HALF A CAR! Forgotten 1969 Chevrolet EL CAMINO Restoration Project! WILL IT RUN???

I bought this 1969 El Camino about a month ago at an estate auction, due to the fact that the engine was not stuck and could be turned by hand. This car has had a lot of its parts taken off, so it was slept on at the auction and sold for a cheap price. The 307 Chevy engine seems to have been taken apart recently and rebuilt, so it could be a good candidate for another project if we can make it run again. Some new parts and a couple hours later, will this small block Chevy run again? or is it time for another rebuild?
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[@79tazman]

put some oil in the dead cylinders and recheck the compression if compression goes up it's your rings and if it stays the same it's the Valves

[@IowaClassicCars]

i did that :D and it definitely worked

[@robertutech1685]

When you run a compression test always block the carburetor wide open so that the cylinder can get, remove all the spark plugs, and put a little oil in each cylinder helps.

[@StarlightWorkshop0z]

And clean it. Poor form sucking that debris thru it

[@IowaClassicCars]

Ah i see

[@timothyharrison8953]

I wasn't watching, I was listening. When he started getting low readings, I looked at the video and saw the air cleaner and WTF? Throttle open?

[@OdySlim]

The 307 was always hated by most but it was a good engine. 315 HP was not bad with a little tuning.

[@Raycr]

Way to bring the heart beat back into that small block

[@IowaClassicCars]

thanks for your help on it!

[@cobusbotha7256]

Ryan, I like your tenaciousness. And then the old girl starts up. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Looking forward to the next one.

[@IowaClassicCars]

Thanks!

[@79tazman]

The engine should run with 60 to 70 PSI what it is that the engine is not turning over fast enough to fire up you gotta make sure the battery is charged right up and hook the jump box up too and if you have ether give it a big snort once you get it going and let it run and build up heat it will run better but it needs that first hit to get running

[@billywird]

And the condition of the starter has a lot to do with cranking speed.

[@lowery607]

Instead of working so hard and immediately drilling broken bolts or studs always try welding a nut on it and it will usually spin out

[@IowaClassicCars]

Ive seen that but also seen a lot of wasted time on that too, sometime it pays off, sometime it doesnt

[@billywird]

Better not have any gas fumes down in that engine when you try that.

[@darrylcampbell4411]

Go Norm You rock Dude. IM an old bugger who loves old engines too. Good for you helping Ryan out.

[@IowaClassicCars]

hes a MVP!

[@johna1160]

Ryan, good idea asking for Rochester 2 barrels. Ultrasonic cleaner next? Because you wisely narrow your car interest to a specific make (GM) and era, maybe consider stocking up on tune up parts, carb rebuild kits, belts and hoses, rather than ordering/waiting each time.

[@IowaClassicCars]

i have some stuff here on the shelf, but the parts get here fairly quick, so i just order as needed, then i dont have boxes upon boxes of unused parts lol

[@melmcclure3710]

Glad you were able to get away to a warm climate for a while. It appears that kitty missed you. Lol.

[@IowaClassicCars]

oh yeah he sure did

[@frk4musl]

Thanks, Ryan. What a find! Best of luck in bringing it back to life.

[@IowaClassicCars]

You bet!

[@arthurmccarron4379]

Yes you should be. Proud of. Your self. Perseverance. Is. A true. Gift. Thanks

[@IowaClassicCars]

Thanks Arthur

[@chuckschultz7028]

Put some oil in those cylinders & test again. Rings are dry.

[@IowaClassicCars]

i did :D

[@unclerick8224]

Sure glad you got it running. I as sweating it with you all the way!

[@bobgrewe988]

Little 307 sounds good

[@williamdeegan7840]

Yep . That Military loader was definitely DETROIT powered. Great video.

[@VorlonFrog]

Congratulations on getting that 307 running again. Sounds good, should get better as it gets some run time and heat throughout the block.

[@IowaClassicCars]

thanks!

[@billywird]

That engine has the large Rochester 2bbl Carburetor and as the moderator mentioned it has the turbo 350 transmission. If unaltered it would be a 350 engine with the 350 turbo hydramatic transmission. Depending upon the model and depending upon what was ordered when the car was new this could be an original combination. Generally the 307 engine came with the small Rochester 2bbl carburetor and if an automatic the transmission would be the Powerglide two speed. Of course we never know some fifty four years after the vehicle left the factory what it originally came with unless we either find out through the VIN number or as on the Chevrolet Trucks the SPID decal on the glovebox door inside SPID stands for Service Parts Identification Plate. The 307 was the successor of the 283. It had the same bore but used the stroke was increased to 3.25 inches from 3.00 and the crankshaft had the larger journals. It actually is a good running engine and one could put quite a lot of mileage on it, but nothing compared to the engines of today.

[@billmcclure7619]

Match cover works good setting points. Chevy dodge Ford . I drove lot old cars

[@finfan83]

Yay, Ryan with new toy ! Sorry to hear not all cylinders wanna cooperate. Seems the car has nasty surprises for you over the next levels of tinkering game....14:08 - pushbutton ! Like 50's predicted ! It's pushbutton actuated ! 2:35 - of course it's gonna fall under the car ;)

[@jerrybeckel4979]

Ryan I have a few two barrels. I will be coming to Iowa to see my brother soon.

[@IowaClassicCars]

Awesome! Mind emailing me?

[@royhaught9516]

Wow, that was a stubbed one, but a lot of patience payed off in the end.

[@IowaClassicCars]

Thanks for watching!

