442craig

Well enjoy the r&r! I know you deserve it! Cleaning the underside of the beast is a real pain in the ***!

Giants and the Pats, sounds good, I used to be a LA Rams fan now they are the "Scrams" College football is all I watch. UCLA bruins. (not much to watch lately!)

I found a guy on craigslist locally who refurbishes GM A arms. I am going to try to swap my "bastard" Arm.

Craig

Eddie Hansen

Well I am glad you found a 'painless' way to make the switch :-) when I did the disc brake conversion , I was thinking to get those tubular a arms but figured as I already finished the front end to leave well enough alone, I am interested to see how the jeep box works out for you that upgrade is on my list.

Eddie Hansen

Hey Craig how bout a progress report???? . Anything new??? Just checking on your project

442craig

Eddie,

Still trying to resolve the a arm issue and new bolts problems. It's amazing how much the little things slow you down. "Slow down do it right" I believe is the mantra... I'm trying to live by that!

I'm trying to decide on the the new jeep steering box (new or junk yard) Leaning towards a new one (less work cleaning and painting and dont have to worry about failure)

I have the master cylinder in from the disk brake conversion kit in. Still need a few more parts as well as the rest of the suspension done so I can finish it.

Haven't heard from the engine builder. He is retired and not in a hurry to finish which is fine with me I'd rather be further along and pop that beauty in when it's ready rather than collecting dust in my garage!

I am thinking about headers for it but am wondering if it is going to be too much of a headache (clearance problems etc.) to be worth it.

That's about it, wish it was more. I am feeling the need to get greasy! Maybe a little wrench turning this weekend, we'll see if the wife allows it!

Craig

Eddie Hansen

I hear you bud!! I am talking the missus into helping me lower the car on the chasis over the weekend, kinda scares me every time I mention it shes says SURE!!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA hmmmmmmm better check to see if she upped the insurance on me LOL....

I thought about headers too, but that would mean you need the center divider welded , I think to do it correctly, this is more work at the machine shop plus face it headers are a headache for a non-racing car...I have had them in many vehicles over the years and they always turned out to be a PITA, I went with w/z's

I have decided to leave my stock box in for the moment, things are moving along at a furious ( for me LOL) pace, I need to have some loot for a new fuel tank, sender, etc , and an aluminum radiator etc, and 2 outer wheel houses ( first) so I am tackling one thing at a time and the first priority is body on frame LOL...

Stay greasy my friend LOL.....

Eddie Hansen

Craig, I thought about my very last comment and well....... made you this I actually Love it hahahahahahahaha

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22989597@N02/7977369059/http://www.flickr.com/photos/22989597@N02/7977369059/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/22989597@N02/, on Flickr

442craig

Love the pic! It's funny how I now long for a little grease time! I live in the house of estrogen (3 women) Nice to have a testosterone reset!

Hope to get in a little garage time this weekend. I got a few parts from Fusick and Ground Up.

Hope your "Olds mating" goes swimmingly! Remember shinny side up (but in your case maybe that means the chassis!)

Craig

Eddie Hansen

ground Up? do you have a link?

I have been getting a few boxes lately, decided to upgrade some of my older bolts and use original style instead of the stainless steel kits I have purchased ( Brian is a BAD influence LOL). I also ordered some additional parts for the next chapter, which will include engine installation, tranny installation, drive shaft etc, so I can start making my small space a little bigger.

I hear you on the grease time, and the estrogen battle, when my Daughter is home from school it usually isn't too bad as they always go shopping, or nails or something and I happily pay for that if I can spend some time in the "shop" it does keep you sane... so get out there bud, and make us proud :-)

69442C

[QUOTE=Eddie Hansen;456033]ground Up? do you have a link?

I have been getting a few boxes lately, decided to upgrade some of my older bolts and use original style instead of the stainless steel kits I have purchased ( Brian is a BAD influence LOL). QUOTE]

Ok, let me see if I can get you in more trouble. www.ss396.com (Ground Up and located in CT). Chevy supplier but I have found their prices to be very reasonable for the same items sold through some of the Olds parts houses.

Brian

Eddie Hansen

[QUOTE=69442C;456193]Brian your a bad bad man but a good good friend lol thank you sir !! Jeeez I am in deep doodoo now

442craig

Yep, Brian beat me to the punch. On his recommendation I bought a few front suspension parts from them. They are cheaper. they sent me the wrong a arm bolts, called them and they shipped me the right ones for free. I'd recommend them, just dont tell them they are for an Olds

442craig

Well took a trip to the machine shop today. The 400 is disassembled and acid dipped. Heads and decks are surfaced. Rods are ready for bushings and pins. We are going with a roller cam Comp cam 505. I'm going to add a edlebrock performer intake manifold and paint it to look stock. I am going to stay with the stock exhaust manifolds and have them blasted and ceramic coated, headers just seem to be too much of a pain in the *** for a nice cruiser! Here is the pix. Ollie Helert is the builder, He has built many high performance engines. He used to work for Mondello. Still talks to JR. So I think I am in GREAT hands. I just write the checks and he provides the fire! We are getting the pistons (forged) next week. Then it'l be time to start the assembly! I better get cracking with the front end. I have the driver side A arm in with spring and new Disc spindle. I just want to grab a beer and a chair and stare at it. Almost as sexy as a fine woman!

Can you tell I'm getting excited????

Craig

442craig

And More

442craig

Anyone have advise on where to buy a edlebrock performer intake manifold for a '68 400?????

