It Never Ends Garage And Hangout

It Never Ends Garage And Hangout The place to go to break up the monotony of Facebook. Or, maybe to add to it. It's whatever.

11/29/2025

Yeah, I know, it's been 2 months. There were some complications with cylinder head setup, plus other poor excuses like being sick with the cold from the underworld for a good month. I will update the truck when I get more accomplished, but for now, enjoy the cold start of the wagon this morning at 25°F. Have a great day!!

Didn't get wrapped up last night until late, it was another slow day. I managed to get the other head disassembled and t...
09/21/2025

Didn't get wrapped up last night until late, it was another slow day. I managed to get the other head disassembled and the port and bowl work done, and ground the seats in both heads. Moving on to the valves was yet another matter.

It seems I have never noticed the belts missing that drive the chuck on the valve grinder. Oops. Believe it or not I found a set and got them ordered. At that point I figured I would take a couple installed height measurements for the new valve springs. Of course, I had misplaced the micrometer I have for this purpose.

After looking everywhere it wasn't 3 times, I finally found it in the trunk of the Tbird 🙄🙄.
The measurements I took revealed some shimming will be needed. That's when my overthinking got the better of me. The installed height dimension can be corrected by shims, different retainers, different locks, different valves, or a combination. So, I researched all the possibilities. There were factory shims on the heads and I couldn't come up with shims of that exact dimension. After considering the different methods and costs and finally finding shims that would work in this situation, I decided to get a shim assortment and go from there.

The nice little kit I wanted was not to be found in quantities less than 50. So, I had to buy them in each size at a quantity of 16. So, those have been ordered along with wedge lock header bolts.

Still waiting on the cab supports to arrive before starting on the cab floors. Can't go much farther with the engine until the heads are assembled and properly set up. Frankly, after the troubles of yesterday, I need to walk away from it for today anyhow. Maybe the process will flow better when the latest hurdles have been conquered.

I even polished the stock valves out of sheer boredom yesterday taking a break from the micrometer hunt.

Here's a few pics from yesterday, nothing exciting but it's something to glance at. Unfortunately, Monday will be here before you know it.

Slow going head work today. Wanted to smooth out the ports a little and put an 80 grit finish on them, plus work on the ...
09/18/2025

Slow going head work today. Wanted to smooth out the ports a little and put an 80 grit finish on them, plus work on the bowls a little. In the performance world, this isn't even considered porting. But believe me, this smooth job is tedious, dirty, and slow. Still needs a little touch up on the exhaust throats to call this one ready to grind seats and valves clean up and reassemble. 5 hours and a bunch of cartridge rolls. And I look like I fell into a pile of cast dust in a foundry, but it was fun and worth the experiment. I surely didn't do enough to hurt them, might help velocity some, but I didn't try to "correct" any places and ruin the airflow. I'll get back on it Saturday, tomorrow is our 27th wedding anniversary so a day away from it is in order. Pictures are the stages of light burr work into the sanding rolls. And the pile of consumables. Until the next post, be careful and don't sweat the small stuff...

So, the engine project marches on!!Cam bearings came in, they install nicely when you use the right rubber sleeve on the...
09/17/2025

So, the engine project marches on!!

Cam bearings came in, they install nicely when you use the right rubber sleeve on the driving adapter...🤣🤣. Camshaft and lifters have been test fit for rotating torque, clearance, etc. Remaining galley plugs and rear camshaft plug is installed and sealed.
Installed crankshaft, main bearings, pistons/piston rings/connecting rods, and rod bearings. All torqued to specification and double checked. Reciprocating assembly rotates nicely and ring gap was just a touch wide at .022", which is expected on a ball honed standard bore block. Not concerned there at all. I will continue tomorrow with cam and lifter install and camshaft degreeing. I did manage to disassemble one cylinder head...for a production casting I am impressed with 3 bar GT heads...and they will take much less time to clean up the bowls and ports than I anticipated...and that is good news. If I have all the right pilots and stones, I'll clean up the seats and faces, too. New seals, springs, locks, and retainers should finish those up. Then piston to valve clearance...well, one step at a time. It's easier to type it than it is to do it when you rebuild 2 or three engines a decade...🤣🤣🤣

Anyway, here's some pics.

