Use remflex gaskets.

Was this supposed to be a L78 engine?

big gear head - It was advertised as being just a big block engine.

Engine Pad I.D.'s it as a 1969 Camaro L/78 engine block. Should have come with an automatic trans, and is date code correct for this car build. It is a 4-bolt block and it does have the square port heads, with aluminum intake

But no, it was never said that it was an L/78 engine

OK. The cast crank and cast pistons are not L78 parts, so it made me wonder if it was supposed to be one. Watch your RPMs with those cast pistons.

Thanks .. big gear head. I knew those weren't L/78 parts but that brings up a question that has been running through my mind ..... just how many rpm's can those parts take. I'm not going to be making enough HP to worry about, but what about rpm's. Square port heads and L/78 cams like a little more rpm's than an oval port.
I may put a different engine back in the car - it's a standard bore 2-bolt block with a steel crank, forged L/78 pistons and square port heads -we'll see.

Most people consider 5500 RPMs the safe limit for cast pistons. Stroke, rod length, compression ratio and other things will have an effect on this.

Well in my case it is stock 3.76 stroke, stock rods at 6.135, and around 9.5 compression.
So we will have to see....

I haven't done anything with the engine yet. Still weighting my options. I do have a std. - std. steel factory crank + a set of rods with the 7/16 ARP bolts.
Also have another standard bore 2-bolt main 396 block. So I'm ..... thinking

Stick that crank and rods in your 4 bolt block with a good set of forged pistons and let it spin to 7000 RPMs. I used a 6223 crank and a set of polished and shot peened LS6 rods with ARP bolts and TRW pistons and shifted it at 7000 for several years. I've got better rods and lighter pistons in it now and going to 7300. Just be sure that the valve train is up to it. Dropped valves set off a huge bomb.

luzl78 - thanks for the tip, but I guess I don't know what remflex gaskets are.

big gear head - thanks, that is what I think I'm going to do, and get the whole thing balanced.

I'm also thinking about using the cast nodular iron crank along with the factory rods with upgraded bolts in the standard bore 2-bolt main 396 block. It already has factory forged 396/375 pistons. Will the crank take 6500 rpm's

I don't know about the crank. I don't know what the RPM limit usually is on a cast crank.

It doesn't look like a set of L-78 +40 pistons is going to be easy to come up with

May take a special order

For now I think I'm going with my 2-bolt engine with factory steel crank and factory L-78 pistons
Will decide on the other engine later

The engine is coming alone fine .. I will get the oil pump and oil pan back on tomorrow, and with some luck (and if my back stays with me), maybe the cylinder heads.
Hope to get it back in the car soon .... wish me luck

'

Keep rockin', all your hard work will pay off w/ the good times yet to come!
:beers:
~ Pete

.

I do have the oil pump, oil pan, and both heads back on the engine. I need to take the steering column out to replace the firewall seal that goes around the column. Right now I have a red rag that someone put there.....lol
After that I will try and get the engine in the car.

I have been working on the steering column and have it just about ready to go back in. Should have that done by early next week.
After that the engine

Steering column is back in and the 'Red Rag' is gone .... lol

Now to get an engine back in the car ... wish me luck

Well ... there is an engine back in the car - now I will need to get everything connected.
I'm going to put manifolds on and leave the headers off - so there will be some changes to make and also I need to straighten out some stuff that others had done to the car before.
2 or 3 weeks and I should have it running

Things are still coming along - I've got the wrong water temp sender so I need to order a different one and the front brace for the starter motor is also missing.
All-n-all, not doing to bad.

Re-assembly is going good. But I'm thinking I need to 're-clock' the alternator. Does anyone have a picture or can you tell/explain to me where the wiring connections on the backside of the alternator need to be when assembled?
Thanks

I found a good picture from a beautifully restored 1969 - and it shows the screw on power terminal at 12 o'clock and the 2-wire terminal at 3 o'clock.
That looks like it should be right

After lunch today I was going to start the engine and let the new cam and lifters break-in, but the engine didn't want to start. After trying several things I thought/hoped would help but didn't, I ran the trouble shooting guide for the XR-i ignition.
Once I had it isolated to the secondary system I swapped the rotor but that didn't help so I replaced the cap.
When I had pulled the spark plug wires out of the distributor cap I knew I had found the problem because the coil and #3 terminals were black - not nice clean brass like the other terminals.
Cap and rotor are not 6 months old - they are Accel brand products. Plug wires are also new. This is just a problem I should not have had.
Anyway I did get the engine to start - so I will get the cam broke-in in the next few days.

