MAQ's72

Thanks for the Impute in PM.... Thanks or the Impute, I definitely need to go with an electric. Today I rerouted and replaced my fuel lines away from heat sources as best as possible and installed a fuel reg & gauge and really showed the story.... when the motor started up and was cold I had over 7 psi and took her for a spin and she ran awesome, most power I have felt with the 750 Edelbrock but in 10 minutes time she warm up to full temp and my psi dropped to 3 ... ran totally different... I see I'm starving my carb i believe. The mechanical fuel pump gets extremely hot and I can see the fuel level on the glass fuel filter drop...... thought about replacing the mechanical with a new one but dont think it's worth it with the Florida weather.... I need more dependable fuel pressure....

Not to bring up or highjack an older thread but what is the setup you have in your Monte bigtankjones ?? as far as your electric fuel pump and reg. set up is it a return line type? Looking to go to electric fuel pump set up in mine but trying to find a good dependable inline unit that's not too super loud. Can't swing $600 plus on an in tank set up.this time around.

I'm very sorry for your loss, my prayers are with you.

The mechanical pump is vented back to the tank trough a narrow rubber fuel line like a 5/16' on the bottom of fuel pump..... , in 72 they seem to have a lot more evap systems as I have 3 lines in the center top of tank going out and one on either side of tank top comers left/right. This is a Buick 455 in the engine bay so fuel pump on drivers side fuel lines come in from below on passenger side then routed over water pump to fuel pump then back to carb. (I have a 350 being built to a 355 now at a local machine shop that is taking place of the Buick in the next few months)

Hey Guys, I had to bring this up again as my Monte left me by the side of the road on a very busy US19 here in Fl. I had started a thread about replacing my mechanical pump back a few months ago but.... Never replaced the mechanical pump because it seems to do the job just hard starting after sitting for a week but after this last Issue I need to do something..... seems I experience some sort of vapor lock as it was a warm day last Sunday here in Fl.. (sorry guys up north) and I had not activated my electric fan I have in addition to the flex fan and had been sitting in heavy traffic for some time. She just started stumbling and hesitating a few minutes before and just stalled out at a red light and would not restart, cranked and cranked and nothing. First i tough it was loss of spark but tried the screwdriver test and got zapped... realized after getting some helped by an officer and a passer by to get her over to the side of the road that after it cooled for about 20 minutes before calling a tow truck I tried again; pumped and pumped the gas pedal and she stumbled an then started running rough but got smoother once I got rolling away from traffic. I fairly sure I got some sort of vapor lock as temp went up to 200 F after it stalled with no air circulation, it was at 180 while in traffic... not that hot I thought Got home let her sit for about an hour and started right up and ran fine, I do notice that once parked when hot and I go back to start her after 10/15 minutes it give me a very hard time to start. Anybody out there gone through this? I think rerouting my fuel lines and adding an electric pump might fix my problems, they only reason I had not is because Electric pumps are loud unless in tank. Looking foe some suggestions on a good electric pump will add a regulator also.... I am running an Edelbrock 750 Thanks,

Real Nice shot, Canada? the Monte looks good staring at the Lake...

They sure did Doug, good job. I read the post above and figured out that we can make an album when you are full member and load the photos there and then copy and paste the URL to your signature and it worked... Thank you for the help guys..

I tried to add the addition to my chrome and it worked on one computer but not my work computer... there has to be a better way.. photobucket stinks nothing but add and pop ups, I have gmail so I have google photos but when I tried to load the link in my signature and try to save it says that extension not supported here.... is cardomain supported to hold your signature? Rob seems to like it

Hey Guys, thanks for that info, yes it should be a 30 spline axle as I found this great page online to confirm... what you both said.... 30 spline for sure This below is real useful..

