# It's a done deal, picking up tomorrow



## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Ok... Been searching for an engine. For some reason the 1974 350 just doesn't cut it in the cool factor. The original 326 would be cool. Even found one but I think I made a better choice. Tomorrow morning I'm heading out to buy a original complete 1966 pontiac star chief equipped with a 389 yd 290hp 2 barrel engine with 092 heads. 10.5 motor. Looks to be a 39k original. Runs sounds good but I'll check it out more later. Also have my tri power on order. I'm thinking a 66 389 tri power will satisfy my need for cool and speed. arty:


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Excellent. Check the timing chain for excessive slop, and change it out before anything bad happens if you have to. A reseal job on the engine stand wouldn't hurt, either......but you know all this!!! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how strong those old 389's are.


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

sounds like it will do the trick....congrats


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## jetstang (Nov 5, 2008)

Congrats, 326 and 389 are two different animals, 389 is way stronger. Should be fun.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

Might wanna throw the Tri-Power cam in there too. :cheers


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Don't nothin' sound as sweet as a tri-power at full boogie.... Good job!

Bear


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Good point, Ruk....an 068. I think he's just going to throw it in and run it....but it's still fun to spend someone else's $$$$!!!


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

It has crossed my mind to cam it. Hadn't started planning that as I was waiting to see wht the engine was gonna need. Poured a lil gas in the carb. Set the choke. Started right up. Fast idled. Let it warm for a moment or two. Went to drive it around the block. Died. Started right back up. Put it back in gear. Pumped it a lil to get her moving. Drove good sounded good. Loaded it up on the trailer. Brought it home. Fired right up. Smoked the tires to the driveway. BIG FREAKIN smile. Absolutely beautiful day here. Ready to start yanking stuff but gonna take it slow. Gonna do a compression check in the next day or so. And go from there. SOunds strong and healthy. SO if a 068 needs to go in it. What is in it now?


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

An 066. Great cam for low end torque, but builds a lot of cylinder pressure. More apt to ping with an 066 than an 068. Still, you may want to go for a bit more cam than an 068 to bleed off more cyl pressure at low rpms to avoid light cruise pinging. Do your research...and stay away from the Comp Cams XE series if you stay with your high compression. Comp XE cams are excellent at filling the cylinders if you have 9:1 or less compression, but can be an issue with 10.5:1. An 068 would be a good choice if you have an automatic and a tall (freeway) gear, though.......


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

1966 Pontiac 389 - YouTube


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Donor car and transplant recipiant!!!


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

:cheers


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## Instg8ter (Sep 28, 2010)

That Star Cief makes your leMans look like a compact....:lol: motor runs smooth for sitting, freshen it up and go....:cheers


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## Tambo (Aug 15, 2011)

Gonna have to shrink em to fit in the garage LOL


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

So swap it in already and let's hear it RUN! arty:

Bear


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Put a tripower on the Star Chief and go haul some moonshine!!!


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

LOL did ya miss the vidyea, last post on page one bear? I have so much work to do and no room to do it. Weather has been beautiful (considering it's the middle of winter) but keep thinking it is gonna change any day. My first project is to get my shop useable. I have put it off for a few years. When I bought this house it came with a 20x24 shop in back. Problem is the idiot that had it installed was just that... A idiot. 2 full double gates on either side of the house but he installed it so the garage door is unuseable. So I need to install another garage door in the side to be able to park in it. Of course I need to get rid of all my sweetees crap we are hanging on to for no reason. (lets not tell her I said that) I have way too many parts on the way and no place to put it all until the shop is done. Then I can park the bike and lemans inside, have room to work on it and my wonderful understanding woman can have her parking spot back.


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Ok so instead of waiting on the cold I went to lowes and got a garage door and almost have it installed. Been putting this off for too long. Will be so nice to have my own man cave useable. Here's a pic of garage door almost done. Still gotta cut a hole on the other side but will be so nice to have workable space.


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## Hot_Rod (Feb 10, 2011)

So you bought the whole car just for the engine? How much that cost you? If you dont mind sayin. 

The star chief would be a cool cruiser. Gonna fix it up too?


