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Picked up my block, heads, pistons and crank from vortecpro in Colorado Springs. Mark does fantastic work! Very meticulous and corrected all the ills from the previous machine shop. Am very fortunate to have him do the work for me before he moves to Texas. Thanks to Bernard Mondello for referring me to Mark.
Started on assembly yesterday, using the Mondello Technical Reference manual as a reference. Confirmed main and rod bearing clearances on the crank. All were within specifications. Installed crank and rear main seal. Moved on to setting ring end gaps. Based on my bore and application, set end gap on top and second ring to 21/1000 and 23/1000 inch respectively. Took time with the ring filer to make sure I did not remove too much material and arrived at the proper clearances. Next installed rings on pistons (Wiseco) and moved on to the rods (Eagle) and wrist pins. Have to say, those spiral lox’s are a pain in the butt! I’m sure they are worth it but definitely slowed me down!
Jim
Mark wheeling out my heads. Fantastic work #1 Main Bearing clearance.002 #2 Main Bearing clearance.0017 #3 Main Thrust Bearing clearance.002 #4 Main Bearing clearance.002 #5 Main Bearing clearance.003 Connecting rod clearance.0015 Connecting rod clearance.0015 Wiseco pistons with Eagle rods
Thanks Paul and BackInTheGame. Really enjoying spending the time to get things right and seeing the progress. Starting to have lots of empty boxes that once were filled with parts! Getting space back in the garage! BackInTheGame, the spacers are 3 inches.
Installed the pistons today. Went in smoothly without an issue. Then moved on to install the cam and timing chain. The Cloyes timing chain was very tight and required a little persuasion to get the cam gear onto the dowel on the cam. Going to degree the cam tomorrow.
Jim #1 Piston in All pistons in Front view of all Wiseco pistons in the block
Made the 3 day trip back to Colorado from Florida last week and finally got back in the garage. Excited to be back and ready to move my project forward! Was a little like Christmas, opening the boxes of parts that arrived after our departure to Florida in October. The new door cards from Legendary finally arrived (only took 28 weeks!). I supplied my original top plates for the rear seat panels and Legendary added new bottoms. The quality looks excellent. I’ve included a picture of my original card and the new Legendary card. The blue color of the vinyl on the new card looks a little lighter than the original and the faux wood grain looks a little darker. My originals had some scaring from the 50 years of use so I decided to replace them. I will store them along with all the original pieces I felt needed to be replaced. The good news is there won’t be too many. I’ve restored and am reusing the majority of the original parts.
Next up, back to finishing assembly of the 455.
Jim
Original on the left, Legendary replacement on the right Legendary Backseat replacement panel Original top plate, new bottom supplied by Legendary
Jimbo,
Been awhile. Looking good!
Quick question on your fuel tank selection. Seems GM34Q from AutoZone is out of stock (and just about everywhere else).
Have you or anyone else had a similar experience? Recommend a substitute?
Thanks dc2x4drvr! Lots of amazing work in this forum.
Dean, good to hear from you. I checked out the Spectra gas tanks here in Colorado and found none available. Don’t know what’s happening with their supply. I had a similar experience with Auto City Classic looking for a new date coded windshield. They told me they had none and to call back in August. I guess the supply chain issues in this country are affecting many industries. Maybe folks on the forum have suggestions for alternative sources. I guess I can drive with no windshield if it comes to that! 😀 I don’t have AC in the car!
Got some time back in the garage today. Needed to determine the length of pushrods to order for the roller rocker valve train I am installing in the 455. Decided to take an old hydraulic lifter apart and turn it into a solid lifter by installing nuts and washers inside. Just to be safe, I measured the combined length if the original lifter and stock pushrod and compared it to the new lifter and pushrod. Glad I did as the difference was 20/1000 of an inch. Next, I installed the solid lifter in the block in #1 piston at TDC, along with an adjustable pushrod, which I set to 9.6 inch for initial measurements. I used a blue sharpie to mark the top of the valve stem and installed the roller rocker adjusting the locking nut with zero lash. Then I rotated the crank two revolutions back to TDC. Removing the roller rocker revealed the position of the roller on the top of the valve stem by the line left in the blue sharpie mark. 9.6 inch was slightly long, as the line was past the center of the valve stem. Repeated the process with 9.55 inch and the line was directly on center of the valve (for both the intake and exhaust valve #1 cylinder. Will give Mark a call tomorrow and order the pushrods.
