TAC Spotlight => Projects & Restorations => Topic started by: ryeguy2006a on December 01, 2022, 09:52:11 AM
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After what feels like a long time (for me) without a car, I'm happy to be able to post a project update. My family and I moved from Upstate, NY to Charlotteville, VA in June for better weather and schools among many other things. Prior to moving, I sold my long time project car some of you may remember called the "Penny Pincher Camaro". It was a 1968 Camaro with LSA supercharged 6.2, 6 speed and full pro-touring suspension. I loved that car, but came to the realization that if I wanted to regularly cruise to car shows and Sunday drives with the family it was increasingly getting cramped with two growing boys. The catalyst for selling the car came when we decided to take steps towards moving south, which we have been talking about for years. We moved at the end of June and I had been casually looking for a new project ever since. I knew that I wanted something with more interior space and something that had more utility. Two door wagons were my first choice and I wasn't just looking at Nomads. There were Ranch Wagons from the 50s that were cool, 64-65 Chevelle 300 wagons came in a two door variant, 59-60 Biscayne/Brookwood's came in a two door wagon, and a few others like Nova's and Falcons. At the end of the day I kept coming back to a 55-56 Nomad. The trouble is I didn't want to spend Nomad money. Then I stumbled on this car, but it was in Cape Cod which was about 10 hours from me, and knew that it was too far. I saw it posted for a several weeks, then I reached out to the guy and the rest is history.
We negotiated a little bit, and then I made arrangements to have the car shipped to me with a guy he does business with on a very regular basis. The shipper was from the west coast and kept getting delayed "a few more days", then after two and a half weeks of back and forth I decided that I was just going to make the trip. I did a ton of background digging on the guy and his business but truthfully, I was just getting nervous that I may be getting scammed. I've only ever bought cars in person with cash. Then I made the decision to just do it. GPS said it was 9.5 hours from my house, but that didn't include traffic delays or pit stops. I really thought that I'd be able to make the trip in one day. In my mind I thought that 19 hours total drive time will be hard, but doable...
Here's a few pictures along the way.
Started out at 3:30 AM and made it through DC with no traffic, then to NYC pretty quick on I95. I was slowed down, but not bad traffic considering. This was Maryland crossing the Susquehanna River
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Parts of NYC.
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Crossing the George Washington
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I knew that I would forget to take a picture once I got to the guys house, so when I was picking up the U-Haul I snapped a picture of my status. I was about 40 mins from his house, so I was really making great time and almost 21 MPG's! Not too bad for my 5.0 2015 F150. After NYC I didn't hit any traffic to speak of and it was really smooth sailing.
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Now, onto the car! It's a 1955 Chevy Nomad. In it's current form it's mostly stock with a 327, turbo 350 transmission, manual steering and 4 wheel manual drum brakes. The body is in great shape, but overall needs some TLC and panel fitment. It's missing some of the trim, but is mostly there. At one point in it's life it was a pro-street car and still has the giant rear wheel tubs, but thankfully the exterior was left alone and will be straightforward to remove them and reinstall stock metal and adding a few inches to stock tubs. The interior is mostly gone, but that is really ok as it will give me an opportunity to start from scratch and maybe do something more custom. It was really hard to find an "in between" Nomad for a reasonable price as a project, that won't need a complete restoration as a rusted out POS. Or on the other side of the spectrum a show car that's $80k+.
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Pro-Street Wheel tubs...
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After I took a few photos and talked with the guy a bit, we got it loaded on the trailer and heading back home!
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My 7 YO made the Magikarp decoration for my truck haha
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Took this as I was walking into a Starbucks to grab a powerful coffee around dusk.
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The coffee didn't work as long as I would have hoped. I made it another two hours and called it quits around 8pm and found a hotel in Norwalk, CT. I was about 6.5 hours from home at that point.
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Drove through Bel Air somewhere on the way home. Thought that was pretty cool.
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I figured I'd pull up FB Marketplace to see if there was anything interesting and sure enough there was a Gen5 L83 5.3 motor right on my way home in DC. I messaged the guy and met him right on the way home! The guy said his customer wanted it removed because it had a slight knocking, but I'm assuming that it was a DOD lifter as it's super common in those motors. But for an almost complete motor, I was willing to take the risk for $400 bucks!
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I didn't have the right straps to safely drive with the motor in the back so I ran quick to get some ratchet straps and found this guy checking out my car. He was asking all about the motor too. Lost track of how many people beeped and/or gave thumbs up on the way home.
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I knew that I was getting close when I could start to see the Blue Ridge mountains again.
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Then, home sweet home!
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I'm so excited and still in a little disbelief that I found one of my dream cars. One of the first model cars that I ever bought as a kit was a 1955 Bel Air. My boys are both really excited and when my youngest son (3) was telling me about how he can't wait to work on it with me he called it a Madaguy. We loved it and it stood out to me immediately as the new name for the car. My plans/goals for this car are going to be similar but different than my Camaro. First, the car won't be caught up on jack stands for long periods of time aside from the initial effort I will need to put into the car to get it roadworthy again. Anything I do will need to be done within a few weekends at most. Next is that the car needs to ride really smooth, not necessarily perform well on an autox. Comfort is the name of the game. As you saw by the engine, I'll also be swapping it somewhere down the road, but I'll need to collect a bunch of parts between now and then.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Wow! Great story and car! I didn't know you ended up just going to get it. That's awesome! Car looks great!
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Ryan, congratulations on your new to you Nomad. Like a lot of people my age I like tri-five Chevys and love Nomads. After all the work you put into your home you deserve some R&R working on the car of your dreams.
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All I can say is WOW! What a find. Great car and it really looks like its in great condition. Looking forward to seeing your build. I know you were in a hurry but I could have offered you a cup of coffee. I am literally 5 minutes off of 95 as soon as you cross the Susky. Bel Air is another town I frequent all too often. Glad you made the trip safely.
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Glad you finally got this thing home man. You’ll have this thing whipped into shape before next summer.
I still have my vote for using the Gen 1 5.3 haha
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I'm not up to date on my LS engines. What is the benefit of one or the other? I assume the gen 1 is drive by normal cable and the gen 5 drive by wire. Are the internals stronger in one over the other?
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Congrats and thank you for posting.
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I'm not up to date on my LS engines. What is the benefit of one or the other? I assume the gen 1 is drive by normal cable and the gen 5 drive by wire. Are the internals stronger in one over the other?
This was a little joke by me.
Gen 1 5.3 = SBC 327ci
Gen 5 5.3 = LT 325ci
Numerous differences haha
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Nice find and thanks for posting. I’ve always loved the tri-5 checvys and especially the nomad. I’ll be following this for sure. I’m just outside of Boston. You could’ve crashed here for the night. Whereabouts down the cape was the car.
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Thanks for all the compliments! I'm really excited to start the new build. I'm still getting to know my new project and doing a lot of research.
All I can say is WOW! What a find. Great car and it really looks like its in great condition. Looking forward to seeing your build. I know you were in a hurry but I could have offered you a cup of coffee. I am literally 5 minutes off of 95 as soon as you cross the Susky. Bel Air is another town I frequent all too often. Glad you made the trip safely.
Dang, for some reason I thought you were in PA? Maybe because we were going to meet up at Carlisle.
I'm not up to date on my LS engines. What is the benefit of one or the other? I assume the gen 1 is drive by normal cable and the gen 5 drive by wire. Are the internals stronger in one over the other?
This was a little joke by me.
Gen 1 5.3 = SBC 327ci
Gen 5 5.3 = LT 325ci
Numerous differences haha
You have to watch out for Jon haha. All Gen 1 motors are DBC (Drive by Carbs) :lol: The LS/LT swaps are tricky because you can get a good deal on a motor or transmission, but all of the swap items are what become so expensive. Oil pans, headers, ECU's, fuel pumps, and etc. My main focus is going to be getting the interior back to stock and keeping the car running/driving.
Nice find and thanks for posting. I’ve always loved the tri-5 checvys and especially the nomad. I’ll be following this for sure. I’m just outside of Boston. You could’ve crashed here for the night. Whereabouts down the cape was the car.
I'm glad that I didn't have to drive through Boston too! I had to go through NYC and DC which because of the times that I was going through didn't catch too much traffic. The car was located in Plymouth, and was in a very rural part of that town. I was surprised how close to the Ocean it was.
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I finally got a chance to check out the car in detail a few times and really inspect what I got. I'm very pleased with the car overall. It's a really solid car that only needs a little TLC to get it where I want it. I wished that the car came with the original trim tag, but it's missing. I was able to contact the guy who I bought it from, bought it from haha. He was a really nice guy and told me that the guy he bought it from had if for about 30 years in the Kentucky area, and is pretty sure that he has the trim tag somewhere. I'm going to call him again to see if I can get a name and hopefully I can track him down and see if the tag is maybe in a drawer somewhere. Upon inspection, I am pretty confident that the car was a light blue with a white top. I found a few traces of color in hard to find spots.
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These pictures are more for my record keeping, but some pictures of the overall condition of the car when I got it.
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I was told that it was a 327 motor and 350 auto trans. I visually confirmed it was a 350 trans, but the motor was a mystery to me. So I snapped some pictures of the engine block casting numbers and the suffix code on the front passenger side of the block. Turns out the block is a 1968 only block, and shares the same block as a Z/28 of that year! The suffix code is HJ, which comes back to a full size body, 327 and powerglide with 250 HP and a 4 barrel. Pretty interesting.
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But then found out that it's topped with some poor flowing heads (3986388) with 1.72 intake valves and 1.5 exhaust that were made in the emissions era.
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Interior pictures.
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Love this dash! I'm hoping that I can get the gauges all working.
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Could be an original 4 speed car?
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Engine bay shot. Nothing special, but I do need to strip what's there and want to spray it semi-gloss black and fill unnecessary holes. Also need to upgrade the MC to something power and modern.
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Decent Perma-cool Aluminum radiator with built in fan and temp sensor.
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Missing the lower chrome trim pieces, but the grill is decent enough.
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I haven't done anything to really speak of, but I did remove and sell those racing bucket seats as they aren't anything I'm interested in. My youngest loves helping me in the garage so we removed the plywood floor that someone installed. Very happy to see that someone left the floor braces, so I'll just need the filler piece in the middle. I'm not sure if I'm going to delete the spare tire well yet or not.
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I also moved some panels around to help with the fitment of the hood and tried to play with the rear liftgate. I called one of the two guys in the country that will straighten the liftgates to see if mine was twisted and sure enough it is. It's very common with Nomads/Safari's as the tension rods tweak them over time. I'm going to remove mine in favor of some gas struts.
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Here you can see where it's not even close to lining up. I'm going to try and see if I can make it any better with adjustment, but I'll likely have to sent it off to MadMooks to get it straightened.
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Next up is ordering some sheet metal, tracking down seats and any missing interior pieces. I'm also going to order a fuel tank and modify it now for EFI so it will be that much easier for future me down the road. I have a lead on a local guy who has hundreds of old cars, and I'm hoping maybe there's a chance that I can grab some seats and other misc. parts I need.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Wow! Congrats and thanks for sharing with all the pics.
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Looks like this car has good bones. It’s exciting to see working on a new project. Are you thinking of repainting in the original blue and white?
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I'd like to eventually. The paint is good enough for a driver, (which is what I want) but the roof does have some bubbling so I want to address that sooner than later. When I do, I'll paint the top and I'm thinking about a dark gray or charcoal. 17" steel wheels painted the same color as the top and a red or cowhide interior.
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Great story and thread! When I saw the first pic of the car, the first thing that popped into my mind was "LS Swap!" lol. Then you found one on the way home. That's too cool. My buddy at work has a 56 Nomad and another friend has a 56 Nomad also. I know another guy who owns a 56 Pomad (Pontiac Safari) with a 455/700R4. I saw a 56 Pontiac Safari sitting in the wild in SC a month or two ago, but it's bound to be one of those "I'm a gonna fix it up someday" cars. It sits beside one of the busiest roads in SC, and there has bound to be a million people stopped and asked about it.
Congrats on the find, and I'm looking forward to watching the changes!
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Just mostly been researching what parts I need and how I want to approach the project. I started tinkering on the car here and there. I moved some of the front metal around to get the hood to open and close much better and fit a little nicer. I started to adjust the fitment on the rear tailgate and realized the hinges needed to be rebuild badly. I pulled the tailgate off and realized that the bolts holding the hinges to the body were completely frozen in place and likely been there since 1955... Also, the hinge pockets need some attention. So first I had to carefully drill out the hardware.
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Pockets are gone on the backside and need to have a patch panel installed too.
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Glad that I pulled the hinges off, looks pretty bad under here... Nothing that can't be fixed though.
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I found this local junkyard that was full of cars and many of them had been there for decades. I found that he has a 56 4 door wagon, so I grabbed these spring pockets from the car. They are a little pitted, but much better shape than what I've got and appear to be solid. I'm going to clean them up and see how they clean up.
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Once I got the hardware drilled out it allowed me to get to the plates that sandwhich between the body and the hinge. I got them on my mill and drilled out the centers of the bolts. Since I had a good amount of the bolt on the backside, I was actually able to get a vice grip and spin them out! I want to clean them up, paint, build new cages, and get them reinstalled.
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I also picked up a steering wheel because it was cheap and I don't like the one that came with the car.
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That's it from a car standpoint, but I also have some cool parts updates. I was checking around on FB marketplace and found a guy through another guy who had some 2wd 4L80e's for a good price. They came from a fleet of express vans that had the drivelines pulled for low engine oil pressure. He had a few to choose from, and this one looks like a newer Jasper Trans so that's what I got.
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He also had a complete set of engine accessories from an LS motor, so I'm going to see if I can adapt them to the GenV motor. I saw there was a Holley accessory kit, that you could use on gen 3/4 or gen 5 with the right spacers. Got them for free so worst case they don't work and I'm not out anything.
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I needed a new intake for the L83 motor as I found it had a crack in it, so I figured since I need a new one I'll upgrade! I was reading about the LT1 guys who were swapping LT2 intakes on their cars and picking up 20+ HP, so I thought that would be the one that I should go with. I won't see that kind of gain especially with my stock cam, but I'll be upgrading down the road so it's a good upgrade. I picked it up on a Corvette forum and the guy threw in the Throttlebody, PVC hoses and hardware too!
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I put it on the motor just to see what it looked like. Since the LT2 has the intake 180* out, their will need to be some ribbing removed on the rear side of the intake to clear the high pressure fuel pump.
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Cool update. Good luck witht the hinges. I know what it's like working with rusted stuff. I don't understand the intake stuff buy I'll learn!
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Cool update. Good luck witht the hinges. I know what it's like working with rusted stuff. I don't understand the intake stuff buy I'll learn!
LS and LT motors have a very handy and unique ability to have the intakes install in either direction due to having the ports being symmetrical. The LT2 engine only comes in a C8 Corvette (for now as they may put it in the '23 Camaro). The C8 engine is now a mid-engine setup, so they come factory with the intake inlet is pointed towards the bellhousing and wasn't meant to point towards the engine accessories. I'll pull off the intake and take a picture, but the high pressure fuel pump for the Direct Injection is driven off of a tri-lobe on the rear of the camshaft and won't allow the intake to be fully installed. There are some ribs on the bottom side that have to be shaved down for it to sit flush. Very easy modification and should be a nice little bump in HP.
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I know know nothing of engines 2002 and newer, it was a miracle o got my LS1 in and running. So these newer engines are direct injection? Not a typical fuel pump then? Do they take special spark plugs? I any ask because the newer DI snowmobiles take expensive plugs because the injected fuel will wash out the spark of regular plugs. Man these engines are changing!
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You may want to rethink the accessory drive. My L84 came with the center pump so I was able to run a manual thermo fan.
(https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=588826&stc=1&d=1650076996)
Issue is the intake - your LT style unit points down and runs into bunch of stuff. I have my build here:
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=856636
Had to do more than I thought, ie. new lifters (take off the heads for those) and LT style cam.
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Thanks for the input SB, I'm definitely going to rethink the engine accessories and I'm not sure how I want to approach them. Holley sells a 21-5 accessory spacer kit that allows you to run LS accessories, so that's another option I may consider. I was also looking at the L84/L8T water pump like you have. What PS bracket is that, ICT? I'll have to check out your build.
I'm planning to run the Holley Gen5 ECU that will allow me to keep VVT and run the DI, so that's what my plan is right now. It was going to cost me about the same if I converted the engine to port injection, delete VVT, buy all the block offs for DI and etc.
Also SB, what options for brakes do you have for the 55-57 Chevy's?
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Thanks for the input SB, I'm definitely going to rethink the engine accessories and I'm not sure how I want to approach them. Holley sells a 21-5 accessory spacer kit that allows you to run LS accessories, so that's another option I may consider. I was also looking at the L84/L8T water pump like you have. What PS bracket is that, ICT? I'll have to check out your build.
This is the PS unit I would use now:
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6365626&postcount=82
I would really rethink the LT to LS setup; really a kludge.
(https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=596752&stc=1&d=1660885358)
I'm planning to run the Holley Gen5 ECU that will allow me to keep VVT and run the DI, so that's what my plan is right now. It was going to cost me about the same if I converted the engine to port injection, delete VVT, buy all the block offs for DI and etc.
I would delete the DOD, but why the VVT and DI? It makes this motor far superior to a Gen 4!
We are talking 400+ horses stock and better mileage. The DOD lifters are problematic hence my removal and cam change. Also, where would you put the injectors? Your LT2 manifold does not have them...
Also SB, what options for brakes do you have for the 55-57 Chevy's?
None, we never came up with a solution to my satisfaction for those.
ps: those wheels can't die fast enough for me :lol:
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This is the PS unit I would use now:
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6365626&postcount=82
I would really rethink the LT to LS setup; really a kludge.
(https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=596752&stc=1&d=1660885358)
I read through your thread this morning, very informative. I'll definitely be reading and re-reading that. That bracket is a really nice option to add PS later. My car has manual steering and I'll keep that for now to keep my costs down. Not ideal, but I'd rather be driving it than saving up for parts.
I'm planning to run the Holley Gen5 ECU that will allow me to keep VVT and run the DI, so that's what my plan is right now. It was going to cost me about the same if I converted the engine to port injection, delete VVT, buy all the block offs for DI and etc.
I would delete the DOD, but why the VVT and DI? It makes this motor far superior to a Gen 4!
We are talking 400+ horses stock and better mileage. The DOD lifters are problematic hence my removal and cam change. Also, where would you put the injectors? Your LT2 manifold does not have them...
There are adapters that will allow you to install an LS3 or LS7 intake on the Gen5 motors, so I'd go that direction. But by the time you buy a new intake, adapters, delete VVT and the DI plugs it doesn't make sense. I'm going to run Terminator X Max regardless, so I'm just going to run their Gen5 kit which is really cool.
Also SB, what options for brakes do you have for the 55-57 Chevy's?
None, we never came up with a solution to my satisfaction for those.
ps: those wheels can't die fast enough for me :lol:
I hated the wheels at first, but they really are growing on me. Maybe I'll keep them for a while because that's always the first thing people say they hate haha. I'm probably going to pick up some C5 wheels and then I'll get the big front brakes. My 2 year plan is to buy the DIY frame kit from NerdRods that will allow me to run C4 front and rear suspsension, so I don't want to spend money on the suspension or steering now. There are kits to run C5 front brakes on the C4 spindles so I'll carry those over to the new frame eventually.
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I'm planning to run the Holley Gen5 ECU that will allow me to keep VVT and run the DI, so that's what my plan is right now. It was going to cost me about the same if I converted the engine to port injection, delete VVT, buy all the block offs for DI and etc.
I thought of doing that too, but the cost was thrice of the GM 2014-18 ECU and harness.
Only issue so far is the VSS; Gen 5's run Hall Effect (3 wire) and Gens 2-4 use 2 wire pulse type.
I wonder if the Holley setup allows either?
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Not sure exactly, but I do know that you can customize the outputs for the transmissions. With Holley though, you can only use a 4L80e or 4L60e. I picked up a nice used 4L80e transmission, so that's what I'm planning to use for the time being.
I've been thinking more and more about the swap and I think that I'm going to save the L83 for phase 2 of the build and pick up a stock gen3 5.3. I have a bunch of 0411 ECU's and a stock engine harness, so I'm just going to put together a cheap LS swap to get the car up and running.
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...With Holley though, you can only use a 4L80e or 4L60e...
That is a huge limitation! Especially given that neither have the Gen 5 bellhousing bolt pattern. I was looking at the 6L80E but would have required huge floor pan butchering and still hangs almost 2" below the crossmember.
The TKX should do fine here.
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...With Holley though, you can only use a 4L80e or 4L60e...
That is a huge limitation! Especially given that neither have the Gen 5 bellhousing bolt pattern. I was looking at the 6L80E but would have required huge floor pan butchering and still hangs almost 2" below the crossmember.
The TKX should do fine here.
It would be great if they could control the 6/8/10 speed transmissions, but right now that's not an option. If I had to guess though, it's something that they are working on. I'm sure it's a matter of time before they have the logic to control them.
My last car was a stick, but I want an automatic this go around. The TKX is a great transmission though, and would be a contender if I went manual.
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...With Holley though, you can only use a 4L80e or 4L60e...
That is a huge limitation! Especially given that neither have the Gen 5 bellhousing bolt pattern. I was looking at the 6L80E but would have required huge floor pan butchering and still hangs almost 2" below the crossmember.
The TKX should do fine here.
The bolt pattern is generally the same between BBC, SBC, LS and LT. It’s just the top bolt being slightly offset on the LT. A lot of people have interchanged LS and traditional Chevy for years with the bolt pattern difference on the other bolt. Lakewood even makes one bellhousing that covers all of them.
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The offset is also different between the pre-LS and later.
Also, the mid passenger hole in the engine is missing. So at most 5 bolts would retain. My thought is this would be adequate.
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Congrats on the new car! Very cool.
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Thanks Tom!
Not a huge update as I've been mostly just collecting parts at this point. I have been slowly working on the what started as a simple tailgate hinge rebuild, into needing a whole new tail panel and rear cargo floor extension panel. After wire wheeling some of the section that looked a little odd, I found bondo on that rear section...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52605615303_aa2d14f27c_b.jpg)
And bondo over rust...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52605362774_bce40fc847_b.jpg)
Whole panel was unfortunately pitted pretty badly.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52605362759_f175c85d35_b.jpg)
Luckily I need to do surgery in that area anyway when I replace the wheel tubs, so I placed an order to Real Deal Steel and have the new cargo extension panel, but waiting on the tail panel and hardware kit. I also, finally got a chance to get one of the pins removed from the stock hinges. Wow, were they stuck in there and rusted away on the inside. Since apparently no one makes the replacement door pins right now, the door pins that I ordered were for a 55ish truck and were about 3/4" too short. So I opted to order a set from Dorman that are way too long, but I can turn them on my lathe to the right length.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52605112486_0af0ce4767_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52604610847_ef6bb0a780_b.jpg)
Next part is a huge thanks to GTO Jack! He was tired of looking at some oil pans and posted them up in the for free section of the for sale! I messaged him about the knock off 302-2 pan and he shipped it right out to me. While they have a few sections cut out for tie rod clearance, it makes the perfect project for me to use my new TIG welder! So I'm hoping to practice up and get some panels buzzed in. Now some sharp eyed LS guru's may notice that this is an LS pan. Well after pricing out all that it will take to get the Gen5 motor installed in the car with the Holley Terminator X Max kit, I've decided to leave that swap for phase 2. I'm going to hang onto the motor and collect parts when they pop up, but I'm going to pick up a cheap Gen3 LS motor and use some spare parts I have to get it up and running sooner than later.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52605615238_376c84f69f_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52604611002_59e726ef4a_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52605112571_0be75b82e5_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52605534835_83206df5fa_b.jpg)
Since I made the decision to go LS right now, I started looking around for a good candidate engine. After searching around for a few weeks, I found a 2011 5.3 for cheap and it came with a bunch of parts. So I'll either be swapping the reluctor rings to 24x to keep my budget on track, or horse trading the long block for a gen3 motor and keep all the parts that it came with.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52617698051_46a3827deb_b.jpg)
I feel like I'm starting to have a problem haha. It's also kinda cool that in my garage I have a gen 1 SBC 327, Gen 4 5.3(327) and gen 5 5.3(327).
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52618186033_e586ee7d20_b.jpg)
Last one is probably my most exciting post. I found a smoking deal on a split front bench seat! It's in rough shape, but nothing a little TLC can't take care of. Most of these are selling for around $600-800 and I found this for $50 bucks! It came out of a 55 Chevy, but is supposed to be a 57 Pontiac seat pattern.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52622783381_e0749a2c4e_b.jpg)
Cheers,
Ryan
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Wow, quit a bit going on here! I hope your tail panel instalation goes smoothly. You ate becoming quite the collector there.
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After a long struggle with rebuilding the tailgate hinges, I was finally able to get them torn down, cleaned up and rebuilt. I'll say that was a huge PITA! I thought that I'd be able to drive the pins out after drilling out the heads, but they were frozen in place. The second one was even more stubborn as it was frozen in both side of the hinge. The hinges aren't perfect, but they will function as they should now. I'm planning to get an upgraded billet aluminum pair from MadMooks down the road, but these will get the tailgate back on.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52633185135_3b6930719f_b.jpg)
I used Dorman #38400 and it was a perfect fit other than being a touch too long. I cut them down to 3.125" under head length and chamfered the sides. Had the perfect amount of stick out and looked really original to me. Just what I wanted.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632999044_38aa6a1157_b.jpg)
This was the first attempt at 3.25" and was going to be too long once I drove it in.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632230342_0a66f9ed70_b.jpg)
Primed pair of rebuilt original tailgate hinges.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632998984_79351365b5_b.jpg)
My next project was a huge win for me as well as a really cool hot rodding adventure. This super cool old school salvage yard near me is full of old cars. I went back yesterday and got permission from the guy to cut out the rear floor section on this 56 Wagon. The floor pans on it were in great shape for sitting for so long, and the rear wheel wells are really solid in all the spots that I need them to be. Here's a few pictures of the entrance into the junk yard. Just soo cool, and I love that it's only 25 mins from my house!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52633184645_1b9807317e_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52633229488_1481e19b9f_b.jpg)
I didn't get any pictures from when I first got there because I had to get right to work. He's only open from 8-12 and after that he let's his dogs out! But here's the car after I carefully removed the one quarter panel. I did that same thing on the other side then just cut the pillars.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632998524_91ca1ca5df_b.jpg)
After hitting several obstacles and not knowing where two body bolts were, I finally was able to get it out in one piece. What was simply amazing to me was that I removed at least a dozen bolts, and only broke or had to cut three. The rest came out with my impact driver! Just amazing to me, so glad we moved down south!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632998524_91ca1ca5df_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632229757_bd4216a071_b.jpg)
And here's where the Hot Rodding adventure comes in. This place is about 100 acres, and this car was almost in the back corner of the property. Here's what I had to get this out with! Up and down hills on little tractor paths. Needless to say, I was exhausted when I finally got this back to the front shop! What I thought was really cool about what I did, is that was something that guys have been doing for so long in hot rodding, before you could go into a catalogue and buy what you need and get it two days later. I love to use original metal where I can, and this was in great shape considering how old it is, as well as sitting in that field for 40 years!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632743781_7076133984_b.jpg)
I put everything back together and thanked the '56 9 passenger wagon for donating the parts to repair my Nomad.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632229677_13a6370270_b.jpg)
Once I got it back to my house, I got it up on some saw horses and inspected more thoroughly what I worked so hard to get.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52633184345_b04b07dcca_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52633229148_41edf17b10_b.jpg)
Too bad it's rusted here on both sides... I guess I'll just have to cut it out and add in a 2.75" strip. This is a pro-touring site after all. And the biggest regret that I have about building my Camaro was not putting in mini-tubs when I had the chance.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52633229123_ce03de5803_b.jpg)
It was getting late, but I ground down the seam with a wire wheel and started drilling out the spot welds. I'm going to separate the panels first, then prep them for installation/modification. I had a spot weld drill bit, but can't find it since the move so I ordered a new one.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52632229387_7fa6d054c7_b.jpg)
I also grabbed a column shift steering column and the cargo pan/wheel well sections came with some other parts attached that I've stripped off. I'm going to convert the column and indicator to a 4 speed PRND321 pattern.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52633229048_5281e458f4_b.jpg)
With that purchase, I've not got a ton of work ahead of me!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Man, you are really getting after it! That yard is awesome! I wish I had one of those here. I did find a 67 Camaro in one yard here, I got thw seat frames and some other parts out of it but it was pretty much picked over.
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Great find on the 56 wagon sheet metal, almost like someone was saving it for you.
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Man, you are really getting after it! That yard is awesome! I wish I had one of those here. I did find a 67 Camaro in one yard here, I got thw seat frames and some other parts out of it but it was pretty much picked over.
I've been stressing about where to get the metal from since buying it all new was over $2k! But now that the 56 donated some sheet metal, I can start on getting my floor pans back together. I've got all of the parts now to get some real progress done now.
Great find on the 56 wagon sheet metal, almost like someone was saving it for you.
It really does seem that way. And it really didn't take me all that long to get it removed!
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I haven't done any work on the Nomad, but I do have some updates. First off, unfortunately that cargo/floor pan section that I bought with the wheel wells will not work quite like I had hoped. Fortunately the wheel wells will work perfectly, however I was informed by a tri5 guru that the floor pan section that I bought is something of a unicorn as it was from a 56-57 only 9 Passenger Wagon, which has a very unique and "rare" floor/cargo section. It's different enough that I didn't want to mess with cutting/modifying it so I'll be selling it and hoping that maybe there's some guy out there that has been looking for this section of floor since it's not and like will never be re-popped.
With that news I had to start over on my search for the rear floor pan section, but still needed to separate all of my metal to get it out of my driveway and also store it easier. I drilled out all the spotwelds carefully and removed the two wheel well sections. Then I was left with the middle piece. It went pretty quick once I got in a rhythm.
Looks pretty rusty, but are really solid in the spots that I need them to be.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52667273235_044698ae64_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52667339248_3fba1159c4_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52666341687_17c91bdd8a_b.jpg)
Here you can see where it's drastically different than the typical cargo/floor pan area with the shock mounts and added brace for the extra weight of 9 passengers.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52666837841_5111362732_b.jpg)
Since I need so many parts to get this car back together I'm constantly parts shopping, and then I saw Andrew's post about the iBooster followed shortly after by many others. Brakes are where I need a serious upgrade as my car has 4 wheel drum brakes on a single pot MC. I got to shopping around and found a good deal from a Tesla disassembler. He sold me the iBooster, wiring and brake line sections off of a Model S. I still need to get some brackets to mount it to the firewall, but I think this will make a huge difference. I'm planning to pick up a pair of 5th Gen Camaro front Brembo calipers and make my own mounts. Not sure on what rotor I'll run, but it will likely be the stock 5th Gen too.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52666837846_23d3271f6e_b.jpg)
I was also crunching numbers on what it would take to get the L83 into my car and at this time, it's more than I want to spend. So that had me on the hunt for a Gen4 5.3, and I really wanted to get one with an aluminum block. Then I stumbled on a guy who was selling a L76 with forged pistons. After I contacted him he mentioned that he had a tuning error that lead to a bent rod. After talking to him on the phone, I wanted to check it out to see things more closely. I looked it all over and there weren't any cracks in that cylinder and all the other rods were straight so I wanted the motor. To my surprise, he was willing to trade me straight for the L83, so I'm very pleased with that deal. I just need to find a new Gen4 rod, have the small end honed to .945" and I'll put it all back together.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52659181136_b0ac1c00b3_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52659673948_3371c91d24_b.jpg)
After a little research I was able to find out that all 5.3, 6.0 and 6.2 gen4 motors share the same rods, and since I had picked up that 5.3 a few weeks earlier decided it was going to donate some parts. Time to tear that down and see why it was pulled in the first place. I assumed the normal DOD lifter failure, but it's fun to find out. Got the motor on my hoist and got to work on the teardown.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52659181061_3079b457be_b.jpg)
It's a miracle, no broken exhaust manifold bolts!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52659465539_ffae9876a6_b.jpg)
Really clean on the inside. Motor is supposed to have 190k on it, so I'm impressed so far.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52659673818_621f495f57_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52659673773_ae3fd8ccd2_b.jpg)
Pulled the rockers off and I think I found out why it was pulled. "one of these things is not like the others"
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52659180941_d8ebb2df3a_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52659629205_57170c1c15_b.jpg)
I didn't get any pictures, but I pulled both heads off and the cylinder walls all look good with visible cross-hatching and no metal in the cylinders. Cylinder 8 exhaust is the one with the bent pushrod, and in the cylinder looked great. So, looks like they were able to get it shut off in time before any damage occurred. I still want to flip it over and see what the bottom end looks like, but I'm thinking this may be a good short-block. Now I'm not sure what I want to do. I was able to get all the lifters removed but the one with the bent push rod. It wouldn't pull out from the top, so it's probably mushroomed on the bottom side. It should fall out once the cam is out, then I'll know for sure what I want to do. For now though I'm thinking I'm going to find someone who has a single gen4 rod.
Since I know the 4 wheel drums aren't going to work, I've been keeping an eye out for some 17"+ wheels that would work with the Nomad. I found a guy on FB marketplace who had a 2001 740i with M Parallel wheels who was selling the car for cheap and decided to ask him if he would sell just the wheels. To my surprise, he said he would sell them for $400 bucks and they have tires. Earlier that day I sold the rear wheels that came off my car for $200, so I was only into the wheels for $200 bucks! For those that don't remember, these were the same wheels that I ran on my 68 Camaro "Penny Pincher". Unlike my Camaro, these wheels are temporary as I really want a set of Salt Flat wheels from American Racing. But they look ok and will allow me to upgrade my front disks, so I'm stoked. The M Parallel wheel (BMW Style 37) is a 1 piece forged wheel and is a staggered setup 18x8 fronts and 18x9.5 rear. The front backspacing is perfect for muscle cars, and the rear requires a 1" spacer. I've got a set of spacers on order, but for now I put a front wheel on the rear just to see what it looked like. Much better than the 90s American Racing wheels!!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52663642045_a406b34012_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52663642050_ede360c1a5_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52663205971_46b7bc7298_b.jpg)
And lastly I was able to go to the salvage yard early this morning and get the floor pan that I had partially pulled before I found that 9 passenger wagon. This is the section that I need, but it a little rusty in a few spots. This section is in ok shape, and will clean up pretty nicely. I just can't justify buying a full floor pan (or two half pans) only to cut off the rear section, with shipping so high. Now that I have this piece I'll be able to trim this down and get the wheel wells fit up. It will be nice to make some real progress to the body since I haven't been able to do much without this key piece. I basically need to build everything off of this section.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52666830151_cde156b45b_b.jpg)
I also grabbed an automatic cluster since I'll be converting over to a column shift. I will need to get the 4 speed OD lense and detent kit, but this will work great to get me the mechanism I need. My cluster is in much better shape, so I'll just use the shifting guts from this one.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52666845186_9b2cb0333d_b.jpg)
Hopefully my next update will be cutting out out the Pro-Street tubs and test fitting my floor section/mini-tub wheel wells.
Cheers,
Ryan
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I've been patiently collecting parts and waiting until I had everything before I started cutting out the wheel tubs. I finally got my chance and now's the time. I started by unscrewing (yes that's what was holding the middle portion down), the center hump, and cutting away a few spot welds. I was very surprised that this is how someone built this wheel tub section. On the outside it appeared that they did an ok job on the fabrication side, but turns out that wasn't the case. Not confident that sheet metal screws are a great way to secure floor pan sections...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52678967028_2da89a100e_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52678966973_184115c572_b.jpg)
While I'm in here, I plan to fully butt weld the two floor pan halves together. Some of the spot welds missed and aren't connecting the two together. Then I made my first big cut. I wanted to get down to the original floor pans to see what I had left to work with. Thankfully they left me more than I had anticipated, so that is great news. That floor section I got from the salvage yard is rusty in the spots that are solid on my car, so I'll have a really clean repair.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52678756984_9e2b4b179d_b.jpg)
Then I cut out the other side to see what that looked like. As I was cutting I tapped the side of the wheel tub with a hammer and this happened! Why did you take the time to add that much filler, but not to fully weld the panels together??
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52678471686_52497ba211_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52678966913_c3c72f3f1e_b.jpg)
This section had no spot welds at all. The only thing holding it together was body filler.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52678471716_76dfd3f7e3_b.jpg)
Once I cut away these sections, I was left with this opening. Overall, I'm pleased with the amount of the original floor that they left since it gives me a really good base to built back. As I was going over how I wanted to proceed with the repairs, it became very clear that I'll need to have the cargo panel in order to get the right height since I'll be splicing the two panels together. I ordered the cargo panel with the braces separate as I was informed that they don't coat the inner braces before they install them. I wanted to spray something behind to protect them, but I'm going to narrow it for the wider wheel tubs so that should make my job easier not having to drill out spot welds.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52678966858_4bbc8c9c16_b.jpg)
I also grabbed some parts to get my engine back together. VVT Delete timing cover, new oil pump and 4x 3 bolt timing gear.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52672034502_99d055953c_b.jpg)
I also found a single 8" M Parallel wheel on eBay shipped for $100 bucks, so I jumped on that. Since the wheels that I had came with 1 8" and 3 9.5" this will give me a complete staggered set.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52678756824_2ea7f13023_b.jpg)
I wasn't sure what to do with the front seat since it was taking up a lot of real estate on the floor of my garage, so I decided to test fit it in the car. I still have plenty of room to work on the rear floor pan, so that's where it'll stay for the foreseeable future. It looks good in there, but the sliders are not from a Chevy. They must be from a Pontiac or something similar. I can modify the brackets to work with my floor, and then get a new seat cover for it. It needs some rust repair and reinforcement on the passenger side where you can see it's drooping down. Overall I'm happy with the placement of it. Looks right at home.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52678471801_8a2a9a0301_b.jpg)
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That bondo on the inner wheel well is nuts! You are really getting in deep now! It can pretty much only get better front here on out!
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Not a huge update, but I'm plugging away. I got the spot weld drill bit out and started separating some of the panels for the rear floor pan section that were welded to it. When I cut the section out, I cut everything around it much larger than I'd need knowing that I would have to cut and trim it down. Way easier to cut it too big than too small.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52686991285_a5d697da33_b.jpg)
Once it was trimmed down, it was clear that I needed to cut more of the wheel wells away to get an initial test fit. What was amazing to me is how these wheel wells were put together in the first place. These welds were so cold that many of the spot welds didn't have enough penetration and were breaking off. It made the removal process very easy, but honestly a little scary that people put together panels like this.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52686048452_c50a7a7807_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52686991300_3d499eaa8c_b.jpg)
This was a very rough fitment, but this panel will work perfectly! I also realized that the back side of the panel I got has a brace for the driveshaft bumper and my car was missing that too, so that's another win. I need to find some body mounts, or get a whole new kit, before I can go much further. I need to get the height set properly before I can burn it in for good. For now, I'll get the panel trimmed up for a much tighter fitment.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52686845694_0a0c18639b_b.jpg)
I was also able to get the wheel wells trimmed up as well. The wells had all of the inner structures attached as well as the outer wheel houses. I had to cut out the inner structures I didn't need, then drill out the spot welds for the outer wheel house panels. Most of the wheel house panels are in really good shape, and I may or may not need them so I carefully removed them. If I don't end up needing them, I'll try and sell them to recoup some funds. The factory undercoating did a great job of keeping most of the metal in fantastic shape.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52686565461_bd3a6afb04_b.jpg)
I had my garage helper with me too.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52686845714_ae38044c1e_b.jpg)
It felt great to get these panels trimmed down and much closer to being installed. As you can see they still need a few patches, but they shouldn't take long to fix.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52686565376_d8fff3c80e_b.jpg)
I'm still trying to think through how I want to install the wheel tubs and widen them. I should have the cargo panel and braces in the next week or so which will help me to locate the rear floor and wheel wells. Initially I'm thinking it may be best to install all the panels with screws or clecos, then narrow the cargo panel by the amount I want and bring all of the panels in to the modified cargo panel. I can't wait to get through the sheet metal phase, and into the more fun things like LS swapping the car!
Ryan
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Ah, gotta love rust, yuck. I am not looking forward to the F1 sheet metal. Looks like you are making headway. You are planning to run a back seat for the kiddos, right?
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Ah, gotta love rust, yuck. I am not looking forward to the F1 sheet metal. Looks like you are making headway. You are planning to run a back seat for the kiddos, right?
I picked up a 2019 2 door Jeep Wrangler rear seat that has the LATCH hooks for rear car seats, and I'm planning to run that in the rear. It should work perfectly once the wheel wells are 3" wider on both sides. It folds down flat and is really compact.
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Oh, that's cool. I love adapting things like that. Real hot rodding.
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Really liking watching this build. P.S. you are going to have to update your signature. Bye-bye Camaro and Hello Mad Nomad!
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Really liking watching this build. P.S. you are going to have to update your signature. Bye-bye Camaro and Hello Mad Nomad!
I know, you are right Mike!
Another weekend and some more progress and parts. I worked more on getting my floor pan section modified and trimmed up to get a better mock up. The fit up is really looking great, and it will only need a little more trimming to be in it's final place. I'll need to make a few small pieces to go around the wheel wells, but I'll need other panels in place before that happens.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52694271392_0ca6d729f6_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52694271347_8e395c81de_b.jpg)
Body mounts are now able to be centered in the frame mounts. Once I'm happy with the fitment, I'm going to take some sheet metal screws and secure it all before I start welding.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52695278508_cfd2d266d4_b.jpg)
As I usually do after the kids go to bed at night, I was cruising FB marketplace and came across a guy selling a 55 2 door handyman wagon for parts. He was selling it as a whole car, but asked him if it had a rear seat and if he would sell separately. To my surprise he said it did have a seat and that he would sell separately with the brackets. After he sent me the pictures, the seats were in very good condition and very complete. Best part is his price was about 1/4 of the going rate for rear seats, plus it came with the brackets!
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52695053359_d6f990000d_b.jpg)
When I got there he had a few other parts, but ended up only buying the spare wheel well. It's very solid everywhere but where all the spot welds were drilled out. I'll have to replace some of the sections, but for the most part is in great shape. Love using original parts when I can.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52695278463_61e2926431_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52695201625_aca2a97a97_b.jpg)
I got to talking with the guy and he ended up giving me some end mill bits and a hood ornament too! Car people are the best kinds of people!! Love this community.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52695278488_359bb947af_b.jpg)
I got sick of looking at the wheel wells and decided that it was time to get them removed. As I was cutting away I kept wondering why they did a lot of the things that they did. First up was cutting one of two large stitch welds that connected these two panels after chipping away the bondo that filled the 1/4" gap. So much wrong about that last sentence...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52699750637_abb7dfe9f5_b.jpg)
Oh, what's this? A little hidden compartment for body filler to go.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52700763593_68cfda4076_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52699750512_ff4c200906_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52700690035_287e3aa549_b.jpg)
If you look closely you can see the rings of body filler that were used in apparently different stages. Almost like the rings of a tree.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52699750457_e7d159020c_b.jpg)
Same on both sides.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52700530224_b777fa2c23_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52700689875_5a7201a33e_b.jpg)
This is where I left it for the day. While scary, it looks way better to me than before. The good news to come of all this destruction is they did leave the stock outer wheel wells intact as well as some of the stock wheel wells which will make my job a little easier. I'm hoping that I can just cut what's left of the inner wheel wells and see what's there to work with.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52700270206_dc779c8b76_b.jpg)
With the wheel tubs all removed, I was able to start checking things out. I knew that with the cargo area, it would lay flat all the way to the rear floor pan section. So eyeballing it with the section I cut out mocked up, it looks very flat. The rear floor panel may need to come up just slightly, but is a really good place to start.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52699749972_5905b508b3_b.jpg)
Now for the next few pictures, if you squint it really looks like something.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52700270161_6ff19300e9_b.jpg)
The FedEx guy had impeccable timing, as the rear cargo area that I ordered was delivered! I ordered the flat section and the inner braces separately because I wanted to weld them in myself, but also prime /paint the inner sections to prevent future corrosion, but also separately qualified for free shipping through Jeg's! The cargo panel with braces welded together has to be shipped oversized. Anyway I couldn't help myself and took it out of the box to give myself some motivation. I need to clean off all of the remaining pieces of the wheel wells so that the panel will sit flat against the rear brace, but it looks great. Very pleased with my progress this weekend. Hopefully I can work for 15-20 mins here and there this week to continue to peal back the layers of what the PO did. Once I get to some solid metal I can hopefully start test fitting more panels.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52700763003_78489fdc7a_b.jpg)
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Thanks Steve!
So my plan this time around was to buy a car that was painted, and didn't need a whole lot of repairs. I'd say the plan failed, but in my defense the previous owner hid the "repairs" very well. Seems like I just keep cutting deeper and deeper, but thankfully I came to the end of the covered up rusty metal. It's disappointing to see when people just layer new metal over rusty metal then cover it with body filler. I kept going on the driver's side and finally hit the original metal.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52715188245_a03b7f40d3_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52715239603_445d03c6fb_b.jpg)
That panel above the wheel well will need some patches, but thankfully I have extra from the wheel wells that I bought. Glad that the window channels are in good shape. Out comes that outer wheel well.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52715239413_c4bd6348c4_b.jpg)
It's easy to see now, but when I was looking under the car it all looked minty. Here you can see the bottom looks great, but the top had another secret. More new metal layered over rusty metal.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52714766221_cb2fb17311_b.jpg)
I'm glad when I pulled the wheel houses out of that 9 passenger wagon that it came with the outer wheel houses because they are in pretty good shape with just some small patches needed. The lower section of the wheel house is in good shape, so I can section off what I need and splice it to the one in good shape.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52714245142_4ea9249a16_b.jpg)
Did a little measuring, then just cut it. It lined up nicely, and after I tacked it in place fits just like the one that came off the car.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52715239298_ffee1e464e_b.jpg)
Finally broke out my new welder. Everlast MTS 225, and the MIG Function works great. I should have ground back the metal more, but the kiddos were sleeping and didn't want to be too loud.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52714766021_1f86b49a1d_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52715239098_e9594dd586_b.jpg)
The front outer wheel house is actually in great shape, but I'll need to weld on a new tab that attaches the rear/upper panel that I just repaired.
Here's just another example of what not to do. If you have weak stomach's, scroll quick.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52715024714_53fc197565_b.jpg)
After all of that cutting I decided to get some motivation and roughly mocked up the wheel wells again. To get a better idea of how they will sit, I needed to trim off the little dip from the 9 passenger cargo panel. Just needs to be straight across, so painters tape did the trick.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52714766016_f4e05e6f1d_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52714244967_efd8d8e7e9_b.jpg)
What I'm coming to realize is that the rear section of the wheel house is much different on the Nomad vs the other tri5 wagons. I could see that the angle was different, but that also makes the top section too long so I'm going to need to do some cutting. I made one big cut, then was able to get the panel to sit down nicely where it will eventually go. It's a bit unconventional, as there is usually just a flange left that welds to the upper structure, but since mine is so rusted in spots, I'm going to be doing a little of both and left the top tab attached. I'll spot weld that to the upper channel, then left the flange for the rest of the wheel house. I'm going to use some sheet metal screws when the time comes to secure it all, and tack weld the whole wheel well together once it's all fitting great. Then I can remove it and weld into a solid piece on my bench.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52715238868_3fbe4eedd4_b.jpg)
Really happy with that fitment. Once I get the panel all patched up, it will fit really well.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52715024429_e553c70f54_b.jpg)
Then one thing that kept bothering me was that middle brace seemed to be shifted towards the driver's side. It wasn't allowing the wheel well to go straight back, then I threw a tape measure on it and it was about 3/8" towards the driver's side. With that information, it changes the game. I needed to see what was going on with the passenger's side too so that I can make sure that it's square. Time to cut up the passengers side. I was hoping to leave it and get the one side mocked up to give the body more rigidity. Nope...
I'll spare the details, but it's the same story on this side as well.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52714244947_a36389e52b_b.jpg)
This is why we can't have nice things.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52715024554_f1f49fc2c4_b.jpg)
I don't like leaving the car like this, but it gives me the motivation to get it back together.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52714244962_f2d25b888b_b.jpg)
I'm going to pick up some weld-through primer very soon and get some panels welded back into the car shortly. Another panel that I need to replace which is going to be a huge PITA will be the heavy steel panel where the tailgate mounts. That was spliced and cut up over the years, so it just needs to be completely cut out and a new one welded in. I need to replace that panel before I do a final weld of the wheel wells because it attaches to almost everything in the rear of the car. I also need to figure out how to brace it all from moving when I replace that panel. That's one of the next items on my list to address, so stay tuned.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Looks like you got your hands full this time but doing great work as usual.
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Oh wow Ryan! That is nuts! Well, it will be better in the end!
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The funny thing is I usually have a good eye for when work has been done. They did a great job covering up the patch panels on the pro-street tubs.
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I think what you have, is a car that 30 years ago was not worth the effort to restore as easily as it was converted to a drag car. Although Nomads have always been desirable (heck I wanted one when I was 10 years old, but I had to fight off the dinosaurs).
It was easier to quickly cover the rust, make a racer and run the heck out of it. I really think you found a diamond in the rough. To me it doesnt look that bad, just cut out the bad and weld in good :grin: Youre going to have a great, desirable auto when you are done!
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There is no doubt that when you finish it, it will be 10x better than the day it was new. :-D
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Thanks Kerry! I feel the same way. I'm sure most people are looking at it and think I'm crazy, but I really don't think it's that bad. I'm just taking my time now getting the rear panel reinstalled and leveled so that the tailgate fits right.
Thanks Mike, I'm not sure about the day it was new, but definitely better than the day I bought it. :cool:
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With all the old wheel wells cut out, the next project was to cut out and replace the rear brace where the tailgate mounts. It had been repaired over the years (poorly) and needed to completely cut out and replaced. I had been thinking about how I wanted to replace this panel over the last several weeks and while crude, I found the best way to approach this panel replacement was to prop up the rear of the roof. It would be held up in place, but allow me to work around the panel. What I learned in hindsight is that this panel is the only thing holding up the rear of the car. More on that later. So I bought some fresh cut off disks and got right to work.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52734777378_e02b1cc518_b.jpg)
After about 30 mins of carefully cutting off the rear panel, this is when I realized that it is the main support for the rear of the car. In a panic I quickly got it all removed, and the new panel in place and clamped with multiple vice grips.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52733770132_1edb55f495_b.jpg)
I grabbed some really nice weld-through primer at my local auto paint store. They recommended this over the copper weld as they said the body guys love this now because it gives great coverage and is half the cost. Figured they would be the best guys to learn from so I grabbed two cans. Also some Trim black paint for the firewall when I get to that point.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52734547999_93daafe8f6_b.jpg)
There was some fitment required to get that new panel to fit nice and tightly to the rest of the panels. Once I was happy with the fitment I got the fronts and backs all painted with the weld-through primer.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52733770047_04f49859de_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52733770002_28bdfc281d_b.jpg)
I was able to get the screws that had rusted off long ago removed so I could fit up these hinge covers. I need to clean it all up with a flap disk, but for now it's ugly and the covers fit nicely. I'll clean them up later after the support panel is welded back in.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52734709025_bbede01f16_b.jpg)
Then I coated the support panel to get it all fit up.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52734547744_625466eafa_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52734777178_60df44c291_b.jpg)
At this point, I was happy with the rear support panel fitment against the body. But after I rebuilt the rear hinges with the new panel in place, I tried to re-fit the rear tailgate without success. Whatever I did the tailgate was still tight at the top left, and loose bottom right just the same as when I bought the car. It then dawned on me that the rear of the car had possibly shifted when they previously installed those big wheel tubs. This is a picture of the tailgate fitment when I bought the car. It was actually touching and overlapping at the top left side.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52744698131_7d93ca9127_b.jpg)
So what I did was with the tailgate in place, I left the support panel clamped to the body and unclamped it from the body mount supports. The rear of the car could be shifted a bit left and right. I pushed it towards the passenger side about 3/8" and to my surprise the tailgate fit almost perfect. Definitely within the factory tolerances back in 1955. I couldn't believe it was really that simple. Before I did this, I also checked the body vs. the frame alignment. Best I could do was a frame to pinch weld and it came up that the body was shifted about 1/2" to the passenger side.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52744837074_6e43f8a72d_b.jpg)
With that problem solved, I attempted to center the body on the frame, but wasn't able to with my current toolset. So instead I made sure that the rear body mount supports were both shifted to the passenger side, and matched the rest of the body. That way when it's centered, the rear mounts will be too. Time to weld it back together!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52744582666_a6c98952d8_b.jpg)
My new Everlast welder does a good job. I still need to dial in the settings, but that had solid penetration on both panels.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52744582786_8a51233862_b.jpg)
I'm very happy to get rid of that wooden support and have the body being supported by the mounts again. I measured many times during the process as well as taped around the board top and bottom to ensure that it hadn't moved. Next up, parts updates!
