Yup it's a water-cooled... and nope I haven't forgotten. Still have to figure where best to locate a high (positive) pressure source for the coolant, as well as where to tap in to get a high-pressure oil source (since both holes above oil filter are used for transfer to/from cooler) as well as what size restrictor to use to step down to the 5 or 8 psi or whatever it's supposed to be for turbo journal bearings.

Oh and for the lines I'm hoping to pull some bent stainless hardline wizardry... but these are all on the long list of things to still do...

 

are you using the factory oil pressure gauge? if the answer is no, it is very easy to tap it for 1/8 npt
http://www.stevesnovasite.com/forums...1&postcount=88

or you could do that in line with the oil cooler lines

I didnt know you needed a restrictor. is this with all turbos? how is that implemented?

about your turbo. have you thought about clocking the exhaust housing sideways for a better route to the passenger manifold? like this?
http://www.metroplexdeals.com/HOTROD...turbo_hung.jpg

how much power will that turbo support? if its not more than 700( Its huge so it probably supports 1k lol) maybe consider switching to a much smaller unit like the mp t70. it only weighs 17lbs and will support 700 flywheel hp

 

Thanks for the helpful tips!

Hmm... I never noticed that factory oil pressure pickup the couple times I've moved the engine around, I'll have to look harder...

The turbo is totally clockable on both hot and cold side (hence how I removed the center section and swapped in my trick cardboard center ). The exhaust side is rotated like that so that the flange could rest on something flat, but I'm going to raise the turbo up a couple more inches, rotated it so that the exhaust inlet flange is maybe 30-45 degrees to the horizontal and then move the turbo more outboard so it's kindof above the inner fender. Pics will come when I mock this up so it makes sense.

I really want to have a go with this turbo because, well, it was free. I agree that a smaller turbo would be very suitable, but since the setup will have a T4 flange on the exhaust piping side, I figure if this turbo really is a big slow turd, I can buck up and pay for a better suited, smaller turbo later on.

 

Glad to see you back at it Frojoe!

 

builds coming along great.

Edit missed the post with the question i was looking for answered.

 

I've realized I hop around too much between side-projects for this car. I need to choose a place to start and systematically finish ****, so I need to finalize the trans height before I can start mock-up assembling front sheetmetal for turbo plumbing fabrication. So I don't burn out, I'm doing stuff in small but steady amounts, a couple hours a night. Tonight was to start making room for the shifter...






This pic shows the idea better, chop out room for the shifter assembly (and make a cover-panel), but split/pry the tunnel apart forward of that until there is enough clearance, then just weld a filler strip in the middle...




After a couple weeks of chipping away at stuff, I plan to have the trans tunnel & trans cross-member complete, and start hanging front sheetmetal and get deep into the turbo hotside fabrication... then I'll order these gauges as a reward for my progress ...

 

whoa, sexy gauges, what kind are those?

 

They're the Revolution gauge series from Speedhut:

-ALL gauges are 1.1" deep
-come with wiring pigtail & 8ft of harness
-all are electric (stepper motor) and include sensors
-all are full sweep
-classy and simple/understated yet modern look
-you can customize the face color/daytime letter color/reverse-glow bulb color as well as the font, font size, needle spin direction (some models), needle daytime color, needle glow color, and the bezel style/color/finish!
-they're NOT run-of-the-mill Autometers

http://www.speedhut.com/gauge_produc...uto=revolution

 

i like those gauges! there are so many options! on my list!!

 

Did a quick sketch of what I'm thinking for a removable shifter access panel...

 

If this a quick sketch I would hate to see a detailed one! nice work!

 

Quick sketch eh? ---show off

 

I've had to do more "clearancing" to make this huge trans fit. Apparently Nova's have pretty shallow trans tunnels. This pic is with the T56 at 2* which would be the highest I'd ever run it, and the height for which I'll make new tunnel patch panels accommodate. I plan on making the trans cross-member very adjustable, to lower the trans to 3.5* if I ever wished to do so...




The last couple nights I've been working the x-member, and I've got one side finished so far. A big pet peeve of mine is cars that have exhaust hanging way low... especially due to off-the-shelf headers with retardedly low collectors. So I've gone on a clearance mission... I plan on having the subframe rails the lowest part on the car (including exhaust/trans/oilpan). I plan on making both sides look like this incase I ever want to run dual exhaust again...





... like I said, a clearance mission...



...shitloads of it (that's measured off of bottom of subframe)...

 

That x-member is unreal. Your fabbing skills always impress me. I think you need to take a real long road trip to Indiana, and help me get my Nova swap going. My car and engine won't reunite for at least 3-4 more weeks, while I'm waiting for garage space.

 

Haha thanks man, but realistically my fab skillz are nothing special. However with the amount of time that I'll have in the x-member (and it's intricacy/clearance/all-round awesomeness) it'll be a shame to hide it under the car

 

Can you move the crossmember further back so that the transmission isn't bolted to the end of that 'lever'? It just looks like the weight of the transmission will have a lot of leverage by the looks of it...

 

Good thinking Mark, but like always you're one step ahead of me!... wait for finished pics!!!

That long square rod is uncut, the actual trans mounting pad will only be about 3" aft of the rear bolts, and the distance between front & rear bolts is ~3", so it'll be fine.

 

I didn't think you would've missed that. Nice piece too BTW. (Spent another $60 on AN fittings today for my oil breather...)

After you make the 2 mirrored pieces, are you going to weld them together in the middle where the trans mount is?

 

speaking of exhaust, that's where i'm at right now. one problem...





front x-member for the ladder bars out back is in the way! so i'm going to have to hack it up to install a couple exhaust tubes.

 

X-member is FINALLY done!! I'm somewhat of a perfectionist but I finally had to call it and finish 'er up, not prefect but gets it done. Correction, I think I might want to lap-weld on a 3/16" piece of flatstock to reinforce the weld connecting the bottom flatstock to the left side...

Special thanks to Marktainium for confirming what I suspected but did not want to admit... making it a two-piece design...







...and how does it fit? Excellently Still have to make multiple adjustment spacers to slip under the trans mount...