Mufflers are ready to go on, but the hangars I got from Rock Auto are a problem. In the picture above the bottom hanger fits fine. The top hanger is supposed to be a replacement for the lower one. When I tried to use it I had to grind off some of the lower tang to get it into the rubber frame mount. Even with that it didn’t leave enough room between the frame mount and the hanger to fit on the muffler clamp!
In the end I attempted to make a copy of the good hanger (lower is the one that fits and the top is the one I fashioned). Not a perfect replica. It’s hard to make the bends using sockets for the curve and a small bench vice. I’ll paint them and they’ll be ready for the final muffler install.
While I’m waiting for my engine lift plate I decided to install the fuel pump on the 305 and run a new fuel line. When I tried to mount the water pump for a 350 I found out the hard way it wasn’t going to go on – bummer! The water pump sits out further from the engine on a 305 which allows a view straight down on to the harmonic dampner to set the timing. I really need the 350 fuel pump so that the 350 brackets for the alternator, PS pump and AC compressor will all fit correctly.
The only thing stopping the 350 water pump from fitting was a curl of metal on the timing tab so I cut it off. That causes a problem with setting the timing as I can no longer see down behind the water pump to check the timing marks.
Water pump and fuel pump installed. I’m hoping I can install the engine with the fuel pump in place. It’s a pain to install with the engine in the car and also I want to shape a new fuel line to the carb and that is definitely easier out in the open.
I set the old timing mark on TDC and then drew a new line using the TDC mark on the side timing tab.
I blacked out the old timing mark so I wouldn’t get mixed up when setting the timing. The new mark at TDC on the new tab is clear. I may redraw the line with a better marker so I have a thinner neater line.