gvincent

A picture would be great! I am going to see a firebird that supposedly has a 383 stroker in it but he has no proof as that is the way he bought it. http://nh.craigslist.org/car/261850716.html http://nh.craigslist.org/car/261137898.html Thanks, Greg

Curious here, there really is no way to really check and see if an engine is a 383 stroker or not just by looking at it from the outside while it is still in the car. The only clue I'm thinking about is to look for the 8" harmonic balancer with the counterweights on it for a 400 SBC crank. But that only works if the motor was not internally balanced during the build and they used a 400 crank or an unbalanced Scat crank or something similar. If it was internally balanced the harmonic balancer would be a Neutral type unit correct? Are there any other tell tale signs one could look for? I know you can drop the pan and look at the crank and block to see if there is any clearance grinding visible but I can,t do that. Anybody have a picture a of the 400 harmonic balancer and what to look for or feel for? the counter weights are on the rear of the balancer? Thanks, Greg

OK, thanks for the education, I was curious not so much this particular motor but the Buick or Olds engines. I guess I will continue my search for the Small block Chevy. I'm just getting a little frustrated with the lack of decent engine options in the New England rustbelt area for reasonable prices so thought I would open my eyes and search a little wider The SBC still seems to be the easiest route. Patience and search search I guess. Thanks again Greg

Is the Buick 350 with the distributor up front like a Ford worrth looking into? Will it mount in with the JTR SBC mounts? Could a T56 or T5 be made to wrk with it? It definately would be different... here is one I was thinking of looking at: http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/pts/269830622.html Thanks, Greg

Thanks John, I wanted to check before I picked them up. I'll post pics of them, I was told they were Motorsport Auto springs, I guess they once sold their own brand? They are Blue in color. So More winds= softer= front Less winds= harder= rear, by half a coil wind Thanks, Greg

HA HA good luck getting her to let you drive it!! I bought my wife her 2006 G35X 4 door with everything in September with 5 miles on it and I have driven it only 3 times since!!!!! The thing flys! the auto shift trans is way cool. Much faster than my 78 280Z..now I have to get the 76 280Z Hybrrid finished faster!!!! In the mean time I have my daily driver 2000 Silverado Z71 Greg

I saw some lowering springs and thought that the front and rear springs were always different lengths with the rears being longer than the fronts. But with this set of springs all 4 springs measured 11-3/8" approx but the coil wind was a little different. If I lay the springs on their side one pair has the spring starting and ending on the same side, as in both spring ends pointing up or down. The other pair has the spring starting and ending on opposite sides, one end pointing up and one pointing down. How do you tell which is for the front and which is for the rear if they are the same free length? Do I count each 360 degree winding as I believe one pair will turn out to be a half winding longer I think. Thanks, Greg

I have 2 of them, see my gallery for pics, both of them not on the road! 78 280Z I have owned since 1982, motor still runs great, perfect interior but needs body work and frame rails. 76 280Z going to be my HybridZ as soon as I find a damm motor and trans. Great body and frame, no rust, almost perfect interior. Greg

Thanks for all the advice guys, Is there anything I should be looking for, I won't be able to drop the pan but he did say that 1 head has been taken off recently and placed back on so I can see the bore and pistons at least. Aside from a socket set (Any guess on socket size to turn crank balancer pulley?)and a breaker bar to hand crank the engine what else would you guys reccomend I bring with me to check this thing out. Should I crank it with and without the spark plugs installed? anything I should feel for while hand cranking the engine? I already have the various engine casting numbers but am not sure what heads are on the engine and after doing a web search it seems there were alot of different heads that came on the 400's Any other questions do you think I need to ask? Thanks, Greg

