MS wrote:

Lost count a long time ago, all SBF except a couple of Bowties thrown in for laughs.  I do remember that I did 13 SBF rebuilds and installed all 13 during the 1996-1998 two year period.  Plus a bunch more after that.
Anyways... you said it doesn't count if you did it for a living.  I think most of them were at least non-profits.  Does that count?  Seems like I decided to stop installing engines in about...oh...1998.  But still love to build them.
John Warley, are we still speaking now that yours is broken in on the bash trip?

Just saw this, of course we’re still speaking....have been bowed up with Peepaw duties but may have a break in activities soon. My “327” stroker ran great (this oughta stir up a few).
 

RV6 wrote:

Jwarley wrote:

MS wrote:

Lost count a long time ago, all SBF except a couple of Bowties thrown in for laughs.  I do remember that I did 13 SBF rebuilds and installed all 13 during the 1996-1998 two year period.  Plus a bunch more after that.
Anyways... you said it doesn't count if you did it for a living.  I think most of them were at least non-profits.  Does that count?  Seems like I decided to stop installing engines in about...oh...1998.  But still love to build them.
John Warley, are we still speaking now that yours is broken in on the bash trip?

Just saw this, of course we’re still speaking....have been bowed up with Peepaw duties but may have a break in activities soon. My “327” stroker ran great (this oughta stir up a few).
 

Talking with you about your 327 has me wanting to build one. I need to call Steve B for the specifics or should I call Steve W.?

Steve W. probably first then Steve B.
 

I think anything you built counts.  If we're gauging experience or variety anything you built counts.  If you built engines professionally you're going to have a lot of engine building experience to bring to the table.  Why wouldn't that count?

I mean, look at it this way: If a guy builds his own addition on his own house he built one addition.  I've never built an addition on my own house, no need, its already huge.  BUT, I'm a contractor by trade, so professionally I've built a dozen additions.  So how many did I build?  Zero or a dozen?  If you wanted to know how to build one who would be the better guy to talk to?

1987 Volvo 240 (4 cylinder)
1990 Volvo 240 (4 cylinder)
1994 Geo Metro (3 cylinder)
2005 Honda Civic (4cylinder)
1967 Mustang Coupe (302)

Ok, I am going to try to give this a shot.  I've rebuilt hundreds of lawn mower engines when I was a teenager, to adult, as my dad, ran a lawn mower repair business on the side.  That said, some that stick out to me that were for me, I had a 3 horse Briggs and Stratton on my go kart, that leaked oil all over the points.  My dad made me do it myself. I was 10 at the time. (4th grade).  That was my first rebuild, he totally supervised, but I was hooked and underneath his feet soaking any knowledge I could get.  After that:
I "restored" a pet antique Briggs and Stratton 6N horizontal that someone dropped off I took a fancy too that had a broken crankshaft above the flywheel.  I actually drilled the top of the crankshaft and threaded it and used a bolt to hold the flywheel in place.  I will never forget the shape of that engine with that one piece oil sump oil air cleaner bowl, copper line from gas tank to the carb, and the hand wind pull rope.  It was never used for anything ever again, I had it bolted to a piece of wood just to start it up every now and then. That engine was just sexy.   
A 3 horse horizontal Briggs and Stratton "Golden Boy" that was on my mini bike. 
A 5 horse Briggs and Stratton on a Roto Tiller, I resold.  
Someone mentioned Clinton engine.  Someone dropped off a lawn mower with a Clinton engine and a magniesum body that had a Montgomery Ward plate on it.  My dad said I could have it, so I completely rebuilt that Clinton.  It had an oil bath air cleaner, and I still remember that lil funny "L" shape the oil sump had.  
I finally started messing with Tecumseh engines after that, "I was afraid of the govenor assembly on those.  If they were misadjusted, those engines could rev up real fast."  
I also rebuilt a Briggs and Straton 3hp lawn mower engine, I painted Red, White and Blue.  The bottom red, the block white and the housing blue.  Just because I could.  I even remember using Walmart brand spray paint on it.  I think I am 14 now.. 
Ford 360.  Did the top half rebuild when I was 15.  First car engine for me.
Ford 390.  My dad, oldest brother and me.  66 Tbird.
Ford 170.  In my 1964 Ford Falcon.
Replaced that with a rebuilt Ford 200. (Found out the 65 block had a dual bolt pattern on that one, so it bolted to the Ford O Matic.)
Took the 170 head and put it on my father's 1967 Ford Falcon 200.  It made that thing a beast, as 6 cylinders go, we always figured it was the smaller combustion chamber.  
Chevy 350 in my friends Monte Carlo.  (learned about Northern Engines company)  
Chevy 400.  learned about siamese bores and double hump heads.
Ford 2.3 in my oldest brothers Pinto Wagon.
2.0 Olds Firenza.
Chevy 250 IN FRAME rebuild/rering in my dad's 1969 Chevy C10.  
2.2 Chrysler engine.
2.5 Chrysler engine. (just like 2.2 except longer rods and balance shafts)
1.6 Pontiac Lemans engine.
2.2 Mazda B 2000 engine
2.0 Dodge Neon engine.
3.0 Mitsubishi engine 
Ford 302
Ford 289.
2 360 Chrysler engines. (Jeep Grand Wagoneers)
Dodge 318 engine
Dodge 383 engine
Briggs 17.5 inteck engine
rebuilt/restored a Homelite Super 2 chainsaw
I know I am forgetting a bunch more.  
I used to be willing to tear into just about anything/everything I could get my hands on.
 

