The Bronze Brick a Very Unusual 9C1

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vanrah

G-Body Guru
Apr 16, 2013
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Near Afton, Wisconsin
Greetings Blake & all; Thanks for the opinion Blake, but my brain is wired different. I'm a form follows function type of guy, so any weight I can strip off without hurting function is a GOOD thing. That being said as long as I own it (Bronze Brick) the boat anchor steel bumpers will remain tucked away. I'll gladly put them back on as soon as you send the deposit. Don't take me wrong, I value everyones opinion. Because I know that I'm a little unusual (maybe even a LOT)! Anyway are you coming down for Power Tour or Car Craft Nat's? If I can interest you come a day early, we can jaw bone, SPIN the tires & drink beer (with or without roots). I'm only 40 miles South of Madison & 75 miles West of Milwaukee. If the Brick isn't sold by then (unlikely), I will be driving it to the first day of Power Tour (Madison). I doubt that I will spend the $100 for a T-shirt, so I'll be parked in (way out, no door dings) with the spectators. Take care keep warm, Bob Jr.
 

Blake442

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Apr 24, 2007
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I know what ya mean... my 2 cents only goes so far! :p

I go to Car Craft in St. Paul every year, I live like 20 miles from the fairgrounds.
I've never been to Power Tour, but it'd be fun to head out to Madison for the first day. We'll see if I can pull it off... :lol:
 

vanrah

G-Body Guru
Apr 16, 2013
879
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Near Afton, Wisconsin
Greetings; Give me a call Blake, or any of you guys (find phone # on first for sale post). You don't have to be shopping for a car, we can just jaw bone. I'm surprised that we didn't meet during the Car Craft Nat's, back in 2010 or 11 (I can't remember, senior moment?) Remote possibility I could accommodate 2 (single bed & big couch) overnight in the basement (dry). I've been having computer Trouble, so if you don't hear from me you will know why. Bob Jr.
 

vanrah

G-Body Guru
Apr 16, 2013
879
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Near Afton, Wisconsin
Greetings;
As I retired the (first) Gen I 406 a couple of last details. We could of internally balanced it had I not all ready bought an externally balanced Fluidampr. Lesion #793 try not to get ahead of yourself. It was 10.15:1 compression fully machined two bolt block, aligned honed for .0025” main brg oil film clearance (1984 tech), equalized decks, cylinders bored with deck plates and of course with the finest cylinder finish ring combo of the day. You ask why not a 4 bolt block? Well most of the caps I've either seen or heard of, broke into the nearest bolt hole to the crank, didn’t mater if they had 4 bolts or two. And of course the ol’e motto run what ya got. Anyway the timing set is for the shortened distance between the cam & crank center-line (aligned honed). Fall of 1994 I disassembled it, saved the block, JE pistons & 5 Qt pan (6 with filter). Ordered the Air Flow Research 190 runner heads. The Diamond push rods were replaced with Smith Brothers, smaller oil hole. Some evidence of TOO much oil to the top end. And of course my favorite valve train components Comp Cams. Over the years I've had two issues with their products & both times they they came through with new parts & SUPER discounts, I can't say enough Positive about them (Comp Cams)! The Gen I 406 used their roller tip-ball & socket rockers, this Gen II will use their Pro Magnum (rollerized trunnions) units. The new cam will be a flat tappet Hyd with Rhoads lifters, 224 – 228 @ .050” duration, .480”(senior moment?) lift. Clearances; .0009”-.001” piston pins, .0021”-.0022” rods, .0023”-.0024” mains and a lose .0055”-.006” piston to cylinder. I even paid up to dyno it as I wanted to make sure it didn't leak anywhere. This is where my relationship with the machinist-engine builder deteriorates. My stupid, his dyno doesn't pressurize the cooling system (this will BITE me down the road), has a heat exchanger (no pressure) why did I pay up, just for some numbers. And he did mention that it's Not calibrated, so the #s aren't even that accurate! My fancy TRC 780 Holley has a lose booster. He machinist-builder grabs my buddies custom 650 double pumper off his 383” and runs the break in cycle. My Gen II (1995) 406 makes 433 HP & 460 Lbs ft of torque. Noted on a piece 3”x 7” paper! That was the good news.
Ps: I edited this, my time line was a year off on the rods & crank. Bob Jr.
 

