Well, I had wanted to get it fired up before the new year but doesn’t look like that will happen. I got the fuel system all hooked back up. My friends over at Chevytalk have suggested I put an inline filter in though….and that’s the holdup. I want to add one as they would accessories in 51. Thing is they don’t make the parts anymore. I need a 60 degree fitting…..here is the link to the chevytalk.com discussion about it all….some great knowledge over there… http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/306290/
I have the oil drained but need to pull the pan to look at the sludge that has sat in there all these years. I also noticed today the pan has a huge blow out and has needed a new gasket for a very long time. I asked Chuck if he replaced it when he got it running in 82 and he doesn’t think he did…..Judging by the stuff to get the pan off I am pretty sure nobody wanted to tackle that job. The book says I can just get rid of the steering knuckle or whatever its called in the middle and take one tie rod loose….and the flywheel cover off….and out it will come….It don’t look that simple…..plus there is 65 years of sludge all over everything down there. Stuff I have to pry off. You couldn’t even see the shape of the tie rod ends….ugh The gasket was ten bucks yesterday so I can imagine how cheap it would have been to fix it back in the day. And imagine how many courts of oil it cost. I’m sure if Uncle Banty would have thought of that part he would have talked somebody into replacing the silly gasket. He also hated oil leaking cars so I can’t even imagine why he didn’t fix this….er I mean have it fixed….He wasn’t one to enjoy working on cars.

I sprayed round two of degreaser on and will rinse it off in the morning and try to pry more sludge off. Another exciting find was the silly pan bolts are regular screwdriver heads up under all that sludge…..ugh ought to be fun getting ten of them babies out…..wish me luck!