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Engine Elegance

How To Restore Your Engine Bay In A Weekend's Time
By Scott Crouse
Photography by Scott Crouse
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Because every project is only... 
   
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Because every project is only as good as the prep work, we removed as many accessories as possible. We yanked the radiator and battery tray to give us access to the fan, water pump, and fuel pump.
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A wire brush is great for... 
   
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A wire brush is great for breaking down large deposits of grease. A cup of solvent and a stiff bristle brush can remove the rest. Solvent does a great job—finish up with a rag and a chemical degreaser.
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Quality brand paints are worth... 
   
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Quality brand paints are worth the extra cost because they will usually completely cover in one or two coats. We started by covering the cylinder block and heads with Plasti-Kote’s Chevrolet Orange.
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Factory-original exhaust manifolds... 
   
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Factory-original exhaust manifolds came off of the assembly line in raw cast iron, which means they rusted almost immediately. The Eastwood Company offers a Factory Gray, high-temp paint for cast iron that resists heat up to 1,200 degrees F...
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...making it a perfect choice... 
   
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...making it a perfect choice for exhaust manifolds that have been sandblasted.
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The inner fenderwells and... 
   
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The inner fenderwells and firewall can be cleaned the same way as the engine with the addition of some light sanding to smooth the surfaces. We sprayed the inner fenders and firewall with a semi-gloss OEM Black specifically designed to stop corrosion and resist fading. When painting the engine compartment, use a piece of paper to limit overspray.
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We used a Fel-Pro timing cover... 
   
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We used a Fel-Pro timing cover and water-pump-gasket set to install a chromed 110-gph Holley fuel pump and Weiand aluminum water pump. We also added a TD Performance chrome timing tab.
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Since the top half of the... 
   
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Since the top half of the engine attracts most of the attention, it’s important to use quality pieces. This aluminum Holley Street Avenger intake manifold works best with our application. The low-rise dual-plane design makes for solid street performance while offering that new-aluminum look and four-barrel power.
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Holley’s 570-cfm Street... 
   
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Holley’s 570-cfm Street Avenger carburetor is a great choice for the enthusiast who wants a bright finish from a street-performance carburetor. The Street Avenger features an electric choke and vacuum-secondary operation for improved street manners. Also, don’t forget the ARP carburetor studs.
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To match the Street Avenger’s... 
   
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To match the Street Avenger’s external appearance, we added a new pair of triple-chrome-plated Holley stamped-steel valve covers and breathers.
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If you prefer the performance... 
   
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If you prefer the performance look over that show-car shine, GM Performance Parts offers its raised- letter Chevrolet valve covers. These covers are offered in short and tall versions. The tall covers are approximately $100 less than the short covers, but the short design is more likely to fit tight with different accessories. When the raised- letter GMPP valve covers are installed with a performance carburetor, the engine looks like it makes serious horsepower.
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We added several TD Performance... 
   
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We added several TD Performance accessories, including tall valve-cover breathers, a water neck, and a throttle-return spring to even out the look of the engine bay.
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Before removing the distributor,... 
   
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Before removing the distributor, be sure to make a note of where the rotor is pointing if you want to keep the engine timed. We replaced the points-type distributor with a Pertronix HEI Flame-Thrower distributor capable of sparking up to 7,500 rpm.
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A new distributor and spark... 
   
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A new distributor and spark plug wires are final touches that can improve your engine’s performance and appearance. We used a Pertronix HEI Flame-Thrower distributor and Moroso wire clamps to direct a set of Moroso Blue Max spiral-core wires to the spark plugs. A universal plug wire set allows you to customize the layout.
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Once the engine had received... 
   
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Once the engine had received its goodies, we bolted on a Performance Distributors chromed alternator and a set of TD Performance aluminum pulleys to complete the accessory package.
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We started with a 37-year-old... 
   
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We started with a 37-year-old eyesore, and, with the help of a few parts and some friends, turned our engine bay into a silver-bullet palace.
Automotive Racing Products (ARP)
531 Spectrum Circle
Oxnard
CA  93030
(805) 278-7223
OEM Paints
Escondido
CA

www.oempaints.com
Burt Greenwald Chevrolet
1490 Wooster Ave.
Akron
OH  44320

www.bgc.performanceparts.com
Performance Distributors
901/396-5782

performancedistributors.com
Eastwood Co.
www.eastwoodco.com
Pertronix
San Dimas
CA
909/599-5955

pertronix.com
Fel-Pro
7450 N. McCormick Blvd
Skokie
IL  60076-8103
Plasti-Kote
Medina
OH  44256
Holley Performance Products
270/781-9741

holley.com
TD Performance Products
16410 Manning Way
Cerritos
CA
Moroso Performance Products
203/453-6571

moroso.com

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