Six_Shooter

Currently I'm working on my Typhony (1985 GMC Jimmy). When I bought this truck it looked much better than it turned out to be. It seems I don't have any before pics uploaded, so I'll start into the body work: A little more carnage: Coming together: And shortly after it was together the first time (The truck behind mine is my Grandfather's 1970 Chev pick up, I may make a thread for that at some point to).: Then came the engine build. I could have done like everyone else and dropped a SBC in, and called it a day. In fact this was the original plan I had when I bought the truck, even looked at buying a GTA for a donor, 305, 5-speed, and some other donor parts. The guy wanted too much for the GTA, it was junk, and wouldn't let me hear it run, so I walked away from that. I got looking around at the parts I had kicking around for another project vehicle I was working on at the time. I decided to go a different route and build a GM 60 degree V6. The original engine was a 2.8L, carbed, so starting with a RWD 660 block meant that it would bolt in easy, which was a concern, since this was my daily driver, and ease of install or "quickness" of install would be a concern. Since I needed a block, I bought a complete 2.8L that came from a 1986 S-10. It turns out ot was rebuilt previously, bored .030". I used only the block and the rods from the engine, everything else was scraped. I then added a FWD 3.1L crank, Federal Mogul stock replacement slugs for a FWD 3.1, to yeild a SCR of 8.9:1 with the heads and gaskets I planned to use. I added a GM Performance bumpstick (Same specs as the Crane Cams H-260-2, but for less money), new bearings, high flow oil pump, gaskets and oil pan buttun up the short block. For some reason I don't have any pics up to this point. Onto the top end: I started with a small port 3100 top end from a 1995 Buick Skylark, as these heads flow better than the genII and MUCH better than the genI (iron) heads. The rockers were a stamped steel rocker, this was built on a budget of shoestring and bubblegum, so I skimped on areas that I had to. The pushrods were from a genII 660, and the rocker studs were from a genI 660, as they are adjustable. Wasn't a proper valve train set-up, but it worked. In preperation for the engine swap and while I was tsill driving it with the carburated engine, I did a couple things: Relocated the battery to the driver side, to make room for the turbo and air cleaner on the passenger side: I built this battery tray from some angle iron and misc other bits of metal. And I made new rad mounts that incorporated an electric fan. It doesn't look like I have any pics scanned and uploaded of this other than this one: here is the assembled engine AKA "Franken60": Now this would be a decent set-up for around 160ish HP. Not bad for a VERY mild 3.1L pushrod engine, but that wasn't going to be enough for me, so what to do about that? Forced induction, that's what! So I started building some headers, since I had to anyway. the RWD manifolds, just won't work on the genIII heads, due to port shape and bolt pattern being spaced slightly wider. Crossover (under?) Keep in mind this was a low budget build, and had to use crush bend for some of it: Now came the install in the truck. Which took about a week to complete, since there were still parts that I need to build at the time of install, including about 60% of the headers. Yea! It fits! I positined the turbo and made the left header by measurments and it all fit like a glove! Onto pulling it out again, and making some other parts and adjustments. I think I had it in and out about 3 times, at least once, just because it seemed like the right thing to do, I did a complete check over, because I was SURE I had forgot to do something before placing it in the engine bay for the final time. Intercooler and piping: But did it run? I had to make an external crank trigger for the DIS ignition system, and this was a question of if it would work or not, as no one had built a hybrid like this before. Sure they had been done in FWD cars, where the block had provisions to use the OEM crank trigger wheel cast in to the crank, but no external crank triggers, until mine. I had problems getting it to run. Messed around with it for hours, cranking over, but no fire, even though it sounded like it wanted to fire. Fuel pressure? Yep, Spark? Check, Air? Duh, I'm still breathing so yep. Start chekcing over the inputs to the ECM, since I also had to convert the truck to EFI from carb AND build a custom harness to do so, during this swap. Find that the TPS is reading WOT all the time. WTF? Unplug the sensor and fired right up, no hesitation, hit the key and it fired! Open down pipe at 11:30 at night and it sounded AWESOME! Best sound I had ever heard, first firing of the engine. My grandfather had already gone inside at this point (I did the swap in the right of way in front of the garage at his place), he came right back out, I think he was smiling almost as much as I was. Yes, the turbo is spinning in this pic: I drove it this way for about two years until I bought my current DD (1998 Chev Malibu), as I though tthere was a problem with the turbo and I wanted to upgrade parts of the truck anyway. In that time I took it to the track twice, only ran it one day though as the track was shut down before I was able to make a pass the first time I went due to high winds. It ran, a 13.86, at 99 MPH, with a 2.07 60' and no fuel in 4th gear. I had too small of an injector and the ECM tuning was not where near good. The truck would literally fall on it's face once shifted to 4th, due to knock, then when the timing would come back in the front end would lift about 3". Well it has sat for the last 3 years or so since. But now I'm working on it again, and wil lhave some pics uploaded soon, I just have to remember my password and such for the webspace and re-install the ftp program. Hopefully have that done by the end of the week. Thanks for looking.