Got the cam and lifters broke-in yesterday ... everything went well, engine started right up and I kept it at a high idle for 20 minutes.
I did use Mr. Gasket shim steel head gaskets so I'm guessing I will need to go back and re-torque the heads after a couple more heat and cool cycles - but I will check with Mr. Gasket techs - then I will re-run the valve lash.
I'm going to have to get an appointment at the muffler shop to get the new pipes from the cast iron exhaust manifolds connected to the pipes that had gone to the headers that were on the car.
I might make a car out of this thing yet ... lol

Still making progress - I will try to get an appointment lined-up with the muffler shop this week.
I did get the new driver side kick panel in so I will try to work on the passenger side this week also.

I’m excited about this build and appreciate the updates. Keep up the good work.

Jason

Did a lot of cleaning in the 'pocket' behind the passenger side kick panel (like I did on the drivers side) - and took the glove box out so that I could get the wires routed better/correctly.
Also the glove box only had 1 screw holding it in so I tried to get everything back together better and with all 4 screws. Didn't make it new, but it sure looks and works better - useable now.... lol
If nothing goes wrong I hope to get the new kick panel in tomorrow.

Here is a couple of pictures of the engine that is in the car now

I've got both new kick panels in now. Also I take the car to the muffler shop next Monday. I've also gone by and talked to the guy at the transmission shop and will be taking the car there sometime after the mufflers shop is finished. Trans works good but has a couple of leaks - 1 around the vacuum modulator and 1 around the shaft for the shifter. And he said something about replacing the one at the governor cover also. Oh, and I ask him about connecting the wire from the 'kick-down' switch.

Absolutely! That was the “look”. My L78 ‘67 always had stock springs, but to mount my slicks & similar beefy tires & wheels (for the street, as I never raced it at the track) I used those coil spring inserts to separate the coils & lift the car a bit....it actually worked!!! lol! Ride quality wasn’t harmed much at all, and I had plenty of clearance for my M/T Super Scavenger Headers underneath!

Nice ride you have there...enjoy it and make it your own!

Thanks Chevelle SS 396 L78 .... I did remove those springs as the rear of the car sit up to high.
Missed going to the muffler shop last week because of a very heavy rain - so now I have an appointment for this coming week

I got the exhaust fixed at the muffler shop the other day so the car is much quieter now, but still has a pretty good rumble.
Next the transmission shop to get the leaks fixed. Trans did shift fine on my trip to the muffler shop.

I've got a sit-back as the new kick panels leak. Looks like I didn't get something right.
I'll have to try it again or get someone else to try. And I hate working on these things

The transmission shop I was going to have fix the leaks on my transmission never called, so me and a friend with a car lift worked on it.
After getting back home there was no leak for 5 or more hours. But after sitting for more than 12 hours, I did still have a leak. I think the converter must have drained down and the pan gasket is leaking.
So I've got a new gasket - and we will try again. If anyone has any great ideas on how best to seal a pan gasket on the trans - please let me know. Thanks

I always use Permatex #2 between the pan rail and gasket, and nothing between the gasket and trans case. Has always worked well for me.

Be sure that it isn't leaking from the dip stick tube. Your pan gasket may be fine, but the O ring on the tube may be the problem.

Thanks for the helpful replies. I have been checking to see if there are any leaks/drips or signs of any red fluid coming from anything above the pan gasket and transmission body parting line.
I've ordered an RTV sealant Permatex makes just for auto-trans. Hopefully I'll get this fixed soon

Looking again this afternoon I don't see anything on the shift linkage, nothing on the vacuum modulator or running down from the dipstick tube, and nothing running down the front of the trans case behind the torque converter.
So I will try the RTV between the pan and the gasket

Good luck! Also check that the flange is flat and not rippled from having been overtightened.

I found the source of my trans leak and got it fixed. There was NO seal on the shift lever shaft. Grime, dirt, gunk, grit, but no seal - not even a piece of old seal - nothing.
So it now has a nice new seal.

How about the SCR in Bowling Green ... wasn't that fun. I know I enjoyed it.