Plastic Fantastic 2

SuperBuickGuy · Feb 19, 2024

time for a test fit

someone mentioned I don't know how to weld aluminum.... this wasn't me, it was magick

then weld in the stand

then install the hood

some say I don't learn - I say, see the hood and I'm checking clearance before I build the top piece? yeah, lurnin'

and it clears... woo and hoo!

time to cut out the top pieces

then time to temper the metal

soot

and then I question why I didn't pick up 5152 or 3003 aluminum on Friday...

I'm going to try to bend this around but I give it about a 30% chance

SuperBuickGuy · Feb 20, 2024

onward back to metal manipulation

key here is that this is hour 8 but only hour 2 of actual work.

you shall bend to my will

the hardest part was, of course, clamping. With aluminum, adding filler is almost mandatory - so you need at least 3 hands

and unlike steel, there is little memory to the metal, so you can distort it then tap it right back into shape

but lord knows there were some ugly welds to get it to stick together

first fit

then I needed to work on the pan portion and add flanges

and finish the bottom side

it seems it worked

well, would you look at that

but still, there is quite a bit more work, need to go square to round though I've found that preliminary-finish can help the process

all that work and I'm painting it black..

caskiguy · Feb 20, 2024

Glad your post showed up this AM as I followed you on Corvetteforum. Love your work and problem solving.....it helps me in my 70' rebuild to think outside the box.
Crazy what one can do with a little effort and thought.

Best,
Brian

SuperBuickGuy · Feb 21, 2024

thanks

tonight was more of a void-the-warranty night then get anything done
a month from order to delivery.... which isn't bad, last year it was 6 months estimate

they also wrapped it very well

what I get? spoiler alert, it's a spoiler

and, of course, it doesn't fit

I know, I know, what kind of fly-by-night supplier doesn't make a non-factory spoiler for a C3 Corvette with 2" flares?
thankfully, I know how to use these tools

cut it apart, widen it 4"

then figure out how to fill in the holes.... of course the curve isn't right either (which, tip for those following along, at SEMA, I spent some time understanding what the big builders do to make spoilers work.... simply put they cut the lower splash guard then rotate it to a more vertical orientation)... which is what I'll do next time

then time to cut up the airbox again and make it fit better

and I still have a problem with it up against the hood... though I'm not sure I care - it's maybe 1/4" tall - given the hood flexes at high speed, a brace would actually kind of help. it doesn't rattle... but we'll see.... I also may decide to completely remake it
the transition from square to round isn't something I love - I dunno, I have a couple days before I can get back to this so between now and then, I'll think on it

SuperBuickGuy · Feb 26, 2024

started the day laying out another airbox....

finally came to this conclusion

the problem was, as is the case here, hood clearance

first I built an air cleaner retainer

envisioning tape

then a cap

then a bit of checking

then finally a weld together... it will be black, but I'm still down 2 blocks - so not painting until done

then started working on these

I've got short strand filler and I'll beeswax the body so it doesn't stick. I need these to bolt on.... that said, I will 3d scan them so I can print out new ones if needed

SuperBuickGuy · Feb 28, 2024

I'm exhausted.
err... I'm doing the exhaust
maybe both
hopefully this keeps the noise below the db limits at the track. If it doesn't... it doesn't

what are they... parts of the super quiet inserts I had in PF1 and also cones.... which seem to work pretty well at knocking the top off the noise without being a hp killer

time to wrap the new pipes

and kind of installed...

I need to rewrap a bit of this pipe but bolting it onto the car will hopefully make that easier

and yes, still more cutting to make it fit

SuperBuickGuy · Feb 29, 2024

I keep screwing with the 'attachments' for sidepipes. Today I gave up and welded the studs in place.

in giving up, I went and got another roll of header wrap. much better

installed

in other news, I bought a sewing machine years ago to sew this wrap. for a billion reasons, biggest of which being I never remember to get black thread and edging.... I took it to a local upholstery shop - done in a day

rtj · Feb 29, 2024

Borla mufflers have started selling a 1 to 4 to 1 transition piece. It might make a good slip in for side pipes.