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I'm always on the look for parts and came to realize that the M-Parallel wheels that I bought just don't go with the style on this car. So I posted them online and was able to sell them and then picked up a set of Boyd Coddington wheels that need some polishing. They are double staggered 17x8 fronts and 18x9 rears. Really happy with this style. They need new tires that are a much larger diameter, but otherwise love the style. I'm going to try to get away with using the tires that are on it at least for a little bit. Probably not though since I change my mind frequently haha.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52734708940_4443b83c40_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52734294976_94e36cb97f_b.jpg)
Next up was probably the best deal that I'll get on this car. I saw an ad for a pair of front grills that weren't in great shape, but came with the trim that goes around the opening which I didn't have. I chatted with the guy a bit and he said that he had some Nomad parts in his attic. So I went that next morning to see what he had. When I got there he had some side and rear windows that were in good shape that also had some trim I didn't know I was missing and the side window latches. Perfect! I also mentioned to him that I was missing the interior window garnish moldings and he said that he thought he had them, but wasn't sure where they were. So after building a little rapport with the guy, I joked that I would be willing to go up and look if he didn't mind even though he didn't know me from Adam. To my surprise he said yes, so up I went. It was actually very well lit, and after about 5 mins I saw them. I was stoked, but then my heart sank because I didn't know what he was going to ask for them so I asked him. He said he wasn't sure, so I said, How's $100 bucks and to my great surprise he said yes! If you don't know, take a minute and search Nomad Garnish Mouldings on eBay. I almost felt guilty buying them for that price, but so happy to have them. :woot: Sometimes you just have to ask!
Here they are!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52733769867_94e4173a76_b.jpg)
Got home and saw this tucked in-between the bundle of moldings. Wonder what shop these came from?
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52733769737_30b858964a_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52734708795_5cc2982564_b.jpg)
Here's the other parts I got too. I couldn't stop smiling the whole way home.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52734547494_3452a6e676_b.jpg)
Then before I left we were talking and he said that he had a bunch of emblems he wasn't going to ever use and that I could have them if I wanted. Yes Sir!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52733769857_0f3476cb66_b.jpg)
Now that the rear support panel is final welded in, I was looking at what my next steps were. I needed to weld the middle support back in and squared up with body. After looking at that panel a bit, it was too rusty for re-installation. The good news is that the 9 passenger cargo/floor panel that I cut out had one that was in fantastic shape. So, broke out the spot weld driller again. It took me about an hour to get it all broken loose, plus I like re-using original metal vs. buying a new one.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52744181017_ff4a3ce05f_b.jpg)
This panel is in really good shape, just needs to be cleaned up before I weld it in the car. It's hard to believe this car sat in a field for 40 years!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52744582741_34e31c09aa_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52744998900_94dc9d2534_b.jpg)
That brings the build up to date. Hoping to get the inner panels cleaned up so that the inner wheel wells can be re-installed very soon. I can't wait to test fit the rear seat!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Excellent! I think I like the cut out the bad stuff and weld in new about as much as anything. I suppose that comes with the territory of me restoring houses for the last 40 years. Seeing the work you are doing has me itching to get my next project started. Yours looks like your starting with new compared to mine, LOL.
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That is how it used to be done. Word of mouth and meeting over a common interest. One guy wants to help the other out an both get something out of the deal. No one really in it for the money. That's how i got a 69 road runner for $200. Great scores man!
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Wow, just wow.
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Your skills and ambition are blowing me away.
I good friend used to say a coat of paint hides a multitude of sin. I guess you could add Bondo to that.
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Thanks guys! I'm hoping to get all the panels mocked by this weekend. Will be nice to not see the ground through the floor plans...
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Rich, hopefully we can meet up sometime this year at the Richmond Cars and Coffee. Hopefully I have my Nomad there too!
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Rich, hopefully we can meet up sometime this year at the Richmond Cars and Coffee. Hopefully I have my Nomad there too!
Sounds like a plan!
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Working on this house causes me to get behind on some of the threads here, like the projects threads. Once again, your talent amazes me!
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All the work over the last several weeks getting the rear brace cut out and replaced has led up to the fitment stage which I have been looking forward to for so long. I've seen many shops these days use sheet metal screws instead of clecos, so I decided that I'd give them a shot. I started off by getting the driver's side wheel well in place, and the rear floor section. I made sure to offset the rear floor body mounts to the passenger side to copy the rest of the body mounts. With the new body mounts installed, (Thanks Zanie) and shifted all the way over to the passenger side, the wheel well lined up perfectly. So I got out a box of screws and went to town zipping them in every few inches, and it worked so nicely. Pulls the metal up tight to the body and will only leave a small hole when I remove them. I still have a bunch of metal that needs to be trimmed off this panel, but I'm very pleased with how it is fitting. There are also a few spots that are pitted badly that I'll need to cut out, but I'll do that after the majority of the panel is welded in.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52759845365_32c883a083_b.jpg)
Next, I was able to get out the new cargo panel and do a real test fit. I was super excited because it dropped right in place which tells me that I'm right on the money! Always nice when a plan comes together. I found out that again, the 9 passenger wagon cargo panel is just a little bit different. It didn't have two little dips in the brace for the gas tank, so it's not going to work without some modifications, so I'll leave that for another day. Threw in the crusty one just to get everything mocked up.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52759845260_b427016112_b.jpg)
Next I pulled out the passenger side wheel well, and got it trimmed up for installation. I copied what I did on the driver's side to make things easy. Once that rear upper section was cut out, I had to trim the back slightly and it went right in. Held it in place with sheet metal screws and it really almost fell into place. Very happy with how everything is fitting up. Not sure if it's because they are original parts, or what but I'm not complaining. All the work to get them cut out and trimmed up has really paid off.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52759845265_1670861910_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52759927398_95616bb141_b.jpg)
The daylight showing from the underside is quickly shrinking! The passenger side wheel well piece will need to be fabricated as it was cut out before I got the panel. I bought a shrinker/stretcher kit from harbor freight so I should be able to knock those out pretty quickly. What's most important to me is how nicely the wheel wells are fitting up to the outer wheel wells, inner structures, cargo area and rear floor pans. Now that it's all fit up I can leave the panels in place and build all my patch panels now that I know it all fits so nicely.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52758899012_b34db1b4f4_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52759845090_849ca3d82f_b.jpg)
And here's the shot I've been waiting so long to see. It's really coming together nicely, but now that 80/20 rule kicks in. All the little details, patch panels and etc are what is going to take up the majority of the time before I can final weld them in. Hoping that I can put in a few minutes here and there over the next several weeks and get it all welded together.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52759443106_0559517fbf_b.jpg)
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Looking good Ryan! I have always used sheet screws but I placed an order for cleco the other day. I thought I would try them out as it doesn't distort the metal. I don't know, maybe I'll go back to screws but I thought I would try them as I see a bunch of guy using them.
Anyway, glad you are moving forward and making progress with your ride!
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Being a carpenter that has spent more than my share of time screwing together metal framing, screws are all I have used when doing patch work. After they're out, a quick hit with the mig and they disappear.
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I wasn't able to get anything done last weekend as my parents came down to visit from NY. I was able to get a little done through the week last week and this past weekend. The biggest thing was getting the car cleaned up and cleaned out in the interior to start work on welding in the panels. I had been sweeping all the dust, rust and little pieces of metal and body filler into a pile under the car. I was pretty shocked when I saw how large that pile was. About 3' in diameter!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52790989909_e528272de2_b.jpg)
I got the car centered up and up on my tried and true wheel stands. I built these over 10 years ago when I was building my first car and have kept them around as they come in handy.
After I bought the Boyd Coddington wheels, I had been going back and forth with them because they were going to need a lot of elbow grease to bring the shine back, needs 4 new tires and the fronts may or may not be able to fit the C5 front brakes. But I bought one of those powerball polishers and wanted to give it a go. It turned out decent for just a little polishing with a red scuff pad and about 10 minutes with a powerball. There were some stubborn "dots" that weren't coming out so I'm not sure exactly what do with that situation.
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Well this morning on my way to drop off my son to a spring break camp, I saw a set of what looked like enlarged rally wheels on the side of the road. I turned around and they were Vision 55 wheels in 17x8" and 18x8.5" with good tires. I called the guy and couldn't believe when he said $400 for the set. I couldn't get to the ATM and back quick enough. When I got home I confirmed that not only will the C6 base brakes fit, but the Z51 brakes should also work with a small spacer or grinding on the caliper. I really love the way that they look and are very period correct. They were off of a truck, so they have 27" tires which work perfectly in my wheel wells. Couldn't be happier as these were a set of wheels that I had originally considered if I couldn't find any used.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52790989569_e7f5d74c39_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52790199197_df93fe98ce_b.jpg)
Love the way they fill out the wheel wells, just needs to be lowered slightly in the front and rear.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52790989484_ff66bf3f63_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52791146835_4eb3dffee9_b.jpg)
I have also been considering my options for gauges, and I'm going to attempt to retrofit this 99 Buick LeSabre speedometer into my stock dash cluster. The sweep is very close the 55-56, and it should have the same 4k PPM signal that I'd need from the transmission. I tore it apart and am trying to figure out how to get it all to work together.
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Once my younger son woke up from nap, I was able to get the jig saw and grinder out so that I can start butt welding the rear floor pan section to the existing floor pan. It took a while to get the rhythm, but once I did, it started going pretty quickly. Had to stop for for Sunday dinner, but I'll hopefully get to plug away at it a few minutes here and there throughout the week. There are a few spots that have deeper pits, so the plan is to get the panel tacked in along the entire perimeter, then go back and cut out the bad spots and replace with good solid metal. That hopefully reduces the amount that the panel is distorted.
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Another thing that is very common with Nomad's is that the rear lift gate can become distorted and twisted over time due to the torsion rods that help assist with lifting it. Mine is twisted, but not nearly as bad as some that I've seen online. So the best thing that can be done at this point is to remove the rods. I talked with the owner of Mad Mooks who is one of the few go to guys for repairing the liftgates, and he suggested just cutting out the rods. They are such problem that they aren't really worth anything, so that's what I did. I noticed that for some reason I wasn't able to lift the gate up past about level with the roof, but it should lift much higher. Well it was the rods that were holding it back.
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Now it lifts all the way up! They make gas struts, but the liftgate really isn't that heavy so I'm not going to worry about it.
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Cheers,
Ryan
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You are certainly an ambitious man. Nice find on the "Rally Wheels". Not that my opinion counts for anything, but I like they look much better.
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Slow and steady I'm making progress. I was able to get the rest of the rear floor section butt welded together.
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I ground down the spot welds then used a body hammer and dolly to level out the two panels to make for a flatter butt weld. Then I sprayed some black paint down because I was sick of looking at that rusty piece. I was able to get it fully welded and ready to install some patch panels.
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I started to mock up the repair for the side of the floor that was cut off, but I realized that before I could build that piece I needed to repair the wheel well and inner structure prepped for welding. I used the original intact lower section as a template for the new piece.
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Then the upper panel. Rinse and repeat.
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Before I pulled off the mocked up wheel well, I marked it for the rusted inner section that I needed to cut out. I then cut out the section, drilled spot welds and then used my dolly and hammer to straighten out the flange.
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I cleaned up this section and it's solid right above that rusty lower section and I've got a good upper piece that will give a clean solid repair for. Was glad that there wasn't anything crazy with this panel other than someone spread a layer of body filler over the tar undercoating
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I put the wheel well back on as a test fit and I'm very pleased with how it's all lining up. Just needs a little trimming and it will make a very clean repair.
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Then another bad/good news situation. As I was grinding the inner structure to prep it for welding, I found some other bad repairs with body filler... I cut it all out and bought new panels to replace. The good news is that was the last of the bad repairs and it was all solid clean metal around it. I couldn't really go any further though since I have to wait for those panels to come in. I also ordered a new front wheel house section as these were in pretty bad shape as well.
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I sold the motor and transmission to my friend Kerry a while back, but I held onto it for a while until we could arrange to meet up. I just left it installed in the car since it was pretty happy there and took up less floor space that way. Well I'm meeting him at Spring Carlisle next Saturday and that meant that I needed to get it out of the car. Really wasn't too bad as there wasn't that much holding it in the car. Just a few wires, hoses and bolts. I only had to remove the core support and radiator and then it cleared the grill. I forget how much iron block/head engines are! I'm definitely going to need to get new coils and/or cut a coil out to lower the front with the all aluminum engine going back in.
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My new panels should be in today so I'm hoping to get them test fit and get them installed this week. I'd much rather be doing electrical or mechanical work over the body work. But thankfully it's just floor pan work and not exterior body work where I need to sand and prep panels. Things should go much quicker when I can just spot weld rather than butt welding.
Cheers,
Ryan
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A wagon is a ride with utility, a great way to go! You have already accomplished a lot on the patching (and measuring). Just getting that rear gate back in was a real milestone.
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Well after I was left with this large hole, I needed to find a way to fill it. I had started to make my own replacement panel, but I didn't have a proper metal brake so the panels turned out so so. Got to looking online and a guy actually makes a piece and sells them on trifive.com and eBay. So I grabbed two and they were just what I needed and they fit perfectly. Plus it came with the curved piece for the door jamb that would have been very difficult for me to create from scratch.
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I got it all mocked up and the inner panel trimmed up on the car.
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The panel was short by about 4.5" so I got a new piece and roughly cut it to fit, then installed it, used a sharpie to trace the hole outline, and then trimmed the panel to fit the contours.
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Got the piece welded together and extended. Here's the last test fit before final welding.
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That's as far as I got building the panel last week. I always try to go to the Spring Carlisle event as a kick off for spring. Great show and I love checking out the swap meet. I can usually pick up a bunch of good parts.
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I had been communicating with a vendor Jay Hammond who has a huge supply of tri five parts. What caught my eye was a complete set of 1955 Nomad door panels he had with ALL trim including the 6 1955 only waffle pieces! The door panels were also in very good condition for being originals. I've got a plan for those as they do need to be reinforced and some TLC before they can be installed. More on that later.
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Here's a close up of the waffle panel. It's a really cool pattern that is unique 1955 Nomad's only. Pretty happy to get my hands on a really good condition set of originals. They will polish up really nicely.
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I also found that the 50's tech that they used was very fascinating. It's literally a nail spot welded to the trim!
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I also found two pairs of coil packs for $30 bucks! Not sure which set I'm going to use, but I'm leaning towards the heat sync pair. The other set didn't come with the coil bracket, but are LS1 style.
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Not sure what it came off of, but I also found this nice looking transmission cooler. It's made by Long and it appears to be really nice quality. I think that should be good enough to cool the 4l80e. I'll flush it before I use it to make sure that it's not full of junk.
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Last thing I found was an electric wiper motor. For those that aren't aware, most tri five's came with vacuum powered wiper motors. The guy I bought the motor from wasn't sure if it worked, but when I got it home and bench tested it, it turned right on and operated very quiet and smooth. Very happy about that.
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I had a great time and talked to a lot of great tri five vendors. I learned a lot about the differences between the years and how so many of the parts have very small variances between years. I'm hoping to get the lower patch panel welded together this week and get the wheel wells buttoned up soon.
Cheers,
Ryan
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I was able to get the inner panel patched up and a final weld done. I still need to knock down the welds then coat the entire inside of the panel. Now that this panel is welded in, I can get the rear floor pan patch panel made and welded in. I had my wire feed up a little to high on the spot welds, but they are all solid with penetration.
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Then I turned my attention to the driver's side, with a very similar bad repair. It was the same style where they crudely threw a panel over the existing rust. You can see through that access hole where the panel was put over the original metal. No prep or seam sealer was used so the rust was left to thrive. Glad I caught it when I did. That inside panel went up to the red line...
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For some reason when the floor was installed, they cut the rear flange off where it meets the lower pillar section. So I'm re-creating this panel so I have something to spot weld to. Needed to seek the help from a professional for this one though.
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Once I get these panels welded I'll resume my work on the wheel wells and rear floor sections. I can't wait for the metal work to be over...
Seems to be a common theme here, but I have a really exciting parts update! I had been searching all around with vendors and even used, but came across a few Terminator X Max kits for sale at Summit. I wasn't sure if it was true or not, but they showed 4 550-933 in stock, so I bought one. Was very surprised when this showed up a few days later!! It was everything I needed other than the wrong injectors for me, but I had a buddy who had an EV6 set and we were able to swap, so it was a win win for both of us.
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Then I was on FB marketplace and found a guy locally who was parting out a wrecked 2011 CTS-V. He still had the fuel pump assembly and got that for a really good price! Only had 66k miles on it.
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I also was able to find a good used set of C5 Brake calipers with mounting brackets. They aren't in the best shape, but are good enough for what I need. I know the calipers are the same, but they are off of a real Z06, so they are factory powder coated red. I got a rebuild kit for them, Kore3 brackets, EBC Red pads, and will be ordering a new pair of rotors soon. I also picked up a pair of 66 Impala brake hubs which will give me a tapered roller bearing upgrade for my factory spindle. I'll need to turn the diameter down to work with the C5 rotors, but otherwise it's a very budget friendly big brake upgrade. Should work nicely with my Tesla Model S brake booster assembly too.
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Hopefully I'll knock out some more metal work in the next few days. Only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time...
Cheers,
Ryan
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Ryan, I can’t imagine taking on a project of this magnitude. Certainly your sheet metal and fabrication skills are a plus. Also it seems you are really good at finding parts for this Nomad, I don’t know how you find this stuff. Great that your little guy is helping you out.
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Ryan, It may have been said here before, but I like how you take an 'old school' hot rodding approach to building this and even the previous Camaro. Your way of finding parts through swap meets, fb and word of mouth. Getting good deals on the stuff you find etc. Doing the research to find what is compatible with what. You truly have a gift when it comes to building a car. I believe you could run a successful shop with you being the brains and having a couple of guys putting stuff together.
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Ryan, I can’t imagine taking on a project of this magnitude. Certainly your sheet metal and fabrication skills are a plus. Also it seems you are really good at finding parts for this Nomad, I don’t know how you find this stuff. Great that your little guy is helping you out.
Thank you, that means a lot. I've been doing it a long time and I've always been around people doing metal work like my Dad. I spend more hours looking for parts and researching than I do working on the car. I also find myself thinking about how I'll build whatever the next task I need to do in my mind. I'll do that probably a dozen times before I actually get the tools out. I think I have a problem haha :shock:
Ryan, It may have been said here before, but I like how you take an 'old school' hot rodding approach to building this and even the previous Camaro. Your way of finding parts through swap meets, fb and word of mouth. Getting good deals on the stuff you find etc. Doing the research to find what is compatible with what. You truly have a gift when it comes to building a car. I believe you could run a successful shop with you being the brains and having a couple of guys putting stuff together.
Thanks Kerry, I'm so glad that you recognize the theme that I'm generally going for. With all the parts that you can buy out there online, it's so easy to just add parts to the cart and buy them. But I'm constantly on a budget, and not in a position that where I can whip out my wallet so I'm constantly on the hunt for good deals. And many times it's to my own detriment because I'll almost always find good deals when I'm looking... I love going to swap meets and junk yards to hunt down the parts that I need. I also love finding something that is underpriced and getting a deal.
I'd be lying if I didn't think about starting my own business to build cars, but I'm not at a point where I could make an honest go at it. Once I get my Nomad running/driving, I'm going to keep an eye out for a cheaper car that I can buy, fix and sell as a test. If I can get good at it, I may try and churn out cars as a side hustle. If it gets successful, I may go all in. Although ChatGPT says that hot rods will be banned in 2045, so maybe that's a bad idea haha :?
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You will be great at flipping rides if you go for it. You have great skills financially, mechanically and you’re motivated.
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Here's another tedious and boring metal working update. I continued on adding a flange to the rear floor plan section for whatever strange reason the previous person working on the car cut off. I got it trimmed down and fit up so that I could spot weld the new lower panel to it.
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As I was test fitting the panel, I noticed something off about the rocker panel and as I hit it with the wire wheel I found another bad repair covered with body filler. That rusty piece was tack welded into place with no prep (weld through primer) and then smoothed over with body filler. Prime spot for rust to thrive...
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Whipped up this cardboard template pretty quickly and then transferred it to steel. Lots of bending, trimming and tweaking before it fit really nice.
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Before I welded it in, the back of the panel was coated in weld through primer. Carefully tacked it all in and tapped it back into place as I was going.
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Then I decided it would be a good idea to get the flange and lower panel mocked up before I final welded the panel in place. It's always a good idea to do that so that you aren't surprised later on with bad news if it doesn't fit. It only took about 5 extra minutes, but could have saved me hours later down the road. I also coated both sides of the flange piece with the weld through primer.
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Once it all fit together really nicely, I burned it all in and hit it with a flap disk. Once I'm done welding I'm going to go back through and coat the back sides of where I welded the panels with some oil based brush on paint. Where the rocker panel meets the panel I repaired will be addressed at another time. It's not perfect, but way better than before.
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Now, I can get back to the repair on the lower interior panel. I used my wire wheel to clean off all of the body filler that was left over so that I could make good clean welds on the new panels. I got busy welding and working along and didn't get any pictures of the progress. I discovered that there weren't as many spot welds as I would like on the braces under the floor pans as well as some undesirable gaps so I worked on locating them from the underside with self tapping screws, then drilling some holes in the sheet metal from the top.
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Now that the lower interior panel is repaired, I could get a good and true mock up of the panels. Everything is fitting together really well. Now I need to make some patches on the inner wheel wells and a small patch on the rear floor pan section that is missing.
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Then I needed to remove the section all the way up to the window channel. The flange is pretty solid, but unfortunately I did find some rust that was through on the outer section of the window channel. I'll have to remove the rear windows to fix that panel.
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Next task at hand was figuring out what to do about this little pass through panel that also acts as a brace for the outer front wheel house. That is what attaches the upper window channel to the outer wheel house. Mine were in pretty bad shape, and with some brand new front outer wheel houses, I wasn't going to re-use those crusty pieces. They are not reproduced, so I'm left to fabricate them.
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Not too bad for some hand tools and cardboard.
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Next up was getting the outer wheel houses prepped for installation. I got the ends sprayed with weld through primer, and the middle section sprayed with an etching primer.
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That was as far as I got on Saturday. Some more parts came in and then I'll be able to start actually installing some of these panels!
First up was getting the outer wheel well seals. They need to be glued onto the outer wheel houses, and then can be installed once dried.
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I also received my 61-68 full sized drum hubs which is an upgrade for earlier cars to a tapered roller bearing. These will be used for when I upgrade to my big front brakes. They need to be turned down to accept the C5 rotors, and install new bearings/longer wheel studs.
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Also my buddy Ian helped me out big time and had an EV6 injector harness that he traded me for the EV1 harness that came with my Terminator X Max kit. After talking with him, he also had a Vaporworx fuel pump ring! Thanks again man.
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Lastly, I found a guy selling a brand new Holley Transmission harness a big discount since he wasn't able to use it. That is the last piece that I needed for my wiring, so I should be all good to go when it comes to that point.
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I need to keep my head down now and get some work done on cargo area of my car and let my wallet cool down. I should have all of the sheet metal I need now, so I just need to keep plugging away whenever I have a few minutes to do something. Really motivated to get this car back together.
Cheers,
Ryan (https://www.flickr.com/gp/98271343@N03/5B5X3782iQ)
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I can't argue that it looks like a lot of tedious hard work. I have to believe you are getting satisfaction out of transforming rust holes into solid Sheetmetal. I'm impressed!
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Do you have a shrinker/stretcher for the metal. If not you may want to look into one. I almost bought one when I was doing the 77 and after spending way too much time fabbing stuff wish that I had. I plan on getting one when the next project starts as I believe I will have a bit of metal work to do, LOL. Mine makes your car look like a rust free car from the desert :shock: A small break will be nice as well. I have a large one for doing house aluminum which is rarely done now, but its not built for sheet steel.
I enjoy doing the metal work, taking a rusty hole and patching back to new, but after awhile like you know all too well, enough is enough.
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I think what has frustrated me most on this car is the amount of repairs that were covered up with body filler. When I thought I had found it all, I run into other poor repairs. I think that I've found all of the repairs that have been covered up at this point, so I know in my mind the total amount left to do. That timeline kept getting pushed out and then I had to re-strategize. I like to have parts in advance of when I need them, so when I find a bad outer wheel house for example, it takes time to research the best price and get it shipped to me.
Kerry, I do have a shrinker/stretcher but haven't found a need to open them up yet. I could have used them for the pass through panels that I made, but didn't feel like getting them out haha.
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Great work Ryan! I finally made a stand for my shrinker/stretcher and converted them to foot operation. I also just purchased an English wheel and I'm currently on the hunt for a bead roller. I figured since there are not many reproduction panels for my 49 truck I'll have to make a bunch. I've always been really good with sheet metal and fabbing pieces like you did by hand but having the right tools should speed things up.
Anyways, it's nice to see a great update on your car. Thanks for posting!
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I wanted to see how the pass through panels that I made fit with the outer wheel houses, and I'm happy that they were 95% great. The hole that I used was a tad higher than it should have been so I need to open up the bottom of the hole and it will not contact the cable at all. It held the front outer wheel house exactly where it needed to be so that is fantastic. I need to scrape off that under coating from the inner wheel house...
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Glad those parts are fitting right. I need to replace the old seals with the new ones, and then I can do a final mock up before welding.
Next up was something I had been dreading... removing the driver's side window's to repair the rusty window channel. The good news is that most of the screws came right out and only fought with two stubborn screws.
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I could have just forgot that I saw these large rust holes, but I couldn't let it go.
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The outer window trim requires that you remove the windows before you can remove the trim. Most of the screws came out easy with some PB Blaster and my impact drill, but the last two were too rusty. I was trying to drill the head of the one screw to just remove the trim then worry about the screw later, then my bit broke...
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I was mad at first, but then realized that 1) it builds character/patina, and 2) the paint job is a solid 15 footer so it's not that big of a deal. I walked away and then came back and decided to try the old weld a nut to the top trick and I won with no damage to the trim.
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Once the trim was off I realized that the trim has never been off of the car since it was new! It was a little more crusty than I would have liked, but I'll treat the rust with something before the trim goes back on. It was also really cool to see the original paint for the car. My trim tag is missing so I didn't know for sure what the color was, but now I'm confident it was Ivory top, but not sure what shade of green that is. I think there were three that year.
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Here's the bad spot.
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I cut it out right at the corner so that I could retain as much of the original metal as I could and keep some of the intricate shapes in the metal.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916710081_68d3e3c230_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916710031_b2804c3b52_b.jpg)
A metal brake would come in really handy during this stage, but instead I'm working with what I have. A 1/2" plate of steel, vice grips, and a hammer. Turned out pretty good and I got the width of the channel spot on. Mocked it up several times to get the angles right and the fitment spot on.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916859789_1a2df8fede_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916859734_9deb342cb7_b.jpg)
I bought this really cool tool for filling in spot weld holes that worked great for a few of those large pits. Highly recommend this tool, it worked great.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916710041_b731bf6158_b.jpg)
I installed the inner wheel well for the first bit of welding so that I knew that it was in the right position and no surprises later. Ground with a flap disk and I was very pleased with that repair.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916859689_74fd642fc1_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916859639_54533ccbdd_b.jpg)
Next up was a repairing this flange. There was a small triangular section missing from the flange. Quick little patch and it was good as new and hit it with some weld through primer.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52917094030_dbb20336cd_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916859489_6881aa2273_b.jpg)
Next was making an upper and lower patch for the wheel inner well. I used the new floor pan flange as a template for where the lower inner wheel well patch needed to be. Got busy working and didn't take pictures, but here's the final product.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916859619_8fda419675_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916123512_2318531a5c_b.jpg)
I didn't get a picture of it, but I found the last piece of new metal that I needed to buy which was the gas tank brace. I found someone selling on eBay for almost $80 off, which was perfect timing for me. I also found a guy selling a Gen 6 cooling fan off of a 2017 SS Camaro for really cheap on a FB group. These fans are bad to the bone, 19" SPAL fan with an 850 Watt motor that is controlled by PWM. I think I saw somewhere that they are rated around 4k cfm. Best part is they are nearly a direct fit on a stock tri-five radiator support!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52917165738_7438b04572_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916123617_822d806bd7_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52916709656_263f854122_b.jpg)
Now that my window channel, floor pan flange and inner wheel house are both repaired, they are ready to install for good. I just need to drill some holes for spot welds, spray weld through primer and final weld the panels. Very exciting to get to this stage. I think once I get the driver's side wheel well all welded and back together, I may pull off the passenger's side windows and trim to treat that side as well. I'm this far I might as well. Plus I won't have to worry about hurting the windows with weld spatter.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Amazing work Ryan! A 4000 cfm fan with PWM controller is a great find and gives options for the engine locate.
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I've said it before, but it is worth repeating- your fab skills are outstanding!
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Thanks guys! I'm telling myself to push through the metal work so that I can get to the work that I find more fun; Mechanical, electrical and plumbing! :lol:
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I enjoy that kind of metal work but it does seem to get tedious after a while. I wish you were closer, I could do the metal and body work while you concentrate on the drive train. Get yours done then could start on mine, LOL.
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Ryan, nice progress. Like others have said I am amazed at your ability and ambition!
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I enjoy that kind of metal work but it does seem to get tedious after a while. I wish you were closer, I could do the metal and body work while you concentrate on the drive train. Get yours done then could start on mine, LOL.
If you were closer Kerry, I'd totally take you up on that offer!
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Thanks 5th T/A! The comments help keep me motivated!
Here's the last piece that I needed to buy for my sheet metal adventures. It's the rear gas tank brace. I could have re-used the original one, but it would have been a shame to put an old rusty one in place with the new sheet metal.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938380823_1faf53c54d_b.jpg)
Coated the inside with weld through primer.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52937932881_8d6824a3bc_b.jpg)
Next job was to get the passenger side floor pan flange repaired so that I can attach it to the wheel well. I decided to make this in two pieces to save myself a bunch of time with the shrinker/stretcher. I started with a cardboard template to get the curvature right for the floor piece, then transferred it to sheet metal for a final fitment. Once I was happy with that fitment, I laid down some painters tape to get the right curvature for the flange piece.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938380678_a9663ff4ca_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938380593_69d2944e85_b.jpg)
Carefully pealed off the tape and transferred it to sheet metal. I always make my templates as accurate as I can, and cut my metal slightly larger to account for any variations.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52937932591_e791dcc829_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938324525_250094e0da_b.jpg)
Once I had my two pieces I got it all back together to start tacking it together for final welding. I would tack, trim, grind, and fit multiple times. I noticed at the top of the floor pan flange on the driver's side that there was a triangular indentation, so I did my best to replicate that.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938082554_beba45f787_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938324475_44830513ca_b.jpg)
I'm very happy with how the final piece turned out, and glad that it fits really nicely as well.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938082324_dc0b576478_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938082209_1e744cb6d6_b.jpg)
Driver's side wheel well is all ready for welding now. I also took one of the rear pieces that I had left over to see how the fitment was and looks like it will need a small filler panel, but otherwise fits very nice with the curve at the back.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938380143_4b7dc8540b_b.jpg)
Then my family and I decided to go up to NY to visit family, and brought some parts for my father-in-law to work on since he's been itching to work on my car ever since I got it. Figured it would be a great project to fit up the center cross brace and shock re-enforcement plates. Brought the weld through primer, and we got to work.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52937932011_2cd77de852_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52937931866_428f642247_b.jpg)
We got the whole family involved! My wife, brother in law, sister in law and father in law all got to try out some spot welds on the panels. We dialed in the welder before hand, and gave them all some pieces to practice on and they all did surprisingly well. Cool that we all have a part in it now.
My wife getting some instruction from her Dad. Yes, before the comments come those are OSHA approved Birkenstocks.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52937335582_44b7e2519a_b.jpg)
The final piece turned out really great with a tight fitment just like I wanted.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52937931731_22ca831956_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938379338_7d3c4d834d_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52937335392_f67a8b7108_b.jpg)
I was also able to borrow a tool from my grandpa that I didn't even realize that he had. I've been wanting a metal brake for a long time and this one is perfect as it bolts to the bench top and is 36" wide. I needed to build a zig zag piece for where the inner wheel well meets the tailgate opening. This was just the ticket, and worked great after several test pieces. They were actually much harder to make than they appear.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938379383_859ff769bb_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938082229_c533a00590_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938379943_c23fb6d45d_b.jpg)
It worked out great because my FIL got to use his new garage. He's just finalized everything on it and is on the hunt for a new project, so he got to use a lot of his new tools and I got a lot of progress done on my car. Everyone wins!
We were only there from Friday through Sunday, so when we got back yesterday when everyone was napping, I got my TIG welder all set up to try for the first time with all the right gas and equipment. I sharpened up my tungsten and had a full tank of 100% Argon. I tried a few spot welds at first to practice my initiations, then a few straight lines with no filler to get a feel for the torch. After I felt more comfortable, I started doing some straight lines with adding filler rod. Definitely a learning curve, but actually not as bad as I had made it out to be in my mind. Here's the best one that I was able to lay down this go around. It looks good to me other than the small divots? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938081414_60e537e368_b.jpg)
After I felt pretty confident with the coupons that I had, I attempted to go live action with my outer wheel house. I had a nice tight fit up and this run only took a small amount of filler at the end.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52937931376_111ea31ee0_b.jpg)
These were my settings. I watched several youtube videos on what people are running for settings and this was just what I came up with based on several that I watched. Again, feel free to critique.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52938691345_12dc753d7e_b.jpg)
Cheers,
Ryan
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Nice work. I havent tried TIG yet but would like to. Nice to get the family involved. Hoped the kids were able to see the big rock unloaded, LOL.
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That TIG weld is awesome. If you can do that, that is all you need. I too, would like to learn.
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Glad to see you picked up a TIG. I use mine all the time but I haven't for sheet metal yet. I just picked up an English wheel so I know I will need to start tig welding panels if I want to wheel them.
Weeds look great as does everything ho have done! Keep it up!
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Nice work. I havent tried TIG yet but would like to. Nice to get the family involved. Hoped the kids were able to see the big rock unloaded, LOL.
What's funny is they had zero interest haha. There was a crane truck at my inlaws unloading a 3/4 ton stone and they didn't care about it at all. They usually love seeing heavy machinery.
I really want to get my TIG skills dialed in. It's really cool having the adjustability to be able to weld with no fill while also being able to adjust amperage with your foot. I was able to go back over some caterpillar MIG welds that I did and flatten them out no fill with the TIG. Pretty cool machine.
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750 Deere with 36” pads, skid steer and an excavator all in my yard now. That enough heavy equipment for them lol?
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That's perfect Mike! My neighbor in NY was that way all the time. I swear he had every piece of equipment you could ever need.
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I feel like this weekend I made a huge step forward with the metal work. I've been working diligently this week and Sunday I was able to sit back and enjoy my work. Earlier in the week, I had a grinding session to finally knock down the welds on the inside and bottom side of the rear floor pans. I hate grinding on my back under a car... I've tried in the past to grind my butt welds flush with the panels, but for whatever reason I usually end up doing more harm than it's worth. So I just knocked them down because at the end of the day it's going to be covered in carpet. I spent more time on the bottom side since that will be more likely to be seen.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969420883_9a859738ee_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969420853_bfe1d5eda6_b.jpg)
All patched up and ready to move onto the next step. I'm leaving that for now as I want to coat it with POR15.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969340690_bfe59b51e7_b.jpg)
The wheel well is now mocked up for a final time and all surfaces have been sprayed with weld through primer. It was time to figure out the rear patchwork that is needed to modify a wagon wheel tub to fit a Nomad. Unfortunately the Nomad wheel tubs are not reproduced, so it's necessary to modify a wagon wheel tub to fit. I bought these a while ago, but the rear side panels that fit on either side of the spare tire well needed to be fit up. What I did was put a straight edge on them off of the car and marked where they were straight so that I could have a nice straight wheel tub.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969340555_38dcf305e4_b.jpg)
I had to notch the panels on the end so that they sat on top of the rear brace.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969340620_0fa363ab78_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52968969091_848d75bdfb_b.jpg)
Now that those panels are where they need to be, I can build off of that plane. I know that the wheel wells will be covered with something eventually, but it was important to me to get them as good as I could. Now I can test if the panels I made in the metal brake.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52968368012_f7e34fe08a_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52968368017_469fb112ea_b.jpg)
Next was getting an initial piece cut and mocked up to fill the hole.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969340380_cc4eb89bdf_b.jpg)
Trimmed everything down closer and tighter to where they need to be.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969420568_35d53fe939_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969340355_9c88939e1b_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52968968781_ab7febe1bb_b.jpg)
There wasn't much to take pictures of, but it took a lot of time fitting and playing with the panels so that they were level, straight and fit on the same plane. My spot welds would sometimes shrink the metal too much and I had to cut and repeat the process. I was happy with the fitment and decided to finally spot weld the wheel well into the body. I still need to remove the cargo panel, drill spot weld holes and spray with weld through primer, so I stopped welding at the rear floor pan.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52968968786_3bce3e1cd6_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969106049_fb68e67267_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969420323_978f7073cb_b.jpg)
Now it's really starting to look like something. I slowly worked my way around the panels to keep the heat down and make sure that the panels weren't moving when I was welding. If they move off of the same plane from one another it will be very obvious. Once I worked my way around, I ground the welds down a little so that I could see the panel better and get a feel for the shape.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969420313_f03f137af8_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969105944_b2906520a7_b.jpg)
Again, I skipped around didn't get any picture of the in between process, but I worked my way around and filled the gaps in. Kept my heat spaced out and kept feeling the panel with my bare hands. Even doing this, the panel moved around, but I kept experimenting as I was going. I would get a little tin canning, and would try to add more heat to the side that looked like it needed to be shrunk. I was surprised that it worked to significantly reduced the tin canning it had at one point. Also kept my grinding wheel moving. I used a 36 grit flap disk for the first pass and stayed moving. I read an article that sometimes it's actually the grinding after the welding that can cause the panels to warp. Then I swapped to a 120 grit flap disk and tried to smooth off the panel without taking off too much of the original panels and thinning them out. I coated all the bare metal in an etch primer followed by a few coats of satin black. I'm very pleased with how it all turned out, although the satin is more glossy than I was hoping for. May hit it with a flat black.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52968968516_fed2f83c31_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52969339945_e7bd10337c_b.jpg)
This took way longer than I had initially thought, due to some surprise previous repairs that needed to be redone, but I'm happy with the results. I'm hoping that the second side is going to go much faster since it is in better shape than the driver's side. Once I'm done with the inner wheel wells, I'm moving towards installing the outer wheel wells.
Cheers,
Ryan
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That is coming together nicely. Truthfully, we expect no less from you; and you didn't disappoint us in the least.
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I don't know what else to say, I am impressed. This Nomad was fortunate to fall into your hands.
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Thanks guys! I'm highly motivated to get the metal work done on this car.
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Looking really good Ryan! I enjoy metal work and you're doing a fantastic job. Not much I could suggest that would make it better. You're going to have a solid ride when done to sell..... :D Just kidding (because he always sells his awesome creations).
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Looking really good Ryan! I enjoy metal work and you're doing a fantastic job. Not much I could suggest that would make it better. You're going to have a solid ride when done to sell..... :D Just kidding (because he always sells his awesome creations).
Haha, that's not that far off Luke.
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After a huge push to get that driver's side wheel well in place. I've been slowly just planning my next step to make sure that I'm not missing anything I'll regret after welding up the panels. Before I welded in the outer wheel house panels, I wanted to make sure that I prepped all the inner structure panels while I had access to them. I also wanted to get the metal under the trim treated to hopefully prevent the panels from getting any worse. I used an oil based paint that is similar to POR-15, but I think was made by Rustoleum.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52987937567_ab27b86fa9_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52988537716_c3225506b4_b.jpg)
Now that this channel is repaired and prepped, I can work on reinstalling the glass and trim. I left that piece turquoise to remember the original color since the trim tag is missing on this car.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52988537731_146242cdfe_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52988677534_9a08b43563_b.jpg)
Next was prepping the original outer wheel houses. They required a few patches and adding on the Nomad lower panels. They were ready for me to install new seals which I chose to both glue and rivet. While not original, they worked really well and should seal very nicely to the quarter panels. The rear outer wheel house is shown, but I added a seal for the front outer as well.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52987937642_1200ea5394_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52988537821_60ef8e94e2_b.jpg)
One last test fit before I do a final weld up. Very happy with the fitment, and it will sit nice and flush with the front outer as well. Now I can pull them both, paint the top sides and final weld them in.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52988537791_26e00d7e83_b.jpg)
I'm not sure what this piece is called, but it's got a rubber bumper that stops the rear sliding glass. I re-created this little bracket and will get this installed after I get the window felts back in place. Original was in terrible condition, but I was able to get a good trace of it before it broke in half.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52988993093_d0d21e7919_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52988907050_bb94dc58ca_b.jpg)
I started preparing the passenger side wheel house for installation. I got it all of the old under coating off of it, but still need to drill all my spot weld holes and grind down the flange where I'll need to weld on the body smooth. Hopefully I'll make a bunch more progress on that this week. Once I get both wheel wells installed, I can test fit my rear folding seat. I can't wait for that because I think that is one of the coolest parts of these old wagons.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Really happy with the progress that I've made over the last few weeks. My big push really paid off. I left off with doing a last final test fit of the inner wheel house. I've had it on and off quite a few times, so I knew it was ready to go, but this time it was all prepped with weld through primer.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53020697292_08e5f2445e_b.jpg)
Then I started to mock up the other pieces that needed to be trimmed and fit up to complete the patches. The first picture shows the difference between the angles of the Nomad vs all other wagons. The wheel wells are unique and need to be modified since no one makes reproduction pieces.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53020697282_9788f55781_b.jpg)
Once I was happy with the initial trial fitment, I just started trimming the pieces to get them to come together the way I wanted. I kept a close eye on the driver's side to be sure they matched. Since I was splicing pieces the top piece wanted to dip down, so I kept my straight edge and made sure it was straight and level across the top.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53021666520_54388a02e0_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53021666470_2b304b0b63_b.jpg)
The fitment is really good at this point with all of the panels. I have been holding off on welding in the center cargo panel until I got the passenger side all mocked up. It was time now to work my way down and start filling in the spot welds.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53021763468_ba3877ed3b_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53021442689_acb035ec8e_b.jpg)
Once the cargo panel was done, I moved onto the wheel well.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53021763343_62ff0f1c3a_b.jpg)
I skipped a lot of steps here, but over 3-4 days I worked my way around and welded in the upper patch panel. It was a little more tricky than the driver's side, but nothing too crazy. But I forgot to take any pictures during that time, so here's the finished wheel well. The repairs are very visible, but that was done on purpose because they are going to be covered, so I didn't take the time to make it perfectly smooth.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53021279206_167a8b8377_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53021442579_2381ba2334_b.jpg)
So stoked to be to this point now. Lots more work than I had originally anticipated, but I'm very pleased with the results.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53021666245_58803ef9c0_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53021279126_f688d27a5f_b.jpg)
After I finished up that wheel well I decided to pull out my engine and start looking at that. I've been telling myself that I had to wait to do anything other than sheet metal work until I was done. Well I'm pretty much done now with the rear of the car now, so I'm going to get things ready. I got the boys out early and they helped me power wash the 6.0 block after I got it stripped down to the bare block.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024734355_33ec7ee2d4_b.jpg)
It cleaned up really nicely and all the bearings looked great.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024831253_fb3a5cbf81_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024831143_8da4e5977c_b.jpg)
Then yesterday I got curious what the spare tire well would look like. It needs a little repair where the spot welds were drilled out, but I sprayed it black and set it in place. I've been going back and forth on what to do with that area. Delete the spare tire and run a larger fuel tank, or run a wagon tank and keep the spare. Now that I see it in place, I'm confident that I want to keep the spare tire and modify the wagon tank for an in-tank pump.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024343311_b8a6eaf224_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024831118_afb167618b_b.jpg)
I'm hoping that things will start to move a little quicker now that all of the heavy fabrication work is done. I still need to install the outer wheel houses on both sides, but they will move quickly since they are just spot welded in place. I'm also going to start plugging away at things like brakes and components to mock up the engine/transmission.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Ryan, did you have any idea how involved this project would be? I can’t comprehend such an undertaking. Looks fantastic and I am glad you decided to keep the spare tire well.
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I like the speed of your progress. Spare tire well is a great place for a sub or amplifier. :-D
Ah going 6.0.... I can't remember, you putting boost on it or just efi?
Great progress as usual man. I just don't have time in the summer to work on much. We take off to the lake every weekend so once fall hits hopefully I can get back on the 49 F1 or maybe finally paint my front flares and spoiler and get them on...
Nice update!
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Ryan, did you have any idea how involved this project would be? I can’t comprehend such an undertaking. Looks fantastic and I am glad you decided to keep the spare tire well.
I knew that there was going to be a lot of work to swap the pro-street wheel tubs back to stock, but what I didn't anticipate is the amount of rust and bad repairs that were deliberately covered up. :?
I appreciate the compliments!
Luke, I'm just super motivated to get this car back on the road. I've tried to forget about my Camaro and just stay focused on my Nomad. I really miss driving an old car around to shows and now that we're down south there are so many more opportunities to get them out. Hoping that by late summer I'll have the car running/driving again. I've already got my license plates and insurance so it's just an inspection away from being road legal.
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Doing it like a pro. Can’t wait to see the build finish.
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Thanks man!
Didn't make a whole lot of progress this weekend, but moving forward none the less. I'd been on the fence about building the LS2 block, but at the end of the day I really wanted an aluminum gen4 5.3 engine. So I posted it for a few days on FB marketplace that I wanted to trade the bare block for a LC9 or similar. Some guy messaged me and said that he had a good shortblock that he pulled out of his car to go with a forged 5.7 and kept this as a spare. He sent me a video of it running and he wanted to go with something larger than the 5.7, so we swapped. Very happy with the trade. I am planning to add a turbo at some point so I'll pull the pistons and gap the rings. Probably .024/.026, and then reassemble. I kept the 6.0 rotating assembly, so if I find a good deal on an iron block, I always have the option to put together a forged piston short block. For now I'm just going to push it in the corner and get back to finishing the metal work.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53036335820_e6b06d15f9_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53035944156_ff99b895cf_b.jpg)
Here's the finished window bracket. I think the only function this serves is a stop for the sliding side window. The original one was completely rusted, so I remade this one.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53035362617_dbb6036c39_b.jpg)
I installed the new outer seals on the outer wheel houses and now that they are cured, I wanted to get them installed. I wasn't able to finish, but the driver's side is now mocked up and ready to weld. The passenger side rear outer wheel house still needs to have the seal installed, but should be able to get to that this week.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53035943866_d77fd02daf_b.jpg)
I got a little sidetracked by a treasure I found. I was cruising FB Marketplace and found where a guy was moving and had some stuff out by the curb for free. It was some sort of home brew setup that he had lost interest in and needed to get rid of it. I saw it and immediately thought that would work perfectly for the new welding cart that I have been wanting to build. I went to go check it out and grabbed it. It's made of a heavy square tubing and the dimensions are spot on for what I need. I'm going to modify the bars to shorten it, but I'll have more than enough materials to make exactly what I want. I removed all the brew stuff and I'm hoping to make a buck on it.
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I started by adding some casters on the front to get it mobile, since it was never meant to move when brewing.
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That's as far as I got, but the plan is to make a holder for two tanks at the rear, middle will have some TIG Filler rod holders, tool box somewhere on the bottom and then a platform on the top for holding the welder. I'll add some hooks and clips for my helmet, hoses and cables. Very excited to get rid of the cheapy Harbor Freight unit that is very top heavy.
Hoping to get all of the welding done soon on the body and then I'll be able to re-install the side windows and trim.
Thanks,
Ryan
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It doesn't look like it in the pictures, but this weekend I took a huge step forward with progress getting done. Picking up right where I left off with the driver's side outer wheel house panels mocked up, I got right to welding them solid. I took my time to get the panel to fit nice and flush against the inner wheel well. I had to use any combination of my floor jack, self tapping screws and me pressing with the end of a hammer to get the spot welds flush.
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Once that was fully welded, I moved my attention to the passenger's side. I scuffed down and painted the inner structure to help prevent any future rust issues.
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While I had the paint out, I also scuffed down and painted the rear floor pan section that I grafted in. Really glad to have this section done now.
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I got busy, and didn't get any pictures, but I got the passenger side outer wheel houses mocked up and prepped for welding. Once I was happy with the fitment, I got everything fully welded.
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Now that these are done, the wheel houses are completely finished! I'm stoked to have gotten to this point. Just need a little paint and then move onto the spare tire well. This should be pretty straightforward, so it should move pretty quickly.
I started to move my attention to the fuel tank that I picked up from the junkyard. I got it really cheap and I'm going to use this for now. It had a few pinholes in it, but they have been repaired and hold water. I'm going to make a fuel pump recess panel and weld in a USCAR fuel pump ring to use some sort of in tank pump. The tank had a lot of varnish that took some time to get cleaned out, but is going to work just fine for me. Not the ideal tank, but given that I'll be deleting the spare tire well and ditching this tank when I run a Nerd Rods frame this will be a perfect temporary solution for me.
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My biggest dilemma for this project is what fuel pump to run. The fuel tank, with the 2" recess will land right around 10.5" tall. My plan was to run a 5th gen Camaro SS tank, convert to fixed pressure and extend the height because the max is 7". But I'm not sure that is going to be my best solution. It's a long way to extend the height.
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I got sick of looking at the bubbling roofline, and finally took a grinder to it. I was pleasantly surprised with most of the roof. There were a few pinholes, but there must have just been some contamination when the roof was painted as most of it wasn't rusty.
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But then I found some bad at the rear corner... Thankfully the other side looks to be just some thing in the paint and I'll recoat it and try to paint match the best I can. I found out that a mid 70s to 92ish Chevy G vans have front fenders that at the top have the exact same curvature as the rear of the wagons. So I'll track one down and use it as a donor. Should be a pretty quick patch and then I can get the roof back in shape.
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I'm going to be ordering some parts this week so I can get the rear seat mocked up as well as the engine and transmission. Will also try to work more on the spare tire well and possibly wrap up the rear cargo area.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Progress slowed this week. I made a big push to get the wheel wells completely welded up and got a little burned out. I sprayed some rattle can paint on wheel wells to give them a finished look. I'm really happy with the end results. I'm going to spray some bedliner in there at some point, but wanted to look at the wheel wells in one color.
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That's all the work I've done on the body. I've been continuing the parts search since hunting for parts is always something that I enjoy. I've been keeping an eye out for a seat in decent shape that wasn't ridiculously priced and was able to finally track one done. I was finding rusty seat frames and people were asking $800 bucks! I ended up driving a little farther than I wanted, but the seat is overall in great shape and not rusty at all. Bonus is it's complete with the tracks and side shells. There are some obvious tears in the seat bottoms, but they sorta match the vibe of the car so they will work as is for now. Looks like someone put the cover right over the original seat covers. Not sure if it's right or wrong, but they appear to have done a decent job.
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I couldn't wait to see what it felt like in the car so I installed it first thing when I got back. It fit like a glove in the car just like it should, and felt really good since I haven't really sat in the car since I bought it. I'm a taller guy, so I may need to eventually find some shorter seat tracks to lower the seat down some, but it feels great to finally have a seat.
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Like I always do, I asked the guy that I bought the seat from if he had any other parts, and he happened to have a set of new shocks that he installed but never used. He sold them to me cheap, which is great since I don't plan to keep this frame long. He also had a 57 wagon fuel tank, which was in way better shape than the one I was planning to use, and he gave me a great bundle package on everything.
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I also placed an order last week for some parts I need to get the motor mocked up, and the rear seat latches to get the rear seat mocked up. I also found a great deal on a new fuel pump that will fit the height of the wagon fuel tank. It's a new Delphi unit made for 09-13 Silverado's.
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I couldn't wait to see what the rear seat looked like in the car so I quickly installed the rear seat latches and loosely installed the seats. I have the lower seat brackets just sitting on floor propping up the seat bottom for right now, but for just loosely mocking it up, everything fits great.
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It's interesting how bolting a few seats in came make the car feel so much more complete. I'm getting so excited to get this car back on the road. I've got a line on a pair of G20 Chevy Van fenders to make the repairs on the rear roof, and the 55-57 engine mounts from CPP should be delivered today. I can't wait to get the engine mocked up and see what, if any, modifications I'll need to make to get it all to fit properly.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Grat progress!! You should have asked. I think I have those motor plates laying around somewhere and I don't plan on using them. At least I think I still have them.... I ended up using Dirty Dingo mounts as they were really adjustable and I had no idea what I was doing when I LS swapped my car.
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Ryan, I have to chuckle when you say progress slowed! I am retired and have done very little to my car this year. By my standards you are moving at the speed of light.
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Keep on going brother!
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Thanks guys!
Luke, no worries. What other swap parts do you have though? I may be interested.
