1970 SS El Camino – Wheel Selection, Engine Cleanup, Exhaust

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	Build sheet for my 1970 SS 396 El Camino. Yes, it is a true SS.  The only way to tell a true SS on the 1970 is from the build sheet. It must have the “ZL3 SS396 COVERS” option. This car has a sad story. At some point in the past an owner removed the 396  BB and installed a 400 SB. If you page through these pictures you will find that I am trying to fix that travesty.
	These where the wheels and tires on the car when I purchased the car. Really narrow front tires and big fat rear tires. I like the rears but the fronts have to go and I really hate the wheels. I have to have something more classic.
	Ok, now that is better. I had these on my 1984 Caprice. The tires are the same size all the way around the car. It still does not look right. I need some really fat tires on the rear. The ones on the Center Line rims are the right size for the rear.
	They do look good, but not right.
	I wish I could have found some chrome wheels in this style. I think they will look very nice when the beauty rings and center caps are put on. I hope so because I am taking a lot of heat for taking the Toque Thrust II wheels off.Final tire sizes were Front 225/70/15 Rear 275/60/15
	This is my youngest son (age 13 here) helping out. No tuners for him. Check out the 1969 Oldsmobile page. That is his car.
	Not bad.
	I like them. I guess that is good because I have to live with them. At lest for a while.
	Now time to clean up the engine. The NOS has to go! Look at all the wires, hoses, and such running everywhere.
	Ok, a step in the right direction. The NOS is gone.
	Whooo, these wires are bad. They fell apart in my hands.
	New wiring harness for under the hood from American Auto Wire.
	Some how I always seem to get in over my head. When I went to put the wire on the oil sending unit, the tab broke off. I could not get the oil sending unit out because the intake manifold was right up against it, so it had to come off. I wanted to paint it anyway.
	Ok, the intake is back on and painted. I have replumbed the fuel line so it runs under the alternator
	It took a few tries to get it right.
	Alternator is back in, fuel line is under it. Note that the positive wire that normally runs between the battery and alternator is not there. I ran it behind the battery, down along the transmission cooling line, next to the fuel line and up under the alternator. A lot of work just to clean up one wire!
	Now for the exhaust. I like my exhaust even when you look at it from the rear. This system doesn’t sound very good either.
	Here is my youngest son again cutting the old exhaust off. This is before he got the Oldsmobile. It turns out he is a real perfectionist about getting everything perfect. He is never satisfied with the end product.
	Old exhaust and new exhaust side by side.
	Now that is better! Nice and even. Sounds great too. A note here. This exhaust will come off again in the future and be reinstalled again. I always seem to have to do things more than once.