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To let the car do it all you just put the console shifter in D and paddles do nothing; to use the paddles you put shifter in M. According to the instructions there is an option in the tune to make the paddles full manual or part manual (as in you control every shift and it won't up or downshift until you tell it to vs choosing the highest gear you want and it will then use lower but not higher gears).
Well, it's been a while, but after some irritating tuning / PCM/ TEHCM issues the car now runs and will at least make it around the block. I sold the GTO seats and ended up getting some Recaro Style Toplines, which are power, heated and ventilated, all that good stuff. Will still eventually get all the seats done in houndstooth, but for now these are nice as-is. The GTO seats would have worked ok, but with my console as wide as it is and the Fesler door panels being a bit thick, there wasn't room to mount the Morris seatbelt retractor, which is a necessity. The Morris upper mounts will require cutting some holes in the rear sail panels as well.
The Recaros use the standard flat rail mount, so getting them in will be no problem. Height is much better than with the BMW seats, they sit lower (which is what I wanted), but they have power height adjustment.
Picked up a new pedal out of something, not a huge deal but it matches the door arm rests pretty well.
The biggest event lately was finally getting the base tune worked out. Getting the pcm and tehcm mated up and then the right tune on was kind of a pain, but I was able to get around the block a couple times and it seems like a decent start. Will have to do some logging with HPT and make a few changes, but so far so good.
No, not yet, the seats aren't even bolted in lol. I had forgotten that until I made my first turn. In the interest of keeping things simple, at least as simple as this sort of thing can be, I haven't set up the PWM fuel system or the paddle shift. Both of those will be added once I know everything is in and working at a basic level.
Hey guys what's up. I hate those massive build threads that end in nothing so I won't let that happen here, but my situation changed a bit so things are sort of on hold.
I never tested the paddle shifters; after picking up a G8 GT and experiencing how slowly these trans respond, even with some tuning, I decided not to use them. My original plan was to start a new job last month, but instead I ended up more or less going back to school for a year. I sold the G8 for about double what had in it, then figured if I'm not going to be around for a while I might as well the LT (which I did). I still have the trans, harness and etc, not sure what I'll do with it.
Anyway, the plan for now is to finish up here in Durham, keeping my eyes open for anything interesting, and then get the car going again in July. I'll likely be going back to Nashville for the most part but will keep the car and all that in FL until it's finished. Speedtech frame is still what I'm leaning towards, then just selling my frame and suspension kind of as a rolling chassis. Aside from the frame it's all basically still new, so I'm sure someone could use it. I'll probably get another G8 to drive in Nashville. Aside from the radio it was about the perfect car in my mind.
Text is boring, so here are some pics that pretty much summarize the last few months.
So u sold the LT1? Why? That doesn’t make any sense to me. LOL. I was glad to see you here as I was going to ask you how you liked the LS adapters that you got from Holley. Did you ever put a AC on it?
Since I can’t get my Terminator X max, I was considering going L86 with the Holley L86 FEAD conversion so I can use my GMPP Vette FEAD
what madeyou decide to sell the LT1? These are supposedly really strong on the bottom end torque
If I didn't have time to finish everything and wouldn't be driving the car for a year I didn't see much point in just having it sit there doing nothing. Spending a couple thousand more to tie up loose ends, license and insure it, then have it garaged for 13-14 months didn't seem like a good use of resources. I can just buy another motor and drop it in later, not a huge deal.
I had the AC stuff in place but not charged, but all of the Holley stuff was fine. Better than plate and spacer style alternatives I'd think.
I'm still largely in a holding pattern until July, but I think I have a general plan. I just need something temporary, so I'm going with a pseudo budget build. I'll go with whatever I come up with now for a year or so, then start over once I pick up an old Camaro or Blazer to drive while this is down. This is pretty much a perpetual project lol. My next car will be bought already finished.
Anyway, I debated keeping the 6l80 and getting a holley terminator and the PCS controller, but I came across a 4l60 and converter for a decent price so ended up buying it. People dump on them, but for my purposes it should be fine. It's reasonably "built" (as overused as that term is) and I didn't pay much for it, so I have nothing to lose. The 6l80 is sold pending pickup, and the proceeds cover that trans and converter and at least the bulk of a decent motor. L92s pop up cheap from time to time, and that crank spacing would work with my Holley stuff, so it'd pretty much drop in. To run everything I'd get a Terminator X Max, or an X Max Stealth if one pops up on ebay or FB marketplace. I'm tired of messing with HP tuners, but I can handle copy/pasting stuff to help teach a Holley. Yes, I'd be going from LT to LS, but LS is just so cheap and easy it's hard to argue with. It's a budget build after all.
Now that I'm committed to LS stuff I went ahead and picked up some headers. The Holley ebay store has some Flowmaster 814116 stainless long tubes for $400 so I grabbed a set. I think they are basically Doug's but with a different flange. We'll see how they work at some point next year. https://www.ebay.com/itm/363375781962
Converter is an FTI SRLS6391-3, which is more than adequate for my needs. Now I just need to find an engine and computer, but time is on my side.
Get an L92 if you can find one. I re-ringed mine, with new bearings and a cam. Runs great, and if you want down the road, it will easily accept an LSA supercharger.
Can't believe it's been a year and a half since last post. Haven't had much time to work on anything between school and work, but I have some things planned.
Not sure exactly where I left off, but I think the gist is that I bought a couple 6.2 LS motors, sent one to the machine shop for new bearings and rings then did the standard BTR cam swap stuff. Painted it POR orange and got a Holley mid-mount setup to go on it. Also bought a carb-looking intake and all that, but only test fit it (still tuned for stock intake).
