Survivor '69 Coupe with a 6-cylinder and a 3-speed manual

[68SixBangerRS]

The article will take several posts due to the 4 photo limit.

[68SixBangerRS]

2nd set of pics.

[68SixBangerRS]

3rd set.

[68SixBangerRS]

3rd set.

[68SixBangerRS]

Last set...whew!

[MO]

What a cool story!

[68SixBangerRS]

Just wanted to give you all an update on the engine swap (sorry...no V8...just another crappy 6-banger  :'( ).  "Charlotte" has been undriven and in storage for most of the past year due to her increasingly poor-running original 250.  Although she has extremely low miles, an unfortunate attempt at getting her to run after 35 years of storage caused internal damage and sidelined her until now. 

An ad on Craigslist 3 months ago for an original 230 engine from a Frost Green 1970 Nova caught my eye, and my son Alex and I headed for Austin, MN to pick it up.  The engine is 100% original and untouched, and still has its anti-dieseling solenoid, CCS solenoid, and original 1970 date-coded plug wires.

A few hours spent with 2 cans of carb cleaner, Simple Green, an ultra-soft toothbrush, an old t-shirt, and Q-tips really cleaned things up nicely.  The engine is now ready to install.

[68SixBangerRS]

The 230 is "shore purty" now.  The back surface of the valve cover has traces of the paper sticker that denoted it was a 230 for a manual trans-equipped car.  Note the "X" on the back of the cylinder head...probably from its final inspection at the Flint, MI engine plant.

[68SixBangerRS]

The original 250 took 30 minutes to yank out.  This car is dead-simple to work on with tons of room in the engine compartment.

[68SixBangerRS]

The engine is out for the first time since it was built.  It will be professionally machined and reinstalled within the next couple of years. 

[68SixBangerRS]

A few detail shots of the engine compartment.  Note the small green tag on the engine's wire harness (visible to the right of the master brake cylinder).

[David K]

Way cool. I see the cylinder head has been plugged and the smog pump bracket is there….The carb looks correct as well.

[MO]

Wow, super clean! Amazing to see no rust, especially in the battery tray.

[68SixBangerRS]

David and MO, it is nice to hear from you both.  I'm looking forward to meeting some of you guys one of these days.  My intention is to take Charlotte to the Camaro Supernats in the Detroit area this July, so perhaps I'll see you there.

David, I see you have a 6-banger '68, and it appears you have in-depth knowledge of 1st Gen sixes as you know about the air pump holes in the cylinder head and that the pump bracket is correct (only the manual trans-equipped sixes got the smog pumps).  Not many Camaro guys know about what is and isn't correct for a 6-banger, as most junked the original engines for V8s.  I'm impressed.

When the original 250 has been rebuilt, it will go back in along with the smog pump and air tubes (you can see my post about the air pump earlier in this thread).

[David K]

IIy must not take much to impress you...🤔😂. Ive learned a thing or 2 about the 6 cars. I'm flying out for the Nationals in Morgantown and DC area to help my good friend fix his unrestored 67 vert. He's 83 and not as nimble, but thinks he is.
If you'll be there, let me know.