Thanks, It's probably been 30 years since I have torn into an engine. My minimal experience was mostly with VW air cooled engines and I built or actually slapped together a bunch of them back then for dune buggy and sand rail projects in the 70's, I have swapped plenty of engines but only once did a rebuild or actualy literally I just replaced the crank and crank bearings in a Buick GN turbo motor that I had spun a bearing on that I had put into a VW Bus. If I buy this motor I will pick up the Plastigauges and a head and pan gasket set. AutoZone sell these gauges? I also just found a stock GMC 400 small block with a 4 barrel that the owner just pulled, the add says he thinks it has a hung valve? $250 I may pick this one up as well just to keep as a rebuildable spare? Thanks, Greg

Some how I knew Doc would say that! Happy Birthday Doc! Do you think the 406 is ok from sitting in a garage on an engine stand for 2 years, I talked with the guy and he said that he goes out there and squirts oil in the cylinders and hand cranks it periodically. It has been for sale for a while though.... Here is the most recent add: http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/pts/268058149.html He said he can take off one head for a look see inside? He doesn't know much about the original rebuild but the guy is local to the town he lives in. I can have him get numbers off the block and heads tomorrow. I have been looking for a motor too damm long now! Thanks, Greg

Let me see if I got this straight a stock 350 SBC with a .020 bore is a 353 CID a stock 350 SBC with a .030 bore is a 355 CID a stock 350 SBC with a .040 bore is a 357 CID a stock 350 SBC with a .060 bore is a 361 CID now with a 400 SBC a stock 400 SBC with a .020 bore is a 405 CID a stock 400 SBC with a .030 bore is a 407 CID (The 406 mentioned in threads) a stock 400 SBC with a .040 bore is a 409 CID I know there are tons of combinations once you start swapping the internals but this is for stock rebuilt bottom end with a bore. That being said I found these 2 engine descriptions: 400 SBC bored .030 over 2 bolt main, new valvetrain, Comp Cam xtreme 4x4 cam, magnum pushrods and lifters, Pete Jackson geardirve, chrome block hugger headers, Edelbrock Intake, HEI distributor, 7 quart pan, flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, NO carburator. Rebuilt 350 bored .020 over, new pistons, forged rods, comp cams xtreme energy cam 1600-5600, Block is 86, heads are 74 casting number 333882 shaved, Three angle, new valves, screwed in studs with guide plates and roller bearing fulcrum and tip rocker arms, Edelbrock intake with Holley 600 double pump carb I can hear the 350 run as it comes with a 81 Olds Cutlass attached for 1K$ The 406 has been sitting on an engine stand for 2 years with 17K on the rebuilt bottom end and zero miles on the top end for 1.1K$ Thoughts? Opinions? I can still get low (60-80K) mileage Caprice LT1 motors for about the same money.

Acually the 30 minute span between my double post is still less than the time between airing another Manning commercial on TV! ()

Sorry about that, I posted it and then got distracted and couldn't remember if I had posted it already so hit the submit button again, then relised I did that and thought I hit the edit/delete post button but nothing happened. Oh well an Old timer Pats fan with a short term memory, It happens when you get older! A few words of wisdom for some of us old guys... 1. never pass up an opportunity to take a leak 2. Never waste an erection 3. Never trust a fart!

Thanks for the Help, it was easy, (Of course it's a Mac DOH!) I just created one folder of Pics strictly for my screen saver pictures and left it at that, with no folder within a folder type of thing. I love the 20" iMac at home, runs fast and quiet, a beautiful display and lots of room on the desk! The G4 at works just keeps running 24/365 I never shut it off have never had any problem with it, I did wear out the mouse though. The Dell PC's here at work bought at the same time have already lost hardrives, Comm port cards, power supplies, CD Rom and DVD drives, I guess that is why we bought the extended warranty for them and not the Mac () If something is going to go wrong with a MAc it will within the first year waranty anyway. Buying an Intel Mac soon at work. Greg

My 2000 5.3 Silverado Ext Cab Z71 4 X 4 does the same thing, It does leak/seep out the water pump vent hole just enough to loose enough coolant to make the low coolant light come on about once every month and a half, I has been doing this now for over 45K miles, I have 138K on it now and this was first brought to my attention a little over 2 years ago that I should replace the water pump, I haven't yet but plan to do so when it gets warmer outside in a couple of months, I figure I put it off long enough. I probably have gone through 3/4 of a gallon during the 2 years, I still have probably a little less than a 1/4 gallon left and the light came on again today so I will add some tonight. I was told that this was very common by the dealer. Greg

