superstk

Start the car and use a voltage tester across the battery terminals. If the voltage reads 12.5V- 14V your alternater is fine. Means your charging. Is this your factory voltage meter? If so, it could be a loose wire at the meter or other end. It may also be a cracked wire which with normal road and engine vibration is intermittently opening and closing the circuit. If you can, run 2 wires to battery with a voltage meter. Install a temporary switch on positive wire to turn on/off voltage meter. Watch the new voltage meter, if it reads continous voltage above 12.5Volts then it is your other voltage meter or wires to it or possibly the voltage regulator.

Is this a even swap? Any modifications I need to know about? Is that a 20:1 ratio or 26:1? Or is it possible to order either. Fred

Does anyone know what manual steering gear box will swap into a '71 Monte without any mods? I know some or all manual steering gear boxes come with 3 bolts pattern and not 4 bolt pattern like the power steering gear boxes. Is that true? I want to convert mine to manual steering. Fred

Thanks Mike, I was considering all optoins and have kept leaning toward the manual setup because vacuum is an issue with my engine setup. Then I would need to spend more money on an electric vacuum pump. Seems to me like these brake companys are really overpriced on the equipment their selling. As a machinist in volume production machining I see how long it takes to make things. The markups are really outrageous. Just my 2 cents. Fred

With my new setup, BB w/Tall valve covers to clear stud girdles, the stock power booster is too close to the valve cover(might fit a piece of paper between). Is there another booster smaller in diameter that can be used instead that fits a '71 Monte? Also, if I decide to go to manual brakes(removing booster altogether) which master cylinder works? Do I need to replace proportioning valve? Disc/Drum setup. Fred

Check your oil pickup tube and screen. Screen canbe clogged or your pickup tube may be sucking air at the oil pump connection . Good idea is to weld the pickup tube to the oilpump. Also your pickup screen should be 1/8 of an inch from bottom of pan. If you plan on purchasing a new oil pump go with the Mellings M77-HV pump(I think thats the # for a BB) LOL. Hope this helps.

I had that problem (scrapping) but corrected that with a set of stiffer front springs. Never happened again.

I agree with buc01, I put the Flowmaster 2 chamber 40 series on mine w/full 3 inch exhuast out the back. When I put it to the floor it sounds awsome. Lose some low end but boy do you pickup mid-top end power!

Word of caution in regards to ceramic coated headers. This coating should last a long time but as I found out with a set of Hooker Super Comp Headers it doesn't. When they coat the headers, after coating they tumble them to polish the coating so it looks shiney. But, what happens is that this also removes some of the coating and makes it thinner. Hot headers + a little moisture = RUST. I know of a company that coates headers in Chicago if your intrested. They prefer untreated headers to coat. I just recoated mine again with a dark grey coating that they guaranty for life. If it peels or rusts they will redo them for free. As I see it now only time will tell.