The length IS actually to the plenum. Or in the case of people using only velocity stacks, to end of the stack (actually the middle of the raduis). Once the throttle is wide open, the TB is taken out of the equasion. A very good article on induction design. http://www.grapeaperacing.com/GrapeApeRacing/tech/inductionsystems.pdf There are more but I don't have links at the moment, as most I've read were in actual paper based books.

I like. Reminds me of my Jimmy, where it would lift the front end of the truck at 80 MPH (not wheels off the ground, but the front end got VERY light).

Hmmm, that has me thinking now. I like that. (the tail lights, NOT the wing. )

Sprint, do not walk, or run, SPRINT away from showcars, they seem to screw just about everybody that deals with them, and thier products are crap. I see them frequently at car shows and thier stuff is just terrible. The fibreglass parts all look to be broken and repaired, and any steel parts I see them with either has rust or is dented.

I was going to suggest something similar. There are a few products on the market that will make this easier, though you usually have to go to an industrial supply house for that stuff. the only one I know of is in Mississauga Ontario. Anyway. You can also coat the foam in body filler (as long as it's not made from a material that reactes to solvents, like styrofoam), smooth the part out completly, wax it and going the extra step, using a liquid called PVA (Poly Vinyl Alcohol) to release the mold from the part. The PVA is water soluable, and can release the part using water forced into the seperation to disolve the PVA.

Agreed. The best way IMO would be to cut the entire front chassis off the car and fabricate a tubular front end, so that the unibody is gone, and the tube is as string or most likely stronger and helps to show off what you want to show off, the engine. Also makes access to the engine easier with the unibody stuff gone.

Looks good so far, and 'grats on the A. Just wanted to point out that your resonace and also effective peak pwer RPM has changed with the addition of the 180* bends. The calculation is from intake valve to plenum, more specifically half way through the radius on the bell mouths (for some reason the proper name eludes me right now, probably due to this head cold I have.), for a constant radius mouth. With that radius being what looks to be less than 1/2" probably around 3/8", the effective port length ends 1/4" to 3/16" down from the end of the mouths, if you were to place a ruler accross them. I'm sure you've realized this, you just haven't posted about the effective changes that I had seen and you seemed to post abot any small change, and it's effects.

WOW, they both look good.

The S30 has very similar body lines to the Ferrari 250GT. You probably already know, but there are body kits for the S30 to make it look like a Ferrari 250.

If you don't want to buy that car, I might be interested, but would liek more details on the car. PM me.