I've got a time line in my mind, so if I'm going to meet that timeline I need to be constantly moving. So in my mind I'm slowing down, but to put things into perspective I am moving along quickly on this project. In the 8 months I've owned the car, I cut out and completely replaced the rear floor and cargo sections. Not too bad, because the first 2 months I was collecting parts.
My goal is to have the car on the road running/driving by the end of September. We'll see if I can make my goal.
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Ryan, I have to chuckle when you say progress slowed! I am retired and have done very little to my car this year. By my standards you are moving at the speed of light.
What he said!
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I received my CPP engine mounts in the middle of last week and was dying to get the engine together for a test fit. The kit I bought came with the typical side mount SBC rubber engine mounts and I bought the set of SBC LS adapter plates to bolt it all together. Unfortunately, Holley doesn't make a kit like they did for my 1968 Camaro, so after a bunch of research, this setup seemed like the most common setup to work with the existing headers and pans.
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Step one for these engine mounts is to drill out two rivets on each side of the frame in order to bolt on these conversion mounts. Back in 55-57, they used a front mounted engine mount with no side mounted provisions. These mounts were adapted a long time ago when people wanted to swap newer SBC/BBC's into the cars for more performance.
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I had to enlarge the holes slightly to 3/8" to be able to bolt up the mounts. I wanted to test fit the engine first, before I drilled the top holes. Once the final engine placement is confirmed to be good, I'll drill 2 holes from the top and bolt them down final. I may put a few welds on them as well for good measure.
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First step in the mock up phase was putting the pan I'm planning to run on the engine. I bolted it down with 4 bolts since it's just mock up. I got this pan for free from someone who was trying to get tie rod clearance on his application. I'll weld in some plates if this fits my application. If not, I'll keep it for another project.
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Flipped it around and got the engine off of the stand. Ready to get it bolted to the 4L80e. No flexplate because again, just mock up.
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Mated up the engine and trans and it went great. Just had to track down some bolts. I'll get all new bolts when I am ready for final installation.
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Wow, that trans is heavy! It was quite the task to lift the trans high enough to get over the grill. I had to lift it manually and spin it over the grill. I couldn't lift it any higher because the boom was hitting the hood. I also had to move the trans crossmember back about 10" from the Turbo350 position it was in. It's an aftermarket crossmember so that was a big plus. Here it was with the trans crossmember roughly on the mount, and the engine roughly in place. Unfortunately, there's an issue with the oil pan fitment...
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I thought that it would be close with the fitment of that pan, but looks like I won't have enough adjustability to move it to any closer to the firewall. So, looks like I'll be needing a new pan.
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So with that information, I decided to pull the oil pan and continue with the mockup. Once the pan was out of the way, I was able to get the engine down into the engine stands and set to 3.8* down. Lots of clearance with the trans, and should bolt up to the trans crossmember. For now I'm propping it up with a jack stand.
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Now that the engine is in essentially the final spot, I'm going to start bolting on the heads, intake and manifolds to see how it's all going to fit. Pretty excited for that.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Now that the engine is in place, I'm so excited to start bolting parts on for mock up. Went from a bare short block to a full engine pretty quickly. Everything will get a good cleaning before final install, but for now I can check fitments.
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I really wanted to get the cylinder heads and intake on to check the height of the intake since it's a tall truck intake. Shut the hood and there's miles of clearance. Next big question mark was the exhaust manifolds that I had. I bought a TBSS intake from a junk yard over 6 years ago for my Camaro, but ended up with a pair of shorty headers. Glad I hung onto this because it's a perfect fit! Not sure if the heat shield will fit too, but without it there's tons of clearance. Huge win!
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Passenger side wasn't really a concern as most of the time with LS swaps there's a bunch of clearance here. This was no exception and I think the stock truck flanges will bolt up and work perfectly as well.
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Then one other thing that was a question mark was the stock electric wiper motor. I was stoked that it fit without any issues and will have tons of clearance as well. The bump in the intake allows it to perfectly clear. I'm very happy that everything is fitting together so nicely.
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Lots of pictures for not a whole lot of work, but thought it was worth an update. I'm starting to get distracted by the mechanical work as that is more fun to me than the metal work. I need to finish up the rear seat install and weld the seat brackets to the floor. Right now they are just sitting in place, but I need to center them and spot weld in their final places.
Cheers,
Ryan
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How about heading north a day or two early and putting some shop time into my TATA! My poor motor is languishing in procrastination jail :shock:
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Look at all that room under the hood!
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How about heading north a day or two early and putting some shop time into my TATA! My poor motor is languishing in procrastination jail :shock:
I'm heading north to give you another engine haha
Look at all that room under the hood!
Lots of room for a little hair drier! :cool:
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Thought you might like this
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Thanks Willie! That's a really cool magazine. Dated 1980 too!
Thanks! I'm having a lot of fun building this car.
Moving forward, I was able to get the transmission crossmember mocked up and it's going to work great with the right driveline angles. It does still need to be tilted up about a 1/2" more, but there is a lip in the tunnel that needs a little BFH work.
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I placed an order from Summit and got the rest of the bolts, gaskets and a new piston ring compressor to get the short block finished up. I'm going to be gapping the rings for boost because down the road I'll be adding a turbo, or possibly an LSA supercharger. I've got a buddy doing an LSA swap right now and it's making me want to put on on this car too...
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Since the engine is still mocked in the car, I was side tracked with my fuel system. My plan from the beginning was to use a stock fuel pump to have the most reliability, and my experience with the 10-15 Camaro SS fuel pump was fantastic. Vaporworx sells a conversion kit to allow them to run at a fixed 58 or 43 psi with a kit. So that was my plan, but after I decided to use the wagon fuel tank that pump is way too short. The CTSV and SS Camaro fuel pump assemblies only go to about 7.25" tall and my tank with a recess panel for the pump needs to be about 11" tall. After some thought, I decided that I'd buy an SS pump and build my own pump using other parts I have acquired. I've nicknamed this the "Frankenstein Pump" since it will be made using so many different parts. CTS-V fuel hat, Silverado rods/springs, SS Camaro fuel pump lower section and 4th gen Camaro fuel pressure regulator.
Now, before someone chimes in and says I should have just bought the PWM kit to control the fuel pump that did cross my mind. However, I've still got so many other parts to buy and that money could be used for other things right now and I already had the fixed pressure adapter. Plus I like a good challenge and if it keeps me on track with my budget, it's a win-win.
I did this several weeks ago, but I started off with the first wagon tank that I picked up for really cheap and used that as my test tank. I cut a hole in it where I new I wanted the fuel pump and made sure that this whole project would even be possible. It's a very tight spot where the fuel pump fits flush on the bottom of the tank, but it fits and that's what's most important. Time to collect parts.
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While I was figuring out what rods to use for when I extended the SS fuel pump, I came across a new Delphi pump out of a 09-13 Silverado for crazy cheap on eBay. It also came with a new green seal, so I picked that up for $35 bucks.
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Also on eBay I found a wrecking yard selling a 13 SS fuel pump with 40k miles and they accepted my offer for $45 bucks. I now had all the parts for my "Frankenstein Pump".
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First step was to disassemble the two pumps. First up was the SS fuel pump. There is an inner assembly that is held in with some clips that had to be popped out to remove the clips for the top lid to come off.
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After I robbed the rods from the Silverado pump, I did a quick test fit using the SS Camaro top fuel lid and it gave me the height that I needed at full compression. I bought a new 10mm corrugated hose a while ago because I was pretty sure I was going to be doing this project at some point. It fits perfectly for this application.
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While I liked the SS fuel hat better, where the rods are held in was a press fit and too loose to fit the longer rods. I had a spare CTSV fuel hat from my Camaro and that was a perfect fit. And there were slots in the SS pump lower section for the rods to go since the rod spacing is different between the SS and CTSV.
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Now that it's all fitting together nicely, it's time to work on the fitment into the fuel tank. Glad that I had a spare tank to play with since I cut this one too far on the vertical side. Perfect for getting me measurements though.
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I also wanted to make sure that there would be enough room for me to get a tool around the fuel pump ring.
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At this point, I'm completely satisfied with the fitment of this pump in the tank so I took some measurements off the test tank and transferred them to my good tank. I made sure that my cuts were way smaller than needed to be so that I could creep up on the final cut lines.
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I wanted to play around with some cardboard to see what the recess panel will look like and fit. Now because there was such a tight fit for where the fuel pump had to be placed, I wanted to make sure that the recess panel was centered as perfectly as I could get it. I build the recess panel template and used the inner inner diameter of the locking ring for my initial hole. With the template fitting snuggly on the top of the fuel pump hat I placed the pump in the exact spot it needed to be in the fuel tank. That centered up the template and allowed me to make some marks for my final cuts.
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Now that I confirmed the fuel pump is exactly where I wanted it, I cut the hole larger to test fit the actual fuel pump ring I'll be using and once again checked the fitment.
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I'm very pleased with the fitment and there should be plenty of clearance above the fuel pump. With it all in place, it was now time for the first test fit in the car.
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Huge fail!! But this is why I've come to realize that test fitting parts before a final weld or assembly is so important. While there is plenty of space above the fuel pump, there isn't anywhere for the fuel line to go.
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I marked where it needed to be for a fuel line to be, then pulled it out and started over. I had to make a new template because the old one wasn't long enough on the sides. trimmed the tank about 3/4" lower then reinstalled for a second test fit. It's perfect now and I'm very pleased.
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Miles of room above the fuel hat.
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Here's the final mock up. One minor adjustment I'll need to do is shorten the rods just slightly because they are just a touch too long now that I had to lower the recess panel. That will be a very quick process, but here's the completed fuel pump. Next up will be transferring my template to metal and getting it welded in place.
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My buddy Jonathan said that my fuel pump looks a lot like the tornado machine from Twister. So I added a mark for Dorothy IV haha
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I was also tinkering around with the seat bracket placement and think that I've nailed down the seat bottom, but need to finalize the location for the upper hinge brackets. I drilled the lower brackets with self tapping screws to tighten it to the floor and the seat flips up and down nicely. The upper will be more difficult because it needs to pivot at the right location to both hit the upper latches and lay flat and not too far forward in the down position.
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I sharpened all my tig tungsten, so hopefully I'll get the recess panel built and welded in this week.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Again, always impressed with your engineering skills.
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With the back seat in its starting to look like a car.
I am more than amazed by your fuel system fabrication. When I did my car, I cheated with an off the shelf fuel tank set up for an electric pump. Fabricating hard fuel lines was enough work for me.
I am trying to recall if it was you or another member who put an access panel in their Camaro trunk for easy fuel pump access without dropping the tank? I thought it was a great idea!
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Thanks guys! Yes, that was me with the access panel. I'll likely do that with the Nomad as well, however, there's a brace right above where I'm mounting the fuel pump. My long term plan is to run an aftermarket frame and will need a custom fuel tank, so I'll just hold off on the access panel until I have a custom tank in place.
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That cargo area is starting to look very good. Nice job on mounting the fuel pump. The access panel is a nice to have, but now that i have dropped the tank on mine, I view it as pretty easy.
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Nice work with the fuel pump. Not sure I follow I all but none the less, it looks cool and if it works, great!
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Luke, basically the SS fuel pump can be easily modified to run at a fixed 58psi and internally returns the fuel, so it uses one fuel line from the pump to the rail. But because stock it has a max height of 7" I had to modify it to be 11" tall. :cool:
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Oh, ok, I get it. So it eliminates using the corvette fuel filter thingy like I did. Plus you don't need to buy an expensive efi fuel tank with pump. I see it's fat, is that like a self contained baffle system or do you need to make baffles too?
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Dorothy is ready to send all the fuel into the turbo vortex. Nice!
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Luke, Yes, it's all self contained and the fuel actually returns into that fuel bucket, so that it always stays full. No need for baffles! I used this same pump on Version 1 of my 68 Camaro when it still had the LS1.
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Been busy working on the car, but have been sidetracked practicing my TIG welding. My plan is to weld the 304 SS fuel ring to my mild steel fuel recess panel and what a great opportunity to get better with the TIG. I first wanted to practice on some coupons and scrap pieces I had so that the finished product would be at least halfway decent. I practiced a while and then did a test run on the outside corner joints, and that's when I realized that I needed a lot more practice. Then I went down a bit of a rabbit hole and was practicing TIG in pretty much all my free time.
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While the weld is solid and won't leak, it needs a lot more attention to cleanliness, consistency and better pedal/filler control. Now that the corners were welded and the recess was built, I was able to confirm the pump will work like I need it to. I need to practice more with my TIG before I attempt the final weld on this piece.
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Other than practicing my TIG welding, I did get the rear seat locations finalized. I thought the upper seat would be the easy part, but I was very wrong. It took way more effort than I realized to locate the lower hinges, since they need to match up with both the rear cargo surface and the lower seat mount. After lots of choice curse words and lots of extra holes in my newly welded in wheel wells, I found a location that I'm happy with. Now that it's final, I'll need to build some reinforcement plates for the hinges that will weld in from the inner wheel well.
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A few weeks ago I was talking to my father-in-law about how I was disappointed that my 302-2 oil pan didn't fit and that I needed to buy a 302-1 pan. Well a few days later a 302-1 pan showed up on my doorstep! What a nice surprise! Thanks Bern! Before I removed the motor to tear it down, I wanted to confirm that it would fit in the current location or if I'd need to adjust the engine mounts forward or back. Thankfully, I made a good guess when I installed the mounts and it all fits really well. 302-1 pan has all the clearance where I need it!
My boys are always in the garage helping me out. You can see his crocs in this picture.
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Now that everything fits like it needs to, I pulled the motor/trans and got the engine torn down. I'm only pulling the pistons/rods so that I can gap the rings for when I add a turbo down the road. All the bearings looked good, so I'll reinstall them once carbon buildup is cleaned off the pistons and the ring gap is opened up. I'm planning on .030" on both top and second ring.
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I deglazed the cylinder walls and restored the cross hatching. Now I'm ready to start cleaning up the pistons and gapping the rings one by one.
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That's all for now. I'm hoping to get to a point this week where I'm happy with my welds so that I can weld up the modified fuel tank. Then I'll order the rest of my engine parts and get that put back together.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Great progress man. TIG welding is fun for sure. The nice thing is you are almost guaranteed no leaks. The nature of this type of welding really lends itself to leak free joints. Still pressurize and check with simple green or soapy water.
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Nice father in-law Ryan!
You have welding and fabricating skills I could only dream about. I thought about taking some welding classes at my community college. At this point I don't think I would do enough to be proficient.
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Dorothy is looking settled in nice. Good work man!
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After practicing on many coupons, I felt comfortable enough to start welding my Stainless ring to the mild steel fuel recess panel. Then I went to find the fuel pump ring and it was no place to be found. My youngest son (4 YO) loves being in the garage with me and will take things from my bench regularly. I asked him and he had taken it off my bench and he had no idea what I was talking about. Well after pulling my hair out for 15 mins looking, I finally found it. Now, I don't remember putting it on the power washer haha.
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Now that the ring was located it was time to weld. The welds were pretty ugly, but they are solid penetration and if anything maybe a touch too hot. I started by tacking the ring to the panel and did one more test fit before final welding.
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After I confirmed that the recess was still were I wanted it to be in the tank, I flipped the recess over and welded everything from the bottom side. I figured that my welds will be much better hidden where no one can see them haha. I welded about 1.5" at a time and then moved to the other side of the ring and let it cool. One thing I read about stainless is that it has a tendency to warp when it's being welded. So I wanted to minimize that as much as I could. Once it cooled, I test fit another time just because.
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I started on the front and rear of the tank and tacked them in a few spots. The open side did warp up slightly, but I was able to tack in the center and bring the sides down flush.
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The entire perimeter of the recess is now fully welded! What I love about TIG welding is that I was able to weld a lot of this panel with no filler wire, just melted it together with the existing materials. Very pleased with the results, but the real test was whether it leaked!
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I didn't have a good way to seal off all of the ports in the tank, so I tipped it on the side with a spare fuel hat I had and looked for any leaks. Unfortunately I had a pin hole leak in the fuel ring area. I wasn't sure how I was going to fix that, but after some thought, I taped up the front of the recess and filled with water up to the ring. Worked like a charm and I found the little pinhole from the inside. I was able to stuff my TIG torch into the tank and welded it from the bottom with a mirror. There was more than enough filler, so I just had to create a puddle around the pinhole to fill it. Retested and no leaks! Left it for about 15 mins and still dry as a bone. WIN!
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Once I confirmed no leaks, I got it all painted up and ready to install. Dorothy is home!!
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Glad that project is behind me. Moving on, I wanted to get the rings gapped and reinstalled. While the pistons were out, I also cleaned them up with some Seafoam and a scotchbrite pad. Worked much better than purple power that I had used in the past. Then one by one I pulled the top and bottom rings off the pistons to first measure them. Most of them came in around .023 top and .025 second ring. Interesting because the guy I bought the motor from said they were gapped for N/A..., but I have a feeling that it may have been boosted at some point. Regardless, I gapped them to .028 top and .030 second ring. I did have to consult with my resident expert. Here he is explaining to the neighbor kid how to use the ring grinder haha. I built him a workbench last year and it works great for me too. I just have to move his tools off of it before I use it.
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After I confirmed I was doing it right, I reinstalled the pistons/rods and got them all torqued down.
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I reinstalled the pan just to keep the dust out, but I'll need to pull it back off to install the oil pump, windage tray and pick up tube.
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Overall pretty productive weekend. I ordered some engine parts that are supposed to be here today. Once those are here, I can get the cam installed and the heads back on once I clean those up. I'll also need to get the fenders pulled off so that I can paint the firewall before I put the motor back in.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Nice! I have used sea foam as a cleaner before too. It worked extremely well. Great job on the gas tank. I really wish I new how to tune so I could boost an engine. Great job Ryan!
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Nice! I have used sea foam as a cleaner before too. It worked extremely well. Great job on the gas tank. I really wish I new how to tune so I could boost an engine. Great job Ryan!
Let me know if you decide to. I know a guy. :cool:
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Only thing left for the shortblock to be finished is flipping it over and doing a final torque on the rods. They all have one ugga right now :) Next up was getting the heads disassembled and inspected. Thankfully the valves were all straight and in great shape. The seats all looked great, but I lapped a few of them that had a little pitting on the exhaust valves. Overall very pleased with the condition. Once I got a bare head, I started to clean them up with some purple power.
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The purple power did a great job on most of the grime, but inside the intake ports and a little around the valve in the combustion chamber was a thick tar like carbon build up. The purple power didn't do a good job of cleaning it. Then I tried some Seafoam, which did an ok job, but dissolved it quite slowly. I had a bottle of this stuff called LA Awesome that I had read about on a forum and picked it up a year and a half ago. I tried some of that in a spray bottle and WOW what a difference. The tar practically melted off when used with my brass scrub brush. LA on the left and purple on the right. I'm sold on the stuff.
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I cleaned up 90% of the carbon and called it good. It's going to get gummed back up so I'm not spending more time on it. Since I'm going budget on this build, I found a set of LS3 valve springs from my Camaro, and decided to use those. I also soaked the intake and exhaust valves to clean them up and the LA did a fantastic job of melting off the grime. It all went together pretty quickly.
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I didn't get any pictures, but the driver's side head went together just as nicely and the heads are back together. I've got a set of ARP head bolts on the way and will hopefully get this engine back together this weekend. Since the engine is going to be done soon, it was time to address the firewall and get that prepped. At some point in it's life, someone painted the firewall a nice red color. It's nice, but not with a black car, so I pulled the fenders off to get it prepped for some satin black.
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I'm not spending a ton of time here, just scuffing it down and primed black.
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There were a few pinholes that I welded shut at the top of the cowl. Hit with a flap disk and good as new, then a second coat of primer.
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I masked up the rest of the car and hit everything with a scotch brite pad for good adhesion.
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After it was all prepped, I sprayed with a light coat of SEM Trim Black, then went back with a medium-heavy coat. I'm very pleased with how it turned out for the amount of time I have in it. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not doing a full on restoration. I just want to clean it up to be presentable with my main focus on getting it to be a functional driver. I put my Camaro up for the winter in 2021, and then sold it in 2022, so it's been almost two years without something cool to drive! Way too long.
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Well now that I've got everything I need for my engine to run, I need to focus on my brakes. I placed an order with Summit earlier in the week and they got my parts to me in 2 days! Very quick. Wilwood proportional valve, drum brake 10 lb residual valve, rear differential brake hose, and Summit Brand line lock. Also have the remaining gaskets and seals for my engine.
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I've also pulled out my Tesla Model S iBooster to see what it's going to take to get this mounted to my firewall. I'm likely going to go in the same direction Andrew did and modify the brackets I have to work.
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I'm getting very excited about this next stage in the project. My goal is to mount the engine/trans in place and get it all back together by the end of the weekend. I still need to clean up and paint the frame sections that are exposed, and get the side mounts bolted down for good. If I can get that done and lay out the Terminator X, I just might have a chance of firing the motor by the end of next week or next weekend!
Cheers,
Ryan
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After looking at the brackets and thinking on it for a few nights and looking at Andrew's swap, I was going to mount the brackets to the booster. Then I'll figure out how to get them attached to the car. I drilled a new hole on each of the brackets to match the iBooster bolt pattern. With everything loosely tightened up, the brackets have enough room to bolt up. I think I'm going to attempt to bent the brackets slightly in each direction so that the rear bolt pattern matches the stock Bel-Air pattern. I just wanted to get it mounted up to see if I liked the look, or if it needs to be angled up.
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I really like the way that it's fitting, but I think that it needs to be tilted up slightly. I'm not sure if I'll attempt to make my own brackets, or modify the ones that I have. I need to think on it more. Great news it that it lines up with the brake pedal perfectly!
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As I usually do, I was checking FB marketplace and found a guy giving away a DFP delete pipe for a 2011 F250. I know that I wanted a 4" pipe for when I swap on the turbo, so this will work perfectly. It's 409 SS so it does have some slight surface rust, but I should be able to clean that up. Now I'll keep an eye out for a turbo log manifold and downpipe. If I can score a deal on them in the next month or so, I'll make turbo placeholder pipe and plumb it all together. That way when I'm ready I'll just swap out the "fake turbo" for a real one haha. No point in spending money for a full dual exhaust when I'll be replacing it in the short term.
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I received the last bolts that I needed to assemble the engine, so I got back on that. Head bolts and lifter retainer bolts. Got a deal on a set of once torqued ARP head bolts from an engine that was disassembled before it ran.
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My plan all along has been to put this engine together on a fairly tight budget, and I had been planning to install a stock LS1 cam that I picked up from a buddy. In the end I just couldn't do it. I started looking for some low lift cams and stumbled on the SDPC LS6 Powermax PLUS Cam. It works perfectly with the LS3 springs I have as it's a fairly low lift cam at .570" . It's a 220/222 on a 112 LSA. While this cam won't make the most HP out there, it was only $269 shipped and worked with springs that I already had. Should make a nice street cam.
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I started by installing the rear cover and gasket. I put a new main seal in and then got it centered on the crank. Once it was aligned, I torqued it all down and installed the flexplate. I'm using the 4L80e so I had to install a flexplate spacer with the appropriate ARP crank bolts. I had to get the engine off of the stand to get everything torqued, so I had my assistant give me a hand.
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Once the rear was buttoned up, I spun it around to install the front side of the engine. I made sure to clean up the cam really well and glad that I did, because the hollow core of the cam had a lot of trash in it. Although they are brand new, it's a good idea to always clean up and inspect new parts. I followed up with the cam retainer, damper, and sprocket with new ARP bolts.
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Next up was the oil pump. Now I've read mixed reviews on whether or not you need to center the oil pump on the crank, but given how easy it is to do, I feel like it's worth while. You basically install three shims around the drive which centers the housing and should make for a smoother operation. While I had it open, I put assembly lube on everything to hopefully help prime the engine faster/easier. Once the housing was torqued, I reinstalled the cover and torqued to 106 in/lbs.
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While I had the engine off of the stand, I took the opportunity to clean up the 4L80e. Used more of the LA Awesome and some scrub brushes. Cleaned up very quickly, and I'll spray it quickly with some black or aluminum color. I want to let it dry for a few days.
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Now here's where I hit a little snag. I have a dial indicator and figured it wouldn't take more than a few minutes to just check my cam end play. It seemed tighter than the other engines that I've assembled. When I got it set up and measured, it was measuring a .002" and then when I did a final torque on the cam bolts, it tightened up to .001". After a making a few calls to some buddies, I determined that it was too tight. I pulled the new cam retainer plate off and it was actually .003" thicker than the OEM piece that I removed. So given that the tolerances that I could find were .003" - .008", I think I found why it was too tight.
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So for now I'm at a stand still. I need to reach out to Summit and see what they will do for me. I feel that the parts are not the right tolerance, so something needs to be addressed. If I were to run the engine as is, I feel that it will "self-clearance" and cause me a lot of issues.
Hopefully I'll have an answer by the end of the week and can get the motor/trans bolted together and re-installed.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Some very cool stuff on this 'Nomad already. Sorry if I missed it, but...Why the Telsa brake booster? Is it just to avoid using a vacuum canister? Do you anticipate a really low vacuum signal with the engine setup?
Or, just 'cause it's cool?
I've been planning a bit more seriously for the turbo setup I want to get in my TA. Your assistants are now more experienced at gapping rings for a boosted application than me. Maybe I could get some pointers from them?
Thanks for sharing your progress. Interesting stuff!
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Thanks Tom! I could have used a traditional vacuum booster, but wanted to try something different. The turbo swap down the road was definitely a consideration since it will see boost rather than vacuum, but mostly wanted to try it out. I got a pretty good deal on the unit, so I thought what the heck, why not. Plus I think that it looks really cool. Almost like an experimental booster that could have been made in the 50's.
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I love building cars, but wow they can really put you on a roller coaster ride of emotions! I'll get more into that in a bit, but where I left off was making sure that my cam end play was right before I moved forward with the final torque specs. I assumed that the reason for the endplay being so tight was the cam retainer plate, so I called Summit and they promptly send me a new one and had that in less than two days! Thanks Summit! I quickly got that new one installed and took the measurements and again came up with .002" so I was quite bummed about that. So my next call (which should have been the first) was to Scoggin-Dickey who made the cam. I talked to the parts guy and asked him what they recommend for end play, and went back to talk to the guy who actually makes the cams! He came back and said that they recommend a .002-.004" of clearance on their cams, so I'm right where I need to be. What a huge relief, so thanks to both Summit and SDPC! So I figured that since Summit had sent me a second plate that I'd just put that new one back on a box and keep it for my next build. Well glad that I had it because when I went to install the first one that I bought, I got to the bottom bolt and hear a loud snap. I'd read this happening on a few of the reviews other people posted, well the bottom of the cam plate cracked in half! So it all worked out that I had a spare. I removed and replaced with the new one and now I have a short block!
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So glad that it spec'd out for me, so I quickly moved on to get my long block back together so that I could get it installed in the car. I have everything to get this engine to fire up and run, so I'm getting really excited now. I ran a thread cleaning bolt that I have in and out of all the threads to clean out the trash. Some of them had a lot of junk in them. I picked up the ARP head bolts and followed the instructions to a T, and then followed the torque spec sequences. Got the driver's side done, then moved to the passenger side. On the third pass torqueing the second to last head bolt, all of a sudden the bolt felt spongy and my heart sank. I removed the bolt and I saw some threads...
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I walked out of the garage and just went to bed. I tried searching for a solution and everyone seemed to say that a threadsert was the best repair when this happens. Was not thrilled to find that the kits were about $700 bucks! I started looking around for some used kits when I stumbled on a site called Huhn Solutions with a product called NS300L. It started off as an alternative to the Time Sert repairs for Northstar engines, and they developed a kit for LS engines. I really liked everything about the kit and it had really good reviews on other sites. I really liked that the insert was much stronger looking than the Time-Sert kits. His kits for LS included enough to do all the head bolts, but I really just wanted to repair the one with pulled threads. He said that he could put together a kit with 11 inserts, and knock some money off of the total cost. His kit is about half the cost of the Time-Sert kit so I ordered it.
Now that I had a solution, I just continued on and got the motor/trans ready to install. Knowing that I wanted to add a turbo down the road, I drilled/tapped the oil pan for a 1/2 NPT fitting and added the only fitting I had. I taped the barb closed.
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I'm sure I've seen others do the same thing, but I had to grind down the back side of the engine mount because it was not allowing the mount to sit flush with the setback plates.
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The last thing that I wanted to do before I reinstalled the motor/trans is to remove the tailshaft to understand why my yoke would only go into the trans about 2". When I removed it became clear that this sleeve was stopping it. After a little research this is simply a sleeve with a seal for a van specific transmission. I can just remove this and then I'll be able to run the yoke that I have.
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With that finalized, I bolted the engine and transmission together and got it reinstalled. It went in nice and smoothly with no damage to my new painted firewall. It fits in there really nicely, but there's still the fact that the engine is hurt and I need to get it repaired.
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I couldn't help myself and put the intake back on just to get some motivation.
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Will have another update on Part 2
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While I was waiting for the Huhn Solutions NS300L repair kit to come in, I decided to make some more progress on my iBooster swap. Just so happened that I was on FB Marketplace and saw a hydraulic press pop up. I had a sandblaster that is the same value, and thought maybe they would be interested in a trade. Turns out that they didn't want the blaster, but were interested in trading for a few 4x4 boards that I had! I love trading for random stuff haha. Came home with this little 12 ton unit, but it should do everything I need. I decided to try and bend the brackets I have to work with the iBooster bolt pattern. Worked perfectly!
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Once I got the engine back in and the brackets modified and in the right spot, I tried to install the coils. Unfortunately, the one plug wire was up against the iBooster. Luckily the bolt pattern on the booster is symmetrical, so I was able to flip it and gain the clearance. I sort of like this orientation better since it sort of looks like an experimental booster from the 50s haha. I have it mocked up right now with some nuts that are tilting it up a few degrees, so I still may need to go in and cut the bracket and weld to get the angle I'm happy with.
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I also was thinking about my fuel tank and getting that finalized. I was thinking that I'd need to get a new fuel sender, but thought I'd try the one that came with the tank I picked up. After some trial and error with testing the sender, I was able to get the wiring right and was able to bench test with my cluster. Works perfectly in the stock location, I just had to bend it about 20* to avoid the fuel pump assembly and tweak the float lever.
Empty:
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Half:
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Full:
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The guy from Huhn Solutions was great and he was able to get the repair kit right out to me. I ordered Friday about 5pm and it was at my door Monday afternoon! Very good news for me. The kit was very well packaged and came with excellent instructions with specific step by step for LS motors.
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Before I started, I made sure to tape up every part of the exposed engine because chips will get everywhere.
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First step was getting the alignment jig set up to drill the block. This was definitely the most scary part of the hole deal, but it was necessary if I wanted to get the bolt hole repaired. The jig comes with interchangeable spacers that are used in various steps of the process. This spacer is used to center the jig over the hole with an alignment pin, and also works to hold the drill bit at the perfect angle for a straight hole. I added a little sharpie mark around the jig to monitor if it moved at all.
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The drill bit is modified to a neutral tip to avoid drilling the hole deeper than the factory hole. this also ensure that all of the factory threads are removed.
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Once the hole was drilled out to the bottom, removed all of the chips. Then I removed the drill bit spacer for the spacer meant for the tap. This again provides a perfectly straight shot for the tap to ensure a nice straight cut. The kit also comes with two taps, one is a 3 flute made for the heavy cutting and a 4 flute that's more of a clean up tap and also cuts about 1/4" more threads.
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Once the tap got deep enough, I was able to remove the jig.
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Next up was a test fit of the insert. There is a provided "T" handle that fits into the little notches on the top of the threads that allows you to get it installed to the right depth. There is also a provided depth gauge with the correct specs for LS motors.
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Once I threaded the insert into the new hole, I set it to the right height, and then compared it to the measurements of the untouched holes and it was spot on. It was then time to remove the insert and make it permanent. I used some red thread locker and remeasured to ensure that it was at the same location as the test fit. After that the repair was complete and I had to wait for the thread locker to fully cure 1-2 hours.
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There really isn't anything for me to take a picture of, but I again went out last night and cleaned up all the threads in the block with my clean out bolt. Cleaned everything back up to reinstall the cylinder heads. I had also read a trick from Motortrend I believe that said to lightly sand the bottom of the washer that mates to the machined surface of the cylinder head. One of the issues that LS motors can have is that the machined surface of the washers and cylinder heads can actually spin while torqueing and can cause inaccurate measurements. So I tried that this time around and payed extra close attention to not having one bit of the ARP grease touch the machined surface of the head. I made it through all three stages of the torque specs with no issues! I was stoked that it was a perfect repair. Now I can focus on starting the wiring and fuel systems so that I can hear this beast come to life!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Mostly a parts update, but I'm very happy with some of the key pieces that I picked up. My family and I went back to NY to visit family and as I usually do, I was checking out a new area for parts. I found a guy selling a wagon rear bumper, and after talking to him a bit he ended up having 5 Nomads! He wasn't selling a lot of parts because he was in the process of restoring a 55 and 56 currently, but he was willing to sell me some decent tailgate bars and a rear bumper. The bumper isn't in the best shape, but it came with brackets and will look way better than no bumper at all.
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Then after a little elbow grease, they look pretty darn good! I bought all 7 pieces from him, but the 7th tailgate bar was in significantly worse condition and decided to wait for one in better shape to come along.
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So because the plan in the next year or so is to swap on a turbo, I am trying to plan ahead. I've been keeping my eyes out for some 4" sections of exhaust to build my exhaust. I found a guy selling a 4" downpipe from a 94-02 Cummins with the HX40 for really cheap.
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I also picked up a 2011 Impala gas pedal for my Terminator X Max since I'll be running DBW this time. It mounts nice and flat against the firewall, so it should be very easy to make a mount for it.
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I thought this was a pretty cool full circle moment. I've been building cars for a while and have hung onto parts thinking that I'll use them sometime down the road. Well the day has come that I'll be finally using these exhaust hanger mounts and heat wrap! I bought these sometime around 2009 when I was building my 1976 Trans Am. Pretty cool that I'll be able to use these in my current project.
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Lastly, I was finally able to get the engine back in the car and able to check on the tie rod clearance. Thankfully the car gods were on my side and there is plenty of clearance against the oil pan on both sides lock to lock. That's a huge relief since I wasn't 100% sure.
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I'm hoping that over the next few days the rest of my parts come in so that I can complete my exhaust. I'm going to start laying out the wiring and get the car ready to fire up. I can't wait to hear this car come to life!
Cheers,
Ryan
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I don’t know how you manage to find things that I would think are unobtainable like the tail gate trim. Maybe you could sell your services as a parts locator for classic cars. Also I am amazed at how much progress you have made on the Nomad in a relatively short time period.
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It's because I have a sickness and am obsessed with car parts haha :lol: Plus I'm constantly thinking of the next task that I need to do on the car, so I'm always building or fabricating parts in my head. I'll usually build or assemble something 10 times in my head before I get into the garage.
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I don’t know how you manage to find things that I would think are unobtainable like the tail gate trim. Maybe you could sell your services as a parts locator for classic cars. Also I am amazed at how much progress you have made on the Nomad in a relatively short time period.
This guy is a beast. Should be in the industry full time.
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Nice finds Ryan! I love the press! I built mine from an above ground swimming pool, ha ha. Your's is much nicer! That tail gate looks killer with the trim.
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Thanks for all the encouragement guys!
My exhaust parts all came in and now I'm ready to get started on building the exhaust. First step was stepping back and looking at the freshly torqued long block. :)
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Next was installing the balancer bolt. This thing had to be torqued to 235 lb ft! Marked it to have a quick reference in the unlikely event it loosened.
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Then I did an initial test on my new passenger exhaust manifold! Unfortunately, it's going to have to wait for a while though until I can get the rest of the components to make the complete turbo kit.
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But that didn't stop me from test fitting some components on the car! So far, it looks as if the full 4" exhaust will fit in there nicely. Although the placement of the pipe isn't that close to where the turbo will actually be.
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I was very pleased with the test fit, so I decided to start cleaning up the casting flash. Not did the outside need to be cleaned up allow for better plug access, the inside needed to have the flash cleaned up in order to open up the ports. There were some that had flash closing the ports by 1/2" and almost cupping flow in the wrong direction.
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Not the greatest picture, but that was the flash inside one of the ports. I used my carbide bits to get the smoothest transitions that I could from the primary ports to the main section.
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I couldn't get very good picture of the cleaned up ports, but you get the idea. On the outside I knocked down all the flash and had to open up some spots for plug access and dipstick clearance.
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I also noticed that while the machining on the flange was really flat where it bolts to the head, the outside flange where the bolt sits was very uneven. I decided to do something about that and spot face the sections where the flange bolts sit. Here you can see just how much it was off.
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So glad that I found this Mill/Lathe a few months back.
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Once I got the manifold bolts spot faced, I was much happier with the fitment, longevity and bolts not loosening up. I cleaned it all up and sprayed with some high temp paint.
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While I was at it, I cleaned up the TBSS exhaust manifold I had for the driver's side.
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After playing around with the placement of the exhaust I came to the conclusion that without actually having the turbo mounted, I'd be shooting in the dark trying to figure out the placement. I'd probably have more work into reworking the downpipe to fit when I'm ready to swap to the turbo, that I'd be saving doing it now. So I'm putting that manifold on the parts shelf and will move forward with the truck exhaust manifolds.
I decided to try and fit up my engine accessories. After bolting on the truck accessories and water pump, I was trying to figure out how to use what parts I have. After playing around for a while, I figured out a way to use the truck accessories with a new Fbody belt I had deleting PS since my box is manual. I robbed a tensioner pulley, idler spacer and one washer in the hole for the PS pump. Worked perfectly! The belt spacing is all at the same level so it should work perfectly for me.
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Hoping to get the fuel tank installed this week and the fuel lines and wiring installed along with laying out the Terminator X Max harness.
Cheers,
Ryan
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This project is starting to wear me out, so I really need a pick me up. I decided to hold off on mocking up the turbo manifold and downpipe until I'm ready with the turbo that I plan to run. I think I'll end up with much less work down the road. I swapped it out for a stock truck manifold that I had on the shelf. I used some of the flanges from Summit and a basic universal 2.5" exhaust kit from eBay.
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Was very impressed by the symmetry of the packaging on this kit. The pipes are nice too but just mild steel.
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Then it was time to start bolting parts back on. Battery back on the firewall and started to layout some extra battery cables I've kept over the years to see what is going to work. Thankfully I found a few that will work perfectly for me.
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With that all mocked up, it was time to cut the giant hole in the firewall for the EFI components. I removed the intake and covered all the ports before I started drilling. I just removed them all for the picture. I also made sure to center the hole from the inside to make sure that it would clear everything under the dash too. I'm very happy with that position and need to track down a nice grommet for it.
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Then it was time to start getting an exhaust run so that I wasn't shooting flames out of the manifolds. I used the MIG to get a few tack welds on the flanges and the straight pipe, then pulled it off and finished the rest with my TIG. Trying to get better, so trying to get more seat time. I really need a proper welding table to do this at, but for now some jack stands worked ok. I'm starting to see some more consistency, but still need to move faster so have less heat.
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When those two connections were welded up, I reinstalled to mark where the O2 sensor will live. Found a nice spot, marked it, and removed to weld it all up.
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After this point, I was just busy bouncing around making connections, converting the Terminator X harness to LS3 MAP pigtail, tracking down wires (specifically a 12v switched that stayed on when cranking), making fuel lines, crimping wires, testing wires, and etc. With the goal being able to crank and fire the engine this weekend. I got so busy that I didn't take any pictures so these were taken this morning after I got my coffee.
I've used this method for every LS swap I've done. It allows me to check for leaks and wiring prior to installation.
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Very crudely wired everything up. Lot's of crazy wires all over, but it was either taped up or away from anything hot.
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All of my Terminator wiring spread out for easy access. You can also see my temporary mechanical oil pressure gauge.
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After a lot of playing around with my start up tune, I was able to get the right combination and the TPS wizard was successful. Turns out I never added the DBW component to my tune, which is pretty important. Confirmed fuel pressure, then gave it a few cranks. It sputtered a few times, then fired off. Kept a close eye on oil pressure and within 5 seconds it was fluttering around 25, and then after about 10 seconds had full 50 psi. Sweet! I couldn't run the car very long at all since there was no radiator and the torque converter was disconnected, but it was a huge win for my weekend!
https://youtu.be/nns-dMHKGbg
So happy that the motor is running and had great oil pressure. I gave it a few revs at the end, but the fuel maps were just a base map that Holley provided. I also used a 2.5bar LSA map sensor, but something must be off because it was reading 117 kpa key on engine off. I'm sure there are other things too, but I am very pleased given how little run time the car has. I need to get the radiator and transmission installed so I can get the engine up to operating temperature and let the learn clean up the VE table a bit.
Cheers,
Ryan
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It's alive! Looks and sounds great.
Congratulations Ryan!
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Oh man! That is awesome! That is such a great feeling and really hard to explain to someone who has never fired a engine they built for the first time
It's especially exciting that it's a EFI build.
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My wife was taking the video and I told her that it's going one of two ways after I turn the key haha. Great mood, or leave me alone for a while mood.
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Thats awesome! You will have that thing on the road in no time now.
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Wow, haven't been here in a while, lots of progress and things are looking good! That tank modification is the cats meow. I need to move and become your neighbor :)
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Rich, I was thinking the same thing. Too bad there's no snow by him....
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There's plenty of houses for sale near me Rich! :cool: I'm still planning to reach out once the car is back on the road to meet you at Cars and Coffee Richmond, VA.
Luke, it's a crying shame haha. I'll let you keep all the snow.
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There's plenty of houses for sale near me Rich! :cool: I'm still planning to reach out once the car is back on the road to meet you at Cars and Coffee Richmond, VA.
Luke, it's a crying shame haha. I'll let you keep all the snow.
Don't have to wait for the car to get done, just let me know if you decide your going to go. My cell phone is (757) 876-8991.
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Congrats on getting things fired up. I've only done a couple engine swaps, and one big turbo install project where it wasn't a certainty things would run after it was put back together. It's a great feeling.
I suppose it never gets old huh?
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It was a huge relief to know that the motor is running and that I could move on with getting everything else completed to take the maiden voyage! I'll be working on the brakes and wiring next. After inspecting what's left of my original wiring harness I came to the conclusion that I needed to upgrade. I've never used one of the harnesses from eBay but given the cost of one vs a Painless or AAW, I took a chance on this one.
I had heard that the wiring was cheap and not as thick of gauge, but I found that to be not true. I was actually impressed with all the gauge thicknesses and overall it was a great value. The terminals look a little on the thin side, but overall they do fit nicely and should work great. One thing that is a little frustrating is that while all the wires are labelled, some of the printing is very faint. Either faint or rather than being labelled every 12", it's maybe every 30". But, I was able to at least find a label for every wire, so it's a minor inconvenience.
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Out with the old. It's really amazing that the cars ran on only a few fuses. The wires were all cracking and breaking when I went to remove them, so I'm happy that I made the choice to replace.
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Found a nice spot and used the existing hole to route the engine wires through.
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That's where the fun began. The wires are labelled, but some were very hard to find or hard to read. Once I got the harness bulkhead location locked in, I started to organize all of the wires and fed them to where they needed to go in groups. Gauges, head lights, etc.
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I've been wanting a vintage tach for the steering column, and my father in law just removed the one from his '56 Belair, so I put this on the column quick. That's just the look I want, but I'll rotate it down to the left about 45*.
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I was able to get the ignition wiring hooked up so that I could test out the circuits to confirm that it's all working as it should. One thing that I found out was that on the 55-56 ignition switches, the IGN-1 and IGN-2 activate at different positions on the key. #1 is hot with the key on, but #2 is off key on. Then they switch in the start position, so a common thing guys did back in the day when swapping to HEI is to jumper the two together. So that's my plan, but I'm not sure exactly how I want to accomplish that. With a jumper wire on the switch itself or just tie them both together further up in the wiring.
I jumped around during this phase, but I was simultaneously working on the bracket for swapping to the Tesla brake booster. I had to add a radius to the inside of the bracket for the booster to clear. Took the opportunity to chuck it into my mill and used a whole saw. Probably better ways to do that, but this worked perfectly and quickly.
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Now that the bracket is finalized, I added some gussets and TIG welded it all back together. I forgot to take a picture of it, but there wasn't much to write home about. I think I'd like to remake the bracket from scratch at some point, but for now it will work great. My next task was figuring out how to mount the Wilwood proportional valve and line lock kit. I came up with a pretty simple bracket that mounts to the brake MC where the prop valve is on the bottom and the line lock mounts to the side.
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I got to this point and got out my rivnut tool from Harbor Freight. Some things are great from that store and others aren't. This is basically a modified rivet tool that was reworked for installing rivnuts. It got worn out from the last time I used it and had so much slop in it that I wasn't able to get enough throw to compress the nut. So after some thought, I modified the pivot hole to give me more throw. Worked great and fully compresses the rivnuts.
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Once the rivnuts were installed, I was able to test fit it all together. I'm very happy with the layout and can't wait to get some lines on it and bolt it down. I'll be painting the blue anodized parts black, but for now it's all test fit in there.
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My next obstacle is to find some brake fittings that will work with the iBooster. They have M12x1 inverted flare fittings with 6mm lines and I need to adapt those to 3/8" with 3/16" lines. I bought a set of M12x1 fittings made for 3/16" lines, but I've heard that the flares may not be big enough to seal with the opening of the MC. I'm going to give it a shot since this would be the simplest way for me, but if it doesn't seal, I'll have to get some adapters or something. I also need to make a plan to finalize the booster rod, but I'm going to use the original '55 rod, and weld it to the nut that came with the booster. I'll also need to drill a new hole lower on the brake pedal to give a better throw angle. Much more to come.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Progress has been a little slow as I've been working on a few house projects. I think it was actually a good thing because I needed a little break from the car. I started too many projects at once and got a bit overwhelmed. Over the weekend I finally tackled something that had been bugging me, the body wasn't centered on the frame. Without a lift, I wasn't sure how I was going to accomplish this, but after overthinking it for so long, it was an easy solution. Loosen/remove the body bolts, jack the whole car up, then put some jack stands on the body, then lower it down to lift the body off the frame. Then I used some ratchet straps to pull the body in the direction that I needed it to be. After some careful measuring and shifting around, I was able to get it centered within 1/8". It ended up being that the rear of the car was shifted to the driver's side about 1/2"! After I moved it, the wheels and bumper fit so much better. No pictures as I was busy shifting the body and really wasn't much to see.
I really want the interior of the car to be very stock, so my plan has been to keep the stock steering column and connect it using the stock shift linkage. Someone down the line of owning my car converted my column to a floor shift by deleting the shift linkage, and welding the shifter hole shut. I tore apart a stock column I got from a junkyard, and while some components were good, most were very rusty at the lower section. Then when I was on the Tri-5 site, I saw a guy who was giving away a stock column and inner shift tube! I contacted him and he also had some other things like a shift lens, that he wasn't using. Thanks Craig!
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I've also been conflicted on what to do with my brake booster brackets and finding an adapter for the M12 inverted flares. The bracket that I made, didn't turn out the way that I was hoping and I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I sent a message to a guy from Retrofit Solutions who deals with the gen1 and gen2 iBooster installations and he had a pair of M12 to 3/8" adapters that use 3/16" lines! Not only that he had a few of the BBT iBooster adapters that bolt on, but have the standard GM brake booster bolt pattern! I couldn't wait to install the booster now that I had the right parts. I also ordered a pair of generic Summit Branded brake booster brackets which turned out to have Tuff Stuff stamped on the side.
Those BBT Adapters are really impressive and the CNC work is outstanding.
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Here are the brake line adapters. Really nice pieces.
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Very pleased with how the install went. I shouldn't have wasted time making my own brackets when these made the job so much easier and turned out 10x nicer.
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Then I broke out my brake flaring tool. I bought this almost 2 years ago when I found it on eBay mislabeled and got it for a smoking deal. I didn't even have a need for it, but knew that I would at some point. The time has now come! It can flare a variety of different fittings, such as GM quick connect fuel lines, GM/Chrysler transmission lines with o-rings, and both inverted and bubble flare brake lines. Time to make some brake lines!
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Does a really consistent job making the flares, especially with the soft NiCopp lines.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318642718_c220a3357d_b.jpg)
Fuel lines
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318642708_8b769a5672_b.jpg)
Transmission lines. I'll be using these when I make lines for my 4L80e.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318873260_8a2abcf4b5_b.jpg)
It took me a while to think through how I wanted to connect all the lines together because the front port of the MC is actually the rear and vice versa. I'm really happy with how they turned out with nice swooping curves. I'll sweep the two front and one rear lines using the same method making a 180* then to their respective locations.
Can someone clarify for me what the consensus is for using sealant or no sealant on brake line fittings to the line lock? I've read some that say to use a brake line specific sealer, while other say that the tapered threads will seal without issue.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318803225_31e26267ab_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318803180_4d4f7a613f_b.jpg)
Lastly I was able to find a transmission dipstick that will work for me. I had planned to use a stock one, but I was having a difficult time tracking one down. I found that Allstar made a LS to 4L80e dipstick so I picked that up. Part number 69119. I had to bent it just slightly forward to avoid hitting the firewall, but will be serviceable yet hidden under the battery tray, so I'm happy.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318803190_348fb723f9_b.jpg)
I also ordered a 32 spline 1350 transmission yoke from Summit, and the appropriate adapter ujoint for my stock driveshaft. Once the brake lines are wrapped up, I can re-install the front clip and finish up the wiring. I'll also be working on the steering column shifter linkage and getting that connected to my transmission. If I can get that all done in the next few weeks, it's likely I may be taking the car up and down the block!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Nice! Everything looks great! I broke down and bought one of those flaring tools from Eastwood. I haven't used it yet but it looks cool. I will need it here when I do the brakelines for my FordbF1.
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Progress has been a little slow as I've been working on a few house projects. I think it was actually a good thing because I needed a little break from the car. I started too many projects at once and got a bit overwhelmed. Over the weekend I finally tackled something that had been bugging me, the body wasn't centered on the frame. Without a lift, I wasn't sure how I was going to accomplish this, but after overthinking it for so long, it was an easy solution. Loosen/remove the body bolts, jack the whole car up, then put some jack stands on the body, then lower it down to lift the body off the frame. Then I used some ratchet straps to pull the body in the direction that I needed it to be. After some careful measuring and shifting around, I was able to get it centered within 1/8". It ended up being that the rear of the car was shifted to the driver's side about 1/2"! After I moved it, the wheels and bumper fit so much better. No pictures as I was busy shifting the body and really wasn't much to see.
Then I broke out my brake flaring tool. I bought this almost 2 years ago when I found it on eBay mislabeled and got it for a smoking deal. I didn't even have a need for it, but knew that I would at some point. The time has now come! It can flare a variety of different fittings, such as GM quick connect fuel lines, GM/Chrysler transmission lines with o-rings, and both inverted and bubble flare brake lines. Time to make some brake lines!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318758589_7bdd6ffd17_b.jpg)
Does a really consistent job making the flares, especially with the soft NiCopp lines.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318642718_c220a3357d_b.jpg)
Fuel lines
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318642708_8b769a5672_b.jpg)
Transmission lines. I'll be using these when I make lines for my 4L80e.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53318873260_8a2abcf4b5_b.jpg)
Cheers,
Ryan
Ryan, I always chuckle when you say not much to report and then you have a long list of accomplishments! To me your projects move at the speed of light.
I purchased a MasterCool flaring tool at least twenty years ago. One of the best tools I ever purchased. The quality and ease an versatility of flairs is hard to beat. If I have any complaint it’s bulky when making flairs in tight space’s without removing a line when trying to splice a rotted section of line.
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Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I had quite a productive week. I wasn't able to get an update in last week, but have some great progress for today. One of my goals was to move the fuel tank off of the ground and get it bolted down under the car. Luckily, I haven't finalized the spare tire well so I didn't have to drop the rear end to get the fuel tank installed.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359886775_721f20ce99_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359886705_57bfd5e43f_b.jpg)
After that was out of my way, I decided it was time to get the brake lines routed and installed. The rear line was sort of a pain because I didn't know how I wanted to have it routed. The factory was routed on the passenger side, but I didn't like the way I was going to have to run the lines. Instead, what I did was ran it down the driver's side along with the fuel lines with a dual clamp I bought. These worked great and tucked up very nicely. I started by using a new rear brake hose. When I removed the stock one, I noticed that the ID of the hose was completely sealed shut! Scary.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53358547882_80547a1599_b.jpg)
I almost forgot, but I had to add in a residual valve for the rear drums. My intention is to upgrade to rear disk brakes at some point, so I created this little loop so that when I upgrade, I can simply remove this line.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359647548_2f8d4c9f0d_b.jpg)
I had turned down the pair of Impala drum brake hubs I bought for the C5 brake swap a few months ago, but came to realized that the one side had a spun outer bearing race. That's not something I wanted to repair, so I found another good core and turned that down on my lathe. Pressed in the new bearing races and installed. Now it's back on all four wheels. I also used a pair of rear 97-04 Corvette brake hoses that came with a pair of calipers I bought for the front hoses. They fit perfectly where I wanted them to be and even came with little brackets to mount to my frame.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359886690_2b2b41ffd8_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359756604_d3700fa90b_b.jpg)
I didn't get any pictures, but I rebuilt the brake calipers with new boots and seals. Then I topped off the calipers with a pair of EBC Red Stuff brake pads that I won for my Camaro a few years ago. Last thing that I need is a pair of dust covers for the hubs and the install will be complete.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359886365_9db4f5ca16_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53358547502_4f00a4c20f_b.jpg)
The last component to the brake swap was getting the brake pedal connected to the iBooster. I used the stock brake clevis and the threaded end that came with the booster and TIG welded them together. Turned out great with plenty of adjustability .
