BUILD THREAD “The Juggernaut”
- Thread starter Rktpwrd
- Start date
Don't get me started D the hole thread will get jacked. Clear and primer should come with someone to spray it and a free gun at these prices. Getting paid for it is a hole nother debacle. Ok I'm done ranting lol
I remember when rage gold was my go to, and it was $35.00 a us gallon
that's steep for something that ends up on the floor but the gold is my go to.zero issues.
Understood, but there are better alternatives. My go-to is 3M Platinum Plus from my distributor, zero issues as well, but much more palatable at $77 a gallon. Still expensive, but nowhere near what the parts store was asking for the Rage.
Dropped a crap-ton of dough on a birthday present to myself yesterday.
Been eyeing and wanting to get the rest of the required parts to finish the T56 to 455 union for over 5 years now, and thanks to oldsmobile joe in the PTP clutch pedal thread, I finally know the specific parts needed to make it happen.
Ordered the LT1 hydraulic throwout bearing, the recommended extended pilot bearing for the shorter input shaft, and a McLeod RST Twin Disc clutch assembly (thanks to Bruce for his vouch on it).
I have a brand new Centerforce clutch already installed, but McLeod’s notes on the throwout bearing state that sliding counterweight style clutches won’t work with it. Which is of course what I currently have.
I was a little apprehensive about spending this much all in one shot, but I figured why not. The wallet has recovered from the screw compressor purchase, I owe nothing on any of my credit cards or line of credit, and I have more than enough to cover it outright, so screw it, it’s a done deal. Unfortunately delivery isn’t until the 6th of June or so, but I guess that really isn’t an issue given the speed of the progress on the car.
Stoked to finally have this major missing piece of the puzzle solved! All I need now is to figure out the clutch master cylinder (which I have, it’s a Wilwood piece) and geometry situation figured out. Good or bad, PTP’s clutch pedal bracket is on back order, so I haven’t done anything there yet.
Any suggestions or tips are welcomed.
D.
Been eyeing and wanting to get the rest of the required parts to finish the T56 to 455 union for over 5 years now, and thanks to oldsmobile joe in the PTP clutch pedal thread, I finally know the specific parts needed to make it happen.
Ordered the LT1 hydraulic throwout bearing, the recommended extended pilot bearing for the shorter input shaft, and a McLeod RST Twin Disc clutch assembly (thanks to Bruce for his vouch on it).
I have a brand new Centerforce clutch already installed, but McLeod’s notes on the throwout bearing state that sliding counterweight style clutches won’t work with it. Which is of course what I currently have.
I was a little apprehensive about spending this much all in one shot, but I figured why not. The wallet has recovered from the screw compressor purchase, I owe nothing on any of my credit cards or line of credit, and I have more than enough to cover it outright, so screw it, it’s a done deal. Unfortunately delivery isn’t until the 6th of June or so, but I guess that really isn’t an issue given the speed of the progress on the car.
Stoked to finally have this major missing piece of the puzzle solved! All I need now is to figure out the clutch master cylinder (which I have, it’s a Wilwood piece) and geometry situation figured out. Good or bad, PTP’s clutch pedal bracket is on back order, so I haven’t done anything there yet.
Any suggestions or tips are welcomed.
D.
WOW you fancy! LoL that's one hell of an upgrade. When I did my 87 and went hydraulic I scratched my head for days thinking about how to do it and went with a mix of aftermarket and and gm parts that I'm still not happy with. Of course I didn't have gbf then and I was winging it. That's some really nice stuff you ordered!
Having driven in several F bodies with the RST clutch i can safely say you made a great choice. Excellent manners and can hold quite a bit of power. In this case you get what you pay for.
Thanks Eric, I’ve always tried to not cut any corners on this build. Always try to put the best parts I can into it, even if that means I’ve gotta wait longer and save up more $$$ for it. I’m a firm believer in the “pay once, cry once” philosophy. I’ve often regretted spending good money on cheap stuff, but have rarely regretted buying good parts and tools. Hopefully it pays off in the long run.
That’s excellent to hear Tony, thanks for the reassurance that I made the right choices this time. It stings to be sitting on a Centerforce clutch assembly that I can’t use now, but I’d rather do it right the first time and not have any unwanted surprises or failures down the line.
I really appreciate you chiming in with your experiences with the RST clutches, they’re supposed to be good for up to 800 hp which is more than enough for me. The stock LT1 T56 input shaft is supposedly only good for 450 lb ft of torque, so the clutch won’t be the weak link.
Very few will ever know or fully appreciate the amount of time and physical pain these pictures represent. Stages 6 and 7 are finally done.
To say this was a major undertaking would be an understatement. From the back window to the floor, from sail panel to sail panel, this piece spans a lot of real estate. It’s been almost a full week of 5-10 hours a day, stuffed in there on my knees, filling and sanding. My shoulders ache, my back hurts, and every time I went to stand up, I had to wait for the feeling to return to my legs. It was miserable to say the least.
But it’s done, and it’s done right. From the bead rolled feature on the package tray, to around the harness mounts and all the edges, it’s damn near perfect. I would have no qualms about painting this gloss black if needed, and we all know how good it has to be to do that. I’m that confident in it.
To say I’m relieved that this is done is another understatement. It’s ready for the black epoxy primer I picked up yesterday, but first I need to do some prep and finish work on the side panels. I’ll sand the backsides of them with the DA first so the epoxy has something to stick to, then I’ll lay out the new bead roll lines and get those done. The backsides will get sprayed first (because trying to spray them inside the trunk after they’ve been welded in would be a major PITA), then it’ll be onto welding them in.
SOOOO glad to be done this step and onto the next. Time for a well deserved break.
🥵
To say this was a major undertaking would be an understatement. From the back window to the floor, from sail panel to sail panel, this piece spans a lot of real estate. It’s been almost a full week of 5-10 hours a day, stuffed in there on my knees, filling and sanding. My shoulders ache, my back hurts, and every time I went to stand up, I had to wait for the feeling to return to my legs. It was miserable to say the least.
But it’s done, and it’s done right. From the bead rolled feature on the package tray, to around the harness mounts and all the edges, it’s damn near perfect. I would have no qualms about painting this gloss black if needed, and we all know how good it has to be to do that. I’m that confident in it.
To say I’m relieved that this is done is another understatement. It’s ready for the black epoxy primer I picked up yesterday, but first I need to do some prep and finish work on the side panels. I’ll sand the backsides of them with the DA first so the epoxy has something to stick to, then I’ll lay out the new bead roll lines and get those done. The backsides will get sprayed first (because trying to spray them inside the trunk after they’ve been welded in would be a major PITA), then it’ll be onto welding them in.
SOOOO glad to be done this step and onto the next. Time for a well deserved break.
🥵
