So I guess I'm too far into the tear down to turn back now. The car is a 68 that was resored back in '89 It is a little tired. I thought I'd take a few components off the engine and clean up the engine compartment. Well now the engine is out and most of the front clip! Anyways wish me luck! pix of the "murder scene" (Yep let the tranny fluid leak all over the floor when i tilted it!) Me and the approving wife!

Craig

 

Hey Craig, Good luck and and git er done! Bag and tag every nut bolt and clip. take pictures before, during and after....that ship may have sailed(the before pics)...keep those photos coming and let us know your progress!

tom
68 442
70 F85

 

Sounds like a great project. Try and keep that approving wife smiling! Good Luck with your project. Be sure to keep us updated. Love the pics, any chance you could make them larger???

 

It's almost more fun restoring it than driving it. Your wife looks like she's taking it a lot better than mine did. If I had a pic of my wife during my restoration she'd be flipping me off

 

Every thing is bagged and tagged! I have restored a few Corvairs before, this is my first "water pumper" The wife is smiling cause she doesn't realize what she is in for! Here are some larger picks! I love this forum and all the encouragement! I'm going to need it! I have 2 little girls (3 if you count the wife) that take up most of my time. A little grease and testosterone in the garage sure equals out the estrogen fest! "What got on in the garage stays in the garage!"

Thanks for the support guys! (more pix to come!)

Craig

 

Have fun - you will enjoy your finished product! I got mine done in 2007. Note that the wife is smiling!

Randy C.

 

Randy,

Nice car! I guess when the wife can go for a ride in it, all that effort was worth it!

Craig

 

nice car, and a great project, good luck with it... time in the man cave is good, I certaqinly hope your rebuild goes faster than mine LOL..... keep the pics coming...

 

Eddie,

Just looked over your project, Quite impressive. The wood wheel job looks great! Any pix of the car?

Craig

 

So, just talked to the engine builder. Estimates $2500 for a total tear down and rebuild. Valve job and a little porting. Sound about right? It never fails, Every time I seek to "just reseal and cleanup" it turns into a major build! Tell me I'm not nuts! Looking for encouragement!

Craig

 

It seems cheap. Does it include boring, turning the crank, new pistons? You don't really talk about lower end work

 

Mike,

It's an "over the phone" ballpark estimate. He needs to tear it down to see. The engine was solid when I pulled it. I don't think it's going to need much. Probably new pistons and with .030 bore. Glad you think its cheap. I was hoping for cheaper! Ya get what you pay for! I'll have more details once I drop it off

Craig

 

I paid $3500. City prices (Boston). Straight stock rebuild. Crank polished, .030 pistons. Completely assembled long block, oil pan to intake

 

I agree with the others Craig, expect it to cost more. $3500 seems about right for everything. Not saying it will cost more, but it's nice to be prepared (and have the $ available) for the worst.

Hopefully it'll be a much smoother restoration than mine was. Never again....

 

It's usually higher with everything! Gonna drop it off next week, we'll let ya know.

While on the subject, I'm doing the TH400 as well, any guesses what that will cost? It ran fine, just needs a cleaning and reseal.

Craig

 

I love that phrase! I have never adhered to it once!! But in the end I have always had a car I was proud of....and I am still married!!

 

If you want to save some money, i would recommend getting the necessary hot tanking (cleaning) and machine work done, then assemble it yourself. Joe Mondello's book is great in my opinion, and some careful reading and measurements you could save yourself some serious money!

 

Yeah, I've been considering it. I need to find some room to do it!

Thanks!

Craig

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GuqB1BQVr4

First, Chicago (Stay the night) now this? What's the Olds world coming to? I guess it's the younger generation embracing classic cars, right? Well does this increase or devalue the car? I guess there is a reason to continue my restoration!

Craig

 

Good luck with the resto. You will greatly appreciate it more in the end as apposed to purchasing one previously restored.

 

Gahhhh! If my son saw this video he'd hurl. He's not a Bieber fan and neither are his friends.

 

If you squint real hard you can block him out and just see the cars!!!!!

Craig

 

Well, the engine goes to the machine shop today! The long money bleeding begins!

 

Wanna buy some leaches? You might need a blood transfusion next time you ask the bank for some money for this project. You doing the rebuild yourself or having it farmed out? I was thinking of doing my own - just farming out the machining and heads.

 

I don't mind wrenching on anything but stuff that needs crazy tolerances just plain scares me! I am looking at getting my 330 2barrel rebuilt and I will be spending about the same money. I would like to do it mydelf if I had a buddy helping so I could watch and learn when I need it. I would hate for my shiny engine to make some ugly noises then grenade on me...

Just a thought.

