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

[ianjpage]

sweeeeeeeeet

[FUBAR]

[F Body]

Quoting: Roadkill

D/S Side Pipe mocked up on blocks . . . the 180* bends (hidden) had to be trimmed to suit :

That wasn't how I thought you were going to do it at all, I thought just the tips were going to be visible near the rear wheels

I'm not saying I don't like it, I'm just not sure that it's going to fit with the car

[Roadkill]

Quoting: F Body

I thought just the tips were going to be visible near the rear wheels  

That was the original plan . . . however the SFC's would mean the exits would have to be ridiculously low or be heavily notched to miss them on their way out.

Side pipes definately were not the idea . . . . the original mock-up (after I realised I had to exit before the rear) had the pipes coming out one-third of the way down the sill - This I utterly hated so opted to lengthen the side pipes but pointing the pipes forward, initially, then adding a 180* bend to loop them back around making them full-length.

It looks kind of odd at the moment, the Car being red with a silver skirt - the plan is to paint the Camaro black without a separate coloured skirt.

Quoting: F Body

I'm just not sure that it's going to fit with the car

I agree in a way - but having spent hours (upon hours) under the car pondering - that's the way it's going to be.

I think once they've dulled-down they'll be more subtle, too.

[Roadkill]

I think I'm going to have to buy some proper tractor wheels to give me the extra ground clearance to get out of my Estate . . .

[Rob]

Quoting: Roadkill

I think I'm going to have to buy some proper tractor wheels to give me the extra ground clearance to get out of my Estate . . .

Was gonna say that....Speed humps are not gonna be your friend...!

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Rob

Was gonna say that....Speed humps are not gonna be your friend...!

At least It'll be the fastast Camaro never to leave North Furzton !!

[F Body]

Quoting: Roadkill

It looks kind of odd at the moment, the Car being red with a silver skirt - the plan is to paint the Camaro black without a separate coloured skirt.

In actual fact I think it looks better with the silver skirt, if the whole car is black they'll stick out like a sore thumb

NB : Not rattle can matt black I hope

[Roadkill]

Quoting: F Body

NB : Not rattle can matt black I hope

Oh, No.  It'll be Humbrol Brush-on matt enamel.

[FUBAR]

[Andy]

What about that Pro Street look with just the tip coming out just behind the front wheels?

Does look a little strange, but I like where they finish.

Is it really that tight under the rear end that you can't go over the axle? Never really looked where ours goes.

[FUBAR]

Quoting: Andy

Is it really that tight under the rear end that you can't go over the axle?

Yes, there's barely enough room for the stock 3" Single tube on the IROCs, even my aftermarket Borla Kit rattles on the Upper Panhard Bar. and there's less than 1/4" clearance between the top of the tube and the Heat Shield.

There is a BMR replacement available which Dean has & I have currently awaiting fitting to create a bit of extra room there (& kill the annoying rattle).

I've seen a Pic of someone having *just* managed to fit a dual 2.5" system through but it has to be bent & fitted incredibly precisely to not cause any issues, even with the aftermarket bar fitted.

None of this of course solves the Ground clearance issues caused by the use of Long-tube headers though as there's nowhere for the collectors to go other than downwards as dean's pic shows.

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Andy

What about that Pro Street look with just the tip coming out just behind the front wheels?

Would look great but firstly it'd be even louder than it will be already, Secondly the Long-tube headers aren't really conducive to this as they push the exits way passed the front wheel wells . . . Thirdly, for a street-going car a cross-over / H-pipe / X-pipe (etc . .) is essential.

Quoting: Andy

Is it really that tight under the rear end that you can't go over the axle? Never really looked where ours goes.

Quoting: FUBAR

None of this of course solves the Ground clearance issues caused by the use of Long-tube headers though as there's nowhere for the collectors to go other than downwards

That's it in a nutshell really.

All issues arise from the Long-tube headers.

Why did I go for long tubes ?

Basically these were my first choice as the physical size of the primaries best match the odd shaped LT1 ports (bare in mind that the LT1 was never designed for the third gen).

I could've put other third-gen based shorty headers and a Y-Pipe in but I figured that it was pointless upgrading the motor if, at the first hurdle, you restrict the gas flow significantly thus impede future performance.

Bunging on Shorties would've been sooooo much easier, though !!

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Roadkill

Also I've been working on a plate to fit over the "gap" left by the lack of centre console . . . . . .

The mock-up is done so it'll be handed over to Titsy so he can pass it on for fabrication. When I get it back it'll be crackle-painted to match the gauge cluster.

Change of plan, here.

I've opted to do it myself, as it were.

2mm Ally plate aquired, scribed, drilled, filed, cut, notched and filed again.

Took it down to the fabricators earlier for them to bend it into shape - said they'll do it for free - fingers crossed.

That being the case the total cost will be £5.25 (cost of plate + P&P) and I should have it back tomorrow, ready for paint tomorrow evening.

[Roadkill]

Not really much to get excited about but I spent an hour or so modifying the twelve exhaust clamps that I'm going to be using . . .

After having dealt with them a couple of times I was baffled as to what the rib did running parallel with the bolt . . . . All this seemed to do was resist the tightening process then bend outwards as the clamp eventually clamped.

I cut these ribs off and cleaned the areas up . . . they now tighten much smoother so I think that will benefit assembly greatly.

I've also replaced all the BZP fixings with A2 stainless.

I tried a few different bolt / washer / nut / flange nut combos and have finally settled with simply bolt / washer / washer / full nut as the flange nuts were working a little too well and making the job awkward.

Should be picking up that panel later . . .