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53358547667_9768426ba3_b.jpg)
Hard to tell from the photo, but the booster rod has a nice flat and straight path.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359427996_80b5880db4_b.jpg)
I topped off the MC with fresh fluid and did have a few leaks, but nothing that required more than tightening some lines a bit. That made for a great feeling. I still need to recruit my wife to help me bleed them, but I'll save that for a later time. For now it's back to a roller again.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53358547587_c8df44032e_b.jpg)
Thought this was just amazing. My 8 YO son came up to me a few nights ago and presented this to me. He had drawn this from a picture of my car and nailed the emblems and colors. It's official now!!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53358547517_2f8d4c9f0d_b.jpg)
Lastly, I finally pulled the steering column to see what was going on with the shifter linkage, or lack there of. I don't have any conclusion just yet on that project, but thought I'd post a picture of the original steering shaft. This goes directly from the steering box and all the way up to the steering wheel. People must have drove a little differently back then knowing that there was a literal spear pointed at your chest the whole time you were driving!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359886335_241f61c495_b.jpg)
I have another update coming soon, which is huge. But I'll give it a little more time before I reveal.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Always great to see an update on this! Ya, that steering shaft always bothered me. I always swap yo a break a way column from some GM car.
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Love the art work!
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Thanks for the encouragement! Very excited to show my latest update although to some it may be a bit controversial. Before I bought my car, I was really hoping to find a Nomad with great patina but those cars are few and far between. I also never liked the solid black that my car was and have always wanted to paint the roof. A buddy of mine came across a car and sent it to me and I fell in love. It was a black car with a tan roof where the patina was showing through the original turquoise paint and I immediately fell in love. My car was originally a turquoise with a cream top, so for me I was sold on that combination as it was a perfect visualization of what my car could be. My father-in-law came down for Thanksgiving and he asked me what I wanted to do to my car and I said that I wanted to patina my car. Now a little background is that he just purchased a 56 Hardtop Bel-Air originally from Texas with some killer patina, but his was true and real. Given he was the resident patina expert, this was the perfect opportunity.
We started by wet sanding the whole hood hood and cleaning off any pine sap that was there when I bought the car. My boys love to help, so they were out there helping us prep for some paint.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359756259_6d076b8de7_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53358547452_82f285cc8a_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53358547447_7dc369df78_b.jpg)
Once the area was prepped, we wiped it down and got to shooting the paint. We had to paint the "base" coat first, followed by the primer that would have been sprayed over when it was repainted. Then when you sand it down, it will show through properly. No real rhyme or reason for how you paint it since you really can't screw it up haha.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359647363_69bd2c573c_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359647283_b21167957a_b.jpg)
Once the paint was dry, we attacked it with some more 600 and made sure to change the paper often to avoid scratches. This paint job won't fool anyone who's painted a car before, but if I can avoid scratches that are a dead giveaway that it isn't authentic.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53358547137_e20c42df71_b.jpg)
I didn't get many pictures during the last stage, but basically it was about 9pm in the last photo and I turned to my FIL and said that it would be really cool to see the roof painted. He said that he was going inside to be done for the night, but I told him that I was going to move forward with painting the roof. So I started sanding, then he just started taping up the car. Before we knew it, the almond color was being painted followed by some red oxide primer. Here's after we pealed back the tape.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359885880_8f4501ff0e_b.jpg)
Well after we pealed off the tape, we thought hey, wouldn't it look great if the grill was on and the trim around it polished and installed? Hour or so later and here's what we had.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359885885_95dcf95038_b.jpg)
The next day we woke up and got to taping up the trim again, but to paint the tops of the doors, quarters, emblems and the tailgate. Again, got busy and didn't take any photos, but here's the results.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359427481_da10b4367e_b.jpg)
Yes I do have a patch panel for the rust hole and yes I am going to repair it. I'll just blend it in and it will disappear.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53358546997_1863b73c08_b.jpg)
Then we pushed it outside and I couldn't help it, but I reinstalled the rear window on the driver's side.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359427126_c7734d508e_b.jpg)
With it outside, you can really get a full idea of what the car looks like. It honestly turned out better than I thought it was going to. It was hard to see the car inside of my small garage, but outside I think it looks fantastic. I just kept walking around it and staring. It was a total transformation and doesn't even look like the same car to me.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53358546772_c38665b208_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359755429_3e7cc7647e_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359755329_378246326b_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359426961_d139182acb_b.jpg)
And in case anyone was wondering, here are my paint supplies. I understand that my paintjob won't impress everyone, my goal for this car isn't to be perfect, but to drive it.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53359885570_3b92534d70_b.jpg)
The paint looks way better now than it did before we started because there were many defects in the clear coat. It was peeling away in places and I don't believe they had the best adhesion or prep. The car needs a full paintjob, but I just don't want to spend that kind of time on it right now. I'd rather get my enjoyment behind the wheel and making memories with my family. Plus a huge bonus is I don't have to worry about parking lot dings! Just builds more character!
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Amazing Ryan. I hope your FIL got an extra helping of turkey and mashed potatoes for his efforts.
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Now I know your secret to accomplishing so much in a short time span. It’s your multigenerational crew of helpers. It’s great when family members take an interest in your hobby and are willing to lend a hand.
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Absolutely. As far as I know we are not planning anything special for Christmas. Maybe I can host Ryan and his family for a couple of days :grin:
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Absolutely. As far as I know we are not planning anything special for Christmas. Maybe I can host Ryan and his family for a couple of days :grin:
Hahahaha, i was thinking the same thing!
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hahaha, I love it. Just bring your car down here and I'm happy to work on it. We can probably squeeze them into my 19x19 Speed Shop. :) Well maybe not Rich, since he's close enough that he could take me up on the offer! I've got your number Rich and I still want to plan something. I've seen your car on this forum for years and would love to check it out in person!
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It's been a few weeks since an update, but I'm working on it a little bit here and there. The biggest thing was tracking down all of the parts for my steering column rebuild. I started by sanding down and painting the steering column, collar and turn signal housing. I love SEM Trim Black for dash parts like this column with the the satin black color being spot on for an OEM look.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53378991902_0cbbb25a00_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53380359370_b0cc84aa9b_b.jpg)
In the meantime, I was collecting parts for the steering column rebuild. Gotta love the 50s tech which included felt "bearings" for the inner shift column tube to ride in. A forum member hooked me up with the shift tube, outer column, and all the parts here to get my column back together. The shift lever is used, but in great shape.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53378991872_ff637fcdb5_b.jpg)
The shift lever in place with some fresh grease. I still need to install the shift gate, but is very close to being ready to install.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53379917731_6999040706_b.jpg)
Got excited and put everything back together and realized that there was a little clip that I was missing that hooks up to the gauge bezel for the gear shift indicator. But here's the rebuilt column.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53378991842_f3ae5eee0d_b.jpg)
It ended up being a blessing in disguise because when I went to test the turn signals, the switch that I installed wasn't working properly so I installed another one that I had. That one believe it or not was out of the car that was in a junkyard for 40 years and worked perfectly. After ordering a few different places and having to cancel a few orders I was able to track one down. I was at a stand still because I had to install this before I could get the column reinstalled for good.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53407598922_31ed262976_b.jpg)
It fits onto the inner shift tube as shown here. That is connected to the shift indicator on the dash and is pulled down by a little spring clip. It's a very basic but creative method. I'll get more pictures when the gauges go back together.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53407598907_fb1a2e4640_b.jpg)
While I was waiting for parts, I decided to pull apart and assemble a gauge cluster with the best components that I had. My father-in-law was getting a new gauge cluster so he gave me his old one. I used my 55 speedometer and his 56 electronic temp sensor and my 55 fuel gauge. 55 was unique that they used some sort of mechanical gauge with a tube that went directly to the engine. Since the 56 was a direct swap and is electronic, it will work really well with the 3 wire LS temp sensor.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53380090293_2f7fe8e2b8_b.jpg)
I realized after I took this picture that I had a revised indicator lens for a modern gear selection, PRNDL rather than the outdated Powerglide pattern with PND1R.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53379917636_6d5b6f8a94_b.jpg)
I also had trouble tracking down the original key and decided to take matters into my own hands. The drill method. The only way to get the lock cylinder out is to drill it out enough to release the pin that holds it in. I slowly drilled and checked and it finally popped out and my new lock set could be installed.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53408960055_f25d27f504_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53408700313_37c568bf84_b.jpg)
Another project I've been putting off is what to do about my DBW pedal and how I wanted to attach it. I came across a nice bracket made by CPP, but it's only for Corvettes and mounts quite a bit differently than the Impala pedal that I picked up. But what I did like was how the bracket attached to the firewall using the existing hardware where the stock pedal bolts up. After debating on buying the piece and then modifying it, I got an idea. Try to print the picture to scale and then transfer it to steel. Thankfully CPP's image was to scale which made it easy to transfer to a thin gauge piece of steel I had. Once I got the angles right I was able to trim off the pieces I didn't need and figured out where I needed to add. Then transferred that to a 1/4" plate I had which fit up perfectly! Very pleased with the results. Only thing left is to add some longer bolts where it bolts up stock, and add a block off plate and nuts to the other side. Then it's sealed from the elements.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53408835448_8b72bc533c_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53408700198_139b3051fa_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53407599052_63204855ce_b.jpg)
Right now, I'm in the process of converting the column wiring to the 69-90's turn signal wiring so that when I am ready, I can just swap out the stock column for a tilt/collapsible unit. One thing that I noticed is that while the cheap harness had the correct style terminals for that style turn signal connector, they weren't quite right. The terminal on the left has the same width the entire end, while the correct terminal tapers in to properly match where the connector tapers in. As is, they aren't making a good connection and the signals were either making an intermittent connection or none at all. Just something to look out for if you go with that harness. Thankfully I had some from another project.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53408959745_ee5611201e_b.jpg)
I'm hoping to narrow down the list of things that are needed so that I can start buttoning up the wiring over the next few weeks.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Man, I know I’m a few posts behind and seen it before but I give you full credit on being innovative with your brake system. I hope it’s a great setup for you all said and done.
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Thanks man! I can't wait to test them out for myself. All the feedback I've heard from other guys is positive, so I'm pretty excited. I'm hoping that it's very similar to my Camaro and Trans Am brakes. The iBooster has a 26mm (1") MC bore, which is identical to what I had on both of those cars.
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Happy New Year! I'm starting to get really excited about getting this car back together now and running. I hit quite a snag working on the steering column in this car and when you combine it with waiting on parts that I didn't know that I needed, it feels like that's all I've been working on. I ordered a new turn signal kit from AAW to cut out and replaced all of the terminals from the last update with the tapered ones. That fixed the issues that I was having with inconsistent connections. Then on the column I updated the 1955 turn signal wiring with the 69+ wiring that most newer columns have. Then after all of that, I was still getting inconsistent turn signals and came to the conclusion that it was the turn signal switch. I've held off on buying a new one because the short term plan is to replace the column with a tilt unit. It's a real big PITA to install this switch because of the way that the shift collar installs until I found out the trick. I thought this whole time that you had to install the collar first, then feed the wires through a tiny hole that was at a weird angle, but with the new wiring that's glued together flat you can simply slip the collar over the wiring. That made things soo much easier.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53437940424_3b5671ceac_b.jpg)
The bearing was in good shape for the upper column, but the horn wire that is soldered to the side was brittle. I re-soldered a new wire in the stock place and it was good as new. I used the updated color combination rather than the tan from the old GM color codes.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53436695277_c973dedd78_b.jpg)
First you need to feed all the wires through the collar, then you can feed them into the column. (Note, I found out shortly after this picture that I needed to do the same thing with the horn wire).
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53437757458_ece414baa0_b.jpg)
Then carefully install the collar onto the shift tube and slowly slip it over the signal wiring.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53437621921_ebbe8f7ba2_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53437940054_350718af76_b.jpg)
Once the collar is slipped over the wires, you can reassemble the signal housing and button it all up. I didn't get a picture, but it looks the same as the first 5 times I assembled it. I also had a heck of a time finding a 12-24 machine screw for the shift detent at the bottom of the column. Ended up going to a hardware store and just cut down a screw. Not pretty, but it worked! Once the new signal switch was installed I put it back in the car and tested the lights. No surprise, but they all functioned 100% with no glitchy wiring.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53437940419_aede899f5a_b.jpg)
I ordered a new 1955 Chevy Wagon fuel filler a while ago because I wasn't able to find a used one. I didn't think they would be hard to find, but I guess since it was a one year filler tube most people didn't hang onto the wagon stuff when parting out. Anyway, after I installed it, I realized that I'm missing the little bracket that the filler tube bolts to. I put a call out to guys on a FB page and some guy reached out saying that he was mini-tubbing his wagon and would be willing to cut it off for me. Not only that, he wasn't going to use the filler tube either. He ended up selling me everything for a fantastic price considering it was being shipped across the country. He had the tube, gas cap, bracket and even the original screws!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53438039365_04c45dc076_b.jpg)
I couldn't believe just how good of condition that bracket was and I love using original metal when I can.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53437940309_ca890c071d_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53436695262_fce9043666_b.jpg)
Next up is going to be reinstalling the steering column and getting to work on the shift linkage. Once that's in place, I can work on installing the driver's side exhaust from the manifold back. I forgot that I pulled off the transmission tailshaft housing, so I need to pull that back off and apply some silicone. Once I have a shifter, exhaust, little wiring buttoned up I can bleed the brakes and maybe go on a maiden voyage! Although now that I'm writing this all down I have a lot of work to do haha.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Seems like a very small update, but I overcame a large obstacle for my project. I was finally able to get the steering column installed back in the car! It took forever as I kept coming across parts that either failed or things that needed to be installed prior to the installation of the column itself. First up was this felt seal and spring that no one seemed to have in stock.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53454051959_41a59e8e34_b.jpg)
Once I had that on I started thinking about what else I needed to have installed prior to the column going in. I knew the next challenge was to figure out how the column shifter was going to work with the transmission shift linkage. Best plan of action seemed to be using some sort of rod end and a long rod. I started looking at all of the options our there for connecting to the stock shifter, and didn't like what I was finding. What I wanted was to have a bolt with a 1/2" shoulder to fill the stock shifter, but with a 5/16" threaded end for the rod end. Couldn't find what I wanted, so I made it!
Chucked it into my lathe and got to work.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53454051904_7e584eaa5f_b.jpg)
Compared to what I started with.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53452809367_d8d74bf6a1_b.jpg)
Here's the bolt with the right length for to give me enough threads. After that was trimmed down, I cut off the end and tapped it with 5/16-24 die.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53453861058_75e391caeb_b.jpg)
Had a little oops with the die getting a bit off center, but ended up being ok because I cut the shoulder a bit too much. Left is my happy little mistake and right is the finished product. Pretty happy with the outcome.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53452809287_8014063962_b.jpg)
Here's how it will connect to the stock shift linkage. This was just a rod end I had on hand, but I'll be ordering a new one.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53454150720_e2aae3b5bc_b.jpg)
Now that I'm happy with how the rod end attaches to the shifter, I felt good enough to install the steering column for good. Used new hardware on the lower clamp and took my time getting the column fit up with the steering wheel. I just popped it off for now though because it's easier to work in the car without that giant wheel in the way.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53453860908_6f47c00077_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53452809092_7366a718bd_b.jpg)
With the column back in the car, I started to turn my attention back to the wiring. The universal harness came pre-wired for oil, water and various other sensors or 12v+ accessories, but I'm taking all of that data from Terminator X so I won't be using them. However, I thought the car may not always have an LS engine so I'd just keep those wires in the harness and seal them off. I used some of the heat shrink with glue to seal off both ends of the wires so they can be easily terminated in the future, but are completely sealed in the meantime. Sorry for the blurry photo, it was late.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53453734951_09b8cbd341_b.jpg)
It was late last night in the garage and decided that I didn't want to look at the ugly DBW Impala gas pedal and did something about it. I LOVE it and can't wait to drive it with this pedal. I've had this cover for about 12 years now and finally found the right car to install it on!!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53453860903_70d2baab7a_b.jpg)
I need to get the exhaust routed for the driver's side before I can figure out the shift linkage. I believe the linkage will be much easier to move/change than routing the exhaust piping. Next up is mounting the ECU and finalizing the rest of the wiring on the car.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Nice that you were able to use the original column shifter, I like the look. Also great that you have the tools and machinist skills to fabricate the bolt. You have really accomplished a lot on this build.
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Last week I was tinkering around with the exhaust fitment and how I wanted it to route around everything. I realized that this project needed me to have a 3-4 solid hours to knock it out. I convinced my wife to let me do it Friday night after work so I could just knock it out. Very glad I did, because it's hard to do after the kiddos go to bed when I need to use the grinder. My goal was to make a solid good flowing exhaust, but keeping in mind that it's temporary. I made it from 2.5" mandrel bent mild steel and opted to MIG weld it(mainly because I was out of Argon). I got working along and forgot to take pictures along the way, but I started with some Summit racing Truck flanges then into the two 45* pieces from my universal kit. From there I did my best to get the pipes level with the frame with the straight pieces. Passenger side is where I chose to add the Oxygen sensor, for no other reason than it's less cluttered on that side. I decided to keep things simple with a Y pipe and take a stab at fabricating a 2.5" to 3" merge section. So here's where I remembered to take some pictures. I kept the pipes tucked up above or level with the frame and wrapped the driver's side around between the trans mount and the transmission tailshaft.
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Once that was cut, I wanted to mock up the rest of the driver's side to see how it would match up. Once I was happy with how it was turning out I would tack weld a section, and remove the whole pipe to fully weld. That way I the pipe could warp slightly and everything would still line up in the end.
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I worked my way back towards the merge, and got a V-band clamp welded together so that either pipe is serviceable if needed. Once that was done, I was able to get the slip section of the pipe welded tight and marked the driver's pipe so that I could trim off that section for a smooth merge.
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Once that slip section was welded on the driver's side and the section was sliced out of the driver's side, I got the merge fit into place and tacked.
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I then removed the pipe and welded all the way around except for the last 2" of the pipe. Then through a combination of hammering and my bench vice I squeezed the pipe into shape using a short section of 3" pipe. It took me a while to slowly shape and get the right fitment for a nice butt weld, but I'm quite happy with the outcome. The only thing I wished I would have done differently is TIG welded, but I was out of Argon and just wanted to get this part done. MIG just left a lot of spatter, which was probably my fault. Should have adjusted the settings, but I like the MIG a bit on the hot side.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53468147629_8aee29f916_b.jpg)
Now that the major exhaust fabrication was done, I test fit the muffler I'll be running. It's a Walker Quietflow 21054 stainless muffler with a single in single out 3". It's probably going to rob a bit of HP compared to some of the all out performance mufflers, but all the reviews I read said it was a notch or two above a stock muffler with no highway drone and quiet cabin. Exactly what I'm looking for. I made sure to test fit the muffler with the short 3" exhaust piece before final welding on the merge to make sure it tucked up. It's a beautiful thing when a plan comes together. The exhaust tucks up so nicely.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53467826166_2dd5b8d4b9_b.jpg)
Also have plenty of room to service the transmission if needed.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53467826186_169c02e700_b.jpg)
I've been putting off the exhaust for a while so it feels good to have the majority of it together. I still need to pull it back apart to knock off the spatter and spray it with some sort of high temp paint to help the mild steel from rusting too quickly. My short term plan is also to run a pipe out the passenger side right before the rear tire. I also want to add a hanger right before and after the muffler. Once those are installed, I'm calling the exhaust done. Next on my list are a combination of shift linkage, radiator install and wiring. I'm working on how to mount the ECU now and hopefully can finish that so I can wrap up the wiring. Not sure if it's possible, but there is a local Cars and Coffee on 2/10 that I'm going to shoot for.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Now that the major exhaust fabrication is nearly wrapped up, I wanted to move my attention to the ECU and where I wanted to mount it. I first played around with the layout of the ECU and the Bussman fuse/relay panel that I wanted to use for various electronics. I wanted to make sure that the mount was easily accessible, yet tucked up and away.
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After I played around with the placement, I found a nice spot right behind the dash speaker that is also out of the way of the glove box. I'm hoping that one of those off the shelf dual speaker brackets will work where this is mounted, but if not I'll just fabricate something to fit. I ended up making it out of some 1/8" plate steel I had, which was way overkill but made the bracket very sturdy.
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I wanted to make sure that there would be plenty of room behind the Bussman panel for my wiring and also so that if I needed to, I could completely remove it for maintenance.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53480668375_e6c1f71102_b.jpg)
Once I was happy with the placement I tack welded it in place and removed to weld it completely on my bench.
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I need to find some rubber isolators before I can mount it permanently, but hoping to get that reinstalled so I can cleanly route all my wiring to the ECU. The exhaust was completed and now I moved on to another project and decided to see what it would take to get the shift lever hooked up so I didn't have any interference wit the exhaust. Keeping with my budget theme, I decided to save some money and make the bracket myself. I repurposed the throttle cable that was on my car when I bought it since it had two rod ends. I can't see where it was actually a TriFive part, but think it was actually a throttle linkage off of a Harley or something. Anyway, I started with the stock lever as a template. I did have to reclock where the lever fits into the slot.
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I put the lever in my mill to elongate the hole, but didn't realize until part way through that the head of the mill was moving as it wasn't locked down 100% tight. It looks a little sloppy, but worked great when I installed it so I'm going to stay with it since it has zero play.
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I bought a 5/16" rod from Tractor Supply and threaded the ends to match the rod ends, then hooked it all up. The rod needed a slight bend to clear the firewall, but shifts smoothly and freely. Pretty cool that it worked on the first try!
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After playing around shifting the gears for a few minutes, I counted the gears and realized that I wasn't quite able to get it to shift into 1st gear. After a bit of thinking and messaging with some TriFive guys I know, they suggested that I re-drill a new hole closer to the pivot. That did the trick and I was able to get all my gears!
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I was also playing around with the placement of the radiator and the hoses that I wanted to run. After finding several threads on Trifive.com I ordered the Gates 21710 and it fit just like everyone said it would. Once you cut off the section by the mesh, it will fit like it was made to be there.
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Now the upper section was a little trickier since there are many variations of engine accessories, but the combination that I came up with works perfectly for a late model Gen4 Truck water pump. I used a combination of Gates 20416 and 20873. I cut and trimmed them to fit the bends that I needed around the CAI, then used an ICT adapter to connect them together. It was leftover from my Camaro, but worked perfectly for this scenario.
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While I was modifying the hoses, I wanted to confirm that it wouldn't interfere with the CAI I picked up a while ago. It's a generic 99-06 Silverado/Sierra V8 CAI, but it works great for this application. I'll need to shorten the pipe quite a bit, but overall fits really nicely. It's a nice big filter too so it should provide tons of surface area.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53479353577_4c0b9d9d94_b.jpg)
I think that my shorter term goal will be to re-arrange that setup and swap out my engine accessories to C5/C6 to give me more room between the radiator and water pump. That will also give me more room to flip the CAI to the other side for a cleaner look.
Cheers,
Ryan (https://www.flickr.com/gp/98271343@N03/T470d43D4w)
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I am amazed at how quickly you are moving on this project. At the risk of repeating myself over and over I admire your fabrication skills. Even though it’s not a Firebird I enjoy seeing your build coming together.
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Great progress there Ryan! The internet has really helped speed along builds. It's things like the radiator hose that would take multiple trips to the parts store to find and now, just a few clicks away and you which one to try.
It won't be long now and you'll have it up and driving!
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Thanks guys! I just try and get in the garage and do something each day. Some nights I have trouble sleeping and I find that tinkering on something helps me settle down. I'm also highly motivated because I don't want to have another summer without a car to cruise in.
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:lol: You know when it's done, you won't cruise all summer. You'll sell it and start another project. I used to be the same way when I was young. Another challenge will present itself, and you'll say: Challenge accepted!
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:lol: You know when it's done, you won't cruise all summer. You'll sell it and start another project. I used to be the same way when I was young. Another challenge will present itself, and you'll say: Challenge accepted!
Challenge Accepted! I'll keep this one around for a while. :) My goal is to get another project so that I can have one that I keep and one that I work on to get my fill of torture, haha.
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With the ECU mount sorted out, I was determined to get the wiring buttoned up. While it's great that Holley provides a clean harness with lots of length to route where you need it, for me it was way too much length. I tried looping it around, and started going down that path, then realized that I really disliked how it looked and was in the way of future components. So I pulled it all back out and started over. After a few different options, I found that looping around behind the ECU and looping around the passenger side, it routed much better and used up all of the "extra" length in the Holley harness. Once that was straightened out, I could build off of that routing and start wiring up my Bussmann fuse/relay panel. I pre-wires as much as I could on the bench, then I brought it into the cabin to integrate.
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I added wires to relays and spots for future fused accessories that I may need. I added three relays; the bottom one will be a relay dedicated ignition relay to power the panel, middle relay is my neutral safety switch that gets a feed from the factory 4L80e switch. The top relay is a transmission relay to separate it from the engine ECU ignition. It's in the instructions that they need to be separated or the engine may not shut off, but when I opened my transmission harness there was no relay. I found that I must have had an older transmission harness that only had a power feed and that Holley revised the later harnesses to include a relay.
Here is a picture in the middle of my wiring mess. I built the ECU mount and harness in a way that I could pull out the Bussmann panel for servicing, so you can see it on the glove box door. Then I tested everything and it worked perfectly!
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Now that it's working I can put it all together and start to tidy up the under dash wiring.
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I still have several wires that need to be terminated, but overall I'm happy that the wiring is mostly complete. Most of the remaining wiring is related to my turn signals, gauges or radio. I also wired in a hidden kill switch as a bit of extra protection.
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Now that the wiring for the engine/trans is in place and fully functional, I continued down my list to figure out what else I needed to do in order to fire up the car...again I did a bunch of misc. things like, filling the trans fluid, looping cooler lines, re-routing some wiring in the engine bay, final mounting the radiator, installing engine steam ports, tightening bolts, reinstalling O2 sensor, and much more. I got it to the point that I was able to fire up the car as a complete assembly for more than just a few seconds. While the tune needs a lot of work, I was happy to report that it ran with great oil pressure and didn't have any engine leaks that I could find. I did have one transmission cooler line that was dripping quite a bit, but that should be a pretty quick fix. Since this was a completely unknown transmission, I put jack stands under the rear end with 10 quarts in the transmission. My neighbor stopped over when he heard the car fire up and shifted into reverse and he said the wheels were turning! Then in park they stopped.
https://youtu.be/5noolvlV4Ck?si=1xMyT9sw32TpJa7_ (https://youtu.be/5noolvlV4Ck?si=1xMyT9sw32TpJa7_)
I'm very pleased that the car is mostly back together now and the motor will run and start with the key as well as move the wheels in gear. I was however disappointed with the way the engine was running. After some more diagnosis, I've got some fueling issues that need to be sorted out. It will only build about 10psi with the fuel pump on, engine off. Then when the pump stops, the pressure drops to zero. I need to so more diagnosis before I can find a solution. Guessing that it's the Frankenstein fuel pump that I built.
Moving on, I wanted to get the brakes sorted out. I had hoped to just bleed the rear brakes and call it a day, but the driver's side bleeder was froze shut. Ran down to the parts store and ordered a short section of NiCopp and two new wheel cylinders. Pretty cool that they had these on the shelf for an almost 70 year old car!
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Pulled off the driver's side and everything had surface rust, but was in pretty good shape functionally. Not sure what all of the oil is on the axle? If it was a wheel cylinder, I would have expected to see it on everything?
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Was able to pop off the top springs and pop the old cylinder right out. Luckily the brake fluid hadn't made it's way down this far yet, so there wasn't any fluid to worry about. Routed the line over the axle housing, then cut and flared to meet up with the hose.
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Then it was rinse and repeat for the passenger's side. There was a bit more fluid on this side, but overall no much mess. That project was one of the few times when it took about the same time as I expected which is rare. In a way I'm glad the bleeder was froze because now I have new wheel cylinders and confirmed that everything is in working order.
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Next thing I had to address was something I discovered after welding in my transmission crossmember a few weeks ago. Two pieces of weld spatter landed on the NiCopp lines and welded themselves in place?!? I didn't think that it was possible since they are mostly Copper, but apparently there's enough Nickle in them to have mild steel weld spatter stick. So rather than replacing the whole thing, I opted to just add a union fitting. I'd love to say that this was also a mostly clean job like the wheel cylinders, but that was not the case at all. I tried to quickly get my flare tool in there, but as fast as I was working the fluid just gushed out.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53494555092_1d90b10db4_b.jpg)
I bought these little clamps a few years ago, and this was just the ticket after I got a good flare. They are made by SUR & R Auto and are called brake fluid stoppers and were perfect for this situation.
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I was able to take my time on the other flare since not much fluid came out. Once that was good, I added the union fitting and tried to quickly tighten it all. Got it all tightened down and it didn't drip once overnight, so I call that a win.
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I'm pretty quickly crossing things off of this list! Once I cross a few more off of the list, I think I'll take it up and down the block.
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It was a fairly lazy Sunday yesterday so my wife said that she could give me a hand bleeding my brakes. They bled out really nicely after only a few open/shuts on each bleeder. Tested them and the pedal is rock hard. I'm hoping to hook up the iBooster this week and see what the assist feels like. If I can figure out the fueling issue this week, I'm nearly ready to see what she does on the street.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Ryan, you just keep moving right along. Nice job on mounting the ECU and wiring. It's always exciting to hear the engine fire up for the very first time.
I can't help but think that your ECU likely has more processing power than a "powerful mainframe" back in 1955. Let alone how much HP any gasoline powered engine Detroit built in the day. If you could transport your Nomad back in time, what the engineers that designed your car might be thinking if they got a look under the hood or dash.
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Nice work Ryan! I need to get moving to try to catch up! I feel like I'm not getting anywhere and now you have a running engine! Sounds like the fuel should be an easy fix, at least you know fuel delivery is the problem and I'm sure you'll solve it! Keep at it my friend!
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That would blow their minds away at how far the technology has come. My engine should make somewhere around 360HP as is. It's a very respectable amount of power out of 325 CU displacement. What is fascinating to me is that 1955 was the debut year for the SBC platform, but I didn't realize that there were many differences in the first few years of production. The one that blew my mind is that in 55 and 56 there was no provision on the block for a filter! There were also no provisions for side engine mounts until much later down the road.
Thanks Luke, I'm really happy with the progress so far. I actually dropped the tank yesterday and pulled out the fuel pump. I went with a cheapo fuel pressure regulator when I put together my Frankenstein fuel pump, and that was spraying fuel out of it. I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to do that, so I broke down and bought the FPR that I should have originally from Vaporworx. Should be here by the end of the week and hopefully that fixes the issue. If not, I probably need a new fuel pump assembly...
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Ok y'all, this last update is super exciting for me, but was quite a roller coaster to get there. With the first startup out of the way, I wasn't that far off from taking the car out for a test drive! First task was to recruit my wife to help me with bleeding the brakes. She's done that before so it was very straight forward and they bled out very quickly. No pictures to show, but now it can officially stop! I'm going to jump around a bit, but stick with me.
Next up was to figure out why the car took so much effort to fire up and run. I would have to crank for a long time to get it to fire and stay running. If you listen to the last video, you can hear that it's labored for fuel. I was hoping to get away without a fuel pressure sensor, but this has forced my hand. I bought a few sensors from Low Dollar Motorsports for both the fuel and oil pressures. Once I got those installed the fuel pressure was only showing 10 psi while running, and would drop to zero immediately after it was off. If that wasn't enough data, I also checked the fuel learn table, and it was trying to add 87% fuel at idle to keep it running. I used a cheapy fuel pressure regulator from eBay and I think it came back to bite me.
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So, I dropped the tank and with the fuel pump still connected and turned the pump on and it was spraying like crazy out of that little return hose, so I knew that it was bad... I bit the bullet and ordered the FPR I should have originally from Vaporworx. Ordered on a Sunday afternoon and it arrived by Thursday evening. Huge thanks to Carl!
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Almost as soon as that was delivered, I ran out to the mailbox and swapped out the regulator and reinstalled to test. Fantastic news was that after a 2 second prime, it had over 25psi, but the bad news is I found out the fuel lid I used had a cracked fitting and was spraying fuel everywhere under the car!
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I was able to pivot fairly quickly and used the gen5 Camaro lid with some small modifications. The lid that I used originally was from a 09-15 CTS-V since the long term plan is to swap in a real CTS-V fuel assembly with twin fuel pumps that's sitting on my bench when I add boost. I'll cross that bridge when the time comes, but for now it's the path of least resistance.
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In between waiting for the fuel pump parts and issues, I welded in the cargo extension pieces that fit between the stock spare tire well. I needed to weld those in so that I could route the tail light wiring through the grommet in the driver's side corner.
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Again, while waiting for parts I was able to pivot and work on wiring up the iBooster to test it functionality. Again, relied on evcreate.com for the wiring diagrams as there is a ton of information there about the swap. I was lucky enough to get the pigtails with the iBooster I picked up, so it was a matter of striping out the unused wires and labeling them for installation.
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With that wired up, I was concerned that it wasn't giving me any assistance. After trial and error of testing all the wiring, I determined that it wasn't the wiring issue. As a last resort, I pulled the pin from the clevis and noticed that there was a bit of preload on the pin. It came out a little hard, but once it was free, I heard some clicking and then I was able to push the rod by hand! Apparently they don't like any preload, so I loosened up the clevis two turns and then reinstalled with full assist! Very happy about that.
Once that was straightened out, I turned back to my fueling issue, and got everything reinstalled in the car. Now the car has a bit over 60psi while running!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53509507507_f55ca3b673_b.jpg)
With all of that straightened out, it was time to fire up the car and see if it will move. I cranked up the car and it idled significantly better, then gave the car a once over to make sure nothing was leaking and there was fluid pouring out of the transmission! WTH!! Quickly shut it off and found that one of the transmission lines wasn't happy. So I ran to the parts store and someone sold me a significantly discounted line and new fitting to get me quickly fixed up. Swapped those on the car and no leaks!! Well still drips a little on the temporary loop I ran, but it's minimal. All that built up to this:
https://youtube.com/shorts/_XIhYiH9_jI?si=yDFWMGG_HfYJU5Ja
Then after I got back from the drive, I got a nice walk around in it's current state. Still needs plenty of TLC, but it's a running and driving car now!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jcravYgbow
It's been quite a roller coaster the last few days, but I'm so close to having it be street legal. I'm basically down to installing headlights, parking brake, rear view mirror and windshield wipers. Should be able to knock those out in the next few weeks and get an appointment for an inspection!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Congratulations Ryan, your Nomad has come a long way in a short time! Were your kids excited too?
I installed a FAST EFI system on my TA and love the way it functions and drivability. But getting to that point was not without some challenges. I was very careful when constructing/routing the fuel system making sure nothing would rub against the lines causing a leak. I couldn't help but think the original carbureted system relied on a mechanical pump using vacuum from the engine back to the fuel tank, so the fuel was only pressurized from the fuel pump up to the carb. And only about 5 or 6 PSI. With EFI the fuel is pressurized from the tank forward at 50-60 PSI. What if something leaks and a spark, will my car become a flame thrower. I still think about installing an inertia triggered sensor to turn off the pump should I ever get in an accident. I think most modern cars have this feature.
Great progress, thanks for sharing.
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Thanks! Yes, the kids are very excited. It's a bit premature because I have quite a few things left on my list before we can go on long cruises, but it was definitely a huge step in the right direction.
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Totally Awesome Ryan! What a relief that is. Now to fine tune it and get ready to put some miles on it.
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Absolutely!!
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Congratulations, it is down hill from here on.
It is nice you are able to see fuel pressure on the hand held unit!
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Bob, yes that handy little 3.5" screen can show a lot of really cool data from the engine. Current timing, target timing, AFR, Target AFR, Trans temp, Intake Air Temp, and etc.
With the huge push to get the car running/driving/stopping it wore me down a bit. I had to take a break and just enjoy the fact that I could drive it around the neighborhood. I was still collecting parts, but got back to working on it this weekend. Now that I've hit that large milestone, my next goal is to get the car fully road worthy so that I can schedule an inspection so I can hit the open road! One of the parts I was waiting on was a Y splitter for the Holley CAN bus. This allows me to connect the USB cable and use the 3.5" screen at the same time.
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My fuel table needs lots of work.
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After looking up the rules for what's required for passing the inspection, the parking brake would be the most challenging item. I had the handle inside the car, but everything else was missing. After looking around online seeing the parts I needed selling for ~$500 bucks, I made a trip to my favorite junkyard up the road. The same car that donated the rear floor section to my car also donated the parking brake parts. The floors were so rotted, that I just cut the hump in between the two floor pans to easily reach the brackets. I was expecting a big fight, but was pleasantly surprised that all 6 bolts came out smooth and easy! couldn't believe how clean the hardware is!
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I also picked up some rear seat reinforcement plates and rear view mirror.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53552501732_9b290856d4_b.jpg)
The lower cable guide is a bit rough, but nothing that I can't fix. Just needs a new wheel, new hardware and paint.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53553806120_7e5a6835a2_b.jpg)
The mirror back side and mount were pitted, but the face is very smooth. I cleaned up and painted the back side of the mirror, then just used some steel wool on the mount and it cleaned up pretty decent... But matches the rest of the trim in the car.
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I've been putting off this project for a while, but it was finally time to get the floor braces and rear seat mounts all welded up. Whoever installed the floors before somehow didn't completely weld the floor braces to the pans. So I drilled some holes along the braces and spot welded the floors and braces together.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53553806080_18dbeea21c_b.jpg)
Once that was done, I moved to install the rear seat reinforcement plates. I had the upper seat installed with some self tapping screws so that I could nail down the right mounting spot. So I used those screws to set the plate and scribed a line for the spot welds. I then drilled a bunch of spot weld holes to secure the plate on. I still need to seam seal and paint the plates, but they are now installed.
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Since I had the welder out, I pushed to get the rear seat bottom brackets installed. I didn't get any in process, but the seat brackets had to be tweaked slightly once the upper seat was completely bolted down. I buzzed them all together after I drilled a bunch of holes for spot welds. Brackets are very solidly welded, so they aren't going anywhere. Paint was still wet from spraying the spot welds, but it should dry down completely flat.
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Once that was final welded, I bolted the rear seat bottom back together too. Looks the same as before, but now when I rotate the seats it's so much smoother.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53553555853_6c58845cb1_b.jpg)
With the seats all back together and bolted down for good, I really wanted to get an interior panel out so see what it looked like. I'm really digging the 55 Nomad panels. My plan is to keep the original Turquoise uppers, but dye the bottom black. I think that it'll look really good and I like that it's still stockish. From all of my research, there wasn't a black interior option for a 1955 Nomad. So using the original panels, but dyed black on the bottom will look pretty cool. Plus the original waffle panels and all of the original chrome trim.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53553555753_0cd68306b4_b.jpg)
Then the UPS/Fedex/USPS trucks all came and dropped off parts at my house. I got a complete set of body bushings, firewall grommet for Terminator X, ebrake rollers/bolts, shift indicator spring/clip, front parking brake cable, and dust caps for the 61-68 Impala hubs.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53553356631_2c9d340372_b.jpg)
Right now I'm in the process of cleaning up and re-assembling the parking brake setup. First, I had to remove the handle and get rid of those clutch head bolts. I didn't have the right bits for them, but a few minutes with my vice grips took care of them. Will not be reusing them, and replacing with either a button head allen bolt, or a regular hex flange head bolt.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53553555783_2eb0745653_b.jpg)
The handle was frozen but after a little bit of TLC I got it free and lubricated. The upper cable guide wheel was also frozen up, so I removed that and will replace with one of the new plastic wheels. Next up is getting the parking brake brackets cleaned up and installed. Should have that done by the end of the week and have functional parking brakes. Next up will be wiper motor and, wiring up headlights/dimmer switch, and buttoning up the last remaining wiring for the dash bezel.
Cheers,
Ryan
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That's cool that you could get more parts off the junkyard car. I have never had a functional ebrake. Maybe I'll hook the one up on my 49 build as everything is new on the axles.
Looks like you are making some really good progress on the car!
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That's cool that you could get more parts off the junkyard car. I have never had a functional ebrake. Maybe I'll hook the one up on my 49 build as everything is new on the axles.
Looks like you are making some really good progress on the car!
My inspection guys check all that, so I've just made sure they were functional. There was a universal kit that I got from Summit that had clevis that fit the LS1 brakes really well, and I'll bet they work with the S10 rear disks too.
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Exciting stuff! Can't wait to see it in person.
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Shouldn't be long now Rich! Weather is getting warmer and the car is very close to being street legal.
I like when I can install clean parts! All the parking brake parts and hardware were in great shape, so I just had to clean them up and paint.
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Then I had to figure out how it all went back together. Thankfully there are many diagrams online and I was able to get if figured out pretty quickly. I put in the new front parking brake cable, new cable guide rollers/hardware and lubricated the parking brake handle. I was worried that the transmission crossmember that I installed would rub, but it clears by about 1/4".
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I removed the exhaust to gain access to the lower parking brake cable guide and also because I never installed the gaskets. While I had them out, I painted them with some high temp flat black. Probably will still burn off, but since it's mild steel I thought it may give it a little more protection than leaving it bare.
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It was a quick update, but pretty excited to have functional parking brakes now. That was a bigger worry for me since that's an item on the inspection list and I'm sure they'll check. Just need to get my horn working, wire up headlights, add an exhaust hanger, and install wiper motor/arms. Once those are done, I can schedule an inspection.
Cheers,
Ryan
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I see a lot of progress at leasat since I last saw your post. That's going to be one sweet ride.
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When you indicate getting the car inspected, is that for your peace of mind?
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I'm running regular license plates, so I need to get an annual inspection like most cars on the road. I took the list online that they look for and making sure that all items are good and functional.
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I'm running regular license plates, so I need to get an annual inspection like most cars on the road. I took the list online that they look for and making sure that all items are good and functional.
Ah, surprised your not using the antique plates unless it is going to be your daily driver.
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When I talked to the DMV folks I told them I wanted to drive it to work so they told me I needed a regular plate. I should have asked around because it sounds like the antique plates are the way to go. Maybe I'll just see if DMV can swap out my regular plates for Antique.
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Not to encourage you to break the law :shock: but unless you plan on daily driving I would go with the antique plates. In MD the law says that you can only use the car for car related events, holidays, shows and the like. I pass 2 dozen crappy 20 year old cars a day on the road with historic tags. The abuse is ridiculous. One of my pet peeves actually. But I dont see how they can enforce the law other than saying one needs to have a regular tagged car as well. If you just want to drive to work on occasion I doubt anyone would bother you.
(Not sure about VA but here the historic tags are about a quarter the reg. price and there is no emission testing. Thats why so many people run them on their hoopty daily drivers).
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After Rich's post, I called the local DMV and they said that I could turn in the regular plates and swap for the historic plates! Nice part is there is a one time only $50 fee for the registration and no annual inspections!
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After Rich's post, I called the local DMV and they said that I could turn in the regular plates and swap for the historic plates! Nice part is there is a one time only $50 fee for the registration and no annual inspections!
Glad your DMV is so accommodating. Every state is a little different. In Illinois I get what is called Expanded Antique allowing unlimited use March - November and limited use December - February. A Vanity EA (Custom) plate is $58.00 per year.
Another thing to keep in mind is how your insurance Policy on the Nomad is listed. Most companies put a car in a different class if it is used to drive to and from work.
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True regarding the insurance. You may want to talk to someone then read it in writing regarding the use of your car. I have grundy and they encourage using ones antique car. I talked with the agent right after I got the policy and for me its ok to drive the car to work occasionally (my office is downstairs and its hard to carry my tool load in a trans am so that part is out of the question for me :shock:) and make a run to the ice cream joint on a nice day. I just cant use it as daily transportation.
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Yep, I just switched from Haggerty to Grundy and both encourage you to drive the car, but, shouldn't be used as a daily driver.
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I'm definitely not going to use it for daily transportation, but do plan to drive it to work maybe one day a week every so often. I'm not super concerned because of how loose the rules are for use.
Registering your vehicle either of these ways limits your use of the vehicle to:
-Participation in antique car club activities, exhibits, tours, parades and similar events.
-Testing its operation, obtaining repairs or maintenance, selling the vehicle or trailer, transportation to and from events as described above and for the occasional pleasure driving, not to exceed 250 miles from your residence.
-Carrying or transporting passengers, personal effects or other antique motor vehicles being transported for show purposes.
I have it insured through Condon and Skelly, and they are very good about the terms. Basically the same rules as the antique plates, but they aren't concerned with mileage.
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So, in my mind, driving it to work is for maintenance reasons, and you stated, it is rare so, maintenance, and I ignore the 250 mile limit, I mean really, the Trans Am nationals is much further and what are they going to do, make me buy the regular plates, find me and have a copy follow me to check miles? They can't enforce any of it really. To me those are more guidelines then rules. I've concerned myself more about the insurance company. Also, whenever I take a long trip, I notify the insurance company anyways and make sure there isn't any kick back. The only thing they have ever told me, "please park under a parking light when at a hotel if you can".
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MD pretty much says the same regarding classic tags. Like I said, a major pet peeve of mine is people that abuse the system. Every 20 yr old clapped out honda has these tags and I know they are daily drivers. BUT, I dont know how the law can be enforced. If one gets stopped all they have to say is they are going to a car club meeting. Doesnt matter if youre the only member and the meeting is at wawa!
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I've been busy wrapping up all of the small details needed in order to get the car ready to be 100% road legal. Next up on the list was getting the car converted over to electric wipers. The standard option was a vacuum actuator, with electric being optional. What I find very slick is that the same knob is used for both vacuum or electric. You rotate the knob on the dash and that will pull/push a cable to run the vacuum motor, but it also works to activate the electric switch. Pretty cool that it works for both and was a very easy swap.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53585345103_2a78a1e434_b.jpg)
Since I was rewiring the whole car, I wanted to make the dash easier to remove if I needed to. I added a metripack connector so I could just disconnect in the future.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53585566400_cf32ae0324_b.jpg)
The horn was pretty straight forward. I picked up a universal horn from Advanced Auto and everything was wired up correctly. I did have a little trouble getting the horn mechanism to ground properly at first, but that just needed some sanding an dielectrical grease. This 210 steering wheel I got from the JY didn't come with a center cap, but I found one on eBay in the right condition and color. It matches the wheel perfectly!
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As I was testing the lights and other operations, I noticed that the headlight switch I had wasn't operating the gauge illumination. I had two switches, and since the other one worked better, I opted to use that one. However the switch was very stiff. I decided to pull it apart and inspect. The mechanism that operates the headlights is very basic, but does have lots of springs that need to be in the right spots. There was a slight bit of corrosion on the contacts, so I scuffed those up and added some dielectrical grease. It's now smooth as butter, but was a PITA to get back together correctly.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53584255452_cb218cf75b_b.jpg)
This wasn't necessary for the inspection, but I wanted to get the firewall sealed up and this was a good sized hole. This is a Haltech grommet that's made for a 2.5" hole. Fits great and makes for a much cleaner operation. I'd highly recommend buying one BEFORE you wire up the car. Makes for much less work down the road.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53585119831_e98fb2d265_b.jpg)
Lastly, I ordered a new body bushing rubber kit. Most of the body bushings were newer, but there were a handful that look to be reused originals and were very cracked and hard. Figured I'd just start with a brand new kit. It was a huge PITA to get the body squared up without a lift, but was able to get it where I was happy.
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I'm also starting to think about getting the interior finalized and buttoned up. I picked up some Kilamat 80 Mil sound deadener and once that is installed I'll need to get the wheel wells covered. I bought a pair of vinyl covers from CARS, Inc. that I'll wrap the rear inner wheel wells with. I'm hoping that the sound deadener will make a big difference with how loud the interior is. Between that and running a proper tail pipe I'm hoping that it will be much quieter.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53585344628_696bd6b72f_b.jpg)
I'm not sure when, but at some point I'll want to install A/C and found this bracket used for a fantastic price. Should make building a custom bracket significantly easier.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53585566885_78dc999435_b.jpg)
I bought a new union to replace the one that I bought a few weeks ago and while I was inspecting it, I noticed that there was a large burr inside. Just a reminder to always check your new parts.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53587796774_cd0af9ff44_b.jpg)
I picked up a second regulator for my welder specifically for Argon. I had been swapping back and forth, but my welder has two ports for MIG and TIG so you can run two different gasses. So I wanted to take advantage of the one specific for TIG and bought this regulator with two separate outputs. Now I'll be able to back purge when I'm welding stainless so there won't be any sugaring on the backside when I build an exhaust next go around.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53585444674_b1a6c1df18_b.jpg)
My punch list is now down to just a few items and I'm getting really anxious to get this car out on the highway. Right now I need to figure out the leaking transmission cooler fittings. I really just want to find a bandaid solution so that it will stop leaking on the garage floor. The radiator that's currently installed works find and doesn't leak, but I want to figure out something different so that I can use the Gen6 Camaro fan which would mean a new radiator. I don't want to fab up cooler brackets and route the lines knowing that I'll change it soon. So for now, I'll just keep an eye on the trans temps.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Thanks man, I appreciate it!! My hope is that a few years down the road that this car will be receiving an aftermarket chassis from Nerd Rods. :drool:
HUGE update for me. I've been consistently plugging away at getting this car ready for the open road. It's one thing going around the neighborhood, but another thing entirely to get the car up to 55+ on a highway. After reviewing the options at Virginia DMV, I came to realize that I should have registered my car using Antique plates rather than a regular registration when I originally bought the car. Antique plates have no annual inspection requirements and a one time registration fee, so I'm much better off with that option. There are some restrictions about where you can drive, but from what I understand they are very hard to enforce. So once I re-registered with the new plates, I was free to get the car out on the open road and do some testing! My parents came down to VA to visit for the weekend, and I really wanted to take my Dad with me on the maiden voyage out on the open road. They came into town and I got him right to work. We buttoned up a few things that I hadn't gotten to and we were able to drive about a mile up the road and back to get gas!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53597829431_8cbe14cf33_b.jpg)
My dad took some unflattering photos of me haha. While I look irritated, inside I was stoked to be out and driving.
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The EFI really benefitted from getting up to temperature and out on the road. It was stalling quite a bit on gear change and hard hot starts, but afterwards it cleaned up and was much happier. While there were tons of good that came out of the drive, my attention seems to be focused on the things I want to fix. Pulls hard to the right, terrible body roll (no sway bars or rear shocks), tons of rattles, louder inside than outside of the car (no door panels or sound deadener), and the worst part is I think it sounds like a truck... I've got a lot of theories as to why that could be, but I'd be open to suggestions that could help. Stock manifolds, 2.5" pipes Y into single 3" and a Walker QuietFlow SS muffler. Sounds great at idle.
Overall the first drive was a huge success and I can't wait to get the interior back together and work out all the bugs.
Sunday afternoon I got out and started tucking wires and getting the dash back together. Looks so much better. Anyone know what vehicle that "Nomad" emblem came from? While it's not original, I really like how it looks and am keeping it!
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53598158569_fe960fd99b_b.jpg)
I bought some seam sealer a few days ago and will be going through the floors to seal up any spots that I had leftover from all the panel replacement. Hopefully between that and the sound deadener I'll be able to seal up and quiet down the interior.
Cheers,
Ryan
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And it lives!
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You got a lot to be proud of, enjoy!
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Oh man, that is sweet! Ya, I try not to let the rattles, creaks and groans get to me
I tell myself, it a 45 year old car, well yours is a bit older but you get the idea. Drive it, just drive it and have fun!
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Thats fantastic Ryan, car looks great. At least its running and on the road, you can work on getting the other stuff buttoned up along the way. A nice rolling restoration. Is the 'Nomad' script off of an RV?
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Thanks guys! I'm still going to be plugging away since there are still tons of little tasks that I need to button up on it. Really want to get the interior cleaned up, painted and installed. I really want to quiet this car down. Hopefully the tailpipe and sound deadener will help that a lot.
Oh, I found where that emblem came from. 1958 Chevy Nomad glove box door emblem.
