Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, the bracket looks good. Here is a couple of options for spark plug shields without having to mess with the header bolts.

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-8006-Original-Equipment-Shield/dp/B000K04C36

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/chevrolet,1987,c70,6.0l+366cid+v8,3295136,ignition,spark+plug+heat+shield,10154

Thanks, Bruce. I wasn't aware of those heat shields. But I have the 460 ones and with one side on I might as well put the other side on. Hopefully it'll be as simple as the driver's side was, meaning one tab needed no trimming and the other wasn't all that difficult.

Anyway, thanks again.

[85lebaront2]

Thanks, Bruce. I wasn't aware of those heat shields. But I have the 460 ones and with one side on I might as well put the other side on. Hopefully it'll be as simple as the driver's side was, meaning one tab needed no trimming and the other wasn't all that difficult.

Anyway, thanks again.

You could also look into what some of the Dodge/Ram pickups used on the plug connectors on the LA series engines. I agree with Gary, the factory ones for the 460 engines work quite well. I have the earlier set on Darth and after 8-9 years they are still in good shape.

[Gary Lewis]

You could also look into what some of the Dodge/Ram pickups used on the plug connectors on the LA series engines. I agree with Gary, the factory ones for the 460 engines work quite well. I have the earlier set on Darth and after 8-9 years they are still in good shape.

Yep, I think to get the 460 ones on won't be too difficult.

On another topic, the router bits came in today. I'm thinking an 1/8" round-over will be about right. Maybe I can give that a try later today if the Saturn cooperates.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yep, I think to get the 460 ones on won't be too difficult.

On another topic, the router bits came in today. I'm thinking an 1/8" round-over will be about right. Maybe I can give that a try later today if the Saturn cooperates.

I hope you enjoy the Vue.

I thought you were ordering a 1/4" shank 3/8 radius the first time around?

[Gary Lewis]

I hope you enjoy the Vue.

I thought you were ordering a 1/4" shank 3/8 radius the first time around?

The Vue wasn't worth the climbe.

We worked 4 hours, but only 2 of those were on the alternator. You literally have to pull the two front engine mount bolts and jack the engine up 2" to get it out.

And during that time he told me he wanted to replace a bolt in the exhaust system that had broken off. He had the nut and part of the "bolt". So I got the right nut and bolt and we jacked it up and put a jack stand under one side and he slid under. Long story short it was a stud, made of the hardest material known to man, and welded to the exhaust pipe. We cut the head off and still couldn't drive it out. In the end we drilled it, and only broke two bits and dulled at least half a dozen others.

You can do the math: Gary & Dennis worked for 4 hours, and changing the alternator took 2 hours. How many hours did they drill and cut on one stud?

Anyway, yes I was going to order a 3/8" round-over originally. But I now have a 1/8", 3/16, 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" so I have options. (Note that the Amazon advert says the set includes 1/8", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", but mine has the 3/16" instead of the 7/16".) And all with 1/2" shank. Thanks to you.

And, along the way I put fasteners 1/4" from the edge. So, I think I'm constrained to use either the 1/8 or 3/16", and probably the 1/8".

[Gary Lewis]

The Vue wasn't worth the climbe.

We worked 4 hours, but only 2 of those were on the alternator. You literally have to pull the two front engine mount bolts and jack the engine up 2" to get it out.

And during that time he told me he wanted to replace a bolt in the exhaust system that had broken off. He had the nut and part of the "bolt". So I got the right nut and bolt and we jacked it up and put a jack stand under one side and he slid under. Long story short it was a stud, made of the hardest material known to man, and welded to the exhaust pipe. We cut the head off and still couldn't drive it out. In the end we drilled it, and only broke two bits and dulled at least half a dozen others.

You can do the math: Gary & Dennis worked for 4 hours, and changing the alternator took 2 hours. How many hours did they drill and cut on one stud?

Anyway, yes I was going to order a 3/8" round-over originally. But I now have a 1/8", 3/16, 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" so I have options. (Note that the Amazon advert says the set includes 1/8", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", but mine has the 3/16" instead of the 7/16".) And all with 1/2" shank. Thanks to you.

And, along the way I put fasteners 1/4" from the edge. So, I think I'm constrained to use either the 1/8 or 3/16", and probably the 1/8".

Not much to show for the afternoon, but I did get some done. Put the 1/8" roundover on the dip stick stay. Didn't go perfectly, so I had to do some file work to clean things up. But I got it done and media blasted for PC'ing tomorrow.

And, I also blasted the DS-II coil bracket, screw/nut combo, and even the coil. No, I'm not going to PC the coil, but will paint it so wanted it to be clean. In addition, I blasted the horse shoe terminal because someone had painted it gray.

Also, it dawned on me that while I was doing that blasting I might as well try to clean the radiator insulators. I'd soaked them in soapy water for 24 hours and scrubbed on them, but they weren't coming completely clean. The two on the left were blasted and the two on the right weren't.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Not much to show for the afternoon, but I did get some done. Put the 1/8" roundover on the dip stick stay. Didn't go perfectly, so I had to do some file work to clean things up. But I got it done and media blasted for PC'ing tomorrow.

And, I also blasted the DS-II coil bracket, screw/nut combo, and even the coil. No, I'm not going to PC the coil, but will paint it so wanted it to be clean. In addition, I blasted the horse shoe terminal because someone had painted it gray.

Also, it dawned on me that while I was doing that blasting I might as well try to clean the radiator insulators. I'd soaked them in soapy water for 24 hours and scrubbed on them, but they weren't coming completely clean. The two on the left were blasted and the two on the right weren't.

Looks great Gary!

I wouldn't have thought to media blast rubber but it certainly got those isolators clean

[Gary Lewis]

Looks great Gary!

I wouldn't have thought to media blast rubber but it certainly got those isolators clean

I was puzzled by how hard it was to get them clean. I figured that soaking them would solve the problem. Nope. So I used a scrub brush on them. No dice.

Then it dawned on me that media blasting works well on hard things, but does very little to soft things like rubber. And the deposits on those things are hard. So.... And, it worked!

[Gary Lewis]

I was puzzled by how hard it was to get them clean. I figured that soaking them would solve the problem. Nope. So I used a scrub brush on them. No dice.

Then it dawned on me that media blasting works well on hard things, but does very little to soft things like rubber. And the deposits on those things are hard. So.... And, it worked!

Ok, the dip stick stay is D.O.N.E!

Here 'tis with the EEC coil and bracket, but until I go with EFI it'll run the DS-II coil.

And btw, that coil has been painted and its bracket blasted and PC'd. And the pair installed. Moving on!

[ArdWrknTrk]

Ok, the dip stick stay is D.O.N.E!

Here 'tis with the EEC coil and bracket, but until I go with EFI it'll run the DS-II coil.

And btw, that coil has been painted and its bracket blasted and PC'd. And the pair installed. Moving on!

Loooookin Goooood! (as Freddie Prinze would say)

Glad my stupid idea pulled through.

The dipstick mount seems to have worked out well.

If you didn't have the black distributor cap & adapter I'd want to see the coils in blue and the brackets silver, but black does tie the ignition system together.

Keep the ball rolling until the kids put the brakes on!

ETA: I wonder if you should bent the dipstick clip more vertical to pull the braided hose away from the headers?