Jim
Nuts used to fill lifter Washers used to fill lifter Adjustable pushrod and rollover rockers Original factory lifter and stock pushrod New lifter and stock pushrod Assembled valve train for measurement Line just slightly past center with 9.6” pushrod length Line on center with 9.55” pushrod length
Back at it today. Spent time wire brushing the timing chain cover and timing guide in preparation for paint. Didn’t like the Olds Blue engine paint I purchased. Appears light as compared with the original paint. Looked back at Costpenn’s build and decided to order the paint he used (Supercar unlimited). Continued assembly of the block. Torqued the Eagle rods to spec (63 ft-lbs), fuel pump eccentric to CAM (65 frt-lbs) and test fit the new oil pump (Melling M22FHV) making sure the depth into the oil pan was correct and the rotating assembly spun without interference. Was surprised to see how close the counterweight on the crank came to the oil pump. Compared the spacing to the original pump which has much more clearance. Going to grind the edge to provide a bit more clearance.
Jim Timing cover Timing Mark Guide Engine paint - Appears lighter in color to original paint New Melling oil pump Original oil pump with much clearance New oil pump with tight clearance New pump with very tight clearance
Got the Dremel out and removed material from the new Melling oil pump to provide additional clearance between the crank counterweight. Also, installed a new oil pump shaft (Milodon 22575). Compared it to the original shaft and it measured slightly longer. I expect the difference will not affect the installation of the distributor. Moved on to wire brushing the oil pan readying it for paint. The lower end of the engine is ready to be closed up and sealed. Took a few pictures of the original block for documentation before paint. Green paint blotches and some black markings I can’t identify on the driver’s side, a mystery stamp (4765) on the starter motor mount and vin stamp on the pad. Will continue to paint individual pieces (timing cover, water pump, alternator bracket, timing mark, oil pan, valve covers) while I wait for the pushrods to arrive so I can finish the top end. The blue paint that I purchased is growing on me. I placed an order for blue paint from from Supercars Unlimited but have not received any acknowledgment from them. I also placed calls with no answer and followed with an email - no response. Anyone have any interactions with them recently? Are they still in business?
Jim Dremeled oil pump Good clearance now Original oil pump shaft New Milodon oil pump shaft slightly longer Green blotches and unidentifiable black paint Mystery stamp on starter pad VIN # Wire brushed oil pan ready for paint
Got the Dremel out and removed material from the new Melling oil pump to provide additional clearance between the crank counterweight. Also, installed a new oil pump shaft (Milodon 22575). Compared it to the original shaft and it measured slightly longer. I expect the difference will not affect the installation of the distributor. Moved on to wire brushing the oil pan readying it for paint. The lower end of the engine is ready to be closed up and sealed. Took a few pictures of the original block for documentation before paint. Green paint blotches and some black markings I can’t identify on the driver’s side, a mystery stamp (4765) on the starter motor mount and vin stamp on the pad. Will continue to paint individual pieces (timing cover, water pump, alternator bracket, timing mark, oil pan, valve covers) while I wait for the pushrods to arrive so I can finish the top end. The blue paint that I purchased is growing on me. I placed an order for blue paint from from Supercars Unlimited but have not received any acknowledgment from them. I also placed calls with no answer and followed with an email - no response. Anyone have any interactions with them recently? Are they still in business?
Jim Dremeled oil pump Good clearance now Original oil pump shaft New Milodon oil pump shaft slightly longer Green blotches and unidentifiable black paint Mystery stamp on starter pad VIN # Wire brushed oil pan ready for paint
Hi Jim---I live in Parker and also use Mark Jones for all my engine builds. I just finished my ground up resto on my 71 Olds just last year and am driving it around now.
Thanks Dave and BackInTheGame! I’ll place an order with Thornton. Dave, I read your build beginning to end. Amazing working! Absolutely spectacular! Love the color combination and drivetrain. Sounds righteous! Mark does amazing work. I was lucky to find him. Hated to see him move out of the area. Would love to see your 71 in person. Maybe a Cars and Coffee or local show. I’ll drive my 69 Vette.
