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Another loose end tied up. The rear emblem was sanded and polished then fitted to the bumpers. They're a touch off of OEM but not bad at all.
Lessons learned from this project have been great. One of the biggest debates internally is the lettering on the emblem. It's a mixed bag. For me, the lettering is imperfectly awesome and looks amazing when you stand back a bit. MOST everyone is about 2-3' away from a car even when checking them out. Also, this is a hand crafted object on the FIRST iteration. It's not an excuse to be slopy on a project, but a realization that growth happens every time you sharpen a skill. That's the nature of how learning works, nerds. While I was push mowing my lawn last night (Yeah, I do that) I was considering different methods of making the lettering crisp. Someone on Reddit suggested cutting vinyl. Someone else suggested painting. Both of those methods would still be difficult because of how the emblem is embossed. Where I landed, whilst mowing, was 3D scanning the mold and then printing lettering separate that would have the exact same surface contour of the lettering but slightly smaller. This would allow me to paint, foil, or vinyl lettering any way I want. This will be a great starter project after I pick up a scanner and printer in January. Ultimately, getting the scanner and printer was my next thing I wanted to do anyway. Now I have a use case. Anyway... These emblems turned out great for the first set. Appreciate the people that have followed on IG and reached out to me and left comments. That's very encouraging when there's a wall of work for completion that must be knocked down. I'd give them a 7/10 for a quality score. I'm picky. Just because I make something doesn't change standards. https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...2GI&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...nw&height=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...KC4&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...lZc&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...5yQ&width=1024 |
Trying to figure out placement for my power steering pump and I believe the perfect spot is where my rear sump pan use to be. The pump will be in perfect proximity of the rack. I have a remote reservoir that I can mount somewhere on the passenger side
Heads came back from the machine shop. I'm part owner of a hydraulic press at Auto Dynamix so I'm going to crimp all the lines... everywhere. I'm going to weld the metal bracket to an L piece of metal and then bolt that to the k-member. Access should be simple with the car on a hoist. Heads came back from the machine shop so I started assembly. It wasn't bad because I've been down the road a few times. However, it was brought to my attention that gasket isn't 7 layer MLS. The gasket went on WAY too easy and didn't seem right... well, that's why. No worries! I talked to Paul with BTR and he is overnighting me the correct 7 layer gasket. Minor setback but it's better to find the error with the engine already out vs before pushing coolant under 25lbs+ boost (which is quite normal for small displacement engine like mine). Good news here: The cylinder heads are on the block so I don't have to worry about the cylinders being exposed under a plastic bag. It bothered me. One cool thing that I found that Baker Engineering did for my block was they stamped the assembly date into the short block. With all that said... I'm going to continue to work on my car in-between work and class. The level of effort will be pretty low and I'll be able to walk away from the project easily. Small progress chunks only. https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...6g&height=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...G10&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...RqY&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...8u0&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...AU&height=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...j8E&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...CA&height=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...0wg&width=1024 |
BTR sent me version 2 shaft rocker arms because the tooling steel on the v1 tends to break where the circlip groves are. v2 does not have any machining on the shaft and uses washers. BTR also sent me the v2 rocker arms that has improved oil control. I have a good rep that I deal with there and he took care of me. Paul from BTR ALSO next day shipped LS9 small bore gaskets which have 7 layers of steel. 7 layer mls greatly helps with not pushing coolant (that and head studs). I'd likely be ok with the regular gasket... but there's no reason not to use the 7 layer now.
When putting the new shaft rockers on I was having a hard time getting the rocker arms to seat correctly. Turns out that the heads needed to be chased out where the bolts went in. Easy fix and all of the push rod lengths are dead nuts on. Infact, I had a touch more slop in last time. Last thing I put on was the LOJ oil pan and Motion Raceworks valve covers. Man, that's a nice unit. The capacity is huge and it works perfectly in my build. LOJ put in oil traps so that oil starvation doesn't happen. Another nice thing is the oil dipstick being right up front on the passenger side. The Motion Raceworks valve covers get the chef's kiss. They are designed to prevent oil from reaching the catch can, which is obviously ideal. Check out the video if you get a moment. Next steps will be getting the accessories on and possible mounting the PS pump. I'm trying to bite off smaller tasks in-between classes and work. Having the car in the garage helped out a TON. Edit - I tried scrubbing the rest of the swamp scum off the block and it is embedded into the paint. I guess swamp particle will enjoy the ride on my refreshed block. https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...TQ&height=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...tQs&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...eRU&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...MM&height=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...GS0&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...8o&height=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...J14&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...f8E&width=1024 |
