What a Rush

[The Horvaths]

So you can't even work on anything at home without the city getting after you or is it's the neighbors?

Probably HOA boss or a pissy neighbor. They can make a phone call reporting junk vehicles once a month, and the City is forced to come test/look at them- EVEN IF THEY ARE ON ALL FOUR TIRES AND COMPLETELY PUT TOGETHER.
I'm glad i don't live in Dallas anymore. My neighbors put up with stuff like this:

(For anyone who hasn't seen it )

 

[The Horvaths]

It's undoubtedly the shiny new HOA president. Power has evidently gotten to his head.
Anyway, I'm ever the rebel. I put it right back in the drive yesterday. It's in a different spot. According to the city inspection lady, that's my proof that the vehicles run. It's every three months that they can demand demonstration of vehicle forward/backward mobility. My buddy has a Model A. It's got no reverse. He's sacrificed a garage bay to keep the beast.

I got out in the screaming hot and humid Texas sunshine and mounted some things for to see how they fit. The water pump is mounted. The FiTech didn't fit on a 2" aluminum spacer. I put it there, added the breather/filter and some wadded up aluminum foil.

There was about.020" clearance Not good, so, it gets a 1" phenolic spacer. The gaskets were trimmed to meet the openings for max flow with minimal vortex.

I redid the -12 AN oil sump line. It was going up, over the steering box from pan to pump. It was almost 2'. Now, it turns 180* at the pump, cuts through a pocket in the subframe, and goes directly to the sump. It's about 7".
Both fittings must be aligned just so, and tightened in unison. But, it's a much better shot.

The chain was just used to pull it onto the trailer.
I also got a lovely overflow box. It's designed to go where the windshield washer reservoir is. I'm putting it on the other side, because I'm ever the rebel. That, and, the car has windshield wipers.
The nifty reservoir has a sight tube for liquid level indication.

I'm beat from this heat. R&R time for a few.

- dad

 

[The Horvaths]

Preparing for tomorrow's action list. I took a perfectly good new thermostat and poked four 3/16" holes in it. The Mr Gasket #4367 is a 180* thermostat that has a very, very big mouth. Notice where I've poked the holes. The entire cylindrical section opens up when hot. I've poked holes in the "cylinder walls" where they allow water (and, more importantly, air) to bypass the thermostat when cold. These holes have turned it into a temperature-variable restrictor plate. Add to this a little intelligent electric water pump and fan control electronics and the engine temperature should be fairly well under control. There's low flow when cold to allow the engine to warm up. Once it hits 180*, the water pump will see little restriction and this will allow for lower electrical current draw. As well, the faster the water moves through the system, the better the heat transfer. It's commonly stated that the water must be able to "sit" in the radiator in order to cool. That's a gross oversimplification of the thermal exchange process. What's possibly happening to cars that overheat without a thermostat is that the lack of even minor restriction is allowing excess cavitation and air pockets just don't transfer heat well. I digress..
The ability to control both the pump and the fan gives considerable flexibility. If done well, the system may be maintained at a fairly narrow temperature window. This gives consistency to the combustion process. It's probably going to take some tuning to get things just right. However, it's not entirely rocket surgery.

- dad

 

[65sporty]

Most all of the thermostats I see in modern cars have some kind of air bleed in them

 

[The Horvaths]

The best-laid plans of mice and men..

Well. I had to trim the customized thermostat to fit the water pump body.

I got it measured, marked, and mangled. But, wait. What's this?

The ruddy bugger doesn't fit the top. At all.

Ever.

Time to regroup.

I chose the red one for now.
More about my day to follow.

I don't want to hide my mistakes. Dylan needs to know that these modifications take real effort. One step forward, two steps back.

- dad

 

[The Horvaths]

Stainless steel threads into aluminum easily. However, if one wishes for the two to play nicely over time, a little copper anti-seize compound is a must.

I even managed to find an upper radiator hose to fit.

What could go wrong now? Oh. Right.

