Been pretty busy in the shop with this whole Covid crap going on. Engines getting rebuilt, parts being made and so on. Will start posing pics of things going on in the shop. One project going on. Got a local college kid that lost his internship to covid and was needing work. So I have him and a local HS kid tearing down inventoried core engines. To date they have 56 tore down. The parts are getting separated and arranged in category's. Makes it easy to use them. Here they are ready for a days work. Took 3 weeks to get 56 tore down. about 55 to go. This pic represents 52 engines worth of pistons.
Working on the next group of heads. There are 3 more on another stand. Need a longer set of rails to work up these heads. First step is cleaning 2nd Mag the decks and chambers for cracks 3 pressure check 4 mark each head for problems ( ie bad bolt holes ect) 5 install guides 6 machine for positive seals 7 machine exh seats 8 machine intake and exh seat (roughed) 9 unshroud valve bowls, port, cut bolt boss for lumps 10 install lumps 11 final valve job 12 deck intake/ exh flange and deck of head 13 final clean 14 assemble Sometimes there are more steps, it just depends on the head.
Ran into one that was severely overheated. No telling how deep those cracks are.
Have most of the parts/ engines moved into the new building. This is allowing the expansion of the machine shop. Having a forklift is a must! Might be the largest inline 6 Chevy parts offering in the world.
Have worked through all those heads. Pics are example of a head with beehive springs , 1.94/1.6 and lump kit. They are now assembled and on the website. Also just received another batch of PES intakes. Got valve covers to pickup next. My foundry is rocking!
Progression of forklifts at my shop. First one was over 20 years ago and was a 1990's unit ,pretty used up then. Was still a good workhorse. Second one was a rebuilt 2004 Daewoo, very dependable and did all I needed. Current one should last me a LONG time. Thanks to Curt Lowe (brother) at Onesource Handling for keeping me going.
Blocks are now going thru the CNC. Boring and decking. Crack checking is all done. Next will be honing, 2 kinds. Allign honing the mains and finishing the bores.
Here is a tool we needed in the shop. When Chevy put straight 6 194-230-250 in ChevyII Nova's. The block was drilled in a very specific location to match the front sump oil pan. We made a drill jig to aid in this feat. The drilled hole is on a angle in 2 planes. Very hard to do with a hand drill. This jig takes all the guess out. X marks the spot drilled. Available on the site as a rental.
Here is what is going on in shop today. We rework the factory flywheels. Bake, blast, remove gear, grind, install gear and rebalance to under 1 gram. Most shops wont do this. Lumps being machined in CNC also. The shop expansion is nearly complete. Insulated and interior tin installed. Wiring done also. Overhead hoist is next and then move the parts in.
Heads lined up to go though the CNC . We deck them on 2 sides. intake/ exhaust surface and the Head/deck surface. Next they are cleaned, assembled and QA tested for proper seal. Also have a bunch of PES intakes done now too.
Made a needed part today. Offy and Clifford intakes use a adapter to bolt on a Holley carb. These adapters only allow the carb to be bolted on sideways or 90 degrees to the engine. The adaptor made here allows the carb to be turned either way. Lots of chips! Some edges look bad, need to order larger stock next time.
No body comes here anymore like they used to....Beater, myself, Twisted 6 and a few others engage in regular discussions elsewhere. Inliners appears to many to have run its course and is no longer the Inline forum it used to be....
But since you asked I'll give you several reasons from what I have observed and had others tell myself and others privately....
1) Nobody cares what you're doing or has any interest in it.... 2) The forum can't have normal discussions without you trying to make it about yourself and trying to sell the OP something in these discussions...others are sick and tired of those discussions turning into that! 3) You don't have the fan base you used to have(if you really ever had one)..... 4) The lack of responses and replies to most of your posts in the last few years should have made some of the above reasons #1 through #3 obvious by now..... 5) Most everyone has left the forum to seek other interests and activities....
He we go with the political crap my feelings got Hurt. No dang wounder 90% of the advertisers Left here. As well as members in general. I know I'll catch grief over this But Oh well. I'm sure this will be my last comment/s to any topic.
Something we provide as a service. Doubt anyone else offers this. 292 engines came with a 168 tooth flywheel. Many people want to use them with a 153 tooth flywheel. GM never made such a thing. We take a 250 flywheel and remachine it to be used on the 292 with dowel pins as required. The 250 has 7/16 bolt holes and 1 dowel pin hole, 292 uses 1/2 bolts and 3 dowel pin holes. https://www.12bolt.com/.../Flexplate_or_Flywheel...
Have a show and tell for you guys. We are working up a group of heads. Some are worse than others. Here is one that had rust issues. The exhaust seats were severely eroded, valves stuck. Once it is chamber worked by hand and decked, it will be ready for action again. These are 1.84/1.6 valve seats. The seats/ chambers are only roughed in in these pics.
We started the shop expansion last year in March. Life threw a big curve ball at me since then. Now getting my feet back under me. The shop expansion is nearly complete. This is the area that holds the majority of inventory, and packing. Also made a impossible to find bolt. Making another casting to include 292 water neck with bypass hose also.