New ZZ383 deluxe ordered, missing anything?

GM flywheel should arrive Thursday. Once here and bolted up I will be able to figure out if I can use my existing CenterForce DF clutch with the 11" disk. Talked with CF tech today about it and they didn't know. My existing disk is fairly worn so best to replace while it is out vs waiting a couple more seasons.
Looking into spark plugs as I am staying with my current headers for now. The Dart IE heads on my old engine are angle so used Accel shorty plugs, just looking for shorty plugs that compare to the recommended AC R44LTS. I can see why ppl have gone with McJacks D shorty headers on these ZZ engines if they are using the vette primarily for cruising and not worried about giving up some top end.
I was going to add Vintage Air but may wait until next spring.
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Ordered in both GM flywheels as they said one of them would accept either a 10.5" or 11" clutch. Brought mine clutch in to test fit while at the dealership and neither won't accept the 11". The new CF df 10.5" kit arrived yesterday and thankfully it fits. Btn family arriving from Cal and deck work needed to be finished for a family party next wknd there won't be much time avail to work on the vette until next week.
 
gdh said:
Ordered in both GM flywheels as they said one of them would accept either a 10.5" or 11" clutch. Brought mine clutch in to test fit while at the dealership and neither won't accept the 11". The new CF df 10.5" kit arrived yesterday and thankfully it fits. Btn family arriving from Cal and deck work needed to be finished for a family party next wknd there won't be much time avail to work on the vette until next week.
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Party hardy is always more important, even if it's just family.....:smash::eek::twitch:
 
It's in, fought us all the way. Waiting for the the new hi torque mini starter to arrive, a drop base air cleaner and to remove a few inches of clutch pedal play. The fork may have popped out during the battle to get the engine in. If there is a next time the transmission is coming out and and going in together. There will likely be a carb switch soon and a few other tidying up things to do but for now just want to get it running.

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Congrats on getting it in. Looks really good in there and will look even better when it's running. Are you going with the stock hood? If so, be careful the first time you close it, even with the drop base. That single plane intake is pretty tall.
 
I have an L88 hood and picked up a drop base air cleaner yesterday. My son picked up the starter late yesterday afternoon but not it was not the one I ordered. I wanted the MSD mini starter and the shop gave him a Tuff Stuff starter. I opened it and actually read the instruction sheet. In big bold print it said if replacing a GM original starter, must order the remote relay switch. So they used the Ford concept to reduce heat soak but I was not prepared to wait another 2 or more days until the remote relay came in - took it back today and picked up an MSD through a local mechanic that was recommended to me by a high end auto restorer.
 
Starter in and engine fired up right away. I'm having someone get the clutch fork back in placeas during the instal I'm sure it popped out so won't engage. Goes up on a hoist Monday so we can get a better look as to what is going on. It was nice to hear it running, it will be better when I can drive it. Of course I can't find the valve cover vent tube that leads to the air cleaner.
 
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Have only put a few miles on the vette but it was a blast. The tq comes on much lower than my old engine. Once I get through the break in period I'll be able too give a decent review. I purposely kept the old carb on it, other than replacing the old 11" Centerforce DF clutch with a 10.5" everything else is essentially unchanged. I had 30k on that clutch with plenty of 1/4 runs so the disk needed replacement anyway. I am just waiting on the spark plug protectors to arrive before intake it out on its first 30 mile run then oil change as per GM manual for break in.
I've had more of an issue with the alt alignment after a belt broke. He had put a crappy under dash a/c unit in as the vette was a non a/c car. He owned a dealership and must have just had his parts guy grab a new pulley. It never lined up properly, ran the numbers after pulling it off and it is for a bb. A friend is looking to see if he has a sb one sitting around his garage. I am planning on adding Vintage Air next spring and at that point will go to a serp system off an f body.
 
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Will post a video tomorrow, dark and rainy here today. At one point I contemplated ordering an ark.

Had a ticking sound, took the valve covers off and saw where #2 and #7 rockers would hit the valve cover. Ground the areas down, passenger side fine and driver side starts ticking only when I plug the pbrake into the vac port although it's better. So when pb booster hose not attached no ticking as soon as I plug it in I get some ticking. Engine runs very smooth.
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Ground a bit more off the valve cover, re-tightend the header bolts, took her for a 35 mi. drive, changed oil and all good. For some reason photobucket won't allow the video to be uploaded. Will try again later.
Love the engine, I can cruise at low rpm's that my previous engine with hyd flat tappet would buck at. It is quieter while cruising but has a nice raspy tone when I get on it. Once fully broken in and I replace the Edel Perf Carb (750) this is going to be a blast.
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gdh said:
Hopefully this one works.

http://youtu.be/Ur2f2Hjj--w
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LOOKS/sounds GOOD man, and man does that bring back memories.....

Decades ago I had a very similar red '61 Pontiac Catalina 2 dr fast back /large rear window....and I got the idea to paint the rear deck around the tail lights a flat black, just like your car, and you know, sometime in the following years, GM did the same thing to production cars....thought that interesting.....:eek:

there was some other strange happening like that over the decades....


but on my '72 here, It was factory stock with a Dark Saddle interior, but to find some pieces to replace it was a mess because they never matched up, so I did paint on the top dash panel....if I look really close I can see the difference, but best I can do.... interior door grips are black when I bought it, so did not want to paint them due to wear....needed a console eventually, black, then the filler panels up front, black, then the ebrake sector under the tan/saddle pad....black, then the visors got sun damaged so black now.....

and at a car show, guess what shows up?? a new C7, and what was the interior....??? black and tan, same layout as my car.......cute as hell, I just laughed.....:eek::twitch::surrender::cool:
 
Thanks and your colour scheme ideas are ahead of their time. I believe my vette was last painted in the mid '80s. My father had a 63 Catalina coupe. I was at a car show the other week and saw a 61 Catalina convertible. It is always fun to see just how big those cars were in the late 50's and 60's especially some of the Chrysler and Caddies. Do you remember the tail fin wars?

Once I get the engine fully broken in and replace the current crank shaft pulley (be able to take the rpm's over 4k without squealing) I'll be able to give a better review of the engine).
 
A friend gave me a 3.36 rear that had been in his garage. He sold his shop a year or so ago and kept this rear thinking he might put it in a project he was working on but never did. Decided to swap it in, put the 3.70 in storage. I have no plans on putting a 5/6 sp in so thought I would try the 3.36 rear. Brings the cruising rpm down quite a bit, the vette is for street and cruising no more 1/4 runs so I'm happy with the swap.
 
I believe it was @ 6 -700 at that time. I had to adjust the fast idle today as yesterday once up to temp it would stay around 1200 rpm.
 
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After 2 months and 1500 miles mileage is still getting better at @ 20 mpg. This winter will get a new carb and hit the wrecking yards for a serp system. I see that Moroso finally is stocking the distr gear shim kits so will pick one up to bring the current gap down from 25/1000ths to 7/1000ths.
 
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