Stampie's 1988 K30 3+3 Off Roader

I either didn't notice or forgot the driver door. This plan makes way more sense now. The Executive body we had to hack up only had the one door on the whole body. Did somebody at least measure to see if the heads will fit through the door?

The driver's door eyeballs as pretty easy to fit through. I believe the PO also told me that's how they did it when the engine was rebuilt. I did measure the side/rear door as I think it would have been much easier but it's too narrow. 

And on the 17th day of August in the year 2019 we pulled a 454 out of a berkeleying RV drivers door.

First we swapped the come a long for a chain hoist. That gave us about 8 extra inches in height and as we found out this was an game of inches.

Then we built what we called the sled and supports for our rails. 

Slid some 4x4 rails in and lowered the engine sled down on them.

then too down the Tower of Stampie and used the come a long to start sliding it out.

I had removed the steering wheel and at this point the oil dipstick tube hung up on the column. Fortunately I had enough room to use the tubing cutter to cut it. Unfortunately I didn't think about the tension on it and as it cut the final bit the engine shifted and got my finger a little but. No blood no foul let's move on.

We expertly steered the engine around the rest of the steering column but at about this point our sled caught wrong and started falling apart. Luck for us we had just enough room to pick it up with our engine hoist and rebuild the sled with more screws.

The engine was twisted a bit but we got her out the door. This is the point I got lucky. We were repositioning things and I had my hand on the drivers motor mount bolt when the engine shifted. I moved my hand as fast as an old fat redneck can and got it out before that motor mount ended up on the sled. Ok it's a little cockeyed now but carry on.

First totally clear of the RV picture.

And now sitting on the ground.

So that is the story of how we pulled a 454 out of a RV the right way and why I'll never berkeleying do it again. 

Congratulations! You earned that one.

Was it worth it? 

In reply to NermalSnert:

Thanks.

In reply to Scotty Con Queso :

Yes but only because I measure life in experiences. I can say that I did something that I'd never consider doing earlier in my life. I did it the hard way and I won. That said, I would have saved a lot of time but not money just buying one. The bad thing is I have a 350 sitting here that I could have dropped in but the truck deserves a big block. 

In reply to Stampie :

Bravo, congrats on winning the fight, and you still have all ten fingers!

Dude, that was a *big* job!  I’m tired just reading along.  Well done, though, and the K30 should rock ass with the Banks Power 454!

Dragging victory kicking and screaming from the motorhome-shaped jaws of defeat! Sweet.

My GMT400 does fine with a 350. Your truck should have that engine.

Edit: will the headers fit?

In reply to Floating Doc :

I hope they fit.  From my manifold search on the old 350 and the way these look I think they’ll fit.

Thanks for the free lesson about why I souldn't attempt this myself someday.  All those cheap/free motorhomes with big blocks start to look intriguing sometimes. 

Ah...who am I kidding.  I'll still probably bring one home at some point as an engine donor.  But now nobody can say you didn't tell me I shouldn't :).

Nice looking big block.  Should be fun in the K30!

In reply to ClemSparks :

Oh it could be done easier. As slowbird pointed out an excavator would make it easy. My first thought was working on concrete would help but my engine hoist would have still been 2 inches short. So working on a solid surface you need a longer hoist and remove the driver's front wheel. I'm guessing that would have cut in half the labor time to remove it. 

Edit Now you've got me thinking of a side biz parting out old motor homes. Anyone got a cheap excavator laying around?

Since it's going to be junked anyway, why not just cut off the roof and everything over the top of the engine?

Build a scaffold, lift it straight up, then roll the chassis out from underneath it.

Just a question from someone who has no business making suggestions.

I'm sure Stampie will answer but I have a feeling it has to do with keeping it whole  for aesthetic purposes where it's sitting.