Tried my hand at refreshing the chrome trim on the dash components. I have to admit, my hands are not the steadiest these days so I was a little apprehensive about the outcome. But much to my surprise, the pen I bought from In-line Tube worked very well. The pen provided a nice smooth flow of just the right amount of paint to the surface. I had several worn spots on the trim and the paint really brought the pieces back to life. I’m very pleased with the results.
Jim
Refreshed the center lines by hand. Taped the tiny edge. Glove box trim Dash trim Vent bezels
Thanks Andy. Decided to tackle restoring the dash pad. My 442 was built the first week of October 1969 and as such, the chrome insert on the dash pad was glued on. It didn’t come off easily, breaking in a couple of places. To make matters a little more difficult, someone had used clear silicone to assist securing the chrome trim around the drivers vent. With a little persuasion, it came off. The glue residue of 50 years remained. It was very sloppily applied and over time turned brown, which I always noticed on the dash pad and bothered me. Spent a couple of hours with a couple of tiny screwdrivers and a razor blade, carefully scraping the silicone and glue residue off of the vinyl. Very tedious. But will be worth all the time once it is ready for upholstery paint and new trim.
Jim
Driver’s side glue and silicone residue Trim removed in pieces Passenger side trim Passenger side glue residue Two hours of work scraping to remove silicone and glue residue
Finished removing the 50 year old glue today. The cleaning took several hours but came out pretty well but revealed a few slices in the vinyl along the trim gap. Decided to make repairs using epoxy. Used a plastic epoxy putty for one of the repairs close to the center vent which was a little hole that was not in the groove for the trim. Seemed to be the best solution to cover the small hole and provide a textured look that will not be noticeable once repainted. I selected a clear plastic epoxy to repair the slices in the trim grove because it will be covered and provides additional strength. Will prep the dash for the upholstery paint and hope for good weather tomorrow.
Jim Driver’s side trim grove Center vent Repairs to the passenger side. The white color at the top is the putty. The clear is the repair on the right and top and in the trim grove
Finally got back in the garage. Missed a week with a bad back. The weather was beautiful today so it was painting day! Started with the engine components. Received the new paint from Thornton and did a spray out to compare the color to the original. Looks awesome! Decided to use the Seymour for base coverage and will use the Thornton’s to finish. Sprayed the oil pan and intake manifold. Next moved on to the Dash pad. Applied two coats of Bulldog Adhesion Promoter, following the recommended flash times and then applied two coats of paint from Kolor Korrect. The paint really laid down nicely. Next up was the dash and glove box. Followed the same procedure and really liked the results. Used up a whole can and will need to order some more for the kick panels and seat belt retractor covers. My pushrods arrived today so I can finish assembling the engine. Thanks Mark!
Jim
Used the Seymour paint for base coverage Base coverage Tested the Kolor Korrect on the ashtray cover. Looks fresh and awesome Dash Glove box Finished Dash Pad Replacement ashtray cover Finished Dash Finished Glove box cover New Pushrods. Thanks Mark!
Was all set to adjust the lifter preload and close up the top end of the engine only to find out that my pushrod guide plates were for 5/16” pushrods and I had 3/8” pushrods! Ugh! Since I was not going to finish the top end, I decided to mock up the valve train assembly and I’m glad I did as it turns out the 3/8” pushrods were rubbing on the pushrod holes in the head. I’m sure many on this site already knew that going to 3/8” pushrods requires drilling the pushrod holes to 9/16” and chamfering the edge 70 degrees but I needed to see the pushrods rub and then consult with the Mondello Technical Reference Guide to verify my findings! Better to find it now that have a failure later! I decided to go order 5/16” pushrods from Manton Racing in California. Ordered 9.5” for the intake and 9.55 for exhaust and they arrived today (about a week turnaround and a couple days for delivery. Looking forward to finishing up the engine.
Jim Mocked up valve train assembly without guide plates and 3/8” wide pushrods 3/8” wide pushrods resting on the pushrod hole New Manton 5/16” pushrods
Sunny day in the mountains which means it’s a painting day! Restored my console, arm rests, seat trim and backs. Used Bulldog Adhesion Promoter and Kolor Korrect. Think the pieces turned out nicely. Medium Metallic Blue. Next up, the headrests.
