xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

Well realized I haven't posted anything on my progress since a year ago at least on here. Figured I'd pop up an update for all the long term members since Scott(greezemonkey) just brought it up.

After racing it last season nothing broke all year so I didn't have a single motor/trans/rear issue to tear down at all. Pretty much a first for me in the last decade, hope that good luck carries on this coming season, which my first track rental I'm having is may 7th. Might hit up route 66 in joliet for a TnT before then if the money comes along. Entered my car into world of wheels in chicago so I had to do "something" to it to make the car stand out. Ended up going through all the wiring and cleaning it up to fit in a 4th gen camaro dash. I also wanted to do it so I could mount the tach next to my wideband on the a-pillar to run a poor man's datalogger by pointing a digital camera at the tach and wideband while going down the track, then downloading it and watching it back in the pits. Much easier to see what the shift extension is, how the converter is acting and my tuneup then trying to look over at gauges while staying in the groove. I'll toss in a few pics here to show the mess of wires, then some dash install shots.


Thought I removed all that jute padding in 2005 when I took the dash out and cleaned up the wires the first time, but apparently I was mistaken....don't worry 100% of it is gone now.

Since I never used the non-a/c fresh air vent in my car on the passenger side I decided to block it off with an aluminum sheet and some silicone and move my MSD box to control the gen 3 coils over there. Also allowed me to route the serial port to connect to the laptop in the center console where the e-brake handle would be for some stealth.


The car last fall had severe traction issues at the top of 1st and 2nd due to the iron block lowering the nose of the car 1.25" over my old ls1 aluminum block, so I lost all weight transfer and would spin the slicks in the upper rpm range when power would come on. To combat that I tossed in some racecraft coilovers and founders performance caster/camber plates that were on sale right before christmas.


Only mod you had to do to the 90/10 lakewoods was grind down the top of the strut where there is a washer looking cap that sticks out beyond the strut body and won't let the sleeve slide down the strut itself. I went with the 12" 170 pound springs, may swap to the 14" version, we'll see how these work out. Got the nose back up where it belongs and it should fix that issue 100%.

Made a custom panel for all my autometer gauges to actually fit 100% into the factory 4th gen gauge panel behind the plastic that GM used. Haven't seen anyone else take the time to make it work, had a good 20+ hours into this...I know I know, what a waste of time.

Here it is installed in the dash....

Here you can see how the tach is next to the wideband, it'll be great for recording it with the digital camera for my runs and to play back later.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

Here's a shot of the motor, I bought some pace performance coil covers to hide the ugly 8 coils on the valve covers and it gave it an old school look which is what I prefer.


Last buy not least, here's some shots of the car at world of wheels, where I placed in my class super street, which was for street/strip cars.




Goals for this season are to just run it and see if I can dial in the ET a little better now that I shouldn't have any traction issues from weight transfer, keep up on fluid changes and hopefully there will be little breakage this season. Might toss the kit back on the car to see what it does after I dial it in 100% n/a first. Need to toss in a new set of 5 point harnesses....can't believe it's been 2 years already, boy does safety equipment add up over time. I also have a video of the car at the track last year, you can hear it spin in 1st and hit the rev limiter, motor jumped from 5500 to 7400 on the limiter pretty much every pass when it would get into the powerband, you can see the nose doesn't move at all from the old cut springs and 100 pounds extra on the nose from the iron block.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=552316741264

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWRQdZlA1P4
a nice idle clip

JesasaurusRex

iTrader: (3)

yay

ZONES89RS

iTrader: (2)

Well, hope you have the traction lined out, I guess I am happy I broke second gear and nothin else is 15 months, we will see if anything breaks tonight.

t-top havoc

iTrader: (3)

So there's " going " to back up the " showing "?!!?
LOL
Maybe we'll see ya @ 66 some time!!

DIGGLER

iTrader: (1)

looks good! here's mine. got led's for the turn signals and hi beams. behind the factory lens like yours.

1BADRZ28

iTrader: (2)

It's almost sickening how easy the 4th dash conversion is if you don't use the HVAC. I just seen one done locally last week.

Fast 383

iTrader: (2)

The Camaro dash looks good. The only one I have seen was the T/A dash in a 3rd gen and wasn't crazy about it. Mine would be easy to swap as there not much left behind it after the cage install. Does it bolt to the factory 4 mounting points?

