I agree with my guides, you guys are completely correct. I opened up a suggestion for those at home who may be assembling their own motor and with no micrometers. I have co-owned and managed a machine shop in the past, building everything from little gas motors up to huge diesels. The bulk of our business was dirt track engines, primarily, of course, small block Chevy's and aftermarket race blocks engineered on the same platform. My head machinist showed me this trick and it's not too bad of a deal. After parting ways with my brother in the shop, it eventually went back to the bank as he had borrowed all equity available in order to finance his real estate company.....2008. I felt obligated then to help at least two of my workers get jobs at the other 2 shops in Duluth. One of these shops bored an LT1 for me and I went to assemble it. He had been provided with at least one new piston in order to final hone to my specifications based on the motor's future application.......street rod developing 450 horsepower. More later....gotta go. Okay......so I get the block and expect to fit the pistons and they are too tight. I told the shop that I wanted .004 clearance. I grab my 0 to 1" Starrett and a piece of paper from my printer. Result...... .004". Cut a strip and set strip along piston skirt 90 degrees from pin, folding it over piston top and bottom of skirt. NO WAY will piston even begin to go in any of the bores. Temp was about 60 degrees of all the parts. THEN I take out my 4 to 5" Starrett......find fattest part of piston. Then inside mic....check bore size....WTF? I WAS SO MAD! LESS THAN .0025.....yes......paper can raise a red flag when aforementioned proceedures are followed. I got the block back.....assembled the motor and it's still spinning heads, as well as wheels in that 40 Ford......5 years later.
