Plastic Fantastic 2

[bobs77vet]

nothing ricey about a custom made vette!!!! nice work

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

more paint

the suspension is officially rebuilt


as were the hubs


and the rear differential


all in one night.... I'm good.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

So I've chosen a direction. Alan said, once, on Corvette Forum that there really wasn't enough of a difference between old vs. new. I'm going to capitalize the next words because they're important I AM NOT CALLING ANYONE, MOST ESPECIALLY NOT ALAN, OUT. I suspect he's right but I want to see for myself. After all, my entire reason for building cars is to learn as I go. I've built a Corvette with EFI, tubular arms and basically upgraded stock suspension. I loved how it handled. This one goes back in time. It will get poly because there really is no argument when it comes to handling (everything I build is meant to operate at 10/10ths - for a stock car, I honestly couldn't care less how it handles because it bores me).

Next up will be a LS powered C3 Corvette. I may not build it for myself, there are a couple people who are interested in me building something with Detroit-speed-level parts and a hyper-LS motor. I'm game since it'd pay to finish my 50 Buick....

anyway, hope you all enjoy the ride and the direction.

 

[rtj]

So I've chosen a direction. Alan said, once, on Corvette Forum that there really wasn't enough of a difference between old vs. new. I'm going to capitalize the next words because they're important I AM NOT CALLING ANYONE, MOST ESPECIALLY NOT ALAN, OUT. I suspect he's right but I want to see for myself. After all, my entire reason for building cars is to learn as I go. I've built a Corvette with EFI, tubular arms and basically upgraded stock suspension. I loved how it handled. This one goes back in time. It will get poly because there really is no argument when it comes to handling (everything I build is meant to operate at 10/10ths - for a stock car, I honestly couldn't care less how it handles because it bores me).

Next up will be a LS powered C3 Corvette. I may not build it for myself, there are a couple people who are interested in me building something with Detroit-speed-level parts and a hyper-LS motor. I'm game since it'd pay to finish my 50 Buick....

anyway, hope you all enjoy the ride and the direction.

That is kind of interesting. My next corvette will probably be more along vintage type lines. Been looking at making things like offset ta's using oem. Klutte, shows some photos, and a Canadian machinist going by strider, posted photos long ago. Good luck with the build and "business venture."

 

[Red77]

I love living vicariously through these builds. Looking forward to working on mine again when time and $$$ allow. For now I'll just grab the popcorn and enjoy the show.

 

[denpo]

Looks good.
No lowered custom fuel tank on this one?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

eventually a lowered fuel cell - this one is going to be far more race car then the last...

 

[bobs77vet]

well since driving my C5 i know that that LS idea in a C3 would be a blast

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

photobucket - it's like they want to go out of business. You'd think that with them booting half their photo accounts, things would get better.... yeah, no. One picture is going to have to tide you over



I spent a good share of time looking for my spare, rear hardlines,,, they've been in the way forever, but now that I could use them they've hidden themselves....

in other news, I fixed the denali's seat issue, headlight, and now the seat heater doesn't work....it's like it has a code which says "only 90 of 100 electrical items can work at once".... I'm not sure I care - the fix included using a glue gun so I'm not exactly being the poster child for high standard repairs.... but still, and the reason it's on this build is because this is the motor that goes in the next C3 I build.

 

[bobs77vet]

looking good!!!!

i am close to being one photo over the line with photo bucket but more for how poor their system is maintained. they havent screwed me with the extra $400, i think i must have a legacy plan that includes it as long as i dont upgrade

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I read the fine print but I still get the pop up that says I need to upgrade. Though if I do upgrade, the next level allows me to continue doing what I'm doing under the legacy plan.... there is certainly room in the world for another online picture hosting site....

Promised pictures...
hot glue and crimp connectors - it works


how boring, right? stock, yet tall, valve covers


​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

pulleys arrived


brake bleeding time


and steering


I finally did it, I put a tack on the inside of the u-joint to make it fit. I did not have this trouble with the last car; but good grief. I tacked it, then ground it a bit so it fit snuggly to the input shaft


and voila




Tomorrow or Thursday I'll finish the last dent I need to put in the headers then button the motor and trans together.... if I get lucky, I'll drop it in on Thursday for permanent
​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

pulleys installed


final test fit of the headers


some clearancing is required





time to work on the finish

shiney


brushed


this falls under future proofing - install of a o2 bung




I'm going to wrap what is under the hood to keep temps down and get rid of some of the shiney - presuming that arrives tomorrow, Sunday I'll put the beast in

 

[denpo]

I see you're using the stock steering box, do you plan to have the steering assisted or not?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I see you're using the stock steering box, do you plan to have the steering assisted or not?

