Scotty's 1965 Chevy SportVan Deluxe Travel Cruiser

awesome van

Got some new rubber today:

Our 66 Sportvan doesn't have the sway bar on it. It has holes in the frame but the belly pan has no holes for the bar. I wonder if the took it off to use this belly pan. I plan on using the sway off the 64 panel on the 66, just hoping I still have all the brackets! I seen the part number for the top rubber bushings on another post, hopefully I can fine the other rubber for the bottom end.

Scott, those interior panels under the windows look awesome! Do you mind sharing what "Fatmat" you used and where you got it? Was it the peal and stick from Lowe's that I have seen some talking about? Tammy loves the van and looking at the paint we are guessing the Sport vans came stock with the two tone around the windows? Ours is 2 tone yellow.

Matthew, the stuff I got was from ebay. Just search for Fatmat, it comes in different length rolls. Its a peel and stick with like a sticky tar like backing. I also (from the same company I think) ordered Body Armor which is a paintable undercoating/sound deadener/heat deflector that put on before the fatmat. Seems to work well so far, and I have plenty left to do other parts of the van...

Well, I pulled the trigger on a motor and I think I picked the right one. Found this beautifully rebuilt, fully complete 250 close to home for $800. Can't wait to get this puppy installed!

Good deal!! I paid about twice that for mine. And it didn't come with any of the bolt-on stuff. What kind of carb is that?

I like the steel vacuum and fuel lines. Let's see a photo from the other side.

When is it going in? Is Don going to help you? Let me know and maybe I can stop by. I've done this a time or two!

This will be a great improvement for your van.

Thanks, Rich! It's a monojet and I think it has an automatic choke on it, so Im not sure how hard that is to get to work, or if I will just use my old carb. I'd like to use as much of the nice new goodies as possible.

Don's coming over on Saturday to pull my old motor and hopefully drop the new one in. You are more than welcome to come by.

Alright!! Wish I could have been there to lend a hand. There's nothing like the feeling of dropping in a rebuilt engine.

So now you've still got to hook everything back up again. You'll like that automatic choke. My new engine has one. Now you can hook that manual choke cable up to control the water shut-off valve to the heater core. If your valve is froze up, Don and I know where to get a new one that a cable can easily control.

Good luck!

Gonna spend the day today trying to get most of the other stuff back in the doghouse. My hands are sore today from all the wrenching we did!

So does that choke just need a 12v source? Where did you run the power to yours from? Mine doesn't have a valve for the heater at all. Where do you get the cable one?

WHAT!!!!! no video...Come on guys your sliping. Like those videos.

Congrats guys, great deal!!!!!
looks like scotty is coming to the show then......

We put in 30 weight non-detergent to start. Any recommendations for fluids etc. break-in period? At what intervals should I change oil during break in?

After living & building a long time now - there are some oil suppliments that can be added containing the zinc. DO NOT!! ever run an engine (old style cam-non Roller) without this. There are a few oils that still have the zinc- namely Valvoline Racing - & some others.On my new engines- heres what i do - test run & drice -not vary long / far & change the oil. That -makes sure all the machineing garabage is out & in filter area.Then at 2000 intervals. after 1st,2-3 oil changes -i usually double that to 4000 mile changes & stay there with that. Always adding the oil suppliment. The old ways were to use non-detergent oils for break in=cast iron ring seating- - i was taught this -yet now doesnt matter as rings & new honeing of cylinders have changed, by most all engine shops. Never use synthetic in a new engine for break in.That can be changed over later & remember the synthetic still doesnt have the xinc additive in it.add it always .
without the =zinc- the cam & lifters will wear badly & put fine metal particles in the oil & guess where all those go to -all the bearing surfaces .

I need a donivan65 in my neighborhood.

He really goes above and beyond to help us stay on the road!

There's a famous old cam company that still has a little shop here off Morena Blvd. They sold me their additive for my break-in.

I'll look up their name when I get back in town tonight. It's a well-known name from the 60s and 70s.

Glad you're doing it right, Scotty!

Oh is it Schneider?
http://schneidercams.com/engineadditives.aspx

awesome rebuild, and the first motor didn't look too bad. the manifolds are superb! are they powdercoated? are they aftermarket with a heatriser? i too owe Donivan a huge debt as well as others on this site including twinpilot. speaking of whom, twinpilot, do you obtain the zinc additive seperately, or do you have to exclusively buy the oil with it already present, such as valvoline racing?

Thanks Mikey, I dont think those manifolds are powdercoated, they just have a coat of some cast iron looking engine enamel I think. All in all it's a pretty clean motor, but we will see.

Got everything back on it and running, adjusted the valves per Don's instructions. Now I got some sort of vibrating, rattling sounds coming from the valves when I give it any sort of gas. A few other noises to that Im not sure where they're coming from. May just be something not seated all the way after I took it all apart

I went by Schneider Racing Cams and bought their engine break-in oil additive. They also have a regular zinc additive that you can use after the motor is broken in.