I'm looking for some help from the people that know these the best. This is my first post on here, I am a total car fanatic. However, I don't know a lot about muscle cars. My dad is a total Chevy nut and loves the cars to death. Though our interests in what cars we like differs, we both love the automotive world.

Long story short I'm trying to help my dad behind the scenes as a surprise for him. My mom and I talked about helping him get this thing back on it's feet. She told me she'd be happy to help me find the parts and when I get parts to help hide them till we give them to him.

He has a 69' Z-28 he has disassembled before I was born, I'm now 25, almost 26.. He bought it from a local guy many many years ago, drove it for years and took it apart to save money and not spend money on the car so he could spend it on his family instead. He always helped our family. It's been about 26 years now and he has only done a little with the car. The only thing holding him back is money. I'd like to return the favor and get the ball rolling for him and hopefully put a smile on his face from a car that means a lot to him. I know the feeling, I have a classic that puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. I feel bad driving mine when his isn't there yet. I would like to do that for him so that he can enjoy it again.

The engine is a 302, it is tired and needs rebuilt. He told me a long time ago it was bored and just needs a rebuild kit. He's a stubborn guy, so I know if I ask him he won't tell me (i tried once years ago). But if I get a rebuild kit for him I know he wouldn't turn it down if there's a no return policy on it

In this case will I need to measure the cylinders with a set of calipers and perhaps the pistons as well to see what kind of rings I'll need? Are there specific part numbers to look out for? If I want to be extra nice and get more than just a rebuild kit and perhaps new pistons and rods what are some nice replacement pistons and rods that will be good quality that won't disappoint? Good news is that the engine is in pieces, my mom would be cool with me checking clearances on it when he isn't around so I could surprise him.

Most of the interior parts the last I looked were in pretty good shape. But he had some of it stored out in the barn, my fear would be moisture out there but he had no where else to put them but he has kept them in boxes, sealed most of it. Is there a good place to get interior original parts if need be? Are OEM parts still available for these cars? If I end up buying interior reproduction parts what would be the BEST parts to go for?

I do not know the condition of the transmission, or the driveline. It has been powdercoated at some point and looks almost brand new but it's been sitting for that long. I'd be afraid of seals or differential leaks. Any good sources for new or rebuilt trannies that you would recommend?

All the lights and signals and chrome pieces are all in great shape and great condition so I don't think I need to worry about those. Any ideas?

I think a good step would be to maybe snag some pics and go over what it does and doesn't need.

I'm excited to help him. I'd like to see the old fart happy and get that smile you get when you roll an old classic out of the garage and turn the key. I know he thinks about it and he always talks about it.

 

great story and ill try to help as best as i can.

if the car has all of the original drivetrain then its best to rebuild because its worth more and original stuff jut works better.

Motor- you will need to find how much the block was bored to be able to buy a correct kit for the motor.

for finding interior and trim parts i used npd. good parts and speedy sevice. you can get anyting for the car through there.

as for the tranny try to have it rebuilt or buy a rebuild kit becasue the factory muncie 4speed is worth a lot of money.

 

Holy fast answers batman! Thanks for the quick reply!

I believe the transmission is original, is there a serial # to look at the tranny to find out?

I guess the easiest way to check out the bore is to get out a good set of calipers and measure the bore that way. I am not sure what the stock bore is, I suppose I could post the numbers up on here when I find out if that helps?

With the tranny sitting that long is there anything inside it to worry about and will it for sure need a rebuild or just flushed?

I just googled NPD, i found their site so I will check that out and make a list of the interior parts that will need replaced. Thank you very kindly for your reply.

 

it is a 4 speed manual right? if it is then use this to help id it.

Muncie 4 Speed Transmissions

where at in oregon are you?

 

I believe it's a 4 speed, it's been so long since I have been in the car, probably since I was just a kid. I want to say it's a 4 speed. I'm in Redmond.

 

your way out from me. im from hillsboro but right now at osu till summer

 

I'm glad you're tasking such an active part in helping restore this car, good for you. The engine may have been bored out, but was that back when it wasn't tired or after it was taken apart? If nothing's been done to the engine after it was disassembled, you'll want to get the block checked out at a machine shop. And yes, absolutely keep the trans it has now, especially if it's the original one. Everything that you can keep numbers matching to the car (assuming it is) will keep the value up.

