Upgrading Big Block Top End and Clean Up

[illinoisk30]

I haven't posted much lately so thought I would post some pictures of what has been going on here in my garage since I brought my GMC in around mid October.
I purchased the truck with a 454 that I was told was out of a low mileage RV. The engine ran great and had good power. I have had nothing but small blocks my whole life and I have to say it is a big difference.
I decided that I wanted to pull the engine and give it a different cam and intake to help it breathe a little better. I did not go super radical just enough to give it a little rumble in the idle. I really did not want to get into changing heads and all that good stuff.
When the engine was pulled I went ahead and cleaned the frame up a little more where I could not reach or get to with the engine in when I sandblasted the first time.
The engine was pulled, sandblasted and wire brushed before the paint was applied. I know nobody likes the Corporate GM blue but that would be the correct color for the vintage of the truck.
This is as far as I am right now. I do still need to blast the oil pan and timing cover.
I will post more as progress moves forward.

[illinoisk30]

Blasting cleaning engine. Timing chain looks a little stretched and cam driving gear has original nylon still on gear.

[illinoisk30]

More cleaning and some paint.

[illinoisk30]

Block is finished.

[LTZ C20]

Very nice work.

[Engineer]

GET RID OF THAT PLASTIC CAM TIMING GEAR RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!! Throw it away after you smash it with a sledge hammer.

Eek. Those things are responsible for more rebuilds than anything else. Bar none.

Oh, and BTW, I like the GM blue if it correct for your model year. When we rebuilt the 350 in my oldest son's '79 truck I insisted on painting it GM blue. He put chrome covers on it and it looked really good.

[Jason S]

Illinois, the engine is looking good. 

What in the world did you do on the frame rails to get it looking like that?  It looks better than new!

Engineer was a bit vague, but it sounds like you may need to replace the cam gear... 

[illinoisk30]

Thanks for the heads up Engineer but I have had a new timing chain and the rest of the new parts in the back of the truck for about a month. I had a problem with one in my oldsmobile that completely fell apart and the timing got way off and would not even start at times.
Thanks for the thumbs up on the GM blue, I like it. Orange is nice but its not a '69 Camaro.

[illinoisk30]

Thanks for the heads up Engineer but I have had a new timing chain and the rest of the new parts in the back of the truck for about a month. I had a problem with one in my oldsmobile that completely fell apart and the timing got way off and would not even start at times.
Thanks for the thumbs up on the GM blue, I like it. Orange is nice but its not a '69 Camaro.

Thanks for the approval on the frame. It is nothing special just good old fashioned elbow grease and Valspar zinc primer and semi gloss black.

[LTZ C20]

Wonders can be done with proper technique with a spray can.

The nylon timing gear thing was a horrible idea too.

Mines not a 69 maro either, but something about chevy orange and black makes me all butterflies inside, sooo mine got painted orange with black covers and a little chrome and some aluminum showing. I was kinda goin for the late 60s muscle car look under the hood anyway. Your progress so far is great. Keep up the good work.

[illinoisk30]

Thanks LTZ. Don't get me wrong I do love the orange engines, like you were saying with some chrome, aluminum and black they just stand out and look real pretty. Always drawn to those Chevelle's, Camaro's, Nova's etc. at a car show because of that bright orange iron under the hood.

[enaberif]

Nylon coated timing gear from my 350 that needed a rebuild... Yes they suck and are absolute junk.

[illinoisk30]

Yep, thats what one of mine looked like. Once the nylon is gone it pretty much turns into a saw blade.

[LTZ C20]

It's nice when someone walks by your truck at a show with your hood up and goes "oh crap look at this guy!" "That's so sick!"

I love hearing our hard work pay off. Oh and only the bottom end is iron.

[Engineer]

@ ik3, I figured you would do it right. The nylon cam gear has been the focus of my contempt for more years than I can remember. Many a 250,000mi capable engine was ruined at 100,000mi because of those things.

@Jason S,