My 68 Charger R/T is Being Buffed - UPDATE 4/10/06

[4402tuff4u]

Stopped by last night to drop off my vinyl top, trim pieces and roof emblems that can be installed after vinyl top is installed and Kevin had one of his guys buffing out the paint job, while he was welding new extended rails on the Escalade on the back being stretch to a limo. The shine coming out of the paint is awesome. Kevin said it gets three passes with different compound grit. His guy was starting the first buff. While he was buffing, I was working on re-assembling the brake pedal and re-attaching the links to the master cylinder. I had to take a few breaks - the fumes or dust of the buffing compound is kind of strong. I left at 9:00 PM and they were staying until 11:00 PM to get a jump on it. Hopefully, my engine guy will be done by this Friday, so I can pick up the Charger maybe next week and bring it home.

[BigBlockSam]

looks great .this bodyshop sounds like a good place. letting you work on your car. Rene

[tan top]

 looking good

[4402tuff4u]

looks great .this bodyshop sounds like a good place. letting you work on your car. Rene

Yep! He don't care. He's very easy going type of guy. He even lets me use his awesome tools - he has every tool imaginable; actually he did'nt have a socket for the upper ball joints for a Mopar!! He is a clean and neat freak. He has his guys quit 30 minutes before closing to sweep the whole shop - very neat place - that's why I went with him on the resto job. We kind of hit it off since he grew up where I live and basically is into hunting like I am and collects firearms like I do too. But he has enough guns to start a militia of his own - I just have enough to arm my family . I asked him how come he does'nt have a hot rod or a Mopar or collectible car.......his response was "same reason a cook does not cook at home". The only thing that he does not like and gets pissy is if he has workers working and you start talking to them, cause that pulls them off what they were doing - you can't blame him for that. So if I visit him during normal working hours, I just wave at his workers and don't say anything. 

[4402tuff4u]

Picked up the engine this afternoon!    Boy was that a heavy load!! Planning on stopping by and dropping the powertrain tomorrow to the autobody shop. Kevin, my autobody shop will probably install it one night next week. I have to help him which I dont mind doing at all!!    Getting close on getting it home!!

[4402tuff4u]

I have to do some touch up work on the paint and clear coat it! As you can see I went with the stock look and painted all the aluminum upgrades. I discovered that one of the heat shields for the spark plugs that looks like a squared off "U", I can't use it. The sparkplugs on the INDY EZ heads come out in angles and would hit the shield. I'm getting a bit nervous cause I see a possible problem with the angle and the exhaust manifolds on the passenger side - where the the manifold heads down towards the floor - 2 spark plugs will be very close and I most likely will have too build a custom shield or put a heat barrier sock.

[BigBlockSam]

looks great. what kinda valley pan it that?

[moparsinbarns]

LOOKS EXCELLENT!!! Its almost the same colour as my 69 used to be but darker

[PocketThunder]

Mike do you have the formula handy for that engine color?  i need to paint my engine.  Or where did you get your paint?

[4402tuff4u]

looks great. what kinda valley pan it that?

It's a valley pan put out by INDY. All it is, it's an aluminum flat plate (3/8" +/- thick) with some ribs on the top surface for cooling. When you use the INDY heads the Felpro 1215 valley pan does not work and in addition to that, my machinist had to shave off completely the heat crossing chamber on the bottom surface of Weigand aluminum intake manifold. Supposedly, according to Eric at Muscle Motor Racing (very helpful) where I bought my INDY EZ heads, I'm one of the first to use the INDY's with stock exhaust manifolds. He wants me to let him know what other problems/modifications I encounter or do so that he can relate them back to INDY. I had to fabricate this past weekend a heat shield for two spark plugs that are located next to exhaust manifold. These two plugs are angled towards the exhaust pipe. All spark plug are angled on the INDY EZ heads.

http://www.musclemotorsracing.com/main/

[4402tuff4u]

Mike do you have the formula handy for that engine color?  i need to paint my engine.  Or where did you get your paint?

Hey Paul, it's the 1968 Chrysler Turquiose color put out by that engine paint company that claims paint is good for 500 - 1,000 degrees, can"t recall the name. Totally Auto, Mancini Racing or Eastwood carries it. I picked up four cans of the paint and two clear engine coat at a local racing shop @ $ 10 per can. I probably could have done better pricewise some place else, but then you have to include freight and the wait. Don't spray the clear on until you are ready to install it so you dont dirty it up with oily and greasy hands. Wipe the paint really good before coating it with the clear. I used my auto body shop's cleaner - not sure what it is, but it sure wipes any oil or grease off and preps it for the clear! I have some clear left over- one can unused. If you want it I'll put it in the mail for you

[4402tuff4u]

I dropped off the engine to the autobody shop this Friday. Kevin gave me the cleaner and prep solution and I wiped the engine and clear coated it. I also installed two spark plugs that I thought were going to be a problem on the passenger side, however to my relief, they are not. All I have to do is install a heat shield. I went home on Saturday with some measurements and a template made of paper and mig welded a shield for the two spark plugs. I thought I was going to have to go with headers in lieu of the stock exhaust manifolds. Good thing it worked out!!   Kevin said we will install the engine one night this week. Possibly Tuesday night!!

I might be getting the Charger home this week  .......Kevin said he would push to get it done! 

[tan top]

engine looks real good ,a quick look at the engine now it's all one color, it would pass for stock to the none mopar eye

[BigBlockSam]

looking good! thanks for the tips about engine painting. Rene