Yep.
The Rocker box nut rolled off the flat top air filter, and assisted by gravity and other malevolent forces, decided to drop in the exposed cylinder head, roll around a bit for a quick scenic view, and then drop down the oil return hole into the valley.
In the immortal words of Joe Pesci in “My cousin Vinny”, when that happens “you’re Bananarama!!”
Well, disbelief settles in.
THAT didn’t REALLY happen, did it???
It was just my fertile imagination running overtime, wasn’t it?
A quick count up of the remaining nuts (and washers) revealed that indeed Bananarama! did just happen.
Well, we will just move them out of the way – prevention is ALWAYS better than cure, ehh….
Next, off to one of the many trade stands to procure a magnet on a stick, hopefully strong enough to pull the fillings out of your teeth (Yes, I know that either gold or amalgam are not ferrous and therefore not magnetic – but you get my drift….).
After 2 hours of fishing with a magnet, bending the stick into all know shapes and curves, ending up with an aching back and fed up looking like a petrol-headed gnome; I gave up.
Pete Wiseman’s Sox and Martin tribute Barracuda
Moderator: Moderators
The inlet manifold will have to come off. 
God, I hate small blocks.
What’s wrong with the big block design where there are no water passages in the inlet?
That’s GOOD design!
Ahhh, no spare inlet gaskets!!!
God, I hate small blocks.
What’s wrong with the big block design where you can just daub more silicon on the valley tray because you are too tight to buy another one!
That’s GOOD (and CHEAP) design!
Why did I agree to come here……………
God, I hate small blocks.
What’s wrong with the big block design where there are no water passages in the inlet?
That’s GOOD design!
Ahhh, no spare inlet gaskets!!!
God, I hate small blocks.
What’s wrong with the big block design where you can just daub more silicon on the valley tray because you are too tight to buy another one!
That’s GOOD (and CHEAP) design!
Why did I agree to come here……………
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.
Mopar by the grace of God
Mopar by the grace of God
The main thing in my favour was that I was at a car show.
The second thing in my favour was that I had nowhere to go for the next couple of days, so that gave an opportunity to sort out some spares.
How many inlet gaskets for a small block Chrysler did I unearth at one of the biggest car shows in the United Kingdom?
Four-fifths-of-bugger-all, that’s how many.
More lateral thinking required…
As ever, Guy Papworth offered to go home and dismantle his car for spares; as indeed he does at every Mopar Nats until a couple of years ago.
I thanked him profusely, but pointed out that in this instance it did not actually resolve the situation; as I already was in possession of two ruined gaskets.
Would the car hold water and make it back 100 plus miles on silicon RTV?
Somehow we doubted it, it barely managed that feat WITH gaskets....….
The second thing in my favour was that I had nowhere to go for the next couple of days, so that gave an opportunity to sort out some spares.
How many inlet gaskets for a small block Chrysler did I unearth at one of the biggest car shows in the United Kingdom?
Four-fifths-of-bugger-all, that’s how many.
More lateral thinking required…
As ever, Guy Papworth offered to go home and dismantle his car for spares; as indeed he does at every Mopar Nats until a couple of years ago.
I thanked him profusely, but pointed out that in this instance it did not actually resolve the situation; as I already was in possession of two ruined gaskets.
Would the car hold water and make it back 100 plus miles on silicon RTV?
Somehow we doubted it, it barely managed that feat WITH gaskets....….
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.
Mopar by the grace of God
Mopar by the grace of God
My wonderful wife-to-be Julie came up from home and managed to locate a pair (I think from Dave Eady of “Eady’s Autos” fame).
At the time she was not really into cars.
Actually, I think I have under-stated the position; and in reality she hated them with a passion; so it was a big sacrifice on her part.
At the time she was not really into cars.
Actually, I think I have under-stated the position; and in reality she hated them with a passion; so it was a big sacrifice on her part.
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.
Mopar by the grace of God
Mopar by the grace of God
However, looking on the bright side; the resultant “spanner work” on the stand attracted in many much needed punters.
True, most of them were fossils in tweed who would reminisce on how they had to continually adjust the “anti-phase trickle winders” on their numbers matching 1929 “Sludge Hernia-glide”; but it kept them happy and away from the traffic for a considerable time.