Found a little time to get more of the engine together over the weekend and worked on low hanging fruit. The motion raceworks billet valve covers came with IGN1-A coil mounts. My AMP EFI coil packs have heat sinks which interfered with the bracket. I had to grind off a bit of material to make them work. I guess why I'm showing this is because even though you purchase a solution it could still require modification. This has been my experience for nearly everything. I'm not upset about it at all, just pointing out the reality. Clearance was easily made with a finger sander (awesome tool! highly recommended)
The water pump was polished with a small Chinese orange drill pad and m105 because there were swamp water spots that didn't exactly wipe off. The block also has embedded block that doesn't want to scrub off either. The swamp is part of the character of the build on the block as far as I'm concerned. It is what it is. Starter and engine mounts were also put on. I'm thanking my past self because I bagged all the bolts with labels, which made my life easy. Even the engine mounts were labeled with direction (because if you remember I put those on backwards before and attempted to drop the engine in the car (which didn't work). The scavenger had interference issues with the oil pan and dipstick. The bandsaw came in handy for this one because I was able to trim the heat sink for the oil pump. Bottom mounting tabs were cut off and I had to notch where the dipstick interfered. After the scavenger was finished mounted you can easily see that the pump lined up absolutely perfect for the timing cover turbo drain. That was a concern of mine. Previously the drain went into the pain. The timing cover drain is a WAY better solution for my need and is clean. Valley pan, lower plenum, and upper plenum were put on to ensure nothing goes down the cylinders. I'd rather not take the heads off again. I've got to say... it looks WAY better than the twin intake. I'm very happy with all the components and changes that have been made along the way. Functionally nailing down all the stuff I didn't like previously. Aesthetically it is looking really pleasing to look at. OH, last thought. The first picture you will see proper plenum studs! The old heads got donated to the shop because the old heads were slightly off on those holes due to them getting stripped out a long while back. Putting the lower plenum on was SO MUCH EASIER THAN THE Holley plenum. I feel much better about the engine getting stored over winter if I can't get back to the engine build due to college commitments. https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...Xzs&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...AE&height=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...1CY&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...73M&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...1B0&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...8Rk&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...byo&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...4BA&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...L-U&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...YS4&width=1024 https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resi...cVQ&width=1024 |
I'm back! Mostly finished my degree and it was a PITA. Probably one of the harder things I've done due to the time constraints. I'm still grinding out an Internship and a required Biology class to officially graduate, but the core degree has been completed.
A review of the car was needed so I could get my bearings on where I left off and a few things jumped out at me. 1.) The rear Sikky inserts need to come out. This is because I cut a big azz hole in my trunk for the quick change. There's no reason for the spacers now. 2.) I'm embarrassed the rear alignment is so far out of whack. That needs to be somewhat in the ball park before it's dropped off. 3.) Rear shock adjustment needs to come down, a lot. 4.) Accessory drive needs to go on the engine. I had a 400amp alt if you recall... but... My buddies Dave and Nick burned their alt up one day before Drag Week so I gave them my new one. SO... I took this chance to do what I normally do, and paid the difference for an aluminum case fancy faced alt (pictures later this week). The first grenade I jumped on was getting dimensions for the electric MR2 steering pump. Doing this took a bit longer than anticipated. Like... way too long. Cardboard Aided Design, Tape, and caveman measurements were used to obtain a really nice fitting piece. I'll need to transfer the cardboard over to exact measurements to replicate the bracket. I'm going to use SendCutSend to make a custom mount from all the dimensions I give them. I don't technically need the MA motorsports mount because I'll have mounting tabs made right into the part. Getting the suspension and shock adjustments in the ball park was exhausting. The settings were just getting it eyeballed correct. The rear of the car had to be jacked up and down no less than 20 times. This was only done on one side of the car because I'll transfer all the settings to the other side after. Unfortunately the rear tires are a bit too much on the meaty side. I'll need to either clearance or get a slightly smaller tire. At this point, I'm thinking a 305/40r18 is needed and I'll take off the 305/45r18. (see link) In recent updates... I found a buyer for my Shearer Fab A2W plenum so I will move forward with move forward with the Tick Performance A2W. This will allow fewer cuts on my Varis hood (I REALLY like that hood). https://www.jegs.com/i/Mickey-Thomps.../3482/10002/-1 https://www.tickperformance.com/tick...y-ram-intakes/ https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdk...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdl...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdi...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdj...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdn...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdg...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdo...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdm...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvl2...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvl4...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvl6...d=1&width=1024 |
Build is looking sick!
Congrats on the educational achievement! |
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I've been letting the suspension settle out the last couple days to see where everything landed, and she's low. I need to bring it up a touch. The more I look at everything the more I see there are two options.
