New project

[brotherGood]

Well, after 14 years of Mopars..I have taken on a new project for Brand X.

One of my bosses has a 1969 Oldsmobile 442, and I've been pushing him for years to get it out of his barn and put the original engine and transmission back in and sell it. Well, he finally asked me to tear the engine down to make sure it was still good as it sat outside for years.

When we (Dad and I) went to pick it up, we looked at the car and couldn't believe how clean it was. When we got the engine home I started running numbers and sure enough, it is a low production numbered car, and original. I managed to get the okay from the wife, so when my boss gets back from vacation I'll be discussing payment and possession with him.

I've long said that if I were to have anything non-Mopar..it'd be one of these as the family history with Oldsmobiles runs much deeper than Mopars.

I dont plan on going away from Mopars, and Dad still has my AHB..so it'll be pretty neat to see how close that built up AHB is to a factory ish 442

 

[Oldiron440]

Hey it's not a Chevy!
I've got a thing for Pontiacs myself, the only GM vehicle I have ever bought new was a Firebird.

 

[DCAspen]

Looks like a nice 442,I hope the transaction goes well.Keep us posted.

 

[brotherGood]

.....aaand here's where we stop.

Engine wouldn't turn, so I started taking it apart and it got ugly quick. Pulled the passengers side head off and Dad immediately found a cracked cylinder wall.

Gonna wait until boss man gets back from vacation, and game plan what's next for both engine and car..as well as where I still fit into the equation.

 

[DCAspen]

That looks bad

 

[jasperjacko]

jb weld

 

[Duke5A]

Stock isn't fun anyways.

Time for a junkyard LS swap. One thing I envy about the Chevy crowd is plentiful, modern and cheap engines with tons of aftermarket support.

 

[brotherGood]

Gonna have a chat with the boss man when he gets back. The more digging I do, the more I feel somewhat confident in a sleeve.

If it wasn't an original, numbers matching 442 I'd be less concerned and would just throw a 455 in it. With it being an original numbers matching car though, if it can be sleeved and rebuilt, that's a value saving decision.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

Depending on what he really plans on doing with it might be better to put a different engine in it and keep the original with it for the numbers matching part. Especially if he doesn't plan on restoring it.

 

[brotherGood]

He has let it sit in his barn for at least 10-15 years..thats after pulling the original drive train to install a Chevy crate engine (which that has sat on the rack at work for just as long)
I've been harping for 3 years to let me put the car back together to sell it, even before I had seen it. Pretty sure he's finally decided since someone is willing to do the work, he'd might as well unload it.

His first question when I sent him the picture was asking if it was fixable, which my honest answer was maybe, but it'd be a bit more expensive than I was anticipating. His next response was simply to find a 455. I can't argue with that thought, but Id want to try to save the numbers first.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

If all he is doing is selling you have to forget about the engine for now and go after cleaning up the car to see what it's like. Unless its in great shape and doesn't need paint or anything you're better off finding any engine to put in it to get it driving and let whoever buys it deal with the numbers matching one. He'll never get his money back on the rebuild. If the car cleans up to be a survivor in really good shape that someone can go to shows and stuff with then it might be worth rebuilding.

 

[brotherGood]

The car is in great shape, and the numbers aspect is moreso for my buying it possibly..because to me it's worth salvaging the engine to keep the value up.

I agree though, if I don't end up buying it and/or the engine isn't salvageable then dropping a 455 in it is a no brainer.

 

[brotherGood]

Update.. bought it.

It's getting brought home Saturday, and will get a bath then put on stands to start inventory of things to be replaced (lines, drain fuel tank, shocks, exhaust are the big things I've noticed as little as I've been around it)

Still need to get the crank and rods unstuck, but ive noticed fluid is starting to seep through the tops so there's hope. Not sure how the cylinders at the top of the stroke are going to do, but we'll figure it out. No sense rushing this.

 

[BudW]

I recommend you start a new thread in "projects". We will not mind if it is not an FMJ. It is still a "project", so go for it.

Install a battery and test all electrical items before working. It is better to know a (example, a wiper motor) part is not working now than after you spent time cleaning and painting it.

Take a ton of pictures. It might seam questionable as to why – but you will refer back to those pictures often upon reassembly. It might even be worth taking a picture of the screw and what the screw came out of (like for a relay). Bag and tag everything. Trying to keep track of this after 3 month or even 8 years later – you will find this to be well worth the time.
A spreadsheet might help keep track of all kinds of things, like order of dissembly, what box part A, B and C went into, what parts need replaced, replated, repainted, rebuilt, etc. and so forth.

For as long as the car has sat, I would plan on rebuilding the entire brake system, inspect the suspension very closely (if not rebuild) and go over each fuel system item.

I “think” the block can be saved. The pistons and crank might not be. If the stuck piston is only for one cylinder, I would take block to a good machine shop to see what they say. No sense spending money on something that can't be fixed.
Keeping the engine block (and transmission and/or anything with “numbers” on it would be good to keep stored under a bench or something and does nothing but increase the value of the vehicle (as long as they are kept together).
Even with a '69 Road Runner, I would keep the original engine somewhere safe, and get another 383 (or 440) to modify and stick into the car. That way if you blow things up, the worry is not big.
If I drove a car to a show/track/cruise, there would be a high chance the cobwebs would get blown out at least once.

Some things like disk brakes are a huge improvement over 4-wheel drum brakes – but, again (sway bars are another), I would save the old parts and place into a sturdy plastic case for the future owner to revert back to if they wanted to go back stock. A low end car – no worries, but an original 442, I would keep all of that stuff if you are considering making those kinds of changes (I would perform a lot of changes like that – but make it where it could go right back - if needed).
BudW

 

[brotherGood]

Bud, you've pretty much put in writing my major dilemma. There are a bunch I'd like to do to it-even "driver comfort" things such as discs all the way around, but I'm treating this as investment first, project second. I know this isn't a car I'll end up keeping long term (even though I'll probably drag my feet on selling it) but I do want to get some enjoyment out of it before I do sell it.

At the moment, I'm really trying to get the pistons unstuck, so I can spin the crank enough to get the last two unbolted to allow the crank to be pulled. Once all that is apart, I'll go ahead and get it to the machine shop for the block to be checked and addressed.

I've already utilized my wife for organizing, and hope she doesn't kill me when I ask her to continue that throughout the process. I know the best way I'll be able to tell things for reassembly will be pictures, so I've already got a folder going on the phone.

I plan on new brake and fuel systems, shocks, tires, thoroughly looking at any bushings/joints/etc, as well as checking the radiator and AC system. I believe I have a battery on the bench that just got drained from a ground issue in the car, it should be enough (with the charger) to check electrical, provided he can find the key by Saturday.

As far as posting in the "Projects" section, I'm good with that..I just didn't want to assume as it's not an FMJ. If I can remember how to move topics, I'll probably just go ahead and do that.