Putting the Big Block Back

Once the engine was back in our shop and sitting on the engine stand, it seemed like we were home free. We were not prepared for how much work still lay ahead. We started by installing the new polished Edlebrock Performer 460 aluminum intake and the new polished aluminum water pump. The sparkle factor jumped by a factor of ten. Next came the newly chromed L&L engine brackets. All of this chrome and polished aluminum has completely changed the wow factor. The motor looked good before, but now it's truly a show quality piece.

It took a lot of work to remove the powder coating and this is the result.	It was worth the effort, the chrome looks amazing.
On the chain, getting ready to put the motor back in the truck.	The big block is back in the truck, there is still a lot to be done.
The big block is back in the truck, there is still a lot to be done.	It runs! This motor purrs like a kitten. It's amazing.

Once most of the pieces were back on the motor, it was time to put it back in the frame rails. This was the scary part. Hoisting the engine eight feet in the air in order to clear the core support was a bit disconcerting. Once the big block was safely back in the truck, a sigh of relief was inevitable. But now the real work began. Slowly, the rest of the pieces and parts were put back where they belonged. Little pieces such as the accelerator bracket and big parts like the carburetor. It seemed to take forever. But after more than a month, it was finally done. Now came the real nail biter, starting the engine.

Before actually turning the key, there were still a few more things to be done. First was adding the oil and pre-oiling the motor with a 5/16" socket on a drill to spin the oil pump. We added a bottle of camshaft break in lube to provide maximum lubrication for the motor. After pumping out the old fuel and putting in some fresh gas it was finally time. We reconnected the batteries and dug the keys out out of the drawer. With fingers crossed, the key was turned. The engine turned over but there didn't seem to be any spark. After several minutes, it was finally determined that the distributor was still disconnected. Once it was reconnected, the engine fired up immediately. There was no hesitation, no sputter, only the wonderful sound of a solid running motor. After all of the work and money spent, it was a huge relief to have achieved success, knowing that it was worth every bit of it.

From here, we set the timing and began the break in. Now Project Responder is the truck it should have been the first time. The truck will now become a demo vehicle for Responder PSE.