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The Pontiac i-shaft is larger diameter at the gear box also. The one I made I flipped the ends to clear the edelbrock headers. Either I shaft would clear the current headers I have now. And if I would of used taller mounts that edelbrock recommended I would have cleared the factory I shaft. I bought their mounts originally and sold them because it required changing to a steel aftermarket pan.
I like the i shaft I have now with the u joints is has better road feel vs rag joint. The down side would be you can hear the pump/fluid transmit through the column when your turning like parking lot speeds. Not having tilt and the older no ignition cylinder column. I think makes the column transmit more.
The front frame brace helps with the frame flex in the front. For more consistent body gaps, squeaks and rattles from frame flex and strengthens the frame horn where the box is by tying into the cross member and other horn. It made the car more responsive. Just driving through the parking lot I could tell I didn't need as much steering input to make the car go where I wanted.
With sticky wide front tires and auto cross style driving creates more flex on the frame that was designed to turn 5" wide bias ply tires.
Getting ready to finish the exhaust project. I've eliminated buying pypes kit. It's nice but it's only 18-20" wide and they want an extra 75 for 25" wide legs. And way too much for tail pipes. If I have to buy extra pipe and have to modify the tubing I think I'll be fine with aluminized instead of stainless.
This has been on the list for some time. Wished the instructions said to pull the seats. I tried but my aftermarket seats had to come out. I also bought a rear shock brace that mounts above the shocks. A bodies have been known to have issues in this area with more aggressive shocks or coil overs. My varishocks have not came in yet. Looking forward to installing all four of them.
I was just going through your thread and was interested to see that you put down 404HP and 380 ftlbs with your combo. I made almost the exact numbers with my heads and cam combo 400HP and 384 ftlbs with the 5.3 Stage 2.5 heads and Comp cam 223/231 .610/.617. How is your idle vacuum and drivability with your set up?
That sounds like an awesome cam!! Should work awesome with heads like that. What's your lobe separation?
The driveability is pretty good I think. I have done one other cam swap on a SBC but it has zero change at idle. This is my first vehicle with real aggressive cam. Having the m6 I've noticed I use more throttle than before when I let the clutch out. With the z06 cam I had before i could take off without any throttle at all. And when I first was getting used to it I found where it likes to surge. I like to leave it in first trying to roll through a parking lot/driveway. Which can be cured with light throttle or using the clutch. Again first time I've ever experienced that. Easily adapted.
As for vacuum I have not measured it but it has good vacuum. I have not noticed a difference in my brake booster or brake feel. And my hideaway headlights are vacuum operated and they still function fine.
If I'd change anything I'd do a similar idle and power cam with easier on valve train lobes. Mine are lsl and lxl I believe. For less valve train noise and longer life.
Winter upgrades finishing up. Nice weather is getting me in the garage.
New varishock SS shocks all around. New headers installing flowtech x pipe kit 53631FLT
Required some grinding of the cutout pipe. Not much fun but not bad for the price. Waiting on more parts for next week
More pics after welding the x pipe together. Got my jegs 3" cutouts, and the rest of the mounts and clamps I need last night. I'm going to try OEM Pontiac tail pipe hangers
This is a pic of the y pipe/cutout leg from the holley/flow tech universal kit. I grinded the extra interior pipe away for a more smooth transition.
Knowing this going in from summits reviews. I had read on Chevelles.com the pypes kit was similar but can't find any pics of either. Just installed pics.
Side note on pypes kit. Xvx13
Is not wide enough at only 18"-20" between the collector leg pipes and an extra 70 bucks for wider legs that would go out to 25" which would be required for most headers these are 23 5/8"center line. It's more expense kit but it is stainless. It's also required to have a short pipe to connect the legs to the collectors. Not included.
It is included on the flow tech. But wasn't required. I'm actually going to use that pipe to make a cutout dump.
If I do this again on another project I'd give the pypes kit a chance. Even at the higher cost.
Found another flow tech issue my cutouts cannot fit the flanges and the bolts are too short. I'm going to make an adaptor to attach the jegs 3" cutouts
Mounted tail pipes and tips with a body exhaust mounts
The adapters I made worked not the prettiest but at least it's under the car. Cutouts installed with a dump pipe. All that's left is run the wiring and finish hooking then up.
Just read all 9 pages. You are one persistent and inspiring SOB. I love your car and all the work you put into it. Thanks for the updates and please keep it coming...
I have always wanted an x pipe tailpipes and cutouts when I got the new headers it was time to redo the whole exhaust system. Having done issues with my jegs cutouts I liked them for the weather packed connectors and price but the terminals they use are cheap and I damaged then trying to plug them in so I re terminaled them with painless terminals. And that helped but the plastic connectors still interfere with each other and don't hold the terminals centered so it makes connecting them a bitch. I got the left one together and working by connecting the connector and then installing the terminals after the connector was installed. So I tried that trick with the right side with out new terminals and its not working now. So I'm going to test for power and re terminal the connectors I hope the cutout is fine and its just a connection issue
I used the Pypes electric cutouts and they use Weatherpak connectors which made it a breeze. I did have to cut and resplice though since I didn't feel like drilling another huge hole through the firewall for the connector. They also give you a switch that is designed to go through a hole drilled in the dash or switch bracket but the inline fuse permanently attached to the switch is bigger than the switch so I had to cut that off too.
The harness came with a switch and inline fuse. I have a seals it firewall grommet where I ran my swap harness inside the car and got the connectors through it from the inside. I usually remove the connector and tape the terminals together for easier fishing through tight spots. I got the connectors through easily.
I had everything plugged in and working for a bench test. Since then I've had issues getting the damn things to plug in. I might have to buy another painless kit to get better quality plastic connector. I think it's the inside make and female ridges right next to the terminals.
The switch they sent appears to be nice momentary plastic rocker switch with arrows showing up and down. but its larger than most toggle switches and didn't come with a mount. I'm not really sure where I'm going to mount it. I think I'll have to make a template of the switch to make a bracket to hold it. I'd like it close to the shifter but I need a console.
Where did you mount your switch??
Wow i have been having too much fun this summer. I made a switch mount from the old non functioning map switch for the cutouts perfect place for it. I put in a different radio.. I won a couple trophys at local car shows. And ran good guys autocross a week ago. It was really fun. Longer course this time but they repaved the parking lot all the cars were very loose on the fresh asphalt vs the concrete last year.
I noticed after the autocross my power steering reservoir was wet with fluid. It had a crack in it I epoxied when I did the swap. I put a new fbody reservoir on and while I had the fluid drained I installed a 12" finned cooler. I installed it under the radiator on the front frame brace. I will probably relocate it once I get a condenser for the a/c. And blend the new BG power steering fluid. It's supposed to handle heat better. I also changed the t56 atf with BG syncoshift II and wow big difference in trans fluid. It's a universal t case and manual transmission fluid. It made my tranny shift smoother and faster. More expensive than atf but worth extra protection real gear oil. It slides into gear like a bolt action rifle. Even reverse shifts easier
12-28-2015, 01:03 PM
