Looking great. those floor pans look great. I had a 72 convertible back in the mid '90's. I had bought a 72 skylark that a dump truck had taken the front clip off of and waxed the frame. Cut the floor with rockers out of it. that was a job. After the installation. used two engine hoists to lift the body off. no problems. keep up the good work!

 

Well, it's month 7 and way to cold outside to do anything with the frame....did have one 50 degree day to do some grinding and wire wheeling. My west coast frame is in great cond no blasting needed
Machine shop is almost done....glad he's taken his time....more time for me to decide on my engine build parts???? been a learning experience
sp pro 2320 forged flat tops, comp xe268h cam, comp 1441 roller tips...should be a nice peppy driver with 9.5/1 cr and about 325hp?
Well as soon as the weather breaks....should be able to get frame painted and suspension on In the mean time been restoring small parts and stuffing in spare bedroom closet (pic 1) LOL! Also in pic is the 442 bumper I got from Rick in Fla Pic 2 is my frame outside and piled with that white stuff Pic 3 is my nuts, bolts and screws organized and screwed to my bulkhead in garage! LOL! hey it works Anyway also getting ready for Carlisle....Thinking about getting a spot and selling my left over supreme parts?
Thanks for watchin!
Eric M

 

If you are going to Carlisle I will have to stop by and see what you have.

 

Well, I got my body in and under primed and painted After chemical strip, rust dissolver and pressure washed, I used Eastwood's rust converter....then Rustolem rusty metal primer. Painted firewall and underneath with Eastwood's 2k chasis satin black and the inside with Rustoleum satin black, also used Eastwood's internal frame coating in all areas that couldn't be reached with a spray gun. I also patched my lower quarters.....still have some surface rust on qtrs. and around trunk......from what I've read, I'm going to grind again, then use rust converter to soak into pits, then sand again and prime with a acid free epoxy primer? Any thoughts?
Eric M






Ok...maybe next time I'll remember to rotate pics.....oops

 

Nice work Eric. I'm glad someone like you got ahold of this one.

 

I am following. Good work! I could not tell by the pic......what points did you use on the body when you separated it from the frame?

 

Hey Ted,
I used some old engine lift eyelets bolted in the upper door hinge caged nuts and some 1/4" strap steel bolted where top bolts......like I said before, I removed doors to reduce weight and strain pushing towards center, also I put my floors in 1st for extra strength and angled my lifting pts outward slightly to also reduce strain on floor/rockers......no flexing at all (measured)....been hanging now for 4 months....all good
I have lowered the front to the ground to work on upper cowl/windshield and lowered the rear to work on trunk floor.........I'm doing a rotisserie, but I'm the one rotating
Hope this helps?
Eric M

 

That helps a lot! Thanks Eric

 

Painting everything....Chemical strip....then rust dissolver(covered for 24hrs to keep wet)......Eastwood rust converter( 2 coats brushed, to expensive to waste over spray) ......then Rustoleum rusty metal primer.....then Eastwood internal frame coating........tomorrow going to spray final coats of Eastwood's 2k chassis paint on frame and suspension parts and there under hood paint on everything else Hopefully rolling again next month
Eric M

 

Yup, need pics Eric......try one or 2 at a time.....
Is the internal spray coating a paint?....you are moving right along

 

Thanks Ted.....I knew that, but last night waited 10 mins for 2 pics and no go.....tonight it worked On the internal frame coating.....Some kind of converter/ encapsulater/paint??? weird smellin green stuff? don't get it on anything you don't want it on! I used 3 cans on my frame, 1 on my body, and saving one for my doors and fenders
Eric M

 

Well finished painting the frame and suspension parts....... ready to install new moog bushings, ball joints, springs and steering....finally scored all my barely used external engine parts from James(jtriggy).....only took 3 months...LOL! Also discovered that my car had a x water pump from factory...still trying to decide...sell or rebuild????

 

Installed all front suspension and rear....almost ready to roll again All my rusty frame hardware tumbled for 12 hrs....rusty metal primed and painted....wheels painted Also undercoated body.......what a messy job.....should have worn gloves.....took a week to wear off hands Bought a spring compressor, but bobcat...much easier

Eric M

 

good use of the skid steer!!!

 

Thanks Mike......just looking at the spring compressor I bought....I knew they would be a PIA....so a little fake body weight, floor jack, mallet and prybar....popped right in


Eric M

 

Suspension finished and she has skins again Back inside Got engine back and gearing up for assembly.....1st time in 30 yrs....finally remembered to rotate pics....LOL!