The motor mounts were stock. 730 HP wasn't in their design criteria. So, I bought poly-locks from Schumacher.

I'd read that they don't fare well around header heat. So, I got some heavy copper foil and made heat shields. The right mount was used with the 1/4" shim from the last weekend. For some reason, it didn't want to exactly fit the chassis mount point. Remember, modifications rarely go as planned.
So, I broke another expensive cobalt drill bit. I'm almost to the point of determining that cobalt drill bits and hand held drill motors do not get along. I digress..

I clearanced the hole with a carbide burr so that the 1/2" grade 8 bolt, that came with the mounts, would fit into the vehicle frame. Then it would not start in the mount's nut. Out came the thread-restoring die and the grinder. I tapered the tip of the bolts. Here's something that is apparently exclusive to C-bodies:

It's a torque strap that was designed to limit the amount of pull that the left motor mount would be subjected to. I put it in place.

So, I managed to get the first couple of hours' work done in a full day. All-in-all, not a bad day. Tomorrow, I hope to finish the cushioned mounts for the radiator, put some cushioning under the Crane multi-spark box, start routing fuel lines and maybe even start some wiring.

Wish me luck!

- dad

 

[cantflip]

Stainless steel threads into aluminum easily. However, if one wishes for the two to play nicely over time, a little copper anti-seize compound is a must.
View attachment 142362

I even managed to find an upper radiator hose to fit.

View attachment 142363

What could go wrong now? Oh. Right.

View attachment 142364

The motor mounts were stock. 730 HP wasn't in their design criteria. So, I bought poly-locks from Schumacher.

View attachment 142365

I'd read that they don't fare well around header heat. So, I got some heavy copper foil and made heat shields. The right mount was used with the 1/4" shim from the last weekend. For some reason, it didn't want to exactly fit the chassis mount point. Remember, modifications rarely go as planned.
So, I broke another expensive cobalt drill bit. I'm almost to the point of determining that cobalt drill bits and hand held drill motors do not get along. I digress..

I clearanced the hole with a carbide burr so that the 1/2" grade 8 bolt, that came with the mounts, would fit into the vehicle frame. Then it would not start in the mount's nut. Out came the thread-restoring die and the grinder. I tapered the tip of the bolts. Here's something that is apparently exclusive to C-bodies:

View attachment 142366


It's a torque strap that was designed to limit the amount of pull that the left motor mount would be subjected to. I put it in place.

So, I managed to get the first couple of hours' work done in a full day. All-in-all, not a bad day. Tomorrow, I hope to finish the cushioned mounts for the radiator, put some cushioning under the Crane multi-spark box, start routing fuel lines and maybe even start some wiring.

Wish me luck!

- dad

Jeremy, I am loving the details in your posts... It could only be better if you had Dylan there to get dirty hands with you.

I did want to point out one thing that may help, the key to a metal heat shield is to have an air gap. I would open the one you made just enough there is about an 1/8 inch clearance. you might be able to to this after installation with a pick.

Thank you for posting so nicely.
Jeff

 

[The Horvaths]

Jeremy, I am loving the details in your posts... It could only be better if you had Dylan there to get dirty hands with you.

I did want to point out one thing that may help, the key to a metal heat shield is to have an air gap. I would open the one you made just enough there is about an 1/8 inch clearance. you might be able to to this after installation with a pick..
Jeff

Agreed. It's a bit of a shame, but, Dylan is actually getting a real kick out of school! I'm so glad that he's chasing his dream. He's undoubtedly going to be improving upon my work after a few years. That's why I'm documenting it. So that he can see what I've done, right or wrong.

As for the heat shields, that's exactly what I did, Jeff. I fluffed the .003" foil up before installing it. If I'd had more time, I probably would have used .015" brass shim stock. However, I've got only a little time to get it running before the city finds another means of "crushing my dreams." The copper will certainly get the job done.
The air gap goes from ~1/8" to almost 1/4". Thank you for pointing that out. I was a little preoccupied with arthritis when I wrote that. I couldn't sleep through it for a while. This getting old thing ain't for sissies! However, it sure beats any alternatives!

