So, I took the head off the car, and...

[Gumpus]

Bought an 88 shelby z the other day, story was that the head gasket blew, and the owner began trying to replace it but got intimidated so sold it instead. Well, I got the head off (bad head, good block apparently) and checked out the cylinder walls etc.

Pistons look nice, no carbon on any of them but there was a good bit built up in some of the chambers on the head. The crosshatch looks to be about 50 deg, and the walls are nice and unblemished. I felt for a ridge at the top of the piston's travel, and there was no ridge there to speak of.

So my question is, is it normal for these cars to have practically no wear on the block? (I am rather new to TDs, just started getting into em last summer) The body has 122k on it. I suspect that it may be a rebuilt block with the old head tossed back on it, and the person who did it screwed it up (deep scoring on the head surface right where the gasket blew, probably dragged it over the pins when reinstalling it - fortunately I had a rebuilt one on hand) Plz let me know some opinions on this, I know some of you guys have seen many dozens of these engines from the inside and would know!

Another thing I would like to know about is that the thing sat outside for a while before I got it *with the valve cover off!!!*, so the cam has some rust spots on it which are probably going to be pitting when it gets run and the rust gets crushed out. Think it is okay to reuse this cam in my rebuilt head? I am sorta poor, and would rather reuse the cam and lifters etc in my spare head than have to drop 300 on a new set, but if the lobes are gonna chew up the rollers I will have to I guess...

[mo' parts]

try polishing the cam w/some steel wool and check for pitting. if there is none i would say you could get by w it. the roller cams dont wear that much. mine has 90,000 on it(cam, lifters, rollers) sittin on a new short block. easily changed later. no real need for upgraded cams. also the 90,000 mile motor (before rebuild) still showed good cross hatch. hope it helps. kinda poor now after the rebuild!!!! good luck