I pulled it and started to tear it down. I only have to take the short block apart. It's a 2 bolt block with 882 heads. They're getting replaced with Vortec's.

I don't think it's been apart before. There was some sludge built up around the oil return holes in the heads. That sludge continued down into the lifter valley. The heads were a pain in the @$$ to get off.

My father is going to get his mic's tomorrow so we the measure the bore. I don't care about the crank, rods and pistons. I'm ordering a balanced rotating assembly. I just need to have all the machine work done to this block if it checks out ok.

Then I'll order the parts I need to assemble it.

 

I wish I had a torque plate and bore dial indicator. It would be nice and handy right now.

Good luck on your stuffs.

 

I hope you marked & identified all the wires and conections. If you didn't it is too late now.

 

What wires and connections?

 

Well there's not a whole lot of them on a '78 to sort out if he didn't.
I would have left most hooked up myself,just drop the starter and alternator off with the wires hooked up.
Sending unit wires for gauges are few and hard to mix up.
The HEI ignition is pretty much plug and play one wire so if you have to unplug it to get it out of the way no biggy.
Gotta love older cars for their simplicity.

 

No need to mark anything. As already mentioned, it's a 78, there are only a few wires on it. That's why I like older cars/trucks as projects!

 

Well with later models is is always a good idea to identify everything.

 

Yeah, I don't work on newer cars just for that reason. The older ones are much easier.