|
Engine Rebuild
|
|
We decided to use the original Pontiac 350 engine out the '69 Firebird featured on this website. We thought it would be really cool to have some sort of a "bond" between these two vehicles. So first we took the 350 block and had it bored, honed, and decked. Then we lightened the crank and had it turned down .010. After installing new bearings, we used plasti-gauge on the mains to confirm proper clearance.
|
|
Next we lightened, balanced, and re-honed all the rods and installed them into the block with a set of .030 over cast pistons. These little details will ensure that the engine is very well balanced and runs for years to come.
|
|
Then we installed the cam shaft. It's an Edelbrock-2157 that will produce 204/214 duration @ .050 lift from idle to 5500 rpm. It should be a pretty good cam for this engine.
|
|
|
Engine Installation
|
|
Getting a big engine like a Pontiac 350/400/455 to fit in an older vehicle is already not the easiest task around. Now, we had the task of getting the Pontiac engine to fit inside the small frame width of the S-10. The two main problems we had with the Pontiac engine were length and width. We had to push the engine as far back as we could against the firewall to give us clearance for the radiator and fan up front...
|
.JPG)
|
...But at the same time we had to raise the engine up enough to be able to get either headers or exhaust manifolds to clear. We finally ended up finding a set of old 66/67 GTO (A-body) 3-tube headers that amazing were able to clear (with some very minor frame modifications) the S-10's awkward frame/control arm structure.
|
.JPG)
|
These three pictures were all taken right before we fabricated the engine/tranny mounts. We had the engine hanging on the hoist and used wire to tie it into position on the frame so it wouldn't move as we biuld the steel mounts around it. For futher info/pics of the engine mounts, please look in the Metalwork: Frame section of the website.
|
|
|
Final Engine Assembly
|
|
.JPG)
.JPG)
