As planned, Drew and his computer buddy came at 9am yesterday to rig up out latest motor build onto our run in stand 
At the same time, we are degreasing, assembling and organizing all the bolts, brackets and rigging for the motor stand. Cutting down time, we want to keep all the pieces/parts needed and have them right with the stand. This sounds pretty simple but the way our shop organization had to be in the old shop… lets just say now…. we can do better. After getting the stand cleaned and rewitred 
Now the fun begins. The reason for a run in on the ground is to really investigate the machining and build doing all we can to be sure the outcome can be predicted. Mounting the motor up, we found something….. during assembly, being sure your sealant is complete is really important. During the inspection we found a thin area of sealant at the back of the intake manifold 
This back wall is really an important oil leak area… the supplied gasket never seals well… this is Permatex Ultragrey RTV sealant… but there is a thin area… how can that happen? 
We need to know so after getting the motor loaded up on the run in stand, Drew pulled off the intake manifold for a looksee 
No problem with the block.. man, it looks like a piece of art in there 
You can say first clean…. the stainless steel blockoff plates are on the heads keeping the hot exhaust gasses away from the center of the intake and the carburetor. Those are roller tip, linked Morel lifters designed by Joe Mondello shortly before his death. The oil hole and cutaway bases and underside link bar allows this system to fit under our concave Toro intake manifolds. 
BTW, we recommend using the original cast intake manifold if after magnafluxing you find a bottom side of the intake that looks as clean as this 
There was a crack here on our first intake. This crack will usually be found but is fine as long as you install the SS blockoff plates 
and the rest of the intake is checked carefully 
To us, it’s a better cost effective than adapting for a new intake. Anyway, it’s good we investigated… as Drew was setting the intake the huge lower side of the intake brushed against the sealant smearing it a bit 
It was actually sealed….. but we are taking no chances…..
So ending the session yesterday, Drew will be back tonight at 7pm after his days work as our GM parts supplier to reseat the intake and continue the rig up to run in the motor 
The sealant will be dremmeled off, a new gasket and sealent will seal back the intake and we’ll be back on track 
Stay tuned tomorrow morning for how we do tonight.
Thanks for dropping by, I have a pile of work to do before the guys get in… we’ll see ya later….
BTW, any of your motorheads looking for a kick butt tall 455 intake, Nelson dropped by bringing by his Offy 360 degree aluminum intake 
If you don’t care about a doghouse…. personally I do….. this intake is rare and kick butt. I’m happy with original checked out cast manifold 
Just one of those personal things. Nelson 
has had this so long… probably not looking to use it, someone else needs to fuss over it. Gimme a call if you are interested .
