Between the house to-do list and tracking down parts locally, I made a little progress on the fan modification.

In order to adjust the upper control arms when necessary and because the steel flex fan would be used only to cool the engine, I reduced the mechanical fan diameter from 18" to 13" so the shroud and duct-work would not be in the way. I did have to notch the top of the puller fan to install the mechanical fan shroud....




The smaller shroud now goes into place without having to remove the puller fan which exhausts the hot radiator air under and away from the engine and onto the pavement......





Tomorrow hopefully I can finish the installation and take new temp. readings.





EDITED:

I managed to re-install the radiator air deflector and also bolt the shroud in place/reconnected the two (shiny) 4" air-intake-ducts that are attached to the left and right lower shroud....








Tonight or tomorrow I will warm the engine thoroughly and re-check the temp. readings.
20000

 

Ohhhhhh.....I forgot to tell you (I learned this froma previous vehicle purchase!).........

The same day that I bought the project-car, I had the title and registration put in my name, received the license plate, and insured the car......the plate has been on the shelf waiting for me to drive the car to the local Louisiana Vehicle Inspection Station to receive a windshield sticker....

Then, it will be street legal (the authorities allow you to drive the vehicle only to the Inspection Station without a Sticker)!!!!!

 

I take it you found this out the hard way with red and blues in the review?

 

You Texans "talk funny"!


Nope! This is one time that I have learned from the mistakes of others.....you don't mess with the Zohan/Loo-z-annaStateTroopers!






EDIT: "Tomorrow" is now today! Gotta' knock out a couple Honey-Do's first though.

 

DISCLAIMER I WOULD HAVE NEVER DONE THIS TO AN ORIGINAL CAR!




1st SET OF TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS USING I.R.GUN ARE IN BLACK TYPE

2nd SET OF TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS USING I.R. GUN ARE IN RED TYPE

'70 350 cu.in stock engine...Edelbrock carb ...TH400... Stock Un-wrapped Exhaust Pipes ...Dual Exhausts ...Harley Davidson 2 1/2" I.D. Flow Thru Mufflers

Car in garage with double doors open

The hood was kept closed and was raised only to take temp readings......then closed until more readings were taken------It was H o t In that engine bay!!!!!!

89* F..........Ambient Air at front bumper.................94*F

Cold Air Intake Ducts (2) at front grills

1500 CFM pusher fan/2200 CFM puller fan

195* F ON /180*F OFF electric fan switch thru relay

50/50 Coolant/Water mixture

A/T shifter cable/ original 4-speed shifter opening is sealed and insulated to prevent exhaust-heated air from entering cabin area through the tunnel

Engine at operating temperature of 195* for 15 minutes before first testing was started..........2nd testing at 195*F

EXCEPTION: *****1st test....Radiator exhaust air deflector DIY modification diverts all hot air from radiator down under the car before it reaches the engine-----the engine receives NO airflow at this time as part of testing each modification as they are made to the engine bay....2nd test with mech. fan installed and blowing ambient air onto engine
This modification has caused the under-hood air temp. to be 130*F.....2nd test caused the underhood air temp. to be 105*F (which is lower than radiator exhaust air of 170* F that would normally blow directly onto the engine......TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION DURING THE TESTING, AS IT SEEMS TO BE AN IMPROVEMENT******

Radiator 195* F............2nd test 195*F

Radiator diverter exhaust air below the car 170* F....2nd test 175*F

Radiator upper hose 195* F..........2nd test 195*F

Intake manifold at "stat" housing 195* F......2nd test 195*F

Air Cleaner Lid & housing 130* F.........2nd test 105*F

130 Amp Alternator 180* F..........2nd test 140*F

Valve covers 200* F..................2nd test 200*F

Oil sump/pan at lowest point 210* F...2nd test 210*F

Stock Exhaust manifolds above collectors 450* F.....2nd test 450*F

Steering Box by Exhaust manifold 160* F.....2nd test 130*F

Steering column at Firewall 100* F......2nd test 100*F

Steering column inside car by gas pedal 100* F.....2nd test 100*F

Steering column at dash mount 95* F......2nd test 95*F

Steering column at steering wheel nut 90* F....2nd test 95*F

Exhaust pipes at firewall- footboard 300* F....2nd test 300*F

*Footboard inside the car 95* F (Entire interior of car is insulated/soundproofed with economy-grade Foil-backed heavy-duty bubble wrap)......2nd test 95*F

Exhaust Pipes under the floorboard 250* F.....2nd test 250*F

*Floorboard interior 95* F.......2nd test 95*F


Exhaust pipes at transmission crossmember 250* F....2nd test 250*F

*Floorboard "under seats" (seats are removed) 95* F....2nd test 95*F

*Cargo floor behind seats 90* F......2nd test 95*F

Exhaust temperature exiting mufflers 250* F......2nd test 250*F


*** Carb is taking in 90*F+ air rather than 170* F engine bay air from radiator......2nd test 94*F

***No radiator air exhaust is blowing on the engine at all....2nd test----mechanical fan is blowing 1500CFM ambient air on the engine at all times

***No air circulation around the engine or under the car for test purposes.....2nd test constant ambient air circulation

I WILL MAKE THESE CHANGES:

I will add additional Cold Air Ducts to a separate fan to force ambient air onto the engine bay and the firewall (rather than 170* F radiator exhaust air)---then I will re-test all the above readings....Mods were made and tested---see above

Then I will wrap all exhaust pipes from the exhaust manifolds to 12" past the transmission crossmember with a quality grade exhaust wrap (rather than old school "cloth wrap")---then I will re-test those readings.....I have not re-wrapped pipes yet.

