As some of you may remember, my 235 project has been stalled by weeks of
indecision about how far to go with the work. The '59 235 had recently been
removed from a fellow list member's '50 3100 in favor of a small block, and
had run sweetly and even returned 22 mpg on a long trip. The problem was that
after initial clean up, the motor looked awful, with ample evidence of having
been worked on by a real major mechanical moron sometime in the distant past.
Well, after much agonizing and following several abortive courses of
action, I bolted the reciprocating bits back together this weekend. I'm gonna
run it basically as is. What finally tipped the scales was the budget, or
more properly, the lack of same.
Just adding up the parts that I knew would be needed, including cam,
lifters, Patricks overhaul "kit" the figures amounted to $700, and several
hundred dollars worth of machine work would be required as well. Past
experience has told me that we were looking at a C note at very least to do
things the proper way.
I had to tell one of my favorite Muses, the Colonel of the decision to
take the low path. Colonel Gordon had earlier advised me that any job worth
doing was worth doing correctly. My basic nature corresponds with this advice
and the ole slippery slope had led me to the brink of a complete overhaul on
a unit that I wasn't even sure I wanted.
The Colonel was in a poor mood. SHMBO had forgotten to restock the Canada
Dry Tonic water and the lemonade pressed into service proved a less than
adequate substitute, a crime large enough to put any man off his good humor.
I explained that I had submitted the front main bearing cap (represented
as typical of the entire bottom end) to one of the best mechanics in our
local Model T Club for inspection and this fellow, something of a
perfectionist, had pronounced it usable. The Colonel was not impressed. He
predicted disaster in accordance with Murphy's law, and likened the future
sight of the poor old Chevy truck trailing smoke, coolant and oil to the
horrifying visage of a Spitfire whose pilot had neglected to check 6 for the
Messerschmitts. We parted on less than completely cordial terms.
Now it will go back together, and this is the sort of work I love. There
is something rewarding about putting the bits back together and seeing old
parts make a working machine. Just how well it will work, we'll have to see.
The Colonel's prediction looms large over this project.
Paul O'Neil, Hudson29@aol.com
1951 Chevrolet 3600 Pickup Project, See it at:
The Poor Man's Advanced Design Tech Tips Page
http://home.earthlink.net/~conntest47/
Fullerton, California USA
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