sad thing is that if I cannot get the air piping around my P1SC that I want I might section the air intake tube throught the inner fender like others here at TGO have done. If I do that an inner fender will need minor reconstruction and repainting.

huge picture sorry:

http://www.outlawperformance.com/ima...r/DSCF0013.JPG


steering bushing to bearing swap from GM astro/safari









Warning! 7.25 turns lock to lock is not for the faint of heart, here is my to manual steering swap:

can you give some more info on this? I'm guessing it's to make the steering smoother?

I only did the bearing swap because I was collecting the parts to make a nice double ujoint steering shaft without buying the flaming river shaft kit.



I could have used the stock shaft with little or no modding, but the stock shaft and the little tiny CV boot on the upper joint was shredded and icky.

Since I was going manual box I decided the little bearing and the double ujoints would make that 6.5 turns lock to lock a little smoother.

btw all I have to do is extend the shaft by 4" and re-clock it a few degrees to proper center the halves.


To intall the bearing only takes about 1 minute if you clean the grease off of the steering wheel shaft where it comes out of the fire wall to make the old bushing removal quick and easy (takes another minute or two.

hate to sound like an *** but its is true-er than true, you find a first gen astro/safari and simply take it off the end of the steering column where the steering shaft comes out.

tools you will need to get the bearing at the wrecking yard:

a 3/8ths ratchet with the 7/16" socket

7/16" wrench (just in case)

a hammer (just in case)

a couple flat blade screw drivers small and large.


1. take the steering box shaft upper off on the van so you can slide everthing off (use 7/16" to take out single bolt) and tap on the upper coupler (if needed with the hammer) to free it from its aged location. the shaft telescopes down so that you can pull it off.

2. use the small screwdriver to gently slide the "scratchy/grabby inverted star" retaining washer carefully to prevent breaking it or tweaking it beyond usability.

it might turn inside out but that is ok because it will still work in its new direction. be careful not to lose the little "wave" spring washer the it is holding up.

3. use the small screw driver to pull the big wire clip up and off

4. with a back and forth twisting motion pull off the little sheet metal cap

5. use the large screw driver to pull and pry the plastic bodied bearing retainer out of the tube and down the two inches of protruding shaft. if the shaft is dirty it will hang up a bit, if it is rusty it might hang up more.

now you have all of the parts in the picture on the right.



when you get home to put it on your car knowing what you do from pulling the parts off the van you will be a pro at putting the new parts on. very straight forward.

I recommend cleaning and hand packing the bearing with real grease (not just oil or WD-40) by hand through the narrow seam cracks (takes a few mins). To ensure a long and happy bearing life.

Thanks for the info. Did the steering shaft and u-joints come from the same vehicle(astro van)?

yes, I got the info from this post:

http://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/show...hreadid=185491

I won't be using any FMU's or reprogrammed GM ecm stuff, I bought a Bigstuff3 SEFI with a single wideband and data aquisition. I will be running it batch fire using a GM small cap style HEI distributor which will still allow me full individual cylinder fueling but not individual cylinder timing. I can change it later to crank trigger/sequential if I grow out of it, but for now that is how I intend to run it configured.



I am still making considerations as to the camshaft.

bringin this one back from the dead! well i hope things come together soon!

what car does that as heaterbox come from? i want one because i dont run ac in my TA and id like to free up some room in my engine bay?

any ac delete thirdgen there are specific posts here on TGO search "heater box" or "AC delete" or "A/C delete"

I LOVE the 4.125/3.250 combo.
If you have gotten pistons for a 406 w/6" rods, you could have run 6.250 rods. Eagle has those on the shelf.

ok ill take a look at that then about the a/c delete. thanks

engine comp. looks good.

if you're still looking for a cam.. I bought mine from Doug Herbert (solid roller).


Alex

its funny that you mentioned that because Doug Herbert has some grinds I had forgotten about that I alwasy said would make stout street N/A or blower cams.

So how is BigStuff3? You happy with it? I'm still saving up to buy one for my Z28.

We already installed it on one car at the shop and so far it seems awsome.

What did the Bigstuff3 run in price?

I can't say because it was mostly sponsored to me. Because of my help and relationship with the local shop who was trying to get enough units to "buy in" a bigstuff 3 dealership right away.

What exactly happened, did you get the car together and running right, are you driving it, i know this is about as dead as they get but yea whats goin on here?

I don't mind the thread necromancy. Basically it is all I think about lately. It is summer, we have been streetracing again locally. My friend Aaron took his turbo street nova to the track a clipped off a 8.76 and 8.77 in the 1/4 at ~161 mph. I have no chance of going that fast without his turbo.

My house is my priority right now. There are so many things that need work. That car is way back on the burners. I got divorced and it threw everything crazy. My crazy work schedule is so undefined that I never know exactly when I am going to work. SO that doesn't help either.

The answer to your question is the car hasn't moved. I haven't turned a wrench on it. I did replace some paneling in my dining room with sheetrock though.

Yea i saw that thread you got up about your friends Nova that thing is wild, but i hope you get everything sorted out. Hey look at it this way at least you do still have your job, i got layed off about a month ago. Keep your head high things will work out.