1. Roll and cut some metal. 2. Purchase rear over fenders from the Kamikaze-Z Aero over fenders (see link of Jason Gale's beautiful car). I can run 325/45r18 then. I don't mind having excessive tire. https://nextlevelperf.com/product/va...n-370z/#view-5 I'm actually leaning towards the over fender and side skirts because those would only be the pieces needed. I currently have Varis Arising side skirts... so I'd have to sell those because they don't mate up with the rear over fenders. Lance with Next Level Performance is getting me a quote... hopefully it isn't too painful. The over fenders would be nice because I have a small dent from my accident last year on the wheel well. The front of the car would still be the Weber Sport (see link for reference) and the fenders are the +10mm Seibon (see link). https://nextlevelperf.com/product/we...ssan-370z-z34/ https://seiboncarbon.com/carbon-fibe...0mm-wider.html I should paint the picture of what I'm visualizing how this will all come together. The front of the Weber sport is going to be functional for my needs. The center section is going to have a carbon/kevlar air duct for my V-mount radiator. The inlet will have a section that leads to the radiator, similar to how it was before... but refined. The back side of the radiator will vent air out the center section of my Varis hood (see link). I may not run an airbox on the backside initially. Carbon is a lot of work. https://nextlevelperf.com/product/va...d-nissan-370z/ I also would like to change my plenum one more time to the Tick Performance A2W. I found a buyer for my Shearer Fab A2W. This will allow me NOT to cut the core of the hood where it's reinforced. However, it's not a deal breaker if the Shearer Fab buyer falls through. I will find out if he really will purchase in December. https://www.tickperformance.com/tick...y-ram-intakes/ Moving back up to the front of the Weber Sport bumper. The turbos will remain in their location and have ducting to the turbo inlets AND accommodate filters. Cool air and the turbos are away from the engine is nice. The Seibon fenders will be cut where the existing vent is. I'm going to make a large fender extractor to duct the air out. This will likely happen after MANY of the other components are done. A way later project... because it will never be "done"...It MUST be functional next year. I don't think I can go another year of a non functional car eating my wallet to death. Next year problems I guess. Hopefully that vision makes sense. Switching gears.... An attempt was made to mount the mid mount 400amp alt. That was a complete fugging bust. I spoke with the machine shop that created the mid mount design and he is working on getting me something that will fit. If the design was flipped to the other side it would work fine. He mentioned that he had been working on something last year and would look at it this coming weekend. I assured him I would purchase if he has something that works. One thing that is a REAL PITA is getting accessories working with an electric pump. My low mount solution previously was very difficult for maintenance. The tensioner worked... but I had no confidence it wouldn't send a belt to the moon at 8,500-9000rpm. The 400amp alt is needed because everything I have on the car runs off of electric. Specifically the power steering pump and electric AC will be the mother load of draw. You might ask yourself... why AC on a race car? well... simple. The car get HOT AF with the engine and transmission. Performance makes a sh1t ton of radiant heat. Here's the type of AC I'm going to run: I know this is a lot of text. It actually helps me out writing this stuff down too. Also, I've been at this blog like post pretty faithfully for years now. Doesn't seem right to with hold information at this point. I've had people contact me saying that my write-ups have helped. So that keeps me going doing this. It's also a good write up on why I'm never building a car like this again. :inoutroflpuke: I'll just build this car only. https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5II...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5IH...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5IJ...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5IB...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5IA...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5IC...=1&height=1024 |
The k-member was cut for my rear sump previously and the oil pan has been changed to a front sump so I have some extra room. A template was made so that I can take advantage of this extra space with my power steering pump. Lines will be very short to the steering rack and I can mount the reservoir next to my swirl pot. The plate steel was mounted by drilling holes through the k-member into the plate steel. I would have finished the center section of the mount... but my drill sh1t the bed on me. I'll probably knock the rest of it out over this weekend.
The mount was going to be plasma cut, but the k-member was cut with a sawzaw and didn't require precision. Good enough was just fine for this. Although... I transferred the template to a thin piece of cardboard and tested twice before I cut the metal. Mounting screws will be nipped down to size just past the nut. Also, the MA Motorsports mount will be welded to the cut out area in the plate and Ill likely put a skid plate on because it will hang a bit below the k-member. https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdl...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdi...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdn...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ugvdj...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5Ji...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5J9...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ND...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5NG...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5Nj...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5Nl...d=1&width=1024 |
This deserves its own post because accessories have plagued me from the start of this build.... plenty of documentation on that here. The F-body spacing works absolutely perfect. There's a large air gap between the passenger side exhaust manifold. OEM casting on the passenger side was casted so that it sits slightly lower than driver's side. I'll post a head on image of the forward facing manifolds so you can see how it sits. It's a fantastic feeling when things work the way you want them to!
Additional information, This Mechman has a large frame which made it so I couldn't low mount on the driver's side. Low mount space on the passenger side is being used for my scavenger pump that dumps into a port into the timing cover... That's not ideal to change but not impossible. The BEST location was specifically in the passenger mid mount area. A reminder why I need such a wild alternator is because I'm running electric everything: Water pump, power steering, radiator fan, transmission cooler fan, two water pumps, and all the other typical car electronics. However, that wouldn't call for such a powerful alt. The future goal is to run electric AC in the car. Ok so why electric AC? The idea is to keep the accessory drive as simple as possible and to keep the engine bay clean. The electric AC can also move to the trunk for better weight distribution. AC is a future problem/expense Ill deal with later. It's important to have the foundation so I can build that AC component out down the road. One cool thing that I did on the ICT bracket was cutting an aluminum tube down perfectly so that I could use the Motion Raceworks freeze plug billet stop. Blue dye was transferred to the aluminum tube, then I took a measurement of the Motion Raceworks plug with digital calipers, then I used the caliper to scribe the aluminum support tube, and then cut the tube with my bandsaw carefully (slowly). https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-UguVI...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5U1...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5U5...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5U3...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5U7...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5U0...d=1&width=1024 |
Took a measurement and put a belt on. Someone suggested that I put an idler pully on so that I don't throw belts. I had just the idler pully on my low mount alt setup so I just took that and applied the idler to my new setup. Quite happy with the belt system now.