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My sound deadener came in a few weeks ago, but am just now to the point where I am ready to install. Before I laid down the deadener, I bought a tube of seam sealer to seal up all of the spots where I had to replace metal. That should help keep the fumes and occasional rain out of the car. I also sanded down the floors and cleaned up any oil/grease spots.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53609193412_8bf2e7152a_b.jpg)
I got the first few pieces started and my youngest son wanted to help with the roller, so he got right in there! He was bored after a few minutes, but glad he was able to help me again. I always show my boys what I'm doing and see if they want to help.
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It's such a simple and relatively quick task, but is very satisfying when you step back to check your work.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53609193217_0af6e5d2b0_b.jpg)
I'm in the process of modifying the front seat so I can lower it and move it backwards. Wrapping that up shortly so that will be nice sitting in a more comfortable position.
Cheers,
Ryan
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I hope that it makes a big difference I have not got to try mine out yet. Glad to see the Nomad out on the road. I am hoping for a great driving summer.
I hope so too and I'm also looking forward to a great driving summer!
I finished my seat modification project last night. I learned recently that the front bench seat that I picked up was unfortunately not a 55-56 split bench seat, but rather a 53-54 Bel-Air seat. While I was a little disappointed, it all made sense why it never quite fit right in the car. It looks very similar so I decided that I'm just going to run with it. The seat sits too high and forward in the car as it is, so my plan is to drill a few new holes to relocate the rear mounts, build extensions for the front to bolt down and the biggest... notch the front and rear bracing to sit down lower.
I took some basic measurements and just went for it. Here's basically what I wanted to create, and just improvised.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53610067556_9364446cca_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53610521640_1f54e10896_b.jpg)
I had some leftover 5/8" rod from my shifter project and bent it into an arch roughly the size of what I needed and confirmed it was the same radius as the trans hump. I welded the rod in first, then cut out the brace to keep the original shape.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53610067486_9e88e5d61c_b.jpg)
Then I got busy and forgot to take pictures. I added a second rod parallel to the first rod with a cross brace in between. I drilled out the spot welds on the chunk of the seat frame I cut out and used the top piece for re-attaching the seat upholstery to. I had to notch the center support and re-bend it so that it would also be raised a bit. (I'll later discover that I have to notch it further and relocate the back higher as it was still hitting the trans hump.)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53610404529_5e4ab00f06_b.jpg)
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53610404439_4a47ef33c4_b.jpg)
I used this as an opportunity to practice with my TIG welder. One reason is that I need the practice, and two is that as old as the seat I needed to reduce the amount of sparks thrown. Nice thing with the TIG welder is that when done correctly there are few if any sparks. I've found that if you don't clean the pieces 100%, that it will spatter a small amount. I still have a ways to go, but I'm happy with my improvements.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53610280613_723e4ece6f_b.jpg)
I again got busy and didn't take pictures, but here's the final piece. You can see that the center piece is quite a bit higher than the other pictures, and I also notched the center of the back frame. It was enough to get the seat to fit without contacting the transmission hump and should given enough room for carpet too.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53614786689_454c2ef9b1_b.jpg)
With the seat modifications out of the way, it was on to the seat mounts. I dug through my metal pile and found a really cool bracket that had holes that lined up perfectly with the original seat mounts. I just had to figure out how I wanted to bolt the original style seat mounts to the plates. I came up with the idea of welding some studs that would allow me to bolt them down.
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Little more TIG practice.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53614786699_6d303f95ce_b.jpg)
Here it is test fit. This was prior to me painting the sliders.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53614786729_bfdfd1f356_b.jpg)
The overall setback is about 2" back and 3" down. Now the gas/brake pedal and steering wheel are at a very comfortable position. I have tons of head room now and I'm really excited to take the car out for a drive to compare.
Before:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067350302_9176cb42dd_b.jpg)
After:
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53614450991_8035943c35_b.jpg)
Next up is laying down the Kilamat on the wheel wells so that I can wrap them with the Vinyl covers. Really excited to see those installed!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Awe man, that looks great! Nice job with the modifications!
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I've been plugging away getting the car prepped to start installing the interior panels. At the recommendation of many tri-five wagon folks, I've wrapped the rear wheel wells in sound deadener. I'm also hoping that this will fill in any small dents/imperfections that they had. I'm going to run over them a few more times with a larger roller before I glue down the vinyl covers.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53626748154_92187f5ae8_b.jpg)
It's very rough test fit, but I couldn't help but throw one up just to see how it fit. I think with a lot of heat and some help I'll be able to stretch the cover for a nice fitment. My main concern is to make sure that the seam is nice and straight.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53626419671_3cf656e407_b.jpg)
My father-in-law dropped off some parts that he wasn't using a few months ago that he removed from his 1956 Belair which included a chrome glove box door. I knew that I didn't want a chrome glove box door, but I saw a car at a local Cars & Coffee with a dash board with a ton of stickers on it. It got me thinking about the tons of stickers that I have and I could throw them on the chrome glove box so I could easily swap back and forth if I wanted/needed to. There was quite a bit of rust/pitting in the inside of the door, so I sanded that all down primed and painted it flat black.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53626748119_3317eede98_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53626748039_4e6df716ac_b.jpg)
After that dried for a few days, I pulled out my envelope full of stickers and got to work. It was fun because I brought it inside the house and the kids were coloring so we all did an arts/crafts time. I'm really happy with the way that it turned out. It definitely goes with the theme of the car.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53626748009_718819baf2_b.jpg)
Next up is getting my exhaust tailpipe welded up and installed. I also want to install some seatbelts and dye/clean up my interior panels before I reinstall.
Question, has anyone used vinyl dye on seats before? I'd like to dye the rear seats black on my car, but I don't want to if it can come off or start flaking. I was impressed with the dye I used on my Camaro. I accidently scratched something against it, but it held up with no peeling or damage. I had heard some people had issues with the dyed seats reactivating in the heat and it coming off on your clothes.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Ryan, I used SEM dye on the vinyl grab strap and lettering on one of my jet skis about 4 years ago. My ski is in the water every weekend as it's on a lift at the lake. Basically saying it sees a lot of use amd sun. I am a million percent impressed with that dye. I looks just like the day I sprayed it. And, I sprayed it tan first but it didn't match the tan of the seat so I sprayed over that with black. All I did was soap and water wash a few times, some simple green on the really oily/gummy part and then rubbing alcohol them the die.
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That's fantastic to hear! I think I'll just spray it after hearing that review. Maybe it was the first generation of spray dye's that were the issue. When I did the panels in my Camaro, I did the same and used soap/water, but then I used lacquer thinner (as I read it opened up the pores of the vinyl) right before I sprayed the dye. I'll do the same for these pieces too.
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I bought a set of front seats at Carlisle a number of years ago. They were standard black vinyl. It wasnt until I started taking them apart that I found out they were camel that had been dyed. No idea on the product but unless you really looked hard you could not tell. They def. had some use in them. I would not be afraid at all to use a sem product and try it out.
I really like the glove box door. My old secretary has a 68 firebird conv. Her husband bought the car in 1972. At that same time she was still in school and dating the fellow. She took nail polish or something like that and artistically wrote her and her boyfriends name on the glove box door. You know how clingy and possessive a new girlfriend can get, LOL. Anyway a few years ago they had the car restored to above and beyond! But they left the glove box door alone. Its kinda cool seeing a beautifully restored car with a kinda shabby part with their names scrolled into it.
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This last update has been sort of a messy, clean-up and painting update. I'm gearing up for my interior install and need to prepare all of my parts and panels for the installation. My car came to me with very little interior in the car, so most of what I have is a mix and match from other cars. While keeping on a budget, my goal is to get the interior to be complete and look pretty decent. Generally those two are mutually exclusive, but I'm going to do my best.
First up was to clean up the rusty roof. There was a ton of surface rust that I wanted to clean up for future installation of heat/sound deadener. I'm not sure when I'll attempt the head liner, but for now it looks pretty cool with just the black roof.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53643223845_2f39b69e74_b.jpg)
Not much to see, but I did order an 8 piece carpet kit from ACC. I ordered it from Rock Auto and will say that they had the best prices and shipping wasn't bad at all. I'm leaving it boxed up for now since it takes up much less space. I'll pull it out and let it sit in the sun before I go to install.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53643223675_9165616a9c_b.jpg)
Next part is really exciting for me. I have been itching to get the interior panels that I bought from Spring Carlisle last year out and installed on the car. It's been in the box and moved around the garage for almost a year, but is finally ready to get some attention. Crazy how good of condition they are for being almost 70 years old!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53641884807_0ff380203b_b.jpg)
I didn't notice when I bought these originally, but in the upper right side of the door panel there is a 4th hole. After some research I found out that this is for a rare factory optional remote mirror. Pretty cool, and looks like I'll need to track one down at some point, but for now I'll just make a little block off plate or something.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53642764391_033203634a_b.jpg)
Got all the rest of the panels and trim set out and started to organize.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53643100464_2c8e5f8180_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53641884807_0ff380203b_b.jpg)
The white interior panels really isn't the style of what I'm going after, so I decided to change it. Black was never an interior or exterior option for 1955, and I've never seen another two tone black and turquoise Nomad interior. I decided to use the same SEM Vinyl dye that I used on my Camaro on these panels. I carefully masked off the turquoise and prepped the white for paint. First step was Windex and a scrub brush, followed by soap and water with a scrub brush. Then once I felt the panels were clean enough, I wiped down the white with a liberal amount of lacquer thinner soaked in a rag, then it was ready to spray! My father-in-law gave these kick panels to me too from his 1956 Bel-Air, so I used the same method and dyed these too.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53643100394_8aa360afd1_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53642764296_80ed84fd86_b.jpg)
I couldn't wait to get the masking off so that I could see what it's going to look like with all the trim installed. I'm very pleased with how it's going to look. It's actually better than I had hoped. I quickly polished the trim, but the lower waffle panel needs some attention. For those that don't know, all of the stainless trim and "waffle" panel is unique to only 1955 Nomad's. Unfortunately, when I was taking inventory of the trim, I am missing the longest piece of stainless trim for the one side. Thankfully Spring Carlisle is right around the corner, and I know a few people will have them at the show.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53643223620_811bdcf743_b.jpg)
Right now, I'm working on getting the door garnish moldings cleaned, painted and fit to the doors. I'm going to order more vinyl dye so that I can spray the rear seat bottom and back. I'll have more time removing all of the trim and brackets, but it will look so good and be worth it.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Looking good Ryan!
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Thats going to look nice Ryan. I have a good friend (actually is a member here, now that I think about it) that did a beautiful resto mod on a 57 belair. I went to Carlisle with him one year when he was looking for int. trim. I could not believe how many pieces of stainless are on those door panels.
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Moving along, I was really anxious to get the door panel installed to see what it was going to look like. I was able to get the trim all polished up and installed a few nights ago. I was able to get the majority of the dents on the waffle panel popped out, but looks way better than when I started. I all the trim was polished up using Mother's Polish. That worked so well vs. the generic polish I had bought years ago from a parts store.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53658591004_ce82de0593_b.jpg)
I realized that before I can install the door panel for good that I'd need to get the door garnish moldings installed first. They weren't in the best shape when I bought them, but I could fix that. I used a flap disk to take down all of the rusty flakes, primed with etch primer, then followed up by a few coats of high build.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53641884547_68e2187522_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53642977093_3f85be7279_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53642976998_a56bcd7b62_b.jpg)
I waited a few days for it to dry down completely before I tried sanding it. When I was ready I started with some 600 dry on a block to knock it down smooth, then followed that up with 600 wet sanding. I was able to get about 75% of the bumps out but when I started getting into the etch primer I stopped. Sprayed on another two medium-heavy coats of the high build, and repeated my sanding process. Worked great and got all of the spots out. Very pleased with the spray can high build. You can see the specks in the one spot that were all filled in with the second coat of high build.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53657370522_60bc8d5c39_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53658234461_bea6718136_b.jpg)
Then I did a test fit with the garnish moulding and the door panel. Really cool to see it together, but also very glad that I did a test fit because the door needed tweaking as well as the garnish was twisted. Always test fit things BEFORE a final install.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53658705585_6ed262caa3_b.jpg)
I had also realized at this time that I was missing a door pull bracket. Found a nice set of used pieces on eBay and had them pretty quickly. Now that the test fit was over, I was confident that I'd be able to spray the door mouldings. I turned to my old trusty SEM Trim Black paint. I love the way this paint lays out and I think the sheen is perfect.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53658234386_8b3f99e10a_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53658590834_1613331fe6_b.jpg)
Then it was time for a final fitment of the re-finished door panel. So happy with the results! In 1955, you weren't able to order a black interior, so taking an original interior and re-dying it black with Turquoise accents is a cool touch. While the panels aren't in the best condition, given they are nearly 70 years old they look pretty good IMO. Plus, I'm not going for a perfect restoration just a cool reliable driver.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53657370467_e754a05592_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53658234316_494a7805d0_b.jpg)
I also needed to install a tail pipe to get the exhaust out from under the car. I put together a quick side exit that will be a temporary exhaust until the time comes to add some boost.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53657370392_e1ba0ccf6c_b.jpg)
All of this was building up to this weekend where there was a cruise-in at the local restoration shop here in Charlottesville called C'Ville Classics. I hadn't been more than a few miles up the road and back, so this was a test of how it would do a little farther from home. It was about 20 miles round trip and the car performed perfectly. Engine temps were perfect, trans shifted great, no whining from rear end, brakes performed amazing, and was significantly quieter with the added sound deadener/tailpipe combination. Now, there are a bunch of things I need to address first of which is a front end alignment, but was a great test drive.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53658705380_03ac1819f7_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53658705330_039e7d1f14_b.jpg)
We had a great time and the car got a ton of attention. We walked away to see the other cars and looked back and there were several people checking it out.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53658590644_ea52021a9d_b.jpg)
My son wanted a picture next to the car. They were just about as happy as I was that we were able to drive it to that show today. I can't wait to get the seats dyed and install some seatbelts so we can all go for a ride.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53658590644_ea52021a9d_b.jpg)
It was great talking to guys at the show and answering lots of questions. Of all the things on the car, the iBooster got the most questions. Lots of people had no idea what it was, or that it was some sort of ABS module. I think the best comment though was as I was leaving when a guy leaned into my window and said, "I love the car man it looks great. Well it doesn't look great, but you know what I mean, haha" That's about what I expected as a reaction from people.
Next on my short list of things to address is a small weep leak from the transmission pan, addressing the cooling fan, and front end alignment. My father-in-law is stopping down this week so that we can go to Spring Carlisle, and while he's down we are going to install the rear wheel well covers. That's really a two man job, so that will be a huge step towards getting the interior back together.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Looks great. Glad you were able to get it on the road and show it off a bit.
I think I have missed Carlisle the past few years saying I will be there next year. Well, next year is here and it doesnt look good for me at this time :(
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As I do every year as far back as I can remember, I've been going to the Spring Carlisle car show swap meet. It's normally a kick off for the spring, although now being further south it's actually less in bloom when I drive north to Carlisle. Plus we have the Cars and Coffee cruise in's all year round, but none the less I love going to see what all of the vendors have to offer. My father-in-law bought a 56 Belair Hardtop back in November last year so we made a plan that he would come with me this year. I had three major things that I wanted to get when I was down there; Liftgate garnish moulding, 1 remaining door panel stainless trim piece, and a Nomad roof section. I coordinated with 3 separate guys to meet me there with the parts since I didn't want to ship any of those parts. Two of the three vendors I was able to meet and purchase parts, but there was a misunderstanding and the guy with the door trim brought the wrong piece. There are two pieces of long trim that go on the top and bottom of the waffle insert. I needed the upper but he brought the lower... I was super bummed out because that was the only one that I was able to source. Nothing on forums, eBay, FB groups or FB marketplace...
Towards the end of the day we were walking past a vendor for AMD sheetmetal and he was selling a 1955 Nomad. As I'm checking it out, sure enough there's an old door panel in the back with the trim piece that I needed! So I humbly went over to the guy who owned the car, offered him a very generous price and asked multiple times if he would sell me the piece. He apologetically said no and said he would just like to keep it all together. I was super bummed out, but I figured it was worth a shot. Right about that time we went to grab lunch and shortly after it started raining. We agreed that it was time to leave, but we had to walk past that 55 Nomad and I thought what the heck, I'll ask one more time. He was busy with other customers, but once they moved on I approached him with a little smirk on my face and asked as nicely as I could one more time. He started to chuckle a little and said, "You know there's always one guy at these show's that gives me a hard time and today it's you! Let me see what piece of trim you are talking about." So I showed him what piece I needed and to my luck the other piece was missing, so it was already an incomplete set. After a little more back and forth he was able to pry it off and I couldn't take my money out quick enough. So stoked to have that piece!
The car was REALLY rough!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53670157547_df535d7a6c_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53671038881_a09b8d8fb7_b.jpg)
Here are the other parts that I picked up. Really stoked to have found a front bumper that matches my car with a bit of rust. The infamous piece of trim is in the middle, along with a liftgate garnish moulding and other misc. tailgate pieces.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53671375175_8627810aa2_b.jpg)
I did a quick polish on it and this is where it will go. Just need to polish the rest of the trim and get it installed on the car!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53671365999_c75a29ecf9_b.jpg)
The last tailgate bar to finish my set.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53670135072_05821b3073_b.jpg)
I bought some Nomad parts from a guy in NY when I was visiting last year, and I've kept in touch with the guy since he has 4 Nomad's! He met me at Carlisle and when I went to pay him GAVE me this roof section. He had two spare sections that came in a bunch of parts he bought and said if I can use it that he was happy. Thanks Tom. As nice as the metal is on this roof, I'd hate to see the condition that the car must have been in to give up these parts.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53671016746_ee6cd39bec_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53671227738_f3ecc90f84_b.jpg)
I didn't get many pictures from the show, but I did snag some pictures of this from a vendor. This is going to be one of the next upgrades that I'd like to do on my car, but I want to integrate the Gen6 Camaro 850 watt SPAL fan rather than the dual fans. I'll pick a radiator and work around that to build my structure.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53671141373_9e9594e2f4_b.jpg)
We were beat by the time we got home, but had to at least see what the bumper looked like on the car. It's just sitting on that stool, but really changes the look of the car. So happy to have a complete front end.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53671278029_1974c0f055_b.jpg)
While I had a second set of hands, my father in law helped me glue down the rear wheel well covers. This would have been very difficult to do by myself, especially making sure that the seam was straight. We glued down the middle section of the covers that have the straightest point to reference. That way I can come back later and pull it tight to get rid of wrinkles and that section will stay straight and I'll work off of that.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53671375010_931c7b0c0c_b.jpg)
I'm really pleased with how they turned out.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53670927791_d8351c9b39_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53671374935_6485ebf709_b.jpg)
We took the car out for another drive and it really is so nice that I can just turn the key and it fires right up. I'm very happy with my base tune so far. I need to smooth out my VE table and tweak some shift points, but otherwise I'm extremely happy with the way it performs. I posted after the first drive that I wasn't happy with the exhaust note, but the combination of sound deadener, more interior panels and the tail pipe has my mind changed. I'm very happy with the exhaust notes throughout the power band and it's quiet enough that I can have a comfortable conversation at 60 mph with my passengers. Just what I wanted.
Hoping to have my interior assembled and reinstalled over the next few weeks and then I can just enjoy driving it for the summer.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Ryan, you sure have a knack for finding rare parts. Like a police dog that sniffs out drugs.
Front bumper makes a big difference.
I’ve seen/heard many times that tail pipes totally change the exhaust sound.
You’re fortunate to have a FIL to share your love of cars. Does your wife ever get jealous of the time you spend with him? Just kidding!
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Sorry I missed the trip, theres always next year :shock: Friday was a bad day for me, and I took off wed to go to the Mustang day in Hershey, which was a bust. I wish I could have changed things around a bit but oh well. Glad you found the parts you were looking for. I may have mentioned before but I have a buddy that did a 57 2 door. It amazed me how many little trim pieces were on the door panels!
Im glad that guy finally gave in and sold you the part. I contacted at least 2 people that were selling TATA project cars with a part that I needed. Neither would sell me just one part said it needed to stay with the car. I appreciate that for the next owner, but cmon :???:, you have someone wanting to buy something and you turn them down? When ever the car sells thats just one more piece the new guy will have to locate.
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I always say, if you don't ask the answer is always no but, didn't realize that asking several times can also produce a different result!
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Ryan, here is the jet ski grab strap and lettering I did like 4-5 years ago with SEM black dye. It sits in the sun and water all summer. It has really held up good. I just thought I'd post so if others read this thread and want to know. SEM is a great product in my book.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53709526977_21f47d38ec_z.jpg)
I can delete this if you don't want it in your thread.
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Thanks for posting! That looks mint still!
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Well, it's been several weeks since my last update because I burned myself out haha. I needed to take a break from working on the car, but recently got some more motivation to get back to it. After the swap meet where I found my very hard to find piece of trim I put the door panel back together and bumper installed, but that's where I really stopped working on the car.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53751334087_52ee8285cc_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752662145_59dac57b5b_b.jpg)
I got the front bumper installed, but now I need to figure out something different with my front end. I think the frame horns are bent because the fenders and hood now don't fit like they should. But it looks way better haha.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752304266_fedb9e3b77_b.jpg)
My father-in-law sent me a license plate bracket he wasn't using so that I could install the front plate.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752252881_99aae867f3_b.jpg)
I found this sticker online so that if it wasn't obvious enough, that people know it's not done yet haha.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752437588_103f72e350_b.jpg)
That brings me up to this Sunday. I had a few beverages and finally bit the bullet and installed the rear wheel covers. They were much more difficult to install and get straight than I had anticipated. Thankfully I was in a good state of mind and just pushed through haha. I'm not 100% happy with the install, but they really aren't too bad. I think I didn't get enough glue in some spots so it is lifting a little, but otherwise is straight and looks a ton better than before.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752438878_92c079f799_b.jpg)
Then I cleaned up and dyed the rear panels. This was pretty straight-forward and the SEM paint lays down so nicely.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752578964_1c3d99f21f_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752247451_0c7810dd7d_b.jpg)
Then I got out the section above the rear wheel wells. That didn't need any paint, just waiting for the wheel well covers to be installed.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53751328492_4b835bc066_b.jpg)
Then I was able to test fit to get an idea for what the interior will look like. I love the color scheme, just wished the wheel well covers came out better. OH well, I guess it matches the car haha. I think it will partially be covered by the rear seat so I may get lucky there.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752572714_40beed7960_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752717415_90bb18f313_b.jpg)
I am still chasing a transmission leak and replaced the Jiffy-Tite fittings with -6 AN so I can also add a cooler. I ordered all but two fittings, and decided to just cut a short section off of the hose to make a by-pass to check for leaks. I had hoped that would fix the leak, but it don't believe it did. It didn't leak as much after I parked it, so it could have just been some residual fluid on top of something, but I don't think I'll get that lucky.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752658525_635d5c0c62_b.jpg)
The install went pretty smoothly, but the Jeg's AN adapters for the 4L80e I ordered did need to be modified. The rear one fit perfectly, but the front one was too long. I had to cut off a section and taper some of the threads on the end for it to fully seat. But otherwise, it all seems to have sealed up without any issues.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752575414_7db33154f5_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53752434968_698973ccc1_b.jpg)
I ordered the last few sheet metal pieces to finish up the rear of the car. Instead of patching the panels for the spare tire well, I ordered the pieces to just spot weld them together. Should make for a clean repair and then I can weld it all to the body. Will be nice to wrap that up and get the rest of the interior installed. I also have 6 sets of seatbelts on the way so that I can start enjoying the car with my family!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Can't wait to come up and see it.
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Hey, it's on the road and mostly complete. That is saying something! It's looking great! Keep at it man!
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Good progress! This will be the perfect family cruiser.
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Thanks guys! I ordered some seatbelts and they should be delivered today. I'm hoping to get the carpet down and installing the rear seats soon.
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Thanks man, I'm getting very close now. I can't wait to get take them out for the first time. I placed an order for some seatbelts and other misc. parts, so I'm hoping sometime over the next few weeks I can get those installed and we can take a legitimate drive to a Cars and Coffee!
Thanks FedEx...
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766677384_33b5e6e14e_b.jpg)
By some miracle everything was still in the box. Really have no idea how that happened since there were small pieces in there.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766770130_42b2b7b584_b.jpg)
Next was getting the spare tire well installed for good. I thought that it was going to be a pretty quick job, but I was quite wrong as usual. Here's what I started with. The tub is in great shape, but the flange that gets spot welded to the body left a lot to be desired. Overall it was worth saving though. Here's what I started with.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53765509912_d22d0d2970_b.jpg)
The sides were in the worst condition and Golden Star sells the new sides, so I grabbed that kit to make my life easier.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766352181_22c7b31c69_b.jpg)
Carefully stripped off the rusted pieces and cleaned up the flanges.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766543123_c2b12054f3_b.jpg)
I cut off the front right flange as it was too far gone and just needed to cut out. I used the piece I cut off as a template for some new metal. I'm still working on my welding position and feel for the TIG welder, but I'm starting to get better. I dipped it a few times in part because of the shape of this piece I was welding out of position and because it was late at night, I couldn't sharpen anymore. My gaps were tight enough that in some spots I didn't need to add filler.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766770020_6dbf1c0b73_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53765441567_bd282aeac4_b.jpg)
Next up was test fitting the panels. I took some mental notes on how the original pieces were installed so that I could replicate it with the new panels.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766351921_2b032bf348_b.jpg)
I had to make some minor adjustments, but the the first test fit went fantastic. One tip I'd give is to measure the opening on the car first, then make sure it was slightly narrower so it fit into the groove. That's the only adjustment I needed to make before I put it back in.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766677219_57794b0220_b.jpg)
Fully welded now, with spot weld holes drilled.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766351901_a027651b29_b.jpg)
I cleaned up all the surface rust and sprayed it with rustoleum paint. For anyone that hasn't used those Turbo Cans, you have to try them. They work so well and lay down very even coats. Must have for large flat areas.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53765441432_fdccc9809f_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766769860_923fcbe1b8_b.jpg)
Once I was happy with the fitment, I burned it in. I probably should have done this a long time ago, but some strategically placed welding blankets saved the wheel well covers and glass.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766677059_da8537d6c1_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766351806_06768eea6f_b.jpg)
I wire brushed the spot welds and topped off with some flat black. I need to come back with some seam sealer and it will be a done deal.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53766542863_d8089633aa_b.jpg)
The last piece of sheet metal work that needs to be done is the lower filler panel that goes under the rear tailgate. I'll have to pull the tailgate off, so I've been putting it off. That's why the red weldthrough primer is still there and not sprayed black. Once the tailgate and bumper are off, it shouldn't take much to get it cut out and installed again. But that is for another day since I want to drive this car!
The last piece that I installed on the car was the rear liftgate garnish moulding. I haven't installed it because it requires an odd size screw 12-24 machine screw. Luckily the local hardware store had a few in stock, so I was able to buy what they had and at the very least install it so it wasn't kicking around the garage to get damaged. Needs to be cleaned up and painted at some point too.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53765441317_2a93f61213_b.jpg)
Back in November my wife and I commissioned a house to be built, and we are hoping to receive the Certificate of Occupancy this week. Assuming that happens my next few weekends will be moving boxes, unpacking, hanging pictures, and etc. So it's very likely that there will be little to no progress on the car. That said, between now and the end of the week, I'd really like to get the rear seats dyed, carpet laid down and seatbelts installed. Time will tell if I can get those things done!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Work looks great! Congrats on getting into your new home! We'll let you slide on car progress for a week or 2 :lol:
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Great job. The welding looks good and you're getting better. Nice to have everything welded in and solid again!
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Agree 100% on what's stated before me. Awesome work. Can't wait to see it on the road.
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The last month has been pretty busy for my family, but things are starting to settle down now. Before we completely moved out of our old house I was able to get the back seats dyed and reinstalled. I'm really happy with how they turned out. These seats were the last of my mis-matched interior parts!
After one light coat
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53768213327_6f10fa8cf1_b.jpg)
Second medium coat.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53768213322_c34526b708_b.jpg)
I sprayed on another two coats, then moved onto the seat bottom and support rod.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53769125031_896140f105_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53769125026_45772e5979_b.jpg)
I let them dry for a few days before I handled them, although they were dry to the touch within about 30 minutes. Then it was time to get them installed in the car. With the move only days away, the best place for them to continue to dry was installed in the car. Huge transformation!!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53789888920_eca0dd4381_b.jpg)
Then I couldn't help myself and quickly installed one of the rear interior panels. I love how that interior turned out. Can't wait to get all of the chrome polished up and installed. Will completely change the look.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53789471951_8c975bff95_b.jpg)
Before I knew it moving day arrived! Our new house is only about 10 minutes away from the old house, so I loaded up the Nomad with a bunch of parts and bins. Coolest moving truck ever!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53835617462_65ed3dae9b_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53835617387_cf0781aae4_b.jpg)
The new garage is 2' wider and deeper than my old garage which is noticeably larger. Oh and since I had some input on the garage, I upgraded the outlets from 1 single in the old garage, to 7 20 amp 110v and a single 50 amp 220v :). One of the reasons that we moved was to have more space around our house and have a much bigger yard. We accomplished all of those with the new house and as a bonus, there is enough room to install a nice detached garage someday in the future.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53796345947_5d03bd9649_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53803415362_b893406fc3_b.jpg)
Got the place more organized and was able to tuck the car into it's new parking spot!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53804679399_b8b2c3ab64_b.jpg)
That brings me up to this weekend. I'm finally over the hump for installing shelves, pictures, painting and etc. to get some time to work on the car. I ordered some alignment plates and caster/camber gauges online and will attempt to put a rough alignment on the car. I called around to several shops and they weren't interested in working on a car this old. Huh... I should be able to get it pretty close. My initial measurements were the car was toed out 1"! That would explain why it pulled so hard to the right. Should be quite a bit better now. Also while I was under the car I found my front shocks are blown out. Got some work to do before this weekends Cars and Coffee! Oh and Happy Independence Day!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53836687426_523a27a268_b.jpg)
Cheers,
Ryan
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Post up what alignment plates and gauge you got. I am going to get some stuff too as I don't trust anyone to to do the job. Have you ever watched Criss Birdsong on YouTube? He has a good alignment video he does on his 69 Charger.
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Congrats on getting moved in to the new diggs!
Theres a guy on the aaca forum that does all of his own alignments. He has some kind of contraption that looks like it attaches the wheel magnetically? Not sure exactly what it is though. I will search back there and see if I can come up with something.
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The last month has been pretty busy for my family, but things are starting to settle down now. Before we completely moved out of our old house I was able to get the back seats dyed and reinstalled. I'm really happy with how they turned out. These seats were the last of my mis-matched interior parts!
After one light coat
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53768213327_6f10fa8cf1_b.jpg)
Second medium coat.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53768213322_c34526b708_b.jpg)
I sprayed on another two coats, then moved onto the seat bottom and support rod.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53769125031_896140f105_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53769125026_45772e5979_b.jpg)
I let them dry for a few days before I handled them, although they were dry to the touch within about 30 minutes. Then it was time to get them installed in the car. With the move only days away, the best place for them to continue to dry was installed in the car. Huge transformation!!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53789888920_eca0dd4381_b.jpg)
Then I couldn't help myself and quickly installed one of the rear interior panels. I love how that interior turned out. Can't wait to get all of the chrome polished up and installed. Will completely change the look.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53789471951_8c975bff95_b.jpg)
Before I knew it moving day arrived! Our new house is only about 10 minutes away from the old house, so I loaded up the Nomad with a bunch of parts and bins. Coolest moving truck ever!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53835617462_65ed3dae9b_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53835617387_cf0781aae4_b.jpg)
The new garage is 2' wider and deeper than my old garage which is noticeably larger. Oh and since I had some input on the garage, I upgraded the outlets from 1 single in the old garage, to 7 20 amp 110v and a single 50 amp 220v :). One of the reasons that we moved was to have more space around our house and have a much bigger yard. We accomplished all of those with the new house and as a bonus, there is enough room to install a nice detached garage someday in the future.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53796345947_5d03bd9649_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53803415362_b893406fc3_b.jpg)
Got the place more organized and was able to tuck the car into it's new parking spot!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53804679399_b8b2c3ab64_b.jpg)
That brings me up to this weekend. I'm finally over the hump for installing shelves, pictures, painting and etc. to get some time to work on the car. I ordered some alignment plates and caster/camber gauges online and will attempt to put a rough alignment on the car. I called around to several shops and they weren't interested in working on a car this old. Huh... I should be able to get it pretty close. My initial measurements were the car was toed out 1"! That would explain why it pulled so hard to the right. Should be quite a bit better now. Also while I was under the car I found my front shocks are blown out. Got some work to do before this weekends Cars and Coffee! Oh and Happy Independence Day!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53836687426_523a27a268_b.jpg)
Cheers,
Ryan
Ryan,
Congratulations on moving into your new home. Great progress on the Nomad. I don’t know how you manage to juggle these major projects simultaneously.
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YOUTH!!
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Yes, young and dumb hahaha
Picking up where I left off, the steering links had been replaced at some point, but it must have been a while because the adjusters were pretty stubborn. It took a lot of heat and penetrating oil, but they finally freed up and allowed me to get the toe set. My initial reading was 1" toe out! Yikes. That would explain why it was pulling so badly, but honestly I'm surprised that it drove as well as it did. I set the toe in to about 1/16" as a baseline to see how that would be. Took the car out on my lunchbreak and it was amazing how much lighter the steering was. It still pulled slightly to the right, but was 90% better.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843199471_cb975692a8_b.jpg)
My goal is to get all of the factory gauges to operate, so I'm going to try out the 3 wire temp sensor. I ran the wires inside the car and the next time I have my gauges out I'll wire it up.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53842305832_dce887d1fd_b.jpg)
It's a little thing, but I found a guy online who sells keychains in the profile of your car so I reached out. At the time he didn't have one for a '55 Nomad, but about a month later he sent a message that it was complete. I placed an order the same day. Turned out great!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843199291_4f618fb376_b.jpg)
I've put quite a few short trips on the car now, and wanted to take it on a longer trip about 30 mins away to the Cars and Coffee in Charlottesville. I've been driving it around with no rear shocks because I was too lazy to repair the broken stud on the passenger side, but finally bit the bullet. Really didn't take that long and installed the new shocks. I didn't get any pictures, but I also found out the front shocks were completely blown out so I swapped those out two for a pair of new shocks. It was a late night and working early in the morning to get it all done, but now has a complete suspension and decent alignment.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843551094_cec206dfb6_b.jpg)
New shock stud.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53842305527_a9dae87293_b.jpg)
I worked right up until the time that I left for the C&C cruise in, and was immediately impressed with how much better it handled even without a sway bar. Very happy camper! It's hard to see in the picture, but I got a premium spot right next to a very cool original paint '57 hardtop Bel-Air. I parked the car and there was an almost immediate crowd around the car, but I had to get some breakfast but turned to snap this picture. Pretty cool it got that much attention.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843550879_1dca784373_b.jpg)
That was one of the largest Cars and Coffee's that I'd seen at that location. Lots of cool JDM cars showed up too. One was a legit '99 GTR fresh from Japan! I've always loved those cars and this was the first time I'd gotten to see one in person. Really cool. And I LOVE the color of the NSX in the pictures.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843462073_39b2bf373d_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843198406_eeb91eb32e_b.jpg)
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53842305007_f9df92e517_b.jpg)
Really great show and got to talk with a bunch of cool people. It's funny how the LS swaps really aren't impressive anymore, but again the #1 question I received was what brake booster I was running. People had a hard time comprehending a Tesla brake booster on a Bel-air haha.
My boys have been really excited to get a chance to ride in the car, so Sunday morning I decided it was time to break out the carpet and see if I could make it happen. I laid out the carpet in the sunshine for a few hours, as I got the front seat pulled out to prepare for installation. Took a little while to get it exactly where I wanted it, but the ACC carpet was a really nice fit overall. I've only ever used a one piece carpet, but the multiple pieces actually helped with fitment to give you more wiggle room. Huge added bonus was the carpet came with a thick jute backing which I didn't think was part of this kit. It was about 95* installing the carpet, so I really didn't grab many pictures.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843461753_78bbd07b9e_b.jpg)
Once I was happy with the placement of the carpet, I started marking the holes for drilling. I drilled the first hole and it pulled some of the thread with it, and was immediately upset. Then I remembered one of the car shows I watched mentioned using a soldering iron to melt a hole rather than drilling and it worked AMAZINGLY well. I did the rest of the holes that way and won't ever drill again.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843460918_2e51097013_b.jpg)
Next up was test fitting the rear seatbelts. I ended up going with a 60" for the rear and 74" for the front. Gave me the perfect amount of slack both front and rear. It took me a few minutes to figure out where I wanted to drill the holes, but once I got on a roll it went pretty quickly. I used some of the Allstar plates on the bottom side for extra protection.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843460153_0cab4b04db_b.jpg)
I used the booster seats for mock up and the fit great. I installed 3 pairs of seat belts so I can always take a 5th passenger. I got rolling and forgot to install the middle seatbelt in the front, but I do have one that I can install fairly quickly since I'll use the same holes for the inner lap belts.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843550024_bdfb5f6564_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843638490_0b4b6cd652_b.jpg)
I would have liked to install them under the seat more, but there's a crossmember under the pan and that's as far forward as I could go.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53843638080_8c15e99a52_b.jpg)
I bought this blanket when I was 16 in Mexico, and found a perfect use for it! I'll run like this until I buy a new seat cover down the road. Or maybe I won't I do like the way it looks haha.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53842303282_34383c585d_b.jpg)
I was able to finish just in time for dinner and then we all went to get some ice cream for dessert. Took the long way home for about a 35 mile drive. It cruises so nicely down the highway, and took it up to about 75 at one point to pass a car. Passed the test and performed flawlessly, with one exception which was the transmission temperature was slowly creeping up as we drove along. A few months ago I bypassed the cooler as a temporary measure to get it running/driving and not leaking. I only need two fittings to plumb in the cooler, so I'll be placing an order at some point this week. I'm really pleased with the car overall and has come such a long way since I bought it not quite 2 years ago.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Awesome, looks great with other classics and antiques! She shows well. Give me a text next time you go to a C&C up there.
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Everything looks great Ryan. Cars n Coffee is a fun run. We have one we started to hit up fairly regular. As far as the GT-r goes, I had no idea what they are. My son, being in that demographic clued me in. He loves that JDM crap. Sorry! There is a guy a few miles down the road that has at least 25-30 of them sitting on his lot. Closed in with a kind of privacy fence so its hard to get a good count. I doubt anyone traveling by even knows what they are.
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I enjoy the C&C because they are no pressure. Arrive and leave when you want and really not many people with negative comments or attitudes from what I've seen.
I really debated back and forth on what to do about my gauges on the car. My first thought was mounting one of the Holley 6.86" Pro Dashes in the stock opening. They are super functional and customizable, but quickly came to the conclusion that it doesn't fit well with the vibe I'm going for. Next was possibly one of the RTX gauges from Dakota Digital, but didn't really want to fork over that much cash right now. By then I narrowed it down to using the stock gauge cluster with fuel, engine temp and speedometer. Fuel was easy since I used a stock tank and sender. Engine temps should work fine using the 98 Camaro 3 wire temp sensor, but the tricky part was getting my factory cable driven speedo to work with the 4L80e. My choices were either the Dakota Digital cable box that drives the cable using the VSS signal from the transmission or a mechanical tail shaft conversion. After talking with quite a few people and reading on the forums, I decided against the DD box in favor of the tail shaft conversion. There were several manufacturer's out there, but the one that I went with had the best price and his service has been outstanding. I went with http://t56cablespeedometer.com/, and have been very pleased.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53858286011_29a321ef7c_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53858704325_3995b28168_b.jpg)
The process was very straightforward. Remove the current tailshaft housing, install the drive gear adapter on the output shaft, then reinstall the modified housing. The hardest part was waiting for the Loctite to dry haha.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53858654634_969ff6c222_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53858531823_48edec30a5_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53858704065_4738363e98_b.jpg)
Dan recommends putting Loctite on the set screws and letting it dry 24 hours. At 24 hours and 1 minute I was installing the modified tailshaft housing. I was able to get it swapped out in time to go to the C&C in my town, so it was a pretty quick drive. Got up to 65 mph and it worked great and just as accurate as my Holley speed output. Love having the original Speedometer working. Just need to hook up the wires for my temp sensor and I'll be in business. Once I dial in the tune for the car I'll put the 3.5" screen in the glove box.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53858654399_4998e8acbc_b.jpg)
In total cruising around this past weekend I have about 45 miles on the car since my odometer now works. I'm excited to see how many miles I can put on the car this year. Might be time to change the plugs and dial in the tune!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Congrats on getting the speedo hooked up.
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How exciting!!
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Just thought I'd update the thread since it's been a few weeks. Really not much to report other than I'm racking up lots of miles with the new functional speedometer. So far I'm just over 200 miles since installing the speedo, and I'd guess another 50 prior to getting it functional.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53920653031_234e0825c7_b.jpg)
License Plate ahead of me said "BSMILEY" and certainly made me smile that day! Love driving this car.
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Parked it outside for a while and found this little guy on the quarter panel. Pretty neat little bug.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53920652681_dd0aeeca15_b.jpg)
We made a trip north to visit family, and finally got a chance to drive my father-in-law's beautiful 1956 Belair. We got the cars at roughly the same time and it's cool to ride/drive his to compare. We took it out for a joy ride and came across a cruise-in/festival. Stopped there for some ice cream and then went on our way.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53920909373_8f59cda237_b.jpg)
My older son had a little fun with the fake dynamite from the trunk of his car haha.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53921107225_701d9f7292_b.jpg)
It was a great trip, but after driving his car I know that mine needs some upgrades to get a better ride quality. My car rides decent, but I'm making a list for all the things that I'd like to upgrade. The rear suspension is high up on my list, but while I'm there I want to upgrade the rear differential since the stock 55-57 axles break around 300-350 hp. So while I was in NY, I was cruising the classifieds as I usually do and found a 9" from a 64 Thunderbird. It is 60" wide with a small 5x4.50" bolt pattern, but also has small bearings, 28 spline axles, open diff and 3.00 gears. It was a bit of an impulse buy and after searching around a bit more, I may just sell this and get a new housing since I'll need to replace most of it anyway go get what I want.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53920652936_7a86320248_b.jpg)
I had considered doing away with the leaf springs and building a 4 link setup, but not sure I want to invest that much time into it. I'm now leaning towards just getting the spring pocket kit to inboard the springs along with some new bushings for the stock springs. I think with new bushings and shackles it will make a big difference in the rear end.
I haven't done any work to the car at all, but was able to determine that my cooling fan doesn't work for a few different reasons, but as long as I'm driving it will maintain 187-189 temps. Just can't idle too long or the temps will creep up. I wired up the fan just the way I got it, but soon realized it was spinning the opposite direction as well as the shroud has large openings on the side where the air bypasses the cooling fins. I thought about fixing all of the problems, but by the time I modify it all it's still not an ideal setup. I picked up a C7 cooling fan and shroud, so I'll be installing that this week and also while I'm in there I'll add the much needed transmission cooler. I'll attach the C7 fan very similarly to how I did on my Camaro and that should help out significantly. Nice thing about Holley is that I just update my cooling fan output from -negative, to PWM and tell it what to do. I'll post more on that though when I get to that stage.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Looks great Ryan, you have built yourself the perfect family cruiser that stands out.
I bet you get lots of smiles and attention in this world of SUV's, pickup trucks and modern jellybean shaped cars!
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That car gets so many looks. Usually from older men, but I've come to accept that haha.
I had a very productive weekend and buttoned up some bigger lingering issues that were stopping me from driving the car longer distances. I was planning to use the 2017 Camaro SS fan (19" Spal w/ 850 watt brushless motor, 4k+ cfm) that I bought a while ago, but it's too big to run with the stock radiator, so I had to figure something else out. I was looking back at some old picture of the C7 fan that I put on my old Camaro and the dimensions were perfect. After a few days of searching, I found a guy who sold me his stock take off 500 watt Spal fan assembly for cheap. I was hoping to find the 600 watt, but this will still be a significant upgrade over what I have now.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933329344_57090dce53_b.jpg)
Old Perma-cool vs. the new C7
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53932092222_da4b8c6c69_b.jpg)
The old fan was very close to the water pump, so I had to be at least this far from the cooling fins to avoid touching the water pump.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933329199_3c60e3a6c6_b.jpg)
I knew going into this that the C7 fan has a deep shroud at over 5" including the tab on the top of motor.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53932092197_238ff182f1_b.jpg)[/url]
I had to modify the shroud in exactly the same way when I installed it on my Camaro, so this wasn't news to me. Thankfully the engineers at GM have some ribs on the inside that are almost like depth cuts around the entire inner perimeter of the fan. So I cut using the rib that was 1.5" and it was a perfect fit depth wise.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933238088_059b7414a1_b.jpg)
Then I trimmed off the extra cylinders on the sides of the fan shroud to give me a good flat place to build brackets off. I had some 1/8" aluminum sheet and whipped up a few brackets. Used some 1/4" pop rivets and we're in business.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933445550_047107781e_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53932091927_921f46fdcc_b.jpg)
I was never a big fan of the raw aluminum radiator, so while I had it off, it was a great time to make it look more stock. Topped it off with a few coats of flat black, and turned out great!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53932091862_d428a3ed5a_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933237878_15796aee2a_b.jpg)
While I was in there, I decided to spray the stainless trim panels that were on the car when I bought it. You could see them through the grill and not a good look in my opinion.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933328884_ffb12d8fd3_b.jpg)
I forgot to get a new depth from the cooling fins, but I ended up gaining some room overall so I'd say it had to be closer to 3". Love the new look!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53932995626_7f5de80601_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933445175_48602db99a_b.jpg)
I knew long term that I'd be running one of these Spal fans, so while I was cruising eBay about 1.5 years ago, I saw someone selling the pigtail for one of these fans from a '17 Camaro. The new Terminal kits that you buy are bright blue, so this will be much less conspicuous. Also, found the leftover 8 ga wire from my Camaro so that was a win! I bought a 70 amp Bussmann breaker, but it didn't show up in time. I just temporarily wired it up and will have to go back to install that soon.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53932995451_f19fdbee98_b.jpg)
Once I got the wiring done, I turned to my tune. I had to swap out the -ground output to a -PWM signal to run the new brushless fan. What I love about the brushless fans is that they have a soft start built into them, so no huge amp draw at startup and that they run on a duty cycle. In other words, it's set up more like a throttle where I can command 20% when it only needs 20% which pulls significantly less amps. Here's a screenshot of my table if anyone is curious.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933237763_6de5ffa58c_b.jpg)
I also added three conditions for the fan to kick on. The first one is obvious, the second is so that the fan doesn't run key on engine off, and the third is because with a fan on over about 40 mph it actually becomes a restriction.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933444945_9b1d94a676_b.jpg)
Also, while I was messing with cooling I added a transmission cooler. I just had it looped initially just to get the car up and going, but this cooler is very necessary on the 90*+ days.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933444520_7f1a605a3e_b.jpg)
It was sort of a mad scramble at the end, but I was able to button everything up and get it running in the driveway to see how the temps would react. As soon as the temps hit 202*, the fan kicked on around 25% duty cycle. I had to actually watch because I couldn't hear the fan over the engine, and I watched the temps get up to about 204*, then drop back to 198* in about 30 seconds. Very happy with this! I also performed the rag test. That was at around 25-30% duty cycle and it was pulling the rag almost flat. Still has about 50% more!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53932090467_01cc124d74_b.jpg)
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Part 2
Now that I have a proper fan that works fantastic in the driveway, it was time to give it a stress test and put some road miles on the car with 90* temps. The family and I were excited to take the car around for some longer trips. We drove south on Route 29 for about 20 minutes with a mix of highway speed, and traffic lights. The temps used to creep up at a stop light then drop back down to normal operating temp. Now, it keeps the temps between 198-205* even at 90* outside. I was hoping that the cooler I had would have kept the trans at a slightly lower temperature, but it hovered right around 170-175 the duration of the trip. Before towards the end of a 25 minute trip it would creep a little above 200* which is no good. So for that it's a win because the temps took much longer to creep up and normalized at a much lower temp. I was hoping to see it more in the 150* range, so I'll see if there's something I can do to make that better. Otherwise, she's ready to drive anywhere.
Snapped this photo at parking lot across from a coffee shop we stopped at.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53933443770_2a835aba81_b.jpg)
Then on the way home I noticed there was a car show at a local High School, so we swung in to check it out. The registration folks were being difficult because I didn't pre-register, so we just parked in with the boring cars haha.
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It was a great show, with a lot of Tri-5's, cool patina cars/trucks and one cool LS swapped wagon! I think I need a surf board now. It's funny though, outside of Instagram and sites like this you hardly ever see LS swapped older cars/trucks.
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Great shot of my older son's mullet! He loves that haircut haha
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Great show and although we all got pretty hot with the temps creeping up to 95* with no AC in the old Nomad we still had fun. While I was in update mode a few nights ago, I hooked up the 98 Camaro temp sensor wire to the factory 1956 temp gauge my father in law gave me. I thought that it either didn't work, or the ohm range wasn't right for the gauge. Well on the way home I looked down and the gauge was working now. Must have been stuck or something, but now works just like it should. Center dot is about 190* and the far right dot is about 200*, so that gives me a good idea of where the temp is.
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Not sure what the next project will be on the car, but for not she's pretty much ready to roll whenever I decide to drive it. Pretty stoked about that. We put another 100 miles on it this weekend, so that's pretty cool.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Glad to see you are out enjoying it! Nice update Ryan!
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Car looks great. Glad to see you having fun with it. I’m surprised they didn’t let you join the show field. Around here they let pretty much anyone that shows up join the day of the show.
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Car looks great. Glad to see you having fun with it. I’m surprised they didn’t let you join the show field. Around here they let pretty much anyone that shows up join the day of the show.
Thanks Luke and 76455sd. Yes, I was surprised too. Usually I just show up and they tell me to park and come back to register, but they were very strange about it. No biggie, just a strange interaction is all.
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Looks awesome, nice job as usual!
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Thanks N Prgres
Making this post to catch up from the last few weeks. Just when I thought I had all the bugs worked out, the gas gauge threw me a curve ball. Apparently the ground signal comes from the tank straps, and was getting an inconsistent ground which led me to run out of fuel. While walking 2.5 miles back to my house I had time to think and realized that I never added a dedicated ground strap.
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Walked back to the house and got more gas, then topped off at the gas station. This guy followed me in and loved the car. Talked for a few minutes and come to find out he's practically my neighbor! Beautiful 70 Nova.
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Just some random pictures from driving around. Got coffee in the morning and parked in front of this beautiful 67 RS Camaro! Looked remarkably similar to my old 68.
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I need better cup holders!
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My stock rear started leaking out of the driver side axle, so I may need to swap these out sooner than later. I really don't want to put anymore money into the weak stock rear. So I got motivated and worked to pull apart the 9" that I got a while back to see what I had. Turns out it's a Posi with Big outer axle bearings. Although I'm pretty sure the posi is worn out since it seems pretty weak.
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One of the first times that I filled the car up, it smelled pretty badly of fuel in my garage. So I was just keeping it below a certain level because I thought it was from a bad filler neck seal. Turns out it was leaking from the sender, so I pulled that and resealed it. I filled it back up, and didn't seem to get any fuel smells like I did, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed what I did worked.
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I also buttoned up some things that were bothering me. Terrible I know, but the PCV on the passenger side was open to the elements since I got the car running. Truth be told, I forgot all about it. Since I didn't want to drill into the CAI, I decided to add a 1/8" NPT brass pipe into the plastic filter adapter, so I could get clean filtered air to the valve cover. Worked out great.
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Next up was the car didn't have an overflow jug. It was spraying a little coolant all over my newly painted radiator. I dug around and found the old overflow jug that I pulled off of my Camaro. I made a bracket and mounted it to the core support. Hard to see, but it tucked into the engine compartment out of the way.
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I finished up the install of the PCV hose and overflow jug late morning yesterday and then we took the family on a nice cruise through the countryside. No real destination, but we stopped at a playground for the kids. Had a great time and then we got lunch. Car ran and performed excellent.
I had one pesky tuning quirk that had been sort of intermittent, but after talking with @Project GatTagO I got it all straightened out. First time dealing with DBW and I had my initial pedal vs throttle table set up to start at 5%, but needed to be bumped up to 7%. I had it backwards in my head (think idle screw on a carb or TB) and was lowering it to raise lower the IAC counts, but the throttle blade needed to be opened more, so the IAC counts would lower. Once that was corrected, the car drove so much better. It was stalling at stop lights every so often, and would run a much lower rpms on deceleration.
