What are everyone's winter project plans (assuming you are done racing)?

The last race of the season I threw my serpentine belt (almost) and it wound up getting mangled. I have been wanting to get rid of my serpentine setup and go to something more simple, so first off I am going from this:



To a Proform Electric water pump and an Allan Grove bracket similar to this:



Here is the progress so far:




Going to clean and paint everything, just getting things mocked up at the moment.

This require purchasing a different style alternator as my stock alternator will not fit the bracket. I was also having charging issues, so it's probably time for a new alternator anyways. Going to go with a 1 wire setup.

I am also relocating my battery to the rear of the car. Going with a flaming river push/pull switch and a Jeg's battery box. I ran a Moroso switch on my last car, but didn't like how much cutting I had to do to make room for it. Also, I had to bend the battery cables pretty hard to get everything to fit behind the tail light. I am hoping I can make the push pull a little cleaner.

In the spring, I am hoping to convert to a turbo 350 and a good 3500 converter.

What is everyone else working on?

 

At least SFCs, 3pt STB, solid strut mounts, del-a-lum lca bushes, C5 front brakes, hydraboost (or hydroboost), Jeep steering shaft and Astro bearing, KYB AGX struts, all tubular adjustable TA, control arms and Watt's link. Lowered. Twin turbo 3.4 hybrid with DIS, remote oil filter, relocate battery and radiator. Trans, oil and ps coolers. Gate shifter and race seats/harness. Maybe not all in one Winter. Or this Winter. But one day. Hoping at least the steering shaft and bearing.

 

The car is done for now.

I have the 1st floor and basement bathrooms to finish remodeling, then my basement workshop needs ceiling tile, cabinets, and countertops.

I hope to start remodeling the garage next year but plan to take a well deserved break from the house and enjoy the car a bit.

 

Hoping to put my lift together over xmas, doubt i'll be able to get anything wired but one can hope.

 

I have a 383 for sale, a Moser M9 axle on order, and a 4L80E sitting in my garage. Come tax season I'm gonna be ordering turbo parts, whether its for a 383 or a 5.3. I'm looking forward to a long winter lol.

 

Selling the TH400, building a 4L80 trans, converter specd for the car, trans brake, swap from 3.73 to 4.10s and swap the 317s for ported 799s. See if i can go sub 6.5s 1/8th all motor, spray to the 5s.

 

26 new windows, new siding, aluminum fascia, soffit vents, soffit covering, and gutters. dont even remember what my car looks like at this point.

 

Cage install

If I have time; new front rotors and pads, AF guage, and a new gear swap (3.55).

Hoping for 10.50's next summer

 

Mine won't see much for upgrades this winter. Mostly repairs more than anything. I do have a new sumped tank and an a1000 pump to put in. I've got to rebuild the Turbo 400. It's a full manual trans-brake trans but is shifting itself from second to third. weird. I'm thinking something in the valve-body is jacked. Then I need to go through the moser 9". I know it at least needs wheel brgs. I'm not sure if that's the whole reason it's whining. Also, I've got an off-road Baja buggy I'm trying to get done that needs a lot of attention. I'm bending roll-cage for that now. Plus I'm in negotiation right now to purchase 3 more condo's as rentals that all need gut jobs. If that goes through, that is my winter.

 

Motors being torn down for a looksee...I built it, my first LS motor, so need to see what the bearings and such look like. While the motor/transmission are out, time for the car to get painted. The 8" converter was a eBay item, so it needs to be stalled correctly for the combination. I am being told it's 400-500rpm too tight. The rear shocks are being changed to double adjustable along with the front struts......should have enough time, my first race isnt till the beginning of April.

 

Winter Plans include getting the car into the chassis shop (been waiting over 1.5 yrs), get my 383 stroker together and running, and most importantly get the car out on the track come spring.

 

Mine are centered on getting the stroked LQ4/4L80E running in the '57.

If I do anything on the Camaro, it will be stuff like replacing the driver door, starting rust repair.

 

I just want to get mine driving again. Transmission crapped out on me, so time for a replacement. may go for a manual swap depending on money. I just hope that by spring she'll be road-worthy again.

 

For me...oil change...fresh tires on the back and a new drum of fuel. Then race next season.

nEXT winter...bigger motor.

 

got first installment for my PA Racing front suspension already sent in. hoping to finally update the brakes on this thing too.

 

I would like go get my motor assembled and TH400 built.

 

I am installing a smaller motor and hopefully an "outdated" computer system.

Going from my 305/T5 to a turbocharged 3800 series II/T5 and hopefully a MegaSquirt II system. If not MSII, then factory computer. Not sure if it will be running by next spring, but I am already on my way to getting it into its final resting spot.

 

Hopefully move out of my first house and into another one i found that has a heated garage that is a lot bigger than the one i'm in now. Then the camaro needs a real good tune, and hopefully a brand new exhaust. And If we are really excited a t-56 swap! oh and that rear I just put in has a slight whine to it so a rebuild on that is in order before I ruin it!

 

Doing front coilover kit tube a arms manual rack and trz anti roll bar!!

