427 engine (part 2) - RHS block - Page 8

**Rich Z** · 05-25-2010, 10:19 AM

Yesterday (Monday) I got a phone call early from Chris whereby he told me he had a family emergency come up and wasn't sure what time he would be getting out to the shop. Since the morning was going to be pretty much shot, I emailed Chris and told him that Connie and I were going to be running some errands in town and I wouldn't be running out there. I also asked him about the status of those new headers and an itinerary for this week. As of this morning at 10:15 am, I have not heard back from him.

I did call this morning (Tuesday) and left a voice mail message, as I had an air conditioning guy come over early AM. The freon in our unit was low, so apparently we have a leak somewhere. The unit is 20 years old, so we're going to be replacing the entire unit, since it seems we are having problems about every year with it. Just a matter of time before it goes kaput, so probably best to stop spending money on patching the old one up....

I'm hoping to hear from Chris so I can run out there this afternoon, so we'll just have to see...

shakedown067 · 05-25-2010, 10:34 AM

Hope everything is alright with Chris and his family. Good luck with the A/C. There are some really nice units out there to choose from now.

vetteguy61 · 05-25-2010, 10:44 AM

Glad I read this before heading out to Blountstown. Hate making a wasted trip.

**Rich Z** · 05-25-2010, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vetteguy61

Glad I read this before heading out to Blountstown. Hate making a wasted trip.

Chris called me a little while ago and said he would be going out to the shop to finish up the wiring harness for the new fuel pump.

He's planning to be out there early tomorrow (Wednesday) to attach the transmission and diff to the torque tube. With any luck, he will begin to make the drivetrain and suspension to the body tomorrow as well.

I'm REALLY ready to get this DONE.......... Close to hitting the 7 month mark now...

shakedown067 · 05-25-2010, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Z

I'm REALLY ready to get this DONE.......... Close to hitting the 7 month mark now...

Man, it's like having a kid...

**Rich Z** · 05-25-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakedown067

Man, it's like having a kid...

Sheesh, I hope you aren't right about that. Connie is saying I won't have my car back till my birthday, which is July 21. Which will be 9 months....

shakedown067 · 05-25-2010, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Z

Sheesh, I hope you aren't right about that. Connie is saying I won't have my car back till my birthday, which is July 21. Which will be 9 months....

Man, I was totally meaning at 7 months everyone wants the pregnancy to be over with...didn't mean it would last 9 months for you. For your sake, I sure hope it's over soon for you and that devil is back on the road!

**Rich Z** · 05-26-2010, 09:07 PM

Chris called this morning to tell me he would be delayed getting to the shop. Turned out to be just as well, because the guy who erected my garage called a few minutes later saying that his partner was heading out this way to fix one of the garage doors that has been tough to open and close.

So as it turned out, I didn't get out of here till around 12:30 to head over to Chris's.

The agenda for today (what was left of it) was to remove the gas tanks so they could be drained and cleaned out. Chris was afraid that putting that 7 month old stale gas through the new plumbing and engine might not be a good idea. He was probably right, as when he pulled out the fuel pump, there was a black crud dripping from the filter. So he ordered new filters for me and they will likely be showing up tomorrow. Doesn't sound like much, but it looked like a real pain in the butt getting those tanks out of there. Would have been much more of a BEAR of a job had the drivetrain and suspension been in there.

Oh yeah, Justin gave us a bit of a show by catching the field next to the shop on fire. His method of getting rid of that old gas needs some work, I'm afraid..... Chris had to call the fire department to put it out before it got out of control. Us trying to stomp out the fire wasn't working out too well.....

Hopefully tomorrow the drivetrain will be put back together....

**Rich Z** · 05-28-2010, 01:48 AM

I talked to Chris in the morning and he said he was waiting to hear back from Champion Chevrolet about the filters being in. Later on, after some time had passed without hearing about them, I called Chris and suggested that the gas tanks could be put back into the car, and those filters put in later when they came in. In the meantime, with the tanks back in place, the drivetrain and suspension could be put back in the body to get this thing closer to completion.

I talked to Chris later in the evening and he told me he had the gas tanks back in the car, and put the transmission and differential onto the torque tube, with it almost ready to be put together with the body and frame. Hopefully that will take place tomorrow (Friday). Since Monday is a holiday, nothing after Friday will be done till Tuesday.

Chris said he painted the transmission and differential so they wouldn't look so drab against the polished rear cradle.

Still no word about those darn headers.

I'm only expecting to be out there until around noontime on Friday. Got a refrigerator due to be delivered at the house, and Chris said he has a couple of small jobs with other customers' cars he needs to do in the afternoon.

**Rich Z** · 05-28-2010, 03:51 PM

OK, had a major milestone reached today. The drivetrain and suspension are now mated up with the body and frame....

Chris got things in position yesterday so when I showed up there today, he just needed my help manning the lift while he got underneath the car to massage everything into position.

But in any event, it's finally beginning to look like a CAR again, instead of something you may see at a scrap yard.

He had some other things to do today with some other customers, and I had to head back home anyway for a refrigerator delivery. But with the holiday weekend, that's pretty much it till Tuesday.

Oh, on another good note, Chris said my new headers were shipped out yesterday. So hopefully they will be in by next week.