Help and advice prior to purchase?

[KurtS]

Thanks guys. I updated the site info.

[mickeystoys69RSSS]

Got the plates in the mail and I took my new car out for the initial spin today. I did drive it when I looked at it but it seemd to have a lack of power. Well since I it home I have been going through all of the fluids, brakes, fuel lines to make sure every thing was. safe. Well come to find out the tank was bone dry at the dealership. I added some fresh gas, toped off the oil, charged the battery, and added some seafoam to the gas, crank case, and carb. After that I took it out and around the block to get the temp up. After I  was comfortable everything was ok and some mild crusing for about 20mins, I wanted some RPM's. I shifted into second at a stop light out on my county highway. When the light turned green I went WOT, that 396 really came to life and suprised the heck out of me. The RPM guage went to 5000 and the rear tires laid down some 11's even with the Q-jet. That fresh gas and clean out really did it some good. I cruised it easy for about another 20 min before heading home. I was just having too much fun, part of the way with the A/C on and the original AM/FM pushbuttion radio playing some tunes. Yea life is good.

[mickeystoys69RSSS]

I have been doing some more numbers search on my car and checking out the rear end. From my first inspection I already knew that the rear axle code is BI 11 15 G1. 2.73:1 rear assembled Nov. 15Th 1968 Detroit Gear and Axle 1st Shift. Well today I found the center cast date K 88 or Nov. 8Th 1968 which is right for this car. What surprised me was that as I went back over to the assembly code and something caught my eye that I missed the first time. There is a capital D stamped on the passenger axle tube just below the BI stamp. I came back to the computer and went to the rear axle codes here at CRG and sure enough the BI in the codes list shows it as a non-posi as I first thought. I also thought that it was a non-posi because I was looking for a capital P. Now that I have reread the CRG section on rear ends I found out that the D is correct for a Dana posi unit. When I get a chance I am going to have to pull the rear cover to know for sure. I would take some pics but I need to find a better camera.

Is it possible that my BI code rear has a posi unit in it?

[mickeystoys69RSSS]

I was out in the garage doing some cleaning and digging. First off, on the drivers side valve cover the plug wire separator for the front two plugs was missing. I figured that no problem I could get a new one. While doing some cleaning in the engine compartment, I found the plastic top that holds the plug wires laying on top of the steering box. It is easy to figure out how it fell down in there, but how it stayed there for who knows how long before it got it makes me wonder. I put that back on and secured the front two drivers side plug wires. Also while cleaning I found the casting numbers and dates for the steering gear box.

on the box itself was cast 5691676 with a 32 under the 91 and a cast date of 312. I am assuming that is a Julian date which would be Nov. 7th, 1968 or 5 days after the box was cast.
On the aluminum cover on top of the box I also found a number and date of 5686555 and date 317 8 Nov. 12, 1968. or three days before the rear end and one week before the car assembly date.

Anyone have any idea what the 32 below the box cast number means?

[mickeystoys69RSSS]

Drove to a cruise in the other night and thought that the Vintage Air unit seems to be a little warm and that just the blower was running. When I got home with the engine running I opened the hood and put a pressure gauge on the low side hose. I did not get a reading, so I waited and watched the compressor. The compressor clutch never engaged. I called their tech support and found out that the Vintage Air systems have a safety shut off switch mounted on the drier to shut off the compress if the refridgerant gets low, to prevent a compressor burnout. I went to the local parts store got a refill can of 134a attached it, turned the car on. Once I set the control for the A/C on the compressor engaged immediatly and started blowing cold air through the vents. So the system was just a little low on fluid. Topped the system off and it is all good. I did not even use a full can of 12oz refill. Put the pressure gauge back on 25 psi low 80 psi equalized with the system off.

FYI if you ever use a vintage air system, there is a heater control valve in the heater hose just before it enters the firewall. Don't touch it until it cools down. It is hotter than a MFer ask me how I know.

[KurtS]

It seems like lots of L34 cars got special order axle ratios. Default would have been 3.07, IIRC.
It's a non-posi. I've seen that D before, may be an inspection mark. I've never seen a Dana unit in any first gen.
32 on the st box is probably the mold number.

[mickeystoys69RSSS]

It seems like lots of L34 cars got special order axle ratios. Default would have been 3.07, IIRC.
It's a non-posi. I've seen that D before, may be an inspection mark. I've never seen a Dana unit in any first gen.
32 on the st box is probably the mold number.

Thanks Kurt.

At some point I am going to remove the rear cover to change the fluid so, I will know for sure at that time. Also, if I can ever get a better camera, I will take a photo of the mark and let you guys tell me what you think.

Regarding the steering gear box, the number that is cast into the case (not the aluminium cover) does not match with the AIM, but from what I have read the 5691676 casting was used in a lot of the GM cars during this time including the Camaros. The cast dates and assembly dates for the steering gear box match those or are within days of other parts assemblies. The steering gear box was assembled three days before the rear end and was a week before the body assembly. So the dates seem good.

[mickeystoys69RSSS]

Finally got around to pulling the front wheels off and doing a liitle cleaning/degreasing. There was 43 years of grease and road dirt under the front end. Used an engine dreaser and brake cleaner to clean off the pitman arm, idler arm, tie rod ends, brake calipers and steering arms. The brake pads and rotor looked ok for now so I did not pull them off. I could not find the pitman and idler arm numbers unless they are on top, but I measured the pitman arm and it is a 5.75 c-c arm. I did find the casting numbers for the brake calipers and steering arms.

Brake calipers: Delco Moraine 5463833
Left side steering arm: 3954875 JB
Right side steering arm: 3954876 LY

Anyone know what the two letters on each of the steering arms mean?

[JohnZ]

Anyone know what the two letters on each of the steering arms mean?

That identifies the set of forging dies used to form the part; there were multiple sets of progressive forging dies for each part, as they required constant maintenance due to wear.

[mickeystoys69RSSS]

I was at a car show and swap meet this weekend and found a '70s model Sears Dwell Tachometer and pick it up for about $10. I llooked brand new and included the box and instruction manual. Now I will be able to change the points in the future.

[mickeystoys69RSSS]

While looking at the firewall for another thread I found the trim inspection mark. The second photo shows it in relation to the trim tag right behind the brake booster. I have looked at the tag several times, but I am not sure why I did not notice it unitl now.

[NoYenko]

Mickey, nice find. Protect that, the stamps I found under my AC box were dirty so I decided to clean them with something mild like windex.
Well it took off 50% of the ink. George

[mickeystoys69RSSS]

I have not been able to find the P or B anywhere. They may have worn off before I got the car, but I have not looked on the other side by the heater core either like yours.  I am hopeful that maybe the x2 is in the back since our cars are the pre x-code build dates.