Thread: First build?

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Yesterday I had the opportunity to ride in the car that uses my very first engine as a heartbeat.

390 CUI LT1 Stroker, Vortech Supercharger, 8psi

The feeling of pride you get when you get to see your first milestone perform like a scalded dog is just incredible.

I want to give the users of this site the chance to think back and share some 'first time' build stories, whether it be for your car or for someone elses.

One of the reasons I always try to give in-detail answers to some young rodder who is struggling with some problem is because when I was younger, I made every costly, painful mistake when learning. If I can save somebody else some of that torture, it is worth the trouble.

One of my earliest engine builds was a 389 Pontiac I built for my '63 Bonneville. I had spun a bearing, so a buddy and I decided to rebuild it, and add some upgrades while we were at it. We had never done one, but we moved into his barn and tore the engine out, had it machined, put new bearings and rings in it, and added a 421 cam and tripower from a '64 GTO.

While we were at it, we found a Catalina with a 3 speed stick setup, so we switched out the automatic. The only part missing from the Catalina was the flywheel, so I dug up a 1960 Flywheel.

After about 3 weeks or screwing around (and his Dad threatening to throw me out of the barn) we got it running, and it actually fired up and ran pretty well. So we opened a couple of cokes, toasted our success, and sat back in our chairs to celebrate.

Then we started hearing the noise. At first it was just a slight rap, then it got louder, and then louder still, until it was a definite knock. Our celebration turned to "Oh S#@# !!" Our worst fear was that it was a rod knock, or something else internal.

To make a long story short, found out the '60 flywheel was totally different than '63, and it was shaking itself loose from the crankshaft. We got a '63 flywheel, and problem solved.

But everytime I see some young, or not so young, rodder struggling with some mechanical problem, I remember what those times felt like, and how you could see what little money you had being spent to fix the problem.

Cars can be great, but they can also be a pain, sometimes, especially when it is your daily driver.



Don

First car not realy a BUILD I was 16 on vacation in AL. My aunt had a 40 somthing plymouth 4dr that didn't run. She told me I could have it if I could get it running. It hadn't run in many years at that point. I spent every dime I had with me for parts and a guy at the garage (Buddy Red) supplied the tools a brains. Just a few gaskets and a carb. Well I got it runing but while trying I about burnt up the starter which finely did go out. So for the last 2 weeks of my vacation I drove that car every where, but when I parked it I always made sure I was on a hill so I could get it runing again. I got good enough that I could park one wheel on the curb and pop the clutch and go again. Came time to go home I had no money for tires so I left it there.

not some of my first builds but some any ways 100 over big block 1/2 filled with fiberglass resin. before block rock .solid roller cam crower 720 lift .engine 13to1pistons tapered turned trw pistons street engine. 468 junk yard dog block was from the scrap yard $40 for the block a turned .030 -.040 gm steel crank free .evey thing was used but new gm 990 heads and new roller lifters 13to1 roller cam engine with stock gm rods ran very good7000+ and has been in a mud truck still runs ?some 396-402a bunch 454 and some 489 496 502 509 526 540 .555. 565.some 572 .600+ alot of big blocks some blown and one dual turbo 540 that i made a lot of parts for that. started life as a zz502 my very first engine was a chevy 6 six honed it in the drive way polished the crank by hand and lap in the valves