psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

I originally wasn't going to do a build thread because there are already so many 416 build threads on the site. But, my buddy Loren (themealonwheels) has been pretty insistent that I do this for several months now, so, here goes...


A little background. I bought my 2000 Camaro (V6 / T56) from Loren several years ago with the intent of doing an LS1 swap in it as soon as possible. Well, a divorce, followed by another marriage, put the brakes on that for a while. Last year I retired from the Seabees and received a nice little disability check in November. The wife told me to take it and build my car. I tried to warn her about what she was unleashing, but, she wouldn't listen... So, I started collecting parts. Below is a rundown of what I'm building:


Engine
TMS Forged LS3 416 Short Block 11.5:1
GMPP CNC LS3 Heads
LS3 Intake
FAST 102mm TB
BTR .660 Dual Spring Kit - Titanium Retainers
BTR Chromoly Pushrods - 5/16", .080 wall, 7.40"
Johnson SLR Lifters
Straub Bushing Upgraded Stock Rockers
ARP Head Bolts
Cam Motion Kip Spec'd Cam 238/242 .629/.620 114*/+4*
Ported LS6 Oil Pump
Edelbrock 2 Piece Timing Cover
Powerbond 10% Underdrive Balancer
D585 Truck Coils
Improved Racing Oil Pan Baffle
Improved Racing Crank Scraper
SACCityCorvette Billet Oil Dumbbell

Transmission
Performabuilt Stage 2 4L60E
FTI Billet 9.5" 3200 Stall Converter
Torque Arm Relocation Tubular Crossmember
Founders Tubular Torque Arm


Rear End / Suspension
Strange S60 w/3.73 Gears
Tubular 25mm Sway Bar
Tubular Adjustable PHB
Tubular LCAs with Relocation Brackets
Tubular Upper and Lower A Arms
Tubular Sub-frame Connectors
Tubular K-Member
KYB AGX Front and Rear


Fuel
Dual Racetronix 340LPH Pumps
Hot Wires kit on each pump. 1 pump running off of a switch inside car.
8AN Feed / 6AN Return
Aeromotive FPR
Aftermarket Fuel Rails (can't remember which brand)
LS9 Injectors


Other Tidbits
TSP 1 7/8" Long Tubes (DEI Titanium Wrapped)
3" X Pipe with Magnaflow Bullets and Turndowns
Brake Proportioning Valve
Line Lock
C6 Rims Camaro Back Spacing (will be powder coating black chrome)
Full Paint Color Change on the way
Interior Color Change
Saikou Michi Dual Catch Can
KG3 Alternator
Innovate Wideband
Hotchkis Front Springs
Urethane Motor and Trans Mounts
Katech Tensioner



There's a bunch more that I'm sure I'm missing. I think I'm going to break this up into several posts until I am caught up with my progress to date. After that I'll try to get back on here as often as I can to keep the progress current. Bear with me, as I am not in a hurry to finish this. I will take a month to paint the engine bay if that's what it takes to get it right!


Sid

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

First thing that had to be done was to get rid of the V6 and 5 speed.












Ready to begin...

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

Next was to start prepping the engine bay (which - sad to say - I'm still doing). I welded up all of the holes I wouldn't be using, removed to hood shock mounts, fuse box brace, and smoothed the ears off of the plate on top of the shock towers. I then used body filler to smooth out everything.













I want to paint the engine bay black and figured I'd do it a low gloss black. Well, I didn't like the result.







I decided to go with a 60% Gloss Black which I ordered and it just came in last week. I hope to get it finished in the next few weeks (if weather and work will cooperate). For those of you who don't know the weather in South MS, this is hurricane season. I can't seem to get a weekend free where it isn't raining in the last couple of months!

themealonwheels

iTrader: (20)

He neglected to mention... I drove this car through college with the plan of building it up when I was done. Then there was that day he helped me swap all the good stuff into another fbody with the intention of him buying the "junk" car for $1000. This is that junk car.

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

While I may have not gotten the engine bay finished, I wasn't sitting around idle. Loren and I picked up the motor from Thompson Motor Sports. Great guys to deal with by the way!







We also decided to try our hand at powdercoating.














I actually sprayed the blue powder onto the TB, wiped everything off except the letters, cured it, and then powdercoated the TB clear gloss.

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

Brother, one man's junk is another man's treasure!


On a serious note, you know this build wouldn't be happening without all of your help bud. You've sold me more parts than I can count for a lot less than you could have gotten for them, and I appreciate it!

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

Continuing on with the catching up part of the thread...


After getting the short block back to MS, I started collecting more parts (I now have the garage, workshop, and the dining room filled. Remember, I warned the wife...


I started focusing on the motor. While I was waiting for the parts to get here to put it together, I worked on what I could.


I fabricated a bracket to make the LS1 MAP sensor fit the LS3 intake.











I modified some steam ports and powdercoated them.











I originally wanted to go with an LS1 4 point steam port, but, after flattening it out to go under the intake and powdercoating it, I found out my LS3 valley cover doesn't play well with it.

