Pro Touring '72 now going LS2
#161
Just switching gears a little to my seats. I finished up my Vintage Air, but I'm not ready to install my dash yet as there are a cpl more things in want to finish under there. I decided to move to getting my interior ready. I welded elevator bolts to my floor pan to use as studs for my Recaro seat brackets. My intention was to use my friends rear bench as a temporary setup until i could have my rear bucket setup installed. My intent was to use my friends old rear bench, but a '68 Chevelle rear seat is wider due to the armrest configuration. I ended up starting on my plan for the rear seats sooner than i expected. I also took the time to trim and install my rear carpet.
With some advice from by buddy that does interiors, I built this base for the new rear seat. Here is one of the rear seats as it will sit before my friend completes the upholstery. He will build filler between the seats and and both sides when he does the upholstery.
Attachment 154875
Here's the base installed with one seat is it will be when finished.
Attachment 154876
Attachment 154877
With some advice from by buddy that does interiors, I built this base for the new rear seat. Here is one of the rear seats as it will sit before my friend completes the upholstery. He will build filler between the seats and and both sides when he does the upholstery.
Attachment 154875
Here's the base installed with one seat is it will be when finished.
Attachment 154876
Attachment 154877
#163
I found a GTO rear seat for $100 and chopped down the back and welded it back to fit. This is my solution for now...
Last edited by csouth; October 15th, 2017 at 06:06 PM.
#164
If you have any questions you can always hit me up....
#165
So I spent today building my new door panels, the originals were warped from moisture. I had to buy new mounting hardware. It was a tedious process, but I think they give me a good base to start with. I'll wrap them once i come up with a final design.
#166
Haven't posted in a while, had a couple of small things to do like moving my motor forward slightly. I got a FAST102 intake for a good price and I didn't like the way it sits right against the firewall.
I also took a real basic rout on the door panels for now. I padded and wrapped them in a plain black, finishing the setup off with handle and window cranks from Clayton Machine. Still not sure about the door handle position, but it will due for now.
I also took a real basic rout on the door panels for now. I padded and wrapped them in a plain black, finishing the setup off with handle and window cranks from Clayton Machine. Still not sure about the door handle position, but it will due for now.
Last edited by csouth; June 8th, 2018 at 10:36 AM.
#171
You have so many great parts on this car! Everything i did to my 71 you have done to your car with better parts! I absolutely love the way mine rides and drives now, so you will no doubt be impressed. Get those last details done and drive!
#172
Thanks!
The last few details are the ones that are killing me .....
The last few details are the ones that are killing me .....
#173
I know all about that. My tanks inc tank leaked at the sending unit even though I used the appropriate sealant with their supplied gasket, my driveline had some vibration once I got to 60 that only got worse when I did the 2” drop. That was fixed with a CV driveshaft. My junkyard 6.0 didn’t have as much life left as I had hoped so I got a new forged short block. All in all it took 2 years after getting it running to get to where I am now, which is a dependable car that I can let my wife take on a 100 mile trip without worrying... even though she won’t until I add air conditioning. Truth is, it never ends but it’s a fun journey.
#174
I know all about that. My tanks inc tank leaked at the sending unit even though I used the appropriate sealant with their supplied gasket, my driveline had some vibration once I got to 60 that only got worse when I did the 2” drop. That was fixed with a CV driveshaft. My junkyard 6.0 didn’t have as much life left as I had hoped so I got a new forged short block. All in all it took 2 years after getting it running to get to where I am now, which is a dependable car that I can let my wife take on a 100 mile trip without worrying... even though she won’t until I add air conditioning. Truth is, it never ends but it’s a fun journey.
#177
To:
ClassicOldsmobile.com
Jun 17 at 9:13 AM
I'd have to go looking for the receipt to be sure, but if I recall it was $850. My car had a vibration starting at 60mph and got really worrisome by 80. I had the original shaft shortened and balanced for the swap and then had it re-balanced one other time. No amount of driveline angle adjustment got rid of the vibration, and when I lowered it 2" there was no denying that I had to bite the bullet and get a CV shaft made. Now I can cruise interstate speeds of 80 smooth as glass at about 2500rpm.
ClassicOldsmobile.com
Jun 17 at 9:13 AM
I'd have to go looking for the receipt to be sure, but if I recall it was $850. My car had a vibration starting at 60mph and got really worrisome by 80. I had the original shaft shortened and balanced for the swap and then had it re-balanced one other time. No amount of driveline angle adjustment got rid of the vibration, and when I lowered it 2" there was no denying that I had to bite the bullet and get a CV shaft made. Now I can cruise interstate speeds of 80 smooth as glass at about 2500rpm.