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vanrah

G-Body Guru
Apr 16, 2013
879
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Near Afton, Wisconsin
Greetings; May of 1995, I install this dream engine. It's already broken in, an hour or more on the dyno. I run the cycle again anyway 20 minutes @1500 to 2500 RPM. Cool down, check this and that, pull the dip stick and I remember putting oil in but now I have chocolate malt and in stead of 5 quarts I’ve got 7 quarts. This is real bad! If it was cheep & easy to go fast, everybody would! Well we know it’s not the block because the problem didn’t exist before the AFR heads. Worse yet my machinist says the new moly rings are etched along with the bearings from the anti-freeze. And it will be an oil burner if I don’t re hone and come back with new rings. Of course bearings too and some labor. The heads are on their way back to the left coast (AFR).So my buddy and I pony up and buy the machinist a booster tool. Then I get a invoice for tightening my loose booster, I was less happy. A number of weeks later my heads are back. The second fresh (bearings & rings) bottom end is ready. The down side is the cylinder to wall clearance is out to .0065”+, loose as a goose. I fire this thing up, but this time I have distilled – de mineralized water in the cooling system, just in case. Five minutes later I’ve got the beginning of chocolate malt again! The goddess of hot Roding is testing me. My machinist doesn’t have a pressure tester. Again my buddy (he has an engine in progress) and I step up and we purchase the machinist a pressure tester. I personally use the new pressure tester on the AFR heads! And sure enough, porosity in both heads in the same place. The area near the oil drains back holes in the end of the heads. Too say I was pissed would be an understatement! Another call to AFR, this time I get Rick the son, pa had retired. I did my best to hold my temper and Rick worked things out. But by now summer is gone; He personally will make me a new set of heads and covered the some of the costs (rings & bearings- gaskets). Because of the way Rick handled the problem, I would buy their stuff again. So I went off the deep end and purchased a set of Eagle H beam rods and the Calies crank. Re balanced the reciprocating assemble, drilling material from the new Calies crank. The two end throws are gun drilled with those light JE pistons & the short taper wall pins, I ended up with a very light assembly. Over winter I sent the JE pistons in and had the crowns ceramic coated & dry film lube coating applied to the skirts. New heads arrive; I've already assembled the short block. I don't trust AFR so we pressure check the new heads! They are OK, so at this point the combustion chambers are NOT matched to the cylinders or any of the ports matched. The machinist says to me “I never want to see another pair of AFR heads in my shop”. The cash shows up from Rick, he had offered me another set of heads free in stead of the cash, but I needed the cash to pay the remaining invoice balance. Off to the machinist to pay the balance, I get invoiced for pressure checking my heads and I did ½ the work. I did mention the free heads, pay my balance & tip him a $100. The next thing I hear is “get out of my shop & don't come back”. Anyway my luck changed and I fired it early the spring of 96. Using Mobil 1 15-50, runs great, I'm worried about breaking the 7-1/2” rear now. Bob Jr.
 

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vanrah

G-Body Guru
Apr 16, 2013
879
1,189
93
Near Afton, Wisconsin
Greetings Guys; I've been busy & this may be the first I've posted since the new format? A couple little updates. Finalized the deal to repaint the fiberglass bumper covers, should happen in 2 or 3 weeks. Also checked the valve settings last week, three valves were maybe a 1/2 thousands loose. I didn't relax the valves this year, instead I turned the engine 90 degrees every two weeks. So all is good for the new valve train. Checked very carefully the rear wheel well clearance for new rear tires as I would like to go from a 245/60-15 to a 255/60-15. And I'm about to spend more money on the thing, per usual. I'm one eye blink away from purchasing the Global West lower front "A" arms. I started the front suspension upgrades back in 2003 & as some of you that have been reading along know I sent the steering box in to Tommy Lee last year for a complete rebuild (blue print-I hate using these words as no paper or ammonia is evolved). And it's time to replace the front anti sway bar bushings as they date to 98. My goal is to do the auto-X in Milwaukee at the Car Craft Nat's. That is if someone doesn't buy it first, who can tell the future? So anyway it will be off the jack stands soon & I'll be mak'in serious noise, I'm gett'in antsy. Again I would like to extend an invitation to all, if you are in the area for Power Tour or Car Craft Nat's to stop by share a beer & or take this Bronze Brick out for some tire destroying fun. Bob Jr.
 