I also made a bit of an impulse purchase after seeing some of these universal fans on eBay. They are 18" Spal fans with 850 watt brushless motors in a universal shroud. I bought one and the guy sent a personal message that he'd sell me another one for very cheap. Ended up with two. Unfortunately, they won't fit my current radiator, but the hope is to upgrade my radiator setup in the future when I go turbo and add A/C. I'll be sure that the radiator will work with one of those fans. But for now the C7 fan works flawlessly to keep my engine right where I set it to.
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That brings me up to yesterday. Really enjoying this car and glad to be out and about with it. Hope everyone had a good Labor Day.
Cheers,
Ryan
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That car is coming along nicely Ryan! We should do the Richmond Cars and Coffee. I'm free on the 14th of this month but have plans on the 28th. If you can't then we could do the cruise in at Rosies, this is their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/277456353510653 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/277456353510653)
The Richmond C&C is a pre-registrered event, $5 bucks I think: http://www.carsandcoffeerichmond.com/
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Thanks N Prgres
Making this post to catch up from the last few weeks. Just when I thought I had all the bugs worked out, the gas gauge threw me a curve ball. Apparently the ground signal comes from the tank straps, and was getting an inconsistent ground which led me to run out of fuel. While walking 2.5 miles back to my house I had time to think and realized that I never added a dedicated ground strap.
Cheers,
Ryan
Ryan, good progress and glad you are putting some miles on.
Funny how cars in the 50’s and maybe early 60’s relied on chassis ground for lighting and so many other things.
Also, cups were so much smaller and people never would have thought about trying to drive down the road with an open drink sitting on the glove box door!
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I've been talking now for several months with a friend who lives about 3 hours from me to plan a trip to meet in the middle at the Richmond, VA Cars and Coffee cruise-in. I've gotten enough road miles on my car that I was confident in taking the 150 mile round trip that a good portion is on the interstate. In preparation for the trip, I gave the car a once over to make sure everything was in good working order as well as addressing some items I've been putting off. First up was making sure that I had proper functional headlights and some courtesy lights since I was going to be leaving for the cruise-in before the sun rose. I was also tired of all of the interior panels laying around my garage, and decided it was time to install those. I had to have the courtesy lights installed first, before I could install the panels though.
First step was getting the garnish mouldings cleaned up and installed. I used the same process for the door mouldings, sanded it all down, etching primer, high build primer, sand, high build, then topped with SEM Trim Black. Fair amount of sanding, but it turned out great. The trick with the high build is to let it bake in the sun for several hours to fully cure. With the door mouldings, I didn't do that and it would gum up my sandpaper. Didn't do it this time.
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Next up was getting the courtesy lights working. Grabbed some #1004 bulbs and fooled around a bit then finally got them working. The original door switches were not rusty, but the passenger side was sticking. I have a tube of dialectical grease and squirted some into the drain holes and was able to free it back up. Now they both work great.
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After a bunch of polishing and planning, I was able to get all of the trim pieces back together on the interior panels. Then the easy part was drilling some holes and screwing in the panels. Very satisfying to get these installed after having them moved around my garage for months. These original panels cleaned up surprisingly well. Love using original parts when I can.
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Then, before I could install the passenger's side I had to run a new wire for the rear courtesy light switch in the back and swap out the side window. Once the side window was pulled out, I found the felt sliders to be in decent condition, but there was a screw that wasn't fully seated on the bottom which the glass was rubbing on. I got super lucky and was able to break it free with a pair of vice grips and put a new screw in below the felt line so it was a smooth operation now. The upper felt was also in good shape, but was too loose and rattled around while driving. I pulled it out, squeezed it back together and no more rattles and very smooth sliding.
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Now that was taken care of I was able to get the passenger side installed. I also sprayed some flat black on the rear garnish mouldings and installed those quickly. I need to pull them back off and sand down and spray with the same Trim Black paint so it all matches, but looks way more complete.
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Lastly, I installed the headlights. They straightforward since I already ran the wiring up to them. I bought a set of H4 conversion bulbs a while ago that I had wanted to try out. They were off of some sort of Toyota/Lexus car and have a replaceable H4 bulb in a glass housing. They are very bright and look great. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the flat front, but I don't even notice it now.
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Then Friday night, I was giving the car a final once over and realized that in 1955 the headlight switch worked a bit differently. The parking lights in the front shut off when the headlights are on, but the tail lights will stay on when you pull the lights into the first park position. Well I had apparently switched those two wires, so I had front lights, but no tail lights! Not good when you are driving at night. So I had to pull the dash cluster to access the headlight switch. Pretty easy swap, but after I switched them, I didn't have any turn signals! WTF, I didn't even touch that part! Well after chasing my tail, I realized that the ignition switch has to be on before you get signals... With that all fixed, I turned the tail lights on to check signals and nothing. Again, they were working WTF! Well after taking a step back, I realized that I had my wiring switched in when I wired up the tail light sockets. Easy fix, just swapped the wires and we were all good. At about 1am, I finally put the bow on it and it was ready for the trip!
Started out a little after 6am and headed eastbound. Call me crazy, but I had a little conversation with the car right before we pulled onto the interstate haha. Everything was perfect the whole way. We got up to cruise at about 75 and we just hummed along. Couldn't have asked for anything more!
Got to the show and met up with Rich. I've communicated with him for years online, but was great to meet up in person. He's got a beautiful 1975 Trans Am that he's had for years. I remember his car from when I was building my first car; 1976 Trans Am.
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It was a great turnout with lots of exotics, Corvette's, and a very really rare cars. This Pantera was gorgeous!
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There was also a 1968 Camaro that Caught my eye. Had a BBC with an intake I'd never seen before. I'm told it may have been a Marine intake, but this guy used just about every square inch of his engine bay. Sounded really good too.
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Then we headed home and the same deal, car performed perfectly. Got tons of thumbs up and waves on the highway. I rolled the speedometer over to 47k on the way home, but by my estimates I hit just over 1k miles since I got it back together. Really cool milestone.
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Then on Sunday I wanted to get the car in the driveway and give it a proper wash, polished the wheels and cleaned all the dust off of the windows. It's true what they say, you really can polish a turd!
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I finally installed the last tailgate bar that I bought back in April at Carlisle.
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So happy with the way the interior turned out. Not bad for some elbow grease, SEM Vinyl Dye and original parts!
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My wife really wanted to get out for a Sunday drive, so we loaded up the family and topped it off with gas. Drives just like any other car I have, and gets about 20mpg when I calculated on the trip. I didn't get a picture, but I also relocated my MAT/IAT sensor from laying on the top of the intake manifold, to installed in the CAI tube. Now it reads actual temps instead of engine heat! Probably should have done that a long time ago.
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About a week and a half ago, I also picked up another piece to my turbo puzzle. I spec'd out a new 3200 stall converter from FTI that will work really well with boost, and should wake up the car while I drive it N/A for now. I also picked up their transmission pan that I'm hoping will help drop the temps a few degrees. Thanks Norb for the Summit Coupon! The converter was on sale for labor day, and they knocked an additional 10% off with that coupon. Sweet double savings there!
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Hoping to get the converter swapped out soon. Hoping to just remove and replace one night when I get the motivation to tear into a fully functional car haha.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Very nice Ryan. Glad you were able to meet up with Rich. Always nice meeting a fellow TAC'r in person. Im glad the car is running great and you and your family can enjoy it the way its supposed to be enjoyed. Out driving it!
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Thanks for posting pics Ryan, was great meeting you and seeing that cool nomad. I had a great time hanging out and it was good to meet another TAC'r. We will definitely have to do another trip. That nomad garnered lots of attention!
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Whats awesome about this is that not only are you driving this car, but taking it on trips as well. I tire of people who fix up cars, or buy a car, then won't take it anywhere
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Rich, there was a lot of attention on your T/A as well my friend!
N Prgres, I'm fortunate enough to be able to take the car on trips, and love that my family also enjoys taking the car out. I know what you mean, cars are meant to be driven and it's a shame when they are garaged all the time.
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Thatwas a cool post Ryan! Cars look great guys!
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I actually drive mine to work every day. I am lucky that we have a fenced in secure area, and I can tuck it into the warehouse is needed. I live about 12 miles from work but it's nice to get it out and moving. With the unusually dry summer, it's gotten driven about every day.
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I didn't get anything done on the car last weekend as I spent all day Saturday and part of Sunday morning aerating and spreading 950 lbs. worth of grass seed, fertilizer and fast acting lime.
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After recovering for a few days, I started to get the car ready to pull the transmission to get the converter swapped out and fix the pan leak. Nothing like tearing apart a fully functional car in the name of Hot Rodding!!
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This was the easy part!
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Upon further inspection, I found some serious wear on the pilot hub on the torque converter and matching wear on the adapter! That's no good. I'm not sure if it was in that condition when I installed it and didn't notice, or if it was when I first got the engine running and ran it disconnected from the converter. Either way, I'm glad I pulled the converter now! Very well could have been that shuddering feeling it had.
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Now that the transmission was out, I transferred it to my engine stand to get it drained of all the old oil.
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I also started researching what other guys were doing in conjunction with their converters, and almost everyone said a shift kit of some sort. I found a lot of guys talking about different kits, but the one that stood out to me was the TransGo HD2 kit. I didn't want to tear into the transmission too far, but this seemed manageable, so I pulled the trigger on that too. One of these scenarios, "While I'm in there I might as well ______."
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I've never torn into an automatic transmission before, so this is all new for me. I watched a few YT videos on people installing the HD2 kits, and they weren't too bad. So grabbed a latte and off we go.
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Looked pretty clean to me.
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The directions were very clear, and you just follow them to a T. Directions had me removing and swapping out different springs, valves or other items. I had to modify the one internal filter after I added a different plug, and then had to drill a few holes. Again, instructions were very clear and pictures were detailed. Pretty straightforward, but was intimidating until I actually got in there.
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It's always good to take pictures before you tear into something, especially if you have never done it before. I looked back at the pictures I took of the transmission before I buttoned it all back up and noticed this little guy wasn't in the right spot. I had already torqued it all down, but so glad it wasn't in the car full of fluid when I realized it wouldn't shift into any gear! That little pin should be inside that plunger.
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All back together and ready to put the cover on. Notice the little TransGo plate. Not sure what that does, but it looks important.
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All down hill from here, or so I thought. Grabbed the new deep oil pan from FTI and LubeLocker gasket. Set it all on carefully and noticed immediately that something wasn't right. The adapter that sets the filter deeper into the pan was too long. Now, I'm not sure if that is my fault for running a thin gasket, or if there is a flaw in manufacturing. It was about 1/4" too deep and wouldn't allow the oil pan to sit flush.
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Took my measurements and then chucked it on my lathe. Love having this tool when I need it.
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Few minutes on the lathe and it fit just like it should. Should help bring the temps down with the larger capacity and cooling fins.
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More to come soon!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Very nice. I am impressed with you willingness to tear into a transmission. Just looking at what you have done makes me nervous :shock:
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It wasn't bad at all once I tore into it. Just following the directions is all and they were very clear.
I had to split this up into two posts since there were a lot of pictures. Finally got to open the box! The converter that I went with is from FTI and it's their Street Racer Lock-up Series single disk billet unit. After talking with them and what I'm looking for out of the car, they recommended a 3200 stall unit. I'm hoping that this really wakes up the car.
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The new converter is significantly smaller than the stock truck unit. When I eyeballed the stock unit it came up around 14" diameter and the new unit is a 9.5". Should rev much easier with less rotating mass.
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Next up was to test fit the new converter on the flexplate per recommendation from FTI. They said as long as I have a minimum of 0.100" of engagement in the pilot/hub that it will be ideal. They recommended to test fit without the transmission installed. If I don't have enough engagement, there is a pilot adapter that came with it. Earlier last week I ordered a new GM spacer since the old one looked pretty worn out. Turns out that was a fantastic decision because the adapter somehow mushroomed out so much that I had to hammer a socket onto the bolts since it was 1/4" wider than it should have been! I had to clamp it back to round in my vice just to get it off of the flexplate.
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When you compare to the new unit you can really see how bad the old one was.
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After struggling quite a bit with how to get the adapter on the flexplate I realized why there were threaded holes. It helps to pull the adapter onto the adapter!
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With that back on I could move on to make sure I had enough engagement in the pilot. With the flexplate off I could very easily check the fitment. I was able to measure at least .400" with my caliper so I've got plenty of engagement.
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I didn't get anymore pictures since it was just me bolting up parts. I used my flywheel holding tool and torqued down the ARP bolts to 85lbs, then got the converter installed into the transmission. Filled it with 1 qt of the recommended Dex VI fluid which I'll be using in the transmission. I had a difficult time getting the 3 solid clunks, it went onto the first two quickly but the third was a challenge. I thought I heard a soft third and thought I had it and actually attempted to install the transmission, but as soon as I got a few bolts loosely into the transmission it was very clear it hadn't fully seated. Pulled it back out and then wobbled it and finally heard a third big clunk! Back up on the scissor jack and it went together quite smoothly. The transmission is bolted back to the motor and tightened. Right now it's just resting on the transmission mount because I ran out of steam at 1am. The rest should go pretty smoothly since I'm really just re-installing parts that I've already fit up; Exhaust, wiring, shift linkage, driveshaft and etc.
One other thing I want to do while the car is up in the air is build an exhaust hanger. Slightly embarrassed to say that it has been hanging up with some mechanics wire since I got the car back together. I've got all the parts, just need to break out the welder. I'm actually excited because this will be the first time using my welder at the new house with a 220v outlet! I timed this project too since it was forecasted to be so rainy and the storms are just about past us now, so I'm hoping I may be finished up by tomorrow evening and take the car out to see how I like the new setup.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Hey Ryan, 850lbs of seed, you are an ambitious man. I am surprised you still had energy left to work on your car.
Back int the early to mid 70’s I used to work in a transmission shop. I saw a fair number of ruined transmissions from guys who forced the transmission up to the engine. If I recall correctly the third clunk is when the torque converter hub is seating into the front pump drive gear. If not seated the torque converter pushes on that gear and literally grinds the gear into the back of the pump spreading metal fragments through the transmission. Glad you were on top of it!
I installed a transgo shift kit in my turbo 350, gave me firm shifts, but not gut wrenching. Years ago I used to install B&M shift kits, they gave extremely harsh shifts. Example, I installed one in a friends Chevy Vega that was painfully under powered, with the B&M kit it would get 2nd gear rubber, I can’t imagine how abusive it was to the transmission.
PS, Car looks great sitting in your new garage up on crates
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Thanks! I'm hoping that the shifts are just more firm with the kit and one other benefit is that it's supposed to hold the line pressure longer in all the gears as well as providing a dual feed for third gear which is supposed to be a fail point in these transmissions. I think the converter will also make a big difference. If I get a chance, I hope to button up the trans re-install today at lunch. Then the last thing will be adding a hanger for the exhaust. There's a car show on Saturday right in town that I hope to attend so I need to get it back together soon.
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I think your gonna like those changes.
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Was finally able to upload the pictures and get this thread updated. After my last post, I finished up the exhaust hanger and buttoned up the rest of the car to get it out to see if the new converter made any difference. I thought on how I wanted to built the exhaust hanger for quite a while. I bought a kit with the rods like I welded to the tailpipe, but wasn't happy with how much slack there was. The isolator hole was about twice the diameter of the rod, so I found a bolt in my bin that had a tighter fit in the isolator, then turned it down to make a shoulder bolt that would tighten down on a factory exhaust hanger.
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Then after a bunch of test fits, I got the curvature right on the rod and welded it to the tail pipe. I had some high temp aluminum paint that matched almost perfectly with the aluminized coating on the tail pipe.
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It's got a nice snug fit with the slightest amount of upward pre-load to take the pressure off the manifolds. Really happy with how it turned out.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54066869481_3cc3b4bd39_b.jpg)
The new transmission pan hangs a bit lower than I would have liked, but my car isn't slammed, so it should be fine. I'm just more aware of it now over bumps and whatnot.
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After the tailpipe was finished, the car was ready to get off of the wheel stands and out for a test drive. I topped the transmission off with 10 quarts, but it wanted another 2 to get to the hot full line. I let the car idle in the driveway for a little while at first making sure to be in each gear for about 30 seconds so that the fluid could get all throughout the trans. Put it back in park and it was down about 2 quarts, so I topped it off and took the car out. The engine ran the same, but what I noticed immediately is that the throttle response was much better and the trans wasn't lazy going from forward to reverse. Took it down the road and when I was easy on the throttle, it drove pretty much the same. However, when I got on the throttle it was significantly more responsive and drove like a car instead of a truck! The car is way more fun to drive and feels much faster when you go WOT. It was a lot of work to get that transmission in and out, but it was worth it once I got behind the wheel. One other thing worth mentioning is that when I put the new transmission pan back on I used a Lube-Locker gasket. I've heard good things about them, and wanted to give it a try myself because my old pan wept fluid on my new concrete floor which irritated me. I'm happy to report after putting a few hundred miles on it, there isn't a drop on the cardboard I put under it.
My in-laws were coming in town shortly after I got the car back up and running and they wanted to go on a few rides. We went to a really nice winery up the road from us, Barboursville Vineyards, and had a great time.
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While we were driving around though, I started to smell gas fumes faintly. I wasn't sure what was going on because it was running so well. But after troubleshooting for a while, I think I found the cause. I was getting a significant amount of oil pooling in the intake, and the #8 cylinder looked to be fouled out. I'm not sure if the oil fouled it out, but it's certainly not great. I had another spare set of plugs so I swapped them in and it ran better without the fumes. I'm now in the market for a catch can and leaning towards an Elite Engineering unit.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54067127463_003c870130_b.jpg)
While my father-in-law was here we decided to tackle the rear wood floor for the wagon. I found a template online and we got to work.
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I got busy and didn't take many pictures of the during process, but here's how it turned out. I'm very happy with how it turned out.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54065996757_5e613653fa_b.jpg)
Looks great, but really highlights the need for me to replace the carpet pieces on the upper and lower seats. The carpet kit I bought came with those pieces just need to find the time to replace them.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54067333800_a82ea67da4_b.jpg)
Feels good to have the car a little more complete, and up and running again. Hoping to figure out the PCV/oil issue, but I think that will be solved by adding a catch can.
Cheers,
Ryan
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As always, great job!
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Looks great Ryan, I am glad the transmission work made a difference.
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Ryan,
This Nomad has come a long way in about two years. Even though it's not finished, you have a nice balance of taking it out for cruises and still making good progress.
Also, nice job posting all the details with pictures!
I am surprised TAC has been so quiet the last couple days. Maybe people are enjoying the mild fall weather!
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Great to hear tye trans is working well. I really love the exhaust hanger!
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Thanks guys! I'm stoked that the transmission is working so well now. It's a very fun car to just cruise around.
Not much on the car other than driving it, but I did order some rear speakers and temporarily hooked up an old radio I had with some zip ties. The engine sounds great, but I do like some tunes while cruising and I know my family will appreciate it.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54083478726_4291f45a66_b.jpg)
It's a cheap Android based radio, and has a lot of cool bells/whistles. There's even an option to hook up a rear mounted camera. I need a new background photo too.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54082596967_1dc035eac5_b.jpg)
Grabbed some super cheap 6x9 boxes that I was hoping would fit under the rear seat, but there's not a chance at all they will fit.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54083812284_f75d382522_b.jpg)
They fit here pretty nicely, and I can always remove them quickly if I need to fold the rear seats down.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54083810124_1f3ea975b8_b.jpg)
The other sort of car related update was the Lego that my son built for me to take to car shows. He looked a few pictures and came out with this after about an hour building. Very impressed!
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54083728183_9838fa1f13_b.jpg)
Hoping to get to some nice fall car shows over the next month or so.
Cheers,
Ryan
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I love the lego car. Tell your son it gets TAC approval :lol:
Now you need to build a console for the stereo. When I was a young fellow I always had one of the best stereos you could buy in my car. I would upgrade every 6 months or so with something different or nicer, selling the old units to friends. I had disposable income :-o Now, I dont really listen to anything other than the shop radio. I suppose its because my hearing is bad. Have never got the radio hooked up in the 77, but I do want to have it working in the 79. My grandson is obsessed with computers. One thing he insisted on when I first started working on the 79 was a large screen in the dash ala Tesla. I joked and said yes it will have one. I hope hes not too disappointed!
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I approve of the large screen stereo as long as you don't cut the dash! :)
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Great job on the Lego car. I like that he’s got the hood ornament on there. :D
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Thanks for the "Inspiration" I have a Pioneer AM/FM 8 Track Player with 2 Speakers. I have been looking for something to put in the dash of my Chevelle. I'll just put the AM radio back in and put the above back under the dash were it was installed in 1971....Problem Solved. Probably never hear it anyway....lol....
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The car has been running great since I got it up and running, but recently I've been having the car run a little rich. The tune looked good to me, and I didn't see where it was adding more fuel. I did some troubleshooting and noticed cylinder #8 was running cooler and when I pulled the plug it was damp. After a little more troubleshooting I confirmed I had a dead coil. A buddy of mine let me borrow some extra coils so that I could confirm, and sure enough that was the issue. I found some low mile coils online and should have those soon. For now he's letting me use these coils so I can keep running the car.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54123989375_1f655baf74_b.jpg)
When I was logging the car after the coil was swapped out, the learn table started pulling about 5% fuel out of the car so I think that it was running better. Then as I was reviewing the log data, I noticed that the AFR was bouncing around a ton. Something else is definitely going on. It should fluctuate, but not like this.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54123875889_8ef7e8c37d_b.jpg)
I also noticed that when I pulled a few plugs to see what the motor was doing, and I had quite a bit of oil on the threads. This generally means that there is oil being pulled into the engine either through valve seals or another method. It's pretty common for LS motors to pull oil from the valve covers, so I was pretty confident that was my issue. I pulled the intake and found a lot of oil. I'm thinking the combination of the PCV oil and a dead coil was the reason for the fuel smell.
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I have been running the DOD delete valley cover since I first got the engine together, but always thought I may need to swap it out for one with a built in PCV since this design pulls much less oil. Wow, didn't realize how high these had gotten in the used market! Last time I bought one it was in the $100 range, but now they are $250-300 now. I shopped around for a while and found a guy on LS1tech who sold me one for $100 bucks shipped. So I was stoked about that.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54117286088_0f1358554d_b.jpg)
Pulled the intake again so that I could get to the valley cover.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54117475665_233c2ab9b4_b.jpg)
While it was all apart, I inspected everything I could and it looked great. One thing I noticed though was all of the intake valves had pools of oil in them! Not sure why it all of a sudden started consuming oil, but that was surprising.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54117284778_2efb75b97e_b.jpg)
Pulled the old one and swapped the new one, then torqued it back up. Very simple swap since the LS motors are all gasketed. While the intake was off I cleaned out all of the oil with parts cleaner.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54117343399_7a106f30ef_b.jpg)
After I got the intake back on, I took the path of least resistance and reused the old PCV line that was on the intake originally. I was able to rotate 180* and just ran a hose down to the new valley cover. I didn't get a picture, but the tube that goes into the intake was tapered away from airflow so when I flipped it around it would have actually caught air into the tube. I back cut the taper in 180* so that it acted just like the stock piece. I'll likely change this tube anyway since I will be upgrading to a Holley intake at some point in the future. For now it works perfect and didn't cost a dime!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54117286383_0d8ecf8eb4_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54117285288_f82001909d_b.jpg)
All back together. I did some WOT pulls so that I could get all of the oil out, and then did a datalog to see if the updates I made changed the AFR. Now the AFR isn't changing so rapidly, and I think is more inline with how it should be operating. I'm sure that there is still a bit of oil being pulled out of the intake, but I'm much happier with those curves.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54117342714_1b22923884_b.jpg)
Hoping to get some more miles on and read the plugs to see if that makes a difference in the longer term.
Cheers,
Ryan
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I have a few parts updates too. I picked up some inner fenders in great condition locally a few weeks ago. I've been slowly cleaning them up and hoping to get them installed very soon so that I can finish the wiring. The fan wiring is just looped on the battery and it drives me nuts when I open the hood. I recruited some help to get them disassembled.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54067199224_ec7e81f99d_b.jpg)
I got the driver's side all cleaned up with a wire wheel and found a few spots that need to be repaired, but overall in great condition. I love using original parts when I can even if it takes a little more effort.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54117284263_a76ba9f5bf_b.jpg)
Browsing on eBay I found a guy who sells blemished parts and had a set of CPP C5 drop spindles and C7 hubs for a significant discount. I couldn't pass them up and pulled the trigger. Ever since I put the car together I wanted to drop the front, and this also solves my wheel stud issue as well since this comes with longer wheel studs. I've heard that the hubs that come with the CPP C5 kit are low quality, but these are the upgraded HD C7 version which are meant for autox. I haven't seen any reviews on those yet, so I figured I'd try them out. The parts look brand new and never installed so maybe they were display pieces or something. Hoping to collect more steering parts and get these installed soon with a pair of cheap tubular A-Arms.
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Lastly, I decided to swap out the janky DIY shackles that came on my car. I thought they would be a quick install, but I was way wrong. This were a huge PITA. I thought I could just force them on and pop them down, but I ended up needing to pull the ubolts to give me enough room to swing the spring over and pop it on the shackle.
What I started with:
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54123874914_97cdc4ddd3_b.jpg)
I bought some of the poly stock style shackles and made sure to lubricate them well.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54123532176_a60f097588_b.jpg)
What a mess. The stock bushings were toast, and there was quite a bit of rust in the leaf spring.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54123874569_559ee0b152_b.jpg)
After fighting with the spring for an hour or so I had to just walk away. Came back and realized that I just needed to remove the ubolts to give me enough room to swing it over. Worked like a charm, just ruined the ubolts in the process since they had been installed for a long time. I put the shackle in the top hanger, swung it down, then with the leaf spring loose, popped it on and installed the outer shackle and the two nuts. Sometimes you just have to walk away.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54123987845_ab65cbd032_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54123874074_351a1af408_b.jpg)
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54123807533_7e819a1f79_b.jpg)
Very happy with the fitment, and the bonus was that it gave me roughly a 2" drop since the stock springs are so worn. Eventually I'll grab some drop springs, but for now, these will articulate much better and not clunk when I go around a corner.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54123873904_2178a97434_b.jpg)
Very pleased with the improvement in ride quality. The rear end definitely feels smoother when going around a corner or over bumps.
Cheers,
Ryan
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If only there was a side photo to show the stance...... lol
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I only took it out once afterwards on my lunch break and haven't had it out since. Right now it likely has a "Carolina Lean" because it's higher in the front than the back. Once I get the drop spindles installed it should have a pretty killer stance.
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I only took it out once afterwards on my lunch break and haven't had it out since. Right now it likely has a "Carolina Lean" because it's higher in the front than the back. Once I get the drop spindles installed it should have a pretty killer stance.
Look what happens to you when you move to the mountains of Virginia :lol: :lol:
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I only took it out once afterwards on my lunch break and haven't had it out since. Right now it likely has a "Carolina Lean" because it's higher in the front than the back. Once I get the drop spindles installed it should have a pretty killer stance.
Look what happens to you when you move to the mountains of Virginia :lol: :lol:
LOL
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Yeah, I'm pretty much a mountain man at this point haha.
Here's a really cool picture someone took as I was leaving my local Cars and Coffee.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54123915376_f080573502_b.jpg)
Love the action shot!
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Those are great shots. I particularly like the second one with your son looking out of the back window.
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Nice photos!
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Great pics!
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Thanks guys!
It's been a little while since I've had a meaningful update, but lots has happened. Several weeks ago I was able to get my car on the Chassis dyno. The local tuner had a Dyno Day where you pay for a few pulls. It was a lot of fun to see what the car could do after all the hard work I've put into it. I was hoping that it would make more power on the dyno, but regardless it's a great baseline. I think we can easily double that with some boost :).
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I went back and forth a lot on what to do with the front suspension because the control arms are quite worn. They have begun to squeak after I drive around for about 20 mins, so it was time to do something. I submitted a lowball offer on eBay to a set of the cheap tubular control arms, and they accepted. They were cheaper than it would be if I tore my stock parts and replaced with new bushings and ball joints. I know that they are copies, so there is also some steering benefits to the increased caster and camber curve.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54181059508_9f79a5d1df_b.jpg)
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I started by pulling off the C5 brakes that I'll be re-using to get down to the stock spindles with 61-68 Impala hubs. The caliper brackets are from Kore3 and I'll be selling those to offset my project costs.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54181225495_1a25de8c4e_b.jpg)
I used the weight of the car and a safety chain to pull the stock springs which I'll be reusing.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54179902902_a21416299f_b.jpg)
First test fit of the tubular arms and the CPP C5 drop spindles. Everything fit decent out of the box. I did need to drill out the upper control arm cross shafts once size up since they were too tight to slide on out of the box. Not sure if it was a metric vs. SAE issue, but after they were upsized, the arms slid right on. Once they were fit up, I did need to give the front side of the brace several taps with the BFH so it didn't contact the upper tube. Otherwise, I was pleased with the fitment out of the box.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54180785916_d8381fde89_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54181059378_6b4fcb9a3f_b.jpg)
Once I determined that everything fit properly, I cleaned up and painted the spindles and hubs. They had a bit of surface rust and wanted to install clean parts.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54179902747_9f17d92d17_b.jpg)
Once everything was cleaned and painted it was time to do a final install. I had everything laid out and ready to go. It's so much more fun to install clean new parts than working with old crusty parts. Although the stock springs are used and unknown, I sprayed them with a little leftover Torch Red touch up paint I had from my Camaro. No performance advantage, but it does look cooler.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54181078389_3e4b151518_b.jpg)
After fighting with trying to reinstall the spring using the floor jack method, I had to go and rent a spring compressor from AutoZone.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54179902612_bf51977d91_b.jpg)
Now for those that have a keen eye, you may have noticed that the Kore3 brackets installed the calipers on the leading side of the spindle, but the CPP mounts are on the trailing side. This means that if I was to mount the calipers, my bleeders would be pointing down which is no good for future bleeding. I had to swap sides which wasn't a huge deal, but the driver's side required me to shorten the hardline since I had to make them a little longer initially to use the stock C5 brake Hoses. I just worked quickly and methodically to minimize the fluid loss and it worked out great. I even remembered to put the flare nut on so I didn't have to cut off and try again haha.
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That was pretty much it. I didn't get any pictures of me reinstalling the rotors and brakes, but they were already broke in so it was just replacing the existing parts I had once I swapped calipers.
This is the picture I took when I installed the stock shackles that lowered the rear pretty substantially, but hadn't touched the front yet.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54179903422_0ccaa71354_b.jpg)
With the new 2" drop springs. I was expecting a bit more of a drop, but I only have about 5 miles on the setup so the springs should settle a bit with more driving. If not, I may cut a half coil out and see what that gets me.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54181058928_57504d1bab_b.jpg)
Can't really comment on any added performance steering benefits until I get my alignment dialed in. Initial thoughts are it does seem to handle better and I don't notice quite as much body roll.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Looks great!
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That car is moving right along.
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As usual, nice work Ryan.
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Ryan,
This car sure has come a long way in a relatively short time. Nice workmanship and documenting with photos. I also love how you have your son helping out, creating some memories that will last forever.
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SO GLAD THE SITE IS BACK UP AND RUNNING!! HUGE THANKS TO MR BANDIT!!!
Been a few weeks since my last update, but haven't had any real progress on the car. I did find a great tool that I think everyone working on older cars should put in their toolbox. It's an attachment that goes on an air hammer that allows you to put on a socket. I used it for the frozen stuck Philips head bolts on my tailgate hinges and was able to loosen all 8 without breaking them off. Absolutely amazed. I picked mine up at Harbor Freight. Once it was loosened, I was able to adjust the tailgate for a better fit.
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If you haven't noticed a common theme in my build, I'm a sucker for a good deal and like to buy things used when I can. Back before Thanksgiving I found a guy who posted on a different forum a bunch of parts for sale including an LS6 intake which piqued my interest because he was only about an hour and 20 mins from me. He didn't post a price or a really detailed list of parts either, but it was enough that I messaged him. I was stoked when he got right back to me with a very reasonable $600 bucks. It was a fantastic deal and I made arrangements to pick it up as soon as I could. Come to find out he had a ton of either brand new or very lightly used parts. He sold his car in 2015, but many of the parts were bought back in 2005-08 timeframe. When I got there he actually found even more parts, but didn't charge more.
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When I got home and took inventory of what all I had picked up. Brand new NOS LS6 intake manifold, brand new NOS SLP Headers with Y pipe for 98-02 LS1 cars, SLP Loudmouth exhaust for 4th gen, NOS front and rear Bilstein shocks with Eibach springs, Ported 853 LS1 heads, Hypertech LS1 tuner, brand new Actron Scanner, bunch of misc. gaskets, Gen3 LS ARP head studs, complete LS1 rocker set, factory push rod set, pair of SLP 3" high flow cats, and a few books/manuals for 2000 Fbody Cars. It also came with a supposedly new GM ASA cam, but wasn't greased when he stored it and it was severely rusted. Overall was blown away with how many parts and the best part is they were all stored in a dry basement.
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That intake was probably the coolest find. NOS intake from 2006!!
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SLP Headers
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The guy told me that he just wanted to get rid of everything at once, so he didn't even care if I resold them all. So with that in mind, I knew that most of the parts didn't fit my application so I was going to move them. I listed several parts right away with what I felt were appealing prices recoup some of my money. In a few days the shocks/springs sold for $300, and then the next day the scanner sold for $100. At this point, I was almost to the point where I had free parts which is probably the coolest thing. I also love to barter, so I put several feelers out there for items that I'd like to have. I found a guy who swapped me even for the SLP headers and Y pipe for a pair of fresh LS3 821 heads with lightweight valves. Not sure what I'm going to do with them, but they are very clean and came with the rockers/stands/factory yellow valve springs.
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After a bunch of thought, I realized that I didn't want to run the LS6 intake so I listed it locally on FB marketplace. I realize I could have likely held out for more money, but I listed it and had a cash offer within a day for $500 and took it. At this point, I'm in the positive for $300 bucks with a bunch of parts left to sell or trade. Score!!
I didn't have many bites on the ported LS1 heads, but had in the listing that I'd trade for LS parts. One guy offered to trade me a 6.0 for the ported heads plus a few extra parts (stock push rods, yellow valve springs, valley cover and LS1 rockers) that I was going to use. After talking with him more, he ended up giving me a single 823 head and a TBSS intake w/ TB too! Done deal, made that happen and got it back home. My youngest son had an absolute blast helping me tear it down and inspect. It had one bad piston with some scoring. After I got it torn down we also found that it needs cam bearings. I got the bad piston out and then used my dingleball and the scoring isn't very deep at all and would probably be good to send. I'm probably going to get a new piston put a cylinder head on and do a compression test to see what it looks like.
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Bearings look good and the other cylinder walls cleaned up very nicely.
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No idea what I'm going to do with the engine right now, but I'll try to collect parts to put this engine together. Maybe I'll pick up another project or roller and swap it into.
Then when we were visiting family in NY, I found an ad for a Dorman 615-901 LS2 intake for $350. For those that don't know, these allegedly use the old FAST 90 lower intake manifold with Dorman's upper intake. There are many guys out there with documented flow bench tests where these will outperform LS6/TBSS manifolds by a good bit under .600" lift on a flow bench and have a 90mm TB opening. I remember when they first came out and were about $350 bucks which was a good bargain, but are now selling for over $1k online. For that price you may as well buy a real FAST intake, but they used to be a great budget intake. I picked it up for $250, and I'll plan to use it on my Nomad. I need to buy some new fuel rails since these won't work with my LS3 style injectors. I'll do some light port cleanup since there is some flash where the two half's are glued together. After all that, I'm still $50 in the green and still have a few more parts that I can sell/trade.
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I'm also starting to collect parts for my Turbo swap. I decided to go with an A2W intercooler since they are more efficient and more flexible. That way I could keep my radiator and fan assembly but add a heat exchanger instead of having to change my whole radiator to account for a large A2A intercooler. First part was a CWA 50 Pierburg pump off of an X5 BMW which is the same pump I used on my Camaro. It worked flawlessly and flows a ton of water/coolant.
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That's all for now, but I do have another deal in the works for some 9" parts. I picked up a 9" a while ago that is the right width for a 55-57 Chevy, so I'll just need to buy a set of 3.25 gears and I'll have everything I need to swap that into my car. That's probably the next project because I want to have my driveline ready for when I add boost. The factory rear that's under my car is in good condition, so I'd rather not blow it up. It will be worth something to someone.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Great update. I love the way you wheel and deal parts, you seem to have a knack for it. You have a great understanding of these 'new' motors and what they need to work which is such a big part in finding the stuff.
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After all of the work that I've done on the car with many of the parts coming from a local junkyard, I thought it was only right to drive up and show the owner the car. He was so stoked to see it and took a few pictures for his wall. He was a little surprised when he looked under the hood to see an LS and asked a bunch of questions about it. Afterwards he showed me his wall of fame and said that he's printing off one of the pictures to put on his wall. I had him take one with my phone so I had a copy. I looked around while I was there but didn't find much of interest, but it's always cool going there.
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I've been meaning to dig into this 9" that I bought a while ago, and finally ripped into it. It's a 3.00 gear open differential just like the tag said, and after opening it up it looks like it may be the first time since 1964 that it has been open. The oil in it looked like crude oil. All of the gasket flange surfaces still have the machining marks on them. I found a guy locally who's going to trade me a factory Trac-Lok center that has 28 splines that will be a direct swap for this rear. I'm going to just clean it up and put it back together with the new posi center section. I haven't decided if I'll use it or re-sell and try to find a nice 8.8 rear. The passenger side axle slid right out, but the driver's needed the old slide hammer.
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Last car update is I found a listing on eBay for a factory 30k mile Throttlebody off of an LS7. I put a high bid of $75, and the bidding ended at $64 bucks, score! The 87mm interfered with the intake, so I couldn't use it without a spacer. The LS3/LS7 throttlebodies work without an issue. It even came with the factory bolts, which is a nice bonus.
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Next is a slight departure from the project, but is pretty cool. I've always wanted a golf cart to cruise around my yard and neighborhood, but never was able to find one priced right with the options I wanted. I found this one that had both the folding rear seat and a lift kit. The only issue is the motor was missing. But I had read that there are options out there to swap in other motor platforms, so I grabbed it. It was pretty dirty and had definitely been sitting for a while, but had great bones.
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Pretty much just the engine was missing, with all of the other components and wiring. Great base to start with.
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I spent an hour or so scrubbing it up before I brought it inside. It cleaned up a lot better than I thought, which is great because I may not end up painting it now.
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After doing some research online I found a company called Vegas Carts, and they sell components to "big block" swap these carts with anything from 420cc up to V-Twin's. After searching around the internet, I came across a guy selling a GX390 Honda engine, but looked like it had been worked over. Just so happened he was about 5 miles away, so I ran over there and he was able to fire it up for me and it ran great. I picked it up for a very reasonable amount.
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After a search online, I found a number to the builder EES and gave them a call. Turns out they build these engines for a SPEC racing class and tune these little 11-13 HP motors up to around 19-20 HP! He said based on what I was telling him it was the 19HP version. I was concerned that this may be a little too much for the cart considering I really only want it to tool around my yard and go to the fishing pond, but he said that he has built many of these engine's for guys doing exactly what I am. He said it will run and idle just like stock, but have a little more at bottom end than a stock Honda engine would. Pretty stoked. I'm going to make my own engine mount, but I did buy the specialty drive clutch from Vegas Cart. They have a nice machined pulley that the other company's don't have which will allow me to use a stock starter/generator so it will start and stop just like a regular golf cart.
I'm hoping that over the next month or so to put this cart together and then order the rest of the parts to get my 9" swapped into the Nomad. Once the new rear end is installed, I can focus my attention towards adding boost. I'm trying to do everything in small stages so that I can avoid having the car down for more than a week or so.
Cheers,
Ryan
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C'mon man, Ryan you are letting me down, I figured you would be putting an LS motor in that golf car!
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Cool project! Keeping busy I see. You're about to get cold there aren't you? Well, colder than normal but you're used to it.
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Took a little break from the car and focused on some house projects and basketball games. I've been slowly buying some parts and getting ready for the next stage of the project. I traded some parts a while back for a LY6 shortblock that needed a little love. I pulled all the pistons/rods, descaled the block and ran my ball hone through it about 30 times each. I have a flat plate of aluminum and some 600 grit sandpaper that I used to clean off the gasket surface, then after washing multiple times sprayed it with some engine enamel. Turned out pretty good IMO. I had a buddy sell me a complete set of LS2 flat top pistons for a really good price and they came with new rings with very low mileage. It needed cam bearings and I got those installed a few days ago. It's now ready for reassembly and once that's done I'll list if for sale. Once it sells, I'm going to pull the trigger on a Quick Performance 9". I was going to try and make the other 9" work for me, but at the end of the day the only thing that I want to keep is the housing, so I'm going to send that one down the road as well.
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The other thing that was keeping me busy was my golf cart project. It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to build the engine cradle, but once I did it came together pretty quickly. They sell a kit through Vegas Carts, but what I didn't like was it deleted the factory rubber engine mounts. My design keeps the mounts and still keeps it low enough to fit under the seat.
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Round one determined that I couldn't have my bar go straight across since it needed clearance for the belt. The solution was to create a notch, which I think turned out pretty good.
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After many test fits, here is the final product with the engine bay painted.
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I still need to wire up the external ignition switch, rebuild the fuel pump, add an external choke and flush the gas tank. After that, it will be good to go fishing! I want to add some fishing racks on the roof so that we can go back and forth to the pond near our house.
I recently made a sizeable purchase at Summit Racing which included some misc. fuel fittings to get my Dorman LS2 intake installed as well as some new 2" drop springs from Real Deal Steel. They seem really well built, but I think that given how worn my springs are it will actually raise my ride height in the rear. Hoping to get them installed soon as well. In addition to the fuel fittings for the intake I also grabbed a flex fuel sensor so I can run blended fuels. We have e85 at several gas stations right near me, so I might as well take advantage of it.
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I took advantage of my son's 3D printer and found a file on Thingiverse.com for a bracket to hold the sensor. Thanks whoever uploaded it! It fits perfectly and uses the factory clip location to lock into place. Great design.
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Part of the parts collection I've been doing over the last month was finding some sun visors. Want to thank Crawdad55 from Trifive.com for sending these to me. He basically gave them to me and they are incredibly good condition for being original. Play to dye them black to match the rest of my interior. He also included the swivels and mounting screws. He said they came off of a car he parted in the early 90s. Amazing.
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Lastly, I was thinking about longer road trips and realized it would be a good idea to carry a spare tire. Trouble is finding one large enough to fit over my big brakes. After searching around I found that the certain models of Cadillac CTS have 18x4" spare tires which is perfect! The only thing that is a very small issue with them is that the bolt pattern is 5x120mm vs the 5x120.65mm(5x4.75"). I'm not concerned at all about that, but wanted to mention if someone wanted to copy. I ran BMW wheels on my 1968 Camaro for 5 years with zero issues. But none the less, it fits great in the spare tire well, and I think that it will also allow me room to build a recess panel to mount my battery down there too. I'd like to get the battery off the firewall and in the rear if I can. We'll see.
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I'm getting excited to work on the car again and continue working the bugs out of the car and making it better. Before the weather fully turns and we are back in driving season again, I need to get the rear springs swapped in and a proper front end alignment done. I still think I want to cut 1/2 coil out of the front so that's on my list. To be kind to the alignment guy, I'm going to keep the inner fenders off, but once the alignment is done I want to install those. Hoping to get that done in the next few weeks.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Looks good Ryan, hope we get to meet up again this year and hang out.
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Looking good. I always enjoy your updates. You make me feel like a slacker though!
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You make me feel like a slacker though!
Me too.
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Where’s the golf cart thread haha. Good stuff man.
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I'm not sure it's worth my time to start a golf cart thread since it's pretty much as done as it's going to be haha.
Not a huge update as I've been sort of busy just collecting new parts and selling some ones I'm not going to use. Last week I finished up the 6.0 that I rebuilt and listed it for sale. I may have let it go too cheap because someone came and bought it within 24 hours of posting. It really cleaned up well and will make a great engine for that guy. He's going to put an LSA supercharger on it which is perfect because I gapped it for boost. Looked pretty before it left.
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Once that sold, I decided to pull the trigger on a Quick Performance 9" rear. I ordered it with 35 spline axles and the GM flush mount ends so that I can run the tried and true LS1 rear brakes. Hopefully it will be shipped in the next few weeks. I'm going to order an assembled unit through Speedway once I get the word on shipping the housing and axles. I also ordered a pair of new drop springs from Real Deal Steel because the spring on the passenger side is almost flat. It will likely raise my ride height because of how worn the stock springs are, but I'll run a drop block to get it back to where it is now. They shipped just like this with no box. I was a little surprised, but they seem to have made it safely. We'll see once I open them.
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I also grabbed a few fuel fittings that I needed to run the Dorman LS2 intake. One is made by Fragola for fuel rails. It's a -8 ORB on one side, then 90* to 3/8" GM quick connect on the other side to connect to my Nylon fuel lines. I'll need to tap into the lines I ran though to add the flex fuel sensor as well.
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I was checking Facebook marketplace this weekend as I usually do and came across a guy selling an upgraded CTSV fuel pump and Vaporworx fuel module for a great price. I only needed the fuel module, but bought it all because I knew that I could either use the pump or sell. The guy was selling because he was going to the next level with his G8 and swapping to a 416 stroker with Kong 2650 which will require a triple pump setup. Good news for me, because that was the last piece to my fuel puzzle and one step closer to Turbo Time.
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I'm trying to keep the car drivable as long as I can, so I haven't torn into it yet. In the short term I want to get the inner fenders repaired, so that I can install them and move the battery from the firewall to the driver's side core support. I want to give more room for the post turbo exhaust and more room around the valve covers. I'll also be putting the A2W intercooler on the passengers side down low, so I want to keep that side clear. Once I have all the components for the 9", I'll also need to measure for a new driveshaft from PEM. It will be nice once the new rear and upgraded driveshaft are installed so I shouldn't have to worry about breaking the rear!
Cheers,
Ryan
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I wish I was half as innovative as you are
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"Its Turbo Time" :-)
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54382176393_f8c2f053b0_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2qRySoV)20250228_145340 (https://flic.kr/p/2qRySoV) by Kerry Grubb (https://www.flickr.com/photos/156399515@N07/), on Flickr
Springs came without a box, I bought 4 tires online for my truck. This is how they arrived. Fed Ex driver told me he had no idea where the 4th one was but that it should show up in a day or two :shock:
It came the next day.
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I've had tires shipped to me like that too. I guess it's more efficient that way haha.
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It's been a while since I've been back into the swing of things and got some work done to the car. I've been collecting parts, buying/selling, house projects and etc, but now I want to get back to the car and ready for some warm weather cruising. There are several things with the front end that I want to address, but first up was the stance. I installed the CPP C5 2" Drop springs and tubular control arms last fall, but after I got them installed it seemed to be no change in the stance. I think with the isolator cups in the bottom of the lower control arms it acted as a spring spacer to offset the gain from the 2" drop spindles. I opted to cut one coil off of the springs to hopefully stiffen the front end slightly and get a lower stance.
Initial measurement was 28" left and right.
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Got it back together and the drop was about 1.5"
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Before:
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After:
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It's hard to say how much it will change until I get it outside, but it is noticeably lower.
Next up was getting my original inner fenders installed. I didn't get any pictures, but I repaired the lip and some pin holes on the lower sections. Got them prepped and repainted with SEM Trim Black to match the firewall.
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Started with some disassembly
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Only a handful of hardware held on the front grill. We'll be changing that!
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After struggling a bit to get it installed, I needed to remove the lower bolt down by the rocker to allow the fender to swing out. That gave me enough room to get the upper side into place. After wrestling with the fender a bit, I finally got a few screws in place. I also installed some original fender brackets I picked up that were powder coated and came with some original zinc coated hardware.
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Took some time to clean up the core support and repaint, then installed some new aftermarket filler panels that I picked up several months ago. I painted them flat black, but it doesn't quite match the sheen of the Trim Black which I ran out of. I'll touch it up though before I button everything back up once I get a new can.
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I notched the passenger's side where the transmission cooler lines go. Used a hole saw to get the radius and my tin snips to get the straight lines.
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I ran out of the package of screws that I bought for this project so it's not final, but so far it looks way better than it did before. Inner fenders and new filler panels make a huge difference.
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The I turned my attention to the front lower valance panel. I didn't pay much attention before, but the back is in pretty poor shape. I'm going to attempt to repair it, but may just pick up a new one when I'm at Spring Carlisle next month.
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That's where I left the car a few days ago, but much more work will be done to clean up the engine bay. I was also able to snag some more key parts that will be very helpful with the next stage of my build. First up is a Mighty Mouse catch can. It's got the fittings for boost already installed, just need to buy or make a bracket for it to be installed.
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Also my Quick Performance 9" housing and axles arrived! I haven't gotten a chance to take them out of the box, but they are really solid pieces and look very well built. 1/4" axle tubes, internal gussets, HD leaf pads, 35 spline axles and GM Flush mount ends. With those ends I'll be able to use my favorite rear disk brakes off of 98-02 Fbody's.
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I still need to buy an assembled third member, new rear rotors, NiCopp line and other misc. things before I can assemble/paint the rear and get it installed. Then even before I could run the new rear, I'll need to get it installed and measure for a new heavy duty driveshaft. In the meantime, I plan to get the rear springs swapped out soon so that I can take the car to get a front end alignment and still keep the car functional. I also want to add my flex fuel sensor, swap to the Dorman LS2 intake, add the Vaporworx module and get it wired up. I haven't decided if I'll swap out my fuel pump now, or wait until the car is boosted to swap to the CTS-V pump.
Lots of moving parts, but I'll get them all figured out.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Lots of cool stuff going on. I really enjoy seeing what you are doing with this car.
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Very exciting stuff!!! What’s the Mighty Mouse Catch Can do?
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I wondered the same thing.
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Ryan: the car looks great. I always enjoy your updates.
Very exciting stuff!!! What’s the Mighty Mouse Catch Can do?
Google is your friend.
https://www.mightymousesolutions.com/catch-cans
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Thanks guys. The catch can is part of the pcv system and runs the crankcase air that normally travels to the intake, through the catch can instead. Inside the air travels through a wire mesh that allows the oil and dirty air to deposit contaminates and store them in the can rather than back into the intake. LS motors are pretty notorious for using oil and collecting in the intakes. If you see some posts from about 6 months ago, my intake was full of oil. I swapped to a valley cover with pcv like the LS3 motors have, but they will still pull oil even with that. Should help the motor run cleaner.
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Thanks guys. The catch can is part of the pcv system and runs the crankcase air that normally travels to the intake, through the catch can instead. Inside the air travels through a wire mesh that allows the oil and dirty air to deposit contaminates and store them in the can rather than back into the intake. LS motors are pretty notorious for using oil and collecting in the intakes. If you see some posts from about 6 months ago, my intake was full of oil. I swapped to a valley cover with pcv like the LS3 motors have, but they will still pull oil even with that. Should help the motor run cleaner.
Thanks, that makes sense, it looks like these cans are even more important on a boosted motor
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Another weekend and some more progress. I've been working a little bit at a time to get closer to installing the Dorman LS2 intake, and it got to the point where I was ready to pull my TBSS intake and do the first test fit. First up was to swap out the stock valley cover bolts for the low profile cap bolts to clear since the intake sits a little bit lower.
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First test fit was happy at first because it looks way better than the truck intake, but soon was slightly disappointed because the water pump won't work with the throttlebody. I'm too far down the path now, so I have to move forward with my intake swap. I found a few good deal on eBay for a low mileage C6 water pump and balancer. More research was needed on what the best plan would be for the alternator bracket. I eventually wanted to swap to the Corvette accessories to gain 1.5" in front of the engine for turbo stuff, but this situation sort of forced my hand.
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Since I need to swap the balancer and swap water pumps, it was much easier to just pull the radiator to get that out of the way. While I had that off, I might as well fix the driver's side frame horn! It was bent in and the top was twisted in as well. I could have used a porta-power I didn't feel like buying one for this project, so I used what I had. My press jack, my BFH, slide hammer, welder and leverage when I could.
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Don't try this at home. It didn't work well at all and was quite sketchy.
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Before:
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After:
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I wasn't striving for perfection, but rather a frame that measured straight and within specs for width. I tried to get it back as close as I reasonably could to the original look. I think it turned out pretty good considering the tools I had available.
Another little unexpected surprise was picking up a set of cool late 90's gauges from Custom Rod Gauges. The guy selling them said that all the gauges but the speedometer worked. I took a chance since he was selling them so cheap. The overall reviews for the company seem to be poor customer service, but a quality product. The gauges are all VDO internals.
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After pulling off the back cover, I noticed that one of the leads had the solder broke off. I connected it to the right connection and the gauge fired right up! WIN. They came with all the sensors and just overall needs a little TLC. I haven't fully decided if I'm going to run them because I really do love the original gauges. But good to know that they all work.
