I made some headway but not yet in a position to fire it up. I had hoped to find a correct air cleaner for a 4 BBL. I ordered one in from Classic Industries but it has the long narrow snorkel. I don't like the look and feel it won't haul enough air to fully benefit the 4 BBL. I'm sure engineers would disagree, since they designed it but... I believe the one shown in the pic that I used is from '61 but could be mistaken. Like everything metal I get my hands on I glass bead blasted it and treated it with POR-15. I will tone down the shine with POR-15 top coat the next time I have the can out.
I have the Magnaflow exhaust system temporarily attached. I had to remove the factory brackets from the frame to make room for it. It looks like I'll have to drill holes in the frame to accommodate the Magnaflow hanger system at the mufflers and tailpipes. I won't drill any holes in the frame until the body is back on and I see exactly how everything lines up. The middle hanger connects to a cross-member in the floor.
I ordered a new rad cap from GM who had to special order it from the warehouse in Memphis, TN. At least it came and I didn't have to pay exchange etc. etc. I had the rad checked and flushed at a shop and they said it was good to go. I am now cleaning the rad frame getting it ready for POR-15. No blasting this time. I don't want to risk damaging the rad. I hit it with a wire wheel and now will use POR-15 cleaner followed by POR-15 prep before treating it.
Thats very true, attention to detail shows. Nice looking exhaust.
__________________
63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
Seems like I jinxed myself with my last comment I was all proud and ready to fire her up but then heard the fight between the flywheel and starter. Managed to get it to turn over but not start before the flywheel died. For those who may not be aware, the starter on the cast iron glides, has 3 bolts that bolt it to the adapter plate: one on the top from the back side and 2 at the bottom on the front. No possible way to shim. Because the bottom of the glide is enclosed you can't see if things are lined up or not, they simply are supposed to be.
My search for a flywheel didn't go well. I check out nearly 2 dozen 168 tooth flex plates but no cigar! Everyone insists a 168 tooth flex plate is the same across all Chevy small blocks. What I was discovered is the bolt holes to connect to the torque converter are closer to the ring gear on a cast iron glide than all other flex plates / flywheels. I turned to the web and found a guy on eBay with NOS for $600 US plus shipping. That's about 1G landed at my door, no thanks. New 168 tooth ring gears are readily available as they are the same up to 2007. Despite being told it couldn't be done I found a guy who insisted he could do it. It looks great! At this point I am into it for just under $100 Cdn.
The OEM starter was so close to the new Magnaflow exhaust that I knew I'd have heat problems so I ordered a mini high-torque, which should solve that problem. It will bolt to the bottom of the block using the factory predrilled holes.Well thats the theory.See my post: Mini High-Torque starter vs Cast Iron Glide for more details.
I installed the flywheel but I wasn't putting it together without checking clearances to see if it needed to be shimmed.I 1st bolted the OEM starter in to see where things went wrong.Most of the tail of the starter was in contact with the ring gear, exposing very little of it for the Bendix drive to make contact.When I look at the destroyed ring gear, it is only the front of the teeth that are destroyed.
Not being able to figure it out I took the starter, flex plate, old ring gear and adapter plate to Nova Automotive along with a slew of photos.They have never seen anything like it and at the moment are at a loss to explain whats happening.I left everything with them and they are going to bolt it onto a 350 block they have laying around and see if they can figure it out.I thought Id post it here in case any of you experienced this and have the solution.
Below is a photo showing the OEM starter bolted in place.You can see it touches the very tail of the starter housing. Take your pick on how you want to look at it, either the starter is not back far enough or the flywheel is too far back, neither are adjustable.