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Roadkill

Should be picking up that panel later . .

Perfect !!

Gave it a quick Wet-N-Drying over, followed by a good scotch briting and a generous clean with some Isopropyl Alcohol and offered it up for a test fit and it slid in utterly spot on.

I already had my file out as I was expecting some last minute fettling but it went in fine.
I couldn't have asked for better . . . . .

So now I'm painting it as I type . . . . well - between typing.

. . . .

I've partitioned-off the far end of the garage as I needed to heat it to around 20*C fast . . . . .

So here I stand . . . gradually getting stoned on paint vapours . . . listening to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska between coats as I daren't open a door and let the cold in !

[Roadkill]

Well.

Had a pretty sucessful weekend all round (except losing the Camaro's key, spending 3 hours looking for them then finding them in the kitchen bin this morning !).

Firstly here's a picture of the panel - a little handmade personal touch.



Things progressed quite rapidly over the course of saturday so I didn't get another picture of the panel until it was painted and fitted with switches installed . . . . The outer switches are window switches . . the middle, red, ones are for a future Nitrous system.



Here's a pic of the dash as a whole - note the two new holes to the right - these are cigar sockets or power for secondary equipment (data-logging / satnav etc . . . )



There was also progress on the exhaust front (Cheers for assistance, Ian) . . . I now have all parts so the complete system was mocked-up so I can measure up for bracketery so I can get the drawings off for production . . . (this'll be done tomorrow).

Here's a pic - albeit it's all sitting lower than it should at the moment.

Quoting: Roadkill

After having dealt with them [clamps] a couple of times I was baffled as to what the rib did running parallel with the bolt . . . . All this seemed to do was resist the tightening process then bend outwards as the clamp eventually clamped.

I cut these ribs off and cleaned the areas up . . . they now tighten much smoother so I think that will benefit assembly greatly.

I've also replaced all the BZP fixings with A2 stainless.

Here's a pic of the modified clamp before and after. (FYI for Jamie - if you end up using these - I'd recommend it as it went together alot easier).

Before:



After:



Finally Titsy managed to squeeze in a good few hours of electrickery meaning that now :

Tailights work,
Rear indicators / Hazards work,
Reverse lights work,
Brake lights work,
Fuel pump works,
Hand brake warning light works ,
Fuel & Voltmeter appear to work,
Guage lights / dimmer works,
Both Electric windows work,
Reverse lock-out (for the T56) works,
Wipers work and
Engine turns over on the key !!

So an all-round hats off to Titsy for the effort.  

I'm hopeful we can cross-off a few odd jobs inside the car itself within the next or two so all work is centred around/in the engine bay once she has been moved.

[ianjpage]

excellent sounds a good weekends work then!!

[F Body]

Quoting: Roadkill

Things progressed quite rapidly over the course of saturday so I didn't get another picture of the panel until it was painted

Crackle finish paint for the win

[Roadkill]

Quoting: F Body

Crackle finish paint for the win

Indeed - I've utterly nailed the process, now, too.

Spray at 20-22*C, thin first coat, wait ten minutes, slightly thicker second coat (making sure all is covered), wait ten minutes then a final, heavier still third coat.

That panel had four coats which, I reckon, was one too many.

Slight further progress . . . .

The fusebox for the engine-bay stuff has been test-fitted, ready for the wiring.

That is all.

[EDGE]

not wanting to be the bringer of doom.... but are you sure that twin y pipe exhaust is going to work properly?

It's not going to do what a H or X pipe will do, not with those Y's, could you stretch back another couple of inches so you can get a proper H in there?  

Those Y's look like they will split the flow and cause untold back pressure, athough, with no boxes you could do with a little back pressure, depending on your cam choice.

crackle paint looks awesome though, i do like that finish...

[Roadkill]

Quoting: EDGE

but are you sure that twin y pipe exhaust is going to work properly?

No.  I'm sucking and seeing.

I've seen worse work - so I figure it can't be that far wrong.

Quoting: EDGE

could you stretch back another couple of inches so you can get a proper H in there?

No, it gets worse, unless you go more than 15" back - which I figure is to far . . . plus getting there is difficult/impossible with the transmission X-member in the way and the lowest point of the car.

Quoting: EDGE

depending on your cam choice

This set-up will not suit the stock cam but I have it on good authority that it'll be ideal for the cam I'm after buying early next year.

[Andy]

Quoting: Roadkill

So here I stand . . . gradually getting stoned on paint vapours . . . listening to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska between coats as I daren't open a door and let the cold in !

Being quite a Springsteen fan I was shocked to realise I hadnt heard this album. I duly downloaded it, listened to it, and in a High Fidelity style piece to an imagnary camera said, 'man that's f**cking depressing'. Bar Atlantic City this stuff is sort of suicide music. Still awesome and well written, but jeez!

[Roadkill]

Quoting: Andy

Being quite a Springsteen fan I was shocked to realise I hadnt heard this album. I duly downloaded it, listened to it, and in a High Fidelity style piece to an imagnary camera said, 'man that's f**cking depressing'. Bar Atlantic City this stuff is sort of suicide music. Still awesome and well written, but jeez!

I find it excellent chillin' music . . . Love "Johnny 99"

[Roadkill]

Spent an hour in the freezing dark under the Camaro measuring up the brackets to hang the side pipes last night . . .

All drawn-up and done.

Four stainless brackets are in production and will be finished, ready for collection, tomorrow - for just £10 !!!

That'll mean I'll be able to make-up a timber jig to accept the pipes and brackets and take it back down there so they can weld it up next week.