Need your opinions
#1
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Need your opinions
This my project that I spent ~3years on... gah. but there is a lot of little stuff that
still annoyed me, so I pulled engine back out and am redoing pretty much everything...
I have a list of things I want to change. but a second, third, etc pair of eyes would
be great. So, what are the things that you first see, that "distract" you.... I am
going for a real clean bay, and want it simple...
any cool ideas you have would be great.
My current list:
Paint/Powercoat
-Tensioner bolt
-Waterpump/bolts
-Thermostat/bolts
-Radiator ends?
-Powersteering Pulley
-Heads
-Valve covers
-PCM cover
-Wiper Arms
-Brake Master
-Brake Lines
-Brake Res
-Throttlebody
-IAC
-Coolant crossover
-Throttle cable retainer
-Fuel Rail
-Head light brackets
-Hood shock pins
New
-Radiator Hoses
-Hose Clamps
-Overflow fittings
-Turn One Pump
-PS cooler w/AN fittings
-Oil cooler
-PCM cover
-PS/Rad/Overflow caps
-Fuel Rail Fitting
-Clutch Res
-Heat Resistant Sleeve for wiring
Plug heater outlet/inlet on waterpump
Relocate FPR
Relocate LL/PV
Rebundle PCM wiring
Relocate coils (DOWN by oil pan)
Im thinking about keeping the FRCs... but im not sure.
Also, I will be installing my PS and oil coolers in the front, where most people
put their intercoolers. Since I already hacked up my bumper.
I also do not like how the panel around the MF107R looks... but Idk what I should do with it,,,,
Im looking for honest opinions, constructive of course.... the car is torn apart,
and now is the time to make changes.
The heads will also be milled while it is apart.
still annoyed me, so I pulled engine back out and am redoing pretty much everything...
I have a list of things I want to change. but a second, third, etc pair of eyes would
be great. So, what are the things that you first see, that "distract" you.... I am
going for a real clean bay, and want it simple...
any cool ideas you have would be great.
My current list:
Paint/Powercoat
-Tensioner bolt
-Waterpump/bolts
-Thermostat/bolts
-Radiator ends?
-Powersteering Pulley
-Heads
-Valve covers
-PCM cover
-Wiper Arms
-Brake Master
-Brake Lines
-Brake Res
-Throttlebody
-IAC
-Coolant crossover
-Throttle cable retainer
-Fuel Rail
-Head light brackets
-Hood shock pins
New
-Radiator Hoses
-Hose Clamps
-Overflow fittings
-Turn One Pump
-PS cooler w/AN fittings
-Oil cooler
-PCM cover
-PS/Rad/Overflow caps
-Fuel Rail Fitting
-Clutch Res
-Heat Resistant Sleeve for wiring
Plug heater outlet/inlet on waterpump
Relocate FPR
Relocate LL/PV
Rebundle PCM wiring
Relocate coils (DOWN by oil pan)
Im thinking about keeping the FRCs... but im not sure.
Also, I will be installing my PS and oil coolers in the front, where most people
put their intercoolers. Since I already hacked up my bumper.
I also do not like how the panel around the MF107R looks... but Idk what I should do with it,,,,
Im looking for honest opinions, constructive of course.... the car is torn apart,
and now is the time to make changes.
The heads will also be milled while it is apart.
Last edited by PUNISHER TA; 11-27-2011 at 01:03 PM.
#4
Good call on repainting the bay gloss Trevor. You'll have to be sure all the imperfections are gone (if any) as the gloss will highlight the little things.
For durability dont paint pieces that can be powder coated. Obviously some things can be painted but where brake lines, reservoirs etc are involved, paint will come off....QUICK....if any fluid, sweating, etc will be present. You have a local powder coater in town that's really reasonable....call them.
Instead of a Turn One pump....opt for the pulley only.
And yes, lose the FRCs....its not a corvette Plus you really wont need them if you're relocating the coils, right?
Heat resistant sleeving for wires? Hmmmmm.....where have I seen that?
For durability dont paint pieces that can be powder coated. Obviously some things can be painted but where brake lines, reservoirs etc are involved, paint will come off....QUICK....if any fluid, sweating, etc will be present. You have a local powder coater in town that's really reasonable....call them.
Instead of a Turn One pump....opt for the pulley only.
And yes, lose the FRCs....its not a corvette Plus you really wont need them if you're relocating the coils, right?
Heat resistant sleeving for wires? Hmmmmm.....where have I seen that?
#7
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Good call on repainting the bay gloss Trevor. You'll have to be sure all the imperfections are gone (if any) as the gloss will highlight the little things.
For durability dont paint pieces that can be powder coated. Obviously some things can be painted but where brake lines, reservoirs etc are involved, paint will come off....QUICK....if any fluid, sweating, etc will be present. You have a local powder coater in town that's really reasonable....call them.
Instead of a Turn One pump....opt for the pulley only.
And yes, lose the FRCs....its not a corvette Plus you really wont need them if you're relocating the coils, right?
Heat resistant sleeving for wires? Hmmmmm.....where have I seen that?
