Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

I can offer assistance,if you need it....not so much on the mechanical side,but I do know how do wrangle electrons.
Let me know if I can help
Mike

45+x Loser.....You'd think I would learn......
5x I.O.E  Winner   1 Heroic Fix Winner   1 Org Choice Winner
2x  I Got Screwed Winner    2x Class C Winner
(Still a Class B driver in a Class A car)

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

BigBird wrote:

I can offer assistance,if you need it....not so much on the mechanical side,but I do know how do wrangle electrons.
Let me know if I can help
Mike


Thanks Mike I will take you up on that offer. And offer you beer in return.

Sorry For Party Racing, Ran When Parked Racing. #3 eLSS Camino, #21 TWAP Solstice.
WAP Pontiac Solstice (RIP)2007-2023

28 (edited by fleming95 2018-05-22 08:09 PM)

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

To all the rest of the country, especially where they salt the roads:

Take another look at the undercarriage on that jewel - yes, Norcal (even outside The Island That Rust Forgot) is pretty much a fountain of youth for cars!

And to the OP - thought about how and who's going to cage it?

Lots o' options in this neck of the woods - ask around -

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

Yeah, the rust belt cars seems to rust from the bottom up and out here near the ocean they tend to rust top down.

1990 RX7 "Mazdarita"  1964 Sunbeam Imp (IOE 2013 Sears Pointless) 2002 Jaguar x-type (Winner C-Class 2021 Sears Pointless)
Gone bye-bye
1994 Jaguar XJ12 (Winner C-Class 2013 Sears Pointless)  1980 Rover SD1 (I Got Screwed 2014 Return of Lemonites)

30 (edited by DelinquentRacer 2018-05-23 12:08 AM)

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

If you want to cage it yourselves I can offer you my bender, notcher, and other accoutrements.
I can also help out with bending templates if you provide measurements.
Also, I highly reccommend Mike as an electron wrangler, and all-around good guy.
Greg

Capt. Delinquent Racing
RUST-TITE XR4Ti - '21 ARSE-FREEZE-APALOOZA  I Got Screwed
The One & Only Taurus V8 SHO #31(now moved on to another OG Delinquent)
'17 Vodden the Hell - (No) Hope for the Future Award, '08 AMP Survivor, '08 ARSE-FREEZE-APALOOZA Mega-Cheater

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

Which engine is in this thing?

Sorry For Party Racing! - 1985 Pontiac Firebird - Car #35

A race car exists only in two states: broken or in the process of becoming that way.

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

piper.gras wrote:

Which engine is in this thing?

It has the stock LT1 with an automatic trans. Some point want to switch the trans out but that is way down the list

Sorry For Party Racing, Ran When Parked Racing. #3 eLSS Camino, #21 TWAP Solstice.
WAP Pontiac Solstice (RIP)2007-2023

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

Wow that is shockingly clean underneath.  I guess I forget that car is not from where I am.  if a car looked like that near me, underneath would be swiss cheese.

One thing to keep in mind early in the build is next year fire systems will be mandatory, and while one can be added at any time, it may be easier to run the lines when the car interior and engine bay is really stripped bare.

Tom Lomino - Proud to be a 23x Lemons Loser, 3x Class B, and 1x IOE Winner!
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Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

timburrman wrote:

It has the stock LT1 with an automatic trans. Some point want to switch the trans out but that is way down the list

Wow, a free non-rusted out LT1 Camaro? Nice find.

I'm one of the Sorry for Party Racing guys as previously mentioned in this thread. We run a 3rd gen with the Gen I small block, so are not intimately familiar with the LT1. However, I suspect that the same general rules apply to keeping a Gen II motor alive, and in true GM fashion, there are a lot of similarities to the chassis.

You'll want to make sure your cooling system is top notch, and absolutely add a good oil cooler. RX-7 oil coolers are one of the best options out there. Oil control is also important, stock pans don't control oil well and you can lose pressure under braking and in corners. Bearings don't like that, so oil pan baffling and/or an accusump can be added to address that.

With an auto trans, you'll want to keep that cool as well. An external cooler would be suggested there too.

I don't know what's on the early 4th gen cars for brakes, but a swap to the later LS1 F-Body or C5 Corvette brakes should be a simple upgrade. The calipers are essentially the same (minor casting differences and 3mm piston diameter change, but the two are mechanically interchangeable), the corvette runs a larger diameter rotor.

That pretty much covers the basics on keeping the motor alive and making the thing stop. Those areas should be your focus in the beginning.

Sorry For Party Racing! - 1985 Pontiac Firebird - Car #35

A race car exists only in two states: broken or in the process of becoming that way.

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

piper.gras wrote:
timburrman wrote:

It has the stock LT1 with an automatic trans. Some point want to switch the trans out but that is way down the list

Wow, a free non-rusted out LT1 Camaro? Nice find.

I'm one of the Sorry for Party Racing guys as previously mentioned in this thread. We run a 3rd gen with the Gen I small block, so are not intimately familiar with the LT1. However, I suspect that the same general rules apply to keeping a Gen II motor alive, and in true GM fashion, there are a lot of similarities to the chassis.

You'll want to make sure your cooling system is top notch, and absolutely add a good oil cooler. RX-7 oil coolers are one of the best options out there. Oil control is also important, stock pans don't control oil well and you can lose pressure under braking and in corners. Bearings don't like that, so oil pan baffling and/or an accusump can be added to address that.

