LS1 and 200-4r to L92 / T56 in 71 Chevelle convertible...now Gen V LT1 6L80e swapping
06-22-2011, 10:11 PM
#202
Get a couple straps and strap it forward and backwards. Or undo the shocks and pull the springs so there isn't any tension on the rearend, be careful the driveshaft don't fall out though.
06-23-2011, 02:49 AM
#203
My springs are so short that when the car is put on jack stands with the wheels hanging they will almost come out, so pulling them should be easy. This morning I picked up a full shockwave titanium series setup with the ridepro e3 and all that jazz. It isn't a chevelle-specific setup, but I'm thinking at least most of the parts will work and I can sell the ones that do not. Talking to ridetech about it they said the rear shockwave bracket can be made to the specs I need (within reason), but I'm thinking the shockwaves will wait until I get ready to do brakes.
06-30-2011, 02:09 AM
#204
Thanks to a combination of bad weather and wanting to catch up on sleep Saturday came and went without much going on. In the last few days however I did manage to get the car tuned and the kwik bracket shimmed in all the right places. For the first time in a long time I was completely confident in the car's ability to get me to and from wherever I wanted. Should have known better. Just as I was starting it up and getting ready to leave my place in town to take it back to the garage I heard something hit the ground, and looking at my voltmeter I saw that it was at 12 instead of 14. Turns out the shitty plastic garbage power steering pulley had broken.
Luckily getting a new belt and routing around it was enough to make it driveable again, but unluckily it was pressed on just far enough as to be outside the reach of a puller tool. My three jaw puller hasn't fared much better. This thing was HARD to get on in the first place so I've just decided to say screw it and buy a new pump. I needed to reshim mine anyway. A minor annoyance but an annoyance all the same.
Have started piecing together the brake swap and am still waiting for the shockwaves to get here. Given the cost of completing those two things I think for now I'll move on to something cheaper and quicker, perhaps electric cutouts.
Luckily getting a new belt and routing around it was enough to make it driveable again, but unluckily it was pressed on just far enough as to be outside the reach of a puller tool. My three jaw puller hasn't fared much better. This thing was HARD to get on in the first place so I've just decided to say screw it and buy a new pump. I needed to reshim mine anyway. A minor annoyance but an annoyance all the same.
Have started piecing together the brake swap and am still waiting for the shockwaves to get here. Given the cost of completing those two things I think for now I'll move on to something cheaper and quicker, perhaps electric cutouts.
07-03-2011, 02:01 AM
#205
I have replaced more PS pumps on my old Chevy truck than I care to remember and I have broken cheap pullers, home made gadgets & nice Mac Pullers. The last one I said enough ! .......I clearanced the inside of the pulley by hand with 400 then 600 wet sand paper as well as the pump shaft. Great results & no problems for many miles.
Tony
Tony
07-06-2011, 05:16 PM
#206
I'll give that a shot.
Car should be back from getting a new top in a few days, it would have been done already but I had to buy a new rear tack bow since mine was past saving. Just as a data point if anyone else needs one, I found two places that sell them, hrdro electric and another Florida shop at topsdown.com. Buying from topsdown.com is $50 cheaper, as apparently they make the part and everyone else just buys it from them. Or at least that what I was told. Anyway, $50 is $50.
Today the shockwaves, spc upper control arms and ats steering arms came in. The spc ats bits are really slick looking pieces.
After talking more to ridetech and sending them some pics it turns out the shocks were apparently a custom job they had made for someone, but I'm sending them out tomorrow to have them checked out and get different ends put on. Not sure how long that will take but in the mean time I figure I can start on the wiring.
ATS spindles should be here sometime this week. I'm not really looking forward to messing with all this front end stuff since I only have a basic understanding of how it all fits together. From what I've gathered it's a lot of pickleforking and castlenutting. Once I've gotten this going I'll have some CPP front/ rear drop springs if anyone is looking. Maybe 5-600 miles on them.
