1968 Imperial Crown Project  

Imperial Heart Surgery:  Freshening the Motor, and Some Other Stuff

November 12, 2013:  Paint, pans, heads and things that really have no business in a motor.

It's been a little while since I updated here.  Mostly it's because after the machine shop hot-tanked the block and mangnafluxed it, they decided that there's a bit more taper in the cylinders than is desirable.  This led to the cylinders being bored 0.030 over on the way to what is now a complete rebuild.  It's taken a little time and I understand the freshly built short block will be back in DeWitt maybe tomorrow.  I had the air cleaner assembly powdercoated and I retrieved that from Grand Rapids last week.  I also have a line on an NOS (or close) pie pan for the air cleaner because after all of this it won't do to put a beat-up piece of aluminum on top of this motor.

We hunted down the right color paint.  Here's the repainted water pump next to the yet-to-be-repainted timing cover:

Here are the rebuilt heads.  Ty offered to take them out of the bags but I passed on that.  I'd rather they stay sealed up until it's time for assembly.

(Norm Witte photo)

Interesting developments on the oil pan.  I bought a replacement for my bashed-in pan, but as this picture shows, it really doesn't have the clearance needed for the idler arm.  Here's a picture of the original pan and the replacement:

(Norm Witte photo)

And here's a picture of a '68 Imperial that was on eBay recently.  It's pretty obvious that the relief in the pan is necessary for the idler arm:

(stolen from the Internet photo)

So the current plan is to return the replacement and beat the old pan back into shape.

One of the plans for over the winter has been to have the front seats reupholstered with the correct fabric, but without rips.  Today I stopped by and picked the seats up.  My phone takes lousy pictures, but I forgot the big camera, so this is what you get:

(Norm Witte crappy cellphone photo)

The interior is huge without seats:

(Norm Witte crappy cellphone photo)

The yellow stuff on the floor is the disintegrating foam from the seats.  They will get new foam as part of the rebuilding process so the nice, matching fabric I got from SMS will cover a much more comfortable seat.  Another bonus:  I found a second broadcast sheet under the front passenger seat.

More updates soon, I hope, as the motor returns.  

Next:  The block is back.

Previous:  A couple quick pictures.

Imperial Heart Surgery Home Page

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My Imperial Story Why I needed another tank

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Instrument Panel Restorationadventures in pain

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