You are correct.  It also had a forged crank, a ford like distributor, ran on duraspark, and a variation of the 2150 autolite carb on it.  Modernized with an altitude compensator.  And way too many vacuum hoses and switches.

Greg B wrote:

You are correct. It also had a forged crank, a ford like distributor, ran on duraspark, and a variation of the 2150 autolite carb on it. Modernized with an altitude compensator. And way too many vacuum hoses and switches.

Yep, AMC always had a knack for just outsourcing stuff they couldn't build in house, and it made their vehicles very reliable as a result.  Edelbrock has EFI for the AMC V8s now.  That's what I'll be using along with their heads.  Originally wanted a 401 (top dog and all that), but for a CJ5 I think the 360 will give it plenty of go.  We had one years ago with a 304, and it would roast all 4 tires (well, really all 2 with the open diffs).  AMC had really good flowing heads for the day.  They were always in the shadow of the big three, but AMC was a really innovative company with a cool history. 

Greg B wrote:

Ok, I am going to try to give this a shot.  I've rebuilt hundreds of lawn mower engines when I was a teenager, to adult, as my dad, ran a lawn mower repair business on the side.  That said, some that stick out to me that were for me, I had a 3 horse Briggs and Stratton on my go kart, that leaked oil all over the points.  My dad made me do it myself. I was 10 at the time. (4th grade).  That was my first rebuild, he totally supervised, but I was hooked and underneath his feet soaking any knowledge I could get.  After that:
I "restored" a pet antique Briggs and Stratton 6N horizontal that someone dropped off I took a fancy too that had a broken crankshaft above the flywheel.  I actually drilled the top of the crankshaft and threaded it and used a bolt to hold the flywheel in place.  I will never forget the shape of that engine with that one piece oil sump oil air cleaner bowl, copper line from gas tank to the carb, and the hand wind pull rope.  It was never used for anything ever again, I had it bolted to a piece of wood just to start it up every now and then. That engine was just sexy.   
A 3 horse horizontal Briggs and Stratton "Golden Boy" that was on my mini bike. 
A 5 horse Briggs and Stratton on a Roto Tiller, I resold.  
Someone mentioned Clinton engine.  Someone dropped off a lawn mower with a Clinton engine and a magniesum body that had a Montgomery Ward plate on it.  My dad said I could have it, so I completely rebuilt that Clinton.  It had an oil bath air cleaner, and I still remember that lil funny "L" shape the oil sump had.  
I finally started messing with Tecumseh engines after that, "I was afraid of the govenor assembly on those.  If they were misadjusted, those engines could rev up real fast."  
I also rebuilt a Briggs and Straton 3hp lawn mower engine, I painted Red, White and Blue.  The bottom red, the block white and the housing blue.  Just because I could.  I even remember using Walmart brand spray paint on it.  I think I am 14 now.. 
Ford 360.  Did the top half rebuild when I was 15.  First car engine for me.
Ford 390.  My dad, oldest brother and me.  66 Tbird.
Ford 170.  In my 1964 Ford Falcon.
Replaced that with a rebuilt Ford 200. (Found out the 65 block had a dual bolt pattern on that one, so it bolted to the Ford O Matic.)
Took the 170 head and put it on my father's 1967 Ford Falcon 200.  It made that thing a beast, as 6 cylinders go, we always figured it was the smaller combustion chamber.  
Chevy 350 in my friends Monte Carlo.  (learned about Northern Engines company)  
Chevy 400.  learned about siamese bores and double hump heads.
Ford 2.3 in my oldest brothers Pinto Wagon.
2.0 Olds Firenza.
Chevy 250 IN FRAME rebuild/rering in my dad's 1969 Chevy C10.  
2.2 Chrysler engine.
2.5 Chrysler engine. (just like 2.2 except longer rods and balance shafts)
1.6 Pontiac Lemans engine.
2.2 Mazda B 2000 engine
2.0 Dodge Neon engine.
3.0 Mitsubishi engine 
Ford 302
Ford 289.
2 360 Chrysler engines. (Jeep Grand Wagoneers)
Dodge 318 engine
Dodge 383 engine
Briggs 17.5 inteck engine
rebuilt/restored a Homelite Super 2 chainsaw
I know I am forgetting a bunch more.  
I used to be willing to tear into just about anything/everything I could get my hands on.
 

 

Briggs are great.......Tecumseh.........very humbling (I hate them)
6sal6