Everybody likes a little head

What?  You thought I meant... Nooo, I was talking about CYLINDER HEADs you sick B@stards!  I am slowly getting somewhere, I've been ultra fastidious (per all recommendations) in my workspace and each part that gets put together, making sure to wipe my work surface down regularly and each part gets clean wiped before assembly.  I've covered everything with some thick plastic each time I've left it at the end of a work session. 

I found out why it's suggested you cover over the open parts during piston->rod assembly first hand, had at least 2 or 3 of the snap rings go flying off that would have landed right inside the case, Wayne doesn't seem to suggest much in his book that doesn't have a good purpose.

Here is the right side complete.  I spent some time cleaning up wire wheeling and re-painting the cylinder cooling tin even though I know it won't see too much of the light of day, just seemed the right thing to do.

Presenting my clean and lovingly assembled long block as of this weekend.  Cam towers are next

Here's a shot of the parts I got back from the machinist, 1 out of spec valve (wasn't seating properly) all the exhaust valve guides (3 or 4 were worn out of spec) and all the valve springs.  Obviously the 2 on the left were broken, the rest replaced as I figured how far behind could the others be and I don't want to do this again soon!

The dead of winter

My sad little plaything sits, cold and dusty.  I feel a little twinge of guilt each morning I glance over as I plop down in the thoroughly modern yet completely boring Asian daily workhorse.  But her rear-end is up in the air and her engine sits, looking like an exploded parts diagram, closer to the wrong end than the right.

I have succumbed much too often to the cold, gray gloom which produces no motivation for even the things I want to do.  I received a shot in the arm yesterday in the form of fully rehabilitated three-liter combustion apparatus from the metal magician.  I shall strive to finish what I started [much] sooner than later and rediscover my Cheshire (or perhaps defecate consuming?) grin which makes my commute oh so much more enjoyable.