I know around here, if someone can see it...once you make it look broken, it's a ticking time bomb.  Just a matter of time before you start receiving "Nuisance Notices"

For the record...when I inevitably bring one home some day.  It will likely get chopped up until the engine is easily lifted off the motor mounts ;)

In reply to Floating Doc :

In this case my friend wants it whole as a possible home for his homeless brother. Unfortunately homelessness and mental illness are closely related and we're not sure if he'll take advantage of the situation. 

Stampie said:

In reply to Floating Doc :

In this case my friend wants it whole as a possible home for his homeless brother. Unfortunately homelessness and mental illness are closely related and we're not sure if he'll take advantage of the situation. 

Oh, if I would have been paying attention I would have remembered that.

In reply to Floating Doc :

I totally understand. It's been a while. Sure am glad I don't charge myself by the hour. 

So this evening's plan was get the 454 home. I got there and using my truck as an anchor I was able to get the dolly up on some plywood. I moved it in front of the RV and started repositioning the next sheet of plywood. This is where I realized I'm an awnry old man set in my ways. You see my friend decided to help me at this point. 5 seconds into that help the engine and dolly was turned over on it's side. At least no one was hurt but it took a while to right it up. I lost the distributor cap. I'll drink one in it's memory tonight. 

TLDR the engine is in the back of my pickup.

I was worn out Sunday so I made arraignments to come back this morning and grab my tools and stuff. Got a little worried this morning as it took a bit to find where I had put the title but that solved I dropped Lil Stampie at school and headed over. 

Grabbed my tools and when I looked in the hole to see about grabbing the torque converter I found a long lost 3/8ths extension sitting on the front crossmember. Wobble no less. 

If you worked on an 1986 Pace Arrow years ago and lost an extension let me know. 

Grabbed the converter and put a cap on that I happened to have laying around.

Usually when I get rid of a vehicle I have a sad moment where I tell it how much I enjoyed having it and that I'll miss it. I started that with the RV but all I could say was "I berkeleying hate you."

Some vehicles need shot before sale. You hate them that much.

What do you do when a hurricane is heading your way and you don't have a good place to store your 454?  You put it in!

First I put in the big block torque converter.

The 454 was sitting to far back in the pickup. 

Hooked chains to the front of the K30 and dragged it to the tailgate.

Did the same thing to drag the K30 into the street making sure to only block one lane. 

Then we started looking at the engine. Why the berk would you need three oil pressure sensors?

Oil dipstick has this clip retaining it. That's why I couldn't get it out and unfortunately our Summit dipstick wouldn't work with it. I'll research that.

Not sure what this open port is. It's on the passenger side between the middle cylinders. 

Here it is going in.

Closer

And in

We got it in the motor mounts and a couple of bellhousing bolts hand tight before calling it stored good enough for a hurricane. 

Works for me. I have a Dodge truck being used as a storage unit for a 5.9 magnum at the moment.

In reply to Stampie :

I had never heard of death wobble till I drove a K-30 Dually... Bought it sight unseen from a friend in CA, while I was still in Va... And it was in Tampa!!! I haul about 5 tires/rims,tools and a tow bar in the tundra I had at the time down, and previous owner (still on his property) helps me get it running to drive home. BTW, I knew when I bought it it was a rusty pig; but but when almost new old farmer built a cool flatbed, turned front sheet metal into a tilt front end, and put a Perkins diesel out of a combine in it! Anywho, with some bailing wire and duct tape, I'm headed up 19 in this death trap, with my tundra behind, and been driving for several hours before road and traffic let me get over 45 mph... First time I do, it gets to jumping so bad, the tilt front end (gravity being its only tie down) was lifting enough to see the engine! Is actually saw parts fly off! After I get it stopped, and make sure my pants are ok, I call the friend I bought it from for advice - in CA, remember - and he said "oh, yeah, they are kinda known for that. I just find a curb to RUB a front tire against to stop the wobble, and drive on!" ... OK THEN!!!  

Sorry 'bout the long winded hijack, but I thought you'd enjoy the adventure story !

In reply to 03Panther :

Oh yeah first time it"ll make you E36 M3 yourself.