If I had to sum myself up in one word, it would be "does not follow directions well."
- dad

 

[65sporty]

Each day a little closer, you will make a video when it's running for all of us won't you?

 

[300rag]

Each day a little closer, you will make a video when it's running for all of us won't you?

With the HOA dick looking over the fence with a "WTF is that noise?" look on his face.

 

[65sporty]

With the HOA dick looking over the fence with a "WTF is that noise?" look on his face.

Maybe he will hold the camera for him He can't complain if it runs and drives

 

[The Horvaths]

I like the way you guys think..
..sick, like me. I suspect that the black marks on the pavement should be proof enough. That and the godawfulnoise!

Straight pipes are probably going to be deployed. Maybe two tiny itty-bitty short (3" diameter by 4" long) mufflers from Smiley's Racing. You can drop a tennis ball through them.

 

[300rag]

I like the way you guys think..
..sick, like me. I suspect that the black marks on the pavement should be proof enough. That and the godawfulnoise!

Straight pipes are probably going to be deployed. Maybe two tiny itty-bitty short (3" diameter by 4" long) mufflers from Smiley's Racing. You can drop a tennis ball through them.

Those don't even qualify as resonators

 

[cantflip]

I like the way you guys think..
..sick, like me. I suspect that the black marks on the pavement should be proof enough. That and the godawfulnoise!

Straight pipes are probably going to be deployed. Maybe two tiny itty-bitty short (3" diameter by 4" long) mufflers from Smiley's Racing. You can drop a tennis ball through them.

When you crack the glass on his closest double pane... maybe he will know he should have tried honey, instead of vinegar.

 

[The Horvaths]

Well, I re-listed priorities and came up with the fact that I needed to know what size alternator belt I needed before I could order it. So, I went to the hardware store and got options in bolts and spacers to enhance the low-mount kit that I'd picked up last week or so. I mounted the March Performance #10310 "6 rib" pulley onto the (rebuildable!) ATI damper. It's rated to 8,000 RPM and should be rebuilt every ten years if used in drag racing.

I actually wound up using the alternator bracket upside-down. It's not a bad fit. A straight piece of hex stock shows good alignment between the two pulleys.

The belt will best fit if it's ~32 & 1/2".
I found a decent option at speedway motors and ordered two (one for a spare). I don't really like how far out the spacers needed to put the alternator, so, I used grade 8 hardware and split the distance between the engine, bracket, and alternator.

I've also ordered the goodies to make a PCV for the beast.

As well, the radiator and ignition box are now properly mounted and well-cushioned.

- dad

 

[65sporty]

Manual steering? What amp alt? It's going to take a few amps to run the electric water pump, fan, fuel pump.

 

[1978 NYB]

Nice work!

 

[The Horvaths]

It's a "100 Amp" aftermarket (newly-built) alternator. There's not much needed on race days, he can use a charger between races at most tracks and keep a spare battery if desired. That's enough to run ignition, controls, fan, pumps, and a little headroom for lights if needed. A bigger-than-needed alternator just costs more money.
If running the tick-tock water pump/fan then a charger is probably going to be required.

 

[65sporty]

100 amp should be more than enough

 

[The Horvaths]

Some more nits and frits got looked at this afternoon. The trunk floor wasn't too bad considering that the fuel cell sat directly on it for who knows how long. I hit the bare metal with some Ospho and I'll prime/paint it later. The holes that aren't needed were filled with epoxy. Dylan can weld them up later if he's so inclined.

I'm starting to plan the fuel plumbing. There will be two high-flow filters. A preliminary 30um paper filter will be followed by a glass media 5um filter. The first filter is to keep the second, more expensive, filter from getting trashed as easily.

I also started making the bracketry to support the overflow tank.
Bit-by-bit, it's falling together.

- dad