Thread: Project $ 3 K Is Underway

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Don,
If you are interested, I have a new ZZ-4 cam, lifters, guides and retainer that I'm not gonna use. Might do some trading if you are interested.
Yeah, I'm close, new engine (hasn't been fired yet), new chopped windshield assy. (gotta redo cowl-is smooth now) and a jillion other small things.
The '32 is regersted and liscensed so all I need to do is make it go and stop and steer .
Keep up the good work.
Jim

Thanks Jim. I don't normally play with Chevy's so I don't know about current cams, etc. My sbc days ended back when the .30-.30 cam was the hot setup.

What is this cam, and does it simply slip in, or are better springs, etc. needed. I have a brand new set of 305 Vortec heads that I am going to use for just that reason, they are brand new. I figured if I stayed with the stock marine cam I wouldn't run into spring bind problems, etc.

Don

This weekend I put in a lot of hard work, quite a few hours, and got tons of work done...........all this without even turning a wrench one time. But I did get something done (well, almost all done) that I have been putting off for a very long time. I CLEANED THE SHOP.

With all the work the three of us have been doing, and especially all the grinding, it had turned into a pigsty, and I couldn't find anything I needed. Dan's area was the cleanest, because he keeps his portion pretty organized, but mine was a disaster.

So Saturday I dug in and just finished up this PM. First I went out and bought two shelf units to put all of my the new and not so new parts that are waiting to go on the T. Now they are right next to my work station, and won't be getting kicked around and damaged. Then I got all of the old parts off of my pegboard and organized some of my tools up there. I found stuff I forgot I had. I am not a rolling toolbox person, although I have a couple. I prefer my stuff hanging on pegboard so I can get at it easy, so now all my stuff is right there when I need it.

I still have a ton (literally) of steel scraps sitting in the back of my Jeep truck to take to the scrap yard, and even more old engines and stuff to haul there too, so next Saturday I will do that, I think. But it really looks much better, and now I can work much more efficiently. I even cleaned some of the cobwebs down and washed the window between the office and shop so my cats can sit up on the sill and watch what is going on out there.

It is a long way from perfect yet, but sure a whole lot better, and I am keeping one of my resolutions, to get more organized. One of our friends stopped by the other night with his wife, and she was afraid to go in the bathroom because it was such a mess.........no problem now !!!

Now I can start work in ernest on the T.


Don

Don
I know what you mean about the shop getting cluttered and Dirty. Seems I spend more time looking for things than it actualy takes to do the job. I guess thats because one of them is getting closer and the parts have been off longer. With working on two at the same time which ever one I'm working on the other gets a 1/2" of dust on it. I do manage to keep my tools in there respective drawers I know if I didn't I'd be wasting more time. One thing I'm planing on getting this year is a hoist, I'm getting tired of laying on the floor, but more tired of TRYING to get back up I do like the height you have in your shop, a couple exhaust fans up there would cool that place down nice. I hope you know your running out of excueses for not working on your project.

Yeah, so far I've milked the 6 month flu as far as I can.


I feel so good today about what I got done over the weekend. I really found some stuff I had been looking for, and some that I didn't even know I had. I am a little disorganized by nature (read as slob) so I have to work at keeping things otherwise. So far this year I have been doing pretty good, and even people at work come into my office and do a double take, because I cleaned it up too.

Maybe if this keeps up the next woman in my life won't have anything to complain about.


Don

Maybe if this keeps up the next woman in my life won't have anything to complain about.

They always find something don, thats the good thing about hotrods, they are always where you left them, they do anything you want, except cook and clean, but they help get women that will, and they never complain

Wait a minute... Hot rods DO complain sometimes but you can smack them around and not go to jail, they take your money but they wont steal it or cheat on you. Looks good Don. How big is your shop BTW? My father built a little shed under the tree house he built for my brother and sister and even though it is pretty small it still will be getting rid of the table saws and some other big tools out of the garage and leave a lot more room. I will post pictures of this thing too because it's two stories, has a overhead roof or awning (not sure what to call it) with stairs, siding to match our house, etc. Looks like a mini two story house and pretty much is because it has power, inside and outside lights and fans with a TV lol. Much easier to work without a ton of junk laying around. I always find myself cleaning and looking for things more than working on my truck and then I get side tracted and forget what I was doing.