Note the date code and price tag on the rod bearings I scored from a buyout house on Ebay...brand new, unused standard TRW rod bearings...from December, 1984. The stuff is out there if you look. Full groove main bearings, too, though unnecessary I just dig doing things the way they used to when I was a kid reading Hot Rod at 9 years old...

09/15/2025

Mildly upset over ruining a cam bearing during install today...I'll call it "installer error". I did manage to get the majority of the core plugs and galley plugs in without incident. Need to get the cam bearings in and verify camshaft rotating torque before much else is done with the short block, so that'll have to wait until Wednesday when the new bearings arrive. May start on the heads next while waiting on UPS....

Little rainy today, lots of work to do and it all needs to be done so it mostly makes no difference what I'm doing as lo...
09/13/2025

Little rainy today, lots of work to do and it all needs to be done so it mostly makes no difference what I'm doing as long as the project moves forward. Finishing polishing the crankshaft by hand with fine emery cloth and even finer sand paper and a flat shoe string. Sure, a machine shop will do it for a price, and they'll also mount pistons on rods while they're at it, but why pay it if I can do it?? Adds to the fun.

Block is a standard bore 1990 351W. Measured out OK so I ball honed it and cleaned it all up 2 years ago. It's been on the stand covered up. Now that the crank and piston/rod assemblies are ready, tomorrow will be checking it out, installing expansion plugs and cam bearings, and moving on with engine assembly.

Be sure to peep my Appalachian connecting rod heater...Vise, MAPP gas torch, and a piece of scrap stainless exhaust pipe modified for flame direction and a bent over spot to keep the rod oriented along with the small vise grip weld clamp. Crude, but effective. Affordable, and again, for fun and enjoyment. Pay the machine shop if you want to, for this project I'll do it at home to my standards. Machine shop wait times and questionable results bother me enough to make my effort worthwhile to me. I'll also know who to blame when it doesn't work right...🤣🤣🤣

Been a damn long time since I've posted on this page. It's been even longer this poor thing has been neglected. It's a t...
09/12/2025

Been a damn long time since I've posted on this page. It's been even longer this poor thing has been neglected. It's a ton of work. Most would run away from this. Normal people would never be able to afford to have someone redo this truck.

That all said, I was once as rough as this thing. Mentally, physically, health, all of it in poor shape. Kinda like this. I'm better now than I've been in my adult life. Growing as a person everyday. It took a lot of concentration and help to get me in a better position, to fill the role I occupy in life.

I don't have the ability to totally transform people, body and mind. But, I wouldn't bet against me making this truck useful and in a better state. I about gave up on myself, and glad a select few didn't. I'm not about to give up on this vehicle. I bought it 30 years ago next month, and at one time was the only thing I had. It was there for me before I had anything. Now, it's time to give the love back to it. It's gonna take hundreds of hours, but here's to the start.

Please note I will not show in depth pictures representing the conditions of some areas...too shocking. Hopefully before and after shots will show the transformation as I go. Follow along for some entertaining trials and woes.. .🤣🤣🤣

You can prep properly, clean, and apply supposedly good products and still fail. At least it wasn't painted.
07/21/2023

You can prep properly, clean, and apply supposedly good products and still fail. At least it wasn't painted.

07/12/2023

Can't win around here. And this is why we can't have nice things.

Other than the obvious, interested in thoughts. Good, bad, or indifferent...
07/04/2023

Other than the obvious, interested in thoughts. Good, bad, or indifferent...

Flashed out and on its way to curing. I'm glad that's over...🤣🤣🤣🤣
06/04/2023

Flashed out and on its way to curing. I'm glad that's over...🤣🤣🤣🤣

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