Here's a few pics of my spring project so far (been taking some pics as I go along, sometimes just so I can identify how to put it back together - LMAO). I replaced the leaky water pump and put in a new distributor, coil, hoses and plug wires, and cleaned it up a bit. Next up, valve cover gaskets, intake gaskets if needed, headers, shifter, brakes, fuel filter and stereo. There's also a pic of some birthday gifts my family bestowed upon me the other day:

http://bradprestonmusic.com/Photos/Ve ... ect_Spring2008/index.html

Many thanks to those who have posted about their experiences in the past - it's been an invaluable resource

sounds like youve been a busy mayun dude

Damn, that looks fantastic! It's gonna feel SOOOOO good when you get it all buttoned up and go for a ride!

Thanks! So far I still have most of the skin on my knuckles ;-)

Nice pics, Brad. Where did you get the red hoses?

Hey Tim! Thanks much - I got the hoses from silhoses.com. They're kinda spendy, but they'll be my only "bling" item, and I thought they added a nice little pop. Supposed to be very good hoses, too.

I'm just about ready to install my headers, after I get the #%$#%#@* cat bracket off of the driver's side. I'd like to have some face time with the twisted SOB who decided where the upper bolt on that should be - LOL! I can see why a lot of folks just sawzall the thing off - I'm going to give it one more shot before I resort to that.

WOW, pretty good stuff right there!

Quote:

I really like the hoses but doesn't look like they have the coolant set for my L98. I sure would've like a set in the blue. Oh well, stock black it is.

Sorry you're having problems with that bracket. Hope you get it figured out without the sawzall!

Hey Brad....

Lookin' good

Don't know how you have time to do all those upgrades and make music

There is only 24 hours in a day in Minnesota too isn't there??
:toothy8:

Gary

Thanks, guys! Yeah, Gary, it's been real slow on the music front lately - by the time I get done in the garage for the evening, I'm out of gas :-P

I am extremely pleased to report that I have defeated the dreaded cat brace. I haven't felt this smug about outsmarting an inanimate object for some time - LMAO!

Fantastic job, you did a great job!

I love engine building wish I could build a 434 soon, maybe this fall.

Looks good, nice detail work! And the silicone hoses are much more than just bling. They'll last far longer than standard coolant hoses. When I worked on long haul trucks, I often saw silicone hoses that were still in excellent condition after hundreds of thousands of miles. Just like with regular hoses, good coolant maintenance and not allowing them to become oil contaminated on the outside, will yield a much longer hose life.
That MSD opti looks nice too. You've tackled some major chores this spring that will help keep it running reliably for you, congrats.

Thanks again, guys! I got some more cleanup done and started to install the passenger side header - had to pull a sensor out and dump a bunch of coolant, but after that it was smooth sailing - these SW headers fit really well. Good to hear about the longevity of those hoses!

I doubt if I'd have attempted any of this without all the knowledge that has been passed along by you guys and others - really a fantastic resource!

I added some more pics today - made a little more progress the past few days. I got my headers installed, but am waiting for a new AIR pipe to arrive (I fubarred the nut on mine - whoever on the assembly line was in charge of anti-sieze on that fitting must've had a hangover). Also put in new valve cover gaskets and spark plugs, and got my factory cat-back ready - cut the leads off, painted the mufflers and cleaned up the pipes. I bought a $10 gizmo on ebay to expand the resonator pipes - it was some effort, but it worked.

http://bradprestonmusic.com/Photos/Ve ... ect_Spring2008/index.html

BTW, I did find a little typo in the FSM - it said to torque your valve covers to 160 ft./lb., which would be great if you want them to come out the oil pan :tongue:

Great pic's, thanks. The MSD looks good on there and I love the red silicone hoses. Changing out the opti & water pump is one of the things on my to do list.