The best comment I got was from such a fossil, a charming old gent from the late Jurassic period (again in the obligatory tweed) who said “I say young man; those American conveyances are somewhat crude. Why, they do not even employ the use of quality studs for the purpose of retaining the Inlet manifold component, what, what”.
I felt it was my duty to politely urinate on his caviar by pointing out that it would be very difficult to install an inlet manifold on a “V” configuration engine if it had studs.
His response was to splutter and look embarrassed, and then went off to find his butler and instruct him to give me a sound horse-whipping. Well, I deserved it – after all, the car wasn’t purveyed by Morris Garage…..I sometimes think of that old Chap and wonder if he was Ivor's long lost son....
True, most of them were fossils in tweed who would reminisce on how they had to continually adjust the “anti-phase trickle winders” on their numbers matching 1929 “Sludge Hernia-glide”; but it kept them happy and away from the traffic for a considerable time.
The best comment I got was from such a fossil, a charming old gent from the late Jurassic period (again in the obligatory tweed) who said “I say young man; those American conveyances are somewhat crude. Why, they do not even employ the use of quality studs for the purpose of retaining the Inlet manifold component, what, what”.
I felt it was my duty to politely urinate on his caviar by pointing out that it would be very difficult to install an inlet manifold on a “V” configuration engine if it had studs.
His response was to splutter and look embarrassed, and then went off to find his butler and instruct him to give me a sound horse-whipping. Well, I deserved it – after all, the car wasn’t purveyed by Morris Garage…..I sometimes think of that old Chap and wonder if he was Ivor's long lost son....
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.
Mopar by the grace of God
Mopar by the grace of God
-
Stu
- Posts: 6893
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 05 4:15 pm
- Location: Shropshire, home of the worlds smallest big screen TV
She seems to have changed her mind since then, Pete.Actually, I think I have under-stated the position; and in reality she hated them with a passion; so it was a big sacrifice on her part.
How quick is she running now?24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not…
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
Err, 10.34 @ 132mph, third time down the track....Stu wrote: ....She seems to have changed her mind since then, Pete.
The fist time was back to back 19.5's in the '62 Dart.
The second time was an 11.7 @ 112mph in the '67 Dart with a 440.
I think we can safely say that was a steep learning curve
She aims to run a "9" this season, and then stop; so there will be a '67 Dart for sale at the end of the year....
Look out for the "Tale of Julie Wiseman's '67 Dart Gasser" thread; coming to an MMA website near you.
Last edited by Pete on Tue Feb 03, 09 6:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.
Mopar by the grace of God
Mopar by the grace of God
Well, Ivor, with a SB and a 4 speed on slicks; it managed a best of 12.9 at about 101mph....Ivor wrote: ...so Pete, what was the best you got out of the old small block then?
This will lead on nicely to the next phase of the thread and the evolution of the Sox.
secsPete Wiseman; Cambridge.
Mopar by the grace of God
Mopar by the grace of God
Fortunately, I got the engine hurriedly bolted together, but was NOT allowed to test fire it due to H&S in the hall; and I even remembered to put all the coolant back in.
God, I am starting to really hate small blocks…
Around came Sunday evening, and time to strip the stage down and attempt to make our way home.
For those who have not exhibited, it is the absolute WORST thing ever trying to get out of the NEC.
All the punters have clogged the roads up! Damn cheek!
Well, the motor did fire up OK and the ground stayed dry, which was nice.
When I say that, I mean the floor in the NEC – outside it was bucketing down.
Well, ain’t this going to be a fun drive home.
2 hours to get out. In a 4 speed car. With no heater or blower.
I’d rather stick pins in my eyes and then have them sucked out by a goat………
It took me FOREVER to get home. Anything above 40mph put me sideways in the water-filled channels kindly made by the semi-trailers.
It really got me thinking.
God, I am starting to really hate small blocks…
Around came Sunday evening, and time to strip the stage down and attempt to make our way home.
For those who have not exhibited, it is the absolute WORST thing ever trying to get out of the NEC.
All the punters have clogged the roads up! Damn cheek!