Car should be back from getting a new top in a few days, it would have been done already but I had to buy a new rear tack bow since mine was past saving. Just as a data point if anyone else needs one, I found two places that sell them, hrdro electric and another Florida shop at topsdown.com. Buying from topsdown.com is $50 cheaper, as apparently they make the part and everyone else just buys it from them. Or at least that what I was told. Anyway, $50 is $50.
Today the shockwaves, spc upper control arms and ats steering arms came in. The spc ats bits are really slick looking pieces.
After talking more to ridetech and sending them some pics it turns out the shocks were apparently a custom job they had made for someone, but I'm sending them out tomorrow to have them checked out and get different ends put on. Not sure how long that will take but in the mean time I figure I can start on the wiring.
ATS spindles should be here sometime this week. I'm not really looking forward to messing with all this front end stuff since I only have a basic understanding of how it all fits together. From what I've gathered it's a lot of pickleforking and castlenutting. Once I've gotten this going I'll have some CPP front/ rear drop springs if anyone is looking. Maybe 5-600 miles on them.
Last edited by chuckd71; 01-19-2012 at 03:59 AM.
07-06-2011, 05:44 PM
#207
$$$$$$$
07-07-2011, 01:49 AM
#208
Hah, not quite. This isn't an e-***** thread; there are guys here without budgets but I'm not one of them. Everything I buy is on the cheap, with patience being the key here. Mainly just posting this stuff here to see what if any experience others might have with it. These pics are pretty boring, but I'm hoping the install itself will be more interesting.
07-08-2011, 12:23 AM
#210
Guy said they were spc with hex-shaped rather than smooth cylindrical arms. They have moog rubber and etc pieces in them and were basically free when I bought the spindles and steering arms, so whatever they are as long as they work I'm happy.
07-17-2011, 10:25 PM
#211
A little progress lately. The new top frame and cloth top are on thanks to Carpenter's Upholstery out in Christiana. Stand up guy and fantastic prices as well, I'd recommend them without hesitation if you are in the Nashville/ Murfreesboro area. No pics just yet but it looks a million times better than the vinyl top that was on there. Best part is it actually works; no more standing in the back seat and contorting myself to put it back up.
A page or so ago I mentioned a header that never heated up, and I found out why. I pulled the plug and the end of it looked like it had been hit with a hammer, the tip was mangled and the ceramic broken. I replaced it, fired it up for a second then pulled the new plug, no damage to it whatsoever. About 60 miles on it now and it's still fine, I don't know what happened.
I found some front C5 caliper brackets for dirt cheap on craigslist and they look like they are brand new. Also picked up some C5 calipers from Vettnuts, a vendor on the corvette forum who happens to be just a couple miles from the guys who did my top. Three yellows and a red, all of them needing to be repainted but the yellows have new seals.
The day I bought these I also found a full set of C6 calipers and brackets with 2500 miles on them so I'll probably end up going with them if they will fit. If they do I just want to get what I paid out of these pictured. Here is what they look like mocked up on the spindles.
Quick question, is this a left or right UCA? I'm not sure which is which.
If you're one of the handful of people who have ever seen the car you know the paint looked like ****. After seeing what James did to his Nova with some polishing compound I figured I'd give it a shot. Man, it looks a million times better. It's actually white again. Only took 20 min or so to do the whole thing. Here's before and after (it really looked like *** before, more of a dirty gray than white).
After replacing the broken p/s pulley with a non-piece-of-**** metal one I had to play the whole kwik bracket pulley and belt game again which sucked. This is what the first try did to the tensioner pulley, the belt just ate it in half. All is well now, but I would have never expected this.
Someone asked about the HID beam, here are the low and high now that they are adjusted.
At this point, finally, the car seems completely driveable and useable. No radio yet, and the gauges need to be redone but I plan to make a complete console when the weather turns. It also needs another tune up and burps smoke on start up after it's been sitting overnight, but other than that I think it's more or less a real car now. Suspension stuff and the T56 can wait a while. I'm tired of this thing sitting in the garage month after month.
A page or so ago I mentioned a header that never heated up, and I found out why. I pulled the plug and the end of it looked like it had been hit with a hammer, the tip was mangled and the ceramic broken. I replaced it, fired it up for a second then pulled the new plug, no damage to it whatsoever. About 60 miles on it now and it's still fine, I don't know what happened.
