SuperBuickGuy

and now my lathe works - time to get busy and finish my plasma/laser table.

https://i.imgur.com/WXw3bTF.mp4

SuperBuickGuy

the trailer that has been distracting me from important Corvette building....


I'm going to start this thing. I know it's kind of silly to do it but I want to hear it and I do have a concern about the deck finish and the cometic gaskets.... you know that story about 'it should be fine'? yeah... I want it to run in unfinished form so when I pull it down to the frame to make it pretty, I won't be revisiting this (and still I plan to drive this for the 2019 Colby Cruise....)

In that vein, spaghetti... errr... wiring

I tried these butt connectors out - I dunno if I recommend them or not (longevity is unknown) but I do like how simple it is to put to wires together with just heat and no crimping



the gauges light up.... I really only care about oil pressure at the moment - but they all work .... O2 sensor and fuel on the top, oil pressure, temp and volts on the bottom. Yes, it's still carb'd but tuning is so much easier with a wide band O2 sensor on the dash....

SuperBuickGuy

I don't know who that old, fat guy is in the video. His wardrobe is called "Garage Hobo"
first fire of the 427


I even think Regis was impressed - and we all know how hard he is to impress...

SuperBuickGuy

Starting postscript

2 gallons wasn't enough fuel to fill the hydramat, so when we were starting it, (and since I've no idea where the turkey baster I stole got to) it was just enough to make sure it ran, had oil pressure, and all else was well. I put another 5 gallons (all with fuel stabilizer) in it, and the pump primed.

If you pay close attention, you see I screw with something behind the carb. it's the ground wire for the coil. Apparently it needs to be grounded when you're trying to start the car. FYI, an allen wrench can substitute for a screw.

the accelerator pumps were not working, front works now, rear is going to take a bit more playing with

2 bolts do not keep valve covers from leaking oil - the other bolts are there now.

Sunday I'll start it and run it for real - might even put the muffler portion of the sidepipes on.

Then I will answer the question about whether the surface on the block is going to work with the cometic gaskets - that said, since it contained the compression without tossing the cap off the radiator, I think I'm good.

I'm still smiling and an occasional woohoo comes out when I think of how it sounds

SuperBuickGuy

If anyone wants to know why I hate wiring - I'll tell you - 9.6 volts. Why is that so bad? well let me tell you, a wire that should have battery voltage (12.4ish), has 9.6 volts. In a 76 Corvette, stock wiring. Never mind this car doesn't turn all the circuits on with the ignition switch at it really isn't too Bubba'd. But somehow it manages to defy electrical theory.....

SuperBuickGuy

for those curious the difference in the upper arms

SuperBuickGuy

a bit more of the elephant.... got the u-joint so I can get the driveshaft shortened

[img][img]​

it's a 1330 (small diameter) to 1350 u-joint..... I know there will be disappointment, but I'm not shortening the shaft - I still have a few things to do on the lathe (like figure out why the tailstock doesn't adjust) I also don't have a steady rest, add need to balance and there it is....

SuperBuickGuy

For those curious - the bolt into the axle flange is a M12 x 1.5 bolt. If you go to you local bolt dealer, they will look at you like you've grown a 3rd head (and it's a stupid as the other 2). You can buy them, but be warned, you will get a bunch of BMW wheel bolts in your search.... why, GM, why? you think you're better then 1.25 and 1.75 pitch?

the trans bolt is the same, and you cannot use GM bolts because they are a lot too long.

SuperBuickGuy

so the next step will either be gold or goat. I'm going to put Camaro rotors and Camaro Brembo brakes (basically rely on the design of GM).... will it work? dunno

RBrid

Pretty, pretty, pretty good. L.D.

SuperBuickGuy

I suppose I should occasionally show the bit of leg-work I do
under the stack is a printout from Mitchells that gives the data points to align a C5 Corvette

then I needed to measure and translate the numbers to make a drawing to install the new cradle and suspension
that is what the paper on the left then right are.... dimensions

as an aside, in searching for the drawings, I found there is a shop that installs the C5 stuff on C3s using the cradle like I'm doing.... my install will have a bit more detail than theirs did.... nice to know it's doable, though.

SuperBuickGuy

as we all know, stock is WAY too reliable for my tastes.... so we remove this


GM really should have put them on better... they just fell off



a bit of centering


all it needs to do is go straight up 5"


anyone needs a new brake system...

SuperBuickGuy

time to clear the space


I'll need to build new structure to support the fiberglass... but there is space


roughly in place.... it needs to move up 2 1/2"



of course, that means removing the cross member


tomorrow I'll build support structure for the frame - most likely that means building some kind of front roll cage then attaching the body to it...

SuperBuickGuy

So more work
notice how the pivot and the ball joint are on different planes?


though the Russian judge will never give more score for it, the C5 has a different spindle height and different pivot plane


so let's eyeball the problem. the ball joint is about in the same place as the C3 pivot would be..... only difference is the center of the hub is 20" away from the fender vs. the 16 or so that's stock


so time to move the frame into the frame


first cuts


chopped


time to weld a brace in place


chopped again


now things can move up


and it needs to move back a bit

Rodnok1

Great project...

SuperBuickGuy

so to more detail.
last night I got it more centered - look at the front, bumper bolt hole



warning if anyone is copying this - those holes are not, exactly in the same spot on either side


another tip - the front control arm hole is 3/4" lower then the rear hole.... this picture is close to where it needs to live
Use the hole where the lines are drawn (rear) - those holes are supposed to be in the same spot on either side. That said, trust but verify.

caskiguy

Very impressive work.

SuperBuickGuy

so more fitting.... I think (hope) it'll be okay to move it up 1 1/2" .... I still need to get a legible copy of the suspension points on a C5;


originally, my calculations showed it here


but I talked myself out of it.... we will see, I'll mock it together before I do any more cutting to doubly verify where the wheel will end (vertically) in the wheel well. Even if this is a bit further from the ground the 1/2" at the ball joint won't make much, if any, handling difference.
The other thing... I'm going to eventually cut the stubs off in front of the motor mount and use new metal...

SuperBuickGuy

so a brief note on course a course change

Originally, it was flares and 427. That remains the same, as most who follow know, I love my manual-everything C3s. However, with wide tires, 14" brakes along with a power rack (which I could simply short-circuit), I'm going to add hydraboost to the brakes and plumb the rack and then EFI on the 427. Likely I'll use a throttle-body based system (like FI tech). The reason for EFI is there is a possibility this car is going to get pitted against a C3 with a SBC 427 Corvette and a C3 with a LS 427 - both of which are going to be EFI cars, both of which have updated suspensions.... don't hold your breath for this, though, all of the cars have 2 year min. completion dates....

SuperBuickGuy

Today, I got a chance to get some good measurements off a C5 Corvette
what surprised me was that the cradle is 5 3/4 inches off the ground.... as of yesterday, it was 8


255 tire, now 7 1/4 off the ground


that is about right sitting in the car, yes, it looks low but I could put a 275/20 tire under it ...


time to make it permanent




the oil pan is actually above the cradle and the cradle is basically flat to the center cross member (meaning I can do a belly pan pretty easiliy


looking from the back


and again the front


next up is the front mount which will include the upper control arm mount. they are 13 inches above the lower control arm in the back 9 1/2 in the front..... basically as the tire goes up the upper arm is moving backward while the lower arm is going forward - but at different rates (I think I got that right, there may be edits).... how the GM engineers figured all this out is pretty fascinating to me, hope it works with the Camaro rear