For durability dont paint pieces that can be powder coated. Obviously some things can be painted but where brake lines, reservoirs etc are involved, paint will come off....QUICK....if any fluid, sweating, etc will be present. You have a local powder coater in town that's really reasonable....call them.
Instead of a Turn One pump....opt for the pulley only.
And yes, lose the FRCs....its not a corvette Plus you really wont need them if you're relocating the coils, right?
Heat resistant sleeving for wires? Hmmmmm.....where have I seen that?
I plan on upgrading my whole steering system, and as far as the pump, I dont want any original 100k mile parts left, so I might as well go with turn one...?
Idk, I dont NEED them, and no its not a corvette, but I think they work visually... and also it gives people who are idiots, (most people) a hint that work was done, even if they just think its an LS7 crate...
and not all of us have a $$$$$$$ intake on top of our motor...
I dont understand the last part... :/
Thanks, Im just trying to reach a vision I have for myself
thanks for the idea.
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#8
some sort of threaded cap/nut for the shock bolts?
definitely go gloss black for the bay
have the intake "tube" hydro coated carbon fiber - shave the text off first
paint the catch can to match the engine bay (gloss black)
either back-to-black the cowl trim or paint it a satin black
definitely go gloss black for the bay
have the intake "tube" hydro coated carbon fiber - shave the text off first
paint the catch can to match the engine bay (gloss black)
either back-to-black the cowl trim or paint it a satin black
#9
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Yea, some sort of cap for the bolt/nuts would be nice, they were hand painted black...
Stil not sure on the bay, this is a daily driver...
I'm not a fan of hydrocoating... But they make a carbon fiber version $$$ I'm considering switching to.
I like the gunmetal accents, I want to keep that theme going.
And yes the wiper cowl does need to be blacker.
Thanks
Stil not sure on the bay, this is a daily driver...
I'm not a fan of hydrocoating... But they make a carbon fiber version $$$ I'm considering switching to.
I like the gunmetal accents, I want to keep that theme going.
And yes the wiper cowl does need to be blacker.
Thanks
#10
Idk, I dont NEED them, and no its not a corvette, but I think they work visually... and also it gives people who are idiots, (most people) a hint that work was done, even if they just think its an LS7 crate...
and not all of us have a $$$$$$$ intake on top of our motor...
and not all of us have a $$$$$$$ intake on top of our motor...
.....and ouch.
What kind of wire sleeving are you referring too? Plug or harness?
#11
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Ill take the Corvette covers if I can afford to get katechs carbon fiber valve covers...h.
But for now I don't mind them, and don't wanna waste time on them.
I didn't mean that as an insult, its true. And I am jealous of your intake.
If you look in the pictures by the starter... Orange hose, thats heat resistant. I need black instead.
#12
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We all have our own visions...
Im not looking for passive attempts to persuade me to join the 'other side'...
just ideas,
and damn, another vote against the FRCs :/ I guess Ill siphon more pennies to the Carbon Fiber Valve cover fund.
#18
Pretty sure someone makes an "insert" that will cover up the Corvette. Cant recall where or who.....might be easier for you to come up with something.
Maybe laser etch your own verbage? For example....PUNISHER TA
#19
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painting the bay gloss black will help you out a lot, but in the pics you have such a clean engine bay, but as someone who has also done a swap like this, the little things never stop.
on to my honest opinions
keep the ls7 frc's and here is why they way you have your engine bay currently laid out moving you coil packs is gong to clutter up your clean look unless you move them all the way up to the radiator and build a panel to cover the gap between radiator support and and the wheel well (place where the battery sat on pass side and the fuze panels on the driver side)
im personally a fan of black and red, so the covers work for me but if you want to switch to carbonfiber it would give you a cleaner look overall.
paint the block (mine is balck) it will make all the other things you do in the engine bay POP the heads will sthand out especially if you go with the carbon frc's
consider painting the intake manifold or coating it.
i prefer a more traditional style intake but i understand if you dont, there was a company back in the early 2000 that made a huge intake that still had a lid forf bodies was stealth force composites or something to that affect (its what i run) its different enough to add to the overall custom thing you got going
napa sells brake lines that are black (satin) swap those out for some of the ones you have or you can go polished
go to a plumbing store and spend the money to get rid of you brass fittings (i can only see one but im assuming you have a few more) for some nickel ones or even stainless
Gates makes a hose clamp that works the same way as heat shrink, all you need is a heat gun and they look so clean.
or you can replace all of your rubber hoses with steelbraided line
change out that fuel line fitting to something that more matches your car (all of my AN fittings are black)
wouldnt bother painting the radiator core just clean it up real nice maybe some back to black could help.
powder coat the brackets that you can (headlignt stuff all that, you could have a cover for your ecm made than powder coated as well.