#178
To:
ClassicOldsmobile.com
Jun 17 at 9:13 AM
I'd have to go looking for the receipt to be sure, but if I recall it was $850. My car had a vibration starting at 60mph and got really worrisome by 80. I had the original shaft shortened and balanced for the swap and then had it re-balanced one other time. No amount of driveline angle adjustment got rid of the vibration, and when I lowered it 2" there was no denying that I had to bite the bullet and get a CV shaft made. Now I can cruise interstate speeds of 80 smooth as glass at about 2500rpm.
ClassicOldsmobile.com
Jun 17 at 9:13 AM
I'd have to go looking for the receipt to be sure, but if I recall it was $850. My car had a vibration starting at 60mph and got really worrisome by 80. I had the original shaft shortened and balanced for the swap and then had it re-balanced one other time. No amount of driveline angle adjustment got rid of the vibration, and when I lowered it 2" there was no denying that I had to bite the bullet and get a CV shaft made. Now I can cruise interstate speeds of 80 smooth as glass at about 2500rpm.
#179
#180
Between cutting the tunnel to get your trans in the right place and the lower pinion location on your 9" there is a good chance you will get away without needing a cv. I had 2.9 deg down at the trans, but after lowering my driveshaft was 1deg up from trans to pinion which made my front operating angle 4 deg and my rear angle was the opposite direction it should have been.... I couldn't avoid it in my car but you should be able to dial in a regular u joint shaft.
#181
Between cutting the tunnel to get your trans in the right place and the lower pinion location on your 9" there is a good chance you will get away without needing a cv. I had 2.9 deg down at the trans, but after lowering my driveshaft was 1deg up from trans to pinion which made my front operating angle 4 deg and my rear angle was the opposite direction it should have been.... I couldn't avoid it in my car but you should be able to dial in a regular u joint shaft.
#183
#184
Not to hijack your thread, but here is mine as of yesterday. My daughter firmly believes she is going to talk me into letting her have "Stella" as her first car. She loves the sounds and smells that come with old cars. One of her favorite things is spending time in the garage handing Dad tools and pretending she's driving. Pretty good kid.
#185
Not to hijack your thread, but here is mine as of yesterday. My daughter firmly believes she is going to talk me into letting her have "Stella" as her first car. She loves the sounds and smells that come with old cars. One of her favorite things is spending time in the garage handing Dad tools and pretending she's driving. Pretty good kid.
#186
Just a quick update... Had some road time this summer and car runs good and is getting better the more I drove it as it should with the Holley. I did encounter an issue with my suspension due to the floater housing and the wide z06 calipers. Based on how close the caliper was to the frame, it would press the caliper against the rotor at compression. I ended up pulling the floater and selling it on another forum. I purchased a new Moser semi-float and rear parking brake kit from Kore3. I had the housing powder coated satin black along with my air intake tube. I also finally powder coated my calipers. When I bought the calipers, they were priced with the understanding that they would need to be powder coated. I decided on the Prismatic Illusion Blueberry. Next is getting the calipers reassembled and back on the car.
#187
Congratulations on getting it out on the road. Too bad about the issues you had with the rear, but sounds like you are on the homestretch. Hope its living up to the expectations you had at the beginning of the project.
#189
#190
Noticed you are running MSD plug wires with heat shields. Keep an eye on them.. I was running the same setup and burned 3 out of 8 plug wires to varying extents. Thought i had an exhaust leak at my headers but the sound was spark arcing through the dried and cracked silicone to my headers. My dyno tune was done with those wires that i found out a week or so later were cooked. Ended up ordering angled ceramic Accell wires, but with my dougs headers i have 1 that wont fit so using one of the good MSD ones there temporarily until I find a better solution (it'll probably end up being permenant).
#191
Noticed you are running MSD plug wires with heat shields. Keep an eye on them.. I was running the same setup and burned 3 out of 8 plug wires to varying extents. Thought i had an exhaust leak at my headers but the sound was spark arcing through the dried and cracked silicone to my headers. My dyno tune was done with those wires that i found out a week or so later were cooked. Ended up ordering angled ceramic Accell wires, but with my dougs headers i have 1 that wont fit so using one of the good MSD ones there temporarily until I find a better solution (it'll probably end up being permenant).
