Hey Folks,I've been stock piling some parts for spring since my garage didn't get finished. So while I'm waiting I'm looking for info on a few projects. Some I have answers for or researched prior. I'll list them all so I can ask questions on those topics I have answers for currently if I forgot something later. Also if you have a helpful hint you can just throw it out there if you want, like theres 2 holes on your brake pedal arm and which one is power and which one is manual, that sort of thing. This is all going into an early 68 so I'm already behind the 8 ball in some instances. Any ideas, experiences and fails would be welcome. I wont be able to get to this until it warms up around here so Im looking at a 3 to 4 month wait, so I thought I wold get some information while I was looking at other peoples rides.

1. Installing C5 seats, seat belt question
2. Installing IDIDIT tilt wheel
3. Installing power brakes
4. 17" torque thrust II wheels
5. Installing the original Distributor shielding
6.Going back to Rams horn from the short block hugger headers
7. World Heads 64cc chamber, 2.02 angle plug heads

To start, I picked up a set of 2001 seats I'm going to stuff into my 68. I pretty much have an idea about using some aftermarket rails to fabricate some low sliders. That's not my question however. I'm curious about you guys that have done this mod and installed shoulder belts and how you ran them around the seat. I just got the idea to ask from another thread that was started recently.

So I have a 68 and I want to have the 2 piece shoulder belts, my 68 doesn't have any at the moment and I have looked at 69 compatible shoulder belt lap belt setups. I want to keep it looking old school so I'm going for that 2 piece lock together style.
I was curious if the shoulder belt mounts would be there as a stock mounting point, just not used, since it was a massed produced vehicle and most optional mounts are on every vehicle, just not used if the option wasn't chosen. I know it is common to build newer vehicles this way, but it may not have been the norm in the 60"s.



On the 17" wheels, they are 4" back space/8" wide so they won't be a problem fitting. Im going with a 235/55/17. The GOODYEAR EAGLE SPORT seems reasonable. They will be a 1/4 inch taller than stock so I wont have a speedometer issue and they are only 9.7 inches at the widest point so I shouldnt have any rubbing issues. Does anyone run these and what are your experiences with this model and or size, I know others all swear by the 255/50/17s but the 68 may have issues with parking brake brackets and rubbing, my 235/60/15s on 8" rims are close to the same width as the 235/55/17s and dont rub so I dont think that is an issue. Also do they come in raised white letters. Pics of your setups are very welcome. Has anyone used a spinner style cap? I saw some nice ones that I thoughgt might look good

I don't think the IDIDIT column will give me any problems. I got the adapter for the stock wheel which I want to keep. I also got a rag joint rebuild kit so that should be okay.


Haven't picked up the power brake master or cylinder yet

I have most of the distributor shielding. Looking for pics of where the mounting points are and how everything is put together. I am waiting on a few more pieces.

For the engine these parts are going onto, its a stock 72 LT1 that looks to be either low miles or a recent rebuild with stock parts, solid lifters and LT1 cam and HEI. It sounds great, has good compression but may have a valve seal leak. Im hoping to buy a leak down test kit later. If I do have to replace rings I may go up to the original domed piston size. Compression is 9:1 original specs and the heads will boost it to 10.5:1. Runs great and has some major ***** since I figured out the secondaries werent opening.

For the Rams horn exhaust I've read that some folks use studs instead of bolts to make locating the gaskets and hanging parts easier. What do you use as torque specs? same as the bolts? I know ARPs are liked, what other brands are popular and good?

On the World Heads, I believe I shouldnt have any problems with the angle plugs with the Rams horn, but I think they will interfere with the hooker block huggers I have. I'm going back to the rams because I found a study that the aftermarket Rams horns flow about the same as the short tube headers with the 2.5 collectors. Hopefully before I take anything apart I can get a run on a Dyno locally but I haven't found any real close by. The study also said that any significant results come from the long tube and equal length tube headers and most of that is top end.

The headers are bolted up to N14 side exhaust and I was hoping that the shorty block huggers and the rams horn are close in length so I dont have to cut an weld the exhaust. It has been cut and custom fit to these headers so I might just have to pick up some sweet thunder pipes. Anyone know the relative length of these. I believe they are close.

