Can you or do you have a pic you can post? Maybe I can get lucky at the Turkey Run swap meet next week. Anyone have a picture of the original breather cap and fill cap for the aluminum finned valve covers for our 66's?
Sending you guys a PM.... The chrome breathers can be found on eBay. Prices vary from a low of $24 (sold) to $125. These are also used on mid 60's Chevys. There is a repo of a twist-on style from CARS for around $35. It'll need to be modified for the correct push-in style. Pics of the correct one:
Well after some long and hard debating with myself and a long discussion with Uncle Don, I think I might have a plan for the drivetrain in the GS. I've been struggling to figure out what I wanted to do with the engine and transmission. Having only one car makes decisions rather tough especially when it is numbers matching. I want to freshen up the car, but I know how I am and once I tear the engine down I am going to want to hop it up. But I also don't want to chance destroying my numbers matching engine and transmission. SO, as many of you have done I am sure, I think I have decided to build up an engine and transmission and then swap them out with the originals. This will benefit me in several ways, although not in the pocket book. I can still enjoy driving around in the car until I get the new engine and trans built, so the down time of the car should be significantly less than pulling the originals and freshening them up. Also with the fresh transplanted engine and transmission I won't be hesitant to pound on them a little bit. And see how quick I can make it on street tires. In the 12's would be nice, but not sure how feasible that will be on street tires. Hahaha. For now the plan will be to build a ST400 Transmission and a modified 401 to go into the car for me to enjoy. I will keep and freshen up the numbers matching engine and transmission and then they will be stored at the house until I get another car to play with and then they will go back into the GS. Not sure when this whole process will begin as we need to get the engine built for Don's race car first. Also depending on funds, hopefully within this next year I will be able to start putting together the implant engine and transmission.
Looks great with the road wheels. I like the white walls too. I was planning on running them on mine.
Well, the wheels came with these tires already mounted and balanced and they look almost new, so I figured I might as well use them. They are Hancook's, which isn't exactly my preference, but that also means I won't mind burning them off either. I prefer Redlines myself. When it comes time to buy tires again I will be looking to get some 225-70R14 BFG Silvertown Radial Redlines from Coker. However, depending on the budget at the time I may just get the standard BFG Radial T/A's since they would be about half the price. Haven't decided yet. The whitewalls don't bother me as much as I thought they might, but I'll deal with them just to have Road Wheels back on the car. Also, these are supposed to be '68 wheels, so they should allow me to put front disc brakes on the car if I decide to go that route.
Secured the first piece of the new driveline puzzle. Found a BS Code ST400 about an hour from the house. Went and picked it up on Saturday. Unfortunately it didn't have the torque converter with it, but it's definitely a good starting point. Looks to be in good shape from the outside, obviously I will know more once I tear into it.
Johnny, sounds like you're making good progress. Is the BS code a '66 ST400? The one in my red Special is a BR coded ST400 from a '65 Rivi. There are some mods you'll want to consider if you rebuild it. One is changing the valve body and pan to a '70 or later TH400 so you can use the later filters. The ST400 filters are getting harder to find. Also consider changing the tail shaft and yolk to a TH400 (short shaft). Steve
Thanks Steve. I am trying anyway. About a week after I picked up those wheels from you JR contacted me about the wheels that are on my car now. Your wheels are at Donny's. After JR offered me these I felt yours would be a better fit on the full out restore Don plans to do with the Black car, since they are the correct code wheel and backspace for '66. With JR's it should give me the option of running front discs if I decide to go that route. As far as the transmission, it is a '65 BS code. From what I was told that should be out of a '65 Riv GS. I don't know the transmission codes so I am taking their word for it. It is a short tail transmission, if that's what you were getting at about changing the tail shaft and yolk. I will definitely look into the other mods. The plan I have in mind right now is to pretty much copy the transmission in Don's Cream car with all the little tweaks and tricks. Maybe not quite as tight since I won't be racing it.....much. As I understand it, the BS Code transmission already has a tweaked governor for higher shift points, so maybe I won't have to mess with the governor much.
UPDATE: Got some bad news. I was setting things up to start doing a leak down and compression test on all cylinders, since the car had developed this puff out of the passenger side exhaust. I hooked up the remote starter button and bumped it two quick times to make sure it was going to work. On the second bump of the switch, the engine made a strange noise. I bumped the switch again to see what it was and the engine wasn't turning over anymore like it was locked up.uzzled: After I swallowed the huge lump in my throat, I commenced to pulling all the spark plugs. In pulling the plugs they all seemed normal except for #5, it was a little damp at quick inspection. With all plugs removed I grabbed the button and gave it a quick tap, which was followed buy a loud whoosh and a large mist of coolant from the #5 cylinder. Grabbed my flashlight and looked into the #5 hole to see nothing but coolant. :eek2: Not good. I'm just glad that it didn't happen while the car was running. Looks like I will be pulling the head this week and assessing the damage. Praying that it is only a head gasket failure and that there is no other damage. ray:
Well, the news didn't get any better today. Pulled the heads. Good news is the head doesn't look cracked. We think it may be a little warped as it looks like there was some leaking going with head gasket. However the news got worse when we rotated the piston to the bottom of the hole. It doesn't look like a crack but it doesn't look good either. Its obvious that water has been getting into that hole for a while. SO. Its time to visit the Nailhead parts house, aka the Uncles house, and gather up some pieces to start building a new engine to beat on. He is going to let me have a spare block and some additional parts that he has acquired over the years. I will be making arrangements soon to take the new block and a set of heads over to the machine shop to get the ball rolling. Will also be talking to Tom T about a set of pistons. Wasn't planning to get this party started so soon, but you gotta play with the hand you are dealt. Let the Nailhead building begin!!
Johnny, Sorry to hear the bad news on the engine. Guess it's going to be sooner than later for you to get a newly rebuilt engine to play with... At least you've got the right guy to help and guide you along the way. Is Don still shooting to have his yellow GS ready for Temple on the 28th? Good luck on the rebuild. Steve
Thanks guys. Definitely a bummer on the engine, but it is what it is. Steve - Yes I for sure have the right guy to help and guide me along the way. Their is no way we will have the Cream car ready in time for Temple. Don has been working weekends for a long while. Today was the first time we worked on anything car related in probably two months or better. He said something a while back about maybe taking the '67 but we will see. We really have to get moving on the race car.
Yikes Johnny. I didn't see all of your woes. Hopefully you will be back on the road soon. Steve are you building swimming pool??
