Cascade Crew

chevymad · Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 4:12 pm Post subject: More pontiac progress

Well I didnt get as far as I hoped I would this weekend. Got hungup because i've misplaced the oil pump driveshaft somewhere. Also pontiacs have a short dipstick tube that goes inside the oil pan. Non windage tray motors had a bracket that bolted to #3main cap. Windage tray motors did not.. seems my new motors a windage tray motor, cause theres no place to bolt the tube. Sad

I did get the heads assembled and the cam degreed. I have one more valve to install, but can't find my valve spring compressor either. I'm pretty sure I got it back, but if anybody still has it let me know! LOL

Anyway, here's some port pictures, and a couple of the motor with the rotating assembly installed..I also ceramic coated my brand new $10 headers!! Did them in titanium. The ceramic coating is a commercial coating just like jet hot would use. 2000*! Getting closer!

You can see in the pic that theres one lifter in the engine. Used that to degree the cam.. Very weird having the 4th lobe back on the cam being the intake lobe for #1 cylinder. #2 cylinder is actually forward of #1 on a pontiac, and the exhaust valve comes before the intake as well.

HONDASLAYER · Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:39 pm Post subject:

chevymad · Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:46 pm Post subject:

This is the 400 i'm building for the 2nd gen.

This is what the ports used to look like for comparison. Porting takes forever. As you can see, if you care to try, almost anything can be done by yourself at home.

Boostd1 · Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 9:39 pm Post subject:

Glad to see someone who polishes heads correctly!!! (Not sarcasm)

aaron_sK · Posted: Sun Dec 27, 2009 9:46 pm Post subject:

chevymad · Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 5:28 pm Post subject:

Some more pics. Got the valve train together today. Looks like everything will work. Had to make an adjustment to center 4 of the CAT stainless full rollers. Also the poly-locks that came with them are crap! They're supposed to be a 5/8s hex... well most are, some are closer to 15mm.. and some are closer to 17mm!! LOL Also the allen wrench won't fit in alot of them right. Kinda scary. The rest of the piece looks pretty good. I used the factory pressed steel guide plates with bb chevy 7/16 ARP rocker studs(had to helicoil all the stud bosses to make em fit). The standard length comp cams pushrods appear to work.

After getting the valve train setup, then I went on to finish assembly of the motor and paint. I still need to buy some stainless bolts for the valve covers. Valve covers may be made in USA but they still screwed up.. Seems they didnt drill the bolt holes big enough! Oh and Paul, those valve covers werent just for looks, the factory ones are about 1/2" too short!

I set the carb and screwed the headers on just for the pics.

rjmcgee · The Hammer Joined: 08 Jan 2004 Posts: 2328

Very nice, I like the Ford blue. You Pontiac guys will stop at nothing for some extra durability. Laughing

chevymad · Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 6:06 pm Post subject:

Actually.. thats not ford blue.

Thats GM blue from the 70s. Closest thing I wanted to pay for to the actual pontiac blue. Theres some discrepancy too on what pontiac blue it should be. Pontiac used 3 different types. A light blue in the 60s, then a metallic blue in the early 70s and I think a darker blue later. From what i've read my motor should have been painted the metallic blue, and then recoated at the factory to the darker blue. The metallic is supposed to peak out from places where its hard to get a complete coat after assembling the engine. Laughing

Restoration is quite the science. Good thing I'm not doing that!

Ford blue is just a hair darker actually.. I almost did choose it. Wink

aaron_sK · Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 6:14 pm Post subject:

Twilightoptics · Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 10:32 am Post subject:

That's alot of blue....

chevymad · Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 10:36 am Post subject:

Always looks that way til you cover it up with black brackets, wires, hoses, general crap. Chevy's look like alot of orange! Wink

QwkTrip · Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 10:39 am Post subject:

Oh ya, that's obviously not Ford blue. Razz

chevymad · Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2010 10:40 am Post subject:

Painted my truck engine ford blue in one of its incarnations..

chevymad · Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 3:17 pm Post subject:

Well theres something big and blue sitting under my hood now. Got it set in there, thats all I feel like doing today though. Seem to have caught a cold Sad

Also seems to be the day for everyone to come visit LOL

I wish all motors set in as easy. Basically you just set it straight down and throw the bolts in.