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Just had the engineer look over the truck. He likes what he sees though we have to add another gusset to the engine mount to make two gussets for extra support. That is all so far! More to come!
Folks, I am having a bit of strife trying to work out the spline size of the original jag intermediate shaft. I have the bottom one worked out. it is 48 3/4 spline, but it is the top spline I can't seem to get right. I thought it was a 36 5/8 spline, but I just bought a flaming river uni to slot over it and it doesn't fit. It is awful close, but not quite close enough. The flaming river uni is 36 5/8 and is too small. I am wondering whether the jag is something like an 11/16ths? Can anyone confirm. The only other thing it might be is there could be a burr in the new uni, but doesn't appear to be anything wrong with it.
I can slip the jag uni over the original shaft uni no problems, so the intermediate shaft seems okay.
It is the top shaft I need confirmation on. Thanks guys. I took out a caliper and measured it and I am damned certain it is 5/8 od. It is possible I could be wrong...
Twenty tension filled moments later we breathed a sigh of relief as the engine slid straight back into its place, missing the rack and just clearing the starter motor! Woohoo! Sadly (and I suspected this) the block huggers hit absolutely everything.
I don't know what to do there. Most likely get some customised to fit, because I don't want to put that old manifold back on again if I can help it.
Darkside 327 Chevy finds home in Dorothy.
Show some love for a Chevy
Really, if this had been a Ford engine, it would never have fitted. I really like any engine as long as it had 8 cylinders and is shaped like a V. But after seeing how snug this motor sits in that engine bay, I don't think I want to ever change a thing.
Biggest pain in the neck is the placement of the distributor cap. (I know I am not gonna get a lot of sympathy here! Heheh)
It does fit, but taking it out is not going to be so easy, and of course, they have to go back in straight, not at an angle. I actually have an electronic dizzy to go in, which is probably a big taller still. Gonna get it running first and mess with it later. Don't fancy cutting a big hole in my firewall...
I think you have more room around your dizzy than most Chevies had from the factory. If you go electronic you'll likely never have to pull it again anyway.
Yeah, Ross, just a super tight fit as far as getting in straight. I will be getting the old girl running on the old dizzy first and then swap it over with the electronic. Can't wait to fire this old tart up again. It's been around 8 months....
Fitting up a new side mirror.
Now, someone told me these weren't based on factory mirrors, but why would they have the holes in the back of the door to accommodate them if not? this truck had one aftermarket mirror on lhs and nothing on the right, so had to measure up whereabouts it should go.
Measuring the height, width etc to fit side mirror into door.
Worked out fine. Cut well inside the rectangle and slowly ground the area out until it fitted.
Like most of this work I do on the truck lately, it is in pitch black darkness as I never seem to get any time to work on it unless I do it at night. Incredibly frustrating!
We were able to get the distributor out without a drama. Came straight up and out, and because of that, were able to fit the new HEI unit up without a hitch. Not the best photo, but it was late in the evening. I seem to do everything in the dark these days. Driving me nuts!
Found a nice location for the oil sender unit. New set of extractors will have to work around it, but should be able to.
Having some fun removing heater hose fitting from manifold
Four days of soaking in w4-40, a lengthy hit with some propane, and finally, a combination spanner on the fitting with a huge shifter hooked through the open end for added leverage and guess what...
before and after....
And the rotten thing is STILL in there! I thought for a while that it was steel, which explained why it was such a pig to get out. But it is brass, and it won't budge...
I think I am going to leave it in there. It doesn't leak, just looks old and scabby.
Been messing around with fitting a new water pump and harmonic balancer while I was at it. (These are Chevy items, so I won't elaborate much more on them)
have been messing around with trying to fit a set of Clipster style headers to the 327.
Not much success yet, but the rhs is at the muffler shop getting modded. The other side is perfect.
Tried block huggers and some other type of header but nothing worked. These are the closest, but still foul the steering intermediate shaft.
Fun and games!
Should be ready to kick the engine over next weekend!
05-16-2015, 07:39 AM
