Stupid Pit Tricks

Greg Reimer 7376 · 02-06-2010, 10:39 PM

In 1991, Ron Durham and I hatched a plot to install a legal 402 into a red 71 Monte Carlo that I had.We had about enough parts to build this thing,and Ron had a very clean original 71 SS454 Monte Carlo that was a driver.An ad appeared in National Dragster for a 70 Chevelle E/SA 402 car for sale,Ron called the guy to pick his brain, one thing led to another,the Chevelle owner proposed a trade,Ron went for it,and one November weekend,Ron borrowed my old tired 71 El Camino and trailer to run up to Milwaukee,Oregon,a suburb of Portland,and do the trade.He left Glendora on a Thursday night with the Monte Carlo on the trailer, and came by Saturday PM with the Chevelle,1977 miles later. When I think of all the tow vehicles I've ever had,that one was the worst because it was completely worn out.It made the trip up in the late fall,and I think Ron got almost the last good mile out of it. While driving it to work one day,I noticed that the power steering didn't feel right.I went into work and checked it out as I was leaving,and discovered the harmonic balancer was loose. I nursed it home all 27 miles,and the temperature gauge just kept climbing.When I arrived home, a further inspection revealed that the snout on the crankshaft broke right in front of the timing gear.A large burr at the break kept the crank gear on.That weekend,I pulled the engine and installed a used take out 350 that I had.If I didn't have all those used parts, I don't know what we would have done.That crank lasted less than 100 miles after he got back from Oregon. He must have led a charmed life that time.The Monte Carlo is a bracket car with a 355 small block.We ran it a few times at Irwindale,it could be a stocker some day,Ron and I went our ways, we both still race,a lot has happened since then,but this story of Ron's incredible luck survives.

02-06-2010, 10:39 PM	#20
Greg Reimer 7376 VIP Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Glendora,Calif. Posts: 1,136 Likes: 172 Liked 705 Times in 219 Posts	Re: Stupid Pit Tricks In 1991, Ron Durham and I hatched a plot to install a legal 402 into a red 71 Monte Carlo that I had.We had about enough parts to build this thing,and Ron had a very clean original 71 SS454 Monte Carlo that was a driver.An ad appeared in National Dragster for a 70 Chevelle E/SA 402 car for sale,Ron called the guy to pick his brain, one thing led to another,the Chevelle owner proposed a trade,Ron went for it,and one November weekend,Ron borrowed my old tired 71 El Camino and trailer to run up to Milwaukee,Oregon,a suburb of Portland,and do the trade.He left Glendora on a Thursday night with the Monte Carlo on the trailer, and came by Saturday PM with the Chevelle,1977 miles later. When I think of all the tow vehicles I've ever had,that one was the worst because it was completely worn out.It made the trip up in the late fall,and I think Ron got almost the last good mile out of it. While driving it to work one day,I noticed that the power steering didn't feel right.I went into work and checked it out as I was leaving,and discovered the harmonic balancer was loose. I nursed it home all 27 miles,and the temperature gauge just kept climbing.When I arrived home, a further inspection revealed that the snout on the crankshaft broke right in front of the timing gear.A large burr at the break kept the crank gear on.That weekend,I pulled the engine and installed a used take out 350 that I had.If I didn't have all those used parts, I don't know what we would have done.That crank lasted less than 100 miles after he got back from Oregon. He must have led a charmed life that time.The Monte Carlo is a bracket car with a 355 small block.We ran it a few times at Irwindale,it could be a stocker some day,Ron and I went our ways, we both still race,a lot has happened since then,but this story of Ron's incredible luck survives.