The Supercar Registry

The Supercar Registry (https://www.yenko.net/forum/index.php)
-   Day 2 stuff-modified cars (https://www.yenko.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=126)
-   -   The Start of Project "Ratty Rat's" Metamorphis (https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?t=148678)

bbbentley 04-27-2018 02:17 AM

The Start of Project "Ratty Rat's" Metamorphis
 
1 Attachment(s)
Announcing:
Been gathering up the Day II goodies for some time. After a year of planning and parts scrounging, I am introducing hopefully by summer "Project Ratty Rat". Why Ratty Rat? This will be a little different departure than most builds on here. It is done on a budget. Huh? Yes, I am going to build the worlds(possibly)cheapest COPO clone 69 Camaro. The car I am using is my Daytona Yellow sport coupe. built the last week of March of 69 at Norwood, This car is the perfect candidate. I am purposely going to make the antithesis of Grady's beautiful real COPO. This car will look as if it was just pried out of it's tomb after 48 years of slumber. So don't look for a detailed rotisserie type build, but rather a COPO (clone) that you may need a tetanus shot to get close to. One unique feature of this car is that it retains much of its original paint and was ordered with D90 stripe.

At the heart of this build is a real 69 512 block 427 + .030. It will be a basic stock L72 with a real GM ZL1 cam. Plans call for my TR2X tunnel ram with my unique copper velocity stacks. There will be those that cringe and others, hopefully, intrigued? I am working hard to keep that early 70's vibe, wish me luck. I am thinking I can do the complete metamorphis for under 5 grand. one additional feature will be that this will not only be a clone of a COPO, but a Dick Harrell COPO. I will attempt to make things authentic, but reserve the right to add my own spin like "Motion" valve covers. Tonight's teaser pic is the engine on the stand. I have the short block complete now. I am slow, so don't look for daily or even weekly progress. Amazingly, ALL of the genuine COPO BB specific parts needed to do this authentic build, with exception of the radiator, are assembly line correct GM pieces I, literally, lucked into. No, I do not have a BE rear, but it will be 4.10. Hard to find BB stuff like heater core, fan shroud, booster, z bar, X member, 4 speed shifter mount, etc...all original 69 Camaro pieces found for next to nothing. It has been fun..so far. But now the work begins to put all this together.

The Boss 04-27-2018 11:25 AM

In for the ride.

NorCam 04-27-2018 11:53 AM

Should be a fun little project and a great Saturday night screamer. I'll be watching and I'm curious what you have scrounged up for Day II parts.

G.

big gear head 04-27-2018 12:09 PM

I'm still looking for a TR2X for my next 427. I like the way you are going with this.

bbbentley 04-27-2018 01:15 PM

3 Attachment(s)
The Radiator Saga:
I have a displeasure and distrust for repop parts. That said, I had to swallow hard and make a decision on a radiator. The tendency these days are to lean aluminum. I could not find an aluminum that looked both correct and affordable. I zeroed in on a traditional brass 4 core curved neck made by US Radiator. Had I known that I would get something that did not reflect the picture in the catalog, I would not have bought it. To make matters worse, after the fact, I found a REAL curve neck 4 core all recored and correctly restored that the guy I bought the engine from had. Too bad the guy is a total D%#k and I really don't want any more dealings with him*. Besides, the added unplanned cost, since I had already checked off the radiator purchase, well, the money wasn't there and he was waffling on selling the thing anyway.
Back to the radiator I bought from US Rad. The curve neck, probably the most important visual was made all wrong. The picture showed one diameter neck, like the real ones. When I pulled it out of the box, only the 1st 1/2 in. was the correct diameter, then it necked down. On top of that, the neck was not angled up like it should be. Fortunately, I have a real curve neck for my other BB Camaro to go by in correcting this. I took a chrome "J" trap sink drain used in plumbing. I cut to length, removed the chrome and you can see the result. I also added the top rail slots like an original, as well. Total cost= $365

* Did I mention that I even found the guy a correct set of tanks for his '68 Camaro and bought them for him?

mr.4speed 04-27-2018 01:21 PM

Love it! Can't wait to see more!

bbbentley 04-27-2018 01:51 PM

3 Attachment(s)
The 427 saga or the Good, Bad & Ugly:

Last July, I buy this "homemade" 427 using a late 70s 289 casting 454 block. It was not blown up. The guy could not find the balancer or distributor or air cleaner. Later he found the last 2, but would not give them to me. Is everyone crooked in this country? He said that he was mad because the heads (69 291 castings) were worth what I gave for the engine. Not my fault. Guy admitted he was not an engine guy and was disappointed that it was not a true 427. Besides the engine did not sound right, according to his late father in law, but no one investigated the problem. 1st picture is the day I bought it and it is in the back of my Explorer. The Good: Balanced 11:1 closed chamber square port with intake, CC Magnum 280 hyd. cam. The Bad: Problems found, detonation had beat the bearings to the copper at the top rod end on all 8. Blown head gasket on #7. Block has a sleeve and there is a slight taper getting bigger in the bottom of the bore. Crank needs turned. No biggie. Ugly: Bearings, crank needed turning, pistons fly cut valve pockets, no attempt to debur and smooth radiuses to prevent detonation. A cam that did not adequately bleed off effective compression.

bbbentley 04-27-2018 01:54 PM

2 Attachment(s)
more

bbbentley 04-27-2018 02:12 PM

Now, I already had most everything to build this engine before buying this one. I have 12.5:1 slugs, 454 blocks, 6223 cranks, 840 heads (plural on all), but I thought that I would save $$ because the machining had all been done. Wrong. That is why I generally do not buy someone else's built engine. I did not have 11:1 s. The block had been decked, line honed, bored,etc... 427 ($1100)Sold the block ($300), headers that came with engine ($300), cam ($100), intake, ($125), 1 chrome pulley ($25) found a fresh bored, sonic tested, magged, shot peened and deburred lifter valley 512 69 block= (-$450). So $1100-$850= $250+$450 (new block)=$700. Then I had to buy a 8 inch balancer ($75)Gasket, moly ring (Mahle) and bearing (King) kit, ($135), another ($50) for more bearings since I turned crank and jumped the gun ordering kit (ugh!).Already had a ZL1 cam and lifters 'cause I keep everything. Now, $700 + $260 = $960 into a fresh 512 block 427 with 291 square ports.

mockingbird812 04-27-2018 02:32 PM

Bentley - this is going to be a blast! :biggthumpup: Glad to see that you have officially kicked off this project on sYc. Thanks for taking us along. I can almost hear this thing rumbling now!!!:shocked:


All times are GMT. The time now is 12:44 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.


O Garage vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.