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I got the center diff rebuilt with rebuilt posi, 4.11 gears, 31 spline output shafts, Chromoly half shafts, half shaft safety loops, also had them set up my ridetech trailing arms with 31 spline axles, and mounted up the rear brake mounts from my 98Z28. I had to open up the center hole in the caliper brackets, make the center flat area a little larger, and drill 4 new holes, but then it lines up great, and the Z28 rotors match up well with the calipers.
I also ended up using the lx Innovations adjustable motor mount adapter plates with the motor mounted as far back as possible, to move the weight back as far as I can, and to give me as much clearance for the blower up front as I can. This moved the transmission (T56) mount to the middle of the transmission tunnel. I cut out the center section of the cross member, and welded in the plates to make it removable, then cut out a center chunk and welded in step to mount the transmission to
I also decided to run a 2004 corvette water pump with the 3/4" spacers. This pump has a smaller pulley on it, than that huge bell with the large nipple on it that is on the 98z28 water pump. This gives me a little more clearance in front of the pump.
oh yeah, I also almost have the accessory brackets figured out...
Did I mention that I'm going to put on a procharger kit from an LS1 vette? I just have to finish the 3/4" spacers (to bring it out to Fbody spacing) that I have mocked up here. Also here I have a drivers high side AC & PS mount from John's cars (the only one I could find). It was pretty good, but missing a few spacers I had to make in order to get the PS pump to line up with the belt, and then I found out that the compressor is hitting the top A arm. So I scanned the parts, imported into a CAD program, moved the AC compressor up 3" and sent it off to get machined. I should have the new mounts Monday, then we will see if all the front end fits!
thanks, getting little pieces done here and there. Have boxes of parts piling up
next is finishing all the welding on the frame. I'm going through a very old Chevy publication (chevy power book), for frame modifications they suggested for road racing these. Not that I'm going to road race it, but a little better handling never hurt, and while I'm welding, I might as well do it up.
I finally have the front of the motor all ironed out!
I finally have the front of the motor all ironed out!
I ended up using a 2004 corvette water pump + water pump spacers to bring it out to F-body spacing, this gets rid of the huge nipple sticking out of the end of the bell on the Fbody water pump. I had to have a spacer made (I designed it and had it made at http://www.emachineshop.com/) then drilled the holes once I got it (I was not confident in my ability to have them correct in the design). This was to move the Supercharger I have out ¾” to fit the Fbody belt spacing (it is an LS1 vette kit). I started with a high drivers side AC mount and PS kit from John’s cars (not on their site, you have to call them), but it was not exactly a bolt in. For the PS part to work I had to make spacers to move out the front plate, so that the pulley would line up with the belt, then I test fitted it, and the AC compressor was hitting the top A-arm. So I scanned in the parts, moved the compressor mount up 3”, then sent them to emachineshop, and had 2 sets made (it was only like $10 more for a second set). Good thing I did, I did not like my hole placement on the first one, so I ended up using the second set to get the holes lined up better. Even after moving the AC up 3”, I still had an issue with the belt hitting the stud for the A-arm, so I had to add an additional pulley on top of the alternator to pull the belt away from it. It turned out that the pulley re-locator from John’s cars, fit right into the alternator bracket (after pushing out a steel spacer), and only needed a washer and a slightly wider idler, to fit perfectly.
Back to the water pump, I had to change the lower Supercharger bolt to an allen head, so that I could get it in, and I still had to grind away some of the water pump, so I had room to get in there, so that I can put on and remove the SC without having to pull the water pump. I also pulled out the stock hose bibs from the water pump, then threaded the holes pretty deep, so that I could put in 45 degree AN adapters to clear the A-arm on the passenger side. Lastly I’m using a straight output thermostat housing to keep the hose out of the way of everything.
I think I have all the issues solved on the front of the motor now, well until I get to routing all the supercharger, intercooler and coolant piping, but that won’t come until I get the body in place.
Sock Jonh's cars AC mount location, made AC compressor hit the Drivers side A-arm, no way it will clear (sitting on the A-arm in the pic)
Right: Stock Jonh's cars brackets
Left: My modified templates
Center: Brackets I had made before I added the holes.
Even after moving the AC compressor up 3", the belt would still hit the rear stud for the A-arm:
so I got another pulley mount from John's cars, and it fit right into the Alternator bracket, after removing that steel spacer:
Pulley installed:
Removed hose bibs from Water pump, and threaded and installed AN adapters:
Using a straight water neck (also with a 160 degree thermostat as recommended with the SC kit)
Finally the front of the motor all together, and it fits in the frame!
This is the supercharger spacer I had made, to space it out 3/4" to fit the Fbody pulley spacing. This fits between the SC and the passenger side head.
I took some angle iron drilled a couple holes in it, some shock mount tabs, but them to fit, threaded aluminum bar, threaded ball ends and I have a custom spreader bar tucked back close to the motor, and down a little to clear my water pump output. In the pics the tabs are just tack welded in, I've fully welded them now.
Probably overkill, but hey I'm only doing this once.
I have most things on the frame done (aside from getting it powder coated), so on to the body.
Everyone pulls out the Bird cage, right?
ok, Well I did not expect it to go this far (heck when I started, I didn't want to pull the body off the frame), but to properly fix the areas that need fixing, it had to come out.
The firewall, floor, and fiberglass cover pieces are re attached to the Bird cage now, and the nose is set in place to start working on that.
Also the transmission tunnel has been slit, opened up, and glassed back in, when looking up through the tunnel, you can see the lighter areas with new glass, to see how much was enlarged for the T56 to fit.
Until today, I was never 100% sure if the supercharger was going to fit under the stock hood, but the body is finally on the frame, and the nose set in place, so I slid in the motor and transmission (which now finally fits in the tunnel) and set on a hood to test the fit. We had to remove some of the inner bracing, but it fits, and still has about 1/2" to 3/8" !!!
have to cut out some of the inner structure, which we will glass back in later
03-01-2017, 11:51 PM
