SBG's C3

[SuperBuickGuy]

So more refinement
I have a couple friends who work with Corvettes daily and neither noticed this until I asked about it

See the nice bow? That allows air to go over the radiator - so today was fix it day
with some heat, paint and foam strip, now the air goes under the arch, not over


and yes, I'll be making a metal piece to fill that - but I'm out of sheet aluminum so that will have to wait to another day

Then installed a MSD ignition


and it even started the first time

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I love Google. I thought my tach was reading too high, so to google I went; and voila, tach filter. Until 5 minutes ago, I never realized they existed - now I can't live without one. If anyone is curious why getting old sucks, not only do you have to remember more stuff that you can't live without; but your memory can't store it :bomb:

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

replaced the poly bushings with heim joints on the rear



still need to figure out how I'm going to do the front

that poly joint has maybe 60 miles on it

 

[mrvette]

I love Google. I thought my tach was reading too high, so to google I went; and voila, tach filter. Until 5 minutes ago, I never realized they existed - now I can't live without one. If anyone is curious why getting old sucks, not only do you have to remember more stuff that you can't live without; but your memory can't store it :bomb:

I have a T shirt that says......'I do know it all, I just can't remember it all at once'.........:beer::gurney:

 

[rtj]

still need to figure out how I'm going to do the front

I was looking at making something like this:



or this:

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

thanks, that top one will be copied.... should I make extras?

dang, spc - $148.... those are not cheap

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

more work with the rear suspension

rear sway bar... what a PITA
the problem(s) the bar was bound up, and actually jacking the right side.... not good. Add to that problem there was little if any rear suspension because the bar couldn't go up. I took the bar off, and it drove - kind of - better, but I kept feeling like I was going to lift a front tire on hard corners.... so tonight I worked on it. As you read, keep this in mind - I'm completely changing the rear suspension to a guldstrand suspension; so this is temporary.

round 1
it's hitting the support that holds the rear differential up (maybe a half inch above at ride height)

round 2
move the heims to the other side

round 3 and 4
flip the sway bar over and notch the offending member

rounds 5-7
move the sway bar back, put a spacer between the sway bar, and heat the new contact point

round 8
cut more


now I have 2" of vertical compliance, and 4" of drop. the tab now hits the frame - but I can't shorten the heim because it would reduce the amount of travel. Anyway, I'll drive it tomorrow and see how it's doing - if it doesn't hit much, I'll probably leave it until I do the new suspension.

also, there might be fuel injection in its near future... to be continued

 

[mrvette]

SBG, I tried a thick bar like that in the rear, and found it way overkill, make the '72 vert very skittish in the ass....went back to a thin stock bar.....which when I got it, had no end links....so being cheep I just heated and twisted the ends till they were flat to the ground and bought a set of sway bar links, and bolted it all up, works like a charm.....:surrender:

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

SBG, I tried a thick bar like that in the rear, and found it way overkill, make the '72 vert very skittish in the ass....went back to a thin stock bar.....which when I got it, had no end links....so being cheep I just heated and twisted the ends till they were flat to the ground and bought a set of sway bar links, and bolted it all up, works like a charm.....:surrender:

That could be next - I have a good friend that autocrossed a C3 20 years ago; so I'm starting with where he suggested (soft springs, large bar, etc).... so if it doesn't make sense today, that's why

I guess I'm going to have to put my Perry Mason hat on and cross-examine him a bit - because of the interference - and find out what he did....

and if all else fails - I saved my front bar from a recent trip to the scrap yard for that very reason

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I cut the tabs off, welded pins to the bar, and drove it today. Wow, what a difference. I still may put in a stiffer rear spring; but for now, I'm going to drive the tires off it - man is this thing fun to drive.

 

[mrvette]

I cut the tabs off, welded pins to the bar, and drove it today. Wow, what a difference. I still may put in a stiffer rear spring; but for now, I'm going to drive the tires off it - man is this thing fun to drive.

Watch that ass end man, they get vicious with thick bars in the rear, I gave up on my VBP bar for that reason....:devil::devil::friends:

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I cut the tabs off, welded pins to the bar, and drove it today. Wow, what a difference. I still may put in a stiffer rear spring; but for now, I'm going to drive the tires off it - man is this thing fun to drive.

Watch that ass end man, they get vicious with thick bars in the rear, I gave up on my VBP bar for that reason....:devil::devil::friends:

weeeeeee

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

so this last weekend I made the pilgrimage to Portland to go to a past favorite swap meet.... and picked up this thing for 12 pack of coca cola money


and while I was down there.... I formed up this for the Corvette

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

probably a mistake, but I'm done with this 300# composite spring... time for a shorter 360# from VanSteel

 

[DeeVeeEight]

probably a mistake, but I'm done with this 300# composite spring... time for a shorter 360# from VanSteel

I wound up with a (light) 400# composite from VB&P, the others were too soft & I bottomed out a lot.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

good information - thanks

I was waffling between the 360 and the 420.... I asked Vansteel to change what they're sending me.... even though my car is going to be lighter, it's low enough that I need the increased weight to keep it off the bumpstops... and even so, I may put progressive bumpstops on the car (it's a 4x4 item that works well for people who want a soft spring rate when driving and increased rate when racing because the resistance to bottoming out increases when the spring moves faster

