Just removed the SBC from my '78 and have a non-US '81 2F just sitting there ready to install. I've thought through all the permutations about what to do with the '81 that's going in now that it's sitting on my garage floor. This motor has around 150K miles on her and I've gone from thinking that I'd just have the head done, slap her back and install, to a full on rebuild of the motor.
Now, when I pulled the '81 it had a genuine 155#'s per each cylinder. I did the check myself and was driven around in the vehicle prior to us pulling the motor. I just pulled the valve cover off and it's REALLY nice under there. No sludge but not exactly off the shelf new. No history on the vehicle as it came from Austrailia. The back freeze plug on the head is spray painted black and the pop up guage is still intact. I'm now wondering if this thing was rebuilt or at least the head done some time ago and now I'm thinking that I should just replace the clutch and water pump, rebuild the non-US carb and bolt her up and drive her until a later time. I do have a beautiful '81 that needs to have her newly rebuilt motor installed too. Good idea or bad?
What's the deal with the splines? It's like 19 or 20 on the end of the '81 transmission to T/C, and the '78 has much fewer on the FRONT of the transmission. Will the 19/20 tooth slide into the T/C or do I need to continue to use the '78's transmission?
Thanks for your input!
Now, when I pulled the '81 it had a genuine 155#'s per each cylinder. I did the check myself and was driven around in the vehicle prior to us pulling the motor. I just pulled the valve cover off and it's REALLY nice under there. No sludge but not exactly off the shelf new. No history on the vehicle as it came from Austrailia. The back freeze plug on the head is spray painted black and the pop up guage is still intact. I'm now wondering if this thing was rebuilt or at least the head done some time ago and now I'm thinking that I should just replace the clutch and water pump, rebuild the non-US carb and bolt her up and drive her until a later time. I do have a beautiful '81 that needs to have her newly rebuilt motor installed too. Good idea or bad?
What's the deal with the splines? It's like 19 or 20 on the end of the '81 transmission to T/C, and the '78 has much fewer on the FRONT of the transmission. Will the 19/20 tooth slide into the T/C or do I need to continue to use the '78's transmission?
Thanks for your input!