Finished cutting the plate steel for the power steering mount. Now you should be able to see how the MA Motorsports cage will sit in the plate steel. Next step is to get the engine and transmission in the car so I can see how close the mount can get to the pan. Ideally the PS pump will be higher than the K-member... https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5Vs...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5Vp...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5Vo...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5Vq...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5Vm...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5Vk...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5Vl...d=1&width=1024 |
Continues to be straight bonkers. Love it!
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To state the obvious... I loaded the engine and transmission into the chassis.
There's a few more things happening that are not as obvious at first glance, but have been mentioned leading up to this point such as fitment. A few notable items are the valve covers being more shallow so I can change the plugs, passenger mid mount alt (single accessory item) for weight distribution to passenger and ease of maintenance, black steel-it engine bay easily repainted due to scratches (touched up after putting in engine), air to water plenum removed weight off the nose of car, Motion Raceworks cold side charge tubes are independent and easily removable for maintenance (aluminum charge tubes will be added when the cage goes in). There's more things, but you get the idea... There's A LOT that goes into packaging because everything gets in the way of other stuff that was completed. I'm not out of the woods yet. The remote power steering reservoir and PS pump must be mounted yet. Both of the ideal mount locations still seem viable, specifically the under engine mount (see picture under car). Getting the power plant loaded was quite the task because I did it myself. The lift cart was the thing that made it possible. The cart put the transmission at the same height as the dangling engine. I've got to say... dangling thousands of dollars off the ground was a bit unsettling now that I look back at it... but hey, how else will it get in there? Bottom line... this was a big deal getting the engine in the car because it's about to get REALLY cold. I don't want the engine and transmission hanging out not in the car. The engine stand that I was using had a really bad gangster lean. Last thoughts.... 4L80e is F'n heavy... Transmission is in and I can now re-measure the drive shaft and change the u-joint so that I can mate it to the Winters Quick Change. Lemme know if you have any thoughts or questions. Thanks for reading! or maybe just picture viewing? https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZR...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZN...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZT...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZS...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZQ...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZO...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZL...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZV...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZW...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZP...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZU...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ZM...d=1&width=1024 |
It's been a month since I last posted, because I've been insane-o busy completing my degree. I am completely done! It was a complete pain in the a$$ so I'm happy to turn the page on that to focus on other items now... Including my hobbies.
Over the month I did manage to take a few breaks to wrench on my car to get away from work/school grind. It turns out that my ICT mid mount didn't work. The accessory was switched to truck spacing from Fbody so that the full sized alt doesn't hit the valve cover. This change has had cascading impact which required me to change the water pump to a 417 Motorsports manifold (again) and the ATI damper length needs to extend. Both of those parts have been purchased. The mid mount electric power steering fits perfect after I fabricobbled the mount. Dave Diehl with Auto Dynamix TIG welded. Pictures tell the story. Something notable, rubber nipples (lol) were put over the k member bolts so they act as a rubber isolator . https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5ky...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wd...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5we...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wc...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wa...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wX...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wW...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wV...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wU...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wS...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wR...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wH...=1&height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wG...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wN...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wK...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wJ...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wO...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wI...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5wF...d=1&width=1024 |
Car is looking great!:tup:Congratulations on getting your degree!!!!:happydance:
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Put the final touches on the power steering mount with steel-it. Added some blue loctite on the bolts to the PS pump and then added red loctite to the bolts under the car, don't want to drop the PS due to vibrations. Didn't get any pictures under the car while doing the final install.... OH, one cool thing that I added was nylon spacers that slipped over the bolt. I wanted a bot more surface area w/ vibration dampening. The small details add up!
Steam vents and return line need to be setup differently because the lower plenum's belly sits really close to the valley pan. After installing the plenum, I noticed that the plenum was missing a plug on the bottom of the lower plenum.... Might need to take the plenum back off. oh well. About 90% of the wiring is in the right place now and plugged in. I'm going to run the MS3 wiring and ECU until 2026. All the wiring will get re-done into bulk head milspec connectors, ECU changed to Fuel Tech, and all the OEM wiring ripped out for a solid state PDM. This will remove all the gangle of the dangle with wires. BUT!!! I'm not going to let perfection get in the way of good enough right now. I don't like half measures, but the MS3 wiring harness is really damn good. I'll take off the plenum and get the plug in, fuel rails, and injectors in over the next couple days. The return line will need a different route so ill need to check in to some Earls fittings. The steam vent lines will dump into the 417 motorsports manifold, I'll show you that later. https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug50E...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug50F...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug50D...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug50B...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5x_...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug50A...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug50C...d=1&width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/s!AmJqzAdoXC-Ug5x-...d=1&width=1024 |
This is some craziness!
