70 C10 resto-mod (was Chevy culture shock)

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guero_gordo

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Turns out, there is no standard for how you clock your distributor on SBC 350's. Important to know before you rip out all the plug wires ;-)
Also, when you have the points with attached condenser, there is no feeler gauge that will fit under the centrifugal advance weights and between the lobe and condenser cap ;-)
Also, who ever thought putting the distributor back against the firewall was a good idea. I'm 6'6" and I guess shorter people just lay on top....or take off the hood...and windshield....or they bought the straight 6? ;-)
It's an adventure
 
Yep. 327s are fun too. Fond memories of our '65 Impala SS convertible- 2 speed slip and slide Powerglide
My Dad made the fatal mistake of pulling all the wires off instead of replacing them one by one- I heard lots of cussing out front
when it wouldn't start LOL
-M
 
guero_gordo said:
Also, who ever thought putting the distributor back against the firewall was a good idea.
Click to expand...
My '68 GMC has a 350. It's my first experience with a GM product and this particular aspect came as quite a shock. The engineer who dreamed up that layout should be made to lay on top of a hot motor and attempt to adjust the points for all eternity.
 
Bu but but.... everyone has always told me that Chevy designs are PERFECT and it's everyone else in the world that is screwed up. :)

Of course, these are the same ones that would tell you Chevy Ford and Mopar are drastically different, but all furrin cars are the same.
 
guero_gordo said:
Also, who ever thought putting the distributor back against the firewall was a good idea. I'm 6'6" and I guess shorter people just lay on top....or take off the hood...and windshield....or they bought the straight 6? ;-)
It's an adventure
Click to expand...
Pull the engine and put it on the front of the airplane, then you can adjust the timing without being as close to the prop. Perfect setup as far as I"m concerned. :)
 
markba633csi said:
Yep. 327s are fun too. Fond memories of our '65 Impala SS convertible- 2 speed slip and slide Powerglide
My Dad made the fatal mistake of pulling all the wires off instead of replacing them one by one- I heard lots of cussing out front
when it wouldn't start LOL
-M
Click to expand...
I tried pulling one wire at a time, but saw something shiny and got distracted. Then I got the bright idea to just start over
 
Even worse when you upgrade to an HEI set up. You have to beat the firewall with a BFH to make clearance for the larger cap. I sure am glad Ford and AMC put theirs up front.
 
That's why they made dwell meters, and there is a slim fit feeler gage for that purpose also. 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. If dropping in a new distributor bump the engine over so the rotor faces #1 cylinder with your required advance on the damper. Pull the distributor, turn the motor over until #1 is at TDC, drop the distributor back in, then set timing. A match book cover used to do on the side of the road if needed for point gap, and the hi perf Corvette points can go to higher RPM without point bounce. :)
 
Aukai said:
That's why they made dwell meters, and there is a slim fit feeler gage for that purpose also. 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. If dropping in a new distributor bump the engine over so the rotor faces #1 cylinder with your required advance on the damper. Pull the distributor, turn the motor over until #1 is at TDC, drop the distributor back in, then set timing. A match book cover used to do on the side of the road if needed for point gap, and the hi perf Corvette points can go to higher RPM without point bounce. :)
Click to expand...
Had I known to get the detached condenser, all would have been rosy, but the existing one was the same, so I never thought about it until....
Firing order is easy, but not knowing that where you put #1 wire is a matter of artistic interpretation was a surprise
dwell tach would perhaps have worked if it fired up, but since that was impossible and I didn't know why, I just fiddled with the points for a while.
Finally taped down the timing light trigger so I could see from the driver's seat whether it was sparking at all.
 
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