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

rented cordova may 7th, it's in the midwest section, come on out. I also usually hit up 2 or 3 route 66 TnT, but to make 3 runs max it is kind of a pain to pay $250 or so for the day in total costs.

looks great, don't have the dash pad installed yet though?
oh no I still have the HVAC stuff, just have it for the center vents and the defroster now, didn't want to waste hours for the side vents
bolts to the far right one 100%, the other middle two have to be drilled 1/2" over from the factory holes, the far left needs a small bracket made up since it's off the firewall a slight amount. The lower dash brace needs some fabbing then it works out alright.

Shagwell

New harness not have a place for your nads? - lol, where's the spray?


I put a '96 TA dash in my GTA vert years ago, but I kept the HVAC. - A lot of work, but very happy with the results, thoughts its been several years since I sat behind the wheel of that thing. Storage has turned that thing into a unicorn.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

waiting on you to toss the kit back on shaggy. It's sitting in a box, do the noids go bad from sitting or just test them once and call it good?

DIGGLER

iTrader: (1)

its all coming out for the new cage. i think im going to go back with a factory interior. im going to TRY to make the interior look 100% stock aside from the 25.5, kirkeys, and rear seat. im even thinking of using the factory shifter/console.

1BADRZ28

iTrader: (2)

I have my car 25.5. I use the full interior with the factory console, rear seat pads, and the rear backrest. It all fits great. I don't have the rear back rest installed for a slight weight reduction/ The only piece I am missing is the headliner which was shot. Once I find one, it is going back in.

If the car wasn't in the trailer I'd take some pics and post them. Maybe Sunday I will.

greezemonkey

iTrader: (14)

Very Nice, that dash looks great and the gauge head is nice, I know your pain with that, I put those autometers into my factory head and I bet I had 20-23 hrs into it time all was done, it a worth it project though, lotsa wiring...you put pigtails on it to pull out easily? Motors looking tuf too, I`ll check those vids out tonight when I get home, I took a bunch of video last summer but I figured everyone got tired of seeing them so I didnt put any up this winter Car looks great, one of the nicest street strip cars I ve seen...btw whats it run? ahh no facebook, any other way to view it? Idle vid sounds right and tight!

DIGGLER

iTrader: (1)

if you ever get a chance to make some pics, post them up! i would love to see them. i bought a donor gta awhile back that had been wrecked in the rear. has a perfect black interior with 53k miles on it. its got the digital dash, which i want to use just for the '80s factor.
xpndbl, do you have a locker, or limited slip? its odd the way it breaks loose at the top of 1st gear like that. im thinking it may not be an issue with the front end. are you running relocation brackets on the lca's?

JesasaurusRex

iTrader: (3)

in the middle of doing this myself, such a pita but jesus a car looks so much better with all the interior in it

oh and P.S...get a second Kirkey

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

car is running a 35 spline moser rear with a spool. I have relocation brackets on the rear in the middle hole. Car would spin the tires at the top of first, really thinking it was when the power band came on and the nose wasn't up at all. Let me know what you're thinking

DIGGLER

iTrader: (1)

man that really is strange...
rear shock type/setting?
pressure in tires?

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

12 psi cold on the slicks, I've been up and down and all over with pressure over the years, this is what it wanted. Somedays when the track is on kill for prep I can run 13psi in them. 50/50 rear shocks nothing fancy. Car has been 4 wheel aligned and the rear end is perfectly square along with the thrust angle being .02 out of perfect, if we sneezed on the rod end LCA it would go -.02 so about as good as it gets.

1BADRZ28

iTrader: (2)

I have never been able to run more then 11psi on any tire ever on my car. Usually it's 10.5 psi hot.

I went 8.65 with a 4150 carb tonight. Only pass I had that was good and still blew the tires off.

JesasaurusRex

iTrader: (3)

set me out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DIGGLER

iTrader: (1)

i ran 12psi in my 28x10.5 hoosier slicks and they worked good. i ran my koni spa-1's at the medium setting, and lca's 1 hole down. ~7 degrees i think if you put an angle finder on them. stock springs from a '99 ss.
front end had 3" of travel, moroso trick springs, spa-1's on full firm.

are they comp engineering rear shocks by chance?

skinny z

~

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

lakewood 50/50

Shagwell

I pull mine apart and check the plungers from time to time. The good teflon plungers are cheap enough anyhow.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

man oh man look at that race car....i need spots cuz

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

did shagwell post pics and they're not loading for me.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

dropped another $150 today in fittings, a quick fuel regulator and a fuel log. Still waiting on the 3/8" npt to -10 coupler fitting that allows you to swivel the regulator so they're all "in line"


Now to figure out how to flow the regulator for the proper fuel psi without buying the $180 flow tool. Any thoughts?

brandoz28

iTrader: (1)

wish i had pics of the one my friend threw together, had around 25 bucks in it, it was just a piece of leftover AN hose with an end to go on the reg, went to a piece that had a port for a gauge, a quarter turn valve and then into a rubber hose. he had a fitting in there that he modified to take a nitrous jet. wish i had pics or a better way to explain it lol

Shagwell

OOOO, shiney!