Congrats on finishing your degree! |
It has been wild the last couple weeks. I've been helping Nick and Dave, limitedly, get ready for Sick Week 2025 in-between working on my own car. The shop car, Last Penny, has had pretty much everything you can do to it done in literally 1 month: fabrication, paint, body, engine, wiring... They have a YT channel under DiehlBrothersRacing if you want to check the whole thing out.
https://www.youtube.com/@Diehl_brothers_racing Now back to my slow azz build... A deal fell through on getting the Tick Performance upper intake so I'm going to stick with the Shearer Fab plenum and cut my hood. That's fine because I really like the Shearer Fab and it's a known quantity at this point, meaning I know what items need to change. That being said, all the injectors were loaded into the plenum. Sometime last year all the injectors were sent out for cleaning and flow testing. Didn't really make sense not to have them gone through. The specific injectors being used are Bosch 210lb injectors, that's something like 2200cc. All the threads were chased on the fuel rail because they got slightly messed up ******* around with the twin intake due to the lack of room. Easy fix. The rear steam vents on a 243 LS heads are blocked off by factory compared to the 799 heads I had on previously (same casting, different number). The ports were drilled out but the bit managed to get the side of the surface so I used epoxy putty to get the surface right. When I put the steam vent into the hole it had a perfect tight fit. The local hardware store had a door hinge which was the perfect size of the hole which allowed me to pack the putty in. I bought an assortment of fittings that will work with my steam vent and 417 Motorsports water manifold. More to come on that next post. However, thought needs to be given well in advance for all the lines or else I will be in a bind. After the plenum went back on I noticed that the return line no longer fits under the lower plenum. A tight 90 was used for that, which isn't ideal for flow... but it's the packaging I have to deal with. I feel it's safe to say the accessories on the car are perfect now. ATI sent me a truck spacing hub that allowed me to swap out F body (Camaro) balancer spacing. Truck spacing allows for the full sized alt to sit up top with out hitting the valve covers, showed that in my previous post. Out with the old hub and in with the new. That's not to say bumpers were along the way. The flywheel needed to be locked into place, a thick wall impact socket required to blast off the balancer bolt, hub removal wedged the tool into the crank so a slide hammer was needed to get it out. BUT.... End result was worth it. The accessory drive now consists of a single BAD AZZ 400amp alt that has had the mathematics worked out so it can spin 9,000rpm. The pulley on the alt is larger so that it doesn't exceed 18,000rpm. The tensioner from Dirty Dingo is oversized for maximum pressure on the belt. Best of all.... there's no power steering pump in sight. The vision is taking shape! Last thought... I added lights to the garage so I can see the front of the car easier. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...d-Y?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...dU4?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...K38?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...x_s?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...23c?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...bJc?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...oU?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...xfo?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...9Mc?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...b3Q?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...A7Q?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...wIw?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62..._d8?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...HI?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...sck?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...drw?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...4k?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...gQ?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...VLQ?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...lA?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...vI?height=1024 |
Chipping away at this mountain on the weekends and weeknights as time permits, and if it's not ridiculously cold in the garage. 20deg, propane heat, and cold weather gear isn't the most fun to work on. We get 2-3 weeks of perfect weather in MI so... pick your poison.
Tossed on the 417 water manifold and then played with some positioning for the water pump. I'm going to hard mount it right off the water manifold and let it eat. I have some ideas for the swirlpot, expansion, and over flow but I needed to get the radiator mounted. Prior to mounting the radiator I need the sway bar on. "Need" is a strong word. More like it makes life easier when rolling around on cold life sucking cement. While working on the car I like to look over and double check everything. I noticed that my driver's side wheel doesn't spin freely. The rotor minds right where the top hat has witness marks from breaking the 2-piece rotor off previously. Either the rotor is warped or the top hat is bent. My money is on top hat bent. A call was made to Z1 on replacing just the top hat but they essentially told me to eat a D because they don't sell them separately. FINE... I'm honestly sick of Z1 how they farm absolutely everything out to China. With that same thought in mind, I messaged SPL to change out my end links so that I can exclusively run their parts. I told them about my wreck and told them I ran SPL end links previously. They ended up giving me a good guy deal as long as they could get the tea about the wreck and hang the pictures on their customer's hall of wrecks. Deal. Side by side you can tell the engineering and materials are significantly better than Z1's end links. This isn't a gaff at Z1 for either the rotors or the end links. The price point is higher for SPL so in this case you get what you pay for. I don't know if I ever said this out right, but it's important that I support small business that produces American made parts when ever possible. A great example is the 417 Motorsports water manifold. Summit has a knock off Chinese manifold that would do the same thing. Bonus points if products are made in Michigan (local to me). Here we are: https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...zUk?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...yRg?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...MX4?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...fv8?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...FHQ?width=1024 |
I love seeing this project progressing! Good work, can't wait to see it on the road!
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Temps have started to thaw, and spring is just around the corner. I'm committed to getting my car up and running over the next few months, so I've created a detailed list to help me stay on track. The tasks vary in difficulty, which conveniently matches my fluctuating schedule. My priority is to get the car mechanically sound before diving deeply into perfecting the finer details. This is challenging for me because I prefer thoroughness, but it's the only realistic way to ensure the project actually reaches completion.
