MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Thank you!Making good progress
Project Midnight Swinger
- Thread starter MidnightSwinger
- Start date
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mygasser
Well-Known Member
looking from the bottom the pistons look pretty new
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Everything looks really clean and new. I wish I could find some identifiers on the pistons. All I could see was Made In USA and LY on the back of the piston, silvolite?looking from the bottom the pistons look pretty new
My gut is telling me that it’s a fairly fresh rebuild, but they just used a basic rebuild kit. Low comp pistons, standard Felpro gaskets and single roller/silent type timing set. So I’ll put some high compression pistons,better rings, a double roller timing set and a sfi approved balancer on it.
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Some painting before it gets too hot. I’m hoping the paint job helps hide the cracks.
mygasser
Well-Known Member
that'll be a no then 
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Yeah not really lol, but at least it’s black like the rest of the interior now.that'll be a no then
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Torsion bar time. Stock 890 bars to the firm feel 890 bar lol I just wanted new bars. I am going from a 105# spring rate to 115# so it should be a slight improvement.
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
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MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
This just showed up! This is a part I have wanted to order from Mopar performance since I was a teenager. I know the newer kits are better because you don’t have to drill the frame, but I just like the old school stuff.
Edit; not better...easier
That's cool, that thing is coming together. I get to take a week vacation this coming week with nice cool weather. I plan on making some serious progress on my junk dumpster.
What's really cool is theres not a lot of build threads going on, they're cool to follow along with
What's really cool is theres not a lot of build threads going on, they're cool to follow along with
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
MOPAR BABY!!!Edit; not better...easier
I'll tell you first hand too that the easy stuff usually doesn't end up that way either.
But I'm sure you know that
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Thanks man, sometimes I wonder if I should edit what I post and just post the major stuff. But building cars is all about a bunch of “little wins” adding up to the big picture. So I’ll post it all.
I’m stoked for you to make some progress on your race car. Get up early before it gets too hot and you lose motivation.
Post it all, because then you can go back and look (most importantly).
Yeah I think we have pants and long sleeve weather coming , well atleast comfortable for cutting, welding and stuff like that.
Hopefully I can get the hand of pipe notching quickly and not waste any steel from my cage.
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Get ‘er done and take some damn pictures!
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Played with my new tool today. Bauer SCT from harbor freight. Got the hump cleaned up for the 4 speed swap.
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
Burning the midnight oil. Short block is disassembled and ready for the machine shop. New bearings throughout. Forged flat tops going in. My “free” 383 is adding up.
Whatcha having the machine shop do ?
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
A real valve job on the speedmasters, and a resurface. I found some of the cam bearing material was chipped off the side of 2 cam bearings, so I’m just getting them replaced after a hot tank.
I’m currently debating whether I should spend the money on this 383. #5 and #6 rod bearings were showing some copper. One of the mains was showing a small amount of copper in the groove. Looking at the bearing journals on the crank I can see small superficial blemishes. Crank and rod bearings were both standard.
I think this motor was either put together dirty, or got contaminated majorly after install. I’m not sure if anything was checked tolerance wise on this motor as one of the main bearings shows copper on the side of the bearing.
To do this right, I need a full rebuild. Do I put all of that money into the 383? The motor was free, and I can use everything but the pistons and rings on a 400, or get a new intake and go RB.
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
mygasser
Well-Known Member
if you're buying bearings anyway i'd get the crank ground. you'll have the bores at least honed for the new pistons/rings, so it seems daft not to get the bottom end right just once.
neil.
neil.
MidnightSwinger
Well-Known Member
That’s my dilemma, to do it right I need to get the crank ground,rods resized and balance the rotating assembly.
It’s the same cost to do that amount of work to a 400, or even a 440. Since I’m building a motor I might as well stroke it…you know the drill.
When I first got the 383 I was under the impression that it was a rebuilt to spec HP 383. It ended up having low compression pistons, and I think this rebuild was done in somebody’s backyard by a novice.
I’m definitely at cross roads.
Yeah, something went through the oil. My guess is whatever broke out of the intake bolt threads on those 906 heads probably didn't get cleaned out and happened after the build at some point.
You're right to be concerned and taking it to the machine shop. Too bad you weren't in Washington I would have liked to have helped you out on that stuff.
For putting money into an engine that's going to be up to you, does it look like the heads will work on the 383, will the valves clear the bores ?
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