[@brandonrains2154]

I just got a 1969 elcamino for $100 needs frame work and a motor but the body is solid besides the passenger quarter panel has a little hole from rust

[@markfrancis5730]

I was told there is a body just sitting in a yard that will be junked soon in Rising City, Nebraska if anybody wants an El Camino. I personally seen the body from a distance. It is up on blocks. I couldn't tell the year for sure.

[@robertvance1873]

Felix is like just pet me 😅 forget old car just pet me DAMN it 😂😆

[@IowaClassicCars]

he sure is needy! lol

[@robertvance1873]

@@IowaClassicCars He just love's you that's all, most cat's are rude and don't want anything to do with you till feeding time 🤣

[@daryl3723]

Why didn't you at the breather before you started turning it over. Do you know any mechanics who can help you.

[@donaldhalls2189]

Nice sounding engine, thanks for sharing, all the best to yous and your loved ones

[@IowaClassicCars]

Thanks Don

[@paulp5775]

Not sure of the used parts prices in the US, but for the price you paid for the Chev, would get way over that, if parted out in my part of the world. Hopefully the spring will bring warmer weather and you can get the shed open enjoy it. Keep up the good work.

[@IowaClassicCars]

this car is desirable here but its just missing so much

[@paulp5775]

@@IowaClassicCars That’s the issue a lot of us face - to restore or part out ?

[@robertvance1873]

Good Job Ryan and Norm 👍

[@IowaClassicCars]

thanks for watching!

[@richarddavis3007]

Put some oil in the cylinders to bump up the compression

[@mr.goodpliers6988]

Check spark against a bare spot on the cylinder head. Otherwise you're trusting a dirty old thin body ground strap to pass current

[@IowaClassicCars]

Ah thanks man

[@rustyrobinson8027]

It's a good one thanks

[@IowaClassicCars]

Glad you like it!

[@79tazman]

Yeah mouse nest is always good to suck in the intake next time remove the air filter before trying to start it. I bet all the crap shooting out of the plug holes was sitting in the air filter before being sucked into the engines and into the cylinders LMAO. One day you will learn hopefully

[@IowaClassicCars]

It started didnt it? Thanks for the comment

[@StarlightWorkshop0z]

Agree

[@francoisbouchard602]

Good.job😄👍👍👏👏👏cool car

[@IowaClassicCars]

Lol thanks

[@Mercmad]

Was the intake manifold full of mouse nest too? Felix was probably looking for the mouse/mice that could be detected.

[@IowaClassicCars]

No thankfully not

[@batsy74]

I want to follow the restoration of the el camino... the 307 is probably the least desired aspect of that project to me. haha. Thanks!

[@IowaClassicCars]

Lol

[@forreststewart5940]

Why didn't you check for spark at the points when you had the distributor cap off?

[@IowaClassicCars]

I did, didnt film it. Points were burned up bad & even cleaning them didnt help before or after

[@johnhunter287]

Compression test on a motor that has sat for awhile. Remove plugs, blow out the cylinders with air, spray fogging oil in each, crank for 10 turns. Then test. This blows out junk and oils the sleeves as their dry.

[@StarlightWorkshop0z]

And clean junk from carb. Hello!

[@johnhunter287]

@@StarlightWorkshop0z LOL

[@billywird]

I notice that all of you "will it start" guys pump the hell out of the gas and get the engine flooded. The way you get a flooded engine started is to hold the throttle open until you get the engine to run and keep it open until the engine runs. This clears out the extreme rich condition introduced by pumping the throttle. True when you are trying to start a dry carburetor you have to pump the gas some but most of the videos I watch people pump the throttle until they flood the carburetor and of course then the spark plugs can get gas fouled. You get fire and the timing is static timed for the engine to run (with some reasonable compression) and the engine should attempt to fire off with anything that will burn sprayed into the carburetor. I worked in a junkyard (excuse me auto recycling yard) and to see if an engine would run we would put power to the ignition and spray either choke cleaner or starting fluid into the air intake while cranking and if the engine starts to run we know it is a runner and that is all we would do to it. Of course having some fresh gas helps in getting an engine to run. Most people just start right off with an electric fuel pump and an external gas can.

[@IowaClassicCars]

Uncle tonys garage had a good video on why we do this, old engines that sit need a lot of gas, he explains it better than ill be able to lol

[@richarddavis3007]

Easy carb to rebuild

[@steelcitycaprice.899]

👍🏽😎👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽🏁🏁🏁

[@richarddavis3007]

Should have plugged the intake off first before grinding you got metal in it now not good

[@timothyballinger6280]

Would you you take 8 hundred for the roller?

[@IowaClassicCars]

Sorry but i have agreed to trading it off

[@92xl]

18:38 best use for a covid mask EVER.

[@IowaClassicCars]

haha i wondered if anyone would catch that

[@johnponthieux159]

Take valve off

[@johnponthieux159]

Take the valve covers off

[@richarddavis3007]

307 is a weak motor new

[@georgenebitt124]

I really don't know why you have such a fascination of 4 doors, especially from the 60's and 70's. They are NOT cool and nobody wants them. You should have built that El Camino instead

[@IowaClassicCars]

I sell more 4 doors than anything 2dr related. I have made plenty of money that way; so obviously i know the market and whats what; just becuse you dont like 4drs, doesnt mean no one else does.

[@StarlightWorkshop0z]

Wow. Very opinionated

[@jerrybrooks870]

There are a lot of us out there that prefer four doors. Two doors are inconvenient when you need to get in and out of the back seat. To say that four door cars are not cool is the misguided opinion of just a few.