Starting from the top—I had to refresh my memory a bit: I decided to pick up new rear tires because the actual size of the Mickey Thompsons was over 29 inches tall. I opted for Toyo TQ 315/35/18R and had them mounted professionally at a tire shop. Initially, I considered doing the installation myself but wanted to avoid risking any damage to the wheel paint. Paying a professional with the right tools turned out to be the best choice—definitely worth it. Next, I discovered that the top hat on my Z1 two-piece rotor was slightly bent on the driver's side due to previous curb impact. Unfortunately, when I contacted Z1 for a replacement top hat, they refused to sell it separately. This was frustrating, especially since I'd already purchased rotor blanks, effectively wasting money. Choosing practicality over perfection, I installed O'Reilly rotor blanks on the front to maintain momentum. It is what it is. At Auto Dynamix, I'm part-owner of a crimp machine, which makes converting lines to crimp-style fittings significantly easier. My first project using this method was the scavenger pump line, and the simplicity convinced me never to return to non-crimped fittings. I've placed a substantial order for additional fittings, and they should arrive soon. This past weekend, I thoroughly cleaned the car's underside—again! Thankfully, the remaining debris had dried significantly, making it easy to remove using compressed air and wiping everything down carefully. Of course, I couldn't stop there; I also scuffed and sprayed the underside with Steel-It coating, addressing a few lingering scratches in the process. With the car up in the air, I took the opportunity to finalize the transmission shifter, wiring, torque converter, and cabling. The shifter required special attention due to accumulated mud, so I scrubbed, cleaned, and lubricated it meticulously before reinstalling. At this point, the car has essentially evolved into a complete resto-mod project. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...sV0?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...o5E?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...BWc?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...e68?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...Rc?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...dEw?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...LXk?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...jvk?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...OU?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...nDc?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...tA?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...DDQ?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...fA?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...rbU?width=1024 |
Ok, I did a whole bunch of stuff to my car and I can't remember everything- which I'll say is a good thing because that means I was "kicking names and taking azz"... yeah. I'll run through a quick summary.
Air to water lines were ran for my system. I decided to use the water box and forgo the radiator for now. I'm trying to keep everything simplified so that I can get my parts bin running. That doesn't mean cut quality. Not at all. I'm cutting out unnecessary rabbit holes that I LOVE to do. More like a love hate because I love the results when I am done; but, I normally set my self back months due to high standards I hold myself. 1.) The drive shaft was installed, but the overall length was too short by 2". SO... I had to basically get a new drive shaft because the mid section had to get replaced. This is annoying because I had originally needed to shorten the drive shaft by the same length. 2.) Outlaw shifter has been mounted. There was grime and dirt everywhere so it was cleaned and lubed to remove the swamp... the gift that keeps on giving. 3.) Air to water lines ran but not mounted. Waiting on P clamps so that I can mount the tubing under the car. 4.) Removed spare tire mount and painted trunk. Used a finger sander to buzz off the pinch welds and used spiteful rage to knocked it out with my mini sledge. 5.) Used edging around the metal surfaces where the diff pokes through the trunk. This is required so I don't slice my hand or lines. 6.) Mounted the water box and BMW water pump in the trunk... then removed it so I could paint, add cork isolators for the tank to sit on. 7.) Added fluids for transmission and engine. I accidently used some of the most expensive transmission fluid on the market because I raided Auto Dynamix's stash. Grabbed fluid that was intended use for 3000hp cars. oops. 8.) Mounted rear tail lights. They look great with the over all look with the car. 9.) Mounted my swirl pot. Had to cut off the overflow mount and then hard mounted the swirl pot to the chassis. Worked great! 10.) cleaned and painted most of the under side. I used a higher volume air hose to blow out the chassis... I managed to blow out 99% of the hardened brisket. Like I said, the gift that keeps on giving. There's a lot of smaller stuff that happens in-between all that. like... strong use of swear words. But, you guys get the point. I'm getting down to the short list now. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...6Mc?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...d4?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...KmQ?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...b-I?width=1024 loctite and mark important items (visual inspection stuff). https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...IAw?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...WJI?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...2Q?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...Hc?height=1024 New length - Note how much further the yolk goes in. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...CfU?width=1024 This means the front can now talk to the rear: https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...LHc?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...Ah8?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62..._0A?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...FAw?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...p9o?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...Eh8?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...YA?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...VI?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...nY?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...l8?height=1024 I went through A LOT of nuts/bolts to ensure the threads were nice.. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...cnc?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...Beg?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...ODg?width=1024 Important to use nylon nuts so that they don't vibrate loose. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...NA?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...swA?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...pI?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...0I?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...vxk?width=1024 The short list https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...mo?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...fhU?width=1024 |
Got the water box mounted, and it turned out really nice. There are a few things I’d do differently, but most of the parts were already on hand. The BMW Bergstrom pump was only 40 bucks—been saving that one for years. The water line? That’s been collecting dust on the shelf too.