 

Very valid point, if it was bored and worn down even further then who knows. I guess I will need to measure and figure out on a standpoint of where the block is at, even visually 'looking good' doesn't mean it isn't worn too far. I know very little about chevy engines in general, but they don't seem complex so hopefully I can figure it out with some help. Hopefully it's something as simple as just needing new rings and a refresher on the engine, but if it isn't, well so be it.

Like I said, he's stubborn, so straight up asking him will be "oh no i just need money i'm fine." or "oh all in good time someday."

I may be able to get ahold of the block and bring it to my favorite local machine shop if my mom can help out and keep it on the downlow. He'd probably have another heart attack if he came home and found all the stuff to finish the rebuild. I know he bought some stuff for the engine but it looked to me like it was just valve covers and a couple other basics.

Good point on keeping the value up, he always told me he would never sell the car and that's why he has kept it over all these years because it is his baby.

I do know that he upgraded the suspension and did energy suspension bushings and had plans for struts, however, I don't know what people prefer for shock and springs on these cars. Never really bothered to look at the suspension. I plan on just sort of poking and prodding every now and then in hopes he'll give away what he wants to do with it and I can slowlystart buying parts. Maybe start hiding them under his car since he never looks under the cover anymore anyway, haha!

 

Ok update...

Dug a little further and found out the rebuilder he wants to do the engine with. But actually found out he didn't want a specific build package but wants the engine returned completely to stock.

Apparently has 11:1 pistons in it, he wants 10:1 (if i recall, although they may have been slightly different).

The machine shop quoted me $2k to completely go through the engine, machine it and return it to stock, that is if they source the parts, do all the work, assembly, etc.

A few things I did find...

- His rebuild kit, all gaskets, seals etc that it needs
- The block LOOKS like it's in really good shape
- Crank looks great, I see no scoring, he stored it right, no pitting, but ultimately the machine shop will need to look.

They have a local dropoff with a local machine shop, they pick up the parts and the engine is back the next week. One of his close friends has had his engine done there for one of his cars and liked it, although he said he spent $1400. He said that wasn't a total rebuild and didn't need a ton of things. He said they paint the block, go through the engine, refresh, rebuild, bore and source any parts.

Does anyone have any specs or information as to the complete originality on a 302 out of a 69' Camaro? I'm sure the machine shop has them but I want some solid information to know that I'm getting the /right/ thing done and not just told "It's this" by a machine shop and finding out it's something different.

Things I have been told on another forum:

- Make sure the machine shop has some sort of warranty for their work
- Get EVERYTHING in writing
- Don't pay it all up front, pay a deposit, ensure all serial #s are right going in and coming out
- Agree on a set price, period.
- Don't get it decked to ensure that the serial number remains on the engine to preserve originality of the car. (makes sense)

I think these are reasonable to keep in mind.

Any other feedback? Ideas?

Again thanks for all your help. This community is great!

 

i know that the 69 302 blocks are 4 bolt mains
4.00" bore and a 3.00" stroke
2.100" rod journals and 2.449" main journals
had forged cranks
All 302s used a special baffled oil pan (the baffles prevented the uncovering of the oil pump pickup as a result of the g-forces generated during acceleration, braking and cornering) and a high pressure oil pump.
1969 models featured a new 11.0:1 compression impact extruded piston with slipper skirts and a floating wrist pin. The dome design was the same as the late 1968 pistons.
All three year model 302s used the famed solid lifter "30/30" camshaft, so named because of the .030" intake and .030" exhaust valve lash adjustments
Again, due to the high rpm nature of the 302, a solid lifter camshaft was chosen. Solid (or mechanical) lifters require maintenance more often than hydraulic lifters, but are more reliable at high engine speeds than the hydraulic lifters
Specifications for the cam are .452" intake and .455" exhaust lift, 229 degrees intake duration and 237 degrees exhaust duration (both measured at .050" tappet lift) and 78 degrees of overlap (at 0 lift).
1969 engines used head casting number 3927186 and featured the large 2.02" intake and 1.60" exhaust valves of the earlier heads.
1969 intakes, casting number 3932472, centered the thermostat hole and are otherwise unchanged from the earlier intake.
Holley 800 cfm dual-feed carburetors were used on all 302s