(Members have said that it is better to allow air to circulate over and past the A/T--(which I doubted before this test-)--rather than installing insulation that could block/diminish air circulation around the A/T....after seeing the results so far---I must agree with them)

Thanks, doorgunner
19840



I realize that most members could not do the mods to their cars because of car originality.....This test was to see if 'temps' could be improved to help reduce the excessive heat under the hood and in the cabin. I was very surprised to see the large temperature drop in problem areas. I hope these results can make driving a Vette more enjoyable.

EDIT: Now I can do away with all the tie-wraps and secure everything properly/all dented ductwork can be replaced since I will not need to remove/reinstall it another 4-5 times.....LOL!

 

I guess no matter what you do to these cars you can't keep the heat from getting in the cabin. I guess you either deal with it or sell it like the really long post interior heat thread that is going around. I guess the only thing I have not seen tried yet is double wall exhaust with wrap on it from block to muffler.

 

Thanks for reading my mind....I'm officially positive that it's a crazy idea since you also thought of it!

A test drive in the next week or so on my way to the Inspection Station will really prove if these modifications will keep the lower temperature in the cabin consistent.........as LudemJo suggested.

 

Three piece diverter (two side-pieces and main panel)....It is a very simple modification....fabrication and installation was 4 hours---fitting the diverter by making minor clearance cuts took most of the time......





The diverter installed and viewed from above the engine bay.....





View of lower end of diverter where radiator exhaust air exits to rear of underbody....







View from under car upward and inside diverter toward electric puller fan

 

I am posting my replies to the "Interior Heat Thread here to keep track of the engine bay modifications:

F22....thanks for the encouragement and advice (PTSD/ADD/ETC make getting anything accomplished a major obstacle). I realize the initial modification is somewhere between Redneck and Bubba (I qualify for both species), but I needed to try something because of all the "heat" threads.

And like I said "Do not do this to a real car!"....LOL!

I will try to cover/install the seats and get the infamous La. State Veh. Inspection sticker Monday which will also solve the 1 hour curvey-road-cabin-temp. question.......(whew!)

I am going to pull one of the new plugs now to check the depth-of-fit....(no sense in leaving that turn un-stoned). I'll bring the I.R. gun with me to get on-the-road readings Monday.

 

Good luck with the inspection, we're all pulling for you to get through it smoothly. Enjoy the ride.

 

Everything is functioning properly.......(except the paint job )

annnnnnnnnnnnd, the car being over 20 years old, is exempt from pollution testing!

I'm pumped.....stoked.....wired....etcetera/etcetera.......


plus...... just plain-old--------

 

I'll second that emotion

 

Actually........................


it's a hybrid..............


emotion/emoticon......


/

 

Well I hope you're not doing eitehr or while driving, just

 

Compromise: I'll stop the car every hour and do the Curley Shuffle in a parking lot!

 

That's a fair and wise compromise, be sure to post video

 

It didn't happen.......but I tried!

Fall back and regroup!

I forgot that the rear support brackets on the seat frames were badly rusted....................RATS!

I bought a section of mild steel flatbar and will fabricate three new rear brackets tomorrow (one bracket is still in very good shape).....weld them in place....paint them and install the seats.

Tonight I will finish the seat bottoms....the backs are already recovered.

Probababably will be done tomorrow maybe..............................

 

[QUOTE=doorgunner;1586781158]According to the calendar, I have one (1) more day to get my "act" together.....2 months is long enough to be mentally "useless"!

It's time to pick up where I left off on the project......at the rear wheels again!!!!!

Hey Gunner - long time. Got a ?? about that rear suspension. You posted some before / after spring rebuild pics of that rear spring pack. I count 9 leafs in the before and 8 in the after pic. Reason?? Softer ride?? Just curious. And hey, who ever said that your project was a race to finish?

 

[QUOTE=pacecar620;1587203916]LOL.....I KNEW someone was going to count 'em sooner or later!

"What happened was"....(contrary to popular belief)....removing the top "leaf" smooths the ride out.

Since the spring-pack still has good arch, I knew I could get away with removing the top leaf without causing the whole pack to start sagging over time.

If need be, I will re-install the leaf if I notice any droop. I know that removing a leaf causes a bit more "roll" when taking sharp corners (which I won't be doing--------often).

As for being in a race, I don't want it to turn into a seven-year-project (lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng-tragic-story)...which is what happened to my '34 SBC street truck .......so, I'm a little bit paranoid about the time-line......

but thanks for reminding me to chill-out.

 

Seat Update.........

Things didn't go wrong.......but things didn't go right, either

Right----Since the seat-frame mounting brackets were RBR (RustedBeyondRepair), I fabricated two new rear brackets and decided to make them 2" taller so when I turn 90 in 27 years, the modification will already be done....then I'll be able to roll out of the car with style. I also removed/re-arched 2"/re-installed/ the front brackets.




Wife just called....gotta' go..........will be back in an hour.....





10:20p.m..............I'm back!

The daily-driver seat covers are a Satin-red...to my surprize...but I waited a month for them...so on they go...

well......on IT goes....(the PTSD whipped me today)....I only re-covered/installed the driver's seat.......

The back-rest went on smoothly and snugly...but the seat-bottom needs a little adjusting--I'll use it as is for a month so it can stretch before I add some extra padding to the original foam in the low-spot.......




I have to go out of town tomorrow, so the test-drive and State Safety Inspection will have to wait until Saturday

Ohhhh well......as we said in Nam....."You have to roll-ll-ll-ll-ll with the explosions!"