My 1970 Super Bee 383 A31 car

[Nxcoupe]

All that mess you see under the hood is just dirt. Not pitting. Everything clicks shut clean. All the options are factory. (I’d love a Go-Wing though). Ran a magnet over every inch of the car. And there is evidence of overspray on a few parts like the hood pins and vinyl which leads me to believe it was just the one respray and no body work has been done other than the trunk. Which will forever haunt me. The paint is at least 30 years old and looks great. It was always stored indoors and heated for the last 25.

If you owned ine of these back in the late 70s, you'd know that the trunks leaked like a sive. Couple that with a rubber trunk mat holding all the water onto the surface of a scantily painted surface and viola! After a few years, rust pits turn into rust holes and the reason for trunk replacement. Let it go.
Nice car btw, one of my favorite cars. Looks nice and should be a fun driver.
No one replaces the trans when they replace an engine because they are separate units, one going bad does not affect the other. The engine usually gives out long before the 833 does. Jmho.

 

[DynaBro]

If you owned ine of these back in the late 70s, you'd know that the trunks leaked like a sive. Couple that with a rubber trunk mat holding all the water onto the surface of a scantily painted surface and viola! After a few years, rust pits turn into rust holes and the reason for trunk replacement. Let it go.
Nice car btw, one of my favorite cars. Looks nice and should be a fun driver.
No one replaces the trans when they replace an engine because they are separate units, one going bad does not affect the other. The engine usually gives out long before the 833 does. Jmho.

Oh I realize that you don't replace the trans just because a motor blew, I'm not a complete moron. Just half. I just find it odd because I've been shopping for like a decade and rarely see matching trans. Matching motors, though rebuilt, I find much more often. So the motor being shot but the trans original, especially with that line lock suggesting an early owner liked to shred, shocks me.

 

[Nxcoupe]

Oh I realize that you don't replace the trans just because a motor blew, I'm not a complete moron. Just half. I just find it odd because I've been shopping for like a decade and rarely see matching trans. Matching motors, though rebuilt, I find much more often. So the motor being shot but the trans original, especially with that line lock suggesting an early owner liked to shred, shocks me.

Some guys, like me, would pull the trans with a problem and rebuild it rather than track down a replacement of unknown condition. I did the same with engines too. I always considered myself the caretaker of a piece of automotive history, rather than an owner, so my mantra was to improve and restore rather than 'make it mine'.
Never even considered you as a moron.
Judging by the scattershield, driveshaft loop, msd, etc, I agree this thing was rode hard and put away wet, but it sure is in great shape for going through that. I think you got a great deal.

 

[DynaBro]

Some guys, like me, would pull the trans with a problem and rebuild it rather than track down a replacement of unknown condition. I did the same with engines too. I always considered myself the caretaker of a piece of automotive history, rather than an owner, so my mantra was to improve and restore rather than 'make it mine'.
Never even considered you as a moron.
Judging by the scattershield, driveshaft loop, msd, etc, I agree this thing was rode hard and put away wet, but it sure is in great shape for going through that. I think you got a great deal.

It was the condition of the body that really sold me. Magnet stuck everywhere and the Dutchman panel only has the slightest surface rusting underneath, which wiped away easy. I still believe it may have been a 60K mile original car. The previous owner couldn't even get the timing right and all we did was twist the distributor a little bit and it ran perfect. Just seems lots of small upkeep projects were ignored I now have to run down one by one.

 

[71RRHI]

I put a new boot on my shifter, now I have the same problem as you, it likes to pop out of first when sitting at a light. Hoping the boot loosens up over time and the problem fixes itself.

Mine will some times pop out of first while sitting at a light. I just leave it in nuetral until the lights about to turn green then put it in first now.

 

[71RRHI]

It was the condition of the body that really sold me. Magnet stuck everywhere and the Dutchman panel only has the slightest surface rusting underneath, which wiped away easy. I still believe it may have been a 60K mile original car. The previous owner couldn't even get the timing right and all we did was twist the distributor a little bit and it ran perfect. Just seems lots of small upkeep projects were ignored I now have to run down one by one.

Now a days I would rather do small upkeep projects like fixing leaks, tunning, and replacing worn items, than a full resto.

 

[DynaBro]

Now a days I would rather do small upkeep projects like fixing leaks, tunning, and replacing worn items, than a full resto.

Right. I really want to rebuild the original motor from the block I have but it's nearly impossible to find anyone who wants to do it. Took my friend over a year sitting in the shop to get his started. Fewer and fewer guys with the skills and tools, so prices are so high it's not worth it for something like this. I hate that my current motor is so ugly but also don't have the gear to pull it just to paint it.

 

[DynaBro]

Today I installed a new valley pan and installed the intake. The leak was neither a crack nor a gasket failure, it was a bolt that was too short to reach the threads on the rear driver side corner of the motor, because of the bracket using that and the next bolt as mount for the throttle cable tensioner. Initially thought I was in for a Helicoil issue as it would not bite, which is the mistake a previous owner made as I discovered that next bolt is Helicoiled. My inspection saved me that mistake and only needed a longer bolt. So now I have one non matching bolt but it works right.

Installed the intake and the carb, warmed it up a bit to dump the oil, but the idle is off now. Of course.

Found the proper connection for the tach stuff. Wired the hot wire to a fuse box the previous owners mounted near the MSD that only goes live with the ignition. Seems to work properly and functionally conforms with the wiring directions. In spirit.

After much difficult accessing the lower bolt I finally got the oil pump off. Just my luck, the old gasket is half fused to the motor, which reaching is a nightmare. Need a mirror and some new technique to get this gasket off the block.

