My long term build

[shadyduk1979]

Its been busy. Windshield is in, picking up some seats today out of a caddy cts. Crossmember is now in.
Got a special delivery.

Married her up to a built 4t65e

Proud dad watching the magic happen

And all installed

I have been bouncing around between the fuel lines, seats that i got from a CTS and ordering parts that i forgot i even needed. I am also experiencing the joy of installing headers. Fun stuff.

 

[shadyduk1979]

My wheels came. All of my friends have Boss 338 or something similar and since it would be silly to have 4 cars roll up with the same wheels i decided on something different. Since i need 18s to clear my brakes i went a bit more bold than most, but still nostalgic. 18x8 up front 18x9.5 in the back. Using nitto NT555s 245/40 up front, 275/35 in the rear.

 

[shadyduk1979]

Headers were a nightmare. First set for a ls swap didn't work at all. So I did what everyone else does. Ls1 camaro headers. But first ups had to screw me a destroy the box so badly it had to be bagged up. Seriously. I had a plastic bag in front of my house with headers and some cardboard. They were ruined. Ups paid the claim instantly, and i ordered a new set. Got them ok and put them on. 1 7/8 primaries should be about right for this motor, and they are pretty tight in the engine bay, but they fit like a dream on my build.

I wanted to have them on before I started running wires, and tighten up the mounts. I also didn't want to mount my seats until I had the motor in its final position just in case I had to modify the floor in some way.

Got the seats in and figured out where they needed to be. I put them so they go all the way back to the rear window for maximum leg room, but the tracks are so long i can almost squish myself on the steering wheel. Fabricated new mounts to accommodate the much longer seat rails(12 inches!) on the cts seats and welded them in. I then ground down the floor, primed and undercoated it.

I also picked up a steering shaft out of a jeep. Because gm decided that the steering wasn't really bad enough lol. So they used old tires in the steering shaft to give that 70s 80s gm steering slop. Jeep shaft bolts on after you collapse it and uses nice strong u joints to give you direct steering.

Next up I'll permanently mount the headers, install new plugs and wires and then start wiring up the battery(oddessy deep cycle/starting) in the bed, engine and fuel pump. That should take 15-20 minutes lol

 

[shadyduk1979]

So more progress. I got the fuel system in, engine and trans full of fluid, headers installed for real and the cooling system more or less installed. Then I found out the starter was failing so I swapped the one from my work van and found out the new fuel pump was a dud as was well. So I got a new starter sent to me, and am waiting on a new fuel pump. I did pop a new wheel on to have a look at it.

Still need my hubs to get made but I'm still waiting. To illustrate why I had to go with bigger wheels, here is my new front rotor on my old keystone classics.

To kill time while I waited for that I got the old front suspension out and started installing the new stuff. I decided to start installing the new brakes lines, booster and pedals, at least until the new pump shows up.http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/shadyduk1979/20160901_214149_zpspo0h0gy2.jpg

I had a heck of a time dealing with walbro so I decided that I would change to a Deutche works pump. I got the pump swapped over only to find that while I did in fact have more fuel pressure, it wasn't nearly enough. After a ton of hair pulling, buying a second fuel pressure gauge and 3 off brand filter regulators from autozone I was frustrated so, I ordered a wix filter regulator online since nobody had one locally. Get it installed and bam fuel pressure at the rail. Car fired right up.
http://vid50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/shadyduk1979/20161129_180626_zpsuztjncb3.mp4
Over the holidays work slowed a bit mostly because the bmw started smoking like crazy. I thought it was the turbo, so I rebuilt it. Then the car would overheat in 15 minutes idling in the driveway in the winter. I was at a loss why, and ended up pulling the head. Turns out it was junk. I had a spare but to get the head ready for a turbo, it needed everything replaced. So I went with bigger valves and cam than I had previously. That's running again.
So now I have been working on the camino again. I had cut my spindles and painted them before I got my brackets for the brakes. I ordered a set of the wilwood hubs. Excited that I finally had hubs I decided to install the front brakes. I got the b body booster and master cylinder in with a automatic brake pedal and went to bolt on the brackets only to find it didn't cut nearly enough off. Also the wilwood hubs are a bit to thick to fit in the new rotors. I'll have to get the hubs machined.http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/shadyduk1979/20161009_152800_zpsjoe6n5ty.jpg

In the meantime I also realized that there was no way I could fit the truck pedal in my car, so the same caddy I got the seats out of gave up its gas pedal. Swap 2 wires, and it works.
I also got all the parts to rebuild my rear diff. I am keeping the stock 3.73 rear gears but am adding Moser axles and a eaton posi.http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f342/shadyduk1979/20170103_151228_zpspywy0fxe.jpg

The bmw hit me hard financially so I think progress on the car might slow a bit but I can still get the dash controls working, install the shifter, get the brake calipers brackets installed, start cleaning up the wiring on the engine etc.

More to come later!

 

[axisg]

Wow great build thus far ! Condolences on the Bummer. They handle like a dream when not broken J/K what kind of mods have you done to that ?

 

[shadyduk1979]

Sets up podium, shuffles note cards, clears throat.. I'm glad you asked.

Suspension: bilstein sports with bbs dprings and sway bars. Hartage strut tower braces, Alpina suspension brace, tep rear strut tower braces and autopower roll bar.

Brakes: volvo 240 front brakes with cryogenic rotors. Stock rear drums (rear disks planned)

Engine: 2.3l stroker with fire ringed block,vac motorsports stage 3 head with a 284 cam, t4 turbo, intercooled. Running a modified cis mechanical fuel injection using porsche, audio, vw and volvo parts and 2 micro fuelers. Boost is typically set at 25psi, but on occasion I will bump it to 35psi. Car has had a lot of weight pulled out of it and weighs around 1800lbs.

I mean... it's got a couple of mods lol

 

[ssn696]

Holy crap! You are making it happen here! Unlike a lot of us you say it and then do it. Many of us just say it over and over and then maybe do it later. Keep up the awesome work!

 

[L67ss]

Mebbe I missed up but how long have you owned the elco?

 

[shadyduk1979]

Mebbe I missed up but how long have you owned the elco?

Since 99. Drove it, built it, broke it, built it again but the last time it blew up was 03. Procrastination, racing and women filled up my time until April of last year when my wife said buy a sensible car and get the camino done.

 

[L67ss]

I always love it when someone has had their project car a long time. Seems these days people own them a couple years at most. I've had my olds since 04 🙂