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I also found some electrical tape on the speed sensor wiring that came with it. Each lead was crudely wrapped with electrical tape. I wonder if that had any reason to do with why the Speedo wasn't working??
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I placed my order for the Speedway 9" assembled third member with 3.25 gears and 35 spline Helical Posi unit. While I was on there, I also saw something pop up for a sway bar in the garage sale section. Comments said it appeared to be installed, but returned for one reason or another. It had a decent discount so I grabbed it too. The hardware was brand new so it had never been installed, but I think some paint was scuffed off in shipment. That's fine with me. Easy touch up. That's another reason why I needed to straighten out the frame because where the sway bar mounts to the frame didn't sit flat.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54422360490_d14955e0a5_b.jpg)
I ordered a bunch of parts to finish the install for my 9", catch can, fuel pump controller and other misc. things. Once it all gets here, I'll be able to button everything up fairly quickly and get some more road miles on the car this season. The weather rapidly changed and we're in full on spring here in central Virginia. Can't wait to get it back on the road!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Good update :grin:
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That frame straightening scared me but good job!
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Made quite a bit of progress over the last several days. With the frame horn fixed, I was able to get the sway bar installed. The bushings sat nice and flat on the bottom of the frame rails, so that made me happy.
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My C6 balancer came in. Was a new takeoff piece from a crate motor. I have the puller, flywheel locking tool and installation tools already so this was a pretty quick swap. Pull the truck balancer and install the C6 unit.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54427086157_04bc398cae_b.jpg)
After researching a bunch of different options for the alternator/PS brackets, I decided on the unit made by Holley that replicates the stock C6 bracket. The big difference is the alternator spacing, which allows you to use the more common truck units. Since I already had a good alternator, it made sense to pay a little more for this one so I didn't also need to buy a new alternator. And it will likely be easier/cheaper to replace if this one fails at some point. I ordered it through Summit, and while I placed the order I also grabbed the rest of the fittings to install my Mighty Mouse catch can.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54422008240_b74c1f5843_b.jpg)
The Holley bracket is a really nicely cast piece. It's incredibly smooth out of the box and looks to be very well made.
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I had a mix match of parts, and decided to paint all of the brackets and accessories satan black. I've seen a lot of motors with that combo and I wanted to clean up the looks of the engine bay while I'm in this deep.
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For some reason they were still tacky the next day so I set them out in the sun for about 4 hours to cure.
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Once they were all painted up, it was finally time to see how they looked on my motor with the new intake. Very pleased with how they turned out. I've always liked the way the alternators looked painted all black.
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Then another issue popped up. I went to test fit a belt I have and quickly realized that the tensioner is very close to the throttlebody plug. After researching many different options, I realized that it must be because this intake was designed to work with LS1 accessories. I tried flipping the TB, but the motor hits the water pump.
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After a few degrees of rotation it contacted the connector, so that will not work.
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After thinking on it a while, I got the idea to try and rotate the tensioner on the lower mount. BINGO!
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It rotated it enough to allow for full articulation of the tensioner. I cut the boss off of an old truck tensioner that I had laying around and will weld it to the original tensioner so that it won't move around. The good news is the tensioner is pulling towards the stud rather than away from it, so there will always be a force in the right direction.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54428181543_abceca211a_b.jpg)
I used an old truck water pump I had to bolt it all in place so that I could TIG weld it into place. I'm a beginner, but the weld will definitely hold it in place. Then I milled the reverse side flat so allow the bolt head to sit flush.
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Touched up the paint, and I think it looks great!
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Before the final installation of the accessories, I drilled and tapped the water pump for the steam port lines. When I first put the engine together I realized that I had some block off plates in the front, so it wasn't ever fully bleeding the air from the system. This will be a good piece of mind update.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54427085467_357364abe3_b.jpg)
In order to install the LS3 style 1000cc injectors into this intake, I had to make some new brackets for the fuel rails I bought. They are generic Amazon rails, but do look to be well built. I used some aluminum angle bulk from Lowe's and it ended up being the perfect height for these injectors. Just trimmed them down and rounded off the edges. Then painted.
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Once the brackets dried, I installed them onto the fuel rails and installed on the car. I'm really happy with how this update turned out. I figured while I'm swapping intakes I might as well get the new injectors installed so that I'll be that much closer when I add the turbo. It will take a bit of time to get my new base VE table updated, but I think the existing table will give me a great base to start from.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54428132419_6c0d6e90c8_b.jpg)
I also received my 9" third member from Speedway a few days ago. It was packaged up really well, and I only pulled the cover off to take a picture but for now it's staying in the case for safe keeping. It's a Nodular Iron third member with 35 spline Helical Posi differential and 3.25 gears. I'm really excited about putting together the rear end, but for now I want to focus on getting the engine bay back together. I have a complete LS1 rear disk brake setup for it as well. Just needs to be cleaned up and painted since the backing plates need to be installed before the bearings can be installed. I opted for the GM bolt pattern flush mount ends which are designed to work with these brakes.
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Over the next week or so I'm hoping to get the flex fuel sensor mounted and installed, reinstall the battery and re-route some cables, loom all the wires in the engine bay, install the fuel pump controller (requires installing 8 ga wire to the rear of the car and tapping into the MAP sensor), and modifying the CTS-V fuel pump assembly so that I can swap that into my tank. I was going to just run the car as is, but if I do that, I'll end up needing to modify my VE table twice. With the fuel pump controller it will ramp up based on boost pressure and because of this, I like to run the pumps at a starting pressure of 43psi. Going from a base pressure of 58psi to 43psi will change the fueling required in my VE Table.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Ryan, every time I read your updates all I can think about is how many balls you have in the air at one time and how far this car has come. I will be curious to hear your critique on how the car handles after the suspension upgrades. That new pumpkin is almost too pretty to be hidden under your car! Once you do the power upgrades you’ll be glad to have such a stout transmission and differential. This thing will be a monster when finished and still have great street manners for cruising with a reliable EFI LS.
I am out of town visiting friends, kind of a crummy weather day, so I had a chance to reread all your posts from the beginning. Amazing!
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I appreciate the compliments! I'm usually thinking several steps ahead when I'm building cars, so I like to plan ahead for the projects I'm doing. I don't get that much garage time, so I like to maximize it when I'm out there. Nothing worse than when I'm right in the middle of the project and am forced to stop because I need a part.
I've done the same a few times and read the build from the beginning. It really has come a long way and I'm really proud of how it's turned out so far. Still a ways to go and it will likely always be evolving, but it will be nice to just cruise it for a while this summer. I need to cool it on buying new parts for a while. Although in reality once the rear is under the car and the new fuel pump/controller are installed I won't need that many more parts to add the turbo haha.
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Your updates make me feel like a slacker, that a good thing, it gets me motivated!
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We took advantage of the kids having off last week for spring break, and took a long weekend trip last weekend in Pigeon Forge. Was great to see the mountains and relax in a cool cabin. I kept seeing all these cool hot rods just parked on the strip and wondered why. Then I realized that this last weekend was the Rod Run there. Missed it by a week, but still got to see some really cool cars along the way.
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Saw this really clean 1956 Belair, then noticed this really cool detail! I'm borrowing that for my car because I need to replace the filler panel as it's heavily rusted.
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Back to work on the car. Once I got the tensioner figured out, I needed a new belt to match. This ended up being the length I needed. I also forgot to mention that with the Holley bracket, it also has provisions for Power Steering, but I'm not using that right now. But what will be nice is that all I'll need to do is add the pump and hoses when the time comes.
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Next up was figuring out how I wanted to mount the flex fuel sensor. After a lot of thinking, I decided to build a bracket off of my booster. I remembered that the original brackets that I bought for the booster came with two of the same side, so Summit sent me the correct ones. I trimmed off the excess, bent it to a 45* angle, then tapped for the right hardware. Turned out great with minimal fabrication, WIN!
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On every LS swap that I've done, I've used a roll of Nylon fuel lines and love how easy they are to work with. I've used the caulk gun method many times and is quite easy. For those that haven't seen it, you use a brake flare tool to hold the line, then a two post caulk gun and use it to press the fitting in. Make sure to measure the depth of the barbed side and then clamp down tight, but not all the way. It will distort if you clamp too hard.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54450208387_f1b3c339d4_b.jpg)
Position it like this, and use steady pressure to get it started and ensure it's straight. Once you can tell it's going in straight, I just use a few quick presses until the line is flush with the end of the fitting.
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Here you can see the fitting is flush with the line. I bought this piece of repair line from Autozone that had a 90* fitting and just pressed a straight fuel fitting that I had in place. You can also see the flex fuel sensor mounted in place and all my lines are now complete. I had to heat and bent the lines around to give some slack for motor movement and to avoid hitting the firewall. Really happy with how it turned out.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54450208412_cc9a2e2c63_b.jpg)
I came across this really cool harness from Current Performance Wiring that is a plug and play flex fuel along with a 2 pin alternator plug. What's cool about this harness is it has a PWM generator built in to give the two wire alternator the right signal to charge up to 14.5v. Now that I have the harness I just need to add the flex fuel to my tune and can test out a tank of e85!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54451060721_08231e1e74_b.jpg)
My lower radiator hose worked the same, but needed to be trimmed a bit to avoid hitting the frame, but the upper hose was way different since it came out on the driver's side rather than the passenger. After playing around, I realized I just needed a hose that came out at an angle to avoid the air intake. I went back to Autozone to browse the different hoses and found one that worked. I couldn't find one that had the jog I needed, but was able to cut the water neck off of an old truck water pump and that curve worked just like I wanted.
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I also ordered some grommets for the firewall to get things sealed up.
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I need to install the speedometer grommet too and the wiper motor grommet is already installed. I also was looking at the firewall and everything is cleaning up really nicely and the wiper motor stuck out. I ended up spraying it in Satan black and it looks great. Not original, but disappears now on the firewall.
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This project has certainly snowballed, but I'm getting closer to the end. I've been taking my time to clean up the wiring and loom it as I am going. Which means I've been having to re-route wiring and I also swapped out the battery cables I had with some that I acquired from a 2016 F150. The terminal clamps are really nice and the cables are high quality. I'm not done yet, but it's all starting to fall back into place. I have the coils off to clean up, then I'll reinstall. I'm debating on painting the valve covers a flat red, or even wrinkle red finish. Still up in the air, but I think it would give the engine bay a pop of color.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54451425430_2442196ab2_b.jpg)
While the car is "down" and I'm in the wiring mindset, I'm also swapping to the Vaporworx module to control my fueling. I went back and forth on where to locate the module, and finally tried under the rear seat. I still have access to the set screw for adjusting the fuel pressure, but it's out of the way. I want to add a cover to it so that the pins cannot short out if a screwdriver or something fell down and shorted it. I started to run the main 8 gauge wires from the battery, and the MAP signal wires but haven't finished.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54451308178_7693c89b80_b.jpg)
Once the wiring for the module is complete, I need to work on getting the fuel pump assembly modified to work with my fuel tank. I'll need to extend the wiring, extend the support rods and ordered a new longer corrugated hose. I also need the correct -6AN fittings to add the Fuel Pressure sensor from the fuel module. Swapping fuel pumps also means that unfortunately I'll need to drop my fuel tank which I believe is almost full. Although it will give me an opportunity to test the fuel sender as I think it may be going bad. More to come, but hopefully the car will be back on the ground soon.
Cheers,
Ryan
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darn that's sexy!
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I'm pretty sure it was your 76TA build that turned me on to the plastic fuel line. My LS TA swap used like a whole roll of that stuff. Seems to be working fine. I figured, if the factory could use it on cars why can't I. Keep at it, you'll soon be back on the road!
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I enjoy your updates. I always learn something from them.
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This will be sort of a scattered post since I have been working on multiple projects all at the same time. The Spring Carlisle swap meet is this weekend and I had been waiting until then to pickup some parts with one of them being a rust free original lower filler panel. To my surprise, my father in law shipped one to me that he bought on eBay! Thanks Bern! It's in fantastic shape and even has the factory undercoating, which is pretty amazing. It has a few dents in it which is expected given it's age, and since I don't want to do body work on it I have a plan.
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It fits really nicely on the body.
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Before I could do anything with that I wanted to continue working on my wiring and my new fuel pump setup. I decided to just use the fuel pump that came with the Vaporworx controller I bought a few weeks ago. I wanted to pull the assembly apart to make sure there wasn't any debris hiding. I was in a bit of a hurry and my caveman self used too much leverage and broke the venturi fitting on the fuel pump. It's not something that can be easily fixed, but after reaching out to Carl at Vaporworx and making some posts on forums and FB, I found a guy who had some leftover parts from upgrading a CTS-V pump and sold them to me for very cheap.
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Thanks Bill from FB! Bonus is that he had an extra fuel bucket and support rods. I've been trying to think how I was going to extend the rods to raise the fuel pump assembly by about 4.5", and this solves that problem. I can cut the ones I have, as well as the ones he sold and then the factory clips will work as they should.
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I also bought some "made in the USA" Moog inner and outer tie rods from a member of Tri-Five a few months ago and now I'm ready to swap them out. They were bare steel so I just sprayed some flat black paint on them. I bought some slick UMI adjusters a while back too that should make adjustments easier.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54472140547_d1b742ec43_b.jpg)
I pulled the steering column out so that I could install the firewall seal that I should have done from the beginning. While I had it out, I swapped out the stock ignition switch with an aftermarket unit because the lock cylinder kept falling out. I also fixed the dimmer switch for the gauges and tidied up some wiring while I was in there. I also need to shim the steering box so it is centered. All good things that need to be done, but aren't that exciting.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54472140382_f36c3f9acc_b.jpg)
I also unboxed my Quick Performance 9" rear and started to prep it for welding on the tabs for brake hoses. I want to make sure that they aren't in the way of installing U-bolts, suspension or anything else. I'll tack weld the tabs then install it in car to make sure nothing will interfere.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54473181804_93147749f0_b.jpg)
Here's what I started with, and the backing plates after a little TLC.
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I bought new boots from Dorman for the ebake lever as well. For those that are curious they are the stock brake assemblies off of all 98-02 Camaros and Firebirds which are often referred to as "LS1 Rear Brakes". Fantastic brake setup; 12" rotors, PBR Calipers, internal ebrake assembly, and use the standard GM backing plate bolt pattern used for decades. When I had QP build my rear I had them use the Moser GM Flush mount housing ends so that I could use these brakes specifically. I also have a pair of C5 brake calipers that are a direct replacement for the Camaro units, but these are supposed to have a better casting. I picked them up on eBay for super cheap and bonus was they came with Hawk brake pads that look barely used.
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(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54473181669_cb8c772109_b.jpg)
I also don't remember where I bought it, but I had a single brand new dust shield kicking around in my garage that I was able to use instead of the crusty one. The other side cleaned up pretty nicely so that will get reused too.
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Back to the wiring, I added a 70 amp breaker to inline with my C7 fan for added protection.
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After wrapping up a few other items, I was finally able to get my new filler panel painted fitted and installed. After that, I reinstalled the radiator filler panels, grill and front bumper. With all of the changes in the front end, I also had to re-align the hood which has never fit better! Very pleased with this when I step back now. Love it or hate it, it's very unique and I love it!
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I also was able to step back and check out my new engine bay. It took a lot of time and energy to route all of the wiring and wrap it all up. I'm very happy with how it all turned out. I still need to power wash all of the pollen off everything and loom up the headlight and turn signal wiring, but after that I'm calling it done. At least until I buy some turbo parts...
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Hoping to get tabs welded to the rear, paint and swap it out for the stock rear. I also need to wrap up the Vaporworx module install, modify fuel pump, and swap that out with the Gen 5 Camaro unit I have in there now. I'm really starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and cannot wait to get back behind the wheel. Hopefully in the next few weeks.
Cheers,
Ryan
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You do good work!
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Coming along great!
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Looks fantastic!!!!!
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Thanks guys!
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It's been a little bit since I've had an update on this project. Between work, building a porch and life it has been hard to get anything done on the 55. I've done a few things here and there, but have enough for an update. Once I got the front end back together, I wanted to start on swapping out the tie rods since they were quite worn.
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Once I had the complete assembly out it was time to break them down. Looks like someone removed the bushing with a torch then just reinstalled a new bushing. Not comfortable with that, so I ordered a new one from CPP.
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I have new Moog bushings, but since the new drag link will have a new one already installed I'll just put a new Moog in the idler arm.
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While that was all disassembled, I removed the steering column so that I could install the column firewall boot and seal. I could have cut it, but I decided it wouldn't take that long to pull the column and so it seals up better. Well that lead to me also shimming the steering shaft so that it came through straight and not off to one side. Before and after. I think it took 3/32 of shims to the lowest bolt to straighten out. Much happier.
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I also cleaned up all the hardware for the LS1 rear brakes so they are all ready to install when the time comes.
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Huge thanks to plasticman on the Trifive site for sending me this shock bar. Hoping to get that installed when I pull the stock rear to replace with the 9".
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I've been trying to track down the 55 Nomad trim pretty much since I bought the car, and finally found someone who would sell me a set for a reasonable price. They are reproduction cast aluminum pieces that are uncoated. They fit really nicely too. He sold me both eyebrows and the door trim, so I still need to track down the fender trim but I'm stoked to find what I have. I couldn't wait and got the eyebrows test fit immediately. Can't wait to install them for good!
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And wouldn't you know it, when it rains it pours. I hardly ever check Craigslist anymore, but happened to open it and a short listing popped up and mentioned Nomad parts. I clicked on it and saw among a pile of parts a pair of original eyebrows! I reached out and the lady and after communicating for about a week, we met up last weekend and I bought all of the parts from her. Ended up being probably a hundred parts with many Nomad parts, 55 Belair pieces and many NOS parts. It ended up being her father's entire collection of parts that she inherited when he passed away in 2016. They had been in dry storage all this time.
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Borderline holy grail!
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Really cool license plate boarder. Definitely running that!
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Can someone help identify what these parts are? I've never seen anything like these before?
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54523635556_6dbb7d1c28_b.jpg)
Then I recently welded the tabs on the rear for the rear disk brake hoses, and painted it. First etch primer, then some medium and heavy coats of Satan Black.
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Hoping to get the new springs installed this weekend and the 9" test fit so that I can measure for a new driveshaft. I'm 99% sure that I'll need a new one and want to get that ordered so that I can get this car back on the road. I'm still debating on pulling the gas tank to install the CTS-V modified unit so that it's all ready for when I add the turbo. I'll probably do that anyway since I'll want to remove the fuel tank when I weld in the shock bar. Still up in the air though since I may just get the new rear installed and run it the rest of the year. I really want to drive the car again. I forget that I lowered the front end and installed a sway bar as well. It should be a completely different handling car once I have a proper alignment.
Cheers,
Ryan
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I'm really regretting tearing the car down earlier this year AND letting the project snowball a bit. But never the less, here we are. I'm trying to make a big push to get the car back together and on the road. Picking up where I left off, I needed to get the stock rear out of the way. I didn't want to disconnect the rear brake lines just yet, since I know the new rear will be in and out a few times test fitting so I removed a few brackets and slid it under the car still intact.
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Once I removed the stock rear along with the leaf springs, I put the third member into the QP rear housing so that I could test fit everything. It looks great in there, but I still need to paint since it's raw cast iron.
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Pretty big win was the driveshaft that is in there now will work with the new rear! That will be something that I can upgrade when I add boost, but for now is a nice cost savings! And yes, the rear has the full weight on it with me bouncing it a few times.
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The bad news was that when I test fit with the new drop springs, the passenger side was contacting the spring hanger near the shackle just like it was with the old springs. I thought that it was because the old springs were flattened, but as I dug deeper and started measuring I found the culprit. Somewhere along the way the front spring hanger was bent up a good bit. So much that it even tore the hanger slightly!
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After comparing to the driver's side and taking some measurements the outer hole was what moved. I was able to bent it back with many precision hits from my BFH. I kept measuring to have it match the driver's side. Once I got it back into place, I drilled the end of where it was torn, cranked my welder voltage up and laid several passes of hot weld. I'm confident that it will stay in place now. I test fit the new spring again under full weight and it had plenty of clearance around the shackle, just the same as the driver's side. Crisis averted.
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While I had the new rear in place, I also took the opportunity to test fit the new shock bar. Thank you Plasticman!! It ended up being the shorter bar I think for the one piece frame. It ended up being half an inch short, so I put my thinking cap on and decided to make two 1/4" plates and weld those to the frame, then tap all the way through them for a really solid removable mount. Very happy I was able to make it work. Welds could have been better if I wasn't welding out of position under the car. I got solid penetration though so they won't come off, just not pretty.
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I also forgot that you have to remove the rear end to get to the fuel tank and since I was having an issue with the fuel sender reading incorrectly and wanting to swap fuel pumps it was the right time to do it now. I pulled the tank and took some measurements so that I could first modify the CTS-V fuel pump assembly to fit into my modified fuel tank. That meant modifying the assembly to add about 6" of height. The guy that sold me the new venturi setup also had some other spare parts including two rods. That was perfect, because now all I had to do was trim a bit off one end and then weld them together. I determined the height I needed, then subtracted 1/2" so that it wasn't bottomed out when I compressed the assembly. Cleaned the ends with acetone and tig welded back together.
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Once that was done, I swapped the fuel pumps to the new venturi assembly that I didn't break and added the extended fuel hose.
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The pump I bought came with upgraded dual AEM 340 lph pumps. Will provide more than enough fuel under boost.
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It was also not necessary, but I bought them a while ago so thought I'd swap them out. Most 90* fittings have a hard transition inside where they are drilled from both sides. I swapped that out for a full flow fitting that has a smooth transition inside. No idea what that does for performance if any, but makes me feel better there is less restriction I guess.
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Then I extended the wiring and added a fitting to add the fuel pressure sensor for the Vaporworx module. Ready to test and install.
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Last thing was to swap the sender out for a new piece I bought from Tanks Inc. The sender was an original piece so I assumed it was failing, but when I pulled the sender the float was full of gas! Must have a pin hole in it somewhere. Oh well, I opted to install the new one since I had it. Hurt a little to cut up a perfectly good sender, but I don't need the carb style pickup. I had to bend the sender over slightly and readjust the float arm so that it would clear the fuel pump assembly.
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Lastly, I know the common deal is to seal using a cork gasket, but I used a liberal amount of Seal All everywhere when I installed this with the rubber gasket. I even put a dab on the screws, so I'm confident that it will seal like it did before. That also used a rubber gasket with the stock sender.
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The plan now is to get the fuel pump installed and finish the Vaporworx installation so that I can verify fuel pressure and functionality. Assuming there are no leaks I also want to start the engine again with all the new mods. I changed a bunch of settings on the tune to add flex fuel, new 1K CC injectors, new intake manifold/Throttlebody and will lower the fuel pressure to 43 psi since I'll have a boost referenced pump now. With all that I'm expecting the tune to be way off. But my hope is that it can at least get the engine to idle. Then I'll feel confident that the fuel system is good to install for good. Then with the fuel tank installed I can start bolting everything back together. I'm very excited to get the new rear end installed and see what the stance is with the drop springs and cut front coils. Lots of exciting stuff hopefully with the next update!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Looks great!
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Continuing from where I left off, I put together the fuel pump wiring based on advice from Carl at Vaporworx. 8 GA wire from the battery, then about 6" from the pigtail, I split each into two 12 GA wires that feed the pumps. I got that all wired up and mocked up where the fuel pump will go. I had to enlarge the original hole I made for the larger diameter wiring plus the fuel pressure sensor wiring from the Vaporworx module.
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I know some people may get upset, but given the level of difficulty to remove the fuel tank to service the fuel pump, I decide to cut an access hole for the fuel pump. I'll now be able to service the pump from the top side which will be significantly easier than pulling the rear end in order to drop the tank. I'm going to create a custom recessed panel that will cover the hole and seal it off from the exhaust. I need to paint the tank straps before the rear goes in. That's been bugging me.
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The tank is now bolted down again and the new shock bar is installed as well. It makes for a nice piece to secure the fuel pump wiring and fuel line.
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Next up is to finalize the rear brake lines on the new rear end. Everything is mocked up and looked great, so it was time to make the lines to connect from the Tee to each caliper. I used 3/16" NiCopp lines which is what I used for the rest of the car. I made this straightener a long time ago out of some screen door rollers and some angle iron. Works great to straighten a roll.
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Always love to get an opportunity to use my Mastercool flare tool. Does a wonderful job on the NiCopp lines and the flares are very repeatable. Love having the right tool for the job.
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Final results look pretty great to me.
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After the rest of my wiring parts were delivered, I was able to finish up the installation of the fuel pump controller. Since the controller is under the rear seat, I wanted to add some protection to the terminals so that it didn't arc if something metal was pushed under the seat. I do have kids that ride in the car afterall, so I have to plan for everything. I found these on Amazon and they were perfect for this application.
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Now that the tank is installed and the wiring is done, I was able to test the new fuel pump. Great news is that the fuel pump fired right up to 58 psi, but the bad news is that the upper fuel pump orings were slightly different for LS3 style injectors than the LS1 style rail that I'm running. Passenger side bank sealed, but the driver's side sprayed out of every injector. Fuel was everywhere... At the time I wasn't sure where it was coming from, so after many choice words, troubleshooting and smelling way too much raw fuel, I went inside for the night. After a little research, I determined that the upper fuel injector orings were the culprit. I had an old set of L92 fuel injectors that fit the LS3 injectors and had a larger diameter. That was the fix, and sealed everything up, but it took about 4 days to air out the garage fully.
I updated the tune file a few weeks ago for the new fuel injectors, flex fuel, and new fuel pump to give the engine the best shot at starting and idling. I finally started the engine again after many months and it was surprisingly pretty close because it ran and idled very similar to last year. It did run on the lean side, but once it hit 160*, it started to add more fuel to the table and hit my target AFR. I love Holley EFI!! It was great hearing the engine again, but I need to clean up the rest of the dash wiring and put the interior back together.
Since the engine is running now, that's a huge relief and now I can focus back on the driveline. While I love the look of the cast iron, the third member is raw and needed paint. Most guys tend to paint them the stock primer red that most 9" came from the factory. I decided to change it up a little and spray the Ford rear end with some Chevy Orange! Just because haha.
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I love it!!
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While I was in the painting mood, I also quickly painted the black calipers red to match the front. I also painted one of the axles since the flange is also raw, but didn't get a picture.
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I didn't get a picture, but the third member is installed with a new LubeLocker gasket and torqued down. Only thing left before I install the rear housing is to paint the gas tank straps and tap the lip of the fuel tank down to clear the housing. Hopefully throughout this week I can get the bearings pressed on the axles, reinstall new drop springs and fully assemble the 9". I also ordered a new conversion 1350/S44(3R) Ujoint, CPP drag link and some new CPP tie rod adjusters which some have come in. Will make time to get those installed as well so that the front end can be completed. Very excited to drive the car after all the changes I've made.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Since I don't have any prior experience with Ford 9" rear ends, I made a call to quick performance to ask them about the order for the spacers, bearings and locking rings. I called them to confirm since the LS1 rear brake setup is probably not as common as the Ford brakes. The guy I spoke with told me that with my LS1 rear brakes that I didn't need the spacer. Wonderful, because I want to make sure that my brake offset is right so I don't have to do it twice and have to remove the bearing since they are a real PITA to remove in one piece.
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Quick comparison of a stock 17 spline 55-57 axle and an aftermarket 35 spline. Huge difference!
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After bending the lip back on the gas tank, painting the straps, welding in the bump stop that I removed 2 years ago, welding a tab for the brake hose, fighting with a badly leaking caliper brake hoses... I was finally able to install the rear for good. The leaking brake hoses were 100% my fault. I had them oriented horizontally on the machined surface on the caliper, but the brake hose needed to be 90* our because it had a lip on the bottom that wouldn't allow the hose to sit flush. Once I figured out what I did wrong, I was able to get them to seal up. Very stressful in the moment when brake fluid is gushing out of both calipers!
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Tons of clearance!
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Now that the rear is installed, I can finally install the rear axles and get the brakes final installed and bled.
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Stoked to have it finally installed, but as I found it very difficult to get the nuts installed and tightened down. Like there wasn't really enough room? I'm thinking that I may need a specialty tool or something. I was able to make it work with what I had and got everything fully torqued down and really happy with how it's all fitting together. I pulled the brand new rotors out of the box and immediately notice something's not right. The rotor can't fully seat against the axle flange. After troubleshooting, I determined that it couldn't go any further because it was being hung up by the inner parking brake.
Here's the part I missed...
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I went in for the night and made a call to Quick Performance in the morning. After troubleshooting for several minutes the tech figured out that what happened is most people order a single bolt patter for the rear axles and with that style blank they require no spacer, but I ordered a dual pattern which does require the spacer. I was happy to learn what happened and now I know what my fix is, but no I need to do what I was trying to avoid and remove the brand new axle bearing. I have a bearing puller, and bought some long all thread to get the extra reach, but the puller kept slipping off. I was getting quite frustrated at this point. Then I thought one last ditch effort would be to attempt to use my press. By some miracle, I was able to get enough of the lip and pull the bearing off completely unharmed.
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I installed the spacer, then pressed it all back together with the locking ring and was able to get it all installed correctly. You can see how much more space there is between the parking brake and flange now. Oh and the little missing spacer haha.
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Then I moved onto the driver's side. I thought it was some surface rust or something on the axle, but after I pulled it out there were some gouges in the machined surface. I again called QP and they were extremely apologetic, and quickly sent me out a replacement axle and a swag bag to say sorry for the trouble I had. I'm extremely impressed with the customer service from Quick Performance. Stuff happens, and I will gladly purchase from them again.
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I didn't take any pictures, but as soon as the axle came in, I painted the flange quick, pressed the new bearing on with a spacer and added the locking ring. Installed everything and it practically fell together.
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I didn't get any installed pictures, but my Billet CPP adjusters came in and I installed the tie rods with new MOOG inners and outers. Now the steering is all back together, and can check that off of the list.
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I also buttoned up and reinstalled all of the interior dash, steering column and reinstalled the shifter with linkage. I pulled the column so that I could install the seal and cover for the column without cutting it. Turned out pretty good. I need to trim the carpet back a little bit, but overall glad that's installed. That should significantly reduce the amount of engine heat coming into the cabin.
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I also installed the little clip that allows the shifter indicator to work. It was very inaccurate, but I lined it up so that it worked with Drive so at least that is right.
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The last thing was swapping out the ujoints so it would work with my 1350 yoke on the rear differential. Once everything was buttoned up, it was time to pull the car out of the garage again. The engine fired right up and ran very well considering I swapped the 36lb injectors for 95lb. There were some corrections that the ECU had to do, but once it learned the table around idle a bit, it smoothed right out. I backed the car out and just let it idle. I checked for leaks and was very happy when I didn't find any. I let the fans cycle and things were going great. I pulled it ahead because I was going to snap a picture with the new lowered stance. All of a sudden I heard a hissing sound and there was a fountain in the engine bay of fuel. Shut it off immediately and backed it into the parking spot outside.
After I cooled off, the next day I determined that when I made the mounts for the fuel rail on my bench, that the injectors weren't fully seated down into the intake. So the rear injector pushed down with the pressure from the fuel rail and it dropped enough for the upper oring to fall out of the seat and break the seal. It was a fairly quick fix. I determined that the new mounts needed to lower the rails by 1/8" and that's all it took. I made 4 new brackets, reinstalled and zero leaks. What a fiasco, but I'm glad it happened in the driveway rather than on the highway! After all of that, here's a picture of the new stance. I love it!!
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The plan now is to find a shop that will give my car a proper front end alignment and then drive the dang thing!!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Looks fantastic!!!!
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Killer progress Ryan!
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Thanks guys! I'm really stoked on for the new upgrades. I gave the car the best alignment that I could in my garage, and now I've got an appointment scheduled this Friday for them to do a proper alignment. Very excited to have found someone who will touch an older car. Harder than I thought to get someone to do it.
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Ryan, some very impressive upgrades. What a difference between the 17 & 35 spline axles. With a turbo powered LS and good traction you will appreciate having a rear end that won't give out on you. Funny when you say it's hard to find someone to do an alignment on an older car. Some of the newer unibody cars that I have worked on only have adjustments for toe and nothing for caster or camber.
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Funny when you say it's hard to find someone to do an alignment on an older car. Some of the newer unibody cars that I have worked on only have adjustments for toe and nothing for caster or camber.
That's because shops don't care about hours billed per sey, or taking the time to do "extra". They want to get customers in and out as quick as possible. Its like body shops who only want insurance jobs or collision work they can process through quick and over charge the insurance for. Ok Rant over
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I was surprised my regular shop that I've been taking all my daily vehicles to wasn't interested. When I called he said they don't have all the old data. I said that I can provide all the specs since I have new control arms. Then he said that they don't have any shims, and I replied that I already bought a kit with all the necessary shims needed for 2-3 cars. Then he just flat out said he's going to have to charge me an hourly rate and that it will likely be very expensive. I guess that was his polite way of saying that they didn't want to do my old clunker haha. I do appreciate that he was upfront and honest that it will likely cost a good amount.
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I was surprised my regular shop that I've been taking all my daily vehicles to wasn't interested. When I called he said they don't have all the old data. I said that I can provide all the specs since I have new control arms. Then he said that they don't have any shims, and I replied that I already bought a kit with all the necessary shims needed for 2-3 cars. Then he just flat out said he's going to have to charge me an hourly rate and that it will likely be very expensive. I guess that was his polite way of saying that they didn't want to do my old clunker haha. I do appreciate that he was upfront and honest that it will likely cost a good amount.
I had a muffler shop basically do the same thing, just kept making excuses on why they couldn't do it. Not a shop I used before so I just let it go and moved on. Must be nice to be able to turn down work
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Funny when you say it's hard to find someone to do an alignment on an older car. Some of the newer unibody cars that I have worked on only have adjustments for toe and nothing for caster or camber.
That's because shops don't care about hours billed per sey, or taking the time to do "extra". They want to get customers in and out as quick as possible. Its like body shops who only want insurance jobs or collision work they can process through quick and over charge the insurance for. Ok Rant over
You nailed right there. No Rant...Just the gods honest truth. Quick And Dirty...In And Out...Next. Out here you have to look long and hard to find a shop that will do anything on an older car. And even when you do, the Shop Rate is so high...its like taking out a loan to buy another car. And don't get me started on trying to get an older car smoged out here.
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Funny when you say it's hard to find someone to do an alignment on an older car. Some of the newer unibody cars that I have worked on only have adjustments for toe and nothing for caster or camber.
That's because shops don't care about hours billed per sey, or taking the time to do "extra". They want to get customers in and out as quick as possible. Its like body shops who only want insurance jobs or collision work they can process through quick and over charge the insurance for. Ok Rant over
You nailed right there. No Rant...Just the gods honest truth. Quick And Dirty...In And Out...Next. Out here you have to look long and hard to find a shop that will do anything on an older car. And even when you do, the Shop Rate is so high...its like taking out a loan to buy another car. And don't get me started on trying to get an older car smoged out here.
Thats why mechanics today aren't really mechanics, they are parts swappers. Just throw parts at the problem till it's fixed, all on the customers dime of course.
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After calling around to different shops, I found a place fairly local that did alignments on older cars. Even the one restoration shop in town recommended them, so I made an appointment. They were able to get me in on Friday the 13th. Not sure if it's good or bad haha.
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Car was in good company, so that made me happy.
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One thing that has been terribly annoying ever since I swapped the intake and C6 Throttlebody is a loud whistling sound. I thought originally it may be a vacuum leak, but turns out after doing some research when the LS3 throttlebodies are turned upside down they can whistle badly. The solution is porting the hump that is normally on the top of the intake path. I carefully smoothed out the transition and it definitely helped, but the whistle is still there. I may need to do a full on port job to get rid of all the ridges.
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I was working on the car a little bit on father's day and decided it was time to install the lower 1955 Nomad trim on the kick panels. Trouble was the trim studs that bend over were either rusted or missing. I made some new tabs and then turned my tig welder way down and was able to fix both sides.
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I polished up the original waffle panels and then installed on my new kick panels. My father-in-law gave his light blue panels to me a few years ago and I used SEM vinyl dye to change them to black. Just haven't taken the time to fix and assemble them until now.
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I need to clean and paint the original grills, but then they can be installed for good.
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I also wanted to get the hole covered back up that I made to access the fuel pump. I bought a flange tool to create a lip, made a cover out of some thicker aluminum sheets I had, and then bent/trimmed it to fit in the recess. Came out nicely and I opted to attach it with seam sealer rather than bolting it together.
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I didn't take a picture, but I also used my router and cut out the space above the fuel pump so it wasn't putting pressure on it. I want to put to glue the carpet down on the cargo floor and the rear seats so it will be much more complete. I also think I need to glue some of the carpet down in the passenger area since it slides around quite a bit.
I took the kids to summer camp today that was at the school and got a great picture of it. Love the new stance! I do think that the springs have settled a bit though since my alignment because it seems to be darty and has a fair amount of bump steer now. I'm going to put a few hundred miles on it and see if things get better/worse. Overall I'm stoked with all the upgrades from this winter and now she's getting some miles on her.
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Next up is a new pair of front tires. I'm thinking that may have something to do with the steering feeling darty too.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Looks awesome! Mine is a bit "darty" also after I put in the new steering pump. The fix is a shim kit for Borgeson to reduce the pressure some.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/brg-899001?seid=srese1&gclid=CjwKCAjwmenCBhA4EiwAtVjzmq7zQXmB0WRCIBLevazaI4Ta7MYu3o-16vnfH-esetauza9WYOT9khoCugEQAvD_BwE (https://www.summitracing.com/parts/brg-899001?seid=srese1&gclid=CjwKCAjwmenCBhA4EiwAtVjzmq7zQXmB0WRCIBLevazaI4Ta7MYu3o-16vnfH-esetauza9WYOT9khoCugEQAvD_BwE)
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I am running a manual steering box, so that isn't an option for me. I'm thinking that it may be the springs have settled slightly and the car is now slightly toe out.
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Stance looks good, a little lower but not too much. Nice rear brakes and tie rod adjusters.
Congratulations on all the work you have done and in a very short time!
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Thanks! I haven't really done anything on it other than driving it, which is a great thing. Other than sloppy steering, the thing runs and drives great. It needs to have the steering box tightened up I think. I had a remote tune done on it last weekend by a friend of mine and it has much better throttle response and transmission shifting.
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What? Losing your tuning talent? That is one thing I wish I had time to learn. Otherwise I would be turbocharging everything....
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I can get the cars up and running really good, but this car has transmission controller and Drive by Wire throttle body. Both of those were uncharted territory for me and thought I'd save some time and get help from a guy who does this for a living. He said that my tune was pretty good overall, but he tweaked several tables and re-did my VE table. It doesn't feel anymore powerful, but the shifting is greatly improved and the DBW has a smoother transition than it did.
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Haven’t checked this thread in a while. Looking good as always. Keep up the work!
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It's been a while since I've had any updates. Been busy building a back porch on our house and that has taken most of my free time. I've been putting a bunch of miles on the car recently and it feels great. Wife and I have taken several longer trips with the most recent one being a 150 mile round trip to a Brewery. Runs great and finally got it out on the highway. She runs great at 80+ and just purrs along which is so much nicer than with the 3.70 gears. It's a great road trip car. I don't have a great gauge, but it must have averaged around 20 mpg with all the highway driving.
Drove to get some lunch in Culpeper, VA.
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This was leaving Cars and Coffee in Charlottesville, VA. Some guys shoot the cars as they leave. Really cool action shot and love the new lowered stance! Very happy with that.
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I think that is my favorite one.
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After C&C we saw a familiar car parked in the shopping plaza.
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I installed a flex fuel sensor as part of my winter upgrades since I was re-doing the fuel system. I finally got the tune-up all ready to go and the wiring adapter from Current performance. I didn't want to go all in, but I had about 3-4 gallons in the tank and then topped it off with 3 gallons of e85. It ran great and didn't even notice any difference in performance. Pretty cool that I have that option now. With the mix of 93 and 3 gallons of e85 it brought the ethanol up to 42%. I like having that little gauge there and should help keep the IAT's cooler when running the turbo.
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About a month ago I put a post online asking if anyone had a pair of fender trim pieces for a 55 Nomad. A few guys reached out, but one guy actually had a set that he wanted to let go. I talked with him a bit and he sent me some pictures. Then come to find out he wanted to just give them to me! I couldn't thank the guy enough!! I thought it was a scam honestly at first, but I gave him my address and about a week later they showed up.
They are heavily pitted, but are better than nothing and will really fit the look of the car. I'm going to repair some of the really heavy pits and a few cracks with a product called Muggy Weld Alloy 1. I tested it out and it works great, but you cannot have any contaminations whatsoever or it won't have good adhesion. Really looking forward to installing the trim. I'm still torn on if I should just leave the pitted/chrome and attempting to polish the aluminum pieces to match as close as I can or maybe painting flat black/silver.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54698587992_75681d87ec_b.jpg)
Hoping to attend some car shows later this summer and fall once I get the porch finished. I'm really getting close to the finish line so I want to get that behind me.
Thanks,
Ryan
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Ryan, what a transformation from what you started out with. Nice that you’re putting on miles and enjoying your car. Even though you don’t need more power I’ll be interested in hearing about how it runs with a turbo upgrade.
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I haven't updated this in a while, but thought I'd share some photos from the summer. I really haven't been doing much at all to the car other than driving it. I was looking around at local car events and came across something called the Hazzard Run that was about an hour away and gave us a good excuse to drive through the Blue Ridge mountains. The run is a Duke's of Hazzard theme, and was a lot of fun. They organized a police escort through a few small towns in central Virginia. Started in Luray, then Shenandoah, Stanley, and back to Luray.
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The Hellcat powered Hazzard police car was my favorite.
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My wife snapped this picture while we were driving. One of my favorite pictures so far.
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Trying to blend in with the regular crowd.
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We ended up putting about 125 miles on the car and she ran great. One thing that I did notice was that I kept smelling some raw fuel every so often, but it wasn't consistent. I had been smelling it ever since I had the car out this year, but chalked it up to my tune maybe needing some tweaking or something because I never found anything wrong. Then after this cruise, I was checking things out as I usually do and noticed there was some fuel leaking out of the injectors on both 7 and 8 cylinder. That was the last straw with this Dorman LS2 Intake. It looks nice, but I posted some pictures online and listed it for sale. I was either going to buy some cheap adapter plates to run the really nice LS3 intake I have, or swap back to the TBSS truck intake.
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Then it just so happened that I was looking around at intake manifolds and I found that Holley was having an Open box sale for several returned intakes without original boxes and I jumped on the last modular Lo Ram intake that they had listed. It was $350 off which was not more than what I was asking for the Dorman Intake. Then 2 days later I sold it and shipped out the Dorman intake.
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I also have been slowly collecting parts for my turbo swap and finally decided on which one I wanted. I went back and forth, and went with the 78/75 turbo with Billet wheel on eBay with the smaller .96 A/R. I was on the fence about the new turbo that Richard Holdener sells that is supposed to be a great match for smaller LS engines. It looks really nice and very similar to the VS Racing units.
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I'm starting to get really excited now. The last big parts that I need before I can start installing it is a new driveshaft, dual valve springs, and an intercooler. I've got something pretty cool in the works for that though. Should have some updates over the next few weeks.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Ryan,
Your posts are always entertaining. Love the photo of the Hazzard Garage with the General sitting out in front. A long time ago I spent too much time watching this show. Was it the car chases or Daisey Duke, maybe both. Also got a kick out of the vintage police car with Hellcat power. Have your boys ever seen any Dukes of Hazzard reruns?
I am looking forward to seeing and reading about the turbo upgrade on your Nomad, should be pretty wild.
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As a once obscure Christmas movie staring Schwarzenegger once said.... It's Turbo Tine!
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Thanks guys! I'm very happy with this round of upgrades. Runs much better.
Although the car is still under construction, I peeled off the old sticker for the new one. Fits the car better I think.
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Once the intake was delivered, I wasted no time with the installation. I pulled off all of the sensors from the Dorman intake and transplanted them over to the new Holley intake. I had to do a few test fits, but it fits really well overall. One thing that was interesting/annoying is that the factory LS3 MAP sensor that the intake is designed for actually contacts the gen4 oil pressure port. So I had to flip it 180* to make it work. Not a big deal, but seems like a silly oversight to me. Also, I needed to get a 45* adapter for my oil pressure sensor to clear the lid. Then I got the fuel rails, injectors and harness installed.
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I test fit the intake manifold and decided to pull the radiator and give it a good flush since I noticed some "junk" in the upper side.
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About this time I went into rush mode and stopped taking pictures as I was going. I got the lower intake torqued down and installed. Then before I installed the upper manifold I decided to add a 3/8" barb fitting for the new catch can. I've had this for a while, but have been putting off the install for one reason or another.
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I pulled the driver's valve cover to install a second passenger side valve cover so that I can use a filler adapter to -10AN.
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To be Continued...
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darn......
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Had some time to finish the updates. While the intake install was happening I picked up a few parts. I wasn't necessarily looking for this, but happened to find a guy selling a 2.3L Whipple Supercharger off of a late model 5.0 Mustang GT. It was pulled for noisy rear bearings and in the meantime the guy blew up the motor and just needed cash to get the car back together. He sold it to me completely disassembled, and I'm pretty handy so I grabbed it. He sold it to me crazy cheap so I really couldn't pass on it and he was only 10 mins from my house.
It just so happens that there is a company SWS Motorsports that sells an adapter for the Holley Lo ram to a variety of Ford based superchargers... Not sure that's the direction I want to go, but is interesting. Probably will be a rebuild and sell part to fund my project.
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I also was able to pick up a really nice 1955 Belair factory radio delete. Thanks Pops!! At some point this winter I'll be building a lower center console that will hole a double din radio, cubby for switches/USB/ect with some much needed cup holders! So I wanted a cool option to cover that hole. Love how this looks and matches my worn dash bezels really well.
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Continuing the progress of getting the car back on the road, as I was test fitting the new Holley intake it became clear that I needed to move the radiator forward more than I could with the factory latch in place. So after thinking on it for a week or so, I decided to go the quick and dirty route and notched the bottom side of the latch so that I could bent the rear to a 90* and twisted the lower brace to match. I decided to keep the nutsert in place so I cut it off and relocated to match the new angled upper piece.
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With that modified, it gained me about 2" of clearance so I could slide the radiator forward where it needed to be. This won't be my long term solution, but is strong and keeps the hood latched. Doesn't look too bad for about 30 mins work. I think I want to build something like a company Sweet Components used to sell. I will likely be swapping out to the radiator for a dual pass LS swap unit at some point in the future, so I may be reconfiguring the whole assembly at some point.
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With that modified, we were able to get the car back on the road and took the car to a show on Sunday
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Love the way that intake looks!
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Even got to see a guy who had a striking resemblance to the late Hulk Hogan checking out my car.
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We had a great time at the show and had wonderful weather. Tons of really nice cars.
When we got back, I decided it was time. I pulled off my driver's side door panel to pop off the little plates the previous owners installed when they painted the car. Thankfully they didn't weld the holes. Can anyone can guess why I punched holes in the doors?
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Cheers,
Ryan
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In an effort to fundraise a bit for this project, I started selling some parts from the huge lot of Nomad and 55 Belair parts I bought in the spring. The lot came with a Nomad rear liftgate that I had listed for sale with the lot of parts. I had a gentleman who was interested so I pulled it out and thought it might be worth a shot to test fit on my car to verify the degree to which it was bent. Well to my surprise, it wasn't bent at all. In fact it fit the car incredibly well. So well, that I decided to keep it rather than sell. (Sorry Carl) The downside is the chrome is in much worse condition than the one that came on my car.
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But the tradeoff is how well it fits on the car!
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I got out some steel wool and polished it the best that I could and it actually turned out better than I expected. Still much worse condition, but something I can live with.
Before
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After
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Now that the liftgate was fitting so nicely, I got sidetracked and decided to finish pulling off the rear strikers for the tailgate. I don't believe that they had ever been removed from the car and most of the hardware was frozen when I got it. Several months ago I started to remove the bolts with the impact tool. That loosened the bolts, but they still couldn't come out all the way. I used a lot of tools to get them all out. Impact, welder, heat, and etc. I got lucky that I was able to remove them all without the need to drill/tap new holes. So they are all the factory threads. You can still see the original color too. I'm leaning towards it being Sea Mist or Regal Turquoise. Any thoughts?
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I cleaned up the strikers and reinstalled with some new stainless hardware. Should be good for another 70 years!
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My next update is something I've been waiting a long time to do.
Cheers,
Ryan
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In an effort to fundraise a bit for this project, I started selling some parts from the huge lot of Nomad and 55 Belair parts I bought in the spring. The lot came with a Nomad rear liftgate that I had listed for sale with the lot of parts. I had a gentleman who was interested so I pulled it out and thought it might be worth a shot to test fit on my car to verify the degree to which it was bent. Well to my surprise, it wasn't bent at all. In fact it fit the car incredibly well. So well, that I decided to keep it rather than sell. (Sorry Carl) The downside is the chrome is in much worse condition than the one that came on my car.
(https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2025/10/54867486295_71a1750e79_b-1.jpg)
But the tradeoff is how well it fits on the car!
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I got out some steel wool and polished it the best that I could and it actually turned out better than I expected. Still much worse condition, but something I can live with.
Before
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After
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Now that the liftgate was fitting so nicely, I got sidetracked and decided to finish pulling off the rear strikers for the tailgate. I don't believe that they had ever been removed from the car and most of the hardware was frozen when I got it. Several months ago I started to remove the bolts with the impact tool. That loosened the bolts, but they still couldn't come out all the way. I used a lot of tools to get them all out. Impact, welder, heat, and etc. I got lucky that I was able to remove them all without the need to drill/tap new holes. So they are all the factory threads. You can still see the original color too. I'm leaning towards it being Sea Mist or Regal Turquoise. Any thoughts?
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(https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2025/10/54867191576_651a31659b_b-1.jpg)
I cleaned up the strikers and reinstalled with some new stainless hardware. Should be good for another 70 years!
(https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2025/10/54867432573_f976460a55_b-1.jpg)
My next update is something I've been waiting a long time to do. Now that the rear of the car is tightened up significantly, it was time to start installing the eyebrows and spears. I've had the eyebrows test fit no less than a dozen times, but wasn't able to work up the courage to drill into my fenders/doors until this past weekend. When one of the previous owners restored the doors, they cut the skin halfway down and blended it together with a new skin. On the driver's door thankfully they cut below the original holes for the spears, but the passenger side they cut above that line, so I was missing the original holes. I took a bunch of measurements from the driver's side and transferred to the passenger side. I marked where the eyebrow hole needed to be, and then held up the trim as best as I could to get me into the ballpark.
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I used the driver's side keyhole as a reference guide and transferred that to the passenger side. After a bunch of test fits and being mocked up with tape, I laid out the holes and drilled the holes. I used a flexible metal ruler that I bought a while ago to get nice crisp lines. I got a little more delamination around the drill sites than I would have liked, but no turning back now.
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After the holes were drilled, I went ahead and drilled the eyebrows and fender spears. I used some blue painters tape under the fender and eyebrows then let the studs mark where they needed to be. It worked incredibly well and the trim nearly fell into place.
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There was a little nub left on each eyebrow and I wanted to figure out a way to use it to mount if I could. I found these little couplers at Lowe's that were made of aluminum and threaded #6. I was able to tap what was left of the stud, and threaded on this little extension. It seems to work great and is holding firmly.
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I didn't get any pictures of the during process, but the door spears that I have are reproduction aluminum pieces with no provisions for mounting hardware. So what I did was taped them to the doors where I wanted them, marked the back with a sharpie, then drilled/tapped the holes. I used some small fender washers and #10-32 studs/nuts. It worked really well and holds very firmly. I got in a hurry to install them, and probably should have done some epoxy in the threads so I don't have to worry about them coming apart. But I'm going to likely pull them to try and polish to match the fender spears and paint the middle at some point. I got excited to have the trim installed. I also used some thread cutting nuts on the existing studs and it worked beautifully on the fender spears.
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The tricky one was the driver's side for one reason or another. The eyebrow fit tighter to the fender, so it was harder to manipulate without cracking. When I drilled the inner hole for the eyebrow, it allowed the side mount to slide back about a 1/4" which threw all my other holes off. So I had to redrill to allow everything to shift back. Which was great becuase it made the trim fit much tighter at the door gap. The driver's side was in fairly good condition, but I didn't notice until I went to install and the front most stud that holds the eyebrow was about 1/4" shorter than the rest of the original studs. That caused the threaded nut to not have enough length to grab. After thinking on it for a while I realized that it would fit if I flipped it upside down but wouldn't have anyway to tighten. Then it occurred to me that I could Tig weld them together and allow me to tighten them! It worked beautifully and I added a washer so it didn't dig into the fender.
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I noticed that the original driver's door panel was starting to fall apart right where the upper trim meets the waffle panel. I found some thick material (cake display pieces at Wal-Mart) that was a similar thickness as the original card stock and used some contact cement to attach to the original. Let it cure for 24 hours and then I was able to reinstall.
