This is way too long but here goes:

After many months & setbacks ’66 is back on the road  

Started out Dec 2017 to:
Swap Powerglide with 200-4R
Holley Sniper EFI
6 sequential taillights
Wilwood calipers (Rear)
Wilwood calipers paint all 4
Wilwood Master Cylinder
Remove Power Brakes
Remove MSD 6AL & Distributor

Ordered parts and started taking apart. Remove exhaust, gas tank, power brakes and ???? Went to work on brakes first, straight forward, fairly easy except underdash (A/C car). Also remove brake light switch and added pressures switch on MC. With gas tank out went to work on 6 sequential taillights, again straight forward, easy seeing how gas tank was out of car. Only problem was flasher speed. Stock flasher was way too fast. Tried a couple of variable speed flasher but still too fast. Had an old Heavy Duty lying around and it slow thing down but still not as slow as I wanted. Found (internet) a variable flasher circuit board…worked great but expensive.

During the middle of tail light project I had knee replacement surgery and therapy so for about 6 weeks got very little done.

April started on EFI. Vette already had stainless steel gas tank with pump inside and both feed and return lines BUT all have been disconnected except feed line. Again fairly easy, worst part was pulling carpet and rear grommet running new wiring to pump. At engine side EFI was mainly gas lines and wiring. Speaking of wiring while I was recouping from surgery I did lots of REWIRING. Even though all wiring was new from frame off things had been added/spliced in. They seem to use one (1) switch wire for many things, just kept splicing into same wire. I install a fuse block with 1 hot wire in with 30Amp circuit breaker controlled by 1 switched wire. Every component needed a switch wire gets its own fuse and line. Most of these switched lines trigger relays for things like EFI, Fans, transmission controller, etc.
About same time started on transmission swap. With have fresh knee, replaced hip and back surgery I relied on friend(s) to help with the heavy work. Remove Powerglide was removed according to service manual. On lift with transmission jack not to bad. Listening to forum members you would think a 200-4R would slip right in…WRONG..Even though they are the same length the tail shafts are completely different and no SLIP IN. Had to unbolt engine (motor mounts) lift up a little and slide forward ~ 4 inches the 200 went in (Not slipped in but it went in). “So much for forum know everything about everything posters”. Lot of work figuring out rear mount. With input from forum member R67T (Bob) I came up with a design that works. Lots of small problems…E-brake, brackets & cooling lines were the main ones. Next came the Shiftworks shifter %$#@!* is all I can say. But they just released a NEW C2 shifter that works great and they replaced original for FREE. Then by research and input from R67T I decide to install Comp-U-Shift Mini an electronic controller for torque converter clutch lockup.

Finally middle of June…Brakes work, taillights flash and everything else hooked up. Program the EFI and transmission controllers. Now for the big startup. Turn key on and fuel pump pumped (good sign) hit starter and cranks over a couple times and fires up. Dies 2 seconds later. Not a big deal EFI needs to get some brains. Try again 4 second. Then about 10. Finally running enough get timing light on & idle adjusted. Let it idle..check for leaks. Temp OK.. Oil pressure OK. Idle has smoothed out. Happy Days are here. Then my friend says do you hear that. What the hell is “that” I don’t hear anything (my wife will agree to that). Finally I hear it a deep knock. This engine had a complete rebuild by PO and only has 1200 ± miles. Rev it up and sure enough I can hear it now (not loud but that deep knock that you know is bad). Shut it down done for the day. Remember did nothing to engine other the remove carb and bolt on EFI. Tried again next day and it didn’t fix itself. Shifted transmission into all gears to make sure it worked. Back Vette off lift and back on. Shut it down and let it sit for a week or so (pissed). Finally pulled pan and main caps. Main bearings were scarred not spun or not bad but scarred. Ok let’s replace main bearing (.040 over). Insert bearings put on caps. Torque 1st pass 40 lbs. Get to rear main cap and at 40 lbs pulls threads out of block. This was with a GM mechanics digital torque wrench (not Harbor freight) that is certified every 6 months. Done for the night. Let it sit for another week figuring out next step. As far as the knock it was probably there and I just never heard it in the 200 miles I drove the car.

