BUILD THREAD Janky- A Mexican Monte Clone

[UC645]

Not really much of an update on progress but I’ve got the size of the AC box bolts.
Factory (on an 84 at least) is a size 14 sheet metal screw with type A thread. I wasn’t able to find ones at the hardware store with integral washers, but was able to get ones in stainless steel. Factory OD on those washers is 7/8 of an inch.
I’m hung up on what to do about the 3 battery cables I’m running through the firewall opening for the computer harness. I do have the grommet for the harness, would it make sense to cut it up to fit the cables, or does anyone have another suggestion? I’ve got both the 90 degree elbow style and a style with 2 holes that used plastic plugs to hold the harness.

 

[Tony1968]

I'm going to try to use the original stock one modified of course

 

[UC645]

I'm going to try to use the original stock one modified of course

I think that may be the only option. Just wanted to avoid using copious amounts of sealer even though no one will see it.

 

[UC645]

So the Holley kicked my butt 9 ways to Sunday, but the good news is it runs the car. That took far too long to achieve.

Between knowing nothing about Holley’s and a dozens of threads from other forums, I wasn’t sure if the carb was irreversibly modified, and I’m still not but with a few baseline adjustments it runs fairly well. I suspect my engine requires more fuel to the secondaries or it needs it sooner as it backfires out of them when I try to give it full throttle.

And it looks like my engine is finally broken in, I have to pull plugs again this weekend to be sure.

That mess ate a lot of my time, but I did manage a couple of things.
Painted the floor for what is hopefully the final time:

Made a rear seat brace from scratch:

If you want to make one of these, it’s relatively cheap to do. I made mine from sheets of 14 gauge steel 5 inches wide and 4 feet long, I got 3 pieces of it, but it’s more than possible to do it with 2. Should set you back $30-40 depending on where you live any where you get the metal from.

In the middle of that however, I found my placeholder sending unit has it’s vent plugged and so does my gas cap

Had my shop heater pointed towards the back of the car and that must of been enough heat to build a bit of pressure in the tank, so there goes a half gallon of the good stuff

Aside from those, I’ve got the spring perched welded to the axle and got a solution for rear shock brackets cooked up

I used the factory Foxbody lower brackets and just cut off the locating tab. I have no idea what these’ll do but UMI sells something similar so they must give some benefit, right?

And I finally got the whole trunk painted last night, after I seam sealed it.

 

[Tony1968]

Nice work 👏

 

[UC645]

Just leaving this here so this thread doesn’t get locked.

Currently butchering a heater box, when it’s finished (if it turns out useable?) it’ll be butchered with a capital “BUTCHERED”.

 

[pagrunt]

View attachment 175621
Just leaving this here so this thread doesn’t get locked.

Currently butchering a heater box, when it’s finished (if it turns out useable?) it’ll be butchered with a capital “BUTCHERED”.

Pics of the violence, proof of Joe's saw work or it never happen. 😉

 

[UC645]

Pics of the violence, proof of Joe's saw work or it never happen. 😉

The real carnage will come when I’m done with the fiberglass. I can’t stress this enough, I *do not* know how to manipulate fiberglass cloth properly.

 

[fleming442]

View attachment 175622
View attachment 175623

The real carnage will come when I’m done with the fiberglass. I can’t stress this enough, I *do not* know how to manipulate fiberglass cloth properly.

The key is the mix- not too hot, not too cold. You can also use sweatshirt fleece instead of the woven mat. It's thicker, requiring less layers, and costs less.

 

[UC645]

The key is the mix- not too hot, not too cold. You can also use sweatshirt fleece instead of the woven mat. It's thicker, requiring less layers, and costs less.

I don’t have any photos of it but I finished up a couple extra layers yesterday and despite measuring and following the mixture ratios properly, I was left with a gel like cure in a few spots. Don’t know how or why, but I’m going to see if I can recover it somehow.