Records/stats take them or leave them, How many super bowl rings does Maning have? How manny does Brady have? It's about the person as well, Brady prefer's to be more to himself and relishes his private life, He does very few commercials but does an awful lot for charities and the the local community in New England, He took a pay cut and stayed with the Patriots in order for the team to keep some other players that would of had to been cut, he could of gone to another team for the real BIg$$$ but chose not to, that says alot about the guy. I am not saying that Manning is not a great QB I think he is but give us a break with the commercials! BUT when you bring up Marino there is no way Manning can ever measure up to what Marino did all those years with the Dolphins and no running game. Manning has all the other Big play players as in Running backs and receivers How good would he have been with out Harrison, James, Wayne, Adai etc. What could Brady have done this year with a corps of receivers like that or even if he still had Branch and Givens to go along with Maroney and Dillon, What if they still had Ty Law to go along with Asante Samuel All I have to say now that I have had a week to cool down is GO Bears! And I thought I would never go for the NFC team but this year, I just can't take another year of Manning this and Colts that and more Manning commercials!

Records/stats take them or leave them, How many super bowl rings does Maning have? How manny does Brady have? It's about the person as well, Brady prefer's to be more to himself and relishes his private life, He does very few commercials but does an awful lot for charities and the the local community in New England, He took a pay cut and stayed with the Patriots in order for the team to keep some other players that would of had to been cut, he could of gone to another team for the real BIg$$$ but chose not to, that says alot about the guy. I am not saying that Manning is not a great QB I think he is but give us a break with the commercials! BUT when you bring up Marino there is no way Manning can ever measure up to what Marino did all those years with the Dolphins and no running game. Manning has all the other Big play players as in Running backs and receivers How good would he have been with out Harrison, James, Wayne, Adai etc. What could Brady have done this year with a corps of receivers like that or even if he still had Branch and Givens to go along with Maroney and Dillon, What if they still had Ty Law to go along with Asante Samuel All I have to say now that I have had a week to cool down is GO Bears! And I thought I would never go for the NFC team but this year, I just can't take another year of Manning this and Colts that and more Manning commercials!

Hey Piston, Nice Work! I am going tomorrow night to look at a 1996 LT1 with 60K with harness and ECU for $400. I figure I can't go go wrong for that price. I wanted an F body LT1/T56 combo but they are hard to find in the New England area for reasonable money. I still have to locate a T56 and will need a flywheel and clutch as well I guess. I am pulling the L6 this weekend if I get the time I am hopping for, Going to be wicked cold out though. With the Caprice LT1 what cam be done for relatively cheap money to this motor and where would you start? Cam, lifters, roller rockers? or look for aluminum heads and then cam lifters, roller rockers etc. I need headers for straight plugs for the Iron head VS angled plugs for the aluminum? Did you document your wiring harness by any chance? Thanks, Greg