With any car that has been sitting you first have to evaluate what is NEEDED to be replaced or repaired and what can wait. Firt you need to find everthing wrong with the car, and it sounds like you are off to a good start with that. This is where you really need to be thorugh, to find everything. This includes the body as well as all systems in the car. Go over the body looking for rotten areas that need to be replaced, this is especially important on a unibody car, such as the S30, this is what holds the car together. You have to find all systems that are not working, fuel, brakes, driveline, suspension, etc. Once you've found everything that's not working or needs repair/replacement, you can start with the repairs. You'll probably also find a few more areas or parts that need replacing along the way that initially looked good, or because of the rusty bolts that break require replacment/drilling and tapping the bolt holes. Things that I would just automatically do, especially since the car has been sitting so long are the following: -Replace brake fluid with new. DOT 3 brake fluid (which it most likely has) absorbs water, this can get into the syetem through the reseviour (breather hole in cap), less than perfect seals, or simple condensation. It sounds like you have a brake problem anyway, possible rotted lines, or broken flex hoses, and if it's not so obvious pouring some brake fluid in will help find that possible leak. You should also replace the flex hoses, as dry rot will probably be an issue. You may actually have to attempt to bleed the brakes to get the fluid through to find any and all leaks. Inspect all brake components, you will most likely need to replace the brake pads and shooes, due to sitting for so long and dry rot getting to them. Also cheap insurance. Check over the seals and function of the calipers and wheel cylinders, you will likely find that these parts need to be replaced or rebuilt with new seals. -Fuel system. The carbs will most liekly need to be rebuilt. The old fuel becomes like varsol and usually eats the seals and gaskets, it can also become gummy and block some of the very small passages in the carbs. Probably best to find a new tank or a better donor tank, than to try and get rid of the rust inside the original tank. Little pieces of rust can play havok with the fuel system pumps, and other parts, that could also block the fuel system rather easily and then it becomes a larger problem. Drive train: Engine: Drain oil and inspect. If the engine itself looks lok, fill with new and a new filter, even if after the next steps you find the engine to be in poor condition, this is an inexpensive step to ensure you don't damage it from using a broken down lubricant. Once you get it to turn over, make sure oil pressure is built before you go any farther. I'm not familar with the 240 engines, if they can be primed before turning over or not, by use of a drill and adaptor. If it is possible then I would recommend priming the engine this way to get the oil to everywhere it needs to be, bearings, lifters, etc. You should while priming turn the engine over by hand to make sure that all lifters get lubricated before you attempt to start. You can also remove the valve cover and make sure that oil is getting to the top end, and that everything moves freely, when you turn it over. I'm pretty sure these cars (carbed at least) use a mechanical pump and you may need to replace this to get the car running. The diaphrams tend to dry out and split very easily after sitting for long periods of time. clutch and tranny: You will have to determine why the clutch pedal wo't move, stuck pedal, rusty clutch cable/bad hydraulics (again I'm not entirely sure what these cars use in that department), or a frozen clutch fork, maybe even a bad pressure plate. Easiest way to determine this is to start lubricating everything and possible disassemble the clutch system to inspect each component for wear and/or breakage. Drain tranny fluid/oil and fill with new. Diff, drain oil and fill with new. If you are really ambitious, you could pull the diff apart and inspect the gears, but I probaby wouldn't worry about that for now, they are usually not that bad of condition. While you're change the diff oil, check over the CV axles, and joints. You will likely find that all belts and hoses need to be replaced as well, these tend to break down over time and split/break at the most in opprotune times if they are not replaced from the get-go. You will also want to inspect the cooling system and maybe even have the rad and heater core flushed to ensure they are clean and free from debris and leaks. Fill with new glycol/water mix. Make sure all lights work, this seems to obvious but it's often over looked. Make sure the wipers work and replace the blades, this is another item I would just go ahaed and replace, without question. That should get you started anyway. good luck with the build/rebuild.

Thanks for your pics, gives me specific areas of the shell to look at when I actually get around to looking at an S30, for my project. BTW, does anyone have one for sale? Mostly just need to end up with a good shell, don't care about engine, tranny, or suspension.

I know this thread is a couple weeks old, but I just joined as I'm looking for a 240/60/80Z to build a project out of. Anyway, I'm wondering you have a link to the rest of this article I'd like to read up on the rest of that.