NAPA coming in clutch

Whether this car came originally with an 11-inch or 10 1/4-inch clutch is a mystery, but the one that was on it when it arrived here is an 11-inch clutch. All the catalogs list both, but seem to point to the 10 1/4-inch for an original assembly.

To make sure we got the correct one, NAPA ordered in an 11-inch clutch and it checks out. 

Tools of the trade

A ring file and a deck bridge came in the mail today.

All together now

It took some rebuild kit parts and a switcheroo of the guts out of a remanufactured starter, but the date-correct Delco original is back in action and ready to install.

Sad thing is, no one is ever going to notice this thing as it sits buried under the hood.

Yard sale

The original date-correct starter that was restored years ago never worked well, so a rebuilt original starter was purchased with the idea that the internals could be swapped into the original body to make a working starter. Nothing could be easier, right?

Ugh.

These things are put together with some sort of thread locker that is nearly impossible to break. It was a day's worth of work before these two were broken down to their elements.

With some paint and patience, this mess should eventually yield a working starter in a correct housing and with a correct solenoid that looks as good as it works.

Howards

The retro roller cam and roller lifters from Howards came in. Howards is the best on the market, but their parts are not cheap. This kit was no exception.

A bronze-tipped fuel pump push rod also came in, a required upgrade for a roller cam.

Oil pump

Not very exciting, but a new oil pump is essential.

The pile of parts is growing and growing.

Next are the cam and lifters.

Exhaust-ive effort

A package from Corvette Central came in containing exhaust manifold washers, bolts, gaskets and a set of reproduction bolts. Not terribly exciting, but all parts needed to put the engine together.