Thanks for any input and pics

 

Well Rodger, I don't have much input for. I need to mull it over for a while. Lots of thinking going on. By the way you are not that far from me. I live in Monson , MA. Kind of by Sturbridge. I also am do a early 68. October 1968 build. Been restoring it for many years. Finally reassembling the chassis. Sounds like you got things on the run. Wish you the best of luck.

 

thanks, mines an OCT 67 build. Got it up in Maine 2 octobers ago. Good luck with yours!!! Maybe I'll bump into you somewhere this summer

 

Just found out the super comp block huggers wont fit woth angle plug heads, guess I'm going to the Rams horn manifolds.

 

Typo above. Mine is also october 1967 build, not 1968. So ours could be siblings

 

The hole should be present for the shoulder belt mount. It's there on mine. I don't believe the chrome shielding will work on the GM HEI dist. All the picts you need for the chrome shielding are in the AIM manuel. There are 8 brackets that go from the exhaust manifold bolts to support the shields over the spark plugs. Only vendor I found was Willcox and it took a couple of months to get them. I use header gaskets for the ram horns on my 69 along with ARP bolts. Mount the rams loosely with the 2 end bolts then slip in the gasket. I get my gaskets from a local machine shop, almost the same material as the OEM 4 piece set. T

 

Thanks for the hole info. And yes I will be switching to the small cap HEI, forgot about that. Thanks again

 

that would be cool.

 

Hi rr,
Since you're planning on mounting the distributor shielding…. are you also going to install the spark plug heat shielding and radio shielding?
If so, mounting the various brackets required MAY be more straight forward if using the original type exhaust manifold bolts and french locks rather than studs.
?
Regards,
Alan

 

Hey Alan, yes I want to mount it all, I've got most of all the parts, I'm missing a few of the shields around the spark plugs. I should be able to round those up this spring. Can you post your pics of your set up. I think I have a few of yours from another post you had. I was wondering about the coil mounting. I was gifted the bracket, I have the box and cover. I have the box brackets lost in the mail currently, hopefully they show. I have some other parts. I will gather what I have this weekend and post what I'm using and sell or give away the left overs. I was buying boxes of parts and some of the partsare either big block or wrong year.

I'm going to buy some 2.5" collector Rams head manifolds from Summit, and I am looking at some used sweet thunder oversized pipes locally. I have some used pipes that are in rough shape from a parts purchse that I'm willing to give away locally, shipping might be expensive. They have an O2 sensor bung welded onto them, I think they were used on an 82 and have a 2" collector pipe with a 2.5" flange so they are an oem fit. I dont have a clue who made them.

 

Hi rr,
One question… are you going to run the spark plug wires in the original manner? (That might affect what pictures I post.)
Regards,
Alan

 

I personally can not see why someone would use studs for the exhaust where it attaches to the head. I never have an issue in getting the gaskets to install correctly.

DUB

 

Yes underneath everything with the long v shaped shield

 

my shielding mounts arrived today. Over the weekend I picked up the 2.5 inch sweet thunder pipes and McJacks ramshorn Headers. THank you very much John!!! I cant wait til spring now. I'm getting quite a pile of parts.
I also ordered some new clutch linkage from speed direct that replaces the loose rods with new rods with rod end bearings. Should make that annoying rattle go away. I also picked up a new alternator bracket so I dont need to mount it using the header bolts

 

Hey Scott nice to meet you. Glad It worked out with the parts.

 

Same here. Looking forward to a coastal and or mountain cruise with you and your Dad. That sounds like a good time. Once I get the garage together and get started on putting this all together I'll let you know how its going. I'm looking at an edelbrock 750 to replace my 600. Not sure if I need to go that way yet. Once I get the heads on I'll call you and see what you think. Hopefully I can find an affordable Dyno shop locally

 

let me know if I can help with the dyno. The AVS 750 works good for me but each brand carburetor all you have fans and naysayers. LOL everyone seems to have a better mousetrap.
Let me know how I can help

 

Thanks. Maybe I will talk to you about dyno times come spring. I want to get a baseline now, then after the exhaust change , then again after the heads go on, then maybe a carb or borrow one for the dyno pull to see if its worth it for street use. Im hoping for increases each time. Also want to discuss A/F mixtures and how you read them. I was looking at a small meter with a bosch sensor