fbekholden.com

Good work Taz,

Theres a lot of hidden detail in the front end, i like how you have strengthened the area where you have removed the inner frame for your exhaust clearance.

It is rewarding once you start painting.

Greg


Thanks Greg, many hours spent making things fit properly. I can get to ...

In the Shed wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2026 5:44 pm Looking good. Do you have details of the Bunnings product you mentioned?

A very good product, I just brushed it on but had to reapply it in some very badly pitted areas from battery acid.

Finally, after much sanding, de-rusting, more sanding metal treating then more sanding, then more de-rusting I have an engine bay in epoxy.

FYI Bunnings sell a very good de-rusting / metal treatment gel that will stick to vertical surfaces.

Well I got one side in epoxy, the longest part was going over the whole section with 80 grit before I applied the epoxy.

The whole front has been treated with resto finish rustgo which treats the steel by converting any rust areas etc.

Anyway hopefully I will get the rest in epoxy with the week.

G’day Simon?
Lot of positive comments about the Coopers stripper. I’ve been using this. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260309/3f90b8850c4ba3a0ca164216feab11cb.jpg
Now time to restock. It takes off all but this red etch primer that is under everything else st least on this, my very late ...

Right so back to work after a long hiatus due to summer surf sports and working on the sons XR6 turbo.

Paint stripped the whole front using Coopers paint stripper, this stuff is excellent and eats through bog as well. I am stripping it as I did not have faith in the work that the previous owner had ...

So heads back together, had to make my own double valve spring compressor 😁😁.

Note the valve spring retainer wedge into the underside of the head.

I spent 1.5 hours looking for that mother $*#@…..heads go on to the assembled bottom end soon. Engine builder reckons it should be good for about 330 ...

So, been a bit busy and despite best plans nothing is painted. Anyway bottom end of the engine is together and I finished lapping in the valves tonight.

Some progress at least.

LM7 5.3 L LS (cast iron block) fits within the allowable CC range but you quite often see people putting 5.7L and 6.0 L LS engines. I used the weights from the sedan with the hydromatic.

Apparently some people have been known to bore the 5.3L out to 5.7L as it is the same block. I would never do ...

This afternoons job, sand back all remaining parts of the chassis and then spray some epoxy on.

Also have the block, pistons and conrods back from the machine shop.

Finally got some epoxy on some metal. I am using the resto finish product and you can use it as a high build product. I have actual rolled it on as it will be rubbed back anyway before I apply the final sealer to it. Rolling it means no need to mask anything up and stops paint going everywhere in ...

Another milestone achieved yesterday, floor pan treated for rust and ready for epoxy.

Blacky wrote: Thu Jul 31, 2025 9:28 am Dang, did you keep a track of how many hours there are in building that ?? I am guessing LOTS ......

Well if I paid myself then I would be a rich man

Exhaust finally ready for ceramic coating.

Started the port work of the heads, can’t beat YouTube tutorials.

Block and rods going to the engine shop tomorrow.