Hey Guy's I searched in the drivetrain forum but could not find my answer. Anybody know what the standard spline could would be for my 72 with a 12 bolt rear end from Factory? She came with a 350/4V It has the 2.73 open diff as it came off the line I am fairly sure. I like to buy a posi unit like an Eaton with a 3 carrier to go to a 3:55 or 3.33 but the specs on the Eaton comes in different spline configurations..ie: 30 or 33 or 28 any Idea of the ones I would or should have in it without pulling the axles

For now I will just replace the mechanical one and see if it helps. Thanks, Guys

Hey Guy's This has been probably covered on here but had not found a direct topic. Everytime I go to start my 72 and it's been sitting for more than a week I have to crank the heck out of it to get it to start, it's like the fuel bowl is dry and I know that's not good for the rings and such with hardly any oil pressure before start up. Would I be able to add an in-line electric fuel pump that would give me preasure as soon as i turn the key without taking off the mechanical one? Is this not a good idea? It has an aftermarket Edelbrock on a stock manifold. Any suggestions on what type of pump / installation help etc.? would be appreciated. Thanks , Mike

Nice job on the stripes... I don't blame you... they look great

Well, after running out of gas the other day I decided that was it. I need to get into the fuel tank / gauge repair mode because I am not siting next to the road again waiting for my wife to bring me some gas... Happy to say that after some digging online here to help diagnose the problem the gauge functions well when grounding the sending the wire ect. So.... I set off to drop the tanks, I had ordered a new sender a while back when I first bought the car so tool advantage, sanded and scrubbed exterior of tank (interior was clean as can be) painted it black with some automotive anti rust stuff, put in the new sender and ...sweet if the gauge worked. I added 5 gallons of fuel that I had pumped out and it read a bit over and 1/8 of the tank. So, I headed to my local Shell pumped in an additional 10 gallons of premium and it went just past 3/4 almost to full with about 15 gallons in the tank so It's close enough for me. Oh, and I also took advantage I had the tank down and sanded and gave the bottom underside of trunk a shot of rubberized undercoating... I posted a few photos of the week long project...

Bones had mention those head cast # to me before 781/049, that's what I'm going to look for. The block and heads that were for sale locally are gone, called the guy today to see what the cast # on the heads where. Good big blocks are getting harder to find that are not vortech blocks I see. Dam, 600 HP I wish, nice to know they are that stought from the factory with just some tweaks...

I like that thinking on both of the last post wallaby & David... not go too crazy. I want to run on pump/high grade gas, if I can achieve the 425/450 HP with the suggestions you guys bring to the table with the right gearing she should be plenty fast. Not sure on the compression deal for the BB as I think 12:1 would not run well on pump gas and I might not have enough vacuum for the power brakes with the cam you would have to run with that comp. I would think. What do you all think of this deals locally here on CL, $500 for block and heads (bare) also is a 4 bolt main that necessary with under 500 HP? I have seen plenty but are newer truck motors I believe. https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/pts/6013954183.html And also this nice set of oval port heads.. https://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/pts/6023220586.html

A Lot of good information guys thanks But to be honest with you puts a lot of doubt in my mind as to if I can do this as there are a lot of variables..... Been looking for a good machine shop in the area but have not had good luck as most do just rebuilt to fact. specs.. I have a good motor in her now but not what I want, as a buick 455 is not exactly what a Monte came with so thought I will slowly build a 454 to swap out. I don't want a drag car but a strong muscle/street car that can hold it's own. 10/1 compression no more than that with a mild cam and some good heads, dual plane edelbrock probably and headers... I'm a fair mechanic but not by trade, did a motor swap about 30 years ago..wow... (time flies) helped a buddy hone the block as we did in the old days with a drill and honing stones... installed new bearings and rings etc. on his 350 before we put it back in... he had a 307 in an Impala. As most of us on here I just get satisfaction of doing it myself. So your help and advice is appreciated... !!

How about these ... they say oval port but only a casing # https://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/pts/6023220586.html

So that explains the good price @ $400 rebuilt, they are like truck heads. Please enlighten me on 049 or 781's what years or what should I look for to get those heads? and what's the best block year number to go for? I found these Merlin heads not too far also, more than double the $ but I can swing it if they are worth it? https://tampa.craigslist.org/psc/pts/5979859225.html

Looking to start piecing together a 454 for my 72' does anybody know if these peanut port heads are a good move? Not too familiar with BB motors. I'm looking to go for 425/450 Hp as end output for this motor. Thanks, Mike https://tampa.craigslist.org/hdo/pts/5987647023.html

Hey Dennis thanks, I bought the rubber replacements bushings in thought to do them also but they looked in good shape, not cracked or dry so I figured I would leave that project for when I have the rear end pulled to install a posi in the near future.... trying to find a friend with a lift for that project..