It has a 383 (matching numbers)727,power front disk brakes, power steering, Factory Air, and Power windows. I am told that it was on the production line to become a SuperBird.
By all means, post a pic when you get ready to take her out on the road.
Find the specs.
Doesn't it have a gauge or a light for oil pressure?
The 383 has an external oil pump on the side of the block.
They do fail sometimes. (shaft drive for it can fail too.)
They can be changed easily.
They are also known for wearing out rocker arms causing excessive clatter and breakage because they do have a tendency to starve for oil on the valve train if things are not completely kosher.
Another thing.... Can you tell the difference between an exhaust manifold
leak and Valve train clatter? they can sound somewhat the same.
Serious, you have to be careful what you do here.
If you get oil pressure cranking with a gauge on it then pull the valve covers if you want to see what is really happening.
Any more advice is $95 per hour because this is what I do for a living.
Take it to a shop before you get in over your head.
Your scaring me.
A “rebuilt engine” can mean anything or nothing when it comes from the mouth of a seller.
I don't quite understand what you're saying here, but I don't believe that there were any 383 Superbirds, so that's kind of odd.
As to your original question, I also wonder, (like quite a few posters here), why you have concern that your valve train is not oiling properly. Most of the advice given here is good, FReeper motorheads are purdy smart. I'll add my two cents FWIW...
You probably won't be able to see much through the various holes in the valve covers, but you should at least be able to see if you have stamped steel rocker arms or cast units, (possibly even something more exotic). If the rockers are the stock stamped units, they are non-adjustable for valve lash and that means you have hydraulic lifters. If this is the case and they were not getting oil, it would indeed be noisy. If not noisy, that would only mean that the lifter galleys are pressurized and is not a guarantee as to whether the heads are oiling properly.
BTW, it's possible to have adjustable rockers and still have a hydraulic cam, but that's somewhat unusual.
I had one thought that hasn't been mentioned yet. It would require pulling the valve covers off but you wouldn't have to run the engine. Get an oil pump priming tool, (you can buy 'em, I built mine, nothing to it, hex stock, I forget the size), and a reversible drill, (counter-clockwise is the direction). Pull the distributor, making note of the rotor position. Pull the cam gear, again making note of the position. Insert tool, spin it and pump oil as long as you want, probably want to do this when/where it's warm. Take pains to not bugger up the distributor bushing in the block, although it may need one anyway if the rebuilder didn't replace it, (it's easy).
I took great interest in this thread as I am currently giving my older brother's '70 Roadrunner a pro street treatment. He bought this car new when he was 16, a 383, 4-speed car. Put a 528 Hemi aluminum head motor in it, talked him into putting an 8-stack Hilborn setup on it. Tube front end, tubbed with a 4-link, the works. Grew up with that car, love that car! Might even get it done someday.
Hope this helps, good luck! We'll need to trade some pictures.
...ping to uglybiker, anotha FReepa Roadrunna lova...