Ordered new Blueprint crate 383 stroker. What the hell while I’m at it let’s put sidepipes on. Oh yea need higher stall converter. Order rear exhaust panel for sidepipes….get it and it doesn’t come close to fitting. Send original off to get holes filled and panel painted. STOP the madness 

And that bring us to where we are today (end of September). Everything in and working. End of story. Well all most, only put about 70 miles and EFI still doing lots of learning, has a mind of it’s own will run smooth and then all of a sudden studder and then correct itself. Has gotten much better as the mile add up.

You can view specifics on various part of my adventure on my web site ==> Click Here

Yes I removed:
Power Brakes
MSD 6AL box & distributor
Sanderson Headers
*** My weekend cruiser --- not race car ***
Less “STUFF” under the hood.

Misc extra stuff needed:
02 Sensor Bung
8” Balancer (External Balanced)
Flex Plate (External Balanced)
Lots of $1 to $50 items.
PLUS lots of gaskets, fittings and bolts/nuts/washers…

BTW….My knee has healed but my wallet is still recovering 

George

 

George, gota say you got some big one before and after this project. Glad to know you have made a good recovery. I saw the car on the other thread. It looks just right in every way. I'm sure after the brain develops a love for all of the input it's getting, you will be crusing in style. Dennis

 

 

I have the sniper efi for over a year now on my 70 K series 4x4 truck with a 406 and TH700R4. To take full advantage of efi you really need to use their dual sync Holey distributor. The MSD parts do not jive with the Holley Sniper system. The Holley dual sync is a hall effect trigger vs. the MSD magnet type. Once you have the sniper PCM controlling the spark also you will be very happy with the results.

 

this is an excellent case book study of dreaded "project creep". Nice summary of a ton of work & effort. Looks like it paid off, but, that effort is not for the faint of heart. Well done!

 

George, MORE pics! Great story and car.

 

 

 

Lot of pics/info ==== Click Here and scroll down

George

 

Nice from top to bottom! Dennis

 

Holley Dual Sync does NOT have a tach drive distributor. If and when I switch gauges to digital then I will get the dual sync. Till then I'll use the old timing light

BTW...…..Drove Friday & Saturday evenings to local cruises building up miles and EFI is performing as it should. Got about 125± mile and everything much smoother.

George

 

Yeah I know that. Given all that you have done to the car I would have thought you would have known about the electronic tach conversion but sometime I assume too much.

 

Got a little over 200 miles now and everything is working just great. Had a small problem with transmission shifting. Some dummy forgot to calibrate the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) in the Comp-U-Shift software Holley Sniper EFI learning is now close to being complete.

Starts fine, pipes are loud (but OK), transmission (Overdrive is great), WIlwood Brakes without power stopping is impressive. Overall I'm very happy. Now I need to get garage cleaned up and all the OLD parts stored or sold or trashed. Start thinking about what to change this winter

George

 

Some journey. You certainly have perseverance. Amazing car!

 

I've posted dozens of times about how the 200 4R has the mount WAY far back, but , the people who read in HotRod magazine that the 200 is better than the 700 R4 because of gear ratio splits and smaller diameter main case reply the 700 is junk and to use a 200.

Of course they never personally put one in.... If you are working with a bare frame and will put the body on later, making mods for the 200-4R is easy, under the car with body on, not so much. I have given up even commenting when people say they are going to put 200 4R in a C1 car, they can figure it out them selves that it won't fit AT ALL without major frame mods at the X, or if the motor/ 200 trans is installed with the body off, the motor will have to be removed, THEN the trans can be removed as separate unit, if teh trans has to come out for any reason. .

Doug

 

Now that I’m closing in on 300± miles everything seems to be dialed-in correctly. At that point when you get in and drive and don’t worry about every noise and something failing (no leaks, no smoke, no knocks, no rattles, no electrical fires)..

Again this is my cruiser not race car but with ~450HP it has some STONES   200-4R – 3:36 rear gears 480± torque will get off line and pull-pull-pull.

Now if I can get everything cleaned and polished I’ll be ready for next spring cruising.

George

 

 

 

You have all winter. You certainly have a beautiful Corvette that on lookers will envy.
It's great that you are now able to drive it. Enjoy the ride.

 

All is well now ---- over 300 miles and EFI self tuned -- trans shifting/lock up correctly -- NOW IT IS RAIN RAIN RAIN and Vette sitting on lift.

Here is update ====>> Click Here

George