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

I also got the dual fuel pump setup built during this time.












...and worked out the mounting and lines for my line lock, proportioning valve, and FPR


I welded a bracket with nuts attached to mount the line lock.





Here is the rough mount I made for the proportioning valve and FPR.





Running the lines for the line lock and proportioning valve.




Here is a test fit of the FPR with the proportioning valve. Yes the bracket and the brake line has been powdercoated.

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

While waiting for parts to arrive, Loren and I also rebuilt his old S60 and installed it into the car. While we were there we put in all the tubular components and I went ahead and cleaned, sanded, and bed-lined the entire underside of the car.



I don't like how the stainless washers look, so I've powdercoated some smaller profile ones. I just haven't gotten around to replacing them yet.




Finally the parts came in to put the motor together.


Cam install.



Front cover and balancer.



Oil pan.



Front accessories.

madmike9396

iTrader: (29)

Awesome build

themealonwheels

iTrader: (20)

That reminds me, you need to build me a map bracket!

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

The last couple of weeks I've been focusing on buttoning up the top of the engine and wiring.


I removed the neck filler off of the valve cover for esthetic reasons, and ran into a problem with my coil bracket hitting my new oil fill cap. So, I had to grind it down to fit and re-powdercoat it.








As for the wiring, I don't want a forest of wiring sticking out, so, I've decided to spent as long as it takes to cut, solder, and re-run them to where I want them to go. So far I've gotten the driver's side done.


I tucked the coil wires behind the bracket and moved the connector to the back of the engine.






Since I had to replace my old style fuel injector connectors anyways, I went ahead and smoothed them out some.



This is what I have for the driver's side so far...






I still have to put loom over the tape you see at the coil connectors. MY 1/8" and 1/4" loom just came in this week.


I plan on getting some more wiring done this weekend and maybe finish wrapping one of the headers (what a pain in the a**!). After that it may be a few weeks before I can touch the project again. It looks like I will be spending 12-14 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the next couple of weeks at work. I thought once I retired from the military these long hours would be over with! WTF?!


I'll update again when I can...


Sid

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

Thanks man! I appreciate it.


I'm trying to build the best car I can without breaking the bank! I can't wait to here it run! My problem is that I'm a bit OCD and can't let things get by that are "good enough". I have to redo it and redo it until I like it. It makes the build go a little bit slower than it should...

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

Dang it! Why can't you remember these things while I'm building mine?!


I'll knock you one out in the next couple of weeks. It only takes a few minutes to bang one out. We can powdercoat it next time we fire the oven up. I need to see how that black chrome is going to come out anyways before I commit to it on the rims.

Quick Ranger

iTrader: (2)

Yeah my wife says the same about me, a bit OCD. Hey, we just know we want it how we want it, and nothing else will do. Good luck with the build, looking good thus far.

1989GTA

"LS3 Intake
FAST 102mm TB"

How is that going to workout? I guess you could change the way it seals and hog out the LS3 intake.

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

I'm definitely OCD about a lot of things. It drives the wife crazy at times! Thanks bud!

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

I picked up a 102mm - 92mm adapter plate to make it work. Everything lined right up. It even has an o-ring seal on it just like factory.

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

So, I got the passenger side coil wiring straightened out, soldered in the USCAR fuel injector plugs, and pretty much finished the engine wiring harness up on Saturday.















Unfortunately, the weather wouldn't play along so I wasn't able to start sanding down the engine bay to start finishing it up.


And then, Murphy's Law kicked in. I woke up Sunday thinking it would be a productive day. The last one I would have for a while, as Monday starts a lovely 12-14 hour workday, 7 days a week at my job (2 weeks minimum, 2 months max...). Well, I went out to the garage to find that my hot water heater had went all suicide bomber on me. Water everywhere. So, around 5 PM, after more than 1 trip to Lowes, $450 later, (and several bouts of cursing) we finally had hot water again. All I can say is thank goodness I know how to fix things like that. I don't even want to know what a plumber would have charged me to come out on a Sunday to fix it! (that's money that comes out of the car budget!!)


Hopefully this project at work will settle down some and we won't have to work ridiculous hours for too long. I wonder if anyone would notice if I brought in my headers to wrap at my desk during breaks...

psychosid30

iTrader: (7)

Well, it's been a month and I have been able to get a couple of things done in-between work and the rain. It seems that it won't rain the entire week, but, once I get a chance to work on the car on a free weekend - it pours!


I finally managed to get the engine bay primed and painted.












Of course nothing goes off without a hitch. When I pulled off the fenders and bumper, I found this:







So, now I have a new front bumper on order.


Luckily, I have a couple of off days this weekend I can work on the car this weekend. My plan is to get the fuse boxes remounted, rerun all of the engine bay wiring harness (to include prepping the wire-tuck mod), install the brake booster (and auto pedals), and final install of the proportioning valve, line lock, and fuel pressure regulator (including tying in the lines from the gas tank.