Winter Project Came Early
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,376
Likes: 36
From: Round Rock, TX
Working on painting. Masking the jugs and heads is no fun at all, but as always, prep is the most tedious and most important step. Since the parts were freshly bead blasted, I rinsed them in brake cleaner, air dried them, and started masking.
I had some high temp rustoleum already, and I thought it might look OK, but after a couple of coats I decided it might be a nice primer. I picked up some of the HD texture paint and used it for a finish coat. Well worth the $23.95 in my opinion.
The final pic shows a few of the fins finished with my Dremel and a sanding drum. I'm pretty happy with the results.
I thought about leaving the heads natural for a retro look, but after looking at some pics of that combo online, I've decided to black the heads as well.
I had some high temp rustoleum already, and I thought it might look OK, but after a couple of coats I decided it might be a nice primer. I picked up some of the HD texture paint and used it for a finish coat. Well worth the $23.95 in my opinion.
The final pic shows a few of the fins finished with my Dremel and a sanding drum. I'm pretty happy with the results.
I thought about leaving the heads natural for a retro look, but after looking at some pics of that combo online, I've decided to black the heads as well.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,376
Likes: 36
From: Round Rock, TX
Barrels done and inner primary repainted (still wet in the pic). Looked like it had been sandblasted. Working on masking the heads now. I hate masking. Think I'll have a beer and watch some TV..... mask tomorrow. 
You going to paint the crankcase black also? Right side seems easy, cam side not so much, lots of masking (ugh) there. was thinking of doing mine with engine intact and the masking has put me off.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,376
Likes: 36
From: Round Rock, TX
The inner primary was losing paint, but the crankcase seems fine, fortunately.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,504
Likes: 150
From: ct
Things are looking great there, I'm a few steps behind you on mine . We have similar plans for our "fresh-up"
I like the black with the silver fins also doing that.
Keep up the good work.
I like the black with the silver fins also doing that.
Keep up the good work.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,504
Likes: 150
From: ct
Was also curious about your head gaskets, stock thickness or thinner ? I'm asking about this with my build .030 or .045 need more info about it. Post #47 in my "parts list" thread. maybe someone will chime in and help.
Dirt don't hurt
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 21,065
Likes: 4,561
From: Haslet Texas
I hope it helps
Ok. First Don't buy any gaskets till you do some math first.
Step 1 take engine and disassemble the upper half (take heads and cylinders off) and whatever it takes to get to this.
Step 2 get your old BASE GASKET off of your cylinders bottom. If it's the old paper type have fun.
Step 3. Leave old piston rings on. ( Done for Stability)
Step 4. Once your cylinders are clean on the bottom, put cylinder back on WITHOUT BASE gasket. By putting a BASE gasket on at this stage it will throw off you measurements.
Step 5. Once cylinder is on, tighten the cylinder down with 2 sets of washers and nuts (just a few inch lbs is all you need here)
Step 6. rotate engine around so the piston is at TOP DEAD CENTER and take your measurement (dial indicator) by how much of the piston is above the top of the cylinder.
Step 7. In a perfect world you would like to see .015-.017. So now you would disassemble your cylinders and reassemble them with a .020 BASE GASKET and that would put you .003 /.005 in the hole.Then with a .030 head gasket your squish band is set at .033/.035 Which is goal.
Now some people just compensate here and toss in ANY BASE GASKET SIZE Or Head Gasket SIZE to achieve this. I have always used .020 base gaskets here, no bigger (Cometic) and a .030 head gasket with ZERO failures.
Step 1 take engine and disassemble the upper half (take heads and cylinders off) and whatever it takes to get to this.
Step 2 get your old BASE GASKET off of your cylinders bottom. If it's the old paper type have fun.
Step 3. Leave old piston rings on. ( Done for Stability)
Step 4. Once your cylinders are clean on the bottom, put cylinder back on WITHOUT BASE gasket. By putting a BASE gasket on at this stage it will throw off you measurements.
Step 5. Once cylinder is on, tighten the cylinder down with 2 sets of washers and nuts (just a few inch lbs is all you need here)
Step 6. rotate engine around so the piston is at TOP DEAD CENTER and take your measurement (dial indicator) by how much of the piston is above the top of the cylinder.
Step 7. In a perfect world you would like to see .015-.017. So now you would disassemble your cylinders and reassemble them with a .020 BASE GASKET and that would put you .003 /.005 in the hole.Then with a .030 head gasket your squish band is set at .033/.035 Which is goal.
Now some people just compensate here and toss in ANY BASE GASKET SIZE Or Head Gasket SIZE to achieve this. I have always used .020 base gaskets here, no bigger (Cometic) and a .030 head gasket with ZERO failures.