I found some front C5 caliper brackets for dirt cheap on craigslist and they look like they are brand new. Also picked up some C5 calipers from Vettnuts, a vendor on the corvette forum who happens to be just a couple miles from the guys who did my top. Three yellows and a red, all of them needing to be repainted but the yellows have new seals.
The day I bought these I also found a full set of C6 calipers and brackets with 2500 miles on them so I'll probably end up going with them if they will fit. If they do I just want to get what I paid out of these pictured. Here is what they look like mocked up on the spindles.
Quick question, is this a left or right UCA? I'm not sure which is which.
If you're one of the handful of people who have ever seen the car you know the paint looked like ****. After seeing what James did to his Nova with some polishing compound I figured I'd give it a shot. Man, it looks a million times better. It's actually white again. Only took 20 min or so to do the whole thing. Here's before and after (it really looked like *** before, more of a dirty gray than white).
After replacing the broken p/s pulley with a non-piece-of-**** metal one I had to play the whole kwik bracket pulley and belt game again which sucked. This is what the first try did to the tensioner pulley, the belt just ate it in half. All is well now, but I would have never expected this.
Someone asked about the HID beam, here are the low and high now that they are adjusted.
At this point, finally, the car seems completely driveable and useable. No radio yet, and the gauges need to be redone but I plan to make a complete console when the weather turns. It also needs another tune up and burps smoke on start up after it's been sitting overnight, but other than that I think it's more or less a real car now. Suspension stuff and the T56 can wait a while. I'm tired of this thing sitting in the garage month after month.
Last edited by chuckd71; 01-11-2013 at 05:29 PM.
08-09-2011, 12:58 AM
#212
Launching!
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Went through the whole thread, sucks about your first engine problems... You've done some great progress, I'm definitely going to follow this one. I'm going to make myself a set of those slider motor mount brackets for sure!
08-09-2011, 02:19 AM
#213
I've been on vacation for a couple weeks but hope to start working on a new console in a few hours. The day before I left my starter went out so I'll have to do that first I suppose. The shockwave stuff should be ready to go in a couple weeks as well unless something else pops up, which it always does.
The slider brackets should be fairly simple to make, if you can it would sure beat paying $150 or whatever for them.
The slider brackets should be fairly simple to make, if you can it would sure beat paying $150 or whatever for them.
08-13-2011, 05:16 PM
#214
A little Spectre-tank related update (not about the baffle, sorry).
Ever since I put that specre tank in I've been spilling gas out the filler neck every time I even halfway accelerate. The neck just doesn't have the bend it needs or any kind of valve. Add to that the fact that no locking gas cap I could find actually fits snugly and you have a mess. At $4 / gallon it was also getting expensive.
This morning I went to Oreileys to see if they sold a valve you could just stick down the filler neck. Turns out they used to but no longer do. They did however have the loaner tool picture mat on the counter and I noticed they had an exhaust cutter, so I rented it and took a trip to the pull a part. I found a 1990 Camaro almost immediately, and luckily there was no wheel well to speak of so I had pretty good access to the neck. It cut easily and is not bolted to anything near the cap, so it comes out with no real tools (other than the cutter). After a clean up cut I ended up with this -
I cleaned it up a bit more after the pic but you get the idea.
Then, I went back to Oreiley to get some fuel safe hose and some screw clamps. Turns out fuel safe hose this diameter is expensive as ****. That sucks. Also got a new locking gas cap. Once I made sure it was going to fit I stuffed the neck on the car full of lint-free rags and cut it off.
Then I stuck the Camaro valve in the hose, put the hose on my tank and clamped it up. The only problem is that the hose doesn't really hold the angle it should, but I can prop it up with a large chunk of rubber that I have in the garage once I get out there. For now I just have a tire shine sponge, and it seems to be holding. The hose is super stiff so I doubt it'll pop out in the next day or two.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/21527394@N06/6039778512/]
Overall pretty simple, and since there is no fluid or gas pressure to hold I don't see a downside, at least not yet. To be honest though I really didn't think this through. All I want is for it to quit puking gas whenever I'm over 1/2 tank (which I have to be for the damn Spectre tank to work). We'll see.
