MrMopar's 1969 California Highway Patrol restoration

[commando1]

I have on occasion seen a stud used when used with a plug wire loom when the rest were bolts.
I wouldn't take it as gospel tho....

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[polara71]

I have seen it Alan..... let me see if any of my current engines have a set up like that

 

[MrMoparCHP]

I have seen it Alan..... let me see if any of my current engines have a set up like that

Thanks,

I'm going with it, I'm really more interested in where the second one might belong.


Alan

 

[tallhair]

Thanks,

I'm going with it, I'm really more interested in where the second one might belong.


Alan

All the big blocks I've had .. late 60's / early 70's had studs at front and rear of the engine on the exhaust side of the head so yes 2 per side. Pretty handy for installing the valve covers and keeping them located while putting the rest of the bolts in IMHO

 

[bulldogchesty]

Yup, I also have studs on the front and rear of my 383.

 

[polara71]

All the big blocks I've had .. late 60's / early 70's had studs at front and rear of the engine on the exhaust side of the head so yes 2 per side. Pretty handy for installing the valve covers and keeping them located while putting the rest of the bolts in IMHO

Yup, I also have studs on the front and rear of my 383.

Then I guess it is settled and my covers arent coming off again this week...

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Ok, well I only have 1 per head and I believe it to be on the front on both.
None of my pictures clearly show it.


Alan

 

[polara71]

Give me a few minutes then

 

[polara71]

My 71 440 car doesnt have them. They MAY have been changed by a do gooder. After the original owner died around 2000 or just before the car went through several hands before landing here, permanently.
The 70 383 car has them on all four corners. The engine has been rebuilt but everything is stock and factory specs....I am the second owner.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Thanks,

I looked at all my original hardware and the count is correct with 1 stud each (or 2 on one head).
The other bolts are all factory correct so I'll just stick them one the front corners.


Alan

 

[tallhair]

Looks great Dave and happy to help Alan

 

[Blue 300]

my first car (I was 15 years old) was my Dad's old 69 Polara cop/civic car. It had stud on the valve covers too and I've never seen it again since.

 

[MrMoparCHP]

One the biggest obstacles I have trying to work on my projects is space. The nice thing about being single and having a house that is about to have a remodel done is that I have no problem setting up shop in the house. I recently got my engine block and heads back from the machine shop and finally have everything in place to start the assembly, so it was put on the stand and moved into what is normally a dining room (that I don't even use, table is a decorator item I built.).

My friend that will be doing the assembly and trying to show me wanted it painted first, the heads were bolted on along with all the tin, openings masked and painted. Mopar Performance Street Hemi Orange was used but I feel it is a little off, my friend has another color he feels is dead on that he used on his ’70 340 Cuda.

The color is a little to orange for me but close.

Per his instructions the engine was machined to a piston to wall clearance of less than 0.005. Now that it is painted we have some other things to take care of before the actual assembly starts.


Alan

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Spent several hours today cleaning, chasing the head bolt holes cleaning all the galleys and water passages.

We went to put the crank in and realized there were no main bearings so I need to call the machine shop up tomorrow and see if they can locate them.


So for the most part it was all about cleaning today, double-checked all the measurements.


Alan

 

[MrMoparCHP]

Here is something interesting to ponder...

My car has a scheduled build date of 5/30 but the engine has a 6/11 build date on it, but we already know that the build date is not necessarily the actual build date but the scheduled build date.

and this block had a tag riveted to the side which typically refers to a warrantee replacement...

but before we start jumping to conclusions the VIN on the block uses the same die set as the transmission meaning the individual digits were ganged together in a holder and both the engine and transmission were stamped at the same time. One can see that if this is the case the difference in impression strength/depth would be the same as well as the character font, spacing and overall look.


I'm not sure what to think other than it is interesting.


Alan


BLOCK VIN

TRANSMISSION VIN

ENGINE BUILD DATE

CASTING DATE AND TAG

 

[polara71]

Where is Krautmaster when you need him......?

 

[polara71]

The casting date jives, doesn't it?

 

[tallhair]

Yes the casting date jives and the VIN stampings look right. Maybe a back log in completed engines caused a back log in the actual production date of your car, or it could have been another parts delay.

 

[polara71]

Tough to see on my phone.....

 

[Samplingman]

Is it odd to have a VIN on a warranty replacement block? I would have thought the pad should be blank. Is it also common to have the casting date out of sync with the build date on the block? Is there a range of dates that would be considered date correct, can you have a 68 casting date on a 69 or even a 70? And those little clocks..... Just curious, I'd love to learn what all of these stampings mean. Dang, I think we need a whole thread just to explain this!