Borla ATAK® Technology: Custom-Tune Exhaust Sound

ATAK® stands for Acoustically-Tuned Applied Kinetics, an exclusive technology that allows Borla engineers to custom-tune exhaust sound with the precision of a graphic equalizer.

www.borla.com

I’ve see something analogous in gas turbine test stands to reduce noise (and cracking).

SuperBuickGuy · Mar 1, 2024

that's very interesting

finished by putting the trim back above the exhaust

then cleaned up and reinstalled panels

wouldn't be a post without warranty destruction - the roll bar won't allow the trim at the top

hooked up the wheel sensors...

and that was it for tonight, thanks for looking

bonus clip - how to save silicone (or in this case, great stuff)... use a cap from a squeeze tube to cap the dispenser.

phantomjock · Mar 1, 2024

hooked up the wheel sensors...

Wheel speed sensor - or the "Turtles?" Can't read the display. What is the app?

TIA Cheers - JIm

SuperBuickGuy · Mar 1, 2024

phantomjock said:
Wheel speed sensor - or the "Turtles?" Can't read the display. What is the app?

TIA Cheers - JIm

the turtles - it's the TeamPlus app.

bobs77vet · Mar 1, 2024

the binding on the carpet piece looks good, that makes the carpet look so much more professional

SuperBuickGuy · Mar 4, 2024

beside working on the forklift and Blazer today.... worked on this... water has oil in it.... and there's a sound that sounds just like I used the wrong intake gasket.... F**K!!!!!
that said, I own the wrong gasket but I don't know why I have a coolant leak....
time to mark the area

then get the bondo and mold release out

and stuffed

then fill the other side as well

there will be much shaping to this - also waiting for the right VPA to finish it - but it came apart easily
Eventually I'll do 3d modeling of this then might get them simply printed out of ABS or PLA. These are in harms way so having a way to easily replace them is good business.
then, while the mud was out

I'll pull the intake tomorrow - gaskets are supposed to be here.... I'm concerned that it may not be the only problem... but we will see. I need this done so I get the Blazer done then the forklift and finally my wife's Jeep.... so I can get onto Anthony's pickup in August.... not a lot of time, a lot to do....

SuperBuickGuy · Mar 5, 2024

picture to remember where it faces so I can get it close when I put it back together... it's on TDC

after a full debrief, I dunno. It almost looks like the center bolts were leaking

note the wetness

this was no help

gaskets did tell the story of the vacuum leak but not the water leak

cleaned it up

then quit for the evening - I need a tap to get the MAT sensor in the intake. I have no idea what FiTech's plan was for it but I need it so modification time

SuperBuickGuy · Mar 7, 2024

first drill and tap the sensor hole

onward.... nice to see I get to resand the top piece

intake is back on but I don't like how the flange bolts are holding it down so going to change them tomorrow (after the silicone sets up)

SuperBuickGuy · Mar 8, 2024

FiTech tip. Don't use them.

In today's episode of "how can a manufacturer screw you up" we present this

if you use flange bolts, it will not fully contact the intake manifold - best yet, if you don't tighten them all down evenly, it'll just slightly offset the intake manifold making a good seal impossible.
change the bolts to bolt/lock washer and

and coolant goes in

this after I build an adapter so the pressure doesn't bleed off through the overflow

then fish all the wires through and realize I don't have electrical tape....

mostly reassembled

phantomjock · Mar 8, 2024

Nice "furniture" on the one gas-operated nailer. Got varmits?

Cheers - Jim

SuperBuickGuy · Mar 8, 2024

phantomjock said:
Nice "furniture" on the one gas-operated nailer. Got varmits?

Cheers - Jim

it's 'just' a pellet gun... of course, it uses a scuba tank pump to get the pressure up to 2k psi..... 1100 fps.... it's a lot of fun

SuperBuickGuy · Mar 11, 2024

reassembled with paint

then boots for the spark plug boots

and finally, noise

and to explain, running rich and cylinder number 8 is MIA....
that said, warmed it up and it didn't seem to be leaking anything - and the fan came on....

SuperBuickGuy · Mar 12, 2024

Well, hopefully this will be a final installment on the EFI change.
built a bracket for the solid state relay

wired the cheat devices and reinstalled the passenger seat

and took a few pictures of my very dusty car

I do have to finish the aero stuff and do some paint repair - but for now....

it's done except for tuning.

Plastic Fantastic 2

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