Ever since I put that specre tank in I've been spilling gas out the filler neck every time I even halfway accelerate. The neck just doesn't have the bend it needs or any kind of valve. Add to that the fact that no locking gas cap I could find actually fits snugly and you have a mess. At $4 / gallon it was also getting expensive.
This morning I went to Oreileys to see if they sold a valve you could just stick down the filler neck. Turns out they used to but no longer do. They did however have the loaner tool picture mat on the counter and I noticed they had an exhaust cutter, so I rented it and took a trip to the pull a part. I found a 1990 Camaro almost immediately, and luckily there was no wheel well to speak of so I had pretty good access to the neck. It cut easily and is not bolted to anything near the cap, so it comes out with no real tools (other than the cutter). After a clean up cut I ended up with this -
I cleaned it up a bit more after the pic but you get the idea.Then, I went back to Oreiley to get some fuel safe hose and some screw clamps. Turns out fuel safe hose this diameter is expensive as ****. That sucks. Also got a new locking gas cap. Once I made sure it was going to fit I stuffed the neck on the car full of lint-free rags and cut it off.
Then I stuck the Camaro valve in the hose, put the hose on my tank and clamped it up. The only problem is that the hose doesn't really hold the angle it should, but I can prop it up with a large chunk of rubber that I have in the garage once I get out there. For now I just have a tire shine sponge, and it seems to be holding. The hose is super stiff so I doubt it'll pop out in the next day or two.
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/21527394@N06/6039778512/]
Overall pretty simple, and since there is no fluid or gas pressure to hold I don't see a downside, at least not yet. To be honest though I really didn't think this through. All I want is for it to quit puking gas whenever I'm over 1/2 tank (which I have to be for the damn Spectre tank to work). We'll see.
Last edited by chuckd71; 09-04-2017 at 02:23 PM.
08-23-2011, 01:26 PM
#215
After what seems like forever trying to figure out what to do with my brakes I think I've pieced it all together, hopefully some of the info will be useful. A few pages back I posted a picture of the brake block on my driver's side frame rail that had been a pain in the ***; turns out that is a stock location for it on disc/ drum cars. Why they put it there I have no idea. After talking with Tobin at kore3 about my c6 swap he suggested calling inline tube, which I did today. I picked up this hardline kit, which they are going to make work with a wilwood combo proportioning valve (I might have to bend some line, but I can handle that, probably) - http://www.inlinetube.com/Preformed%...es/CHB69D3.htm
http://www.wilwood.com/MasterCylinde...emno=260-11179
Flexible line kit I got from kore3.
Then I picked up some rotors from brakemotive and a master cylinder from cpp. I had thought about trying to find an oem master that would work, but it got old looking up applications and cpp guarantees their stuff (I think). All that remains is to get the e brake figured out and deciding whether or not I think I can pull the rear axles by myself.
The plan was to start mocking up the shockwaves today but they are not here; the ********** at fedex say they put the package on my front porch a couple days ago but I can say with certainty that they did not. Not sure how this is going to go, but last time I had to find the person they gave my stuff to and make the driver go get it from her. I hate those guys.
Otherwise, great customer service all around.
Edit - Just got a knock at the door, my stuff showed up. Amazing what a phone call can do sometimes. The guy said some girl tried to drop it off over the weekend but couldn't find my place. He had no clue why everyone was telling me it was left at my door. Still hate those guys.
Anyway, I sent the shockwaves to ridetech to have them put the right fitting on the end and make sure this stuff would work. Left is the front, right is rear. Since this is taking the place of both the shock and the spring some people have expressed concern that it might be too much weight on too small an area. The included plates in the second picture should address this and I'm not too worried about it.
[IMG]http://www.flickr.com/photos/21527394@N06/6074380590/ IMG_1047[/IMG]
http://www.wilwood.com/MasterCylinde...emno=260-11179
Flexible line kit I got from kore3.
