4/27/05

My engine block is currently at My friend Gary's machine shop. His shop is LARRY'S MACHINE SHOP Named after his old boss.

At the machine shop, my block is being baked, shot cleaned, bored and honed, decked, and final washed for painting.

The next set of things to go to the machine shop are the crank, rods, pistons (already there for the boring), balancer, and brand new Centerforce Steel Flywheel.

The Nodular Crank shall be machined 10/10 and cross drilled. The end shall also be drilled for a pilot bushing.

The pistons will will have the pins pressed on and the entire rotating assembly shall be balanced.

My Cyl. Heads shall have the valve guides loosened. ( Edelbrock manufactures the heads with a tight fit. This is good for the street, because there is less unnecissary movement. But in racing, the High RPM produces heat that expandes the material and eventually causes it to seize.)

Yesterday I bought a new Harmonic Balancer through Maddog Racing for $59 + shipping (ofcourse).

05/10/05

I just got my engine block back from Larry's Machine Shop, today.

The block has been baked, shot cleaned, bored, power honed, surface checked, and final washed.

Costing a total of $475.

right now my rods are at the shop getting reconditioned, balanced, and pistons attached.

I "test" fitted my engines new hardware.

I'M JUST DROOLING OVER MY ENGINE

06/05/05

Yesterday I had my friend paint my engine block.

I prepped the block by degreasing it with Simple Green, then washed it with a hose and let it dry for a couple of days.

At the body shop, I scrubbed the block with a scotch pad soaked in laquer linner.

Now it was ready for paint.

The block was first coated in DTM Epoxy Primer ($75 qt.)

Then came 4 coats of Sunburst Orange Met. ($95 qt.)

Next 2 coats of clear with Gold Pearl.

Finally, 2 coats of clear with Blue Pearl.

Today, after I retrieved my block from my friend's shop, I installed the freeze plugs and coated the oil valley with Rust-o-Leum.

Once I get my rotating assembly and cyl. heads back from the machine shop, Larry's Machine Shop, I shall start the process of assembly, and pick up some loose ends I have not yet acquired. Such as a rubber rear main seal.

06/11/05

Today I finished installing my freeze plugs and installed my cam bearings.

I drilled new holes in the cam bearings in order to restrict excess oil from getting to the cam.

7/06/05

On June 24, I had to order the Centerforce steel flywheel, because the machine shop required it in order to balance the crank.

This sucker cost me $279.95

On June 28 I had my engine block and new flywheel taken to the machine shop.

The block had to have the main bearing measured while torqued down, because the place that cuts cranks has had problems in the past cutting Olds BB cranks.

8/4/05

Early this week I just picked up the final items from the machine shop.

My crank

Which was balanced, crossdrilled, drilled for a pilot bushing (roller, and cut 10/10).

My Flywheel and damper

These were needed in order to balance the crank.

My PISTONS

The rods were checked, reconditioned, balanced, and ARP bolts installed.

The Pistons were mounted on the stock rods.

The total hit from the machine shop was............$1455.93

This engine was designed on the loose end so that it will freely rev to 6500rpm without seizing. The highest I feel comfortable revving a Nodular crank. (not so sure if it will actually be able to rev that high though.)

Page 1: Exterior/intro

Page 2: Interior

Page 3: Chassis

Page 4: Engine

Page 5: Engine machine work

Page 6: Engine Build-up specs

Page 7: Fun at Lebanon Valley Dragway

Page 8: Updates

Page 9: Updates 2

Visit my website Rocket-Olds.com