360demonRT's 78 build

360demonRT

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Jul 13, 2008
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central Ky
Just stuff some paper towels down the intake and exhaust ports? Don't Really wanna have to pull the heads
 

360demonRT

Frequent Racer
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Jul 13, 2008
381
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central Ky
Crossmember is done, except for sitting the engine and trans in to know where to put my mounting tabs at. Wish I had a fbody pan to gain a little ground clearance. Going to try to get the motor painted And in by Sunday, hope to have the new rear in too.



 

360demonRT

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Jul 13, 2008
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central Ky
finished painting the lower part of the intake, I like it so much better than the natural aluminum that holds grease and dirt! cleaned the motor up and spray bombed it, pretty happy with how it looks, needs another coat of paint and then have to clean and paint the coil brackets and accessories. Supposed to be record cold tomorrow, somewhere near negative 15 i think. Its kentucky not minnesota. I'm so ready to move south, deep south like miami!

Also got some summit prostars for the 8.8 swap that it's too damn cold to put in!





 

360demonRT

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Jul 13, 2008
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central Ky
Motor and trans back in car! Mostly wired up, probably a couple good weekends left. One devoted to wiring switches and relays and the other devoted to plumbing the new fuel system. After that it'll be back on the road. Not sure when I'll get the rear swapped out...




 

360demonRT

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Jul 13, 2008
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central Ky
a few pictures of todays progress. pulled the gas tank and put in a new 10 gallon cell, ran some -8 line to the front and plan on using the old 6an as a return. bolted in the pumps then got mad because i couldnt find my 'y's lol. hope to find them tomorrow and button up the fuel system.






 

360demonRT

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Jul 13, 2008
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central Ky
Running with long tubes and a open X. May not throw the glasspacks on lol.

Fired on e85 And started and idled better than I could ever get it to on 93.
Cammed 5.3 78 Malibu:
 
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360demonRT

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Jul 13, 2008
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central Ky
made it out the local 1/8th mile before work. I'm pretty happy with the car, over a second faster than last year but it is severely over cammed and over intaked. Doesn't help that the converter was specced for a twin turbo setup so it's tight as a tick's *ss.

I have a set of new shocks en route since the stock 1978 ones are still in, replacing with three way adjustable all around, also should have some v6 non ac springs coming in a day or two. You can here the damn thing pick up, it needs a whole lot more converter, badly. Going to hit it with a 150 shot in a week or two, should shine... then i'm pulling the converter to send back to PTC to get it loosened up to about 4-4500 na. Limiter is set at 6800, try to shift around 65-6600



 
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360demonRT

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Jul 13, 2008
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central Ky
Figured I would drop in and update the build a little bit.

Before I pulled it apart, I replaced the huge intake with a stock truck intake and replaced the worn out slicks with a 255 et radial and got the car to some pretty consistent 7.9's with a 1.7x 60'. After that I got some 3.5" front runners, Moroso trick front springs and put in a smaller cam (224/230 114). The car picked up a TON of torque and I don't feel it lost anything before my shift point.

As a side note with the nitrous, the car only got one track outing and that was on the old worn out slick and stock shock setup. with low bottle pressure and 10* pulled the car only picked up from 12.5 to 11.9 on a 150 shot lol. lined out with the radials, shocks, springs, smaller cam and intake i really feel the car could have went basement 11's if not a 10.99.

UNFORTUNATELY, I didn't get back to the track with the new setup. A valuable lesson for all LS swap guys... Don't use the truck pan! Slowed to about 40 in a construction zone (55mph) and still dipped down and ripped the pan off on a bridge lip with my wife in the car. almost lost it with the oil under the car (and her clutching my right arm). Happened on July 4th on the way to a family cook out.





After pulling the busted pan motor to swap out the oil pan, I noticed the bell housing on my PTC th400 was cracked so I went thru some dark days and gutted the whole setup lol. Going to put a JW bell on the trans, a fbody pan on the motor and use it in my wife's mustang swap.



The new setup will be an aluminum, square port headed 6.0 (l76 from a G8 GT) with a big cam, big converter in a pro braked 'glide, and a 29.5" tire on two kits (150 progressive and 100 on a short ramp). I plan on running this car in a local no prep/ no time series so there may not be any time slips posted once it gets up (i expect April time frame).







 

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