2003 Cobra LS Swap (8/1/22 - Wiring Chassis)

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Couple small things ive done, been fighting covid and a stomach bug!

Got the heads back and ready to bolt on, only had to shim a couple of the springs to get all to the same height.

Degree'd the cam in, surprisingly enough i didn't have to advance the cam or retard it to match the cam card.

Got the billet blank injectors in.

Installed the shaft rockers so that i can measure pushrod lengths. Ended up both being 7.553 +/- .002 which falls in line with the +/- .005 that the lifters allow. Ordered 3/8" diameter push rods as i will be seeing some high RPM and there is quite a bit of pushrod flex ive seen on other cars using 5/16" diameter rods. You can also see i have used studs instead of bolts for some additional clamping force. These are from a company called Point One, they are pretty nice pretty comparable to ARP.

Had to throw the BTR valve covers on just for show, ill pull these back off and get them powder coated eventually.

Also finally dragged my Monte Carlo out from storage, put it away after i had just painted it about 18 months ago so the paint should be nice and hard now lol! Forgot how straight we got the car prior to throwing color on it. It will be back and being worked on in the next couple of months.

 

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Started to wrap up the motor this weekend. Test fitting the intake to make sure everything will clear okay. Only problem i think ill have is that the injectors are LS3 height, and with the taller valve covers its going to make getting the connectors on a real pain in the rear. Even sideways it will be tricky.

Drilled and welded the -12 AN oil return on. I decided to make it on the driver side as it was the area of least conflicts when routing through the hotside.

And then i also had to drill and tap the trans temp sensor in the pan.

Engine is ready to put back in the car, im going to fill the converter up tonight and then bolt the pan back up and get everything all mated together for its final resting home.

 

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Made some decent progress last night. Got the carbon panels trimmed and riveted to the car last night. These fill up the holes from the stock heater box as well as a hole from the previous owner. I did go ahead and cutout some of the carbon for the bulkhead connectors. This is where the Holley harness and sensors will come through. Should make it super easy to rip the motor out with harnesses intact.

Also got the trans pan back on along with the ride sensors. I’ll plumb the lines later with it in the car. May have to do some messaging with a BFH.

Converter is in

Flexplate is on and torqued to spec.

Engine in the final resting home. I know I should have cleaned up the cut for the manifold but I was too anxious to see it in the car lol.

Money Shot!

 

[Burning]

TIme for a little update, for those who are following.

So ive been struggling to find a combo tank that will fit my needs and have plenty of capacity for street duty/drag and drive. So i drew this tank up in CAD and ordered a sheet of 1/8" aluminum that is being cut out on the water jet as we speak. Has 17 gallon fuel cell and 7.5 gallon ice tank. Plan is to convert the ice tank to a methanol tank and cable driven mechanical fuel pump later down the road when i get the chassis where i want it and new engine. This car has always been about future proofing myself.

Ordered some nice billet fuel and ice tank caps.

Power locks/windows all wired and ran where they need to go!

Started cleaning up the chassis wiring and cleaning the car out and some of the interior installed so i can start wiring the holley EFI system.

Got a newer dash since the one previously was pretty hacked up. Need to make some aluminum plates still to cover it.

Finished up the V Bands, they were just tacked initially as i still would manipulate the hot side ever so slightly to work.

Got the rest of the hotside on and bolted down.

Also had to sand the spacers on the motion alt bracket down as i was having some issues, its still not perfect but ill adjust it when i can get a belt on it and see what it needs.

and lastly i found a cable drive bracket, this will be used when the car goes back down and all new turbo/hot-side gets built in the coming years. was too good of a deal to pass up.

Going to start plumbing the fuel lines, CO2 lines and install the fenders/downpipe so i can start laying out where i want the Holley wires to go. That is the next hurdle ill be talking in the next few weeks.