Craig

Eddie Hansen

Craig I thought 400 and 455 manifolds are the same? I better check that, one thought regarding the performer my machinist removed the 'edelbrock' off my manifold then blasted it to look like a stock manifold just sayin

allyolds68

Tell him to take 1/4" off the top too so your stock air cleaner will fit under the hood

Eddie Hansen

For me its too late, my machinist did make two plates and sealed off the crossovers , welded them in and surfaced the mating surface looks like they were never there.

Eddie Hansen

Craig I checked and they list the 400 to 455 manifold as the same they are like 259 from jegs but shop around I would think you could find them used as I did make sure there are no cracks in the heat crossover etc and the threads for the Carb are good , my machinist also port matched mine you might ask but this is could lead to an introduction to the maw devil

442craig

Thanks guys on the intake advise. I am in good hands with the builder.
I got the driver side a arm and spring in and am working on the new disc brakes! SO PURTY! Pix soon!

Craig

442craig

Well got a little further along this weekend. The "Right stuff" disc brake kit is awesome! I found that my SSI 14" wheels wont fit. I'm thinking of going a little modern with the wheels. A little more resto-rod. Was going to try to keep the whole car a stock as possible but something inside me is fighting it! A little too much fathers olds!

A few wierd things keep popping up. Ordered a front sway bar bushing kit. The kit came with a 8" bolt and 3" sleeve. The one on the car was a 6" bolt with a 2 1/2" sleeve. Anybody heard of this? Also got the sway bar bushing it came with a 15/16" bushing. I'm thinking it will never fit. seems as if the sway bar is larger. 1 1/4" or something? Nothing is easy!

Decided to buy a remanufactured 97 Jeep gear box. It bolted in beautifully! The box was $129.99 and a $17.00 core charge. I am going to give Lee Engineering a call this week for the conversion kit. They are in So Cal and makes it convenient!

All for now!

Craig

Eddie Hansen

Nice work Craig, they do make a 15 inch ss1 I believe but I hear you on a set of "mags" lol do they even say that anymore

442craig

Thanks! My dad had a set of "mags" on his 68 442. American racing! I always think of the 5 slot rims that were everywhere back in the day when I hear "mags!" Always wanted a 70 Nova "Jacked up" back then. Jacked up means something else these days!

Eddie Hansen

Yup I believe they were called Ansen 'Sprints" I love the torque thrust wheels, I am now leaning toward Radir wheels if I can get hurst repo centers to fit them? or the cragar eliminators, which the hurst centers won't fit, but maybe I can have a set made/machined ... long way aways...

what size sneaks are you thinking? I wanted a set of goodyear white letter radials but seems they don't make them in 15's anymore? so bf goodrich might be the only choice for RWL?

442craig

Kind a digging these Vison wheels. I was originally thinking the chrome ones but I think the Grey ones look great, a little more sinister! I am thinking of these with a red stripped tire. It'd look bad a$$ with the REd paint! I am going so off the reservation with this! I was going to go "stock" with this rebuild. Who knows, might just go with a set of 15" with SSII's. The Visions are available in 17's. Things to ponder. I have time!

I just talked to Lee Engineering. They are going to set up my new steering box for the OLDS! Stay tuned!

Craig

gearheads78

Car is looking great.

On the wheels those look like something for a modern car with lots of positive offset.

If you like that look for a good price check out the wheels I put on the 72.

69442C

Craig,

Nice to see the progress and it looks great.

Brian

Eddie Hansen

Geez Craig, you really know how to heat up the MAW list, please keep us updated, as the front end of my car is still off and perhaps I will do the conversion sooner rather than later .... ya Bastid

442craig

Thanks Richard,

Just dreaming about the wheels... I'll check em out later. I do like the ones on you 72!

442craig

Eddie,

Got ta get kicked in the **** sometimes!

442craig

Thanks Brian,

Just trying to keep up with you!

442craig

Update on the Jeep conversion.

So I have had a problem with the Jeep steering box conversion. I bought the Lee Engineering kit with the new rag joint. As I mentioned before, the rag joint is 1/4" larger than the stock one. I called Tom at Lee Engineering and sent him pix. He was baffled on the phone and had never heard of an A body having problems. I, fortunately, work close to his shop so I stopped by. He agreeed it was a problem and now is in the process of modifying the stock one to fix.

Question: A lot of you guys have done this conversion, did any of you have this problem? Is the 68 frame unique? What gives?

Craig

MX442

I haven't done this conversion yet. But if I remember correctly, you need the rag joint from a 1980 Chevy pickup, and modify the slots to fit the shaft.

MX442

Here you go:
http://www.chevelles.com/techref/ftecref29.html
Car Craft did an article on this 4 or 5 years ago showing to file the holes. Can't find the issue off hand.

442craig

Thanks! I still think it is very odd that the Lee kit doesn't fit. He was baffled too and has done this for years! It's not like it's an Amphicar or something!

Craig

RetroRanger

hmm that is strange, someone just mentioned their steering gear had shims behind it when they took it off I dont recal the model or year of can tho. You had plenty of clearance w the stock unit ?

I put lares rebuilt fast ratio box (~$190) on mine it comes w the rag joint. after a couple hundred mile break-in I really like it lifetime warrenty too fitment was no issue

442craig

I saw that post too. The shims would throw the geometry off I believe. It never fails the "Bolt on" is never the case! Happy Oldsmobilling!

Craig

gearheads78

Not sure what you problem is but the Lee box I used on my old 66 went right on with the truck rag joint.

442craig

Forgot to post the comparison shot. Old and new.

Craig

RetroRanger

Geez not much difference...could the frame have collapsed from overtightening the steering gear mount bolts or was there a spacer or something to keep that from happening ?

Eddie Hansen

Following along Craig :-) keep at her