I go to the gym, and wear unbuttoned shirts* so I don't need power steering :drink:

no steering assist - at this moment I don't think it's necessary. Not just that, but I've yet to find anything which gives decent feedback when playing on the track. With that said, I may change my mind once I put 11" wide tires on the front...

*for proper cooling

 

[bobs77vet]

you just have to go faster to turn the wheels easier....

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Today's plan was to get the motor in for permanent (or as permanent as they tend to be with me)
First problem was the Amazon delivery of header wrap didn't happen. No problem, I'll give them a jingle. "we will have it to you today." As of 7:30pm, it is not here - remind me again why I didn't just get a refund and go buy it from O'Reilly's?
then there was 'problem' two

which isn't a problem it's more a distraction snow men were made and destroyed in a callous manner.
back to work.... clutch install


oh good lord

let's look again


plugs arrived via Amazon


but still no wrap
assembled bullet


installed - sort of - I still need to lift it back up to get the sidepipes in once I get the damn wrap


that is the appropriate hole for the Z bar


of course, I can't attach that until I get the wrap
hmmm, this looks a bit short on one end


fortunately, I have a non-modified support so the fix is pretty simple

​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Radiator installedish


and plugging some holes


time to reduce some underhood heat and get rid of that ugly dent



wrapping just what is in the engine compartment


then a coat of black to keep the fraying down
​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

For those who are curious what the transmission mount looks like for a TKO600 - it's the shinyish one


driveshaft, red.... not sure why but I do see I need to find another u-joint


this was fun




plan b was set on jackstands and lift the engine with the cherry picker




z-bar.... I know I'll be glad of it when it's all installed, but right now I'm not too keen on it


​

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

what did the racers do back in the day to supply enough fuel for the 427 race cars?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

maybe I answered my own question

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

as with most, cheap headers, these sort of fit


some trimming required




yum, tasty fiberglass


oddly, it's not at the same level (horizontal)


more hacking


and this side (passenger) looks to need nothing


first step, put spacers in the motor mount


better but where those lines are need heat


now it fits


however, all is not peachy

I had this same issue on Plastic 1



driveshaft mostly installed (need 2 more clamps)


someone asked me once how far the side pipes hang down.... not at all


and Photobucket - I'm moving host, but that means that some of my old threads are going to be de-pictured... sorry, but at this point it's kind of the only choice (and I'm not backing off fighting them)


more bits waiting


this is cool

 

[rtj]

I think hookers fit better than those. I did buy a special spark plug socket with integral u-joint and cut it down some, but otherwise no issues.

Looks good, great progress.

Thanks for the clone greenwood chassis link. Rpmdyno.com, anyone seen more of his build?

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I had hookers on my prior C3 but it was a SBC. This wasn't terrible, it just took fiddling. That said, I think I'll really appreciate the stainless steel tubes rather then the steel of the Hookers.

 

[bobs77vet]

what hosting are you going to? I may follow.

that engine install really looks great. it certainly does take up all the space there is to offer....

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

the Corvette engine compartment is spacious considering I used to my make my spending money building V8 S-10 trucks and Blazers.... there, 1/4" would make or break a fitment

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Starter, wired


distributor with adjustable collar, arrived


Spark plugs, gapped and installed. In case your curious what lights off the beast - Briggs and Stratton spark plugs.


Dog installed


linkage, installed - one of those times I'm really glad to have a shop full of parts, my goodness that was a pain finding all the bits that worked together


I think the oil cooler is going in front (just not that oil cooler)


Spiderman had red webbing today


still need to do a fuel system but at this point the drivetrain is together (brakes, clutch, driveshaft, etc)

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Time to build a carb


all cleaned and on the new base

​

I modified the base for boost-reference, so I had to 'fix' that


I know the PO reads this, so normally I don't point stuff like this out - but really, stop it.


should look like this


my favorite, bare wire to nowhere.. think it's a horn wire..


tempted to one-wire this


'the right hose' yeah, no... oh well, I was looking forward to building another upper hose out of stainless


this is probably too close to rice, but I like these gauges because they're easy to read

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Carb assembly

and a problem - the base uses a lever that turns on the body of the carb... which isn't on the proform body


so now I wait for another base...

but it still works for what I need right now - wire routing and fuel system building


the pump

first step is to pull the tank apart so I can install - 8 feed lines and cap the other lines that I won't be using.

pump will go here...


oil sender installed


and wiring commences

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Progress - I cut up several trees that fell in the last windstorm and got prepared for the one that's coming tonight... that said, I did get a bit done

a quick how to make wires



bend tabs more

crimp


halfway there


all the way there