 

^^^ if you're not 100% drag racing, donate waste money on the rack. No matter how narrow you make it it has no turning radius

 

The heads come off again. This time to enlarge the pushrod holes which have presented a binding condition with the guide plates. While I'm at it, it's time to admit defeat and lower the compression ratio. Note to others, 10.4:1 with iron heads and short cam don't work together very well with pump gas.
Maybe next year I'll finally get back to the track.

 

Is that a fact
Haven't heard too many complaints from others

 

I've yet to see one real iron headed SBC run that much compression with a short cam and not have to castrate it with retarded timing. I put it out there on thread a while back and while there was lots of tuning help, no one had any real world experience with such an engine. Yes, I know of and have run 12:1 SCR but that's with a cam large enough to reduce to compression pressures to a manageable level.

 

I feel your pain, I'm about 11:1 with iron heads, and a comp xe268 grind. I mix 93 and 110 50/50, because I know that cam isn't bleeding enough compression off

 

kmember and such is ordered

 

Oh yes. I lost like 1/3rdy radius

 

i'll have to second that. anyone using a rack with stock spindles that i've spoken with has said that turning radius was greatly reduced. I'm going to maintatin my steering setup for as long as i can.

there is a "fix" that involvs chopping up the tie rod arm on the spindle that fixes this issue, but i'd want to have a welder well versed in welding on cast iron do it. i'm an OK welder, and that scares the crap out of me.

 

Well I can live with that
Not a daily car and the spool sucks already!

 

PA racing's?

 

you bet! can't wait to get it. i got:

-Chromoly k-member and a-arms set up for ls1 mounts
-solid billet ls1 motor mounts
-coil overs
-caster/camber plates.

will retain stock steering geometry for now (may put a manual box back on).

 

For the 1st time in 5 years i am not doing a thing to my car. Finally finished the new refreshen up build last week and now it just needs tuned. It will sit complete this winter

Will be focusing my attention on a few things tho, a ls3/l92 clone type build for my 99 car and new custom exhaust for it. Also may start on a few custom lsx swap harnesses to sell

 

I'll have to keep an eye on your install. I'm between PA and BMR but am starting to hear a lot of good about PA.

 

I intend to document the install on here when i get ready. i'm going to try to do it while keeping the engine in the car.

 

U do any reasurch on commonly I see it can crack with repeated street abuse
I like that it lighter but don't want to chance any craking can't afford to buy twice

 

my car isn't on the street THAT much, i'm aware of the fatigue rate. my car might get 2000 miles a year put on it, IF i run drag week, lol. otherwise, less than 500 probably.

 

Good u know
Not worth the chance for me for the minor weight saving

 

have there actually been an reported cracked chromoly k-members anywhere due to street driving conditions? with pictures? i've only "heard it can happen", never seen any pictures or anything for myself....and i've been researching this stuff for WAY too long.

 

Not sure if it is documented but there was a fox body at my chassie guy that was craked and getting swaped for mild
Ed chassie guy said he told the owner it would happen
Only experience I have seen
Made my decision easy

 

PA's is very durable. My car has dropped out of the sky numerous times and the K member has stood it's ground.

My winter plans include parting out the motor, tranny, and electronics. I'm taking some time off and my future plans do not include the pieces that are leaving.

 

So the chromoly are more prone to crack compared to mild steel??

 

I maybe in the market for one of those LS harnesses this winter, if you don't mind? Finally going turbo.

 

Chromoly has more "tensile strength" than mild steel. along with that comes more stiffness and brittleness. for the record my rear rod-ended lca's that ar chromoly get a LOT of torsional abuse on the street (full spool, slicks, yadda yadda) and haven't had any problems. i'm sure my experience with this k-member will be simliar. the short answer: I'm not worried.

 

We shall see. Depends on the time i get. Was going to set up a template based on my 24x sbc swap. Only thing that changes with ls1 would be location of cam and crank sensors. I wont be including emissions stuff tho, these are more basic engine only integrated into the thirdgen harness.

 

Pretty happy with how this is turning out so far:

 

- Paint car
- Paint engine bay
- Twin Turbo setup
- New Engine
- TH400 swap
- EFI conversion
- Finish interior
- Swap 4.11's for 3.25s
- Parachute
- 91/92 GFX swap
- Possibly beadlocks
- Tubular K member and a arms
- Strange double adjustable coil overs
- Rack and pinion
- Chassis Engineering torque arm combo
- Heater
- Weight reduction
- window net
- 8.50 NHRA chassis cert

 

Cool man, just what I'm looking for. PM a price when you get a chance.

 

Hey let me know if you sell anything good. Lol

 

New SR Cam, and switching over to ALKY

 

I have the motor for sale..... reasonsable and complete.

 

1989 Formula 5 speed tpi

Right now I'm doing, and I have
Drop springs from hotchkis
Sway bar hotchkis
BMR strut tower brace
Spohn strut mounts
Wonder bar
Ball joints bushings tie rods and idler arm

I'm waiting for funds for
LS style brakes
Koni Struts