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Engine

    This ought to be fun. Of all the cars I have owned somehow I never got to play with a good old American small block Chevrolet. This baby has the 1977 rip roaring 160HP 350ci LS9 V-8. How pathetic. Not to fear. We'll get 300 or so smog legal horses out of it, or kick a rod out the block trying. ;-)

    All the DMV records we could find say this truck has 131,000 miles on it. A careful examination of the engine revealed a recent rebuild. It and has no leaks at all. Yeah I know, that's the first thing I thought too "no leaks = no fluids" But it does have oil, gas and all that other wet stuff in it. For whatever freaky reason none of it is leaking out. Go figure.

Judging by the picture most of what is there is original 1977 GM issue. Looks nasty, runs like a healthy Chevy 350. 

        One of the brain surgeons that owned this thing before me decided that the electric fuel tank switch was too much of a hassle and replaced it with a brass valve on the cab floor. Yuck! Off I went to the junkyard to get a proper electric switching solenoid. It was a half day project ripping out the old brass crap and putting it all back the way GM meant it to be. The annoying thing is the stock 3-port valve lets return fuel go to both tanks. Lesson learned. Next time I'm in the mood to get gas all over my face I'll put the newer style 6-port type valve in there. Then gas will go back to the tank from wince it came.

All the belts and hoses have been replaced and the rusty air cleaner was given a once over and painted. The "STOP" sign that was holding up the battery was removed and temporarily replaced with some stainless sheet I had lying around. The truck actually runs very well. As feared though, once I ran it a while it started to leak in a few places. Nothing too serious, just some seepage.

Couldn't believe I found this on ebay for only $10.00 A brand new factory battery tray. 

6/2003 - Several minor changes have turned the engine into a tollerable hunk of iron. It'll do until we drop in a 383 or a diesel. Can't decide which way to go yet.

• Edelbrock Carburetor

• Headman Headers

• K&N filter

• Factory Big Block Oil Cooler

• Taylor Wires

• NASCAR Style Aluminum Radiator