some stainless hard ware could look nice but for a daily i think the all black look works better, i would honestly just paint them with a rattle can of high temp paint, then put them back on (just be easy not to scratch) and if they get messed up its always an easy fix)
lokar makes a stainless oil dipstick cant remember the part number off my head but it says for LS1's so it should work for this application but do your research if you go that way because the LS7 pan is different
and last if you have headers on your car get them coated!!!! it is one of my biggest regrets with mine (stainless headers that blued and browned and look like **** compared to the rest of the bay)
all in all you have a great looking engine bay from what i can see, but there are a lot of little things you can do to change things up and make it yours and you already on a great path and i enjoyed the build thread you did on this project cause it gave me some ideas to
found a pic of the intake and the company is still around though its not for sale by any of our sponsors pic below is not my car but you get an idea (and the logo is just a sticker i didnt put mine on)
on to my honest opinions
keep the ls7 frc's and here is why they way you have your engine bay currently laid out moving you coil packs is gong to clutter up your clean look unless you move them all the way up to the radiator and build a panel to cover the gap between radiator support and and the wheel well (place where the battery sat on pass side and the fuze panels on the driver side)
im personally a fan of black and red, so the covers work for me but if you want to switch to carbonfiber it would give you a cleaner look overall.
paint the block (mine is balck) it will make all the other things you do in the engine bay POP the heads will sthand out especially if you go with the carbon frc's
consider painting the intake manifold or coating it.
i prefer a more traditional style intake but i understand if you dont, there was a company back in the early 2000 that made a huge intake that still had a lid forf bodies was stealth force composites or something to that affect (its what i run) its different enough to add to the overall custom thing you got going
napa sells brake lines that are black (satin) swap those out for some of the ones you have or you can go polished
go to a plumbing store and spend the money to get rid of you brass fittings (i can only see one but im assuming you have a few more) for some nickel ones or even stainless
Gates makes a hose clamp that works the same way as heat shrink, all you need is a heat gun and they look so clean.
or you can replace all of your rubber hoses with steelbraided line
change out that fuel line fitting to something that more matches your car (all of my AN fittings are black)
wouldnt bother painting the radiator core just clean it up real nice maybe some back to black could help.
powder coat the brackets that you can (headlignt stuff all that, you could have a cover for your ecm made than powder coated as well.
some stainless hard ware could look nice but for a daily i think the all black look works better, i would honestly just paint them with a rattle can of high temp paint, then put them back on (just be easy not to scratch) and if they get messed up its always an easy fix)
lokar makes a stainless oil dipstick cant remember the part number off my head but it says for LS1's so it should work for this application but do your research if you go that way because the LS7 pan is different
and last if you have headers on your car get them coated!!!! it is one of my biggest regrets with mine (stainless headers that blued and browned and look like **** compared to the rest of the bay)
all in all you have a great looking engine bay from what i can see, but there are a lot of little things you can do to change things up and make it yours and you already on a great path and i enjoyed the build thread you did on this project cause it gave me some ideas to
found a pic of the intake and the company is still around though its not for sale by any of our sponsors pic below is not my car but you get an idea (and the logo is just a sticker i didnt put mine on)
Last edited by blackbyrd; 11-28-2011 at 10:17 AM.
#20
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on to my honest opinions
keep the ls7 frc's and here is why they way you have your engine bay currently laid out moving you coil packs is gong to clutter up your clean look unless you move them all the way up to the radiator and build a panel to cover the gap between radiator support and and the wheel well (place where the battery sat on pass side and the fuze panels on the driver side)
im personally a fan of black and red, so the covers work for me but if you want to switch to carbonfiber it would give you a cleaner look overall.
keep the ls7 frc's and here is why they way you have your engine bay currently laid out moving you coil packs is gong to clutter up your clean look unless you move them all the way up to the radiator and build a panel to cover the gap between radiator support and and the wheel well (place where the battery sat on pass side and the fuze panels on the driver side)
im personally a fan of black and red, so the covers work for me but if you want to switch to carbonfiber it would give you a cleaner look overall.
Im moving the coils down to the oil pan. you will no be able to see any of the wires... should be slick.
I would love to switch to Carbon Fiber Intake/Valve Covers but its ~$1500
http://store.katechengines.com/carbo..._p/sbcf112.htm
For now I really like the OEM texture of the Intake... when I can afford to switch to a FAST 102, I will sand it smooth and have it painted.
i prefer a more traditional style intake but i understand if you dont, there was a company back in the early 2000 that made a huge intake that still had a lid forf bodies was stealth force composites or something to that affect (its what i run) its different enough to add to the overall custom thing you got going
I forgot about that stuff, That would be sweet.
I would love to run SS lines to my radiator, but right now its a money thing... I would need a aluminum radiator first... which is not in the cards right now...
some stainless hard ware could look nice but for a daily i think the all black look works better, i would honestly just paint them with a rattle can of high temp paint, then put them back on (just be easy not to scratch) and if they get messed up its always an easy fix)
I dont think they look that bad, but ill have to see if my local powdercoater can do ceramic coating.
all in all you have a great looking engine bay from what i can see, but there are a lot of little things you can do to change things up and make it yours and you already on a great path and i enjoyed the build thread you did on this project cause it gave me some ideas to
Thank you very much, and thank you for taking time to respond.