PROJECT CAR UPDATE:
 Rebuilding the BEAST

'56 Fairlane gets its muscle back.
 Knock-ping-tap, knock-ping-tap, repeat. I may not know much but that's not how an FE390 should sound. Different mechanics told me the same thing and said it needs a new lifter. Simple? Eh, not so.

Through various referrals I found Jerry's Performance engines just down the street in Garden Grove. I took the beast to him and he was amazed at the sound.

It was not my intention to amaze a top engine builder with a piece of crap. I asked him to look into it. A guy of great reputation and as I found out later, he was invited to participate in the Butterscorched project for Overhaulin'.

Check out the pics of the process and the final result.

Special thanks to these non-sponsored shops:
Please tell them you heard about them on Car-Shows.com.
Jerry's Performance Engines — 714-615-0450
Bill's Automotive Machine Shop — 714-638-7362
Ron's Paint and Body — 714-638-4062
Mattson's Radiator — 714-826-0357
Napa Auto Parts, Stanton — 714-826-1446
Parts Source — 714-630-4200

T-Bone

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This is the culprit. Aren't pushrods are supposed to be straight? This must be one of those special hi-performance rods. The notch is from rubbing against the block. Pretty cool huh?

Here is a close-up of the damage done to the push-rod.

This is what really happened. The cam failed. One of the bumps along the way got flattened. You can see the difference from the original cam on the left and the new Chet Herbert Cam on the right.

When the cam fails, the bearings get shot. Notice the un-even wear.

Did I tell you this motor knocked and pinged like crazy. Well this lifter shows how the push rod wore a hole in it!

More pics of the worn bearings on the piston arms.

Jerry inspecting the pistons. The hammer was used to bonk me on the head as I bugged him with the camera.

Tapping the pistons out of the cylinders.

The pistons were in pretty good shape. Each was cleaned and measured. New rings were installed and one piston was milled to get an optimal 1.5 clearance for each cylinder.

The heads were recently rebuilt so they were cleaned up and left alone. The springs were measured and found to be in good shape.

Ron's Paint and Body Shop sandblasted the custom headers for me to paint with High Temp Header paint. These are custom headers to fit snuggly around the big block and fenders of the 56. They are in 5 pieces two on one side and three on the other.

Shiney coats of fresh black paint on the dangling headers.

PROJECT CAR UPDATE:
 Rebuilding the BEAST

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