Select Motor Co Car Restoration Projects Classic Customs Performance Shop Slideshow

Select® Motor Company, Inc. 6205 Monroe Hwy Ball LA 71405 USA

Select® Motor Company Inc. 6205 Monroe Highway Ball Louisana USA 71405

Select® Restoration Projects - 1968 Chevelle Super Sport 396 Automobile Restoration Start Slideshow Full Screen

1968 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 396 Automobile Restoration

This 1968 SS 396 Chevelle is a prime example of the situations explained on our “About Us” button on our home page. This car was “shop jacked” for 5 years.

As it appears, a capable painter prepared the body with respectable paint and bodywork. The small shop, which had agreed to build the car, apparently had no experience what-so-ever in classic car restoration. The fact that the car was not completed there is surely a blessing.

A Flywheel installed backwards, a torque converter installed with its ears crashing into the pump on the transmission and the header gaskets installed upside down were just a few of the indicators that nothing could be taken for granted when inspecting and correcting this car. The drive train and suspension would be thoroughly checked.

You will see us build a fuel system for the fuel injection manifold that is now on the engine. The brake system will be re-plumed and an air condition system will be tastefully installed with custom hoses. A Billet Specialties serpentine belt accessory system will include our a/c compressor, power steering pump, a 140 amp alternator and an aluminum water pump. In addition to looking good, this system provides up-grade accessories necessary for the many new systems on this car.

A fresh wiring harness will be integrated with a Gen 7 Digital fuel injection management system from Accel. The factory shifter will be modified to operate the overdrive automatic transmission that is now in the car.

Attention to details on body alignment, window alignment and interior fit, function and appearance will bring this 68 SS 396 around to being the car its owner had hoped it would be.

Although installed in the car the ’68 Chevelle engine had never been started.

Assembly lube was apparent around the valve guides.

We checked the torque on the rod bolts and main bearing caps and adjusted the valves on the engine stand.

The oil pan was resealed and filled prior to pre-lubing the engine with a power drill motor and tool built to turn the oil pump.

Oil pressure was around 80 psi; however, no lubrication was apparent to the valve train.

The block had a 1965 casting date which put it in the group of big blocks from 1965 to 1967 which requires a grooved rear cam bearing and a grooved rear cam journal.

Grooved bearings are readily available and our local machine shop cut a groove in the rear cam journal.

This time pre-lubing the engine before starting it paid off without question.



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