Thread: Picked me up a old sand rail.

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Been doing a little work on it, I have had the heads in the shop for about a month now.
A friends buddy owns the shop and is supposed to be really good. I believe at this point really good is on American motors and not German VW engines. LOL!!!
He said who ever had this motor sunk a bunch of money in to these heads.
Though I did tell him that I did not want to spend a bunch on these heads because you can now buy a well built head for these for about $300 bucks that are especially made for big bores that are out in to the head studs or bolts. Anyway the piston were out to 92' and the blocks been cut out to about 96 for the barrels. When I got this thing it looked like someone put hand fulls of sand down in the cylinders so the barrels are pitted bad. Which sucks because the Pistons are Aluminum Racing Pistons and the Barrels and Pistons are sold as a total package. Anyway I'll buy some cheap pistons and Barrels and throw the cheap piston to the side and only use the barrels. It had a lot of the more expensive stuff in it so I lucked out. I got it off a women who's husband had just bought it to fix up and he was in his shop sitting at his desk when his heart exploded and killed him. She she didn't know anything about it really. It needs a lot of work but I think it's worth what I paid anyway. Here is a video anyway. https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurtva...posted-public/

Oh the Pistons and the Barrels were Auto - Craft and went from $1600 to $1700 bucks. After trying to clean them up and seeing how bad the were I decided to just buy some cheap Pistons and Barrels because the barrels are made the same but the pistons are not. And the Pistons are still in good shape so I 'll install those in the new Barrels. Here is another video of one barrel where you can see the pin holes pockets and gullies in it. if you press the arrow on the left side of the photo it will take you to a couple photo's of the piston. It still need cleaned up in the photo, but other then that the pistons are in great shape. https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurtva...posted-public/

Wow, I saw your avatar and "handle" pop up and I figured there's a blast from the past. How've you been? Well I hope?!?!
The rail looks cool, the cylinders? ahhhh that'll buff out right??? LOL..

Well, great to see you and thanks for sharing the buildup with us.

So good to see you back young man, how you been keeping down there in the warm zone ? Looks like a fun little buggy to sprint about in.

Been good guys just been too busy with everything though.
I would just like to finish one project though, still have not finished one. But the way it's looking the sand rail will be first. I told the wife I just want to get it running good and sell it. She said no i want you to build a little trailer for it so she can go rock hunting with it. Umm ok if that's what you want, can't argue with the wife. LOL!!! The problem is out here there is no real good weather it's either smoking hot, or freezing cold, there is no in between. So I still have to get the bed off my 70 Ford pick up so I can paint the back of the cab when it get's painted. My problem is I take money intended to work on ol projects and buy brand new projects. I am afraid that if I don't get the new project right now it will be gone later. My wife don't help either because she will come home and say wait till you see what I saw. Then there I go all over again. But I must say the last 2 times she did that to me I said I don't want anything else, I got to much on my plate now so hopefully I will start getting some done and sold off. 6 projects is too much for me I had one more but I gave the 72 Vette Stingray to my buddy in Vegas. He's already put a big block 427 in it and has been hard at work rewiring the whole thing. He also has a 69 Vette that he's been turning 8's in the 1/4 mile with. He race'd those guys on TV with the Murder Nova & farm truck, ya them guys. Anyway he won because the guy came over in his lane, so he's pretty quick anyway. Once I get some of this other stuff done I'll start on my old Ranchero again. I thought of some changes on the frame I want to make anyway. Plus I think I will be putting my 351 Cleveland / Boss in my 47 International. The Ranchero will be getting the Dart Block or motor then. Not sure if I want a ford or chevy motor in it yet though. Probably a Chevy though because my buddies have lots of spare parts for those and it will save me tons of money in the long run. I hope all is well with you guys and your families. Kurt

6 projects.. such a problem to have. LOL... I had forgotten about the Ranchero too. You had hauled that one all the way from Florida if I remember right..

I'd say the Ranchero needs the 351

Kurt, cool sand rail! Your buddy got a great deal. Those chrome bumper vettes are going for too much money as basket cases let alone decent cars. I feel your pain on the projects. I have been trying to keep myself on a leash and have actually sold 2 off instead of buying more. It's a tough deal to over come.

I had a full sized Bronco I gave to the neighbor said he was gonna build a big mud truck out of and like I said I had too much stuff so I gave it to him.
Well he didn't do anything but turn around and take it to the scrap dealer. Pissed me off because it had some nice rear ends under it and a brand new Transfer case and trany that my brother put in it before he had a fire in the engine compartment. I could have taken it to the scap dealer myself and made money. Now he's been trying to get me to give him my Buick Riviera with the factory 455 and turbo 400 trany. It will be a cold day in you know where before that happens again. Then he wants to tell me if I had that I would do this with it and all that crap. I was thinking of telling him , Oh you mean the same way you were gonna build a mud truck with the Bronco I gave you. HA! HA! HA! But I didn't go there. HA! HA! HA! I like that Buick though I'll probably look for a good over drive trany to go behind that motor and then rebuild the motor get one of Edlebrock kits with a Cam, Heads, Air Gap Intake. I'll have to get a Holley carb though. They just seem to run better to me. but that will be down the road after atleast my Ol 70 ford short bed pick up has been repainted. Fun, Fun, Fun.