The Willomet Charger

[65PlymSatellite]

Great thread here, David. Glad to see you're a thick skinned individual and that the criticism hasn't dissuaded you from taking the time to take pictures, upload, explain, and teach how you are doing all this work. I know I'm learning a lot from this thread! My only gripe with LS engines is that my daily 5.3 Tahoe is having (in my opinion) premature lifter ticks!
Do you know yet what lifters you're going to use on this build?

 

[1970RT]

Great thread here, David. Glad to see you're a thick skinned individual and that the criticism hasn't dissuaded you from taking the time to take pictures, upload, explain, and teach how you are doing all this work. I know I'm learning a lot from this thread! My only gripe with LS engines is that my daily 5.3 Tahoe is having (in my opinion) premature lifter ticks!
Do you know yet what lifters you're going to use on this build?

Hey, thank you for the kind words. The vast majority of what I’m working on translates to any car build, and I’m glad to be able to share what I’m learning along the way. Turns out, I’m pretty thick headed, too.

For lifters, I haven’t jumped into the engine build just yet. The friends I’ve talked to at HPTuners like to run the full Comp Cams setup that comes with the grinds they specify, and I would be likely to do something along those lines.

David

 

[Average Joe]

Chevrolet Performance LS7 lifters are really good and the most affordable. I put them in my 01 Supercharged Corvette.

 

[1970RT]

Catching up - it’s been a busy summer: hiking, off-roading, getting the shell prepped for new rockers.

With all that done, it’s full ahead on the car.

All that 4x2 is going to piece together very soon.

The “birdcage”

Harriet, supervising

Rockers are cleared, cleaned, hammered and dolley’ed, and ready to accept the Rev2 plating.

These inner rocker plates are off at the sheetmetal shop for laser and bend.

Meanwhile, there’s plenty of rust repair to see to.

Glad to be back on it.

David

 

[5.7 hemi]

This is gonna be an epic build! I like what your doing.

 

[Greg Ducato]

Thanks for the update, it's been a little hot down here to spend much time in the workshop.

 

[1970RT]

Thanks for the update, it's been a little hot down here to spend much time in the workshop.

Hard to get motivated to turn the fans off and weld when it’s 105F.

David

 

[1970RT]

Chipping away during mornings, and evenings.

I used high frequency DC, 33%\33%, 120Hz, 90A-110A (never matted the pedal at 120A).

Low current silicone bronze follow up.

Next up:

Meanwhile, the laser shop should have the rockers done Friday.

David

 

[1970RT]

Rocker plating was done early. I only had a minute to test fit, but they’re perfect.

I’ll head over to my buddy’s shop and use his iron worker to run the dimple die through those larger holes.

David

 

[5.7 hemi]

Gonna be bad ***!

 

[1970RT]

Gonna be bad ***!

Working on it!

Got a pretty nice little Saturday planned.

David

 

[megaivtes]

so the silicone bronze weld kinda fills in? Teach me.

 

[5.7 hemi]

That is the shiz nit for filling holes. It has a lower melting point than steel so it’s a great tig rod to use.

 

[1970RT]

so the silicone bronze weld kinda fills in? Teach me.

That is the shiz nit for filling holes. It has a lower melting point that steel so it’s a great tig rod to use.

He’s right.

A couple of things are at play. The AMD steel is fine and clean, but the original ‘70 stuff is varied and corroded, and it’s tricky to get full and clean welds in steel alone when merging the two. Silicone bronze helps fill those minor craters, and without putting too much heat into the work.

David

 

[1970RT]

Interior brace repaired.

Patch finely fit and (pretty much) ready for welding.

Also, went to my buddy’s shop and ran the dimple die though the rocker plating. I want to get to that tomorrow, but only if this patch is done and blended.

David

 

[Brandy]

You are an inspiration David, that's gonna by a great ride.

 

[Ugk]

Chevrolet Performance LS7 lifters are really good and the most affordable. I put them in my 01 Supercharged Corvette.

Gm lifters came with my comp cam for my 6.0 ls build.

 

[1970RT]

You are an inspiration David, that's gonna by a great ride.

Thanks dude. One piece at a time.

David

 

[1970RT]

Not everyday is a hero day. Today was all about steady progress - no getting around the hours.

More pulse TIG

Weld thru and punched for plugs

Just a zoom in if the fine fitting required to make this patch fit in the same plane as the original

Time to light this candle

About where I wrapped up this segment. I swept up and reset my tools for the coming weld sesh’

Also, fit check on the Rev2 rocker plating

Hardly any distortion from the die - the iron worker is the way to go

Up next, a full week of work.

David

 

[Brandy]

Not everyday is a hero day. Today was all about steady progress - no getting around the hours.

View attachment 838859

More pulse TIG
View attachment 838860

Weld thru and punched for plugs
View attachment 838861

Just a zoom in if the fine fitting required to make this patch fit in the same plane as the original
View attachment 838862

Time to light this candle
View attachment 838863

About where I wrapped up this segment. I swept up and reset my tools for the coming weld sesh’
View attachment 838864

Also, fit check on the Rev2 rocker plating
View attachment 838865

Hardly any distortion from the die - the iron worker is the way to go
View attachment 838867

Up next, a full week of work.

David

Nice work David. You are a real craftsman with metal. Being meticulous shows in the fit of the parts you work with. Very nice.