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1979 Cordoba with T-Tops

Picked up the engine from the builder last night!!!!

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On the engine lift to get it off the engine stand. He primed it already with 3 qts of Amsoil break-in oil....


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Started taping it off to get ready for paint! Block will be Hemi Orange. After getting the block painted we'll pull the paper off the intake and the water pump and spray the clear-coat over everything.

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All taped up and ready for paint! Putting the plugs from the old block in it just until it is painted!

Will update again later!
 
High lift cam, cant remember the specs...
Went through heads new valves, guides, lifters etc. No porting or anything like that. Headers and dual exhaust to go.
 
Today's update!
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Base-coat Orange and Sealer on the water pump and intake.
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Top view of the paint job. Ready for clear coat.

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The engine with my son in the backround.... he wants to know when he gets to go for a ride in the Cordoba! :p
 
One last picture of everything all done and clear coated and now un-taped!
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Working on it more this weekend, I'll post updates when I can!
 
All right y'all, here is the update from the weekend. Slow process of putting the puzzle back together after 4 months (see my thread looking for a schematic of the front bracket mounting). But here we are. Lots of time taken to clean up and paint miscellaneous fittings, brackets, etc so it is VERY slow going....

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Transmission fresh off a rebuild (ok 4 months ago but who's counting) and ready to go back in.

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Transmission up and in place, held with a ratchet strap to not scratch anything.

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Setting up the engine hoist to lift the engine. Not going to lie, always makes me nervous picking up a brand new engine!
PS. The pickup in the background is my uncles 1988 Chevy 1 Ton Silverado. It used to be his primary work truck then he fully restored it about 10 years ago.
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Rolling up to the car.
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Starting to lower it in.... I'm running the hoist and still sweating that it is going to fall at any second...
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Resting on the saddles... Drivers side was a real witch and didn't want to go in. We persuaded it to listen to reason!
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In place and tightened down. Tranny attached!

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This is what happens when you use to big of a ratchet to tighten the U-Joint saddle bolts.... Crap, Crap, Crap.... 2 hours wasted....

More like 6 but there may have been 130 mile Harley ride in there somewhere while my uncle mowed lawn...

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Done and in place with "most" of the engine accessory brackets in place.

I'll post more when it is worth while, had an hour to kill while the kiddos and the ex were at VBS so started cleaning up some stuff from the old intake to move over.
 
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Sadly not much progress to report for right now... Still trying to run down inner fenders. Found some in Alabama they wanted $300 a piece, another set in Arizona for $150 a piece. My uncle still thinks he wants to find them cheaper, his car his rules so I keep hunting.

Do those prices sound pretty reasonable?

Thanks for sharing the photos. Keep us posted. If your not able to locate the inner fenders try West 29th auto wrecking located in Pueblo Colorado. 719 543 4247. they have about 15 or more late 70's b-bodies in their yard.
 
Good progress this weekend.... may have had it running if not for the wrong plug wires..... went with MSD Ignition, Distributor, and Coil Pack and the NAPA Wires that my uncle already had were a no go...
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Coil pack, brainbox and distributor installed! Lots of "unused" connections now to figure out what to do with.

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Side view.... had to do a lot of fabrication of brackets for the throttle linkages (still not done) for the $150 dollars I think he would have been better off with the LoKar kits recommended by Summit Racing.... needless to say those part numbers are being put away in the "someday" file....

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Radiator and condenser in, oil topped off to 5 qts. Radiator as full as I can get it until the thermostat opens. Sucked all of the old gas out of the gas tank. Only managed to get about 2 qts of tranny fluid in. Can anyone tell me if that is normal? I'm guessing that when we fire it up we are going to have to add fluid as we are doing the 30 minute run in. My thoughts are that the torque converter will not fill until the engine is running.

That being said.... this is my first time!
 
ITS ALIVE!!!!!

ITS ALIVE!!!!!

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Outside, blown off and ready to run!
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One of my uncles employees called me paranoid for having the fire extinguisher sitting there at the ready. Told him it was better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!

Especially since the first one I went to grab wasn't charged!

Ran it for about 30 minutes had to do some minor tuning adjustments and then completely re-did the spark plug wires. Now to finish up the body work!

The videos wouldn't upload so unfortunately y'all can't hear her purr!
 
LOL! My friend said the same thing and soon first start up, poof! Fire in the carb! He through his glass of water on it!
 
ITS ALIVE!!!!!

ITS ALIVE!!!!!

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Outside, blown off and ready to run!
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One of my uncles employees called me paranoid for having the fire extinguisher sitting there at the ready. Told him it was better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!

Especially since the first one I went to grab wasn't charged!

Ran it for about 30 minutes had to do some minor tuning adjustments and then completely re-did the spark plug wires. Now to finish up the body work!

The videos wouldn't upload so unfortunately y'all can't hear her purr!
 
I own a base model 79 Cordoba..sigh...my dream car b4 me...oh well I can still dream...if any one knows where to get a drivers front side maker lenze..mine fell off .yeah that big square thing with the orange stripe..drivers front..need ASAP
 
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