Chevelle updates
 

Decided to do a little updating, correcting, and cleaning up of my Chevelle this late winter/spring.

I've had this car since 1987 - my first car. I have the original born with 402/240 engine on a stand in the corner of the garage and back in 2000-ish installed a GMPP 454/425 crate motor and made it appear like the original 402 as much as I could.

Things were looking a bit tired under the hood and I wanted to go through the brakes and install some of the original parts back on the car.

I started disassembly back in February.

This whole project started out as a carb replacement. I had installed a generic speed shop Holley on the crate motor and wanted something more correct, so I called Eric and he sent me a fresh real 4492. I couldn't bolt this piece of jewelry on my existing setup without some clean up and re-freshing of the other major components.

Did some paint touch up and re-plated the heater hose fittings and clamps - still the dated originals.

I sent out the master cylinder and calipers to NAPA to be rebuilt, had the original brake dust shields galvanized, and had a local plater re-do the gold on the caliper mounting brackets (and smog check valves). I sent the booster and master cylinder cover to Mike Gibbons. Re-detailed some of the other components I had to remove as well.

Decided to upgrade the wheel and tire package while I was at it too. I haven't got it back on the ground yet to drive though.

Worked with Bill Hodel to get a correctly dated and restored smog pump and peripherals. More jewelry.

Sent my original alternator out to Ken Bruno and had him work his magic on it.

Still waiting on my fuel pump back from Fred Ballard so I can finish the re-assembly of the front of the engine and fire it up. Also waiting on the rear cylinders from Karp's to complete the brakes, will install a new rubber line on the rear to the distribution block as well. It's been and enjoyable project as I am not on a hard deadline and have the space - but hope to have it complete soon to be able to enjoy the summer season. Will post more as I make more progress - thanks for following along.

Nice updates
Are the foam pads hanging by doors there to prevent door dings?

LOVE IT!!! :headbang:

Yes - cheap and effective in tight quarters. I stuff 4 cars in a 3 car garage.

This reminds me a lot of an L34 El Camino project I recently completed. Many of the same restoration vendors too! Nice work!

Very, very nice!!

Great Work, Thanks for sharing....

Looking Good!
The car was already awesome. This is taking it to the next level.

Looking great, Jake :biggthumpup:

----Are you guys crawling out the windows close?.....Bill S

The two old cars are pretty tight in the winter months - just enough room to open the door on the Regal. In the summer months my truck is outside and we have plenty of room for everything.

Coming along great.
Interested in your paint touch ups to the engine. Did you use a brush or spray?

I masked everything off and sprayed it. Mostly just the intake from the carb forward and the block from the timing chain up. Paint matched perfectly.

Nice detail work Jake!!!!

Good to know. I need to do something similar with my Chevelle.
Cheers.

Tiger Paws...
 

Looks great Jake!

Isn't amazing how ONE part upgrade turns into this huge snowball of "sequences" ??? It looks great now and I really like the as cast AR wheels...:biggthumpup:

3 years ago, I was doing a front suspension/brake upgrade on my '67 Camaro. Geez, the sub frame could use paint while I'm in here. The only way to get the whole thing painted is to remove the inner wheel houses. Yeah, right, a couple days later all I had left was a bare firewall...:rolleyes2:

Scope creep........

I would not expect anything less from any Dykstra :)

A great car Family.

You already know how much I love your Chevelle.
Keep up the great work....say hello to Mom and Dad.

Dan

Nice choice! I just ordered a set of American Racing wheels from 4wheelonline last week.

Thank you. I was able to get these from my local speed shop guy, surprised how reasonably priced they were.

Very excited to see this one done! My guess is that it will be too nice to use... but keep it on the street!

Congrats Jake

Dan

Wow looks great! Keep it up.You're giving me ideas.

Rainy Sunday morning here yesterday so I spent some time back on the Chevelle. Still waiting for the fuel pump - will be a couple more weeks I guess.

Last week I was able to get the rear brake cylinders assembled and installed. My plan for yesterday was to install a new rear flexible brake line and bleed the brakes. I bought an AC Delco line rather than a repop figuring I wouldn't have any issues - but guess what...the hole for the attaching bolt wasn't machined big enough. I should have known when I saw the Made in China on the box....

I hooked the old line back up and started to bleed the brakes, was able to get fluid to the back but for some reason I am not able to get fluid out of the front calipers........will need to diagnose that next. So it sits for a while longer now.

Might want to try bench bleeding your master cylinder, since you had it all apart and reconditioned.
All the parts turned out great!!

If you have the piston style proportioning valve, it may have tripped from pressurizing the rears and has cut off fluid to the front.

I think that may be my problem - I bench bled the master last night with no issues, but still no fluid to the front calipers. I stopped by a friends shop this morning on the way in and borrowed a tool to re-center the valve and will try that tonight.

Thanks

Ok. Good luck.:beers:

Jake,

I love the progress and the pics :)
Thanks for sharing.

Dan

Re-centering tool won't work on my prop valve as the pressure switch does not appear to be removable from the valve while on the car. Getting fluid to the valve from the M/C but nothing out of the front port, so it has to be the valve being un-centered.......ugh. Tried compressed air into the front port multiple times to re-center it but no luck. Also tried tapping on the side with a hammer with no luck. Think I am going to have to remove the valve to try and disassemble it or send it out - but the rear brake line is not playing nice and does not want to come off, as it is the original to the car and I don't want to twist it. Soaking the sh*t out of it and letting it sit overnight. FUN!

Crack open a bleeder on the rear and you should be able to push the plunger.

I tried compressed air pushing back through the front port of the distribution block (I am using this term interchangeably with the proportioning valve - on my car I have a cast iron distribution block that is mounted on the frame under the master cylinder - unlike the 69-70's that have a brass one attached to the master cylinder) with no luck. I assume the plunger is pushed forward since there is fluid to the rears - so pushing air from the front should move it to the rear to allow fluid flow to the front? Interesting thing is that the compressed air comes back through the master cylinder but yet no flow the other way.............??? Are you saying to crack a rear bleeder to relieve some of the air pressure in hopes the plunger moves?

Appreciate all the comments and suggestions.