Added a new trans cooler.
Wrapped old crusty a-pillar pads in leather.
Prepped, primed and painted engine bay.
Added a firewall cover plate, which was a huge pain in the *** to do while installing AC box. Didn't weld it, just used rivnuts (I wish I had known about these years ago) and Anvil titanium hardware.
A million other little things, but it runs and drives great, thought the interior still need wrapped up.
Planning to buy a new aftermarket frame once the garage is done and then either go back to a 6 speed or grab an LT/10L setup. Thinking I'll go the 6 speed route and be done with it.
Anyway, the pics might not be in order I think the basic premise is pretty clear.
Can't believe it's been a year and a half since last post. Haven't had much time to work on anything between school and work, but I have some things planned.
Not sure exactly where I left off, but I think the gist is that I bought a couple 6.2 LS motors, sent one to the machine shop for new bearings and rings then did the standard BTR cam swap stuff. Painted it POR orange and got a Holley mid-mount setup to go on it. Also bought a carb-looking intake and all that, but only test fit it (still tuned for stock intake).
Added a new trans cooler.
Wrapped old crusty a-pillar pads in leather.
Prepped, primed and painted engine bay.
Added a firewall cover plate, which was a huge pain in the *** to do while installing AC box. Didn't weld it, just used rivnuts (I wish I had known about these years ago) and Anvil titanium hardware.
A million other little things, but it runs and drives great, thought the interior still need wrapped up.
Planning to buy a new aftermarket frame once the garage is done and then either go back to a 6 speed or grab an LT/10L setup. Thinking I'll go the 6 speed route and be done with it.
Anyway, the pics might not be in order I think the basic premise is pretty clear.
Glad you're back on this project. If you need any help with the Holley EFI tuning, please keep me in mind.
Glad you're back on this project. If you need any help with the Holley EFI tuning, please keep me in mind.
Andrew
Unless Holley comes out with a 6L80 controller I'm probably going back to a stock ecm.
But speaking of transmissions, after the tunnel mods for a T56, the 6l80 fit well using the more rearward holley mounts, however the 4l60 did not. I had to switch to the more forward Holley mounts for things to fit.
The radiator closeout panel from OPG or wheverever, I think it's called undercover innovations or something? is super flimsy. Would not recommend.
I forget the name of the firewall panel, but it doesn't have a slit for the huge pinch weld running up the side behind the wheel well; for this reason I'd suggest looking into the one from Goosse.
The throttle body to carb intake adapter I have is from Delmo speed, but I don't think it has a good place for temp sensors or a factory map. The one from Mast does, but they are constantly sold out. If they would ever make more I'd switch, so maybe more people can start bugging them about it.
The year since the last post hasn't afforded me much time to do anything, but that should be changing soon. The weather here has been atrocious lately, but I did get the 4l60 swapped out for a 6l80 and the Holley 6 speed controller installed. With the forward-biased Holley mounts I need a hair longer driveshaft, and the wires that came with the controller were not completely pinned right, but that was an easy fix, and getting it all connected was fairly straightforward.
One thing that was not was updating my Term X, which was a nightmare until tech support suggested using a smaller SD card. I think I was using a 64 card, which the Term would absolutely not completely work with. I switched to an 8gb card from the late 1950s or so and it worked first time.
I haven't swapped it on, but I got a valley cover with the PCV valve in it since the intake only had one vacuum port and I'm using the stock LS3 sensor there. I also bought a carb spacer with another port in it. All of this fits under the hood fine, even with the preposterously large air filter.
While moving some stuff at my mom's I found the original bumper from my car. It wasn't perfect, but good enough for me, so I had it powder coated at S&H in Nashville.
Other than that I ordered some CVF hinges and Nu-Relic regulators from MCB and a switch kit from A-1 electric. I'm pretty sure it's the kit Nu-Relic sells (if bought alone it's $3XX, if bought with regulators it's about this price from them). I don't like these switches so I'll reuse the nicer push/pull ones I have now. I'm redoing all the wiring in the car whenever it warms up, planning on trying the Painless 20130. https://www.a1electric.com/Merchant2...=SK7-6-4-A1009
Unless something crazy happens I'm planning to head down to Alabama in the next two weeks and finally get the new frame process going. I went by their shop last year and it looks like good stuff, but the timing wasn't right. An 8+ month lead time, but that will give me a summer to enjoy the car a bit before it comes back apart next winter. https://www.streetrodgarage.com/frame-chassis
A lot of nothing has been getting done lately, I've been fighting with a stuck door that wont open. I've got it mostly taken apart but the mechanism itself is messed up and it won't unlock. Fun stuff.
I did get the new frame ordered and it should (should) be ready by March of 2025
I also decided to stick with these Recaros so I had a local place (Genesis Upholstery) recover my GTO rears to match. The upper middle part is a bit bigger than I would have liked, but that's a minor thing and the overall quality is really good, especially considering how many angles and pieces the seats have.
The leather is from Leather Hide Store and the alcantara I got from Relicate. Colors were kind of a best guess on my part but they actually match pretty well.
Between moving the engine to the forward mount Holley brackets and switching to the 6l80 the driveshaft ended up way short. I had Dave's Driveshaft make me a new one to replace it but haven't had time to install it yet. Getting a driveshaft back in with rear wheels on the ground is a pain in the *** and it's been too wet lately to try out the QuickJacks I got.
Some day, if I ever get the door open, I'm going to install power locks using this kit. I haven't found much info about it but I used their gas pedal bracket and it was really nice.
11-18-2020, 09:03 PM
