LUVTruck.com

Thanks mytmouz, my learning curve seems to get steeper by the minute...lol..

You are just about right on, but I'm still trying to ID the cam. Here's the general outline as it stands now:

Std bore 350
'325HP' GM/Crane Blue Racer Cam
76cc Stock Heads
Single plane Edelbrock Streetmaster intake
600 cfm Holley
Ram's Horns
65K HEI
...
Freshened up TH350, w/stock stall
...
Hi Flow aluminum water pump
Radiator is still up in the air...

Some of the research I've been doing leads me to believe the cam lift may be as high as .500, but I just don't know. IF it were a stock GM 325HP grind, where could I find those specs? Mortec generally lists the '325HP' cam as a 327 item. If it's a high RPM cam, it's the opposite of what I'm looking for...bleah...

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

Slow and steady...lol...

Got the ram's horns and the Streetmaster over to the machine shop for media blasting. Hoping to have the engine over there in the next couple of weeks. At this stage I'm seriously contemplating just having the machine shop assemble the short block. I'm not real comfortable with how clean my work area is, I'm missing several critical (and expensive) tools, and I really want to start on the body work. If I can swing the $$$, it makes more sense to have the engine put together and buttoned up before I start sanding and grinding and painting. I can get the short block done for between $300-400. Just a decent mic costs almost half that. That's mag'd, tanked, new cam bearings, rings main/rod bearings, freeze plugs, plus installation of the cam and timing set and reassembly of the bottom end. I have most of the parts, minus bearings and rings, so that seems like a decent price to me...

We'll see...

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

What's the longest (widest) radiator that will fit between the uprights on the core support? Found an aluminum radiator locally, but I'm not sure it will fit.

feebay'd a set of new lifters for the cam, still don't know the profile, but I do know the numbers on the current set are useless.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 93850&rd=1

Sloooooowwwwly still working on getting this together...

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

A little info from a local chevy guru from the old school. Chevy sold the 302 to Ford in late 1969 and all existing 302 blocks remaining were placed in some of the 1970 Novas and Kingswood Estates Stationwagons. They were rebadged as 307's but still retained the ZZ number on the back of the blocks. I located a 1970 Wagon with the 302 a couple years ago and this is one hot little motor. Might want to check your local wreckers. Take a mirror so you can see the numbers on the back of the block.

Finally found a machine shop. I pulled the crank today and took the block, crank and heads over. He did a quick mic and what I've got is a standard bore, standard bearing, seasoned 010 block. #5 piston and bore are scratched pretty good, I'll know next week if I'll have to overbore it.

Using a kit, he told me the long block would be about $1600 assembled, $1300 or so for the short block. He has a set of 882 heads already rebuilt for $350, so it's actually less expensive to have mine done as part of the long block.

He doesn't want anything to do with my cam. He's very concerned about putting it in and having it burn flat in 500 miles or less. The guy I bought it from thought it would be fine, but without knowing how he broke it in, it looks like I'll end up using one from a kit.

Anyway, I don't have $1600 laying around, but I do need to have the block and heads tanked and magged, and all my clearances measured. If I land work soon, I may have them just build it, but if not I figure I'll have a couple hundred it in for the machine work. And I'll have to bug the heck out of you folks to get it put together properly...

I'm a little frustrated by the 'kit' idea. I've got everything I need except gaskets to put this thing together. If it needs pistons then a kit might make sense. The cam is a gamble, I guess. He quoted me $350 for a kit, I know I've seen them cheaper even with overbore pistons, anyone have a link or recommendation?

Like to hear your thoughts on this folks...

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

Hey Nuke long time no chat
hey did you check out northernautoparts.com they usually have good prices?

I think I'm going to pull the cab off of this thing, it's loose already. How do I get the steering column out? I've looked it over several times, and I don't see a way to do it without removing the back window. What am I missing?

When I sawzall the inner fenderwells out, is it easier to do it on the truck or off?

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

it will come out , just have to move it to the side as you slide it out... undo the bolt at the rack use a screwdriver to pry open just a bit, take out the 3 screws at the firewall the hold the column in and then the 2 bolts under the dash

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My old but now gone Luv...

Thanks ctmandu. The problem is those 3 firewall bolts, two are seized and one of them has the head broken off.

Without the engine in, can I get it out with the steering wheel still on it?

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

yes , i have had 2 of them out like that, it easier if its off but it doesn’t have to be

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My old but now gone Luv...

Got my Northern catalog today. Glad to see a kit is under $200. Found an actual mechanic, family friend and co-worker of my sister's, who is going to help me reassemble it. He's a mechanic by trade, and has a mic, ring compressor, etc. That is good news, he offered his shop and his expertise, and thought it would take us less than a week of 'after work' evenings to get it completely reassembled. He recommended I buy the ready to bolt on reconditioned heads at the machine shop. We'll see what LuvProjects comes up with, I could sure use some clean heads...

The block magged good, and he's tanked it. He's going to tank the heads also. He's recommended a .030 overbore to correct the #5 bore scratches. I'm going to have him go ahead with the overbore, polish the crank, install new cam bearings and then go pick it all up. When the kit arrives, I'll have him press on the new pistons and then take it all over to my sister's friend's place. The heads will have to wait, I guess.

So that should get me set up pretty cheaply, and I'll know what I've got.

I'm planning to cut the front inner fenders out, probably Sunday. First I need to pull the master cylinder. I'm going to leave the cab sitting on the frame for now. Then I want to hang the front end back together. I'm tired of tripping over my core support.

I haven't posted photos in a bit, so here are few more items I've picked up along the way... (Like, when I had a job...ack...)

Thanks goes out to Tazman for the sport mirrors, and CipherX for the E-brake bits. That little plastic wheel is a bugger to find at the yards. The 65K HEI is from Skip White on ebay, and the fuel pump block off was from some random ebay seller...

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

I ll be in eugene area in two weeks if you can wait for the heads? I ll make sure to bring them with me in my little gas sipper

Sounds good, that would be just about perfect timing. Thank you...

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

LuvProjects dropped off the heads today. Much better than what I've got, thanks!

Now I have to scratch together the coin for the kit. The machine shop is having the crank ground, and won't do the overbore without the pistons.

Anyone have a set of 350 .030 over pistons laying around for cheap?

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

no problem its too bad you were gone when I dropped them off but maybe next time. hope you can use them I didn't realize the rocker arms were off of them.

Check Summit or Jegs for claimer pistons they are cast and at close to 90 bucks you can't beat them and they are as good or better than stock.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

Up date on cheap pistons for a 350 Chevy from new Summit catalog that arrived today Summit hypereutectic Pistons $83.95 a set.

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1978 pro street step/side 455Buick, 4sp,4.11s, 31/18.5s

Thanks TJ.

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison

Here's a slideshow of the progress as I'm nearing handing this project off to Ganicolis. Just wanted you all to know that it's not dead, and I've tried to be all inclusive in what gets passed on. In a couple of the photos, you might be able to make out Luvtruck.com 'handles' on many of the boxes.

Hoping to get this out of the garage about mid month.

http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/n ... =slideshow

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"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves" - Thomas Edison