Off With Their Heads!

The factory AC unit needed to be removed.  It just takes up a lot of space in the engine bay and there are kits that fit under the dash now-a-days.  Here's where it used to be.

Just jutting in there and wasting space.

So I took some bolts/nuts off and then ripped it out.

Since it's not going back in there, I'm not sure what to do with it.  I'm just going to toss it unless someone wants it.  Lemme know if you or anyone you know would want such a thing.

Anyway, here's what's left

There's still the passenger side casing left, but I can't figure out how to remove it without taking body panels off.

Next I went to work on the engine.  I started taking off the intake manifold, but I couldn't get too far because the allen wrench I was using was too long to get on some of the bolts.  So I took it to NAPA and they sold me a smaller one that fit great.

Got the intake off without much drama.

Took off the rockers next, and then pulled out the lifters.  Some of them were way down in their seats.  Using my magnet-on-a-stick helped a bit.

Taking off the heads proved to be problematic.  The bolts were on there pretty tight, so I improvised.

Mechanical advantage!

Took the handle from the engine hoist and attached it to a wrench, Erick: 1, Bolts: 0.

With the heads off I got my first good look at the pistons and cylinders.  Oh, by the way, a bunch of water comes out when you undo the bottom bolts of the head, and a bunch more when you remove the head... plan accordingly.

Lots of carbon built up on the pistons.  And the heads.

Next, I'll take all the bits off the engine block.  For reference here's what it looks like as of now.

Driver's side.

Front.

Passenger's side.

Got the intake and heads off this weekend.  Mission: accomplished.