Got back to work on the engine, installing the pushrods and adjusting the lifter lash. Used the EO/IC (exhaust open/intake closed) method to find the base circle for both the intake and exhaust lobes for each cylinder. It’s pretty straightforward, as soon as the exhaust pushrod moves upward, the intake is on its base circle and lash can be set. Zero lash is achieved by tightening the rocker adjustment nut by hand until there is no play between the lifter on its clip and the rocker assembly. Next mark the nut at the 12:00 position and turn the nut 1/2 a turn to the 6:00 position. Tighten the locking nut and repeat for the exhaust valve. The exhaust valve is on its base circle after the intake cam lobe has passed its peak and is moving towards its base circle. The same procedure is used for zero lash and tightening 1/2 turn. The only thing to be mindful for is identifying the intake and exhaust valve for each cylinder as they reverse position midway down the head. With the intake off, it’s easy to identify the intake passage for each cylinder.
Next, installed the new oil baffle (Mondello) and mocked up the the intake by taping down the manifold head gaskets and end rail gaskets. Since the intake manifold gaskets are much thicker than the factory turkey tray, there is a gap larger than the cork end rail gaskets. I will seal with a thick bead of silicone instead of the cork gasket.
Jim 1,3,5,7 cylinders - pushrods adjusted and locked 2,4,6,8 cylinders adjusted and locked New oil baffle Removed the baffle in the right valve cover to accommodate the H&S rocker arms Left valve cover End gap larger than the cork gasket - will have to use silicone instead of cork Front gap Rear gap
Jim, looks good. I like to use a bead of silicone on the intake ends instead of the cork gaskets anyways. Those end gaskets always seem to find a way to move or squeeze out. I know a lot of other pro engine builders do the same.
Back working on the motor. Wasn’t pleased with the position of the intake manifold on the heads and the end gap spacing. Measured the thickness of the manifold gaskets that I had purchased from Mondello back in 2014 before I learned that Joe wasn’t affiliated with the business any longer. They were 90/1000” in thickness. Checked the specifications for the Fel-Pro 455 intake manifold gaskets (60/1000”) and decided to order a set. Mocked up the gaskets and liked the fit much better. Installed the intake and timing cover with water pump.
Finally got back in the garage after taking time out for lobster season in the Keys. Been making the Keys trip for the last 17 years. This year Covid got the crew including me. Put us out of commission after only two days of bugging. Oh well, one bad year out of 17 isn’t too bad! Still managed to bring some bugs home.
Buttoned up the oil pan and finished painting the engine. Came out nice. Really like the Thornton paint. Next up, dressing up the engine and break in. Making progress.
Got a few bugs before Covid Taping up the exhaust ports Installed the balancer Bolted up the oil filter housing Several coats of Thornton paint Finished engine
Was readying the engine to mount back on the frame when I opened the motor the mount bag to find the passenger mount was cracked. Turns out it was original (406436). The drivers side must have been replaced in the mid 90’s with a mount that was slightly larger but still fit the frame pads. I found a pinched brake line that must have been damaged jacking up and moving the engine around to replace the mount. I must have anticipated replacing these mounts back in 2014 as I had purchased replacement mounts from Fusick (they sent me Anchor 2328 mounts). When I compared them to the original mount, they were not close. The holes for the bolt that secures the mount to the pad were further out from the block than the original. I measured the distance between the slots in the pad that the engine mounts fit into and the range was 14 to 14 1/4”. I then installed the mounts that were on the engine when I pulled it and measured the distance between the holes. The measurement was 14 1/4” which obviously fit on the high end of the range. I removed the cracked passenger mount (factory original 406436) with the new Anchor and the measurement increased by 1/2” to 14 3/4”, outside the frame pad range. I researched CO and found several discussions on the motor mount topic which seemed to confirm the issue with aftermarket mounts for type 2 frame pads for 69 -72 year A bodies. There were several creative fixes (welding up the hole, drilling new holes and grinding the bottom of mount to allow the hole to align with the pad and flush up to the frame) but nothing that didn’t involve modifications. I’m going to continue to research other manufacturers, but if one of you has already found an aftermarket mount that just bolts on and fits, please let me know. I’d love to find an aftermarket that has the same dimensions as the factory original but I’m afraid that’s like finding a unicorn!