This weekend I hope to complete the oil pump work and a basic rebuild on the double pump carb.

 

[DynaBro]

Now complete, the oil pump was a 4 day nightmare due to insufficient directions regarding O rings on rebuild kits and an ancient paper gasket that chose to marry the block rather than the pump and make my life difficult. Had to resort to an expensive gasket murdering chemical from NAPA. Very likely scratched the surface up very bad doing it as well since you can't see, or hardly reach down there while working and this was a stubborn a gasket as I have ever encountered, and most of the work I do is on early 70's British motorcycles so I'm very familiar with junk parts and bad workmanship. Oh well it's complete and hope it doesn't leak. Also neglected to add the recommended lock washers because there were none to begin with. Feeling anxious about that considering this was all over a big *** leak. I power washed the lower areas of the engine bay afterward to clear all the grease and grime as well.

Changed the oil while doing this job and fired her up afterward. Sounded better to me now that the intake is solid.

Rebuilt the Double Pumper carb with a new Holley kit. It was also seized together at points but internally was in good shape and only took about 3 hours from start to finish as, again, the gaskets were all ancient and fused to the metal. Raining heavily today so I don't get to give all the work a final test drive.

My one friend finally got his fancy new motor back for the Pink Challenger restomod and has nearly enough leftover parts to rebuild my original numbers matching 383, that the same builder say fit. Thinking I should take his offer up on the discount deal and just get going on it. Then next summer I can just beat this one to death.

Today I'll be installing the Holley and tuning that up. Doesn't look too difficult. Set air screws. Set accelerator levers. Set idle screw. Done.

 

[oldbee]

I’m always late, but you’re a man after my own heart. NO p/steering & brakes,love it. Just remember, you have all winter to screw around with it!

 

[DynaBro]

Another bad day. Base gasket arrived. Decided to use the new hardware included although felt it looked chincy. None of it was torquing properly. I kept re loosening and being very careful trying to figure out what was going on during the process. One of the bolts had a flaw and somehow resulted in a slight over torque that snapped my carb base plate. Couldn't tell while turning the wrench, it was just spinning without giving much resistance anyway. Even getting it back off was nearly impossible and required multiple tools, I still don't fully comprehend just what went wrong with this bolt. But I am pissed off to a degree right now that I am just going to drive down the street and buy an 850 Double Pumper off facebook for $500 that's virtually new. I am indeed having buyer's remorse. The body of this car is great but this motor and everything associated with it is just a heap of trash. I'm going to start the rebuilding process on the numbers matching block ASAP.

 

[beebest]

Man that sucks. I get it, I sometimes have buyer remorse on my Road Runner project I just bought, basically I'm critical of how previous owner short cut a lot of items. Just need to walk away from project for a bit and then work on something that goes really well. 70 Superbee is my favorite car, definitely what I was hoping to find. Hang in there, it will get better.

 

[dadsbee]

A couple drill holes, two pins and some JB weld...

 

[DynaBro]

A couple drill holes, two pins and some JB weld...

Poor me would have done that. Poor me Leroy rigged everything and was pretty good at it. I am tired of being that guy. I am not poor anymore. I want a nice carb.

 

[dadsbee]

Lol

 

[DeltaV]

A friend of mine (R.I.P.) was a multi-millionaire. He drove a used 20 year old Pontiac Fiero until he wore out the second engine and the frame was rotted out. He bought another one and drove it a decade!

 

[dadsbee]

A friend of mine (R.I.P.) was a multi-millionaire. He drove a used 20 year old Pontiac Fiero until he wore out the second engine and the frame was rotted out. He bought another one and drove it a decade!

Married with $13.84 in the bank in '82, a bun in the oven and a good job but my Scottish side will never let go despite where I am today. I've worked on **** myself since I was 12/13 years old, that will never change... hense me doing front brakes on the Wife's Challenger today. $290 and 3 hours vs $1500 at the local establishment.

 

[DynaBro]

Brakes are a breeze. No coolant involved or other major mess. I just spent 2 days replacing the water pump and thermostat in my F150. Every little thing that could go wrong did. Everything was seized up, pulling other parts out of their space that shouldn't be, fighting me at every turn. Leaning over into that engine bay my torso is covered in small cuts now and my knees are bruised black. I could have paid someone to do it. I didn't. And I am completely over owning that truck. Doesn't mean I want some stitched together carb on my classic car. Some things you want nice.

 

[dadsbee]

Breeze, guess you weren't trying to crank the damn pad mount frame bolts out of the steering knuckle on Dodge's f'd up design! I did my F150 a couple hours before and at least with them you can pop the caliper and pads off and remove the rotor without unbolting the mounting frame.

Good luck with the new carb. Just don't tighten it down with the butterflies hung up on the adapter / thermo shield spacer and break an ear off. Just giving you a quick fix for what you had, seeing it probably ran fine with that carb and there's no need to spend more than $9.99 to fix it like I would have in '78 or still today. It could also probably be quickly tig'd back together, but unsure what aluminum it's made of.

 

[DynaBro]

Was able to enjoy the working tach for all of one drive to the gas station. Filled up with Ethanol free and fuel stabilizer, and it never worked again. Checked all my connections, nothing amiss. And unlike before the clock is not working either. So I suppose that narrows it down to the tach pod's primary power source.

No leaks on my other work so far.

New Edelbrock AVS2 650CFM is a noticeable and immediate improvement over the old Holley Double Pumper. However it is idling higher than I would like and adjusting the idle screw did nothing so I may have to toy with the timing a bit.