I finally got the time to take the head off of the engine I got for Christmas. My brother in law found it and my wife and mother both chipped in on the deal. They were told it was bored 30 over and has a cam. I got the head off tonight and alas the pistons DO have 30 stamped on them and the cylinder walls are indeed cross hatched. A little of my faith in mankind has been restored. Now I have to swap heads with the engine I am running now. My head has been ported, shaved and a valve job. the head that is on the new engine has no porting and has less taken off of the mating surface. Then I can clean and paint the new engine before instaling it by the MOPAR nats in Englishtown NJ on May 14th. I am also getting some green bearings for the 8 3/4, it sounds like the bearings are on their way out and Dan is going to lend me some 3.91's for a couple weeks to see what she can really do out there. Plus I intend to have some super stock springs installed by then also. I'll keep you all posted on progress until the engine is installed(with pics) and will post pics of my time slips in the virtual dragstrip when I get home. Wish me luck and keep reminding me to get this done by the May 14th deadline!

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wow! sounds great! Use that nice weather like today and work away!

MJ

Sounds like you have a good engine!
Why are you going with green bearings on your 8 3/4? A machine shop should be able to install new tapered bearings on your axle, along with the seal. I fried mine so bad the passenger side sounded like rocks rolling around in a coffie can...no damage, just installed a new outer bearing. Cost maybe 40 bucks for bearing, seal, machine shop, etc.

Eric, I just want the simplicity of the green bearings. Just press them on and install, no adjusting and I have heard they last longer. they are like $80 and my brother in law is going to press them on for me for free.
The weather was great today, I got to drive home from work with the front windows rolled down and the heat turned off for the first time this year. I dont need good weather to work on the car or engine though, I have a nice size one car garage. When we were looking for a house I told my wife it would have a garage and it was going to have a car parked in it, NOT full of junk.

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"full of junk"

That's the description my wife uses when my car is in the garage

Good to hear you are into the new motor and got what you hoped for. How much extra quick do you expect to get from a fresh block and 'special' cam? It's gotta be pretty difficult waiting to get it all together. 3:91 gears will be a blast!! I have fond memories of smoking old snow tires bald with an old one tire fryer dart.

Hey, check out my post in the racing section. I'm trying to get the Pittsburgh race back for this year.

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1980 Aspen 225 super six

today I swapped heads. I took my ported and shaved 0.100" head off and replaced it with the head off of the Christmas engine. While removing the intake from the new head one of the studs( the front bottom one the holds the first intake runner) threaded out of the head. I figured not a problem I'll just thread it back in when I install the intake once it is on the old engine. Well as I was snugging it up the SOB snapped off in the head. SOOoo I'll have a small vacuum leak for a couple weeks untill the new engine goes in. The top back one was already snapped off in the head when I got it(honest I didn't do that one) so I will likely develope an exhaust leak as well.
I had to turn the car around in the garage to begin with. I was figuring It was going to be difficult to get the headloose to remove it. WRONG, one of the cylinders must have been holding compression all that time because when I was removing the head bolts there was a little pop and I saw the head jump a couple milimeters off the block.
It is all put back together and running again. I can feel the drop in power. I bet I just lost 4-5mph in the 1/4. It really motivates a body to get the new engine together, clean, painted and installed. though I'm not looking forward to thosae damn header bolts what a PITA!.
all for now
race on!

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this afternoon I got the super stock springs and new shackles put on. They raised the back up about 3". I now see how they work as well. Before when I would power brake to launch the drivers side front would raise up about 3 inches, then when I would let off of the brake the car would drop then go. Now it only comes up about 3/4 of an inch and just takes off when I step off of the brake.
Tuesday and wednesday evenings I should be getting the engine back together, cleaned and painted. Pics to come soon.

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Keep at it Phil. Sounds like good progress on that machine...

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Sounds like you are getting into a pretty good groove. I'm impressed that you've been making steady progress with the new job and all.

I have been all over the map, working on all 3 projects at once, plus yard work and extra hours at my business. I suppose I'll find my stride when it counts.

Keep up the good work.

Oh yeah, take it easy on the 'power brake to launch' maneuvers, but I'm sure you were just 'testing' the new equipment.

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1980 Aspen 225 super six

How do you launch Paul?
Tonight I put the ported and shaved head onto the rebuilt block. I then used the POR-15 cleaner/degreaser. After that I used the metal prep acid. The engine is turning white as I type this. Tomorrow night I will paint on the POR-15 and once it is almost dry it will be time to brush on the HI-PO Yellow enamel. Once it is all painted and dry I'll take a few pics. It is than going to have to wait until the weekend of the 30th and 1st to be installed. I don't get a day off until a week after tomorrow. That day my brother in law is going to press the new Green bearings onto the axels in my 8 3/4. The borrowed 3.91's will go in that day as well(though they won't be in there long this 93 octane is to expensive).

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Right now I don't do a lot of launching. My motor mounts are so beat that the engine sounds like it could fip over.

I can hardly wait till I've got time to get it all fixed and upgraded. Unfortunately, my supply of time is even shorter than money

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1980 Aspen 225 super six

Just chain down the engine so you don´t wreck your distributor.
Those mounts will not let go, but get them done anyway.

Here is what the engine look like covered in wet, silver(they also have black) POR-15.

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Ok here it is just after putting the 1st coat of enamel

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Lookin good! I love a nicely painted engine.

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73' Duster 225
<img src="http://longrod.moparpages.com/enginedone.JPG" width=200>