Last edited by csouth; October 23rd, 2018 at 06:52 AM.
#192
Yup. I had the same thought process. Ceramic coated headers, heat shields and angling the MSD's for some clearance so should be good to go. Someone at a car show warned me and i took it with a grain of salt. Turns out he was right and it did the same to me as it had to him. I am starting to think the wire wraps hold heat in and end up being worse than just the wires by themselves.
#194
#195
Couple of questions, for a friend.
Do you have part numbers for the Chevelle frame mounts and Energy Suspension mounts? Did you need to drill any holes in the frame for the Chevelle mounts?
Any issues with the f-body pan? Does your car have factory AC? Wondering if the engine sits far enough forward to clear it.
Thanks
Do you have part numbers for the Chevelle frame mounts and Energy Suspension mounts? Did you need to drill any holes in the frame for the Chevelle mounts?
Any issues with the f-body pan? Does your car have factory AC? Wondering if the engine sits far enough forward to clear it.
Thanks
#196
Couple of questions, for a friend.
Do you have part numbers for the Chevelle frame mounts and Energy Suspension mounts? Did you need to drill any holes in the frame for the Chevelle mounts?
Any issues with the f-body pan? Does your car have factory AC? Wondering if the engine sits far enough forward to clear it.
Thanks
Do you have part numbers for the Chevelle frame mounts and Energy Suspension mounts? Did you need to drill any holes in the frame for the Chevelle mounts?
Any issues with the f-body pan? Does your car have factory AC? Wondering if the engine sits far enough forward to clear it.
Thanks
I used the short wide frame stands which would use the Energy Suspension 3.1115G I think. If you want to got low mount AC, stay away from the F Body oil pan. You cannot move the engine off the firewall much from my experience with the F Body pan and I switched mine to Autokraft pan. I would used the Holley setup now if I were doing a swap just because its a complete system, pan and mounts. It takes all the guess work out of the motor position and driveline angles.
If low mount AC is not your concern, the UMI stands and mounts are a nice setup and and they were designed around the F Body pan.
#197
My car was a factory AC car, but of course that all has been gutted for Vintage Air. My car currently sits far enough fwd to use low mount AC with the Dirty Dingo braket. My compressor is now low mount because I want to do some other things to the motor next year.
I used the short wide frame stands which would use the Energy Suspension 3.1115G I think. If you want to got low mount AC, stay away from the F Body oil pan. You cannot move the engine off the firewall much from my experience with the F Body pan and I switched mine to Autokraft pan. I would used the Holley setup now if I were doing a swap just because its a complete system, pan and mounts. It takes all the guess work out of the motor position and driveline angles.
If low mount AC is not your concern, the UMI stands and mounts are a nice setup and and they were designed around the F Body pan.
I used the short wide frame stands which would use the Energy Suspension 3.1115G I think. If you want to got low mount AC, stay away from the F Body oil pan. You cannot move the engine off the firewall much from my experience with the F Body pan and I switched mine to Autokraft pan. I would used the Holley setup now if I were doing a swap just because its a complete system, pan and mounts. It takes all the guess work out of the motor position and driveline angles.
If low mount AC is not your concern, the UMI stands and mounts are a nice setup and and they were designed around the F Body pan.
We could probably fabricate a mount for the compressor (truck accessories). Do you think thee is enough room in the back for the original AC/Heater box? I know the holley is a good fit, but it's way more expensive than my 60 dollar f-body pan. I'm hesitant to notch the frame as it has been powder coated.
#198
Thank you
We could probably fabricate a mount for the compressor (truck accessories). Do you think thee is enough room in the back for the original AC/Heater box? I know the holley is a good fit, but it's way more expensive than my 60 dollar f-body pan. I'm hesitant to notch the frame as it has been powder coated.
We could probably fabricate a mount for the compressor (truck accessories). Do you think thee is enough room in the back for the original AC/Heater box? I know the holley is a good fit, but it's way more expensive than my 60 dollar f-body pan. I'm hesitant to notch the frame as it has been powder coated.
#199
There is room for the original AC box, lots of swap cars still retain that unit and some have even hooked it up to the LS stuff. So my question is, do you need low mount AC? I moved mine because I'm going forced induction later and its easier for me that way. You can use the high mount accessories like most people with A bodies do in their swaps.
Thanks for the info.
#200
I'm all for saving money, but not at the expense of a powdercoated frame that you gonna notch and rattle can over. the repair. I think you're looking at money and not considering you're time and effort that you cannot get back.