I'll price my junk out and send you a PM. - I work for a hose & fitting company, got a pretty cool flow tool all worked out.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

thanks shagwell.

Finally got almost all the fittings in so I can assemble that thing, probably get it done friday. Waiting on the fuel pressure gauge adapter fitting and the gauge now. All the magnafuel fittings came in. Can't wait.

zacharyhorn

iTrader: (1)

Very nice.

Shagwell

The gauge is the biggest expense of a good flow tool. A quality gauge with a good low side accuracy is not very cheap.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

back on track with the car....racing in 6 days at cordova dragway that we rent.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

think that thing will break into the 12's?

mini tub too?

Shagwell

I see one of them-there power adding carb spacers on there.....the one with the lines hooked up to it.

82/73 @ 5.5 flowing, pull 7*. Check the plugs and pill the fuel down some to clean it up as needed. Likely end up with a 10-12 spread and maybe 1-2* back in it from there. - Don't be skeered. That's the high 12 tune-up.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

we'll see on the mini tub, going to see how far I get with it today, it'll be interesting if I finish it all and that mustang before the event.

Ya also running that 1" HVH spacer above it, no lines in that one though :P How do you feel about those nitrous spray bars machined into the intake? I was thinking of dumping this edelbrock plate and paying the cash to have it installed, heard it's better distribution since it's lower in the intake and pointed directly down the ports.



haha Shagwell ya it's one of them there performer rpm edelbrock kits . What size shot is that? Wasn't planning on going more than 150 at the most probably on this stock 6.0L longblock. Probably need to snag some more -8 nitrous plugs since I only have one set at the moment.

1BADRZ28

iTrader: (2)

I just wanted to reiterate how important correct timing on a nitrous engine is. This past weekend I made three trips done the track with 24 degrees timing and a 117 nitrous jet in my plate. I went 8.98, 8.98, 9.00 and could not figure out my issue. After further investigation the fuel solenoid wasn't working at all! Correct timing sure saved my engine. I checked the plugs after each round and they were white. So that just shows you how lean you can run an engine without issues. Timing is definately the killer....... The positive parts was I won a truestreet shootout with 99 cars entered. Once the problem was fixed I went 8.50 with a 4150 carb on my engine.

Shagwell

I'm 50/50 on having the bars built into the plenum. The plenum size and spray pattern of the bars would make or break it's effectiveness. With you guys' stuff responding so well to the additional plenum of that tall HVH I'd question moving the spray bars any lower. Most bars built into the plates have a spray pattern designed for where they're intended to sit. - thought you had a diffuser for it anyhow?

I baseline pulling 3* per 100 sprayed, so that tune might be a little more than you had planned.....

Start with an 8-9 spread and lean it from there according to the plugs. I've run as much as an 18 spread on a plate to get plugs clean with the conventional headed BBC, but my chamber efficiency isn't nearly as good.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

Quick update, switched to the grant competition steering wheel and their SFI quick release hub to make getting in and out a little easier. Also finally raised the shifter 2" and cut the 4th gen console to utilize the B&M aluminum cover for the magnum grip shifter.




Will be moving my transbrake button over to the new wheel shortly.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

what are you doing with the old wheel?

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

it's for sale with the installation kit and a spare brand new horn since you lose the horn with the quick disconnect for $50

I'll swap out the pics above with updated ones shortly, just put everything back together again tonight for thirdgenfest this coming weekend.

mw66nova

iTrader: (13)

def interested in the steering wheel. gotta wait a couple days for the dust to settle as the bills are pulled out of our account, lol

JesasaurusRex

iTrader: (3)

never mind ... sigh


needs more nawz

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

thanks jesse, i'll see if i can remove the pills entirely and just spray it like a garden hose

Ross85Camaro

iTrader: (1)

All that and a cup holder!! Looks really clean, I love it!

Shagwell

.....I have literally done that with a big shot plate. 102fuel jet and a -3 flare fitting on the nitrous side.......you know you're out flowing the solenoid when.....