1963 Corvette

[wxo]

Before you pull the intake, is there any way to spray some brake cleaner in that area to dry it off, then run it for a while. Even if you have to use a mirror and a light, it might be worth it to eliminate the intake leak as the source before looking elsewhere.

[TireSmoker]

Yeah, Ive cleaned it a few times. The area it leaks from is towards the passenger side. Oil pressure sending line (copper) is clean and dry.

I bought the new distributor because it seemed to be in that area. It was also something i had recently fucked with, so it seemed more reasonable than an intake leak.

So its either leaking at the base of the distributor between it and the intake (round gasket) or back of the intake.

[TireSmoker]

Success, i think!

All distributor gaskets are not created equal! I put in a different from inventory that measured a little thicker than the one that came off. It was oil soaked. Seeing that made me not pull the intake.

I let it idle in the garage for a while to burp the cooling system. After a 4 mile test drive, everything still looks clean. Fingers crossed. Ill take it for a longer cruise tomorrow night.

[TireSmoker]

After too many years of an improper air cleaner setup under the hood, I finally started to do something about it. I built this engine in 2011 and used Vortec heads, because they are The Best factory heads made. I topped it with a Performer 2116 for Vortec heads, despite Edelbrock's catalog saying it wouldn't fit under the hood of a C2. They are correct. I had to use that stupid triangular little Edelbrock air cleaner. I've hated it since day 1.

With the demise of Paul's Corvette engine at Nelson Ledges earlier this year, he made me a good deal on the heads and roller-tip rockers. They had just been rebuilt before his bottom end failure, so they are in great shape. These are regular-intake-pattern heads, aluminum too. I did paint them Chevy Orange. I'm going for a more factory-ish or period-correct modified look.

I've got a sweet 60s vintage Edelbrock C4B intake to use with it. I had to put in some Helicoil repairs on the thermostat housing and one carb stud, but it looks great.

BUT -- the big surprise came when Speece and I pulled the valve covers and intake. We found milkshake looking oil. WTH??? It was still oily and we mopped it all up, but that was a bit of a shock. The engine had been running great. Before I started, I was lamenting taking apart a good running engine. But here we are...

After thinking about it a little, everything that could've been leaking water into the oil is already being replaced as part of this project. The combustion chambers and tops of the pistons all looked pretty uniform, which I took as a good sign.

The new heads use centerbolt valve covers, just like the Vortecs. I bought a set of adapters that will allow perimeter-bolt valve covers and will use a set of vintage Corvette script valve covers.

More to come....

[Blue_69_malibu]

Lookin good!

Did this motor really go in 14 years ago? Seems like five.....

[TireSmoker]

I am way behind here...

Speece came out one night and we did a bunch of work to the Edelbrock C4B intake. We heli-coiled the carb mounting holes and one of the thermostat holes. Annnnd then I figured out it wasn't going to work. The stock thermostat housing doesn't fit -- it hits the big runner right up front. And if you try something different, you end up interfering with the oil fill tube. The stock housing is in my hand. So the C4B is out.. it goes back on the shelf.

So my next plan was to get a '63 327/340hp intake. It will look correct, and I can fit an air cleaner. But these are kinda rare, 1-yr only intake. I shelled out $500 on ebay for a nice one. It had both heater hose fittings, a temp sender unit, a base gasket, a complete bolt kit -- it was so close to being 10/10. Except someone put 3/8" studs in for carb!! They're supposed to be 5/16". I was sooo mad. I reached out to the seller and he's agreed to work with me.
Today at lunch, I dropped it off at Michael's to have him repair it. I'll have it back next week.

Another fun fact I've learned on this job, early Chevy intakes could have the oil fill tube point to either passenger or driver's side. The Edelbrock goes to the drivers, as does the stock '63 327/250hp, while the '63 340hp goes to the passenger. And the oil fill tubes are different too, because of where the hose barb comes out.

To be continued...

[TireSmoker]

So Michael's was able to turn around fixing my carb stud holes in just a couple days, which was nice. I got it back the day before I left for Florida to be with Dad, so everything sat on hold.

