ERA Slabside 3018 is underway...

[fintubi]

dacobb, I've been going through a lot of the same decisions with #3014.

My approach to the engine has been to keep to a reasonably faithful 289 look but allow modernization where it either doesn't show or isn't a sacrilegious change to the look. Those rules sound simple but turn out to be a slippery slope and complicated to apply .

Also, since I'm assembling the engine myself I vowed not to put any vintage parts at risk. No sense hosing up a 5-bolt 289 block or a set of HiPo heads just because I'm on the learning curve.

So the new things are:

- Dart SHP block, 331 CID rotating assembly
- AFR heads
- hydraulic roller cam

and the efforts to hew to the original look are:

- painted the heads black
- 289 HiPo front dress:
- passenger's side inlet aluminum water pump
- corresponding timing cover with cast-in pointer and dipstick tube entry (but the oil fill tube found on the really early engines)
- HiPo balancer and corresponding 3-bolt crank pulley
- Aviaid pan
- don't have the dizzy yet, but probably a Pertronix (i.e. electronic ignition hidden inside, rather than an obviously modern system like MSD)

Attached photo gives an idea of what this looks like so far.

Remember that it's your car and your dough, so whatever you choose is right for you

Best of luck,
Bill

[fintubi]

Quick answer for Comp Classics, who asked where the wire wheels come from:

ERA can supply either Dunlop or Dayton wires. Dunlop look more accurate but don't have as positive a drive arrangement at the hub. Daytons have the beefier drive and are easy to find in the US due to their use in the lowrider world.

I'm having ERA source the Dunlops for #3014.

Bill

[66gtk]

+1 for carb over EFI. If you want EFI you better tell the boys at ERA to build your fuel system for it now including an in-tank fuel pump and return fuel line plumbing.

[dacobb]

So I heard from Brandon at Big B's today and there's only one car ahead of me and it's been prepped and will get painted next week. So it looks like mine will get started the last week of April. ERA dropped the car off there in December, to give you an idea of the wait time.

Let's see, it is now almost exactly two years since I placed the first deposit at ERA...

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by dacobb

Let's see, it is now almost exactly two years since I placed the first deposit at ERA...

You should have started two years earlier.

[dacobb]

Originally Posted by patrickt

You should have started two years earlier.

Actually, the timing is better this fall, which is when I'll likely receive it.

[1795]

I have Dart heads on my 289 race engine and for a cast iron head they perform very well. I image that the aluminum heads probably flow even better. Good luck with your build.

Jim

[dacobb]

Originally Posted by 1795

I have Dart heads on my 289 race engine and for a cast iron head they perform very well. I image that the aluminum heads probably flow even better. Good luck with your build.

Jim

They are apparently going through a redesign right now, per Brent.

Should be on the market this summer.

[dacobb]

I also decided on Dart heads.

[dacobb]

Well we are finally in primer after a loooooong wait.

One more primer application after this and then final basecoat/clearcoat.

I keep telling myself, "just, two more weeks, just two more weeks."

Which I've been saying for about a year now.

[dacobb]

Day 808 from first deposit at ERA, and it's finally painted. Looks like Brandon did a superb job. Bigger pics are in my build album.

[dacobb]

Brent is also "plugging along" on the 1965 289 block.

[dacobb]

btw Peter says they are up to 3026 now.

[dacobb]

chatted with Brandon today about shipping the car back to ERA. 7/3 at the latest.

Also inquired about the prep process and he mentioned that ERA's fiberglass bodies were much easier to work on compared to other brands.

Something to keep in mind...

[DanEC]

Nice color - looking good.

[dacobb]

The color is Indigo Ink Pearl. 8P4. Toyota/Lexus color.

[fintubi]

One thing I'd recommend having ERA check when the car comes back from paint are the holes for the tonneau studs. On 3014, two of them were lost during filling and painting, and I didn't notice until installing the studs this week.

One of them was accessible from the back side (in the rear wheel well), so it was simple to chase it with a drill from below, guaranteeing the correct location.

The other (immediately aft of the passenger door) isn't very accessible from underneath, so I'm probably going to have to drill it fresh based on measurements. That doesn't make me feel great about what might happen if I partially (but not exactly) land where the original was.

Bill

[dacobb]

Originally Posted by fintubi

One thing I'd recommend having ERA check when the car comes back from paint are the holes for the tonneau studs. On 3014, two of them were lost during filling and painting, and I didn't notice until installing the studs this week.

One of them was accessible from the back side (in the rear wheel well), so it was simple to chase it with a drill from below, guaranteeing the correct location.

The other (immediately aft of the passenger door) isn't very accessible from underneath, so I'm probably going to have to drill it fresh based on measurements. That doesn't make me feel great about what might happen if I partially (but not exactly) land where the original was.

Bill

thanks fin I will do that