BUILD THREAD JRP's '87 Regal Thread

[joesregalproject]

That base is quite nice looking as well... 😛

Yeah, I wonder who cleaned that up?

 

[Daca214]

carb looks great.
did you paint the intake manifold or was it like that?


if so, what did you use? i am in the process of stripping my engine down and I was going to use POR-15 High Temp on the exhaust manifolds since i have a gallon from work. its black and I considered using it on the intake manifold as well, but like the "aluminum" look better so Im trying to decide which paint to use.

thx

 

[joesregalproject]

carb looks great.
did you paint the intake manifold or was it like that?


if so, what did you use? i am in the process of stripping my engine down and I was going to use POR-15 High Temp on the exhaust manifolds since i have a gallon from work. its black and I considered using it on the intake manifold as well, but like the "aluminum" look better so Im trying to decide which paint to use.

thx

Thanks. I sandblasted and primed that intake. Just used Duplicolor engine primer. Probably gonna paint it red to match the rest of the engine but may go with an aluminum color, not sure yet.


Today I took the pistons and rods and crankshaft out of the motor and I'm glad I did. The main and rod bearings have some gouges in them, not the worst ever but definitely want to replace them. They are all standard size, but different brands. Some say clevite, some say mahle, a couple didn't have a brand name on them, so I'd guess this thing has been apart before.

Either way, yesterday I decided to skip lunch and try and rush over to this other machine shop and get some prices. Well that turned out to be a bad idea, because on the way I got pulled over for speeding. I was rushing around trying to do too much too fast, and I didn't realize I was doing 52 mph in a 25 (the flow of traffic was 40+ mph so don't crucify me). So instead of eating or getting prices at this machine shop, I spent my lunch break on the side of the road, getting a $250 ticket. Yeah. It sucked. I was royally pissed off for the rest of the day and I'm still not completely over it, but I paid the fine, and I'm going to take it to traffic court. May not get the money back, but hopefully get the points off my license.

But I think maybe this was a blessing in disguise, maybe God trying to tell me that I'm trying to do too much at once. Between my new-ish job, a couple relatively large home renovation projects going on, some family stuff and trying to build this car, it's just been too much stress, and maybe a $250 ticket is what I needed to realize that. So I did get to talk to the machine shop today, and they seemed pretty reasonable. So even though I probably have the skills to do it myself, I'm having the machine shop put the bottom end together, final decision. It may cost more money, but it's gonna be one less thing for me to manage, which will reduce my stress load, which is what I really need right now. So I'm gonna drop the block, pistons and rods, and crank off at the machine shop tomorrow and they can call me with updates and I'll pick it up when it's done.

 

[MrSony]

Ok, so you got a plan. Nice. What are you gonna have them do specifically, do you know yet? If the thing is already there, are you willing to spend an extra ~600 for an overbore, new pistons (340p "10:1" pistons off summit, same as TA), and rings? And possible balancing? That requires the balancer, flexplate, all the bearings, rings, pistons, crank, rods, everything. Or put it back together the way it was with just a cleanup, crank polish (if they think it needs it) and new bearings?

Edit: looking at the 340p pistons, they wouldn't ship until the end of the month, they may not be the best option. BUT, you can use 3.0 V6 pistons (need 8), for about 9.25:1. They're flat top, but sit in the hole a bit. It's a trade off. Flat top zero deck SB is 12.4:1... don't let anyone talk you into zero decking a SBB. Ever.

 

[fleming442]

I vote pistons. One thing a lot of these BOP engines have in common is cast, lowish compression pistons. If it's apart, putting come compression and forged pistons in is a no-brainer. Why pull it out later and have to do it again? Although, looking around (and Mr. Sony can pontificate further, I'm sure) there doesn't appear to be any forged pistons available? http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/1970-350-pistons-73-80-rods.263963/page-2

 

[MrSony]

Also, when piston shopping, SBB 350 pistons always have a compression height of 1.8" or taller, and no SBB 350 piston ever had valve reliefs. They may fit, but it's adding to the cylinder volume with that extra ~4cc of the notches, which aren't needed anyway. Stock the pistons are anywhere from .050 (68-72ish) to .070 (73ish-80) in the hole. The heads are all open chamber so it kinda uses the piston and the walls of the cylinder as a quench pad since there is none.

 

[MrSony]

It's pricey, but autotec can make custom order forged pistons, to whatever specs you want, for 699. With rings. Kind of overkill in your situation, but they exist. https://www.buyracingparts.com/pist...stons/autotec-forged-350-buick-pistons-1.html
TA don't even sell forged SB pistons. They offer pins in a .970 or a .940 (stock buick size) diameter.

 

[fleming442]

It's pricey, but autotec can make custom order forged pistons, to whatever specs you want, for 699. With rings. Kind of overkill in your situation, but they exist. https://www.buyracingparts.com/pist...stons/autotec-forged-350-buick-pistons-1.html
TA don't even sell forged SB pistons. They offer pins in a .970 or a .940 (stock buick size) diameter.
View attachment 99196

That's not hateful. The CP Bullets in my Olds were $650. Floating pins (don't see locks, link doesn't say)?

 

[MrSony]

That's not hateful. The CP Bullets in my Olds were $650. Floating pins (don't see locks, link doesn't say)?

All SBB, and all stock "modern" post nailhead Buicks are press fit afaik.


Click this sentence to go to a link from summit for 3.0 pistons. Acknowledge the shipping dates.

 

[joesregalproject]

Ok, so you got a plan. Nice. What are you gonna have them do specifically, do you know yet? If the thing is already there, are you willing to spend an extra ~600 for an overbore, new pistons (340p "10:1" pistons off summit, same as TA), and rings? And possible balancing? That requires the balancer, flexplate, all the bearings, rings, pistons, crank, rods, everything. Or put it back together the way it was with just a cleanup, crank polish (if they think it needs it) and new bearings?

.

Specifically, they are gonna-

-Check EVERYTHING
-Mag the block
-Clean the block
-Hone, bore only if necessary
-Check and clean the rods,
-Recondition the rods if necessary
-Clean, mag and polish the crank
-Custom Grind the crank only if necessary
-Remove the old pistons, install the new ones (planning on using cast 10:1 pistons from TA)
-Balance the Rotating Assembly, balancer to flexplate
-degree the cam
-new freeze and pipe plugs
-recondition the harmonic balancer

This machinist at this shop seemed pretty cool, I didn't feel like he was trying to sell me anything. I trust his judgment, if he says something does or doesn't need done, or I should or shouldn't do something, I think I can trust him.