It’s official…a heart beats inside of Snow White!
Rather than wait until after the front clip was installed, Greg Cook thought it best to fire it up to make sure all was well with the engine while it would still be easy to make any corrections. He rigged some temporary supports for the radiator and a fan for a trial start…it doesn’t look pretty, but does the job
The Good:
The engine runs and sounds just fine. On initial fireup there was a lot of smoke but that’s not at all unusual. Not billowing, but unpleasant in-the-shop smoke. Some was from the treated exhaust manifolds, some was from the new exhaust system, and some was from rings not quite seated yet. After letting it cool for 30 minutes it was restarted, smoke was MUCH better. Super throttle response. Punch it and 4 barrel works great. Oil pressure idles down to 20/25 psi hot. Crack the throttle and it zips to 50 and blows off. Just right.
The engine gets good marks.
The Bad:
The new water pump has a hairline crack, therefore it leaks. Not good, need another one.
The dash temperature gauge doesn’t work, it’s a mechanical gauge with a thermal bulb that screws into the left head, it never moved off Cold, need another one.
The Ugly:
That Rube-Goldberg contraption Greg set up for the test firing…but it worked!
All in all, a not so bad day.
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~ Tom Sidoti
1959 Buick Electra 225 Convertible