Roadkill's 1983 Chevy Z28 - (Work Starts on Page 5)

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Fieldy

1000th post for you sir!!

Indeed !

This has grown into a mega-thread !

Let's hope the Caddy one does, too, when I start that.

[FUBAR]

[sixpack2639]

Quoting: Roadkill

Sammy confirms the third box HAS now arrived and appears to be in good condition . . . .

[Roadkill]

Yep, all parts are accounted for (I completely forgot about the tap and die set !).



ALSO.

Look again at that auction for the carpet - he's added a picture (I asked him to) - what do you reckon ?

It seems ideal to me . . . what (other)questions should I be asking ?

[Titsy]

I think it would be a good option given that the centre console isn't going back in...

[Roadkill]

It looks a little . . . shape-less to me . . . dunno . . .

The ones I've seen are two-part sets . . . This one obviously doesn't do the trunk area . . .

Does that matter, though ? . . . Hmm . . . .

[F Body]

Quoting: Roadkill

This one obviously doesn't do the trunk area . . .

Does that matter, though ?

Heater removed < check >

Power Steering removed < check >

Boot carpeted

[Titsy]

Quoting: Roadkill

It looks a little . . . shape-less to me . . . dunno . . .

I'm not sure... It's difficult to tell as it's bllack...

Quoting: Roadkill

This one obviously doesn't do the trunk area . . .

Does that matter, though ? . . . Hmm . . . .

It does look like it onlt does the cockpit, which would leave the trunk looking a little shabby...

And you don't want the carpet looking shabby when you've got a nice shiney Nitrous bottle in there...

[Titsy]

Quoting: F Body

Heater removed < check >

Power Steering removed < check >

Boot carpeted

Just because it's basic, doesn't mean it has to look shabby...

[F Body]

Quoting: Titsy

Just because it's basic, doesn't mean it has to look shabby...

True & if it's really cold RK can curl up in the carpet

[Roadkill]

O.K - been doing some looking . . . Based on the pictures he has sent me it looks like this one :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-Truck-Parts-Accessories__1982-83-84-85-86-87-88-89-92-Camaro-Firebird-Carpet-Set_W0QQitemZ260288315739QQadnZCarQ20Q26Q20TruckQ20PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQadiZ2865QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260288315739&_trkparms=72%3A543%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-Truck-Parts-Accessories__1982-83-84-85-86-87-88-89-92-Camaro-Firebird-Carpet-Set_W0QQitemZ260288315739QQadnZCarQ20Q26Q20TruckQ20PartsQ20Q26Q20AccessoriesQQadiZ2865QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260288315739&_trkparms=72%3A543%7C39%3A1%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

Just £60 . . . It's NOT molded, but it is GM approved.

I can't believe shipping would be more than £60 for that so I think I'm gonna wait, knowing I can get the same for a similar price.

[Roadkill]

FINALLY -  A LEGITIMATE AND WORTHY UPDATE !!!

Yup, been busy this weekend . . with funding low I decided to do some jobs that didn't cost anything - namely begin re-assembling the LT1 !

First job.  Heads.  These had already been cleaned and lapped but I was waiting to borrow a porting kit to gasket-match the intakes.

I became impatient and went at them with a dremel and selection of junior hand-files.  

End result was good.  the ports were smoother (but not too smooth) and about 50% of the metal which was "in the path of the flow" had been removed and the remaining material chamfered to promote smooth air-passage.

4 hours well spent.

Next job,  proper Old sKool job,  Plug Shimming.  Ie shimming the plugs so that the electrode is cleanly facing the intake valve.

Unfortunately, the LT1 heads do not allow for the traditional method so I had to offer all of the new Bosch Platinum Plugs up to each hole, in turn, to achieve the best results.

It sounds long winded but I feel it was 10-15 minutes well used.

This was basically the desired outcome :



Next the lapped valves were re-installed, along with the spring seats and new Fel-Pro stem seals.  

Next the new Comp Cams beehive springs, uprated retainers and locks were fitted and offered some oil to keep everything happy.

The Heads were then re-fitted and torqued accordingly.

This was now Sunday evening and I was determined to get the Ma-hoosive GM performance manifold on, too.

