hooking with the irs is the real challenge.



On a side note, i need to buy a bigger clutch. So my spec stage 2+ is for sale!!!!

 

Is this going to be a track only car or are you also planning on driving it on the street?

 

I've never been to a track in my life. Its going to be my dd in good weather. If it was track only i would have gone tubbed with a strait axel. I will track it but thats not my main concern at all.

 

Since you say this will be your fair weather DD, what are your plans for getting this thing thru the DMV inspection process or have you even considered that?

 

Its titled as a real 33 roadster.

 

So im almost 100% wrapped up on the wireing. Relays all control the ignition, fuel pump, and fans. Everything is tucked up under the dash sorta. Enough to be out of the way atleast. Dash panel is wired except the gauges, im going to put those in last so they don't get beat up. I fabbed a ghetto shifter handle that will get the job done for now. And the gas pedal is in the works, got what i had modified a bit and just need one more peice and some welding and it'll be done.

I also made my apointment for tuning. I'll be dropping it off at slowhawk on the 25th. After speaking with him he informed me that he doesn't think the spec stage 2+ will hold up, as i sort of mentioned earlier. So tomorrow im pulling the clutch out, and leaving the tranny off till i get a McLeod RXT or RST. Now im in a time crunch. I was doing fine untill this, everything is almost wrapped up perfectly.

 

You and I both know that's a load of BS, your project is based on a version of a Street Beast kit car out of Miami (also several other alias were used before Street Beast). It's very distinguishable by the way the body, fenders and grille are made, unfortunately, it's also one of the least desirable street rod bodies on the market. Almost all knowledgeable street rodders will not touch a Street Beast car. I'm sure you've already noticed a complete lack of internal structure to the body, no internal bracing to speak of, just a few layers of fiberglass.

Don't believe what I'm saying?? Read this.

I hope you are successful in finishing your project but with your intended goals for the car, don't forget the safety factor to go along with the projected power!!!!! Anyone can easily build a high HP engine but if you can't put the power to the ground AND keep it going straight, you're fighting a losing battle.

 

Haha i know its not real by any means, but the rmv wont. It was the easiest way to get it on the road, which it obviously isnt yet. Ive already read endless pages on hotrodders about the lawsuite by street beast also about their horrible service, quality, ect. I honestly didnt know any of it before i bought it. The only real turnoff to me is the proportions being different than a real 33/34. But for what i paid for it, and my intentions i dont mind. I would be a little more hesitant to do what i did with this car to a real steel body. By the time im done with the car it will not be a very expensive investment(under 20k). And when i sell it my drivetrain will be staying with me.

The way i look at it is im 24, i would love a traditional hot rod, but i couldnt afford a real body in decent shape at the time and wanted to explore my fabrication skills. Sure ill be the slight odd ball at the hot rod meets, but ill sure as hell be the fastest one there and not just in a strait line. Also the car meets ill go to more often wont have any rods at all, and most of those guys wouldnt know a model a from a duece.

 

So im at a stand still once again. Tranny is out, clutch is out, dash panel is zip tied to the halo of the roll cage so its out of the way, pass header is out. Wiring is complete unless im forgetting something. And now i just need that new clutch. Hopefully slowhawk has one, otherwise im making an order at summit which i confirmed they have one in stock and not shipping from Mcleod which would delay things.

Getting a little crazy working on this thing, so im going to go to the gym to get my head away from it, then maybe align the suspension a bit once i get home.


UPDATED list!

To do:

-install oil pressure gauge/ coolant temp gauge Will get done once new clutch is in and dash panel won't need to be moved.
-fab gas pedal Can't be done without knowing where the tranny sits since its a tight fit.
-Install 02 sensors Waiting on new clutch since pass header came out to remove bellhousing.
-modify wire harness from a4 to m6 Researching what needs to be done
-somewhat align front and rear suspension
Install new clutch



Done:
-Install switch for radiator fan
-Fab a box/mount for PCM/fusebox
-install oil pressure and coolent temp senders
-fab shifter handle
-finish wirings in cabin for ecu, ing, acc
-Fab steering shafts and joints
-Tighten all bolts and clamps on exhaust system
-Re-install passanger side header
-bolt down seats
-bleed brakes/ fix leaks
-Get clutch working!
-test fuel lines for leaks
-Make fuel rail brackets
-finish installing engine acc
-finish wirelooming engine bay wires
-Throttle cable bracket
-Put seats back in car
-Installed oil pressure sender
-Installed radiator
-Installed radiator fan/wirings
-Installed air cleaner

 

You're on your way to a fun car, in your quest to outrun the Supra and other cars, don't forget to build it with safety in mind.

