old-tank

As far as function there will be no difference. It might make a difference to some numbers matching anal-retentive. For your timing cover seal use one for a Buick 455. You will need to chamfer the cover and use proper tools to install since there is a 0.020" interference fit. Willie

Also the power seats will go back a little more than the stock manual...that won't help if you also have short arms and legs.

Will See THIS discussion on tranny coolers... Willie

You usually don't have to unless the brake pedal is depressed while the switch is out.

Rick Looking at the attached pdf file, yours is like my 55's and you don't need any spline seal, springs, etc. The boot is only needed with the original outer torque ball retainer unless you want to install to make it look original (nobody can see it and it is a pain to install). All you need is the typical torque ball seal kit like we started discussing unless after disassembly yours is different. Willie

Good idea to check the stick, but most rebuilders return the transmission dry with only assembly lube on the parts. Only Mudbone fills and tests on the bench. Will, you probably did little or no damage....yet. Willie

From where is it "burping" (sounds more like puking...)? Willie

Any more details on how much and when..?

It could also be shorted field coils...

Will Don't run the engine anymore until you put fluid in the dynaflow!! There are parts that are running without lubrication. Put in 3-4 quarts, start the engine and pour in the remaining specified amount, checking the level when get near the end. There are a lot of good engine first run procedures out there, but most do not address a first run on the transmission at the same time. Buy an extra 6-pack for that extra helper whose only job is to service the transmission. Willie

Engine=635 lb; the dynaflow probably 300 lb range.

The 55 cam is steel vs cast iron as used in later nailheads. My guess that there is minimal wear on the cam and would need very little if any surface treatment. On the 55 cam that the machine shop ground the journals to fit the bearings, they said that they had to resurface the stone more often than expected. They also said that the crankshaft was harder than most. Willie

Jim Looking better and better! Nothing is removed during judging. See the judging manual HERE And as you can see the glove box is not opened ( On my first judged car I spent days installing a new liner and trying to get the light to work...time I could have spent detailing where it counted). It looks like you will be OK on condition and workmanship...authenticity should be no problem with all of the 57 gurus here! Willie

Jim If you use full wheel covers, the stripe cannot be seen, and all that is seen is the exposed edge, so that is all you would have to paint. I got the full wheel covers restored for near the price of paying a professional to stripe....I tried myself, but it was a steep learning curve. On my CVT I was going to use small caps with beauty rings and stipes...looked too dated, so I went with full wheel covers until I finally got wire wheels. Willie

I hope you took notes...there will be questions to answer soon. Don't worry, there are still plenty of ways to screw it up. Such as cam bearings: they can be put in wrong, especially the front. Also after installed the cam will not fit. Nobody does align honing like the service manual says, because they are all different sizes. Ask Russel Martin how to deal with this problem. I have had some reamed using an old camshaft and some that the cam journals were turned to fit....serviceable but not ideal. Willie

Sounds like a deal to me! All you will need in addition to the rocker assemblies (did you ever find some?) would be 55 push rods and if you don't want to buy the new fat ones I have enough original 55 push rods with smooth balls with dimples on the ends...straight even; also some 55 lifters and 55 used cams if there are issues with yours. Willie

Mud I have a reground cam in my CVT and that has not been an issue. I worried about it too, but it was explained that if all the other components are within specifications (valve stem height, rockers, shaft, pushrods, etc) it will not matter since hydraulic lifters will allow for at least 0.80" variation. Ask the regrinder how much is removed from the base circle. In my case it was 0.040" and that was for a high performance cam; a stock grind should be much less. Don't even think of using a high performance cam with that dynaflow and stock 3.4 rear gears. The cam I installed raised the hp and torque curve about 500 rpm and that made it a slug in normal driving...but it really cooked at high rpm. I changed to 3.6 rear gears from a Special and now normal driving is near stock feel...3.9 or 4.1 would be better. Willie

I did my first restoration in the driveway also. I had that same lady walk up behind me right after I discovered that I had buffed through my paint and uttered some words of disappointment (something like fiddlesticks, shuckydarn...) After a lecture on language that put all of my English teachers to shame I decided to move my operation to a shop in the middle of 5 acres. Great work...I look forward to meeting you next to that project. Willie

Yikes! Most aftermarket wiring kits have the individual wires identified. It looks like a lot of green wires in that setup... The neutral safety switch on my 55's has 2 terminals used for the safety start function and 2 terminals used for the backup lights. Willie

Mud 9.0:1 is what the service manual says and that should give you 170# cranking compression. 9.0:1 is what Egge said their pistons were and I get only 120#, and of course they are not as tall as stock. It is a big hassle, but you could order sets from Egge, Kanter, Martin, compare to your stock piston and send back what you don't want. I did that with a set from Terrill which had a smaller surface area dome. It is just too much trouble and expense to change after installed and you don't need the aggravation of finding out that it is not performing up to snuff. Willie

Budd When you mount and balance tires have them static balanced with all of the weights on the inside...It looks better and keeps from scratching your coating. Believe me, the ride will be as smooth or smoother than tires balanced with weights scattered all over both sides of the rim. Willie

Hey, what can I say...I'm old and slow. I think you're trying to convince ol' Bob to send you those nasty gold plates in exchange for the ones you pictured...practice until he gets it right.

Sounds like a plan. If you do use 56 piston, check clearances. I have some slightly used head gaskets if needed. Willie

All of the 55 plates I have worked with were gray on exposed surfaces and gold on the protected surfaces. A set of 54 plates that I acquired from a rodder are the same... maybe the car was late production and used 55 parts:confused: Leave them alone...they are too nice the way you have them now, and like Mike said black will get you 400 points. Willie

Shown is a NORS piston on the left and the Egge piston on the right; both hanging on the same wrist pin with a straight edge on top. There is a 5/64 drill on top of the right piston. Sleeves are a possibility, but it is 8 places for something to go wrong. I guess the bores are not usable with just honing even using moly rings which will conform to taper and out of round? Willie