[hurryinhoosier62]

I need to see if his thrust bearing spacers will work with the ‘59-‘65 389 block.

[77 TRASHCAN]

I hope you can get in touch with him!!!

He is missed, here!!!

[b-man]

His normal username is still active.

Last visited January 2022

Last posted September 2015

I think contacting him through the PY forums won’t bear any fruit.

[Gach]

He’s on Facebook goes by Bill Bailey. He sold his shop pretty sure he’s out of business may still have leftovers.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Gach

He’s on Facebook goes by Bill Bailey. He sold his shop pretty sure he’s out of business may still have leftovers.

Ken closed the shop just after Karen passed away. The last time I talked to him, he still had a few sets of spacers available, but that has been quite awhile ago. My questions are more of a technical nature, since I own a ‘59 389 and a ‘64 389.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by b-man

His normal username is still active.

Last visited January 2022

Last posted September 2015

I think contacting him through the PY forums won’t bear any fruit.

Maybe so, Bart, but it’s worth a try. Either that or I ship off an ArmaSteel 428 crank to Mile High Crank for modification.

[Gach]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

Ken closed the shop just after Karen passed away. The last time I talked to him, he still had a few sets of spacers available, but that has been quite awhile ago. My questions are more of a technical nature, since I own a ‘59 389 and a ‘64 389.

I had both his numbers cell and shop, after he close shop, but his cell number no longer works, I’ll try and contact him on Facebook see if I can get his number Although just heads up, I’ve asked for it a couple of times with no response.

[steve25]

The main bearings are all the same with the 3” main motors, from the first 389 to the last 400 of 79 other then in regards to being of the half groove, 3/4 groove or full groove.

[Half-Inch Stud]

His daughter is on Facebook. Have not seen Ken post using his name profile in a couple years (30 day banned a few times huh), daughter posted maybe a month ago.

[Jay S]

I sent you a PM. I have done a few with the shims, did them myself. I have never talked to P Dude before though.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by steve25

The main bearings are all the same with the 3” main motors, from the first 389 to the last 400 of 79 other then in regards to being of the half groove, 3/4 groove or full groove.

Not according to Maher/Clevite. The ‘59 and ‘64-‘65 use a different main bearing set ( per Butler Performance). As to what the difference is I’m not sure, but in the case of the ‘59 block I can understand since the ‘59-‘60 main caps are thicker than the later 389/400 main caps.

[61-63]

FYI I bought a set of those spacers from him some years ago (15 or 20?) and all they are are shim stock cut out with tin snips. Anyone could make them and they need not be pretty because once installed they have no where to go.

[Jay S]

I have a shimmed Olds thrust bearing waiting to be assembled for an engine out in the shop. If I get a chance I will check and see if the shimmed thrust fit’s in the 1960 block I have, would be the same as a 59. I am curious what it was different on the mains on those older engines that takes a different part number.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Jay S

I have a shimmed Olds thrust bearing waiting to be assembled for an engine out in the shop. If I get a chance I will check and see if the shimmed thrust fit’s in the 1960 block I have, would be the same as a 59. I am curious what it was different on the mains on those older engines that takes a different part number.

Jay, I’m calling Clevite in the morning. The ‘59 and ‘60 blocks having wider main caps would make sense for having a different main bearing set, but why would the ‘64-‘65 blocks be different than the rest of the ‘64 and up 3” main blocks? I took a look at the Clevite performance bearing catalog. The 5.7 Olds diesel thrust bearing looks promising. I think the 6.2/6.5 GMC diesel might just work as well, since it is nothing more than a stroked 5.7 Olds diesel block with revised heads and crankshaft.

[Jay S]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

Jay, I’m calling Clevite in the morning. The ‘59 and ‘60 blocks having wider main caps would make sense for having a different main bearing set, but why would the ‘64-‘65 blocks be different than the rest of the ‘64 and up 3” main blocks? I took a look at the Clevite performance bearing catalog. The 5.7 Olds diesel thrust bearing looks promising. I think the 6.2/6.5 GMC diesel might just work as well, since it is nothing more than a stroked 5.7 Olds diesel block with revised heads and crankshaft.

I looked it up and noticed those different main bearings for the early 389s. The 59 was listed with the 64-65. But said nothing about the 60-63 engines? I thought the 59 and 60 would be the same, appears they are different?

[wakesupremo]

I had Kens email address but not sure if hes still using it. He was going to visit UK a coupe of years ago and was going to stop at mine for a few days. He , all of a sudden, stopped messaging and i haven;t heard from him since

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Jay S

I looked it up and noticed those different main bearings for the early 389s. The 59 was listed with the 64-65. But said nothing about the 60-63 engines? I thought the 59 and 60 would be the same, appears they are different?

Makes no sense, does it? I know PMD reduced the amount of iron used in 389 blocks after the 1960 model year, but it’s odd that the ‘59 and ‘60 blocks wouldn’t be the same. Talked to the guy who grinds my cranks this morning. He doesn’t think it will be that difficult to modify this 428 crank to fit my ‘64 block unless the thrust flanges on the crank are too wide already. I’ll find out once it has been shot blasted and measured.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Think Ken went off grid to a Pacific island.