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I also got sidetracked with other projects with the door panels off. The passenger side garnish moulding never quite fit right, so I had to weld a hole shut and then redrill. Also added the door locks and a new glove box liner.
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After driving my family a little crazy this weekend with things not going my way, but fighting through I was able to get the trim all buttoned up and installed and the interior back together. I pulled the car into the driveway and snapped a few cool pictures. They turned out way better than I thought for being my driveway.
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We took the car out for a big loop and put maybe 25 miles on it. Was beautiful driving through the back country roads with all the fall leaves. I'm hoping to take the car out to drive on Skyline Drive in the Blue Ridge Mountains this weekend.
Seems silly, but a huge milestone for me to have the car riding with the original trim once again. Most people will have no idea or ask why my trim is so pitted, but if you know you know. Fender trim is hard to find regardless of condition.
Cheers,
Ryan
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I enjoyed reading your update. The car looks great and I’m glad you’re enjoying it with the family.
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Your dedication and skill is impressive. Awesome job!
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Thanks guys, I appreciate the compliments. Drove the car to work this morning. Got some funny looks on the commute in haha
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Looking great! Cool car.
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The driveway pics are cool! I was just bragging on your skills, along with FormTA 's skills, in his thread.
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Thankfully, I've just been driving the car and haven't done anything to it recently. I'm happy to report that I finally clocked in over 1000 miles since putting it back together this spring. Would have liked to drive it more, but the porch project took up a lot of my summer. I even let my sister-in-law put in some miles! First time I've ever spent time in the back seat. Actually pretty darn comfortable.
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I've been slowly collecting parts for the next stages of the build. I want to say a huge thanks to @Crawdad55 who send me some really great parts that I can't wait to get installed on the car. Will definitely go a long way towards retrofitting AC!
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I also met up recently with a guy who removed an original Vintage Air Gen1 unit from his car and gave me a great price on it. Apparently shortly after it was installed in the late 90s the compressor blew, and he never got that part fixed. Recently he decided to pull it all out and go back to an original heater box. We weren't too far from each other, so we met in the middle. I took my car and it was a beautiful day for a cruise. Unbelievably he had the original installation instructions too! My engine bay is getting very tight, so I'll be trying out one of those 12v compressor pumps that I've been seeing online since I won't have the room once the turbo is mounted.
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Last but certainly not least is one of the last big components that I needed before the turbo swap can begin. My buddy upgraded to the ultra low profile intercooler, and sold me the original unit that he had for a great price. The unit is beautifully built.
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I need to buy a heat exchanger, reservoir and turbo drain lines and I'll be ready to make the swap. Colder weather is moving in so that may be a great time to start the swap.
Cheers,
Ryan
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It's been a few months since I've had any meaningful updates, but I've been busy this past weekend. About 2 weeks ago it snowed about 3-4" overnight and I had to get a photo with the car in the fresh snow. Love the way they turned out.
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I had been holding off on starting the turbo install since many times we don't get snow until late January/early February when they put down salt or salt brine. Well they laid it down on the roads so that was my cue to get the car up on wheel stands to start the winter mods. First up was to get the complete passenger's side exhaust removed. Starting with the manifold back to the muffler and tailpipe. Then it was the first real test fit of the turbo log with the billet wheel 7875 turbo.
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Everything cleared as I expected it to because I have had this manifold on back when I originally installed the LS in the car. My original plan was to install this manifold but run it N/A with a dummy turbo pipe in place that just routed it back. But I scrapped that idea since the vband could be in so many different places and I didn't want to modify the exhaust multiple times. Only thing that needs adjustment is one zerk fitting on the upper control arm needs to be relocated as it points directly at the manifold. Next up was test fitting the turbo! It has tons of clearance everywhere which makes me very happy.
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Then I had to mock up the Tick intercooler brick to see if it has any clearance issues. It is very close to the wiper motor, but has about 1/2" clearance around the whole thing. It couldn't fit any better around the motor!
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So close, but it doesn't touch. I'll definitely keep an eye on it though for any witness marks with the engine shifting around.
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The turbo outlet to TB opening is tight, but I think with a few tight 90* elbows it will fit.
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Next up was making sure that with the taller intake that I'd have enough hood clearance. First attempt I wasn't even touching the hood, second attempt didn't either, and then on the third attempt I was finally making contact with the hood. Even with the added 3.25" intercooler brick, I still have over 2" of clearance between the intake and hood! That was a pleasant surprise.
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Now it was time to see what the exhaust fitment was going to look like. With the battery right there, I thought it may be sort of tight, but after trimming the pipe down a bit, I'll have plenty of clearance around everything. I realized though that I'm going to need to get the crossover fit and mocked up though before I get too far with building this downpipe. I want to make sure that there is good fitment while also leaving a little room to grow in the future. I am running a 3" downpipe which I'm sure many will say that I should just go with 4", but I'm not sure for the power level that I want that is necessary. So I have a 3" mandrel bent stainless exhaust that I'm running back to the same muffler. I am however going to add a vband to replace the exhaust clamps that have been leaking since day 1.
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One last picture where the billet wheel is visible.
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That's all for now, but next up is the radiator, heat exchanger and A/C condenser fitment and mockup. I've got a lot of things to fit into a fairly small place, but I'm confident that I'll get it all to fit.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Some very impressive fabrication work you got going on. Other than the large diameter wheels, this will definitely be a wolf in sheep's clothing!
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Pretty cool you're starting this. What PSI are you planning on running?
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Some very impressive fabrication work you got going on.
I am always amazed with Ryans work
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Thanks guys, I appreciate it. It should wake it up a little bit! I'm going to be honest, swapping to the 3.25 gears from the 3.70 made the 300 rwhp less impressive. I'm definitely looking forward to more get up and go. I'm planning to run around 10psi right now. The wastegate came with springs to run up to 17psi, but I'm not sure I'm ready for that much right now haha. I think around 10psi should put me right around 500whp which I think is a great place to be.
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I can't remember (It's probably in this post too) did you gap your rings for boost?
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Yes, I knew at some point I'd be running boost so when I built the engine a few years ago I gapped the rings to around .025" top and bottom. I don't remember exactly, but that was the ballpark.
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Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas (or other holidays celebrated) and Happy New Year! I was able to get quite a done on the few down days we had during our time off. After going around and back and forth trying to decide where the best location will be for the wastegate, I finally decided to locate it similarly to where the Huron Speed truck kit does on their log manifold. This should give a good priority wastegate flow. I wanted to locate it straight inline with the exhaust flow at the elbow, but there were too many other things in the way and it would also make for a long pipe back into the downpipe. I'll be able to tuck it up nicely and will clear the inner fender and allow for easy access to change springs if needed. It also gives a nice clear shot to route the wastegate exhaust back into the main exhaust.
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I pulled off the manifold and mocked everything up on my welding table. That way I could get to things much easier to mock it all up. Used some CAD from an old paper towel roll haha.
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Once I nailed down the location where I wanted to the pipe to come out, I started drilling with the hole saw. Those manifolds are thick! I destroyed 2 before I finally bored all the way through. Then I trimmed up some of the summit racing 304 stainless pipe that I bought for the job. They had a nice mandrel bent pipe with a 180* and some long sections with a 45* as well. Cut off a section to get it mocked in position then test fit on the car.
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This was the first of about 37 times the manifold was bolted on with the turbo, then down pipe to check for fitment.
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Once I was happy with the fitment, I tacked the first pipe into place. I then determined that I needed another small pipe to angle the wastegate up and at a different angle. I cut and tacked that piece into place and was happy with the fitment. It was tight, but cleared everything. I didn't get any pictures during, but I set up the TIG and purge welded to eliminate the oxidation behind the weld. I'm still practicing with the TIG, but I turned the amps way up and got full penetration into the cast manifold. I made sure to use 309L filler wire that has good adhesion with dissimilar metals such as welding steel to stainless steel.
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Here's the test fit fully welded to see the clearance. Will be relocating those wires up and away from the heat.
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Here's my purge welding setup. I actually used my son's 3D printer to make that little puck for the end of the pipe. Worked really nicely too.
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I didn't take any pictures while I was welding, since I wanted to move quickly to avoid using up more gas than I needed. But here's the end results. I welded everything fully bolted together to avoid warping or shifting. I'm very happy with the way it turned out. I'm pretty happy with how I progressed with my welding as the project went on. I was able to get the settings pretty dialed in.
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Then at long last, I was able to do a final mock up with the completed pipes. I need to pull them off one last time to paint the log manifold where I welded it, then wrap the down pipe with header wrap to protect the battery.
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That's basically what the end result will be. I'm very happy with how nicely it tucks up and in.
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I finally received all the parts for adding the AC condenser, heat exchanger and a new radiator. I'm working now on mocking up all the components to see how they all work together. Hopefully it won't take too much work to get them all to live happily together. Now that the more difficult fabrication work is done on the hot side, I just need to connect the crossover pipe to my passenger side log. Does anyone have a good recommendation for a higher quality flex pipe?
Cheers,
Ryan
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darn dude that is amazing
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Next on the list was to start mocking up all the coolers and see how they work together. Given the minor damage on the radiator that came in my car and that it had something inside of it, I opted to order a new radiator from Auto City Classics. I hadn't seen it before, but they offer a dual mount for installing radiators in either V8 or 6 Cylinder positions. What I'm hoping is that I can use the V8 mount in my 6 cylinder radiator support to center the radiator and sneak the heat exchanger between the condenser and set back radiator. This will require that I cut the core support cross bar and build a new one, but I think it will be my best bet.
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This new radiator has a slightly smaller core than the old one in the car, but I'll be able to make my modified C7 fan work with a little bit of trimming or maybe different brackets. That's a huge relief.
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And here's the heat exchanger on top of the radiator. They have nearly the same size core, so that should make for an efficient heat exchanger. Also, the distance between the mounting tabs is about 1/4" longer than the distance inside of the AC condenser brackets. This is supposed to be an upgraded unit for a Cobalt SS.
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AC brackets are installed using the stock hardware and locations, so that made things very easy.
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First test fit of the condenser was disappointing. The filler panel hit the condenser and required some clearance around a hump to fit. I was hoping that it would have fit in without modification, but that's how it goes sometimes. It was minor, but I didn't want to change the location of the condenser because it came with pre-bent hard lines to the dryer. I know this isn't the final location where I will put it, but thought it would be good to test fit to get some measurements. It's going to be very close, but doable.
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I was also looking at different options for the heater block off that is needed for Vintage Air Gen1 unit. I found that Old Air Products sells a Bypass Heater Valve, Cable Operated, Pull to close 25-1019 that will close the flow to the heater box, but allows for recirculation. This is a better option for LS engines so that the coolant is still flowing through the ports. Some have had issues plugging them off so I figured this would be a safe option.
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Last up was just a cool trade that I stumble on. I found a guy selling a Whipple supercharger that was disassembled and needed new rear bearings, so I picked it up really cheap. I found what it needed and slowly assembled it and got it all back together properly. I had it online for sale on FB Marketplace with an option to trade for LS parts. Some guy reached out and had a T56 transmission with new clutch, TOB, shifter and a few other new parts for trade. I had to meet him about 2.5 hours away, but it was much more useful to me than the supercharger. A company SWS motorsports sells an adapter plate for this supercharger to LS motors using the Holley Lo Ram which was an option, but I decided to stay turbo.
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It's a little dirty, but should clean up nicely. Now I kinda want to find a cheap IROC or T/A 3rd gen roller and 5.3 motor to make a fun daily driver.
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That brings me up to present. I'm hoping to get the hot side wrapped up soon, and then I can focus on getting the cold side buttoned up. I can't wait to hear all of the turbo noises!
Cheers,
Ryan
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Great work Ryan! You welds look fantastic for a "beginner"! The crossover exhaust for turbos always seem to stump me. Do you just run the exhaust all together to get equal exhaust back pressure? Always seem like the flow will be really less than optimal. Now, twin turbos, I understand that....
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Yes, the crossover loops to the passenger side where the log manifold is. The primary tubes face forward slightly so all of the flow is going in the same direction so the driver's side exhaust is exiting normally, but the passenger's side flows forward up into the turbo. The casting was pretty rough when I first got it, but I did a lot of clean up on the ports which should help significantly with the flow. While it does present a restriction over a tubular manifold, the back pressure is what helps spool up the turbo. Up to a certain point that is. Generally it's accepted that you want to have a 2:1 backpressure vs boost psi.
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Continuing to make steady progress. After taking lots of measurements and getting the AC condenser mounted, I knew that was as far forward as I could go. I determined that with the dual mounts on the radiator support, that I would have just enough room to mount the heat exchanger right between the condenser and the radiator. However, that required some cutting. I made a jig for myself before I made any cuts so that I could make a new center mount with the same width before I made any cuts.
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The big cut.
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Now it was time to test fit the radiator using the V8 mounts in the 6 cylinder radiator support. This essentially centers the radiator between the radiator support and will give me plenty of room to mount the heat exchanger.
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I just have the heat exchanger sitting in this position to confirm that the width will work for me. So happy that it all fits together. I'll rotate the heat exchanger 90* so that the outlets are pointing towards the driver's side where it's less cluttered. I'll mount the heat exchanger pump down low, so I'll find somewhere for that to live. What is even cooler is that by dumb luck, the distance between the AC brackets and the heat exchanger mounts is about 1/8". I'll be able to trim down the mounts just slightly and use the mounts that came on the heat exchanger.
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It is fun building cars, but sometimes you take 2 steps forward and one step back. I think that I have a plan that will solve this issue, but I need to do a bit more research. If it works, it will also solve my turbo charge piping issue as well.
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I'm fairly confident that a new or modified intake lid would solve my charge pipe and coolant hose issues. So, after a friend send me a picture of a really cool design he did on fusion, it got me thinking about was CAD options were out there. Then I realized that Chat GPT does a really good job of photoshop and asked it to modify the generic Holley lid. Here's what it came up with after I asked it to move the throttlebody opening to the front and added some ribbing.
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Pretty impressive actually! I don't mind it at all. Then I noticed that people were using it to export to CAD and AI would be able to spit out a model. So I gave it a shot... Well we're not quite there yet with AI haha
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Moving back to the hot side fabrication. I thought that the pipes were welded enough that I could unbolt the downpipe to finish up some welding in tight spots, but unfortunately it still warped and moved on me. So, this time I took no chances and kept it all bolted together to weld and cool. I decided the best course of action was to cut the pipe that recirculates the wastegate back to the exhaust. This also gave me an opportunity to get a burr bit into the hard to reach spots to clean up any flash and excess exhaust piping that was hanging out there. Hopefully this avoids any strange sounds or whistles.
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Once that was done, I took it all back apart and confirmed fitment on the car and it all fit together just like it came apart. Very nice! Now it was time to start connecting the rest of the hot side together. This took a lot more effort than I thought, but I now have all the pipes tacked together and things fit great.
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That's all for now. Hoping to get some time here and there throughout the week to get the hot side pipes all welded up now that I have it all cut and fit. I'm also going to add an exhaust hanger at the rear where it goes around the transmission to support the weight. Once that is finished up, I can work on the rest of the downpipe and get the muffler hooked back up. I'm probably going to just keep the muffler and side exhaust to keep things simple. If I have time I may try to mock up a pipe to go over the axle.
Thanks,
Ryan
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Your pipe and fitment looks great! Way better than I could do!
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I've been continuing to work on the down pipe and decided to add another vband near the frame, so that I could remove the pipe much easier. I put a few tack welds on the pipes, then my old welding mask died on me. It was a cheaper unit I got on Amazon probably 10 years ago, so it's served it's purpose for me. When looking around I found a Vulcan unit that was on sale so I picked that one up. What a huge difference it made being able to see. The viewing window is significantly larger than the old one I had, and the auto dim is much more sensitive.
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With the practice I've been doing on the pipes and with the new helmet, I was able to lay down some of the best welds I've done so far. Pretty happy with how they turned out.
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I still need to weld the O2 bung to the pipe, and that section will be done. Then I am going to redo my tailpipe and the full hot side will be fully welded. I'm going to wrap the crossover pipe and add a hanger that will attach to the transmission. Then I can call the hotside completed.
I started to test fit my other components and the turbo drain that came with the VS racing kit wouldn't allow the fitting to be tightened because it hit the housing bolts. I bought an extended drain fitting and that one was too tall. So I opted to trim off the one that came in the kit and weld the -10AN bung I had to it. I've only welded a few things that were Aluminum and I definitely need more practice, but it's stuck together.
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Right about this time we were hit with a huge snow storm that brought 7" of snow and about a 1/4" of ice on top of it all. I had to move my tractor into the garage to keep it from gelling up as the temps dropped to sub-zero. My welding station had to be taken down to fit it inside.
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The temps finally came back up this week and decided it was time to move the tractor back outside. With that outside I decided to tackle the mounting of the heat exchanger and see what the final fitment of my cooling blocks will be. I started by locating the heat exchanger within the vintage air brackets. It fits perfectly in between which makes me very happy. I had to cut some holes into the driver's side to allow for the heat exchanger lines to come out.
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Once I confirmed fitment and ensured that there was enough room for me to tighten the VA condenser fittings, I drilled the side mounting holes. It came together really cleanly. The radiator will tuck in nicely as well. Very happy with this setup so far.
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I still need to finalize the fitment of the cooling fan which should fit about 1" closer to the radiator once mounted. The radiator hose will be tight, but I'll be able to sneak it up and around once I trim off a bit of the hose inlet and move the radiator fan.
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One last thing that is unexpected, but super cool is the rear battery relocation. A guy I've been messaging on line with for a few years works with a restoration shop and did a 56 Nomad and designed this really cool rear battery pocket in CAD. I've been wanting to do that every since I bought the car, but didn't want to take the time to build one. I paid him to let me use his file, then sent it into Send Cut Send. Was very impressed with the company's site as this is the first time I've worked with them. They offered options for me to add bends which is super helpful. In under a week it was delivered to my door. I also picked up a Gen6 Camaro battery cable which has a factory rear mounted battery. Is very heavy gauge wire and will make relocating the battery much easier.
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I bought a bunch of TIG Filler rod too so I'm hoping to use this project to get more seat time. I'm still up in the air at this point about how I'm going to do my cold side. I'm either going to buy a new lid that will line up the TB with the turbo outlet, cut and reweld my stock lid, or build a cold side pipe two really tight 90* bends. I need to decide soon.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Man your welding skills are rapidly advancing there Ryan! Looks really professional!
The guys from Send cut Send were actually at our shop a few weeks ago. We run lots of CNC machines and some have their own robots to load and unload them. They wanted to see them and talk to our programmers. They have added CNC to their already laser cut and bend operation. We have a very high tech shop and always have tours coming through.
Anyways they gave my buddy (the owner of the company) a $2500 credit so he could use their services. We've had a vew things made and it's pretty amazing how nice of a product they can produce and how quickly you get it shipped to you. And fairly reasonable as well.
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I decided to take a break from working on the exhaust pipes to get the cooling fan mounted onto the new radiator. After tossing around several ideas, I finally decided that I needed to add a few tabs to the radiator to hold the fan. That meant that I needed to bite the bullet and start practicing on my aluminum welding. I've been welding steel/stainless steel for many years, but aluminum is new territory. I had some coupons from a tig welding kit I bought a long time ago and surprisingly the beads looked pretty good after I dialed in my settings.
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The first two tabs were a bit hot so they melted too much, and I was getting used to how the puddle reacts.
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The next two turned out pretty good IMO.
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All ready to install now. Thankfully the wiring and everything is the same, so there won't be any changes needed there.
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With the final fitment after I trimmed the fans a bit closer, it clears by about a half inch now.
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Now back to the exhaust pipes. After fumbling around with the fitment this whole time I pulled the trigger on a set of these exhaust fitment tools for tack welding pieces together. These are worth it and wished I had them from the beginning!
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Got the O2 bung welded in and then fit up the final location for the muffler. I'm running the same Walker Quietflow stainless muffler from the beginning. I moved it slightly closer to the frame so that it cleared the ebrake components. When I first built the exhaust I didn't have that installed and it contacted the muffler, so ever since I had to have it twisted down which I didn't like. Now it's nice and flat.
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Glad that is finished up now. Last thing that I need to do is wrap the crossover and downpipe with Titanium exhaust wrap. Then after going back and forth a bunch of times, I decided to take some final measurements and modify the stock lid. I bought a 1/2" 92mm TB flange online because from what I could see the 102 flange would be too wide for the angle that I was going to have my TB at. Plus I'm running the factory 90mm which I do not plan to swap out.
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/55110885757_b0d4ec7888_b.jpg)
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The big cut... I won't lie, I did hesitate for a minute. No turning back now!!
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When I made the initial cut, I measured about a half inch longer than I needed to account for any changes that I needed to make. Then I slowly crept up on the final location. I ended up cutting an additional half inch to recess the flange, but kept the outer sides to help locate the flange. This helped out a lot when I tack welded it together.
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Since I paid the Holley tax on the parts, I wanted to make sure to keep that logo intact after all the modifications.
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My initial measurements were close that I may not need to add pieces to the sides, but the way the inlet is shaped, I didn't have an choice.
I had some thick pieces of aluminum left over from another project, and they worked perfectly as filler plates for the sides. Once I shaped them for a nice fitment on the sides, I tack welded everything together.
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And the final test fit is just what I was hoping for. Everything fits everywhere and I'm very happy with the charge pipe angles and the stock radiator hoses are now a great fit.
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Needs a little trimming, but will clear everything! Huge win.
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To be continued...
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At this point the intake lid is ready to be welded. I was having a bit of trouble getting the weld to puddle up on the thick 1/2" TB flange, and I had been in contact with a local guy who does some great fabrication on racecars. I reached out to see if he'd be interested in welding the flange to my TB and he was extremely reasonable so opted to have the professional do this job. His own personal turbo car has seen as high as 40 psi and he assured me that I won't have any issues with the 8-12psi I'll be running.
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He was very careful around the TB holes on the top of the intake so I didn't have to take a whole lot of effort to tap them. Nice touch.
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Very quick turn around as well. I dropped it off Saturday and picked it up Sunday night. I think what I'm going to attempt is to sand down the welds and very lightly needle scale the surfaces to replicate a cast finish. I'm going to do a few test pieces to see how the results are. I'd love to make it look like an intake lid that Holley never made and fool some people.
I dug out the CWA50 heat exchanger pump I bought quite a while ago. They are off of 2012ish BMW's with factory turbos and is a Pierburg unit which flows a lot of coolant. They are a great budget option to the universal CWA50 pumps.
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One unique thing is that the inlet uses a quick connect fitting. You can buy a piece from URO that's made for a Volkswagen heater or radiator hose.
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I placed an order from Summit for hopefully the last pieces that I need for this turbo swap. I grabbed a supercharger reservoir from Magnuson, AEM click dial, Low Dollar wastegate/BOV plumbing kit and the pipes/clamps for the charge pipes. I also bought the Sloppy Mechanics Dial a boost unterminated kit since they were sold out of the full kit. I'm not sure if I'll ever really run it on the low boost setting, but I really like the idea of being able to change the boost level with the click of the dial.
I'm down to just a handful of plumbing items such as turbo drain/feed, radiator hoses, heat exchanger hoses, and mounting the heat exchanger coolant reservoir and pump. I'm sure there are a bunch of other little things that I'll need to knock out, and I'm getting very excited to wrap up the winter upgrades. Hopefully within the next few weeks I can the car started up and see if it will make any boost.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Wow, your growing skill sets, and balls, are growing! I would be scared to death to cut that intake!
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Thank you! It certainly took a set to cut it. I sat and looked at the intake for a good minute or two with the death wheel in my hand. All part of the process! You have to crack a few eggs to make an omelet. :cool:
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Thank you! It certainly took a set to cut it. I sat and looked at the intake for a good minute or two with the death wheel in my hand. All part of the process! You have to crack a few eggs to make an omelet. :cool:
Eggs are cheaper than that intake! Great job!
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It's not that bad. I have found, you can almost always repair something. Like working on my wipers the other day, I cut a brand new wiper pedestal arm in half and then realized I didn't need to. So I welded it back together.... Kinda dumb on my part but, things can be fixed.
Ryan, you probably just needed to floor the amp pedal or crank up the cleaning/AC balance or lower your hertz. But I understand not wanting to ruin a good intake.
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Thanks guys. Luke you're right. My machine is very capable of welding that lid, but I just didn't want to mess it up. I'll practice some more on some heavier parts and maybe I'll get my confidence up.
Been slowly chipping away and checking things off the list. I'm close enough to the end, I decided to make another punch list to keep me on track. I'll probably add a few things as I go, but hoping to possibly get the car out this weekend if it all goes to plan and the parts I ordered come in.
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After a bunch of thinking on how I wanted to mount the heat exchanger pump, I finally decided to just make my own bracket. I copied the idea from the catch can mount I have, and this worked out great. It's solidly mounted, with a rubber isolator so it should be happy there. Also doesn't interfere with the overflow tank so that won't need to be relocated.
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With that mounting location finalized, I could plan for the hoses and where they will need to be routed. Notched the lower and used a hole saw on the upper hose. Will have a nice gentle curve for the lines to follow. I bought a few Dayco hoses that have a 90* bend with about 60" of hose length that I'll be able to use to avoid any tight curves like the lower hose.
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Next up is the Magnuson heat exchanger swirl pot/ reservoir which I found as a necessity when I was building my Camaro with the LSA engine. The heat exchanger pump needed more capacity to avoid draining the lines and creating aeration. This should help to get all the air bubbles out as well. I haven't finalized the mounting location yet, but it will be somewhere on the driver's side inner fender making sure that it's located higher than the Tick intercooler brick.
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I picked up some Lava Rock heat wrap from Summit and wanted to wrap up the crossover, log manifold and downpipe to help keep the heat inside the pipes and drop underhood temps. It's also supposed to help with the spooling of the turbo, so hopefully it's worth the effort. It was a much bigger pain than I thought... The metal zip ties that came with the kit were junk. I ended up using some stainless steel hose clamps which I read work much better. Glad this is over, but very happy with the results.
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I didn't get any pictures, but there was a lip inside of the intake lid after I had it welded. I took some carbide and drum roll disks and smoothed out the transition so the air had a nice path to flow. I also started planning out the hardware that I'll need to attach the lid. With the angle of the tubes on the side of the intercooler, it wasn't possible to get the bolts into the lid. I realized that if I used a burr to allow the bolt to go in at a slight angle that it would fit into the slot and work. So after carefully clearance the hole, I was able to sneak a shorter bolt in there. Win! Untouched on the left, and clearanced on the right.
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I'm getting very close to the point where I can start installing parts for a final time and I'm very happy about that. The weather is starting to turn here in VA and I'm so ready to see how the turbo responds. I think the last task that will be a pain will be making new transmission cooler lines. I originally routed the cooler lines on the passenger side, but with all the pipes and lines that I added on that side, it's too crowded. I'm going to loop them around the rear and come in on the driver's side. I'm still unsure of where I'm going to mount the cooler, but it will likely be right in front of the condenser on the driver's side. This time I'm going with aluminum lines with adapters to go to the 6AN fittings. I'm hoping that in addition to the cooler, that the aluminum lines will also help to dissipate heat.
Thanks,
Ryan
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The progress continues. I wasn't completely happy with the AN transmission lines that I made when I first got the car going, so I decided to take a different route. I bought a roll of 3/8" Aluminum seamless tubing with some AN fitting adapters. It was a lot of up and down, measuring then making the bends, but I'm very happy with how they turned out. I picked up a nice bender from Harbor Freight and it did a great job on the bends. I made sure to install the exhaust to be sure I wasn't going to be in the way of the pipes.
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I originally had planned to run them to a bulkhead fitting and then run flex lines to the cooler, but changed my mind. Many OEM's run the hard lines right to the coolers without issues, so that eliminates several leaking points. With the placement of the lines finalized, I could notch the closeout panels and get some components bolted down for a final time.
Next up was deciding how to mount the transmission cooler. After some thought, I opted to just keep it simple and bolt on a 1/8" x 1" strap steel. I welded some studs to the back side, then ground them flush so they laid flat on the condenser.
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Once the brackets were finished, I painted and reinstalled them on the condenser. I ended up pulling the grill out so that I could do a proper job bending the transmission lines. I tried to take my time and keep things as symmetrical as possible.
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The key word was that I tried. I was thinking ahead and put the tube sleeve and nut on the lines so that I wouldn't forget them before I flared the line. However, I was thinking too far ahead and made a 90* bend and trapped the sleeve onto the line. Being the line is aluminum, you can't bend it straight and rebend it. The metal will work harden and collapse. I very carefully cut it off and had to order a new one from Jeg's. Hopefully it comes by Wednesday this week.
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Next was to install the AC Dryer and bracket that came with the condenser kit from VA. It's really nice to just bolt stuff together without having to build your own bracketry. It also came with pre-bent lines, that only required a slight tweak to fit perfectly. I had to move around some of my electrical connections, but everything fit together just like before. Very happy about that. Still need to tidy up the wiring, but that's almost back together for a final time.
Lastly for this update is the condenser/heat exchanger/transmission cooler assembly installed for the final time. I'm very happy with how symmetrical it turned out and love the aluminum lines coming off both sides contrasts with the black cooling units. Once the new tube sleeve comes in I'll flare the tube and then I can reinstall the grill.
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I checked off a lot of items on my list this weekend. The biggest was the transmission cooler relocation with new lines. I'm still waiting on some 3/4" hoses with 90* bends so that I can finish installing the heat exchanger/intercooler hoses. I also swapped all the plugs to a NGK TR6 for a cooler heat range while the turbo manifold was off the car and much easier to access. I'll be tightening up all of the exhaust connections and firing up the car very soon. I'm hoping the next update will include an update with a test drive!
Cheers,
Ryan
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I wish my wife gave me half the time to work on my car that you get
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She's very understanding, but at the same time I have been busy with other home projects too. We're finishing our basement and I've been putting up walls so that we can build a guest room, full bathroom and a rec/living room for the boys to rough house in. Plus I build a 16x20 porch pretty much every spare moment I had last summer. 8)
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So far, I built useable storage under the stairs by adding a door, framed up the utilities room and partially finished the guest bedroom. Working on the rest of the walls and planning out where I want to add outlets now. I can't sit on the couch after work, so I just stay busy until I go to sleep. :cool:
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Cheers,
Ryan
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Deck amd basement look sweet! Always great ti have a place for them boys to go when it's raining or cold out!
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After some debate on my end, I chose to do add some manifold fittings onto the front of the intake manifold rather than try and get to them from the rear. It's very tight on the back side of the intake so this will also make servicing them much easier. One fitting is for the catch can, and the other is a manifold reference for the wastegate and BOV. I carefully covered everything inside and out so no debris got into the intake runners. Carefully measured for the center of the intake and then made some chips.
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I still need to tidy up the wiring, but the dryer is installed and the lines are blocked off so no debris will get inside until I'm ready to install the AC lines. I love how nicely it tucks down low and out of the way.
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I had a heck of a time getting the rear two intercooler bolts on the back side of the intake tightened. I ended up having to make a tool in order to get them tightened. I had a spare wrench, so it went under a little surgery to make what I needed. Worked great and I could use another wrench to get more leverage to fully tighten it down.
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Since I needed to order a new tube sleeve for the transmission cooler lines anyway, I opted to order a new roll of Aluminum lines and re-make the one cooler line. I went back and forth on redoing it because the lines are a pain to install, but I decided to go for it. I accidently made the 90* bend the wrong way when and attempted to twist the line, but it started to kink. Once the new parts arrived, I got to work replicating the first line. It wasn't bad at all since I had a really nice template.
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Since the aluminum is so soft, it can kink really easily. I found an easy way to bend it almost straight is to hold it on a flat surface and roll it out holding the one side straight. It gets the line 95% straight, and then you can make careful little tweaks to get it the rest of the way.
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I didn't take more pictures since it was redundant, but the new line is completely finished and looks (and likely performs) way better than it did. Now that is done, I was able to reinstall the grill. Glad more pieces are going back on.
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The heat exchanger hoses that I bought two weeks ago finally were delivered, so that I can start to finish plumbing for the air to water intercooler system. I started at this lower hose. It fits just like I wanted to and looks great. The transmission cooler lines are also there and am very happy with how symmetrical they look.
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Here's the box of Dayco 80418 hoses. They are 3/4" with a tight 90* on one end and 60" of hose on the other. I know a lot of guys use these for the "LS Swap" heater hoses, but this also worked great for this application.
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I had bought a cheap bead roller for charge pipes online, but it ended up being junk which is no surprise. The guy that welded my intake said he had a bead roller and I was able to trim up the pipe and take it over to him this weekend. Looks great and is now ready for a BOV flange!
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Here's where the BOV is going to live. I'm going to trim up the coupler a little bit once the flange is welded in place, then it will get bolted down.
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I'm really glad that I planned ahead for this turbo build several years ago when I was first putting the car together. Before I installed the oil pan for good, I drilled and tapped it for my turbo drain. I used a 1/2" NPT, so all I had to do was pull the plug and replace with my fitting. Love an easy job!
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Built and installed the drain line as well. That was very straightforward as well.
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The list is starting to get quite small now. It won't be long now until I can see if all this work paid off!
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Last big things are reinstalling the radiator, building a mount for the catch can, mounting the HX, finish plumbing HX, and a few misc. hoses and wiring. I can't wait.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Looking like a very professional install Ryan!
I will probably need to fashion some transmission lines. Do you recommend getting aluminum tubing and bending them up or braided AN line or???? Same for fuel lines. What would you recommend for some good permanent lines? Can you use aluminum for fuel and can those hydraulic flare tools make the gm push connect flare on aluminum without destroying it?
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Thanks, I can't wait to wrap up this project. There have been so many nice days that I could have taken the car out already...
So far, I'm happy with the aluminum lines. I bought a 37* flaring tool from Jeg's which is a manual tool, but I probably should have gotten the dyes for my Mastercool flare tool. We'll see though how they work after I get a few miles on them. I have a GM push connector dye for my Mastercool flare set, I can test out how they flare and get back to you. I'm hoping that the aluminum lines will act as a cooler themselves since they will also help to dissipate heat.
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Looks awesome!
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Now that the charge pipe is mocked up and I'm happy with where I can place the BOV, it was ready to be burned in. I left the pipe intact while welding and then used a hole saw to drill out the center. Worked really nicely to prevent me from burning through the pipe. I practiced a little on some scrap aluminum, then pulled the trigger on the real piece. It turned out pretty good considering it's one of the few aluminum pieces I've welded.
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After that was all done it was time to get the pipe installed and bolted down for good.
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I built a new bracket for the catch can and switched over to mild steel this time. I was going along pretty good, then I think I built up too much heat and it started to glob up at the end of the weld. Plenty strong though.
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This is when I stopped getting as many pictures because I was just trying to grind out the work. My dad also stopped by this weekend for a visit and he helped me with some small things and verify fitment. We mounted the coolant swirl pot for the intercooler and I was able to get all of the lines routed nice and neatly. You can also see the finished catch can routing.
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One of the last things that I needed to do was cut a hole for the CAI. There are many ways that I could have routed this, but I liked the clean look of routing it through the inner fender and having the filter in front of the tire.
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Now after a little test fitting it became clear that I need an additional pipe to route the filter a little differently, but overall very pleased with the fitment of everything. I ordered it and that should be here soon. This was after the first test fit. I was able to loosen the pipe and reclock it higher which gained me another inch, but still would contact the tire at around 3/4 of the wheel turned. Good enough for an initial test drive!!
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At this point, I had waited long enough and just wanted to see if this thing would actually run/drive and build boost! The one last thing that I needed to do before I could shut the hood was to drill out the rivets for the hood baffle. With the center mounted radiator, that baffle was contacting the radiator. For now, I just drilled them out which allowed for the hood to shut. One thing that I didn't get a chance to do was wire up the heat exchanger coolant pump, so for now I was effectively running it without an intercooler, but I just had to hear it run and drive it down the road again.
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I had my dad help to prime the oil system and make sure there was oil feeding the turbo before I fired it up for the first time in 2026. Cranked with no fire... Hmmm... checked everything and ended up leaving the TB unplugged. Plugged that back in and it immediately fired right up! I let it run for a minute or two to check for leaks. Not one leak!! At this point I left off the full exhaust because I wanted to confirm there were no leaks with the new transmission lines. I quickly installed the rest of the exhaust and then lowered it back down onto the ground and backed it out of the driveway again. That felt amazing.
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I let it run up to temperature and I had also tripped the breaker for the cooling fans at some point. Once that was reset, the fans kicked on and the temps stabilized. Then my Dad, my youngest son and I drove it up and down the road maybe 3 miles round trip. Everything felt great, and best of all the car built some boost! The coolest part for me was when I let off the throttle and the BOV made that whoosh sound. Such a cool sound! We brought it back and then let it all cool off. I took out the car again yesterday this time with just my Dad and I was able to really get on it. We made a few WOT pulls and the car performed great. It definitely feels more powerful, but I'd still like more. I left the 8 psi springs in that came installed from Summit. When I reviewed the datalog, it looked like the most boost it saw was 135 kpa or ~5psi. I think what I'll do is swap out the springs for the 17psi combination of springs which will hopefully net more like 10-12psi where I'm targeting. I couldn't be happier with the car overall and it's also quieter at cruising speeds which is a nice fringe benefit. The older I get the quieter I'm liking the cars haha. One thing I also thought was really cool is that even without the intercooler hooked up the highest the IAT's saw was 140 and it was about 85* yesterday so it was a pretty good stress test.
Here are some nearly final engine bay pictures. Once everything burns off with the heat wrap, turbo and whatnot, I'll install the turbo blanket. I think that will help keep things much cooler in the engine compartment.
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Cheers,
Ryan
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Ryan, taking it out for the first ride with the turbo functioning, you must have felt like a little kid on Christmas morning. Incredible workmanship. You will get some interesting comments from people inspecting the engine compartment at cruise nights and car shows.
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Ok, first if all, great job on this! It looks so professional and high quality work (except the zip ties hoses, get an aluminum clamp) just kidding it's all great. Anyways, did you adjust the tune before you drove it? Or just let the ECU adjust for the boost? This EXU tuning really has me baffled. I'm looking at getting a supercharger from a V or camaro to throw on a 6.0 and maybe running a Holley Terminator. I'll shoot you some pictures of what we're building at work that I may get some parts from...
A Cadillac CTS V wagon with a manual. Was all stock but not anymore!
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Now you're just showing off lol
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Now you're just showing off lol
8-) :lol:
As with all new builds, there are a few bugs that need to be worked out. My biggest issue was the air filter that I was trying to re-use was dimensionally too large. It was not allowing me to rotate up high enough into the pocket in the fender. Once the car was at ride height, I only had about 3/4" clearance. It was enough for me to get a test drive in, but not a long term solution.
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Since I had modified the air filter housing for a fitting to allow fresh filtered air for the PCV, I had to add a fitting to the new tube. Gave me another opportunity to do some AC TIG welding. I cut a little square piece of thick aluminum and bent a slight curve into it to match the curve of the 4" intake tube. Cleaned everything with a wire brush (only used for Aluminum) and acetone. Then I got to work welding it.
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With that modified, I could now reinstall the intake tube and rotate the air filter up where I wanted it. It fits really well and now I have 3-4" of clearance with a jack under the a-arm and the wheel at full lock. No issues with it contacting now.
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Now I can drive the car without needing to worry about the filter coming off. Next is trying to figure out why the 8.3 psi spring was only building 5.5 psi of boost. I figured that backpressure may be an issue, so I decided to try the 16.8psi combination of springs to hopefully net me around 11psi if the math was the same. 11psi is my target as I'd like to net around 500 rwhp.
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I swapped out the springs and took the car for another test drive. The car was definitely making more power, but after checking the logs it maxed out around 156 kpa which is about 8psi boost. Closer, but I think there may be another issue that is causing the low boost. I was leaning towards backpressure being an issue, but after talking with some buddies, it may be something else. I'm going to make some changes and do more testing. I have the first car show of the year this weekend so I'll get the car out again to see if I can get the boost numbers closer to the wastegate numbers. I also ordered some fittings so that I can finish wiring up a dial and control the boost with Holley.
Cheers,
Ryan
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It's been a little bit since I've updated, but soon after I got the car back together we took a family trip to the Smoky Mountains. Great trip and spending time with the family. After I got back I took the car to the first car show of the year at a local restoration shop. As usual, I forgot to take photos but I did grab one in the parking lot at the gas station right before we got home. My youngest son came with me and we had a great time. He got a cool shirt from the show too.
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Then the next day I thought it would be great to take the car out to get some icecream, but the car was running very rough. Then shortly after I smelled fuel and when I lifted the hood there was fuel misting out of the turbo vband area. I shut it off immediately and then pushed it back in the garage. After spending the next week troubleshooting, chasing wires, using the Holley Diagnostic tool, and etc the only thing that I could determine is that there was a faulty spark plug wire on cylinder #6. I spent a lot of time but didn't find anything really conclusive. I swapped the wire out for another one I had and it runs fine. I'm definitely going to keep an eye on it though until it earns my trust again. Very strange. I ended up ordering a set of new MSD wires just to be on the safe side.
In the process of troubleshooting I pulled all the plugs and determined that I need to lean it out a bit and could add some more timing.
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I also discovered in the process that that the downpipe had shifted slightly after a few heat cycles and I need to cut and replace the vband off the turbo. I didn't realize that there were so many different size vbands, but the one that I used was too small for the turbo which is I think why it shifted in the first place. I'll expand on that later, but that brings me up to last weekend where I attended one of my favorite events of the year; Spring Carlisle. Pictures to come soon.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Spring Carlisle is always a good time. Was very fortunate to have a really good weather day this year, sunny and 70. Been there many years where it's rainy and 40. First thing I see in the gate is this setup!
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There seem to be an increasing amount of "patina cars" at these shows. Loved this truck and wheels.
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Saw a 55 Nomad for sale at the show. The color caught my attention.
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I was walking through the Blueprint booth and noticed a familiar face. Lou Santiago from many car shows that I watched growing up! I stopped and talked with him for a good 15 minutes which was really cool. He was there to talk with high school age hot rodders about getting into the industry. Great hearing some of his stories too. I couldn't help but ask for a picture.
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Then while I was at the Blueprint booth, this LS and 8HP70 setup really caught my eye. They currently only offer this setup as a complete package with engine/trans/hareness/ECU, but I'm sure as time goes on they will offer it as a transmission only package. They couldn't get into the details on the ECU, only that it was proprietary. Although it sounded like it could be modified using HP Tuners, so it must be based on an OEM setup. It's way out of my pricerange, but all things considered for a $20k drop in engine/trans setup with a warranty that is a good price point.
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I also met a friend that I met on a TriFive forum. He was traveling here with a friend from Sweden, and we got a chance meet and catch up in person. Was great meeting him and seeing what parts they picked up. Hard to see, but there was a nice 1957 hardtop project behind us which is very appropriate since he is also restoring a 1955 Nomad.
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I picked up a few parts to save on shipping, but didn't have a huge haul this year. My best deal were finding 3 complete LS coil packs in someone's $1 bin! I didn't even talk them down haha.
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I also picked up a fan shroud from Auto City Classics, 1955 Belair Accessory Bumper guard and a new hood baffle since the one I have is quite rusty. Bummer I'll be cutting it up, but it's not original so I'm not too concerned. One piece I was pretty excited about is the BelAir trim steering wheel. It is in good driver shape and is much more fitting for the Nomad. Before and after shots with the old 210 steering wheel.
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The last thing that I picked up was a 1955 Nomad Bluetooth speaker. It's goofy, but I like it.
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What I didn't expect was how my kids reacted. They insisted that we make it look just like my car, so I let them. I was shocked at how closely it resembles my car!
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They even nailed the rusty roof!
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Overall was another successful swap meet haul. I'll post up some pictures of the car with the new accessory bumper soon. I really like how it changes the look of the front end.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Carlisle sure looks like a lot of fun. Maybe someday I’ll get there.
Love the 55 model and how well your kids were able to emulate the real thing. Probably a moment you will cherish for a long time.
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The model is awesome! Way to go kids!
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Love the model! Great job! More patina cars because no one can afford paint or the labor costs anymore. I love a well done resto, but I do love the patina look also
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The day after I got back from Carlisle, there was a small car show right in my town, so I packed up the kids and we stopped by for an hour or so. Really cool show and great to see a lot of really nice cars. Some guy brought some high end full custom 30s street rods. All had beautiful custom interiors that were classy and not tacky. Some of them can be very interesting when they go full custom.
Cool shot of the new accessory bumper! The guy said it was NOS, but had been sitting for so long it had some chrome chipped. Not sure I believe that, but I knocked his price down significantly so I was happy.
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One last thing that I forgot to mention was that when I met with Carl at the Spring Show that he gave me a decal for his car club in Sweden! So nice and I can't wait to stick it in the car.
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Next up was a bit of a bummer for me as I didn't want to do the work, but it was necessary. The vband flange that I used originally when I put the car together started leaking. I believe after a few heat cycles it may have shifted. After doing some more research online, I realized that I used the wrong size. The OD of the vband flanges need to match or be very close to get the best seal. When I pulled off the charge pipe and remeasured the flanges that I have are the more standard 3.580" OD, where the turbo I have measured at 3.725". Also the flange I used was meant to be a male/female connection so it had a small sealing surface area.
Old flange:
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After searching all over the internet for the "right flange", the best I could find was a SS version on eBay with a 3.75" OD flange which is much closer and I can turn it down with my lathe.
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Once I received the new flange, I chucked it up and turned off the 0.025" so that they flanges match. Used my dial indicator to be sure the flange is flush with little runout.
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I checked the flange several times and test fit with the turbo flange a few times. Once I was happy it was time to cut off the old flange and weld on the new one. I didn't take many pictures because I just wanted to get this done. I attempted to weld the flange on the car, but soon realized it was too much of a challenge with the TIG torch and foot pedal. I ended up just pulling off the manifold and turbo in one piece and put it on my welding table.
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I was able to get about 3/4 of the way around the flange unobstructed, but the last 1/4 was a real pain. I ended up welding in many different positions, welded left handed (I'm normally right handed), tons of tungsten stick out then finally made it all the way around. My older welds were a little prettier, but these are solid and the job is done. I also had to re-wrap some of my heat wrap, which was annoying, but I didn't get a picture after it was finished. The one here is right after I finished welding.
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I got it all installed and tightened back down and no leaks! I took the car out for a quick rip around the block. Still makes 8psi and once the new exhaust wrap burned off it was back to normal. While it was off I also installed a new set of MSD spark plug wires. Glad that it's back together and running great again. I grabbed this shot in the driveway. One of my new favorites.
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This past weekend I found myself with a free morning and realized it was a Cars and Coffee morning, so I bribed the boys with some Dunkin breakfast sandwiches and we headed out. It's about 40 miles round trip and the car ran great. I had to take some time to reflect as I was driving it just how much work I've done over the last few years. The front suspension feels great with the sway bar and dialed alignment. Engine/trans/rear end all work so nicely together and just cruise 65-70 on the highway so smoothly. After I got home there were a few photos posted on the FB group so I grabbed them. One of my older son is really cool with his mullet between the two patina cars at the show.
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Love this photo.
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I had a great time and talked with a lot of cool people. One of the best things that happened was when we were walking around looking at the other cars and I noticed a really nice Lamborghini. I said it to both of my boys and my older son freaked out a little and then my younger son (6 yo) says "Oh wow, did you see there's an old Jeep too!" :-P
Thanks,
Ryan
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I haven't had much to update as I've only been driving the car and attending some car shows/cruise in's. Last weekend I decided to take my car on a longer cruise. I have a buddy in Richmond, VA that we'd been discussing meeting up at the cars and coffee near him and this was the weekend. I got the interior cleaned up a little bit and my youngest son decided to make the trip with me. It was about an hour and a half drive there and about 150 miles round trip. Like a dummy, I got so busy looking at the other cars that I forgot to grab a picture of mine next to my buddies 1968 Biscayne. Only picture I got was this really nice 1999 Skyline.
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Last weekend was the longest drive since adding the turbo and I had no issues overall, but something I do need to look into. Car ran great at 75-80 mph on the highway, but I looked down and noticed that the engine temps had started to creep up around 198-200. I read a while ago that without a hood baffle, that it can cause overheating issues since the air can bypass the radiator and go up and over the radiator support. I had to remove the baffle to center mount the radiator, so I'm hoping that is the culprit. I did buy a new replacement baffle from the Carlisle show I was at, but before I cut up the new one, I thought I'd cut up the old one since it was pretty rusty. The cuts were pretty crude, but the profile is spot on. If this works like I'm hoping, I'll use this as a template for the new piece I have and attempt to make it look factory with the bead rolling and rolled lip.
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Met a friend of a friend at the cruise in who had a really nice turbo'd 87 C10 who gave me a tip about how my wastegate and BOV were plumbed up and how I could make it better. I had both Tee'd together with a manifold vacuum source which worked ok, but he said that the wastegate should see a pre-throttlebody boost reference so that the wastegate doesn't see any vacuum. The BOV is what needs to see the vacuum source so it can open. I had seen where that was an option for many and my turbo had an untapped boss. So I drilled it out and tapped for 1/8" NPT.
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It only took me about an hour to pull the turbo housing off, drill/tap the port, then reinstall with new nylon hoses. I figured, it was worth a shot since I'm still very new to turbocharging. When I found a safe spot, I gave it WOT and when I glanced down the boost gauge said 9.5 lbs which is about 2 lbs. higher than before. Not only did it go higher, it seemed to build boost sooner and at a lower rpm. With a light load it was seeing positive boost pressure around 2300 rpms. The BOV was also more responsive and not as "lazy". It seemed to snap on rather than a longer whoosh. Overall, I'd say that was a nice win and a pretty quick/cheap way to gain ~40 hp! With that trip I'm about 500 miles on the car so far, and need at least 700 more to hit my goal of rolling the odometer over to 50k miles.
I've had a few bites on the car and one serious offer, but was lower than I'd sell the car for. If he decides to buy the car I'll probably sell it to him, but if he turns it down I'll probably pull it off the market. It's really fun to drive and I don't "need" to build a garage right now. I just know it will take me many years to save up for one and I'm not extremely patient.
Cheers,
Ryan
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Wait, you're considering selling? I love the progress on it and would hate to see it go
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I am considering it. I'd really like to build a garage and with the prices continuing to go higher, I'd rather not wait 5 years to save up for one. I have it listed now and if it sells, I should have enough to build a 28x36 Garage with enough left over to buy a cheap 3rd or 4th gen fbody to have a fun drive around car. Then I can find another long term project to build.
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You baffle me. I can never let them go, especially after I put so much of my soul into them. That said, I don't know what I would do without my shop and then the barn to store the projects in. It's getting worse here as my son is now collecting cars/trucks and we are out of room....
I'm going to call you some day to chat about your turbo experience if you don't mind.
Good luck in whatever life brings you!
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I am considering it. I'd really like to build a garage and with the prices continuing to go higher, I'd rather not wait 5 years to save up for one. I have it listed now and if it sells, I should have enough to build a 28x36 Garage with enough left over to buy a cheap 3rd or 4th gen fbody to have a fun drive around car. Then I can find another long term project to build.
Wow Ryan, you caught me off guard with the possible sale of this car. I have enjoyed watching your progress and incredible skills on this build. I was also amazed on the Camaro build. I think you are someone who loves building cars and taking on the challenge. Nothing wrong with that.
I built my dream garage thirteen years ago, a smaller footprint than what you are talking about but it has a second level that my wife uses as a quilting studio for her long arm quilting machine. Now at 72 years of age, my biggest regret is I didn’t do it sooner.
Definitely not enough activity on TAC and pretty much only second Gen Firebirds. So maybe an interesting third or fourth gen build would motivate others to do the same. I love how you have your kids involved, creating memories that will last forever.
Best of luck with what ever you decide and thanks for taking the time to post your builds on TAC.
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I love knowing that I took a car that was in rough shape and brought life back to it. I believe that we are only caretakers for these cars, and there are so many that I'd like to own and experience. If the car sells great, it gets me towards the goal of having a large garage to build more cool cars. If it doesn't sell, I have a fun car the family and I can cruise in. I'm happy either way.
Luke, you can call anytime. The turbo is a lot of fun.
5th T/A, I hear you on that. I didn't know how good I had it when I had my first house. It had a huge 30x40 garage, with a 20x30 carport on the front and a 20x40 lean to off the side. Next house had a nice 28x28 with a huge storage utility closet, and a 24x30 "garage/shed" that I stored yard tractors and extra car parts in. My current house is a 22x22 with a small storage shed. The houses got nicer and the garages got smaller.
I'd agree that I do enjoy building and hunting down parts as much as I do enjoy driving/experiencing the cars.
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I think you are right that there is an engineering mind in all of us that own these cars. It just that fixing something old and broken, or coming up with a new design allows a certain creativity that is rewarding and part of the fun.