Easter's Restoration Page
(2003 - Year 6)
The Dave Smith Engineering adjustable valve train arrived & was installed. The engine and transmission gave me some trouble during installation because I bolted up both pieces on the ground & proceeded to install them as a single unit. I found that the Moroso oil pan lacked about 1/2" clearing the cross member. Working by myself, I decided that it was better to put the transmission in by itself & then put the engine in separately rather than risk tearing something up or mangling a finger/hand/arm/leg. Other than the time delay of doing this and crawling around int the transmission fluid which had leaked when trying to install the engine/trans together, it was no big deal. After installation to the frame, I cobbled together an exhaust system, primed the fuel pump & lines using my Miti-Vac brake bleeder, primed the oil pump using an hand drill, installed the distributor, worked the carb linkage several times & hit the switch on my starting box.................the engine turned over fine but would not fire. Disgusted, I rechecked everything using a timing light to make sure I was getting fire & was in time. Everything was fine. Hit the start switch again.............no start. Continued to check & recheck all of the essentials: Compression - Gas - Spark. I had all three. While trying to figure out what was MISSING.........I figured out that I actually had TOO MUCH fuel (or too little air, depending on your viewpoint).........so much fuel that I had flooded the engine. I disconnected the fuel lines & while fiddling around checking the fuel pump........the engine "hit". It ran just long enough for me to figure out what had happened. Reconnecting the fuel lines to the pump & another SMALL shot of gas, the engine started. After a few rounds of adjusting the timing (by moving the distributor), it was time to break in the cam. The 30 minutes of 2200 rpm's went fine. No overheating, good oil pressure, no spectacular spontaneous disassembly. Several days later, I re-checked and adjusted the valve train. Now it was time to make the header decision. With no POSITIVE information that Thorley Headers #332 would fit, I decided to do my own test & ordered a set from Summit. When they arrived, I test fitted them. The #5 cylinder tube rubbed on the metal brake line that runs from the left to right at the engine cross member. Using a torch, hammer & a large round bar, I "massaged" clearance into the header tube. Another test fitting showed things to be fine, so it was time to head out to the powder coaters for a "thermal" coating. Upon their return from the powder coater's, I set about installing the headers again along with the Dick Miller exhaust flow plates. I had fitted the flow plates to the heads while the engine was still on the engine stand - I don't see how anyone could ever do this with an engine mounted in a car. Although I had test fitted the headers without much drama, the final installation took me 2 DAYS!!! Day One: Started with the passenger side since it's the most difficult...................jacked up the car & the header slipped right into place. Happened so quick, I hardly knew what happened. Put the oil filter adapter on. Go to put the flow plates & header gaskets on.....................they won't fit with the header in place. Can only pull the header out so far because of the oil filter adapter. Managed to get the header wedged up so I can get the flow plates on. Whew...........dodged that bullet, REALLY glad I didn't have to remove the oil filter adapter..........pat myself on the back for being so smart. Proceeded to install the transmission lines - now remember: I did this EXACT same procedure less than a month ago to test the header/trans line/oil filter adapter fit, it all went together easily ONCE I got the car jacked up high enough.................today, however, the trans lines won't route up thru the headers. Take the oil filter adapter back off, drop the headers, route the trans lines, mount the oil filter adapter, go to put the flow plates in place..........................they won't go in the heads with the trans lines in place. Wipe off the sweat that is pouring off of me........................let go a primal yell............................take the oil filter adapter back off, move the header back out of the way, put the flow plates in place, put the oil filter adapter back on. Call it a day. Day Two: The starter had to come out & go back in several times & I had begun to think that with the addition of the extra gasket & flow plate that the header just wasn't going to fit the driver's side. Suddenly, everything just sort of "fell" into place & the header bolted up without further trouble. During the fall I continued to putter about in Easter, driving her the 1/4 mile (or so) up & down my driveway. I still have not attached the front fenders as I have gotten spoiled on how easy it is to do engine work without them in place. I continue to await the arrival of the Thornton reproduction OAI hood - it has been ordered since April 2003. The most recent news from Thornton's is that the hood "may" ship in February 2004. I gathered up a front bumper from the pile-o-parts in my shed & the rear bumper from my 442; these were repaired & rechromed by Advanced Plating in Nashville, TN - they are now most AWESOME.