IT was a great game and yes the Colts did win. But give the Patriots their due though. Face it though The Patriots had a great year for not having the caliber of talent the other teams do. The coaching here in NE does seem to get the most out of mediocre talent. I mean really, look at the Patriots receivers they are a bunch of mediocre receivers at best. Caldwell dropped two passes when he was wide open! That wouldn't of happened if they still had Branch or Givens. As for the secondary again a mediocre bunch that over achieves and you have your fingers crossed whenever a good QB and core of receivers comes to play. Yeah Asante Samuel had a great year and led the league in interceptions but does he get any credit or respect from the rest of the league? No He isn't even going to the Pro-Bowl but Chump Bailey is! In fact there is only 1 player from the Pats going to the pro bowl but they made it all the way to the AFC Chanpionship game! Give then some Credit! Come on Sick of the Patriots?? I'm sick of all the Peyton Manning and Donavan McNabb TV commercials all year long, I mean how many commercials do you see of Tom Brady or the Patriots, at least they won a few super bowls. For the Patriots to have gone as far as they did with the talent they had this year is pretty remarkable I think. I think the Pats just ran out of gas and the lack of talent finally caught up with them. The San Diego game, short week, flu, and again the lack of big play guys really finally took it's toll. Quit whining about the Refs and bad calls etc. We in NE are not Whining about anything except for the dropped balls. We give Credit to the Colts for a great game and congratulate them. Although 2 Former NE players scored some points, Klecko and Vinatieri Hopefully the Kraft family will spend the money they didn't spend this year as we were still under the cap and get some quality receivers and a good secondary for next year. So please give the Patriots the respect they so well deserve and Cheer for the AFC Colts in the Super Bowl

Well, I went to see the 93 Camaro and the motor is toast, it is blowing out clouds of steam and has lifter noise and a lower knock from what I could hear. It was tough to listen because the Idler pully was wasted and wobbling and the serpentine belt looked like it was going to goany minute. It had a brand new electric water pump but wasn't installed corretcly from what I could see, there was antifreeze leaking everywhere. The car had 2 flat tires so I couldn't drive it but the shifter did shift all 6 gears and I rocked it back and forth in each gear, supposedly it has a new clutch. Is it worth $1500 for the trans alone? Not much else good about the car it has some rocker rust and a dirty interior. Thanks, Greg

They haven't dropped here in the northeast, Went to Robertsons yesterday to check on Inventory, they are one of the largest in Southeastern MA and the only had 2 cars with T56's, a 97 Camaro with 72K and a 97 Firebird with 64K they wanted $2500 for a complete pull out with driveshaft (( I guess I keep looking Greg

$2300 is about average here in the Northeast, JunkyardT56 prices have not budged since last Sept they are still running 1200-1600 here. Even on ebay they have been going for 1000-1700 and you have to pay for shipping as well! I thought prices would go down for the winter but so far they haven't! LT1 motors from F bodies are still running from 1000 to 1700 as well. The Caprice motors are running cheaper at 600-1200. I can't find complete LT1/T56 combo F body cars for under 3K either right now! Oh and forget about any LS1 car deals they are nowhere to be found in the northeast for under 4K and will probably be a 98 or 99 only. Wish I was in Texas or CA right now! Greg

I am going to see the 93 later today, it is a complete running car. I was figuring that for $1500 at least the transmission would be a score and I could sell the rest of the car. Here in the northeast at least the junkyards are still getting 1200-1500 just for the T56's and 1100-1700 for LT1's! I thought that prices would go down for the winter but they haven't so far. There have not been any adds of late on Craigslist or the Want advertiser for Camaro or Firebirds running or wrecked lately that haven't been below 3K, I can or could of gotten a slightly wrecked 95 Firebird formula LT1/T56 for $2500 with 82K on it as of a couple of weeks ago. There hasn't been any bargains on eBay lately either at least not within 250 miles. I guess I should probably hang in there and wait somemore but I am getting worried that there hasn't been anything available lately and the junk yard list on Car-Parts.com is also getting smaller. Maybe it has been the post holidays or the real lack of winter here that is causing the shortage of donor cars lately. I guess we need some snow here to get the F bodie cars smashing around again Thanks for all your responses. Greg

I have a 77 "color" wiring diagram and the colors do not match at all, I know that my car is a 76 but it shouldn't be that different. Are these Colored Poster diagrams available on Ebay the actual wire colors or are they just wire diagrams drawn in color, which is what I think I have already. If I don't get the CD of the manual soon I will break down and buy another manual. I downloaded the free one from here: http://carfiche.com/manuals020/cars/ but it is not in color and hard to read in some places, is this the real shop manual? The color diagram I have is posted below (Actually now it says it is to big a file to post) It is the one available from ClassicZcars.com Thanks, Greg