wildman378

This is my dads all original 68 4sp 427/390 convertible.

sweet little car, soft top is even original and in great shape.....anyway took the engine out to freshen it up and it's done. I'm 24 and this is my first project, I'm a computer guru and electronics tech so I'm good with electrical, electronics & instrumentation but a mechanical project like this is new for me so here are some pics.

need tips on the engine bay tho how should I go about it.....rip everything out, pressure wash then clean it up and paint? not sure what my plan is yet.

*if anything what I'd like to get outta this thread is your thoughts on the engine bay...do you guys paint the plastic inner fenders with the krylon 1613 or what

car in it's running days:




engine pull:

where I'm at now:



yuck nasty engine bay!:




car:

Merlinhaggard

Sorry for the minor hi-jack. I thought BB's didnt come with the overflow canister. Was the car originally a Small block?.

As far as the engine bay. Lots of guys use simple green. Spray it leave it for a few mins and then wash it off. You can then spray some black paint here and there. I like to use carb cleaner and de greese stuff as much as possible then spray it. You can spray the cntl arms etc..

wildman378

no the car is all matching, I know the entire history on the car.

C3 Stroker

Also, if you need some new vacuum hoses, now is the time to replace them....plenty of room to work.

ed427vette

400hp and 435hp cars did not come with the expansion tank. 390hp cars had them

wildman378

Actually I plan on replacing them all no matter if they need it or not, the head lights worked fine but I want everything new in the engine bay. I also will replace the rubber fuel lines on the car.

i assume they sell the vacuum hoses as a kit, if so thats the route i'll go!

PRNDL

For the 1968 model year the 390 hp cars did not have an expansion tank. I have a 68 L-36 with a correctly dated expansion tank. I researched the issue and learned that it is not supposed to be there. In my case (my car's case) I believe it was added during a restoration. Whether a car came with an expansion tank varies by engine, options and model year, so you have to be very careful when you say there should or should not be an expansion tank (and which kind) on a car. It is not unusual for these cars to overheat, and the stock configuration has an overflow hose that spills directly onto the street... or your driveway or your garage floor or whatever is under the car. It is not unusual for these cars to have some kind of coolant overflow device installed to address this issue.

Hey Wildman, which nuke plant do you work at? I am moving to Huntersville in 2 weeks, less than 2 miles from McGuire... please tell me it's safe!!!!

400hp427vette

both had them if they were non a/c cars.

400hp427vette

Looks like your car is a non a/c car which would mean the tank is original to the car.

wildman378

ya i'm pretty sure it should be there, and yes the car DOES NOT have ac

anyway I will try to get back going on this little project. The engine is even primed. I have a little bit left on it but mainly been dragging bc I want the engine bay RIGHT...how to get it there I dunno.

I dunno if it's ok to spray paint the plastic inner fenders or not, I don't want to have **** it so I dunno if painting is the ticket or not.

PRNDL

Whether a car has an expansion tank or not.....

1968 and 1969 model years are different, so if you own a 69 it might not be helpful to use your own car as an example. Wildman's car (his father's) is a 68.

Very easy to consult the NCRS judging guide, but guess what? Those guides are not gospel either. They have been known to contain errors, and some configurations that are believed to be 100% may actually have exceptions. My judging guide is packed at the moment, but it contains a matrix for 68 and 69 that tells you what type (if any) expansion tank is supposed to be on an original car.

wildman, you took the radiator out already. A car with an expansion tank will not have a radiator cap on the radiator.

wildman378

how will a radiator not have a cap on it? what do u mean?

400hp427vette

Cars with the expansion tank use radiators that have no cap just a overflow hose going to the expansion tank.

wildman378

o ok, actually i'd have to look in the shop to see if mine is setup like that or not. Car is at my dads house so not able to look.

400hp427vette

Thats good info to know, Because I was led to believe on BB cars Non A/C ones got the tank.

PRNDL

When a 1968 corvette had an expansion tank installed at the factory, the expansion tank has a radiator cap on it. This cap is used to check the coolant level and top off the coolant, through the expansion tank. The expansion tank is an integral part of the cooling system and is used with a radiator that has no cap. Only one radiator cap is used in the cooling system. If the cap is on the expansion tank, then no cap on the radiator. If the radiator has a cap on it, then there should be no expansion tank.


I am not a real detail kind of guy. The only reason I know this cap crap is because, as I mentioned, my 68 bigblock has a radiator with a cap and it also has an expansion tank with a cap. I owned it for about 3 or 4 years before someone pointed out to me that the expansion tank shouldn't be there. I researched it, and sho enuf!!

wildman378

Well I just got off the phone with the original owner who my dad grew up with and went to HS with. He said that car came with the tank, that is has NOT been added. I've known this guy since I can remember he wouldn't shoot me any bull. So, I dunno? I would say IMO it belongs to the car, even date wise on the tank it matches the car.

btw PRNDL, ever think your radiator has been changed out with one with a cap? thats ie very likely with are car that age...

I also checked through my pics of 68 bb's I have taken at carisle and other car shows, all the pics that I could see that side of the engine on the 390 cars, had them

here is one for $75k proteam has, it has it.. http://www.proteam-corvette.com/cars/120Y.htm

one for $80k that has it. http://www.proteam-corvette.com/cars/255Y.htm

another 390 with one http://www.proteam-corvette.com/cars/154Z.htm

anyway enough of this lol, any tips on what paint etc to use on the plastic inner fender wells, any tips at all on engine bay detailing and what to use to make it come out right is appreciated.

ENG40

I have a 68 L36 and it came with a copper radiator and no expansion tank. I was always under the impression the expansion tanks were for the aluminum radiators.
I removed the radiator frame which makes it a lot easier to install the engine as well as the radiator, shroud and frame as a unit.
I cleaned and painted semi flat all of the parts of the engine bay.

rayluka

Sweet looking motor

400hp427vette

From the looks of everything. I would use a flat black and do some touch ups. Also I dont know how far you want to go but on the frame por-15 and remove the bolts,parts, etc... that you dont want to paint.