Although we are still up to our fannies, wherever those may be, in snow in
the northeast, trees are being tapped and spring can at least be thought
about.
My bugeye (original engine, stage IV tune) could benefit from some
tweaking before summer comes, and I seek net advice.
1) I wish to get a new original style tonneau cover. I believe both Moss
and VB sell them. Has anyone bought one lately, and what was their
experience with quality and fit?
VB often worries me because the catalog is hard to believe. They list a
factory style (long) tonneau only for very early bugeyes before S/N 5477,
and just a short tonneau (which requires unacceptable drilling of the rear
deck) for later bugeyes. Can this really be correct? It's no use asking
the phone person, she won't know, and if they had decent tech people they
wouldn't make so many mistakes in the catalog.
2) My engine was completely rebuilt, but near the end the cost gave me
severe headaches so I reused the original rocker arm assembly
temporarily, even though the rocker arms were past their prime (wear on
push-rod mating surface). I have since lucked onto a full set of NOS
rocker arms, the pressed steel variety. I am ready to buy a new
shaft, springs, whatever I need, and change the stuff before I screw
up the pushrods and have to change them too.
I would like advice on what to buy and steps to build up a new assembly
and on how to replace the old assembly. Of course, I can reuse any
parts of the old assy that are not subject to wear, but it all looks
like it would wear.
Because the bolts (studs) that hold the assembly on also are head bolts
(right?), I guess I should retorque the head at the end of the job. Does
one undo all the nuts a few turns, then retorque them in the proper
sequence? While I am thinking of it, when one retorques the head without
removing anything, do you undo the nuts and retorque them, or just check
the torque by pulling on nuts that already are tight? Is the valve
clearance specified hot or cold, and if hot, what is the best way to
approximate the clearance while the engine is cold, so one is close when
it warms up?
I suspect some of this is in the manuals, but the manuals are in my
ex-house and I want to order parts without a trip to check the manuals.
Direct e-mail would save the list reading gory details of something they
don't plan to do, but use your judgment if you think everyone would
benefit.
Thanks, Ray
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