You might’ve noticed I shifted the electrical forward. Now I’ve got a lot more room in front of the mid bar, which is perfect for mounting everything related to the ECU. It’ll be super easy to access. I’ll probably fab up a carbon fiber quick-access panel later—that’s finish work. But that doesn’t stop me from getting this thing going the right way. I really liked how this turned out. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...kJw?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...tfM?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...TSM?width=1024 |
Dropped the rear subframe braces off at the powder coater this week. I’ve done enough business with these guys that I told them coating wasn’t really necessary, but I asked for a quote just to humor myself. Turns out they’ve got a new media blaster and wanted to test it on my parts—so the price came back stupid low. Hard to mess this one up, so they’re going for it.
Underneath the car, I cleaned up the water lines and re-mounted everything using the original mounting points. A few zip ties later and they’re solid. The remains of the old duckbill wing are gone. I used adhesive remover to clean up the area. Burned a couple spots in the paint, but I’m not sweating it—the car’s getting a wrap or respray eventually. Swapped out the oil feed lines for black-coated lines. The braided line was a hazard waiting to happen—could’ve eaten through paint or anything it rubbed against. New lines are correct lengths and routed cleanly. While I was in there, I tackled the rat’s nest of wiring in the battery area. Cleaned it up, and that freed up space for the remote power steering reservoir. Made some updates to the wiring too. Rerouted the 1/0 gauge from the starter to the alternator so it can safely carry 200–400 amps. Added a short 1/0 ground to the cylinder head. Yeah, it’s all mundane wiring stuff, but done wrong, this is the kind of thing that makes a car go up in flames. I’ll add plastic covers later to protect from abrasion once everything’s tested and running. Tried to mount the Seibon carbon fenders… they fit like garbage. Not thrilled. I really want Varis fenders, but they’re spendy and I already have these. I’m working with my body guy to make these fit—even if we have to fab our own mounting tabs. He’ll be mounting all the body panels at once, so yeah… I’ll be that guy driving around with multicolored panels for a few months. Could be the whole year. Whatever. Progress. Wrapped things up with a brake bleed using AK370z’s method from the forum. Then dropped the car down to the ground to check the new rear suspension height. http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...17-ak370z.html There’s way less tape on the windshield now. Still waiting on crimp fittings to finish up the coolant, fuel, and power steering lines. Once those are in, I can tear off a few more pieces of tape and keep moving forward. Next up: Repair hot side and fab cold side. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...LJ0?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...mZc?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...ydk?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...ofk?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...9Lo?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...smQ?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...ts?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...4Pg?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...DI?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...4gM?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...Qb4?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...w0s?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...9w0?width=1024 A good crimp with out the sheathing... I had to re-do the end. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...Y0?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...3E?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...lSo?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...YeM?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...jyQ?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...vMA?width=1024 |
Progress is good. Keep at it.
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This part of the build was stuck in my head way too long, so it feels great to finally get it knocked out. I made a mountain out of a mole hill getting the drive-by-cable done.
My TSR Mustang race pedal was already mounted up, but adapting it to work with the Motion Raceworks throttle cable meant drilling out the pedal's eyelet just enough to press-fit the aluminum cable insert. The insert locks down with a nut and a couple of Allen set screws, making the whole thing super solid with zero slop. Honestly, it's crisp and feels way nicer than I expected. Pedal height and pressure are absolutely perfect—not even remotely a downgrade. The Motion Raceworks cable passes cleanly through the firewall, routing right into the Icon manual throttle body mounted to the Shearer Fab ultra-low-profile intake. Everything just worked—no fighting, no forcing. That alone felt like a massive win. Lastly, I wanted to securely mount the Motion Raceworks overflow tank next to the swirl pot. Without a 3D printer handy, I grabbed some scrap plastic, epoxied it together, and shaped it into a simple cradle insert. A buddy of mine is working on a custom leather strap that'll cinch it all together without resorting to zip ties. I'll 3D print this later. I really want to get the radiator lines done before doing the cold side. The fittings have been on backorder. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...FI0?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...tFY?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...5eQ?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...hd8?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...qg?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...w8?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...W4?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...otU?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...9M?height=1024 |
I received the subframe brackets back from powder coating and they look amazing. With that back, I was able to finish the underside of the car by getting the brackets installed with the GKTech W brace.