Then I picked up some rotors from brakemotive and a master cylinder from cpp. I had thought about trying to find an oem master that would work, but it got old looking up applications and cpp guarantees their stuff (I think). All that remains is to get the e brake figured out and deciding whether or not I think I can pull the rear axles by myself.
The plan was to start mocking up the shockwaves today but they are not here; the ********** at fedex say they put the package on my front porch a couple days ago but I can say with certainty that they did not. Not sure how this is going to go, but last time I had to find the person they gave my stuff to and make the driver go get it from her. I hate those guys.
Otherwise, great customer service all around.
Edit - Just got a knock at the door, my stuff showed up. Amazing what a phone call can do sometimes. The guy said some girl tried to drop it off over the weekend but couldn't find my place. He had no clue why everyone was telling me it was left at my door. Still hate those guys.
Anyway, I sent the shockwaves to ridetech to have them put the right fitting on the end and make sure this stuff would work. Left is the front, right is rear. Since this is taking the place of both the shock and the spring some people have expressed concern that it might be too much weight on too small an area. The included plates in the second picture should address this and I'm not too worried about it.
[IMG]http://www.flickr.com/photos/21527394@N06/6074380590/ IMG_1047[/IMG]
Last edited by chuckd71; 08-23-2011 at 03:06 PM.
08-26-2011, 02:19 PM
#216
Brakemotive rotors came in today. Compared to my stock chevelle pieces these things are beastly huge. I test fit them on the spindles with the calipers and they fit (I guess?), but despite my best efforts to spread the calipers they seem to be somewhat squeezed onto the rotor. It still spins, but there is resistance from the pads on both sides. Is this normal? I had expected it to be more or less completely free spinning. I know nothing of brakes (other than that these are going to look cool as hell if nothing else).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21527394@N06/6083034211/http://www.flickr.com/photos/21527394@N06/6083034211/[/ame]
Does that look right?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21527394@N06/6083034211/http://www.flickr.com/photos/21527394@N06/6083034211/[/ame]
Does that look right?
Last edited by chuckd71; 08-26-2011 at 02:26 PM.
08-26-2011, 02:55 PM
#217
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doesn't look like your project has been without mishap, but you're humming right along in spite of them.
problems aside, great build. You've actually brought up a few things that I hadn't thought of. I'm planning to do a swap into my 57 4 door ...er.. eventually.
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problems aside, great build. You've actually brought up a few things that I hadn't thought of. I'm planning to do a swap into my 57 4 door ...er.. eventually.
subscribe for more results.
08-29-2011, 04:25 AM
#218
I can't find my camera to post any pics right now but I test fit my wheels (Boss 338, 18X8) onto the spindles to see what the brake clearance would look like. Base model C6 rotors and calipers will clear no problem (I do have angled valve stems though, I don't think straight ones would work) without spacers. This is on the ATS spindles, but I would think that stock spindles with a bracket would work as well. Someone on protouring put some pics up but I'm not sure what his exact setup is. Anyway, if you are looking to do the brake swap and need wheels these look to be a cheap option.
09-03-2011, 08:14 AM
#219
Just found my camera, somehow it ended up in the sock drawer. Anyway, here are some pics of the c6 caliper clearance with Boss 338s.
Valve stems look okay.
Seems like a lot of weights to balance this wheel
I was hoping the rotors would fill the wheel up a bit more, but the bigger ones would require a small spacer and I'd rather just skip messing with that for now.
Brake lines, new master, prop valve and everything else came in as well, now I just need to get it all put in. I really need to make friends with some guy who has a shop with a lift.
Valve stems look okay.
Seems like a lot of weights to balance this wheel
I was hoping the rotors would fill the wheel up a bit more, but the bigger ones would require a small spacer and I'd rather just skip messing with that for now.
Brake lines, new master, prop valve and everything else came in as well, now I just need to get it all put in. I really need to make friends with some guy who has a shop with a lift.
Last edited by chuckd71; 09-18-2011 at 08:26 PM.
