gprimm

When I replaced the tank on my small block, I went to my friend and neighbor, Mark Tamraz of Tamraz Auto in Plainfield, IL. He sold me an exact tank with the correct filler neck that was made in Canada. He said this outfit did the original ones. Still pretty 7 years later!!!!

Here's what I did 2 winters ago when I redid my green small block. Went to Menards and bought a scrap piece of their best carpet padding for $3. Put it in from the front of the car to up the back of the rear seat to below the package tray. It works amazing. I used the money I saved for the rest of the project. I am sure the aftermarket stuff is obviously better, but the exhaust sound inside the car is much better and the stereo sounds so much better now.

WHich bolts? The valve cover bolts? There's no specific bolts in my opinion. 1/4" works fine. The 350 was cast and built at the Tonawanda, NY engine plant. Talking with the retired production people who worked there when our year engines were made, they made sure they never ran out of bolts for engine finishing. This was accomplished by having one employee who would go to all the local hardware stores in the area and buy the hardware that was needed when supplies got short. They did this because they did not want to shut down the production line because they were missing misc. hardware. That from Fran Preve, who made his first presentation at the 1986 National Chevelle Owners Convention in Peoria, IL. THe funny thing was he said the Corvette guys didn't like to talk with him because their engines "were special built". He would laugh and say "when we build a 350-270hp small block, we don't know if it is going into a Chevelle, Nova, Camaro or Corvette. Your engines are not special; they are small block Chevy's. Same thing with the LS-5 big blocks and Corvettes". Yes, if you have to have the same year bolts, the SBC will work as a donor.

GM does have records of what engines were put in which models. I won't type everything again, but Chevrolet gave Fran Preve, an employee of the Tonawanda, NY engine plant, and Chevy weekend drag racer, the records on production. He knew of cars that were made, but not yet known and he would tell no one. The 72 El Monte (Baltimore plant) and at the NCOA Convention in Nashville around 1992 (I have pics and video) and the Z-16 engine 1965 Malibu 300 DeLuxe which we found later in Nashville, TN (with the drivetrain changed to Oldsmobile, but we know where the original IX code Z-16 engine is. When I asked Fran personally if any 4-speed, SS or 4-spd. LS-6 Montes were made he gave a definite "no". The frustrating thing is that Chevrolet does have the info, in my opinion, they just don't want to open a can or worms. Fran knew Reggie Jackson as Fran was the man with the info. He denied any being made. That's what I base my opinion on. We have heard for soooo long of them but none found. There was a guy here a few years ago that said he had the build sheet, he sent it to me and it happened to be sold in Athens, IL,where my family is from. When I told him my Uncles knew the salesman, he publicly recanted and said it was probably not real. As a Monte lover, I'd love to see one, I really would. It would even us with the Chevelle crowd, which I love having owned one. We Monte owners just don't get the respect. By the way, the elusive 201st Z-16 I believe is the 300 with the Z-16 drivetrain. The Z-16 body that that engine should have been in was delivered to the Chevy dealership in Normal IL as Gary Swearingen of Normal, IL. worked at the dealership and ordered it to race. When delivered they popped the hood and it was a small block. He bought a L79 Nova and the Z-16 body was sold. Small world Gary was in the Northern Illinois Chevelle Club, of which I was President for 20 years until a few years ago.

Valve covers are all the same if stock. What type of rocker arms do you have? Stock or some roller type? Stock should clear. The drivers side is where the PVC is connected to the carb, and that hole is just a hole with a rubber gasket that the PVC goes into. On the passenger side is the oil file and the vent breather that goes to the bottom of the stock air cleaner. There are baffles to keep oil being sucked up into each, but those go between the rockers. Something is different in the valvetrain causing the interference.

Were you able to put them on without taking the bumper off?

Why not take your current block to a machine/engine shop by you? Use main studs on a 2 bolt and get the strength of a stock 4 bolt. Numbers matching stroker

I have a 3rd gen F Body box on mine. Bolted right on, switched the pitman arm and it turns fast and has great road feel. $35 for the box on Craigslist, plus $5 for the fitting adapters.

"sparker do dads" Best response ever.

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure what you're looking for.

Nice, but move that fuel filter so it is not on top. Distracts from the beauty of the 454 !!! Ha. A/C delete. Nice.

Rich G, you're brilliant.

Those pics are "heaven" to FGMC owners. Thanks for posting.

Thanks for the measurement info. I'd like to get the front down 2 inches so 26 would be good. I may just cut a full coil of each front spring. When I replaced the front springs I ordered small block non-AC springs as I had taken the stuff off. Got them from JC Whitney, therefore my doubting they were the right ones. After taking more stuff off in the winter of 2012 and putting on aluminum heads, I think it went up more. That's why I asked for the measurements. My goal is to get the front down about 2 inchs. Thanks guys.

OK. I am not liking the "rake" of my small block 1971 as the front seems to be high. Just measured and here are the measurements from garage floor to fender well lip: FRONT: 28" from floor to bottom of lip. REAR: 25" from floor to bottom. Rear springs may need to be replaced as they were last replaced in 1985, so there is some sag there, assuming. On the front, how far off the floor does your Monte measure? If the front is too tall (which I think) what spring brings it down to a reasonable level? I replaced the fronts 14 years ago so obviously settling isn't an issue.

The "396" in Chevelles were actually 402's after 1969 so unless the heads were changed (check the date on those) or the engine was changed, it doesn't make a difference. A 402 was just a bored out 396.

I put them in a friends 454. They did click a lot, but you would initially think it was a mechanical cam. It did tame the cam down at idle.

I bought a used GTA / IROC box for $40 off Craigslist. Bolted right in. Also a G-body will fit also. Love the feel now and the short distance needed to turn the steering wheel.

Email me at gprimm@comcast.net I'll see what I can get for you.

blue in the mid to late 70's also

I use the Defy. Semi-synthetic at Walmart is $16 for 5 quarts. Hard to beat that.

I bought my new hood hinges from Tamraz but there were no marks saying who produced them. THey are just perfect. No complaints.

Prior to '72 they would dyno the engine with no accessories. After they would hook it up with with the PS pump, alternator, A/C compressor. That's what GM guy in Warren, MI told me at the National Chevelle Owners Assoc. Convention at the Tech Center. Sly guys!!!

DO NOT use a friction modifier. Your paperwork should say that. A friend who worked for Eaton as a national sales rep said that putting in an additive is like putting in sand.