1966 Corvette L72 Light Refresh

[napa68]

No project is ever really finished.....right?

I put on over 400 miles on the 66 this year. It's a wonderful driving car and I can just look at it for hours. But, I had mentioned I was chasing a vibration in the engine. It improved with the clutch installation / balancing but still was not right. I know someone was in the engine prior to my ownership. I do not want to run the risk of hurting the engine in any way. So in the name of doing things right, out it comes. I spoke with my engine builder early this week, and he can get on it right away.







I must admit the oil and filter look good, as do the plugs. In fact, they may be a bit on the lean side. That's easy to fix. Another plus it is not chewing any oil


The transmission is quiet and upshifts / downshifts just as it should. I am shipping it to the fellow who has been doing my T10's for me. He's going to take a look inside, check it over and check the shafts any twist, runout and reseal.


I'm going to pop the tin off the engine and see what I can see. Having the car apart like this will allow me to take another kick at the can for cleaning. Updates to follow

[scuncio]

Man, bummer but you'll be able to sleep better at night having gone through it.

Is AMS doing this one too?

[napa68]

Originally Posted by scuncio

Man, bummer but you'll be able to sleep better at night having gone through it.

Is AMS doing this one too?

Going to AMS. Steve has slowed down in recent years. Luckily, I'm still on the list of people who he will do work for.

[67since67]

Can't leave anything alone, can you Tim?!

Guessing you got on this just this morning?? You're having too much fun!!

[scuncio]

Gotcha, yes, he has been in business a long time. I doubt he remembers, but just for the heck of it, please tell him the 350 he built for Paul Nausieda's black 1977 Caprice coupe (he also installed the engine into the car for my dad) is still running great. That install must have been 1992-3 timeframe.

[napa68]

Originally Posted by 67since67

Can't leave anything alone, can you Tim?!

Guessing you got on this just this morning?? You're having too much fun!!

Yesterday and today. My Dad stopped by to help pull the hood and provide an extra set of hands pulling it. I asked him if he wanted a beer at 10am when we were done.....he declined I'll catch up with him this afternoon

[napa68]

While waiting transport to show up and get the yellow 67 coupe, I popped the pan off to take a little look around. The bright side, all the rods look to be standard issue L72 units, properly stamped when rebuilt along with a forged crank. The block looks to not have suffered any trauma previously. The cam looks nice as well. The pistons in this were indeed changed to forged TRW's (L2300F's). That yields a 10.2:1 compression ratio with these heads. After careful inspection of all the pistons, the engine is currently at .060. Not quite the news I was looking for, but it is what it is. On the bright side, if it does need to be bored.......070 pistons are readily available as are .100's. When AMS did the L88 for me, he told me an early 427 can safely go to .125 over.

The crank is a 6223 casting which looks to be a 396 or later 427 unit. Some internet sleuthing has allowed me the opinion it takes a little more work to get the 6223 crank balanced properly with the additional weight of the 427 pistons. That is all uneducated speculation on my part.

[Tuna Joe]

Curious what are your plans for the engine compartment? Just clean?
Or clean and paint?
I’m at the same point in my 68’ L89. Engine is out and want to do something to the engine compartment, but want to minimize the mission creep.

[scuncio]

I have built two 427s with 6223 cranks and neither required anything dramatic to balance.

[napa68]

Originally Posted by Tuna Joe

Curious what are your plans for the engine compartment? Just clean?
Or clean and paint?
I’m at the same point in my 68’ L89. Engine is out and want to do something to the engine compartment, but want to minimize the mission creep.

Just clean. If I start painting anything it will stick out like a sore thumb. I have some methods I have gone about handling the engine paint, so it is not so obvious. And then to your point, the next thing you know the frame is out from underneath it and the body is in the paint booth.