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Just waiting on the rack, hopefully in my hands by mid next week at the latest so I can do the swap next weekend. Then align, then do trans brake launches by me to make sure it's all happy.
Wish I'd have used the unisteer rack. Put the TRZ front rack in my car & it cured the steering slop of the stock & flaming river manual boxes
but has the steering radius of a 359 Peterbilt.
...And the rack just arrived! @3 window if there are any suggestions on the swap holla, I plan to jack up the car take both front wheels off and then take all the stock stuff out in one piece. Hope I don't have to use a pickle fork for anything I hate that thing.
...And the rack just arrived! @3 window if there are any suggestions on the swap holla, I plan to jack up the car take both front wheels off and then take all the stock stuff out in one piece. Hope I don't have to use a pickle fork for anything I hate that thing.
Print out the instructions from online and follow ‘em. It’ll come out fine.
Yeah I like action and planning that is my default but a car build like this with so many options along the way can sometimes make me a little crazy... I tend to work better when i have only 2-3 options with one of them as the clear #1.
Like with the engine build there were several big considerations:
How long should I run SBE, and how hard should I run it? My thinking based on input from Capizzi and a few others was to get a summer out of it, since I want to go for mid 8s. Based on my buddy Kevins' build over in NJ, been 8.8@155 on 18 lbs very similar combo. I figured mid 8s might take 20-21 lbs. But he's running a forged iron 370 with LSA heads.
Would it make sense to add TFS 220's to my SBE shortblock and swap out the 799s? No. Advice was don't, because if the SBE rotating assembly dies there is usually collateral damage to the heads.
Would it make sense to do a forged shortblock and run my 799s? I decided probably not, the thicker deck and better clamping of TFS 220s is something I think I'd need if I push the car hard. But I do know a bunch of folks who've run mid 8s with a forged bottom end and stock head castings. I don't want to do it twice.
I even considered going 6 bolt. It was an easy decision to pass because I can't even find blocks they are scarce and as a result they are pricey. I would not have even considered a Dart aluminum block because I figured I'd be $7K into the block based on cost and machining. I used to know folks with LSX blocks and they used to trade around NIB for $2500, but now kinda hard to find.
Capizzi been 4.20 in the race car with an LC9 at 2500 raceweight, shewww. The street car has been 7.40@181 @ 2850 with a forged LC9 and good heads. So based on that, I sold my L33 and bought a bare LC9 last year.
I'll start a different engine build thread next week.
Do you have any photos of your intercooler setup ? What did you have to do to fit a big intercooler ? Relocate the hood latch ?
im building a 69 Firebird and there doesn’t look like there is much room hah
I built a small latch and refabbed all the bracing using 1/4” rod to tie it all back into the core support.
You think there’s no room in a Firebird, build a Nova!
Looks cool, and still running hood pins looks like?
@68roadrunner Are Camaros and Firebirds similar in terms of space? I had Ron Shearer make me a copy of a buddy's a/a, he first mocked up with cardboard. Mine is mounted as far forward as possible and down a bit to clear the headlights and inner lights.
Looks cool, and still running hood pins looks like?
@68roadrunner Are Camaros and Firebirds similar in terms of space? I had Ron Shearer make me a copy of a buddy's a/a, he first mocked up with cardboard. Mine is mounted as far forward as possible and down a bit to clear the headlights and inner lights.
yeah, I had just pins for years until one started to wear and it came in clipped. The hood almost opened. That’s when I built the latch. Pins only were good for years at 130+