And so it went on . . . . as did the funky ProForm roller-rockers :



Despite attempts to sabotage the rebuild and break my garage door Titsy remained and is seen here, discussing the finer points of roller rockers . . . note Ian who'd probably been banished to the outside at that point . . .



And here's how it was left, basically - the Carb was just sat on as it's coming back off so the motor can be refitted - I also ran into some minor snags when coming to fit the Valve covers, too.  But nothing we can't get around.



Next job is to overcome said issue with valve covers, modify slightly and fit.  Then fit the alternator, then the Dizzy (from the old 305ci), then align the front pulley boss and fit the under-drive pulley . . . . . . . . . . .

PHEW !

[CJ-IROCZ]

[art b]

ur gettin there then  

[Roadkill]

She'll definately need a bigger carb in time - but the Edelbrock's a quick, cheap, get-me-going option for now.

Plus for change of £100 (IIRC) will be a handy spare to keep about the place in the event of a carb failure as it'll fit practically anything !

[VIPER]

Looking good......
Keep up the good work mate.....

If you need anymore info on the T56 let me know as i have the manual for it here...
There is a inline plugand play to sort out the 1st to 4th gear change..

Same box as the Viper

[Roadkill]

Quoting: VIPER

If you need anymore info on the T56 let me know as i have the manual for it here...

I do have a potential issue with the neutral return spring / mechanism.  The shifter springs back to neutral from the 1-2 positions but not from the 5-6 positions.

I was gonna pull the shifter and an inspection plate at the top of the box to try and assess the problem but if your manual says anything on it I'd be grateful.



The engine and box will be going in very soon so it's something I've got to sort sooner rather than later.

[art b]

Quoting: VIPER

Same box as the Viper

should stand up to the rk abuse then

[Roadkill]

The T5 and the T56 are worlds apart, that's for sure.

T5's are only good for Fords.

[Titsy]

Quoting: Roadkill

Same box as the Viper

In design yes, in production no...
The 1993 F-Body T56 is only rated to 400 lb·ft (542 N·m) torque capacity. Where as the Dodge version is rated to 600 lb·ft (813 N·m) torque capacity.

[VIPER]

Sorry just presumed it was the mopar version.....

Bernie down in Markyate knows all about them he has rebuilt a GT500 and a SRT/10 version...

I will still take a look in the manual for you though if you want?????

[EDGE]

the main difference is the input shaft, i think its 26 spline as opposed to 10, i think the final drive ratio might differ too

[VIPER]

Final drive would be different for sure no Chevy or ford could put a vipers 6th gear into use....LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Roadkill]

Quoting: VIPER

I will still take a look in the manual for you though if you want?????

If you could, please, mate.  

[Roadkill]

UPDATE !

Tonight, albeit reduced due to overtime at work, was about problem solving.

I knew, from Sunday, that there would be issues with the clearances with the new valve covers.

Firstly the new alternator was Mahoosive so clashed with the front of the P/S valve cover (which is already notched for clearance !!).

When selecting valve covers I was limited . . 99% won't, apparently, clear the bulky roller-rockers so bigger, higher ones had to be sourced.

Of the few available even less were designed to fit the F-Bodies.

Hence I had to "suck it up" and sort the issues as they arrived.

Here's the alterator, by the way . . . .



And here's the first problem . . . . the solid pipe from the Power Steering pump just about clashes with the corner of the valve cover.

I tried filing some off the corner but  couldn't take enough off . . . in the end I cut the corner off - to be TIGed and tidied after.

Also note the bottom of the alternator . . . . originally there was less than 0.5mm clearance between it and said pipe.  
But with a couple of gentle, well-placed hits with a Nylon mallet the clearance was opened up to about 1.5mm.

Much better !

(Notched valve cover on the left / alternator top / P/S pipe bottom right)



The final - and main - task of the evening was notching the front of the valve cover to clear the back of the alternator.

Not an easy task when you're limited on tools (I thought I had some dremel attachments that it turns out I didn't !)

With the use of a file everything was cleaned up and ready to test fit . . . .

All good.



I then fabricated a formed plate to fit in the gap (another hard task when your bench vice is out on loan ().

All done, though . . . ready to be TIGed up and polished.