With an auto trans, you'll want to keep that cool as well. An external cooler would be suggested there too.

I don't know what's on the early 4th gen cars for brakes, but a swap to the later LS1 F-Body or C5 Corvette brakes should be a simple upgrade. The calipers are essentially the same (minor casting differences and 3mm piston diameter change, but the two are mechanically interchangeable), the corvette runs a larger diameter rotor.

That pretty much covers the basics on keeping the motor alive and making the thing stop. Those areas should be your focus in the beginning.

1/2 price at pick and pull this weekend!! Will but C5&6 fronts bolt up ok?

Sorry For Party Racing, Ran When Parked Racing. #3 eLSS Camino, #21 TWAP Solstice.
WAP Pontiac Solstice (RIP)2007-2023

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

You'll need conversion brackets for the calipers, but they should be readily available from various sources on the interwebs. Putting LS1 or C5/C6 brakes on older GM cars is a very popular upgrade.

Sorry For Party Racing! - 1985 Pontiac Firebird - Car #35

A race car exists only in two states: broken or in the process of becoming that way.

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

piper.gras wrote:

You'll need conversion brackets for the calipers, but they should be readily available from various sources on the interwebs. Putting LS1 or C5/C6 brakes on older GM cars is a very popular upgrade.

We love our C5 brakes on the Dustbuster minivan.  We stole the process from a 4th-gen website and just made them out of 3/8" plate steel.  The Raybestos ST43 pads we get 4-5 races out of a set of pads and can outbrake an impressive portion of the field.

Note, you MUST go to 17" wheels to make it work and even then one of our wheels was ever so slightly machined by the caliper on the casting flash rib...the clearances are that tight.

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

OnkelUdo wrote:
piper.gras wrote:

You'll need conversion brackets for the calipers, but they should be readily available from various sources on the interwebs. Putting LS1 or C5/C6 brakes on older GM cars is a very popular upgrade.

We love our C5 brakes on the Dustbuster minivan.  We stole the process from a 4th-gen website and just made them out of 3/8" plate steel.  The Raybestos ST43 pads we get 4-5 races out of a set of pads and can outbrake an impressive portion of the field.

Note, you MUST go to 17" wheels to make it work and even then one of our wheels was ever so slightly machined by the caliper on the casting flash rib...the clearances are that tight.

have you not seen my sweet 17's??
https://imageshack.com/a/img921/7894/fO7omB.jpg

Sorry For Party Racing, Ran When Parked Racing. #3 eLSS Camino, #21 TWAP Solstice.
WAP Pontiac Solstice (RIP)2007-2023

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

those are pretty choice and super clean.

40 (edited by rover67 2018-05-30 11:39 AM)

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

I have not had good luck with that particular VATS module that was linked from ebay just FYI. Might be me or our setup though

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

Made big progress this week! Got the entire top end of the motor out as well as all the EGR bs, ac components, radiators, fans etc.  super happy that the motor turns over and there isn't much in the motor other than oil.  Was expecting a total milkshake...  Need to get the entire thing cleaned up and I am contemplating pulling the motor and going over the entire thing. Hell I am more than halfway there already.

Also I have the entire interior out of the car except for the amplifier and speakers which I may leave in because 90's Camaro....

Still much to do but feels good to tear into it finally.

Sorry For Party Racing, Ran When Parked Racing. #3 eLSS Camino, #21 TWAP Solstice.
WAP Pontiac Solstice (RIP)2007-2023

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/150x100q90/921/peWyUN.png

Sorry For Party Racing, Ran When Parked Racing. #3 eLSS Camino, #21 TWAP Solstice.
WAP Pontiac Solstice (RIP)2007-2023

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/150x100q90/923/baWeVm.png

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/150x100q90/922/MlmtwV.png

Sorry For Party Racing, Ran When Parked Racing. #3 eLSS Camino, #21 TWAP Solstice.
WAP Pontiac Solstice (RIP)2007-2023

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

timburrman wrote:
OnkelUdo wrote:

Note, you MUST go to 17" wheels to make it work and even then one of our wheels was ever so slightly machined by the caliper on the casting flash rib...the clearances are that tight.

have you not seen my sweet 17's??
https://imageshack.com/a/img921/7894/fO7omB.jpg

Those are swanky.

You should run them on the car as-is, and let the clearcoat flake off at speed.

You'll leave a souvenir of your travels gently floating through the air everywhere you go.

Re: My first build. I mean how hard can it be?!?

RandolphCarter wrote:
timburrman wrote:
OnkelUdo wrote:

Note, you MUST go to 17" wheels to make it work and even then one of our wheels was ever so slightly machined by the caliper on the casting flash rib...the clearances are that tight.

have you not seen my sweet 17's??
https://imageshack.com/a/img921/7894/fO7omB.jpg

Those are swanky.

You should run them on the car as-is, and let the clearcoat flake off at speed.

You'll leave a souvenir of your travels gently floating through the air everywhere you go.

Love it! Leaving behind a trail of glittery metallic domination for all to see. Just hope they don't break and punt me off track....

Sorry For Party Racing, Ran When Parked Racing. #3 eLSS Camino, #21 TWAP Solstice.
WAP Pontiac Solstice (RIP)2007-2023