 

Craig yes it does :-) thanks for the compliments I have posted some over due progress I am doing the underside while the bodies still off redoing some stuff I did before to clean up welds and such. I find if i tackle smaller projects it keeps momentum going. What is included for the 2500

 

I have the same questions as ally old etc while the 2500_3500 range seems right youeed to watch the temptation to add work I started doing that adding eagle rods,Harlan sharps,arp bolts, forged pistons yada yada yada and It added a few grand at the back end so what is the guy putting in

 

Good luck with the build. Resist the urge to stack more stuff on top of it.

 

Thanks for the replies! I dropped the engine off at the machine shop. (He is a well known enginge builder in So Cal, even told me he worked for the Mondellos! I think I am in good hands!) He is going to tear it down in the next few weeks. We talked about doing some minor head work, a cam and new forged pistons to start. He is an old friend of my dads too, so that helps. I'll keep you all posted!

Craig

 

cool craig, I am sure you are in good hands!!! stay away from all parts catalogs LOL.... that is what happened to me...LOL.. just as an aside the milodon stock replacement pan actually holds 5 quarts ( same as a toro) and add the filter it is 6 qts, which is one more over stock it doesn't have the double reservoir and looks absolutely stock when painted just sayin..

 

Thanks for the info Eddie! I'll stick to reading "playboy!" I'll look into the oil pan. I'm still thinking about going with a performer intake manifold. The Stock one weighs a ton (probably could gain a few horses on weight alone!)

Craig

 

Craig stay away from playboy!!!... it will only make you day/night dream about nefarious activities and this will hamper you while your trying to crawl underneath the car wrenching stick with hemmings!! LOL...

I also used a performer, I had the machine shop mill off the edelbrock/performer raised lettering and blast that area of the manifold so it looks like a stock aluminum manifold, he also machined and welded in aluminum plates for the heat cross overs..

here is a picture of the Milodan pan painted to look stock

 

Eddie,

Nefarious activities are way cheaper than restoring the 442! Still up in the air about the manifold. Did you notice any difference from the stock one? Probably gained about 10 HP in weight alone! They built em heavy back then! I am digging deeper into the front clip. Took the wheel wells out today. Thinking about water blasting them and painting them with a satin black plastic spray. The front suspension needs to be addressed, I was looking at the OPGI catalog (I know big mistake) an noticed their rebuild kit. Anyone gone this route? Any other recommendations? Also seems a good time to swap those drums for disc brakes.

That's it for now,

Craig

 

Craig the manifold will be slightly taller than stock . You can get the front end parts from rock auto or Napa it is the time to do it and the parts won't break the bank . You might want to consider springs as well and if your thinking disc brakes you will need to change the spindles remember you will need to change proportioning valve and probably the master cylinder and lines the ugly might as well monster rears its head I got my 4 wheel disc brake kit from getdiscbrakes.com it was a great kit and complete. If your just doing fronts you should be able'to'find just the front spindles and get calipers etc on line . I added a bunch of might as wells (powder coated calipers, new booster,drilled and slotted rotors, stainless lines and cables, etc) and my bill was just under 1500 for the parts.

 

Eddie,

Do you think it is cheaper to get front end parts a la carte from Napa or buy a kit from OPGI?
I am looking for a front disc kit that is close to stock. Does getdiskbrakes.com have a kit?

 

Eddie,

Do you think it is cheaper to get front end parts a la carte from Napa or buy a kit from OPGI?
I am looking for a front disc kit that is close to stock. Does getdiskbrakes.com have a kit?

 

I would think it would be cheaper maybe shipping would drive it up , but you decide where your parts come from ie trw ball joints or moog etc I think the first time around I got all my stuff from PST one of the companies were offering stock disc brake spindles get disc brakes has them as well it is 595 for the kit includes everything including new booster master calipers etc

 

Craig I think for pure stock the 68 cars had rare and very pricey twin piston calipers ( like the vette) I don't think these are twins mine wasn't I'll snoop around and see what I can find there are guys on the forum that pop on down to the local auto store and get the whole shebang off the rack? I am not that clever hopefully someone will chime in

 

Craig I think for pure stock the 68 cars had rare and very pricey twin piston calipers ( like the vette) I don't think these are twins mine wasn't I'll snoop around and see what I can find there are guys on the forum that pop on down to the local auto store and get the whole shebang off the rack? I am not that clever hopefully someone will chime in I just checked in line tube they have the correct for 68 kit but it is like 1150

 

Thanks Eddie, I'll do some research on local prices. It just seems so easy to go the "one stop shopping" route. I think the getdiskbrakes.com price will be just fine. If anyone gets close enough to check the originality of the brake calipers, I'll hit 'em with a 2x4!!!!!! I tore the rest of the front end down yesterday. I'm looking forward to getting the disc kit, probably because everything is clean!!!!! Pix to follow! Thanks again!

Craig