you for making me think harder about it all. I will now be investigating an overdrive auto, not sure where to start but I'm sure I'll work it out. Anyway, thanks again,
Regards,
Trently.
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[Coupeguy2001]

Trently,
Thanks for your kind words on the engine. I'm still deciding whether ot not to keep the corvette valve covers.
The serpentine belt setup in the truck will be transferred to this engine.

As for the transmission, I know of what I speak............I used to just have a muncie 4 speed.
I installed an overdrive stickshift trans from an 87 corvette. What a difference. I went from a miserably noisy ride at 65 mph with terrible gas mileage to 75 MPH at 1800RPM, and my gas mileage shot up 10 miles per gallon.
Now I keep up with all the new cars on the road and my gas stays in the truck a lot longer at less expense.
The only problem is I'm going 80 a lot, and at 80, these trucks begin to suck the gas in large quantities because they are not aerodynamic.
The trans allows me to overdrive 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. so being really a 5 speed, I can split some gears and nonchalantly call it a 7 speed. But in essence, a true 5 speed with gear splitting capabilities.....at the touch of a button.
So If I slow down, I enjoy the benefits of the overdrive. The faster I go, I enjoy the benefits of the overdrive......That's a win -win situation!

[AUSSIE54]

G'day again Coupeguy, that trans sounds very interesting. Is it a stock item for an 87 corvette? Would you be able to recall a model name or transmission number code? What do you mean at the push of a button? I am assuming it's a fully manual trans, clutch, clutch pedal etc? Not right up with the corvettes I'm afraid, but yes very intriguing!
Trently.

Ps. I like those covers!
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[ChuckDriver]

Have you thought about doing the firewall in white? Sometimes doing it all in black makes the engine looks like it's sitting in a black hole. Are you doing all of the work in the aircraft hanger?

[Coupeguy2001]

Trently,
It is stock issue from 84-88 corvettes. To shift the overdrive, you push in the clutch and flip a button.
Most people did not like the trans in the corvettes because it was shifted by the computer with no warning that it was about to shift, and it snapped your neck. The other thing was, when it felt like it was going to shift, the brake pedal and the clutch pedal had disconnect switches on them so it was a very uncoordinated shift if you pressed either pedal....also, there was a reverse /column lock that got fouled occasionallly and caused great shifting problems.
It is basically a Super T-10 with a small electrically energized, hydraulically shifted powerglide trans on the back. The clutches weren't beefy enough to handle the torque of first, but sturdy enough to handle 2,3,4.
Some corvettes now, 25 years later are having transmission problems. That's pretty good reliability in my book.
I have installed a switch and couple relays and a first gear lockout switch so it is to my liking. One relay arms the circuit, and the second relay , actuated by the switch arms the trans.

Chuck, to do it in white would require lots more down time which I frankly, do not have. My boss was kind enough to let me make a big mess in the hangar, and I do not want to wear out my welcome.
Yup, it is all going down in the hangar. The absolute best part is that we have a cleaning lady 3 days a week that "tidies up" after me after I clean it up to go home.

[AUSSIE54]

Thanks Coupeguy. It certainly food for thought!!