My '68 Charger Upgrade Thread: Eddy Heads & Plug/HP Manifold Clearance Pics!

[bill440rt]

New master cylinder is on from MP brakes. I painted it cast gray, then a coat or two of urethane clear. I figured it would hold up well to brake fluid a little better than just rattle can paint alone. MP states DOT5 synthetic will void any warranties, so I didn't want to take any chances. I used Valvoline Synthetic DOT3/4 fluid in the system. Bench bled it, and installed it.

I didn't have the use their GM supplied prop valve, either. Fine Lines hooked me up with a repro disc brake hold-off valve, and a new SS front/rear line. The original main distribution valve is retained.
If I went with the GM valve, I would have had to replace all the front lines completely. Still have to bleed the system.

Over the next week I'm hoping to get the column back up, P/S manifold on, exhaust connected, and the intake/carb on. Who knows, might be ready to fire soon!  

[66chargerkid]

Looks like you are making some great progress. Keep up the good work

[FrnkNsteen]

Looking good!! I'm jealous.... Still in tear-down mode here!!

[bill440rt]

OK, thought I'd post a few more pics. Progress has been slow, but at least moving along.
The engine is a little more together than in these pics, I still have to take & post some more. Some other parts are also back on, didn't get a chance to photo yet. I'm waiting on valve cover gaskets & a carb spacer/gasket so I can keep going.

A few members contacted me about spark plug clearance with the HP manifolds. Some plugs actually clear better, others are a little tighter. All in all they're really not that bad. I took photos of each plug to show how they clear.

[bill440rt]

Here are pics of the P/S head & manifold showing clearance. The D/S plugs went in a little easier than the P/S, but all in all they were not all that difficult to get to.

[bill440rt]

Here are pictures of the D/S manifold/plug clearance. All in all it's not that bad. I'll plan on getting a few of the little heat shields from Firecore to put on a few of them just to be on the safe side.

[b5blue]

Better than I thought Bill! Can you still get a socket on them? 

[bill440rt]

Better than I thought Bill! Can you still get a socket on them? 

They fit better than I thought as well, Neal! I got a spark plug socket on all but one. The P/S one up front. Had to use a spark plug socket with a box wrench on the end of it. No biggie. I have one of those Snap-On ratchets with the swivel end which helps a bit as well on the others.

I got the brakes bled tonite. Props to the wife for helping me with that, her first brake bleed! 

[tan top]

  .....   good work !! 

[bobs66440]

Great stuff!   

[WHITE AND RED 69]

Looks sweet Bill! 

[NHCharger]

Great thread. I've been thinking about upgrading the brakes in my 68.
Bill, why did you decide on using MP Brakes?

[bill440rt]

Thanks, guys! 
Progress is moving along. I got the valve cover gaskets & carb spacer/gasket from Summit today, so I got those parts on tonite. Really looks like an engine once again! It's reassuring that it's coming back together again.

Great thread. I've been thinking about upgrading the brakes in my 68.
Bill, why did you decide on using MP Brakes?

Hi NH!
I decided on the MP brakes because I wanted a "stock" based and appearing kit, and one that was largely complete. I liked the fact that the MP kit was all-new, stock based components and came with the M/C. Similar kits I've seen on eBay & such were missing items such as the M/C and some hardware (like the prop valve), so I didn't want to have to go hunting down additional parts & wondering if they were compatible. Turns out I had to buy a disc hold off valve anyway, not to use the GM-based one included in their kit.
I ran some of the lower priced kits (such as the ones on eBay) and the MP kit by Rick Ehrenberg to get his thoughts. He's always had some great brake tech articles. He said some of them may look the same but had inferior parts, such as cheap Chinese spindles.
Turns out the MP kits were better quality, and after doing online searches of all of my choices the MP ones seemed to have the best feedback on the forums. I don't have much time to scrounge junkyards, and nearly all of them around here are dried up & late model stuff, anyway. I liked the fact that all parts were new, it was complete, and a warranty to boot. Price, I thought, was reasonable.
I didn't want a "bling" brake system for this car, either. It's a nice street car, and I at least try to maintain a "stock" appearance to the modifications. I have a spare set of 14" Magnums & redlines for it besides the Centerlines in case I want to change it back to a stock look. Looks like I'll be upgrading those to 15"s at some point since the 14"s won't fit anymore. 

