rrdogface

Hey all. I am building a 85 Z28 350 for the strip. Need advice on removing the stock tank and replacing with a fuel cell, as well as relocating the battery. Thanks!

2005Impalla

If you replace stuff don't place either in the back inside the car with you. Find a place under the car in the rear for the battery. I would not bother with a fuel cell. I don't drag race so maybe some one who dose can fill us both in on the rules but don't you have to have some type of fire wall between the driver and the fuel cell. I think in cars like chevelles you have to have something blocking between the trunk and cabin of the car. Am I wrong?

rrdogface

Thanks. I will have to check on firewall regulations.

firebird 990

you are correct,there has to be some sort of shielding between the driver.ed quay makes a kit for this i believe

2005Impalla

Lol I just remember my dad mentioned this once when I was about 10 years old this is why I thought so. That's a 20 year old memory.

rrdogface

Ten years old...that would be a 42 year old memory! However I don't remember what I did last weekend, so thats out.

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

You need a rear firewall that seals off area fully from cockpit or sealed boxes

The firewall or box must be made from .024" steel or .032" alum..

The floor pan of a uni body car counts as a "frame" per NHRA rules on the battery mounting. It needs to be in a sealed and vented to outside box made from alum Or steel or an NHRA cert poly box (like the blue moroso box)

No J hooks or H bars, must use 3/8" dia min rods or bolts and a steel brace across battery.

Pos (+) side of battery must be wired to a rear mounted master cutoff switch with alt. Feed wire ran too it as well to shut engine off.

If it's a push/pull type switch, push must be off.

I welded up my box from sheet metal, made a lid for it. Used a summit push/pull switch, ford noid mounted close to box. Battery and box are held down by the same 3/8" all thread, and a length of 1x1 square tube across battery.

Wired with 1/0 welding cable.

For a fuel cell, either build a firewall which is kinda hard to do in a third gen, or mount the full cell under the floor pan in the same area as stock tank was then have a steel or alum. sealed hatch/door that you can open to get to top of cell.

If you mount the cell under the car then you must use an alum cell or build a box out of the .024" steel or .032" alum to sit a poly cell into

rrdogface

That helps a lot. The aluminum fuel cell with access door is a good idea. It seems that people are mounting their batteries where the spare tire was located. why is that?

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

I have mine in the bottom pass side of truck well.

The spare tire area is an out of the way, out of sight place and also over the highest % driven wheel.. So you still have room in your trunk/storage well for stuff, or speakers, amp, etc

One on open rear end or a factory style posi adding more weight over the pass tire can maybe help traction a tad.

I have a locker so both axles gets 100% the same power and I have a rear suspension I can change the preload and shock settings per side on, so no big deal for me.

FRMULA88

if it's a track car only consider installing a small fuel cell (3-4 gallon) in the front where the battery used to be.

the battery can go in the spare tire well since a track only car does not need a spare tire.

to save weight you can remove the stock fuel tank too.

rrdogface

You can mount a fuel cell in the engine compartment? Is this NHRA/IHRA legal?

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Yep it's NHRA legal.

Alot of true race only guys does that.

As well as a lot of street/strip nitrous guys. Those will run a stock tank in rear, and a small 2 gallon cell in engine bay with an elec pump, fill with race fuel and have nitrous system's fuel plumbed to that cell.

That away the single pump does not have to support engine + nitrous, and they can inject/spray 100, 108, 110 octane fuel in with the nitrous and only when nitrous is in use.

rrdogface

This car has a Ford nine inch. I have not inspected it internally yet to see what is in there. This was an estate sale car so I have no info. I have to learn how to disassemble one of those.

rrdogface

Hey this is great information! Thanks for your help. I have the car on jack stands in the shop and have stripped almost everything off and out. Gas tank is definitely coming out now. I need to figure out which tranny is in there its not a th350. The engine is 1985 LM1 crate engine. Got that off the block.

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Post up pictures and info. I can help you ID just about every part on the car. I been messing with and hot rodding third gens for about 15 years now, so I have used or at least seen every part out there for these cars.

If the car has a ford 9" under it, then I'm gonna guess a th-400 or powerglide transmission.

Th-400 has a pan that's shaped kinda like the state of texas and has 13 pan bolts

TH-350 has a square pan with one corner chopped off and 13 pan bolts

powerglide is a 2 speed transmission, has a square pan with a little notch missing on one corner, 14 pan bolts

th-200 has a square pan but missing alot of 1 corner, only 11 pan bolts

700r4 has a rectangle pan thats rounded at one end with 16 pan bolts

200 4r has a rectangle pan that almost comes to a cone or point at one end and has 16 pan bolts.
TH-350,

rrdogface

Awesome. Gonna work on it Saturday. Let u know.

rrdogface

Looks like it is the 700-R4 tranny. I need to find a good shifter for the strip for it now. When I turn the rear axle with the brake disks both turn simultaneously. looks like posi in there, but don't know the ratio. Do you think I should pull it apart to inspect it? Thx.

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

It's always a good idea to pull the cover off, check to see if any metal shaving are in it and put new oil in. While cover is off, you can look on the face of ring gear and they are maked with teeth count... XX / XX = gear ratio.

The mega shifter is about the only direct bolt in shifter now, but you can fab/fit just about any of them in the console.

I have a B&M pro stick, console mounted in my camaro, megashifter in my S10, had a quicksilver in a '79 z, my dad has the B&M sport shifter in his '82 firebird console mounted.

rrdogface

With the Ford 9 inch looks like I have to disconnect the drive shaft and pull the assembly out of the front. Ever done one of these?

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Oh yeah, that's right, I forgot you have the ford 9". Yes done many of those. I have a ford 9" in mine.

The whole third member comes out of housing rather than just a cover.

At this point, unless you want to check out gear ratio, carrier, axles, etc... It may be best to just drain the rear, check for shavings in oil, and refill.

Myself though, I would want to know what I have, what I'm working with.

If you want to pull the third member, you will need to un bolt your axles (4 bolts per side, behind the brakes) and slide them out, remove driveshaft, remove the 10 nuts.. Then pull the heavy third member out (it weighs around 70 lbs).