The icebergs finally melted enough for me to get the jacks under it and the cherry picker in the door. I did the remainder of the underneath work (removing starter, TC bolts, etc.) in ice cold run-off from the melting snow but it was worth the effort.I'm picking up the new-to-me engine on Monday. I want to give things the once over before I put the engine back in. At least change the radiator hoses.

Why not have the newer engine blue printed and balanced? Makes them run MUCHO easier

WOW! That is an ambitious job. Best of luck!

Good job, looks like you have pretty good access through the door. Why are you replacing rather than rebuilding? No opinion either way, just curious.Lou05 Travel Supreme Envoy

X2 on the blue print job, of course easy for me to say, I'm not paying for it LOL.

Short answer is that I'm working on a shoestring budget. I got the thing for tailgating and short, weekend trips to the Poconos. I paid $200 for it with the blown engine. I don't want to invest too much in it. Everything works great...except for the engine. It's been sitting a while but everything woke up and functions great. I picked up a used engine locally out of an '85 RV (mine's an '84). It only has 47k miles on it so I'm hoping I can drop it in and go.As far as replace vs. rebuild: the block in this one is shot. I'm going to put it on a stand to do a post-mortem, but it appears as if the wristpin let go in the #3 piston. The rod got under the piston, jammed it into the head and broke the piston. It was so violent that it cracked the head and water entered the crankcase. A quick diagnosis by the towing company that retrieved it was a bad head gasket. The towing company bought it from the original owner hoping for an easy fix. It wasn't. When they took the left head off they found the damage: bent valves, bent push rods, broken piston and deep, deep gouges in the cylinder. Maybe could be sleeved, but why? There are plenty of 454 blocks around. It sat in the tow yard for about 6 years. They got tired of looking at it, put it on Craigslist and I snagged it. They were asking $600 but it wasn't worth even that to anyone. I offered him $200 because he had it and I didn't and he took it. They towed it to my place and here it sits.There are other repairs that need to be made to it from the 6 years of neglect, but it was apparent that the original owner took really good care of it. It was clean, minimal signs of wear and had all the original documentation inside a big zip loc bag. In the storage compartment was compound, wax, wash buckets and sponges. In the cabinets were spares of everything - bulbs, fuses, belts, trim pieces, nuts, bolts, etc. Tires were new (at the time). It was properly winterized, too.I didn't ask too many questions, but it was kind of odd. There were clothes in the drawers, toothbrushes and toothpaste in the bathroom. I would have thought the owner would have taken that stuff out of it. The guy might have signed it over for the cost of the tow - dunno. I have a clean title so that's all that matters. I'm rambling now, but I'm excited about it. Should be a lot of fun to drive around.

Finally some progress with my Allegro | Good Sam Community

30 Replies

turbojimmy
Explorer
May 09, 2014
rgatijnet1 wrote:
Great work on the engine and neat video. If I counted right you only clipped four trash cans and one sign. :B

Thanks :) Actually I didn't hit anything, but it was super tight. I've never driven anything that wide. I need to adjust to the width. At 2:01 in the video you can hear me whisper to myself "that was tight" when I went past those parked cars. I looked in the mirror and thought "holy******that was tight". I didn't realize I said it out loud, too.
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
May 09, 2014
Great work on the engine and neat video. If I counted right you only clipped four trash cans and one sign. :B
turbojimmy
Explorer
May 09, 2014
BigRabbitMan wrote:
I understand why it has the loud buzzer on the turn signals, but I think that one might get to me. Wrap a sock around it to lower the volume and I would be fine.

I clipped the wires to the buzzers. Couldn't stand it.
BigRabbitMan
Explorer
May 09, 2014
turbojimmy wrote:
Maiden voyage yesterday. You can hear an exhaust leak - it's the choke tube. I have a new gasket, but I have to remove the carb to replace it. New carb will be here Monday so I'm going to wait. Power steering belt is still a bit loose, too. 6 new tire$ next week and it will be 100% road worthy.

Not a terribly interesting video, but it's the first time it's moved under its own power in 6 or 7 years so I had to capture the occasion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xRpZzjHwx8

Good video! Yes, need take care of the exhaust leak and tighten/replace the power steering belt. I understand why it has the loud buzzer on the turn signals, but I think that one might get to me. Wrap a sock around it to lower the volume and I would be fine.
turbojimmy
Explorer
May 09, 2014
Geocritter wrote:
Since my rig, that I've been traveling the southwest in, is a work-in-progress I've been following your thread with interest. Congratulations!
Steve

Thanks! I have some smaller stuff to address, like the hole I had to cut in the floor to replace the fuel lines. The 454 is a beast and sounds sweet. I also had to install a new air pump for the Jet Co air ride system - there's some wiring that I need to clean up related to that.

I plan to camp somewhere Memorial Day Weekend. Just not sure where yet. Things are pretty booked up around here.
Geocritter
Explorer
May 09, 2014
Since my rig, that I've been traveling the southwest in, is a work-in-progress I've been following your thread with interest. Congratulations!
Steve
turbojimmy
Explorer
May 08, 2014
Maiden voyage yesterday. You can hear an exhaust leak - it's the choke tube. I have a new gasket, but I have to remove the carb to replace it. New carb will be here Monday so I'm going to wait. Power steering belt is still a bit loose, too. 6 new tire$ next week and it will be 100% road worthy.

Not a terribly interesting video, but it's the first time it's moved under its own power in 6 or 7 years so I had to capture the occasion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xRpZzjHwx8
2010Liberty
Explorer
Apr 27, 2014
I see it has been a bit since you posted about the high rise manifold but you might think about making a taller dog house cover.
turbojimmy
Explorer
Apr 14, 2014
Thanks!

While I love that Edelbrock intake, it sits a lot higher than stock. Doghouse won't close.

Now I have to swap intakes. I'm glad I kept the stock one around.
John_Joey
Explorer
Apr 13, 2014
Your project reminds me a little of what my Uncle would tell me about the horses he got to work the farm with. "With a new horse you work them hard, then give them sugar. If you do it the other way the horse is no good."

Once you get the old gal running take it out camping and on a few long drives before you start to make it all pretty and spend any more money on her. You'll end up with a good horse that way. ;)

Good luck with your project.