Got some pics of my new to me engine for the gurus.
It sure looks like a good one to me
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.
..
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.gotta get it all back together and back in here

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......Roger

 

Oh yea, gonna pull the front clip off and start cleaning up the engine compartment before it goes back in.......
....Roger

 

I have to say that looks like a beautiful engine! Where's the sludge in the valley of the valves? Taking off the front clip is the best two hours you will ever spend. For an even bigger treat, pull the front wheels and the front bumper and put it on a couple of good jackstands. No more hanging over the fenders upside down. Excellent access to everything!

 

The whole engine was very clean. I pulled the oilpan because the PO said there was some sludge that he got by sticking his finger in the drain plug hole when he drained the oil. Not really very much though. And Im thinking this is a truck engine.
He said the PO before him said it was a 51, the oil pan is just like the one from my orig engine and the intake has the extra vacuum port.
If so, how lucky can one be??? This all started from a chance meeting at the parts store...
........Roger

 

8RT is the designation for the truck engine. 8BA is the designation for the car engine. If you have the 8RT heads, wide fan belt setup with truck pumps, and the oil pan with the clean out you have a truck engine. That said, all those parts swap with the car engine too, so you can find pretty much any combination these days.

 

Welllll,front clip is now off, and it took alot more than 2 hours...
Bolts were extremely rusted,,couldn't get them to loosen, couldn't get them to break...heads were rounded off..
I went and got a cutting disc for the grinder..
Man them things are great!!!! except for the smelllll
of burning flesh and burning beard....
one more job complete.....
The wiring is UUUUUUUGLY old, brittle, gonna look into rewiring and maybe a 12 volt conversion. I got a gm alternator bracket with the new engine.
Gots lots of researching to do........
.....Roger

 

Look on the back of the block, just to the right of the oil pump drive gear cover. Is there a 0BA or 1BA cast into the block?

I can't tell if there are hardened seats or not, but the valves and springs are 8BA, not the '51-on rotator type. But it could be a '51 block that was retrofitted with earlier springs and valves. If the heads are still off I'd check for hardened seats for sure.

The 8RT heads are generally lower compression than 8BA, do you have another 8BA head so they match? (off old engine)

 

I am very dense and hard-headed,,, but have come to the conclusion that this build must be a looooong distance run rather than a sprint.
I want to do things right, and the more I dig into it, the more I see that needs to be done.
My son is a freshman in H.S. and we are currently starting track season.
He is a shot and disc thrower and has earned one of the starting positions.
So most Saturdays will be spent at events. I wouldn't miss this for the world as it will fly by very quickly....
Then we will move to football where he absolutely loves that sport and earned a varsity letter this past year. I am truly blessed and VERY proud!!!
Sooo the build will proceed but not at the pace that I had wanted...
.
.....Roger

 

Tearing apart is fun but I can't wait till I start putting it back together!!!!!

 

One step forward two steps backward but nonetheless progress is being made.
.
.Factory markings while in it's infancy?
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.transmission markings

.lookin a little better
.
.
.puttin the two together
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.ahaaa Sweet success
.

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Lookin' good.

 

Thanks Raytasch,
Sounded GREAT tooo,,,,BUT,,,,,
ummm,,,,, ummmm,,,,, welllll,,,, is there a place on this forum where we go to get a swift kick on the backside and a dunce cap installed on cranium???
OR,,, do we just move on like it never happened???
....Roger

 

Fabricated the exhaust and got it all in place...
Broke the square drive off my 1/2" drive ratchet trying to get them lug-nuts off................ Didn't know I had it in me..........
Don't have a heat wrench anybody got any tips or tricks on their removal??? I gotta get to them brakes....
.............Roger

 

Left hand and right hand threads, is that your problem? Nuts are marked "L" and "R". Be careful with the torch. It can take the temper out of the studs. And since you haven't gotten rid of your widow makers yet, I'd let the air out before getting aggressive with them. Stu

 

Left-hand thread studs and nuts are known to have been put on the right-hand side by POs. Been there, got the scars. My buddy and I felt pretty silly after a half hour of swearing at one stuck nut. I cleaned it off, sure enough, it had a big ol' "L" stamped right on the face of it. Geeeeeeee!