1972 Highboy Build Progress
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,694
Likes: 45
From: La Ribera, Baja, Mexico
Hey BB, it is all good here in the Bump Kingdom.. and it is good to hear from you, anyway.
Baja
A fine is a tax for doing something wrong, and a tax is a fine for doing something well
Baja
A fine is a tax for doing something wrong, and a tax is a fine for doing something well
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 617
Likes: 0
Ok, guys... couple of questions to help move things forward.
On the engine build... I keep going back and forth on doing it myself or having Carolina Machine Engines build it. I'm really glad I went thru the front axle and rebuilt the closed knuckle because it is as good as new now. You guys have seen the pics. Couple of guys on this site gave me some help and made it happen. I'm confident I can do it with help. But should I???
If I do it myself can I end up with a high 300's HP / high torque FE engine?
The engine (short block) came from Napa about 12 years ago and then sat year after year. I think it was never broken in which screwed the lifters and cam. The rest should be good. I will rebuild it as a 390 engine. Engine was installed by a friend of PO. So lots of factors.
Chime in at will... lol. Thanks!
On the engine build... I keep going back and forth on doing it myself or having Carolina Machine Engines build it. I'm really glad I went thru the front axle and rebuilt the closed knuckle because it is as good as new now. You guys have seen the pics. Couple of guys on this site gave me some help and made it happen. I'm confident I can do it with help. But should I???
If I do it myself can I end up with a high 300's HP / high torque FE engine?
The engine (short block) came from Napa about 12 years ago and then sat year after year. I think it was never broken in which screwed the lifters and cam. The rest should be good. I will rebuild it as a 390 engine. Engine was installed by a friend of PO. So lots of factors.
Chime in at will... lol. Thanks!
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,694
Likes: 45
From: La Ribera, Baja, Mexico
You could do it yourself, but count on lots of trips to the machine shop, and parts store. Unless you have a nice shop, I would not try it under a shade tree. One of my motto's, is "Trust, but verify"... so if you have a machine shop/engine builder, and you trust them, then leave it to the pro's if you want it perfect. If not, then do it yourself, and you know what's been done, and done right. Lots of factors to weigh in the balance.
Baja
Baja
Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,835
Likes: 595
From: Minnesota
I agree with Baja. I did my own rebuild, but had the crank rods and block done by the pros. I port matched my heads that came with hardened exhaust seats. Installed all new parts including a new harmonic balancer as the original is now 47 years old. There are a lot of things to consider time, cost and experience. I am no pro but this will be my third rebuild and so far I have a pretty good record. (Patty myself on my back here).
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,255
Likes: 199
From: Phoenix, Az.
I could and have done it myself in the past. But I would still check them for a price of doing the work. They can do things we can't. Like vatting the block which cleans it inside and out. Including the cooling passages. And they "prolly" have a deck plate to torque down to the block when boring out the cylinders. This mimicks the cylinder head so the block thinks there is a cylinder head attached. This way the cylinders are bored out true and perfect. Plus valve guides, 3 angle valve job, hardened exhaust seats if needed, etc. Also check what previous customers say about their work. If they have good reviews and are reasonable, have them do it.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 617
Likes: 0
I could and have done it myself in the past. But I would still check them for a price of doing the work. They can do things we can't. Like vatting the block which cleans it inside and out. Including the cooling passages. And they "prolly" have a deck plate to torque down to the block when boring out the cylinders. This mimicks the cylinder head so the block thinks there is a cylinder head attached. This way the cylinders are bored out true and perfect. Plus valve guides, 3 angle valve job, hardened exhaust seats if needed, etc. Also check what previous customers say about their work. If they have good reviews and are reasonable, have them do it.
****Does it matter that most of his experience is building high horsepower (FE engines) for cars? ****
He said it's not hard to have that engine at 400 HP and he has built them as high as 550 HP for a cobra jet.
Thanks guys!
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,255
Likes: 199
From: Phoenix, Az.
Thanks, Baja, fe390, and Jeff! So I may have found a good in-between solution. I found a guy who is retired and doing these builds. He has done a lot of the FE engines for cars and a couple for trucks. Going to check out his shop and talk more with him in a couple of days...
****Does it matter that most of his experience is building high horsepower (FE engines) for cars? ****
He said it's not hard to have that engine at 400 HP and he has built them as high as 550 HP for a cobra jet.
Thanks guys!
****Does it matter that most of his experience is building high horsepower (FE engines) for cars? ****
He said it's not hard to have that engine at 400 HP and he has built them as high as 550 HP for a cobra jet.
Thanks guys!
Just tell him to aim at torque not H.P. And the max RPM you plan on driving at.One note. I don't remember now if your rig is A/T or M/T. If it's an A/T then get a high stall torque convertor that matches the cam and horsepower the engine will have.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,592
Likes: 10
From: **** hole San Jose ca.
