Survivor '69 Coupe with a 6-cylinder and a 3-speed manual

[68SixBangerRS]

A couple more pics of Charlotte because I know you appreciate what a little beauty she is. 

[David K]

Glad you found the broken gasket.....she should run much better. I would advise you to split the manifolds and replace the gasket because it's already apart.

[MO]

A couple more pics of Charlotte because I know you appreciate what a little beauty she is. 

Yes we do!

[68SixBangerRS]

David...absolutely will.

[68SixBangerRS]

Taking off the 230's manifold revealed a couple of issues.  First issue was that the number 2 and 5 cylinder exhaust surfaces on the manifold were heavily pock-marked, indicating that those two areas had been leaking for quite awhile.  Since the engine has only 40k miles, I'm guessing the Flint factory's sealing job was marginal from the very start and that it probably began leaking shortly after the car was purchased. 

The second issue was that the manifold's number two exhaust port had a small but clearly visible crack that was allowing smoke to exit (I tried to get a picture of the crack, but my digital camera's resolution and flash weren't up to the task). 

Hmmm...what to do.  One of the best things about driving 1,600 miles round-trip to Austin, MN to buy the 40k mile 230 engine from a little-old-lady '70 Nova was that I had essentially an identical twin to my '69 Camaro's original 250.  Aside from the obvious cubic-inch difference, the only real differences between the two engines are that the '69 head employed an AIR pump (its head has ports for the air pump's tubes that the '70's head lacks), and the '70 used a carburetor stove for the air cleaner's Therm Vac setup.  I pulled the '69's manifold and it was smooth and clean...no issues.  To make David K happy (  ) I separated the manifold (for the uninitiated, the "6-banger's" manifold has an intake half and an exhaust half that are joined by a square gasket) and replaced the gasket that joins the halves.

Ok...now the beautifully-running 230 from the little-old-lady '70 Nova has the manifold from the sick, vibrating 250 from the 46k mile '69 Camaro (just wanted to fully explain this little hybrid arrangement for anyone who came into the story late).

How does she run?...PERFECTLY!!! 

[68SixBangerRS]

This is the 230's manifold.  The number two and three cylinder's use a siamesed exhaust port, and I'm sure you can see the pock-marked surface.  In the second photo you can see the less-damaged siamesed port for cylinders four and five.

[68SixBangerRS]

This is the '69's manifold...much cleaner.  I also kept the 250's original carb...recently rebuilt and performs smoothly.

[68SixBangerRS]

This is everything bolted back together and purring like a kitten.  She sounds like what she is...a '69 Camaro with a little-old-lady Singer sewing machine in the engine compartment.  .

I will give you all a complete report of Charlotte's shake-down run later today.  Columbus is supposed to have temps in the low 70s and sunshine today...a good day for a run up to Bucyrus on old hiway 98.

[KurtS]

Where was the Nova built, Willow Run? I've seen those Canadian starters before, but wasn't sure if they were imported new or not.

[68SixBangerRS]

Kurt...yes, the '70 Nova was a Willow Run car.  I have also seen Canadian-built original starters before, but I wasn't aware they were appreciably different.

I am always upset when I see a museum-quality survivor Chevy with a 6-banger destroyed to build a hot rod, but I also understand the desirablity factor...the "need for speed".  Had I not been able to buy this beautiful little 230, my Camaro would have languished a bit longer.

Here are a couple more photos of the donor car.  Note that the seller has already replaced the original FC-coded wheels and steering wheel with SS items.  I am still trying to buy the steering wheel, as it is a little better than my Camaro's original.

[68SixBangerRS]

The '69 Monojet carb was a little hesitant off the line, so I spent a couple of hours cleaning up the '70 carb for a swap.  I noticed a slight improvement with that carb, so for now it stays.

The carb cleaned up nicely.  If you look closely at the last photo you can see a Chevy bow tie logo above "Monojet".  Inside the bow tie it says "Bay City", a reference to the plant where it was built...Bay City, MI.

[68SixBangerRS]

During the course of swapping the engine, starter, and carb, I pulled the valve cover on the 250 and discovered why it ran so poorly...the number 5 exhaust valve was broken (I'm guessing the little-old-lady who owned the Nova was probably drag racing another old lady with a slant-6 Valiant when the spring let go on a 5 grand power shift...it happens sometimes). 

The valve and its seat are undamaged, so I'll replace the spring and keep the 250 for future re-installation.  For now the 230 runs great and will remain between the front fenders until I can reinstall the "mountain motor" 250 (nothing like the bigger cube Chevy sixes, is there?).

[David K]

That'll do it every time.

[169INDY]

292, 292, 292!

[MO]

LOL....love the humor!