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

$1400. Don't know what I'm gonna do yet. I do have a good running 350 so I may just add it to the stablee. Or sell it. May ebay it. 

Anyway it is now sitting in my FULL shop. Now to get rid of some furniture!!


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Well started pulling it apart. Decideing on a cam. Bearings look great. Gonna polish the crank new bearings gaskets and such. Sure looks like a 39k original miles. everything looks great. Will get the rest torn apart get her all gussied up and ready for the prom. Should not have to touch her again for a while.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Must........ have.......... photos............. 

Bear


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Also, here's what I think: if the bearings look great, don't polish the crank. Polishing removes material, and you'll end up with big clearances. You can: leave the original bearings in place; or-- put in new bearings, standard, check the clearance, and if the crank looks good, put it back in..._or_ have it ground .010/.010" and use oversized bearings....A lot of guys polish the std cranks and re-install them, though...with std. bearings. I recently helped a friend with a 389 that he had the crank polished on, and it was out of spec on the mains (.003-.0035) but he ran it anyway. It's held up fine for the past 5-10,000 miles....Just a thought. Polishing removes material. Removed material makes for bigger clearances. Not a good thing, IME.


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Well this is how it went down. I got the engine pressure washed. Put it on the engine stand and started taking it apart. No sludge anywhere. Everything looks great. Pulled the rear main so I could install a new main seal. Bearings looked great. BUT saw what looked like a little pitting in the bearing coating from non use corrosion. So I sat the main cap down in a safe place. Thought about what I should would do and decided I would just install the new main seal and run it. (now I'm the only person at home or in my shop) I piddle around a little and as I walk by the main cap I notice something on the bearing. a GOUGE. a FRESH gouge. Looks like a screw driver tip. I have not had a screw driver in my hand. There's not one laying by the main cap. and NOBODY has been in out out of the shop but me. I have no clue what the hell I did but I guess someone made up my mind for me. I swear nothing that could have made this mark was anywhere near the bearing. Really has me kind of freaked as it was not marred in any way coming off the engine. This I am absolutley positive of. So I'll take yer advice geetee and plastigauge them new bearings when they get here and go from there.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

That's what I'd do. Personally, I'd buy a set of standard clevite 77 bearings, and leave the crank alone. Of course, clean everything off, and install them with some assembly lube on thier bearing surfaces. And _watch out_ for the pack rat (or the ghost of a Chevy owner) with the screwdriver!!!! Sounds like you scored on the engine. I would run a Viton rear main OR a Best Gasket Graptight rope seal. Both seem to actually WORK. I would use nothing else.


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Bearing and crank. Notice the obvious gouge?? No clue how it happened. Something hit it hard.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

That looks like a really nice, clean, low mileage unit, face. What a SCORE!!! I guess my Voodo Engine Doll worked!!!!


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Just need to decide if I'm gonna cam it and with what cam. Glad to see the voodoo worked.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

With the stock heads and valvesprings, i'd probably go 068. That would be less prone to ping than the 066 that's in there. The 068 was the tripower,and later, the HO cam in these cars. If you upgrade the valve springs, you can go more radical, but that will affect drive quality on the street. If you are going to just clean it up, re-bearing and reseal it, and run it as is, an 068 cam and a Cloyes double roller timing set is about all you'll need (and new lifters, of course). That's the low buck route I'd probably go with. Later on at full rebuild time, you can go with dished pistons, better heads, etc. etc. But, if it doesn't ping on you, I think you'll be VERY HAPPY with the way an old 068 cammed 389 can run.


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Bottom end back together. .002-.003 on everything!!!! smooth as butter.. Cam is next.....


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## facn8me (Jul 30, 2011)

Decided on the summit 2801. Very similar to the 068. no wear on the cylinder walls. No lip at all. As a matter of fact the lifters all just pulled out their bores with zero effort. New oil pump along with timing chain and of course water pump.. All gaskets. There is no doubt in my mind this was a 39k original mile engine. zero coolant corrosion in the motor too. The water pump plates look fantastic. Oh and a new viton rear main seal too!!


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