If you where a young guy then you have time to learn the hard way by putting in or doing one wrong thing. Causa when your young you keep pulling the engine out until they get it right!
As an older guy with aces & pains won't really go through the learning lesson more then he has to.
It takes a older special type of guy that would if possible to keep pulling a engine out
unless he's got helper to go back an see what he did wrong the first time around on a rebuild.
As for me, now being 74 could not do it with out some Oxy pain pills for my mobility!
Orich
As an older guy with aces & pains won't really go through the learning lesson more then he has to.
It takes a older special type of guy that would if possible to keep pulling a engine out
unless he's got helper to go back an see what he did wrong the first time around on a rebuild.
As for me, now being 74 could not do it with out some Oxy pain pills for my mobility!
Orich
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,694
Likes: 45
From: La Ribera, Baja, Mexico
Old men
If you where a young guy then you have time to learn the hard way by putting in or doing one wrong thing. Causa when your young you keep pulling the engine out until they get it right!
As an older guy with aces & pains won't really go through the learning lesson more then he has to.
It takes a older special type of guy that would if possible to keep pulling a engine out
unless he's got helper to go back an see what he did wrong the first time around on a rebuild.
As for me, now being 74 could not do it with out some Oxy pain pills for my mobility!
Orich
As an older guy with aces & pains won't really go through the learning lesson more then he has to.
It takes a older special type of guy that would if possible to keep pulling a engine out
unless he's got helper to go back an see what he did wrong the first time around on a rebuild.
As for me, now being 74 could not do it with out some Oxy pain pills for my mobility!
Orich
Hey, I resemble that! And it looks like we have the same barber
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 617
Likes: 0
Thinking about putting the intake back on and using the LIFT PLATE to pull the engine. I have read where guys have used the lift plate to pull FE eninges but what do you guys think? <br/><br/>Is the LIFT PLATE fine to use? Are those 4 carb bolts strong enough? <br/><br/>Whats the best way to pull the engine for anchore points or is the lift plate fine?
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,694
Likes: 45
From: La Ribera, Baja, Mexico
I believe those carb bolts are 5/16 studs, with sufficient threads into the manifold, to hold easily the engine's weight. Not having a lifting plate, I have always used a 3/8" manifold bolt, with a large washer, and a 3/8" chain or at least a 5/16" chain. I have never had either the manifold bolt or the chain fail. I just looked up the load strength of a 5/16" chain, and it appears to be 4700 lbs.... now, that being said, that is new load rated chain with a load class of 70... You can feel safe with any proof rated 5/16" chain..
Baja
Baja
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,255
Likes: 199
From: Phoenix, Az.
I believe those carb bolts are 5/16 studs, with sufficient threads into the manifold, to hold easily the engine's weight. Not having a lifting plate, I have always used a 3/8" manifold bolt, with a large washer, and a 3/8" chain or at least a 5/16" chain. I have never had either the manifold bolt or the chain fail. I just looked up the load strength of a 5/16" chain, and it appears to be 4700 lbs.... now, that being said, that is new load rated chain with a load class of 70... You can feel safe with any proof rated 5/16" chain..
Baja
Baja
I too have always used manifold bolts and big strong washers. Not real thin ones. Especially if pulling engine and trans together. I know there would be 4 - 5/16" studs to share the weight rather than 2 - 3/8" to do it. But what grade are the carb studs? They are only meant to hold a light carb with a light torque rating. Where as I know the manifold bolts are hardened.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,694
Likes: 45
From: La Ribera, Baja, Mexico
Good thinking El Rey, and perhaps, that is the reason that I have always pulled both, big V-8's and IL 6's with a chain, thick washers and manifold bolts, not carb bolts... Very true, that manifold bolts are hardened, resist bending, or stretching much, and provide a safety factor, not found in carb bolts.. Suspended loads are always treated with 10X safety factor by the prudent, as gravity never sleeps.
Not so funny story here,.... a long time friend only has 4 fingers, due to a suspended differential that fell. I came into the hospital room to visit, and hollered out "Give me 4 bro", and his mother burst into tears... Needless to say, I failed sensitivity training.
One more... "How can you tell when a man is well hung"?
" You can't get two fingers between the rope and his neck".. ok enough..
Baja
Not so funny story here,.... a long time friend only has 4 fingers, due to a suspended differential that fell. I came into the hospital room to visit, and hollered out "Give me 4 bro", and his mother burst into tears... Needless to say, I failed sensitivity training.
One more... "How can you tell when a man is well hung"?
" You can't get two fingers between the rope and his neck".. ok enough..
Baja