Reinstalling the motor

(05/15/03) In preparation for installation, I buttoned up the bottom of the motor. Before the pan went on, I set the clearance for the oil pump pickup, peened it in place and finished it up with some JB Weld.

I turned it back over, but something didn't seem exactly right.

Then I started bolting stuff to it, like the Edelbrock water pump with adjustable backstop for the cam button, the fuel pump and the oil pressure gauge sender so that I didn't soak the ceiling when I primed the oil pump. After gettin a drill too hot to hold and starting to smoke, I figured the pump was sufficiently primed.

I bolted the leveler on and hoisted it off the engine stand.

Don't ask me why I painted the flexplate and didn't paint the inside of the block. Just one of them things.

Here's the Midwest 3500 rpm stall torque converter ready for pre-filling. It's a non-locking converter, btw.

I made sure it was fully seated on the input shaft of the transmission...

...followed by bolting the motor and transmission together.

Then I took my nuts firmly in hand....

...and bolted the torque converter to the flexplate. I had to go to the hardware store to get some 3/8x24x1 inch grade 8 bolts and nuts. The bolts for the stock converter wouldn't even come close to working.

(05/24/03) This is the first time I'd seen this view for a long time. In this garage, I have to have the car about halfway outside in order to have enough room for the cherry picker.

Open wide and say, "ahhhh."

Oops. Just a little overbalanced. Luckily, it only dropped a half inch at the tailshaft and maybe an inch in front...and right onto the motor mounts. It sorta "fell into place." I had to move the left side about 1/2 inch, but that was it.

And there it sits. For the first time in about a year, there's a motor back in the compartment. How about that?

Since we've been having storms of cotton from cottonwood trees (and that stuff gets everywhere) I put the valve covers and manifold back on to keep the trash out of things. Now...where's that transmission crossmember?

Ahhh...here it is. A "trew duel" crossmember from John at www.crossmembers.com. On the El Camino, we notched the stock crossmember, so I wanted to try something different.

Then I installed the driveshaft loop made by James Happe. This fit great and is a real bargain.

Finally I installed the Denny's heavy-duty driveshaft. They say that if you break or twist it, they'll give you another one just like it. Hmmm.....

Next page: Reinstalling the motor, part 2.

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