 

Thanks, i didnt have much saftey in mind at first, but since then i added a rollcage and 5pt harness. Now i just need to play with my proportioning vavle so i dont lock up the rear breaks. After that i just need to learn the car, being in control in all situations is the biggest safety feature.

 

Clutch comes in today! Hopefully the install all goes well and i have the transmission back in by the end of the night. Then i can install my electric cutouts while the floor is still out, since my second one came in earlier this week.

From there is all wrap up stuff. I like that the big important stuff is almost done, but a nice last min rally to get stuff done always gets me pumped up.

 

I also had to get sparkplug wires. The stockers were hitting my headers.

The clutch i had is in the classifieds, and soon i'll be adding a set of wheels as well. The weld draglite xp's that i was going to use for fronts are just too wide/ not enough backspacing for the vette front end. They are 16 *9.5, forget the backspacing though. I need to check.





Once i sell these i'll be picking up some vette y2k rims, and selling the z06's. That way i can run a weld rt-s rear and somewhat match with a front rim.

 

Tranny is back in! I wrestled with that thing way too long, but its in. The tranny mount and pass header aren't back in yet, but the hard part is done.

The mcleod rxt is one hell of a clutch. Quality alone looks amazing. And its light as can be. Im not 100% but id bet its lighter than the spec stage 2+ for sure.








Now i can install my e-cutouts while the back half the the floor is still out. Then reassemble everything and do a final electrical check. along with fab my gas pedal. I have one week as of today to get everything done.

 

Tranny mount is back in. back half of floor is back in. Seats in but not bolted down. E-cutouts installed, i just need to make a few wires with fast-on's here at work and its good to go.

Today i want to get the dash panel remounted, and start to rehookup the connections i tested pre pulling the tranny. Then i need to wire in the ODBII port. And start the wire harness conversion from A4 to M6. Tomorrow the seats will get bolted in[ don't want to get under the car and dirty today] along with 02 sensors installed. Pass header re-installed. Start filling fluids. And the big one is fab gas pedal mount.

From there im ready for my appointment with slowhawk. Once the car is ready, i can pull it out of my carport and put it under a temporary tent, and start assembling my steel carport!!

 

What is your plan for attaching the seats?

 

My seats are out of a 2002+ ford ranger and came with the brakets underneath. I took those off the brakets, welded on steel bars to them, then reattached them to the seat. Then when i fabricated the support on the frame for my floor i lined up steel underneath. It gets bolted directly to the frame.

 

So i got everything 99% ready for slowhawk to tune it, and he had to change my appointment. I'd really like to get it running before i leave for italy. But at this point it doesn't look like that will happen.

The list is done more or less! I would just like to do a final check on the wiring from the PCM to a few little things i didn't do earlier. I basically took the PCM pinout and checked one by one on the connectors. I left out a few that i figured were fine since i've ran the old motor with the same harness. But i did cut and extend and shorted some wires so i want to check anyways

To do:

-somewhat align front and rear suspension Prob won't get done. Its close enough to roll around on and the plan was to take the car directly to the alignment shop after picking it up from tuning.




Done:
-Install new clutch
-modify wire harness from a4 to m6
-Install 02 sensors
-fab gas pedal
-install oil pressure gauge/ coolant temp gauge
-Install switch for radiator fan
-Fab a box/mount for PCM/fusebox
-install oil pressure and coolent temp senders
-fab shifter handle
-finish wirings in cabin for ecu, ing, acc
-Fab steering shafts and joints
-Tighten all bolts and clamps on exhaust system
-Re-install passanger side header
-bolt down seats
-bleed brakes/ fix leaks
-Get clutch working!
-test fuel lines for leaks
-Make fuel rail brackets
-finish installing engine acc
-finish wirelooming engine bay wires
-Throttle cable bracket
-Put seats back in car
-Installed oil pressure sender
-Installed radiator
-Installed radiator fan/wirings
-Installed air cleaner



In the meanwhile i pulled the car out of the carport and put it under a temp tent. Pics are before enclosing the sides and putting a cover and tarp over the car. Today im going to take down my canvas carport, and start assembling my new steel one.





Heres a quick little video of the cutouts, i didn't really need to get them installed and working before tuning by i wanted to.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHTOn-qTKa8

 

The old carport is down, and the new one is unpacked. Damn its got alot of pieces. Hopefully we'll knock a big chunk out before the weekend. I've got alot to do before i leave for vacation.

On a good note, Don won't be able to work on my car Thursday, but i'll be dropping it off then anyways and he should get to it shortly after.

 

Car is at slowhawk! I wish i had another day or so to clean up the wiring so it didn't look likes such a mess but im 99.9% sure everything is correct so it shouldn't matter.