IROC Wagon Project
- Thread starter ssbrewskyaz
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Your work looks really good to me. I've found over the years that car owners/builders tend to be their own worst critics. You'll see every little thing that you don't like, whereas 99.9% of other people won't even know what you're talking about.
What kind of vehicle did the front spindles come from? Did you do something along the lines of the '98-'05 2wd Blazer front brake conversion? Just wondering if there is something there that might be causing your concern with the upper control arm contacting the spindle. As you said though, it probably won't be an issue once there is weight on the chassis.
Years ago, I had an '83 F body bellhousing and clutch fork, and a non WC V8 T5 gearbox. I ended up selling them (wish I hadn't now-hindsight is great). 1983 was the only year that GM built the F body with the T5, and a mechanical clutch linkage, so you've got a rare piece. I know that Lakewood used to make a version of that as a scattersheild, but I'm not sure if its still available. Because of the angle that the F body clutch fork comes out of the bellhousing, it should mate up with the rest of the A/G body mechanical clutch linkage OK. The stock A/G clutch fork that is used with the 606 bellhousing angles down from the bellhousing, so your F body setup should work.
Keep up the good work, and the updates. Your story and photos are great to see and read.
What kind of vehicle did the front spindles come from? Did you do something along the lines of the '98-'05 2wd Blazer front brake conversion? Just wondering if there is something there that might be causing your concern with the upper control arm contacting the spindle. As you said though, it probably won't be an issue once there is weight on the chassis.
Years ago, I had an '83 F body bellhousing and clutch fork, and a non WC V8 T5 gearbox. I ended up selling them (wish I hadn't now-hindsight is great). 1983 was the only year that GM built the F body with the T5, and a mechanical clutch linkage, so you've got a rare piece. I know that Lakewood used to make a version of that as a scattersheild, but I'm not sure if its still available. Because of the angle that the F body clutch fork comes out of the bellhousing, it should mate up with the rest of the A/G body mechanical clutch linkage OK. The stock A/G clutch fork that is used with the 606 bellhousing angles down from the bellhousing, so your F body setup should work.
Keep up the good work, and the updates. Your story and photos are great to see and read.
TC, I'm in New River just a click north of Anthem. Thanks for the words of encouragement. If I can get this thing done any time soon, I'll catch you at the K-Mart on Bell. Was told the Safeway deal is a done deal, probably cause Safeway moved out I would suspect. I'm so impressed that you've held onto your El Camino for all these years. That I do not have the patients to do.
Clean, I suppose you hit the nail on the head. I say this exact thing all the time but apparently don't apply it to my own work. Building cars has the capacity to ruin the builder for whatever car show he or she attends and especially on the car or truck of their utmost expertise. From my days of showing the COPO and LS6 Chevelle’s, I could always overhear some of the comments of passerby’s about the car.
That’s the wrong color, That’s the wrong screw, Those tires weren’t correct and etc. Eventually I got hardened to the fact that there are a lot of experts walking around car shows that don’t know squat. Come to find out, I was guilty of the same offense at a more discreet volume.
Bottom line, everyone’s hot rod is just that, it’s their hot rod and however they want it, is how it should be. That all said, that’s exactly the reason I’m building this car at this time. One, so I can enjoy it, Two, so I can take creative license, and Three, so I can drive it. You just can’t do that on a Numbers Matching Muscle car if you expect to get anything for it. They were only made one way and that’s the way it has to be with minimal deviation.
I put this car ahead of an LS6 El Camino I bought several years ago to restore to take a break from that grind. I say grind but these cars are my therapy after a long week on the road. I really only get to work on the car on Saturday and if things aren’t going well that particular day, I close up shop and work on something else. It’s supposed to be therapy, not punishment.
Taking a break doesn’t mean taking a break on quality, but to your point, a lot of folks would surely be happy to have the lines I’ve finessed. Anyway, yes, because of the aforementioned disease, I can be a little anal at times.
I appreciate your insight, believe you’re spot on and appreciate the support. The spindles are BellTech 2 inch lower, and yes, the G-Bodys and the S series trucks use the same spindles. I think the droop is the issue. Thanks again. ...
Clean, I suppose you hit the nail on the head. I say this exact thing all the time but apparently don't apply it to my own work. Building cars has the capacity to ruin the builder for whatever car show he or she attends and especially on the car or truck of their utmost expertise. From my days of showing the COPO and LS6 Chevelle’s, I could always overhear some of the comments of passerby’s about the car.
That’s the wrong color, That’s the wrong screw, Those tires weren’t correct and etc. Eventually I got hardened to the fact that there are a lot of experts walking around car shows that don’t know squat. Come to find out, I was guilty of the same offense at a more discreet volume.
Bottom line, everyone’s hot rod is just that, it’s their hot rod and however they want it, is how it should be. That all said, that’s exactly the reason I’m building this car at this time. One, so I can enjoy it, Two, so I can take creative license, and Three, so I can drive it. You just can’t do that on a Numbers Matching Muscle car if you expect to get anything for it. They were only made one way and that’s the way it has to be with minimal deviation.
I put this car ahead of an LS6 El Camino I bought several years ago to restore to take a break from that grind. I say grind but these cars are my therapy after a long week on the road. I really only get to work on the car on Saturday and if things aren’t going well that particular day, I close up shop and work on something else. It’s supposed to be therapy, not punishment.
Taking a break doesn’t mean taking a break on quality, but to your point, a lot of folks would surely be happy to have the lines I’ve finessed. Anyway, yes, because of the aforementioned disease, I can be a little anal at times.
I appreciate your insight, believe you’re spot on and appreciate the support. The spindles are BellTech 2 inch lower, and yes, the G-Bodys and the S series trucks use the same spindles. I think the droop is the issue. Thanks again. ...
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Very nice work so far. You really pay attention to detail. Keep the progress and the pics coming. 🙂
I'm not trying to piss in your corn flakes here, but have you really thought out this "DZ302 with TPI" idea? As a proud owner of multiple TPI vehicles, I've got to say that it just isn't a good idea. The DZ302 motor was designed to make a lot of horsepower by turning a lot of RPM and sucking a lot of air into the motor at those RPMs. TPI can't do that. TPI is designed for low rpm torque. It's got terrible flow potential, and the rpm capability is very limited. TPI will be all out of breath by 4,500 RPM, which is where the DZ302 will just start to hit it's strides. Your motor is likely to have the low rpm power of a DZ302 (read: None), with the high rpm power of TPI (Read: None).ssbrewskyaz said:
I would strongly consider swapping that TPI intake to a Holley Stealth Ram intake, or a single plane EFI intake that will be a better match for the RPM range that your motor needs to see.
And then find a transmission that won't destroy itself the first time you go WOT in 3rd gear.
Aside from that, your build looks outstanding!
Jim,
Your opinion was noted and enthusiastically dismissed.
Thanks for the otherwise pertinent comment. …
Your opinion was noted and enthusiastically dismissed.
Thanks for the otherwise pertinent comment. …
Wow that's alot of Negative info from a NOOB with 3 postsssbrewskyaz said:Jim,
Your opinion was noted and enthusiastically dismissed.
Thanks for the otherwise pertinent comment. …
I worked In the Chevy Race Shop At the Desert Proving grounds,In The 90's. An engineer Named Scott Leon Built a whole bunch of bad *ss-ed TPI cars back then.They were all very cool.
CruizinKev said:
I bought mine from inline tube. They offer a conversion valve for $99. Take a look at their site.
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