ssn696

Living in the Past
Supporting Member
Jul 19, 2009
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How many people drive a hot-rodded classic long enough that they need to replace the sway bar bushings?!? Good luck, Bob, sorry that I will not be able to join you guys in WI this summer.
 

vanrah

G-Body Guru
Apr 16, 2013
879
1,189
93
Near Afton, Wisconsin
Greetings Quinn & all; This new format is forcing me to re learn how to use the site. I had the Brick out for a few miles last week, good god it sounds good (loud) after all winter of not hearing any fine engines. I thought I would post a picture of the rockers that I shot while I was checking the valves. Summer plans may have changed a little as my son & grand daughter are arriving two days before Power Tour. Much of my attention is being directed toward Car Craft Nat's & the auto X at this point. The Global West arms are only a few days away. For all you guys that don't live in the snow belt, when spring comes we have a long list (clean garage floor, take snow tires off, get hoses out, clean winter car, put snow blower away, get out lawn mowers) of thing that need doing. Plus I got the GuTOo on jack stands prepping for application of 3M defender spray, back at it. Later Bob Jr.
Ps: Ssn696, that's you isn't it Quinn? I've seen your brake post, but haven't made time to read it yet but I will, thanks for posting that info. I tried putting rear discs on back in 2003, but the Cadillac brake cables would NOT clear the (lowered car) frame, 20% re-stock charge + the cable brackets I chopped up. Money spent for NO gain
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. The F car stuff looks to be the answer.
 
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ssn696

Living in the Past
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Jul 19, 2009
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Bob,

Thanks for the personal greeting! I sat in a boring meeting today and was doodling. I think I have solved the problem of the brake cables. You see, the Camaro calipers need to be mounted on the back, not the front of the axle, so they don't hit the frame. I elected to swap backing plates left to right so the cables still pull forward. There is not enough space on the G-body axle between the backing plate and the lower control arm bracket to get the cables mounted, since they slip over the 'hook' on the parking brake lever and have to flip 180 degrees to lock in. The solution came as I was figuring out what to do about the RockAuto cables (made in Turkey) whose crimped ends don't fit over the hooks - square holes too small - probably why I got a bargain...

My plan is to make small steel adapters that fit over the hook, then have a hook in the same plane - turns the hook 90 degrees. I have to dig out some 1/8 plate, drill, cut, file. I'll let you know how it pans out. If you wait long enough, I'll have a parts list you can replicate.

My brick looks kind of silly with its rear bumper in the air while the axle is in the garage getting surgery.
 

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vanrah

G-Body Guru
Apr 16, 2013
879
1,189
93
Near Afton, Wisconsin
Good Morning guys; Well I had the Brick out again, yesterday. Jumped on it a little from a 20 MPH roll, of course lit the tires up, side ways so I lifted. Put some fresh gas in it & went to the grocery store. Later today or tomorrow I will be ordering the new Global West lower front control arms. Next week the neighbor will be properly fitting & re painting the bumper covers. So I'm pulling the mirror to sent it to the paint mixer, at least the bumper covers will match something. The neighbor was looking at it in the sun & really noticed how faded some of the panels are. He's too young to remember that GM painted the front clip in a different area than the body. So they faded at different rates, add the fiberglass hood & a little touch up on the driver side and you end up with a car that has 5 shades of the same color! I just tell people that it's a rat rod. Did anyone notice that a GNX sold for a $150,000 at BJ this week-end, only 530 some made? I wonder how many 9C1 two door Malibu's were made? Talk about exclusive! Bob Jr.
 
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