Ran into a bit of a snag with the air-to-water cooling system — the original pump started leaking, so I grabbed two more off eBay thinking I’d have backups ready to go. Turns out all three pumps leaked from the exact same spot once plumbed in. Looks like a manufacturing defect in the sealing area. I went full caveman with the RTV on one of them and gave it a full 24-hour cure. That one seems okay (for now), but I did try sealing another with only an hour of dry time — and sure enough, it started leaking too. I put together a quick IG reel of the water flow if anyone wants to see the setup in action. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIov1...RlODBiNWFlZA== On a better note, I got the carbon seat mounted in the driver’s side. Thought I lost the original hardware, so I picked up some clean new bolts… only to find the OEM ones the next day. Still a win — the fresh bolts pop against the black rails. The brackets were custom fabbed by the previous owner’s shop and I cleaned them up with a quick respray. Hit the seatbelt buckle with air, WD40, lithium grease, and polished the plastic with Plasticx. It honestly looks brand new now. Getting the OEM seatbelt working was a big deal for me. Despite what the car looks like, it really is a drag and drive STREET car. I will get a harness hooked up later (and retain the lap belt). At this point, the car is nearly ready to head to Auto Dynamix for final wiring, exhaust and intake fabrication, and dialing in the body panel fitment. I just need to get on their schedule. Until then, I’ll keep knocking out the small stuff while I can. I'm very happy with how everything is coming together. It's technically a new car... sucks that I have a salvage title now. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...EQQ?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...reg?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...Jfs?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...AE?height=1024 I added a thin coat on the flat spot too. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...-NE?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...deg?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...zyc?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...uOM?width=1024 NOTE - I used a big backing washer and a locking nut. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...J_E?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...V7g?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...FQM?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...3A?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...O8?height=1024 |
Picked up a new miter box and got to work finishing the cold side piping. I must have actually learned something over the years, because I knocked it out without a single miscut — which still feels a little wild, honestly.
My goal from the start was to avoid pie cuts, based on some past lessons learned. I pushed both pipes out as far as possible to the sides to mirror each other. Packaging constraints were dictated mostly by the alternator location and the swirl pot. Ideally, I would’ve loved to tuck the pipes tighter to the frame, but moving the alternator or swirl pot wasn’t an option (hard no). Each joint is cut to sit perfectly flush so the welds won’t pull the tubing around — another lesson learned the hard way from past projects. It might look simple in pictures, but it doesn’t take much to mess up angles once you start stacking cuts. The end result? Basically a giant chrome handlebar mustache. Both pipes were dropped off to get welded at Auto Dynamix in Kalamazoo, MI (local performance shop) https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...-fs?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...0o?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...qQ?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...v8?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...RdI?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...BE?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...cn4?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...So?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...uw8?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...IY?height=1024 |
Been slammed with work lately, but I’ve managed to knock out a few things — with some much appreciated help from friends.
Keeping this post simple: -- The cold side is now fully welded. -- Fenders, bumper, and headlights are fitted. -- The boost tubes fit perfectly with the turbo placement. -- Rear Z1 bash bar w/ jack point swapped out OE crash bar. The passenger-side turbo is clocked a little differently than the driver’s side. I’m not thrilled about it… but I’m also not about to re-fab the up-pipe just to chase perfect symmetry. A cookie will be awarded to anyone bold enough to scoff at the imbalance. The car is now rocking a fresh NISMO plate and is fully insured. Power steering lines have been crimped, but I’m still waiting on one suction line from the remote reservoir to wrap that up. The to-do list is getting short. I’ll keep buttoning up what I can over the next couple weeks. Next major move: getting the car to Auto Dynamix. I'd like to have it out and about by June… but at this point, I’m not holding my breath. EDIT - Had to order new OEM calipers because the old OEMs were seeping a little. I want a bit more confidence scrubbing speeds doing 165mph in the 1/4mi. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...YVA?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...KME?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...4xI?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...fk?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...9ns?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...kgc?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...9kw?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...nqM?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...kX0?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...JW4?width=1024 |
Buttoned up a few more crimped lines: return lines leading to fuel pressure return (needed to be PTFE), power steering lines, and turbo return line from collector.
Turbo couplers are on, they give a lot of flexibility paired with the Motion Raceworks wiggins clamps. This pig is ready to take to Auto Dynamix for a few final touches. I'm on the waiting list and will likely be a few weeks. I'll try doing various small things leading up to that, but nothing significant (although it all matters). Probably not going to see any updates until it's running. Pretty wild to think it's about that time! I can't believe I've done this process twice. Don't expect any hero numbers coming off the dyno. At this point I'm more concerned with enjoying the car with some drivability. Any questions- feel free to throw them out there. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...R8w?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...Ig?height=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...HAY?width=1024 https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...dY?height=1024 |
Joining the glad it is running crew soon I see. Enjoy the car. You can turn it up any time at a later date.
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Took care of a few small things since the last post: Mounted the battery, re-mounted my driver's side turbos because a few bolts were not in, grounded and ran some wiring, added some fluids, fixed leaks, nut and bolt checks. ... The small stuff would have been a larger afternoon of fixes at Auto Dynamix if I didn't do them. Not what I wanted the shop to take care of while it was in, so I took care of the odds and ends.
That being said.... I took the car in for final wiring, exhaust fab, CO2 hook-up, and dyno tuning. Am I out of the mix? No way. I took the week off to help finish! I don't 100% say it will get done when I plan anymore, but I'll sure give it hell. Tow truck company sent their veteran (much appreciated). https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...5yw?width=1024 That's a fat azz....I really like how the car looks! https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...VQ0?width=1024 Finally got a nice roller picture. https://1drv.ms/i/c/942f5c6807cc6a62...SBQ?width=1024 |
Need some gaskets on those turbos. RTV won't cut it.
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