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Rob's 1981 Dodge Challenger https://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=46322	Page 5 of 61

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Sun Feb 26, 2012 10:55 am ]
Post subject:
Late last night I was at a stopping point on the Duster (Next step is to fire it up! ) So, I figured I'd put the new scatter shield on the Challenger. I have a feeling that the exhaust and the shield will want to occupy the same space... I can't tell for sure until the engine is in, but then it will be harder to install the shield... I think I'll go ahead and install the shield and then deal with the exhaust once I have the engine in. It was 10:30 and I couldn't feel my fingers anymore, so I decided to call it a night. (I never did get that shop heater I talked about... )

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:55 pm ]
Post subject:
I was buttoning up the GodsRods Duster II this evening and had to move the cowl induction hood I got from Howard, so I set it on the Challenger to see if I liked it and if it looked like I could cut the hood down to make it work... I like the look and I could get it to work I suppose, but given the time and labor involved I'm probably better off selling this hood to someone with a 73-76 Dart / Dart Sport and getting something else that will work. The hood on the Challenger now is super light and this hood would be quite a bit heavier anyway. JC Whitney has several scoop options in ABS plastic that should work and be very light...

Author:	wvenable [ Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:05 pm ]
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Don't sell that hood ya pinhead! You would be reducing yer options. Looks dang good from what I can see, A little white wid some blue flames and you would be a regular flamer!

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:30 pm ]
Post subject:
Sellin' it DOES give me options! To buy other stuff I don't need! Duh! What's the difference between a regular flamer and an irregular flamer...? Wait! PLEASE don't answer that!

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Fri Mar 02, 2012 4:57 pm ]
Post subject:	I grinded sumthin'... :-)
After I did a little weight reduction on the GodsRods Duster today (over 1 whole poound! ) I figured I'd make just a little bit of progress on the Challenger. I installed the oil pump adapter plate and started to install the motor plate when I got a little sidetracked with the grinder. As I was cleaning the water pump mounting surface I noticed that big chunk of metal on the engine block that gets in the way when you try to put the intake/exhaust gasket on... That needed to be removed before the motor plate went on, so... While I was making a grinding mess anyway... Then the call came,... "When are you coming home?" Yeah, I slipped a couple times, but it'll be okay. And I did a couple ounces of weight reduction on the Challenger!

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Fri Mar 02, 2012 6:07 pm ]
Post subject:	Rib
That rib right under your manifold stud is what was holding out my gasket and making a nice vacuum leak. Grind a little off if you want! Rick

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Sat Mar 03, 2012 3:06 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Rib
Quote: That rib right under your manifold stud is what was holding out my gasket and making a nice vacuum leak. Grind a little off if you want! Rick

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:23 am ]
Post subject:
I ground down those two ribs on the side of the block that Rick pointed out and got the motor plate installed on the engine. I also started to install the scatter shield and new trans fluid cooler in the Challenger. I had to switch from the electric drill to my smaller air drill to drill the mounting holes in the frame. It was late and I didn't want to irritate the neighbors with the loud air compressor, so I called it an early night. All in all a fairly productive night at the garage.

Author:	Rug_Trucker [ Fri Mar 09, 2012 1:00 am ]
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I envy you!

Author:	Dart270 [ Fri Mar 09, 2012 5:25 am ]
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I am impressed, Rob. Progress. I'll believe all this stuff when I see a drag pass, tho... Lou

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Fri Mar 09, 2012 6:31 am ]
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Quote: I envy you! I don't get the time often, so it's nice when things go smoothly. You're welcome to swing by and "play cars" with me anytime! Are you still planning to come up this way in early June for the bee handler's get together? Quote: I am impressed, Rob. Progress. I'll believe all this stuff when I see a drag pass, tho... Lou Nothing to really be impressed about, but at least it IS some progress. I'm still just a "Smoke Blowin' Poser" at this point though. The weather looks good for the weekend,... we have no swim meet,..., local tracks are open,... and the Duster is ready to try out,... something's gonna come up or go wrong!

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:38 pm ]
Post subject:	More Progress! :-)
I made some more progress on the Challenger tonight! I got the tranny fluid cooler mounted to the frame: Then I pulled the oil pan off the new race motor so I can put the Challenger specific one on. I don't know yet if this new motor will be fast, but I can tell you that the oil pan gasket was fastened very securely! That thing just about took an act of Congress (and a jack hammer) to get off! One little moment of worry was when I rotated the motor and the oil in the pick up tube ran out into the drain pan. There's water in there! I'm really hoping that it is just a strange occurance of condensation from sitting in the garage for several months. Everything else looks fine, although the bottom of the oil pan has some fairly thick sludge. The motor barely has two short heat cycles on it so far, so hopefully the sludge is just cam break in lube and the initial wear of getting things mated properly... Here's the Challenger oil pan. One of the mounting tabs for the screen broke off and the screen itself was falling apart. It's a very thin gauge screen, so I will replace it with something stronger. There was also a pushrod tip in there. Probably from when the engine was brand new and ate a few pushrods. Norm put on a thicker head gasket and upgraded to Smith Brothers pushrods and didn't have any more issues. You can see that the oil pickup had vibrated loose and was just sitting in the pan. I think this is likely what caused the car to slow down by about a second. I think it was starved for oil toward the mid to end of a run. Then when he let off and the RPMs were lower the oil ran back into the pan and covered the outlet in the side of the pan again. That's my theory anyway. I haven't pulled any main or rod caps yet, but the engine seems to spin very easily. Ron Parker said that when he and Norm checked it out there was a hard spot when you spun the crank all the way around. I'll make a few full rotations and see if I find it. Here you can see the pushrod end, the broken tab and how the screen was falling apart. Luckily, the screen broke off in large enough pieces that they didn't go through the screen in the pick up. It's 2:37 AM. I'm gonna get some sleep now. Hopefully I can go back and "play cars" again tomorrow,... err, I mean today.

Author:	Rick Covalt [ Sat Mar 10, 2012 4:25 am ]
Post subject:	Cool
Progress looks good. Racin in March ? I guess that means you've earned the shirt!! Congrats. Rick

Author:	Rug_Trucker [ Sat Mar 10, 2012 8:15 am ]
Post subject:
Rob I have no idea if I am going up to the bee thing. Right now work is so weird.

Author:	Rob Simmons [ Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:47 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Cool
Quote: Progress looks good. Racin in March ? I guess that means you've earned the shirt!! Congrats. Rick I thought there were more responses to this from Lou... I'm probably getting it confused with some other thread... I have SO MANY!! Quote: Rob I have no idea if I am going up to the bee thing. Right now work is so weird. Just let me know if/when you'll be in the area and hopefully we can meet up someplace. I'll do the same if I'm in yer neck o' the woods.

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