For those that do not know me, I have a 1968 Chevelle that I have owned for more than a few years that I am finally restoring.

Today I was able to get back to the Chevelle and continue the teardown. My nephew Luke came over today to help, as he has been itching to get his hands dirty helping with taking it apart. Inspiring the next generation of gear heads most definitely has it rewards. (The extra pair of hands helps too!).

I really wanted to pull the engine first, then the transmission, so I could avoid tilting it back and spilling about a gallon of the red stuff. Unfortunately due to a leak from a crack in the head for cylinder #7, the rings were well rusted to the cylinder wall. I soaked the rings for a good hour, and while I got the piston to move down, the rust is too extensive to get it to move up.. And the piston was already nearly at bottom. There was no way I could move it far enough to get to all 3 bolts holding the torque convertor to the flexplate.
So I decided to bite the bullet and pull the engine and transmission together. I figured there was less oil in the pan, than in the converter. And it would make for a smaller clean up. It made a mess, but it got the assembly out.

I have a buddy who asked if he could have the engine, since I was not going to keep it. (I plan on buying a crate engine, so as long as I don’t need it for a core..) He wants to rebuild it with his son… The rust it quite extensive in the cylinder, so hopefully it a .030 over bore will clean it up.. If not, he will be looking at a sleeve.

It was good to get some more progress done, and I look forward now to stripping the interior, and pulling the body from the frame..

Anyone have an auto body rotisserie they could lend me? 😉 <jk>