Jim
Installed exhaust manifolds and motor mounts Original motor mount 406436 Comparison between original and Anchor 2328. Notice the position of the hole on the 2328 - much further out The position of the tab that slides on top of the frame pad is higher on the original which places the motor closer to the frame Cracked original mount Anchor replacement 2328 Type 2 frame pads for 69-72 A bodies
Jim I can’t remember which mounts I used recently. Probably the anchors but they fit pretty good. I had to slightly elongate the passenger side hole for the long bolt just slightly to get it in place.
Solved the motor mount issue. Called O’Reilly’s auto parts and ordered mounts for a 70 Olds 442. They carry Power Torque mounts. These were much closer to the factory original than the Anchor mounts. Had to elongate the holes 300/1000’s to position the bolt hole the same distance from the tab that sits in the frame mount as the original. When I lowered the motor and tranny on the frame, the mounts fit like a glove! So nice to see the power train back on the frame after 8 years!
Jim O’Reilly’s brand. Much closer in design to the original. Original distance from tab to bolt hole centerline. Had to elongate the hole to match original dimensions. Test fit the mounts before bolting them to the block. Motor dropped in and fit like a glove. Tranny aligned perfectly to cross member.
Thanks Paul and Jimmy! So nice to see the drivetrain back on the frame. The diaphragm on my original transmission vacuum modulator (8623365) ruptured back in 2010 before I started the restoration and fluid was being sucked up into the intake. I replaced it with an aftermarket one. Had always planned on sourcing an original so thanks for the reminder Jimmy! I posted on Parts Wanted and have been looking on eBay as well. If someone has a working original, please PM me.
Picked up my interior upholstery today. The quality of the Legendary covers is very noticeable compared to the YearOne covers that were on the car from 1995. Think they came out very nice. Can’t wait to try them out once the car is done!
Installed the original carburetor on the intake. I had it rebuilt and replated back in 2013. Harold Demes in Arizona did all the work. He did my 1969 Vette carburetor back in 2005 and he does quality work. You can find him on YouTube demonstrating the plating process.
I attempted to install a new fuel line from the pump to the carburetor and it was not even close to fitting. I’ve seen others post similar problems with these from certain vendors.I’m going to get my bender out and attempt to manipulate it but the real issue is the clearance between the carburetor fuel inlet and the thermostat housing. The bend is too far from the fuel inlet and hits the housing. I looked at Fusick’s site and may try one from them. Any suggestions for sourcing one would be appreciated.
Jim Original modulator 8623365 Leaky modulator Legendary rear seat covers Front bucket covers Rear armrests and top covers Original carburetor
Coming together nicely!
Does it bother anyone else the fact those mounts are made in China? I think the anchor mounts are made in India, probably not much better? Is what it is, just bums me out.
Got back to Colorado on Friday after a 3 day 2000 mile trip from Florida. Takes a few days to acclimate to the altitude (8600 feet) from sea level. Joined some of my fellow car enthusiasts at Cars and Coffee on Saturday. Rode in 1970 Olds 442 Coupe survivor (Aegean Blue) with 40k original miles and I really got the fever to get mine done and back on the road!
Am excited to be back in the garage! Over the winter I purchased some NOS parts from CO members to finish up the drivetrain. Ordered multiple fuel pump to carburetor lines to replace my original which I over tightened many years ago and twisted at the carburetor inlet. Not sure if others have experienced similar issues but none of the three that I purchased from different vendors (InLine, OPGI, Fusick) fit. The closest fit turned out to be the last one from Fusick. I’m hoping to make one work. My original fits perfectly but I don’t want to use it with the twist even though it is not obstructed. Anyone have an original for sale? Any success with other vendors?
Thanks,
Jim
My buddy’s 1970 442 Aegean Blue 40K mile Survivor Original fuel line Twist from over tightening OPGI Fusick InLine Angle of InLine compared to original
Jim I’ll have to check where I got my recent one from, but after a few tweaks with a tubing bender it fit fine. I think a lot of them need to be tweaked a bit
Speaking of tweeking the line, I found it helpful to manually bend it "pretty darn close." Next attach the new line at the fuel pump. Then detach the carb from the intake, and connect the carb-side of the line to the carb. Then gently place and reinstall the carb, with the fuel line connected. Tighten to spec per CSM.
Jim, put a dab of grease on the back side of the fitting before tightening it. That’ll prevent the “chicken wing” wend towards the sky. Glad to hear you connected with Ray.