19 years old and forgets what hes doing...... And here all this time I thought it was OLD AGE

Originally Posted by cffisher

19 years old and forgets what hes doing...... And here all this time I thought it was OLD AGE

It's that fast living.........it ages you quicker.


FMX, that sounds like a cool shop/tree house thing. I could have used one of those a few times when the wife was less than agreeable. I think we have 2700 sq ft. This is probably our last year in there, as we are going to start next Summer looking for something smaller and cheaper. Our rent has almost doubled in the last 3 years, so it is getting to be too expensive. The only thing that may change that is if we decide to actually build a car now and then to sell and turn some profit and use that to cover the rent. It really doesn't make any sense to pay this kind of money for a shop that doesn't make us a dime.

BTW, my Speedway order came today, and I got the reversed Corvair steering box they sell. If anyone is thinking of buying one of these, it is an awesome piece. Flaming River makes it (came in their box) and the quality is first rate. I got it bolted into the T tonight and had to modify the steering arm by bending it for clearance. I forgot my camera, so tomorrow night I'll do some more and take some pictures.

The steering box is so smooth that I was able to turn the front wheels with only my hand on the input U joint, so even with an engine, etc on the car, the steering should be very light. I can't recommend this steering box enough. Don got his today for his T bucket, and he was also impressed.

Don

Don,
The ZZ-4 cam has .474/.510 lift and 208/221 duration. From what I can find out, your marine engine is about a 290 H.P. with a cam about .447/.459 lift with 201/208 duration.
You are right about spring bind, the ZZ-4 might be to big. You might want to check out what your compression is going to be, the 305 heads usually have a "lot" smaller combustion chamber and smaller valves.
Jim

They do have smaller chambers, and I figure they might take the compression up a point or so. I posted this question a while back, and don't think anyone could pin it down to an exact number. The marine engine is designed to run on regular, so I figure with the smaller chambers hi-test should be ok.

I think I'll button this thing up as a stock motor to just get it running, but may do some cam work later on if the lope isn't enough. ( I don't care how fast it is, just so it SOUNDS wicked. ) Your cam sounds intriquing though, and if you still have it later on I would like to talk to you about it.


Don

No problem. Just listen to any ZZ-4 and you will know how the cam sounds. I agree about the sound, as light as most roadsters etc. are performance should be kool with anything.
Jim

Thanks for that link, Denny. I'm going to look at that some more. It looks like I'm not alone in wanting a rumpy idle, they say that is what lots of people ask them for when they call. I may give them a call.


I mentioned that last night I worked on the new steering box, and tonight I remembered my camera, so I am posting some shots of the way it will mount. The draglink angle isn't as severe as it appears, so I think bump steer shouldn't be an issue. I tried to follow the wishbone arc as close as possible, but the spot I ended up mounting the box was the only practical location. For reference, I checked how my '27 angled, and it was at least this much of an angle, and bump steer was never an issue there, so I should be ok. We'll see.

Tonight my project was to finish up the rear shock mounting brackets, both upper and lower. I simply took some 1/4 inch thick stock, 1 and 1/2 inch wide, and cut 4 pieces of it about 2 inches long. (2 are longer than the other 2 by about 1/8 inch because the frame tapers in, and I wanted the shocks to sit straight ahead. Then I ground rounded edges on all four, and drilled some 1/2 inch holes for the upper shock bolt.

Dan says he will come to the shop Sunday and finish up the last bits of welding for me, and that should do it for that portion of the fabrication. Then I can move on to starting to wood the body, and getting it mounted.

Thanks for the tips about Summits rering kits for the 5.7. I called them today, and they have a package for this engine. I will make sure of where my crank ends up once it is back from the machine shop, then order the bearings, gaskets, etc. from Summit.

Here are a couple of pictures showing how the steering arm clears now that I heated and bent it out an inch, and also how the shock brackets look. I had two helpers in the shop tonight. They love it out there when it is cool, because I keep the overhead doors closed and they are free to roam around. And no, the one is not pregnant, she is just a little on the heavy side.


Don

You should teach those helpers to weld. You don't need supervisors.

They are the best critic, they always love your work!! Everything is looking good!