 

[mrvette]

All I can say is that back in '95 when I got this '72 vert, I put on a VBP 360 rear plastic spring, with KYB shocks....

and with the grossly undulating bridges here in Florida, I finally took some advice, and put Bilstein shocks on all 4 corners, that was a HUGE improvement......wish I knew of them back earlier.... but instead of bouncing like a basketball for 3.5 miles, it feels like a normal road now....

something about the way they build bridges here, the cross supports and sagging beams, they even grind out the peaks and redo concrete, it's so bad....but I don't give much intelligence to road folks anyway.....:tomato:

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

So, I got the board to fix the tachometer - so here's a step by step installation instructions
1) Remove center console

2) Remove transmission

3) say "ah ha" as to why the starter was having trouble engaging


(note how there's paint on the tops of the teeth on one side, and there's no paint on the other side? stupid thing was out of round

4) adjust linkage for transmission


that's it for tonight

Tomorrow I'll put the transmission in, then pull the dash apart.

stupid willcox never put these steps in his video to replace the board... dunno what he was thinking!!!:search:

 

[GoVetteGo]

I like the way you work!! Go right at the problem!

I really like the way the auto tranny turned into a 4 speed - MAGIC!!!!

Good luck with getting the tach repaired.:thumbs:

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

It gets worse

The tach board



and here is the nice blank space where a transmission will be


I'm also changing the entire fuel system and gas tank to a FAST efi setup.
I took my car to a private autocross (parking lot with friends at 2am, private) and I kept having trouble with the carb spilling fuel out of the vent tubes on hard corners.... so I'll fix it with a planned upgrade.
so yes, my Corvette will be a knuckle dragging, side pipe wearing, power steering avoiding (pun intended), a/c losing, efi car.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Didn't get much done tonight - have to load up to go to Spokane tomorrow - but got the hole cut
surfaced the flywheel - I got lucky because it's a steel that I got basically for free

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

my UPS (Amazon) girl brought me presents :grin:



these were an amazing deal - $230 to my door with brackets - I was concerned about the quality... these are nice; now I can stay in my seat, use my harness, and sell my original, black, unripped seats for a lot more than what I paid for these



and the piece de resistance (I always wonder at that phrase, it means dessert but translates to something to make you slower)



to the whys:
1) they are a site sponsor
2) I don't need a custom system
3) with Summit's price matching, this system costs about the same as piecing one together
4) I have the megasquirt for the Spider so I'm equal opportunity in my buying

I am a bit disappointed, I thought I was getting braided SS lines with the system - nope; so I'll probably upgrade that.... so off to work to pay for this

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

whew a bit more work






need to get the driveshaft shortened roughly 1".... I may do it myself, we'll see tomorrow

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I learned something new.... the output shaft on a turbo 400/ST-10 is a Corvette only part.... now no need for a shorter shaft

so I tried out my new seats... I think they will fit, it'll be tight, but it will be awesome to have side bolsters!


and I took the steering column out so I can finish up my tach rebuild what a pain. Normal GM the bottom joint is flexible and you can drop the shaft a bunch.... not so on Corvette, it requires taking the shaft off the steering box

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

still undecided on whether I'll keep posting here or not... but while I'm deciding
So, time to update progress.

test fit the seat

pull the gauge cluster

pull the tach apart

new board

old board

old board was a replacement board

epoxy the ring back together

polish the plastic

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

part II
reassemble


it tested out fine... seems to finally tell me the correct rpms.


enjoy the last look at a two pedals

so this cute plate holds the brake pedal up

reference picture

spring reference

might as well paint them while they're out

and yes, silver - makes it easier to see up under the dash
remove booster

install clutch master cylinder (left of brake hole)


as an aside, there isn't much room for the master cylinder


beat it to fit, only paint when it's seen

look 3 pedals

everything back in place

this seems to be the only spot for the reservoir.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

so we'll see how this scoop looks on the car (it's 2 weeks out, so it'll be a bit)

I figure its benefit is I can draw cold air from the front; and let underhood pressure out the back

 

[427Swede]

Hi there,

Please keep posting here! You have much "go" in your work and alot of pictures for refernce! I appreciate it even if i do not post and comment the whole time.

The hole where you assembled the clutch cylinder, what was it for originally??

Regards, Daniel

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Hi there,

Please keep posting here! You have much "go" in your work and alot of pictures for refernce! I appreciate it even if i do not post and comment the whole time.

The hole where you assembled the clutch cylinder, what was it for originally??

Regards, Daniel

it was blocked, the hole was there in the sheet metal, just not the fiberglass. No idea the purpose. I still would love to find a dual diaphragm booster, but at this point, I'm putting it back together and should I find one tomorrow - it'll be too late.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

time to connect the pedal to the master cylinder


That's just a nut welded to a tube that's welded to the heim joint

It's hard to tell in the pictures, but I did modify one thing. With the hydraulic clutch, I don't need to be 2' off the floor with the pedal.... so I'm not, it's the same height as the automatic brake pedal (I didn't change the rod length for the brake pedal). I'm not short, and wanging my leg into the steering wheel was one of the reasons I hesitated to convert to a manual transmission.

starting to go back together....
bled and installed. I put the reservoir where I proposed... about the only spot it'd fit