Well, the motor did fire up OK and the ground stayed dry, which was nice.
When I say that, I mean the floor in the NEC – outside it was bucketing down.
Well, ain’t this going to be a fun drive home.
2 hours to get out. In a 4 speed car. With no heater or blower.
I’d rather stick pins in my eyes and then have them sucked out by a goat………
It took me FOREVER to get home. Anything above 40mph put me sideways in the water-filled channels kindly made by the semi-trailers.
It really got me thinking.
Last edited by Pete on Tue Feb 03, 09 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.
Mopar by the grace of God
Mopar by the grace of God
At the risk of sounding like a wuss, I was really struggling with the 4 speed and clutch.
Not physical strength – actual pain.
Some years ago I had a big smash on a murder-cycle – I “high-sided” a Guzzi at over 95 mph and the landing was not pleasant.
The upshot was that I got to look at the bones in my knee, elbow, and wrist; as they were sticking out a bit.
When you are young you think you are invincible, and that you will heal.
You do heal – to a point.
The trouble is, you also get older… and the previous injuries start to take their toll.
This, coupled with (to my mind) disappointing track performance; and once a gain the inevitable bad influence of Blue was taking me in another direction.
Automatic transmission.
…and a Big Block…………
Not physical strength – actual pain.
Some years ago I had a big smash on a murder-cycle – I “high-sided” a Guzzi at over 95 mph and the landing was not pleasant.
The upshot was that I got to look at the bones in my knee, elbow, and wrist; as they were sticking out a bit.
When you are young you think you are invincible, and that you will heal.
You do heal – to a point.
The trouble is, you also get older… and the previous injuries start to take their toll.
This, coupled with (to my mind) disappointing track performance; and once a gain the inevitable bad influence of Blue was taking me in another direction.
Automatic transmission.
…and a Big Block…………
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.
Mopar by the grace of God
Mopar by the grace of God
One last anecdote on the small block.
Rule 5: You can get an oil leak in the INSIDE of your engine.
Its true.
I guess the “rush job” at the NEC was a bit slap dash.
I noticed after a couple of days that I was leaving a trail not unlike the “Red Arrows” display team when giving it the gun.
One good aspect of a twin system with no cross-over pipes is that it makes faults easier to diagnose.
One side – spotless, the right hand side like the “Bismarck” laying down a covering smoke screen in order to hide from the British Fleet.
At first I thought it was over-fuelling, but that did not make sense.
Fortunately, Julie had bought a couple of sets of inlet manifold gaskets.
Oh well, I suppose I have got to drain the coolant down again and check the inlet manifold again. God I hate small blocks!!!
Given that the heads were ported, the stock gaskets only just covered the inlet ports, and on this occasion, the gasket had shifted and just exposed the valley to the port.
This resulted in the biggest vacuum cleaner you could imagine at high revs, and this was scavenging all the oil out of the valley and eventually blowing it out of the exhaust.
A quick fix, but still frustrating, and another lesson learned.
God, I hate small blocks………
Rule 5: You can get an oil leak in the INSIDE of your engine.
Its true.
I guess the “rush job” at the NEC was a bit slap dash.
I noticed after a couple of days that I was leaving a trail not unlike the “Red Arrows” display team when giving it the gun.
One good aspect of a twin system with no cross-over pipes is that it makes faults easier to diagnose.
One side – spotless, the right hand side like the “Bismarck” laying down a covering smoke screen in order to hide from the British Fleet.
At first I thought it was over-fuelling, but that did not make sense.
Fortunately, Julie had bought a couple of sets of inlet manifold gaskets.
Oh well, I suppose I have got to drain the coolant down again and check the inlet manifold again. God I hate small blocks!!!
Given that the heads were ported, the stock gaskets only just covered the inlet ports, and on this occasion, the gasket had shifted and just exposed the valley to the port.
This resulted in the biggest vacuum cleaner you could imagine at high revs, and this was scavenging all the oil out of the valley and eventually blowing it out of the exhaust.
A quick fix, but still frustrating, and another lesson learned.
God, I hate small blocks………
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.
Mopar by the grace of God
Mopar by the grace of God