The intake is bolted down and the carb fits as expected now. I bought a 14x2" air filter that allows the hood to close, although the drop-base air cleaner hits the Edelbrock carb's electric choke. I've heard of this issue before, so it wasn't a complete surprise. Allegedly, and Edelbrock 1221 air cleaner will fit. I *might* have one in the basement.

I got the exhaust manifolds on, but waiting till I can get the car back on the lift to bolt up the exhaust.

Another stupid thing -- with the Corvette script valve covers, I can't get a socket onto the valve covers nuts. I have to use an open-end wrench.

Not much left, I should be able to button it up for the most part this weekend.

[Blue_69_malibu]

I like it....all of it!!

[TireSmoker]

Well, I really dragged this one out, but we got'r'done. But not without more problems to solve.

The lesson I've learned here is if you're going for a stock look, go STOCK. By going to the '63 intake, I'm on a small bolt pattern for the carb. I can't bolt on a square bore Holley (like Tony's 670 Street Avenger). So I keep the Edelbrock carb, which I'm happy enough about as it's really very similar to the stock Carter AFB that came on the 327/340hp I'm trying to mimick. Except the opening for the air cleaner is smaller on the stock carb. Which means I can't use the factory 327/340hp air cleaner (which runs a cool $600).

Drop-base air cleaners don't fit Edelbrock carbs w/Electric Choke. It's sooo close, but won't sit flat. So we cut the base and Dave Speece re-welded it.

But here is the end result:

I still need a piece of 1/2" hose to hook up to the oil-fill tube to get some crankcase ventilation.

And here"s the before shot:

And most importantly, I made it to the Bair's Corvette show that I always used to go to with Dad. That's always been my deadline for getting stuff done on this car, so that we could make it to this one. It was tough to keep myself together at times. We've been going there since we got the Corvette done around '07.

The cool/overcast and threat of rain kept a lot of people away. The front lawn is normally pretty full by the time we'd get there.

So, about that rain... I left the show to head home, and the threat of rain turned into real rain. Of course, the top was still down and I had taken 'the scenic route' across the Pymatuming causeway. Dad always contended "you can drive with the top down in the rain and not get wet." Its true, for certain values of speed and rain. I was behind someone going 30mph, maaaybe 35. I got soooakkedd. There's no place on the causeway to pull over, so I had to trudge at 30 mph across until the little park on the Ohio side.

I jump out, get the top up. I'm reaaaalllly wet now. Jump back in the car, turn the key... nothing. fudddddgggeeee, what now? Get back out, pop the hood, twist the battery terminal a little and I've got power again. Whew... But I am about as soaked as I've ever been on a motorcycle ride in the rain.

Fortuately the rest of the ride home was uneventful.

[Blue_69_malibu]

Personally, I'd go every year. It's a way to keep part of your dad's memory.....current. Admittedly, that's simply my opinion.
Too bad about the rain.....but the '63 looks great in that photo. Jan and Paul would both approve.
Is that photo 322 heading East at 528?

[Basement Paul]

Looks good sitting there in the grass! Looked good under the hood too. If you had the top up, it wouldn't have rained at all... Glad you made a successful journey. You did a lot to get it to that point. I'm sure it was a pretty emotional trip.

-BP

[TireSmoker]

Personally, I'd go every year. It's a way to keep part of your dad's memory.....current. Admittedly, that's simply my opinion.
Too bad about the rain.....but the '63 looks great in that photo. Jan and Paul would both approve.
Is that photo 322 heading East at 528?

I'll probably keep going to the Bair's show. They get a lot of C2's and I always like seeing how other people do stuff. It's a good time of year, it's far enough to be a real test of the car, but not too taxing.

Yes, that is 322/528. The pic didnt come out as good as I hoped, but thats such a good view there. It was a spur of the moment photo decision at 45mph.

[MostMint]

Glad it got back together in time and you made the show. I expect there will be more tough moments dealing with the loss of your Dad, but if there is a silver lining its that those times do tell you how much he meant to you.

[Fred32v]

Now that was a day, glad you shared it!