 

Well......I've been cleaning my garage for the past 2 weeks In preparation for my dust free build. As a recap.....I got my motor disassembled w/ no main caps and assembly bolts.....Thanks Kevin for all the bolts....big help
Ended up using a reputable shop in Glen Burnie, MD....Ellison's Machine Shop....Ken Ellison....Great guy....He was the only one I could find that could match the caps I bought on ebay and line bore them to match the block Well to keep this post short, I would love for you guy's to review my build specs to make sure I got all the bases covered....I only won't to do this once.......please chime in Don, Mark, Joe, Capt jim, and many more...........I know that you guy's could probably do this with your eye's closed
Thanks again for your help!!!
Eric M
see below
VVVVVVV

 

Well, below is a copy of machine work done....Ken said to always double ck all clearances....so I'll be measuring everything I can with a micrometer and a feeler gauge....crank journals(cut 10), bearing thickness(20) and crank(10)....connecting rods(10), bearings(20) and crank(10) all this is a guess...haven't measured yet, but he had me buy 20 bearings
To review my build overall....1970 350 30 over, SP 2320 flat tops, comp xe268 cam, comp 1441 roller tips, double roller chain, stock intake, carb and dual exhaust....th350 built for tight shift, 2500 stall....342 posi rear.....my goal has always been a nice street/driver with some extra getup that can run fine on pump gas 9.5 cr with 68cc heads and felpro gaskets....anyway more to follow below
Thanks again for your input
Eric M
VVVVV

 

Below is my cart at Summit....the last purchase for my build... all except push rods....Ken said to measure after assembly....which brings me to my ?'s, why would Summit sell the 1441 kit with rods? Are they the stock length?....the way I see it, is with resurface of block and heads...no milling for comp....should be close to stock length with the thicker felpro gaskets?Also this kit makes it adjustable? This sucks, cause I'd love to seal her up this weekend...without having to wait for rods
On piston clearance SP says to tight? Why don't they correct this? Ken said 25 for cast and 35 for forged.....is this enough? Haven't measured yet?
Heads were cut with 442 valves and I said something about more valve guide clearance on centers? he didn't replace and said they are good?
If I understand it right....I need to drill an 1/8" hole in the new replacement rear galley plug to lube dist gear?
My friend Steve is also helping with my build ...he also hasn't done a motor in over 30 yrs and never has done an olds, but a good reader
Last ? , do I need to measure piston to deck clearance or am I good with no milling?


Thanks again for your guidance!!
Eric M

 

Well.....it's been awhile....took 6 wks to build motor....between the oil galley plugs, Inline's kit was wrong and had to have my machinist drill the 040 hole for the dist???....why can't anyone get this right LOL! also got the wrong push rods from summit...they were awesome took several items back with full credit, even after opened Ended up keeping the stock rockers. Then had to order the threaded antifreeze block plugs and they only sent three ....needed 4????? cc'd heads....came in at 64


I have no idea while pics are upright on my computer and show up sideways here
Eric M

 

My friend Steve helping out

 

Finally got motor completed and decided to rebuild steering column while I was waiting for parts Also undercoated gas tank and had my Xwater pump rebuilt by thewaterpumpman.....great service door to door in 8 days


Don't fall over.......still haven't figured out the sideways pics???
Eric M

 

Wow! Moving right along. Well worth the moola to get the x pump rebuilt....

 

Thanks Ted....I'm getting there Got motor primed and painted Decided to sandblast body,doors, fenders and decklid.....so glad I did....bye bye rust pits


Eric M

 

Bondo, Bondo, more Bondo used a gallon and vacuumed up 7/8 of a gallon LOL! Epoxy primer and set motor


Eric M

 

Wow! Eric you are making some great progress! Engine looks great! Eastwood ceramic high temp gold? I know what your saying about the filler I do the same thing. Primer is the same way Spray it on sand it off repeat! I cant get any pics in the last post !

 

Thanks Mike....coming along.....been sanding primer for a week...almost ready for paint and yes Eastwood ceramic engine paint....pics in last post??
Eric M

 

Looking good

 

She's blue!!!! and I love the color (Eastwood cruise night blue) exactly what I wanted....stripes going on soon. Also got exhaust on, trunk platter, some chrome, wheels and tires Onto the dash and interior....hope to be cruisin by June 1? Thanks everyone for all the help....could not have got this far without you and the internet


Eric M
Finaly figured out the pics.... windows 10 shows them upright in all previews....had to go to orig file and rotate

 

Coming along great! How did yound fi the quality the of the floor board? I need to do the same thing to a 71 Cutlass Conv't.

 

Saaaweet ! Congrats

 

Not bad...didn't fit/match my orig floor braces, but I ended up using self tapping screws to draw floor to braces as tight as possibly....then I removed 1 at a time and used the hole for my mig spot welds. Also I ended up overlapping mine instead of butting....welded top and tiger haired underside at firewall and seam sealer everywhere else before undercoat.......turned out pretty nice.....I'm not trying to win any trophy's, just want to smoke some tires and wrench some necks
Hope this helps
Eric M

 

Looking good Eric!

 

WOW! looks great! keep up the great work Eric! I cant wait to see it in person! you are going to go to Kingsport in july?

 

Hello! you making any progress Eric? I hope all is well!

 

Eric are you done with the car?

 

Inquiring minds want to know lol what a great read

 

I tried to contact Eric by phone, apparently he has a new number, or something has happened to him.