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Wxdude10
Wxdude10 Reader
5/5/15 5:06 a.m.

The DIY gods are not satisfied until they receive their blood sacrifice.

Moving_Target
Moving_Target Reader
5/5/15 6:26 p.m.

Yep, those angle grinders love human flesh. Ouch.

Toyman01
Toyman01 GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
5/5/15 7:05 p.m.

Be glad it was a cut off wheel. I got my index finger with a 40 grit flap wheel. The glove didn't slow it down any more than my finger did. I'll have that scar for a while.

Very cool project. You've convinced me that I NEED a tig machine ASAP.

Toyman01
Toyman01 GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
5/5/15 7:51 p.m.

I just went through and read the entire build.

I retract my previous statement. This is isn't just a cool build. It's awesome. Wow!

SkinnyG
SkinnyG Dork
5/8/15 10:05 p.m.

I now have a dilemma.

I just picked up a '96 Chevy 305 with tappet noise (so saith the seller) for free. Cool. Except it turned out to be a 350 Vortec instead.

Do I rebuild it, cam it, put it in the daily driver Crusty Chevy, and put the old-school "hot rod" 350 into the Firefly? Or rebuild the Vortec and put ~it~ in the Firefly instead? Or put the heads on the "hot rod" 350 in the Chevy and store the block for another time, and leave the stock 305 TBI alone in the Firefly?

Doing anything other than nothing is so going to blow my budget. But something would be so much more fun than nothing.

mndsm
mndsm MegaDork
5/8/15 10:25 p.m.

Vortex+ firefly. You got this far.

Dusterbd13
Dusterbd13 SuperDork
5/9/15 6:10 a.m.

After challenge? Turbo hot rod 350.

Kenny_McCormic
Kenny_McCormic PowerDork
5/9/15 12:55 p.m.

Leave the truck alone, build turbo vortec 350 after completion of car.

SkinnyG
SkinnyG SuperDork
5/18/15 4:14 p.m.

I visualized a more modern oem-style radiator mount, and fabricated stand-off thingies to make that happen, using the rubber bitties stolen off cars we stripped at the school.

DSC03766

Only I didn't think that all the way through, and it all ended up hanging to low in front. So I cut them off. Instead, I came up with a simple rad mount using 1/4" rod, some 3/4" flat bar, some washers and some rubber stand-offs I bought for the Hideous Hardbody, but never used.

DSC03767

DSC03768

Probably too flimsy to last. Something's going to break...

DSC03769

Held in by carriage bolts, because I seem to be out of regular bolts. Go figure. Need to see what I have in the way of electric fans in my junk pile.

SkinnyG
SkinnyG Dork
5/18/15 4:16 p.m.

The Vortec is on an engine stand until the fall. When my Level-1 mechanics students go through their "dead" engines, I will go through mine as well. Good "real life" example for them to see.

SkinnyG
SkinnyG Dork
5/23/15 9:22 p.m.

Pick-N-Pull had a 50% off sale, and I went off to get (among other things) a better gearset for the narrowed 10-bolt 7.5" in the Firefly (currently has 2.73's).

Found a 4-cyl S10 with 4.11's in it. SWEET. Then I did some quick math. With my 22.6" tires, I'd be pulling 3800 rpm cruising at 100km/h (62.5mph). Um.....

Found another S10 with 3.42's. Did some math - they'd be 3200rpm at cruise.

If I'm going to turbo the V8 eventually, these gears might not be a good idea.

Did some more math, and guess what - the 2.73's I already have would have me cruising at 2500rpm. Probably better for boost later on, too.

SkinnyG
SkinnyG SuperDork
5/25/15 10:02 p.m.

Turns out I had a 3.42 axle at the school. Just sitting there. Waiting. Patiently. Pulled 5 years ago. Cruising rpm be darned. This is the same gearing as 4.11's would be in my '77 Chevy C10. I want the acceleration to make all my four letter words have five syllables.

3-42

SkinnyG
SkinnyG SuperDork
5/29/15 11:20 p.m.

Freshening up a "free" TH350 with new seals, an extra direct clutch, extra sun bushings, a hardened intermediate sprag race, along with a home-brewed shift kit. Trans case is home for the weekend for a thorough cleaning.

crazycanadian
crazycanadian Reader
5/29/15 11:42 p.m.

Oh fun... lots you can do with the turbo 350

SkinnyG
SkinnyG SuperDork
5/31/15 10:28 p.m.

Cooling system is pretty much done. Also picked up an alternator and brackets since I am not using the serpentine system from the '88 Firebird donor.

DSC03774

Yep - it all fits under the hood

DSC03775

Pick-N-Pull trans cooler, still to hook up

DSC03776

I don't remember what the fan is out of - maybe a Lumina van we cut up at school? Some trimming and creative mounting made it work. I'm thinking or adding the defroster back in, so the cooling system might not be done after all......

chiodos
chiodos Reader
5/31/15 10:44 p.m.

Im sorry but you said lumina van? What kinda crazy canadian contraption is that

EvanR
EvanR Dork
5/31/15 11:06 p.m.
chiodos wrote: Im sorry but you said lumina van? What kinda crazy canadian contraption is that

Canadian? They were one of the Dustbuster vans, the Lumina APV.

crazycanadian
crazycanadian Reader
5/31/15 11:28 p.m.

Looks good.. except you'll want to get the push threw pins holding the fan out and make your own brackets..

those pins over time wear threw the rad from the vibrations...

I got pictures I can show you from my old Toyota 4x4

SkinnyG
SkinnyG Dork
5/31/15 11:33 p.m.

Not doubting that at all.

Even yesterday, I took a look at the fan trying to decide how best to make my own brackets.

Look for an upgraded mounting in the future.

SkinnyG
SkinnyG Dork
6/1/15 1:09 a.m.

Nope. You're right. I need to change it.

Got half of a proper fan mount fabricated. Then ran out of MIG wire.....

crazycanadian
crazycanadian Reader
6/1/15 10:51 a.m.

In reply to SkinnyG:

bummer I hate when that happens and I am in the middle of a project. .

SkinnyG
SkinnyG Dork
6/2/15 11:23 p.m.

Doesn't fit.

SkinnyG
SkinnyG SuperDork
6/13/15 9:59 p.m.

Ok, so the intercooler isn't mine. Just picking it up for a friend.

I'm almost done rebuiding a TH350 for the car. Have to machine the direct clutch piston down to run 5 clutches and dual-feed it. Also have stripped and cleaned a 12-bolt axle for The Crusty Chevy.

And finally got a better rad fan mount happening. Not quite finished, as I will add some bracing. Kinda dumb design - the fan is so close to the pulleys, the fan has to be removed to replace the V-belt. But to remove the fan, you need to remove the water pump. Who's stupid design is this??

DSC03780

Fan mount made out of real metal

DSC03781

So easy making things attach with ends like this

SkinnyG
SkinnyG SuperDork
6/14/15 6:40 p.m.

DSC03784

And painted!

TIGMOTORSPORTS
TIGMOTORSPORTS HalfDork
6/14/15 9:08 p.m.

In reply to EvanR:

When I worked at a GM dealer, we referred to the Lumina APV's and Pontiac Transports as Space Shuttles

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