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

manifolds came out great Bill.  Possibly a fire up & rd test before the salt on the roads?

[bill440rt]

manifolds came out great Bill.  Possibly a fire up & rd test before the salt on the roads?

I sure hope so! They salted after the snow we had at Halloween, but it seems to have washed away by now.
I'm waiting on new rad/heater hoses from Bill Alphin. 
And, I need to order a set of Firecores and the little heat shields. Gotta beat the snow! 

[69 OUR/TEA]

Looks great Bill !!!! Nice upgrade. Can't beleive you panel-painted the heads though,and did'nt blend it down onto the block,LOL !!!! ............You know I'm just messin with ya !

[bill440rt]

Looks great Bill !!!! Nice upgrade. Can't beleive you panel-painted the heads though,and did'nt blend it down onto the block,LOL !!!! ............You know I'm just messin with ya !

Ha!     Good eye, Paul!
Amazing what 10 years of driving will do to the color. Yeah, I thought about it, but looking from up top you don't see it much.
Maybe I should just pull the whole thing, paint the whole engine again and the car black, & drop it back in??    

[69 OUR/TEA]

Looks great Bill !!!! Nice upgrade. Can't beleive you panel-painted the heads though,and did'nt blend it down onto the block,LOL !!!! ............You know I'm just messin with ya !

Ha!     Good eye, Paul!
Amazing what 10 years of driving will do to the color. Yeah, I thought about it, but looking from up top you don't see it much.
Maybe I should just pull the whole thing, paint the whole engine again and the car black, & drop it back in??    

I got the hubcaps and whitewalls for ya !! 

[skip68]

Nice!   

[472 R/T SE]

Looks great Bill !!!! Nice upgrade. Can't beleive you panel-painted the heads though,and did'nt blend it down onto the block,LOL !!!! ............You know I'm just messin with ya !

You wait.  If I know Bill, & I don't.  It'll eat at him every time he opens the hood next summer, so much so that he stops driving it & repaints everything next Fall.   

[resq302]

Looks great Bill !!!! Nice upgrade. Can't beleive you panel-painted the heads though,and did'nt blend it down onto the block,LOL !!!! ............You know I'm just messin with ya !

You wait.  If I know Bill, & I don't.  It'll eat at him every time he opens the hood next summer, so much so that he stops driving it & repaints everything next Fall.   

     

[bill440rt]

Looks great Bill !!!! Nice upgrade. Can't beleive you panel-painted the heads though,and did'nt blend it down onto the block,LOL !!!! ............You know I'm just messin with ya !

You wait.  If I know Bill, & I don't.  It'll eat at him every time he opens the hood next summer, so much so that he stops driving it & repaints everything next Fall.   

     

No... no... NO... willl NOT... won't... AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! 

[BrianShaughnessy]

Looks great Bill 

   Sinnamon will end up with leftover stock based power disk / drum setup to replace the power drum/drum.   I do like that stock prop valve deal.  Probably works better than the old 70 something valve I was using for awhile.   


   What brand engine paint do you use?     There's a certain big block 69 camero sitting near Sinnamon that has engine paint adhesion problems.     

[HeavyFuel]

[/quote]

No such thing as a stupid question!  
I tried doing an online search for a picture of an original car with factory applied undercoating to the front inner fender, couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. Maybe another member on here has a photo on file they can post.Basically the undercoating went forward, over, & behind the shock tower, leaving that area painted/uncovered of undercoating. My car is also optioned for full factory undercoating, so the whole bottom is covered. If you have heavy undercoating there, my guess is that the dealer or someone else down the road applied it. Or, the guy on the assembly line was feeling generous that day.
[/quote]

ask...and you shall recieve...