JeffKeryk
Thread starter
The starter is heavy. Holding it up and attaching the 3 wires is OK if you are young.One thing I remember about the old GM vehicles is that back then there were no computer designed parts so the fit of the starter to the engine and flywheel was not an exact fit like now days that you can just buy a starter and put it on. With those old cars often you had to use shims to get the spacing of the starter with the flywheel gear teeth just right. It was common to install the starter a couple of times adjusting how many shims were used each time until you got it right, even if you did pull the inspection pan and try to match it up by sliding the bendix out so the drive gear was engaged with the flywheel gear while you looked at it to check clearance the first time you installed it. Real fun when you are working on your dads car while laying on a large piece of cardboard with snow under it in the winter.
Usually if you used the same number of shims with the new starter that were used with the old starter it worked good enough.
My Vette used to eat reman starters evey year. I ultimately put in a mini-starter from Summit Racing and never looked back. Yay!