Mikelly

Ron, The front end is onepiece, but they left all the lines visible where they made the mold...so there is a seem between the hood and fenders, headlightbuckets, wiper cowl, access doors, pretty much anything you want to cut out. I'm wondering if I can cut out a smaller section of the hood for a lift off, fab up a more "AERO-Friendly" nose and just bolt the whole front clip on with the proper glasss support and Dzues fasterners. Any input from you and Terry would be great...BTW Ron where did oyu get your front end??? Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Here is what I did by my self, with no assistance....five times: Get an additional length of about 12 inches of chain and extend the arm of thelift out a bit so you only have the booom over the engine bay (Not to far though...). The additional length of chain assists with the tilter knob and allows you to spin the knob past the areas it tends to hit. I had the knob up front by the front of the engine lift, and had no trouble cranking it. You should be able to do all this by yourself. You may find it necessary to wiggle the tailsahft of the trans to free it a bit, but seriously, it should be a one man show with the tools you have. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

BLKMGK, Check my tech article and do exactly as I outline in it and you will be much happier...Trust me. It workes... Call me if you need me... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

JS, I agree 100%. I wouldn't recommend using a deadhead style pump, and the return should be the same size. That will allow maximum life from the pump and keep flow where it should be! I'm running -8 line up to the regulator and back from the regulator. I do drop to dual -6 line from the reg. to the carb! Mike Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Why not both? It isn't gonna cost you any more to stroke the motor than build a 350. Rods cost the same, pistones are the same, and the crank, maybe have a few extra dollars in the crank, but not much. Best money I spent with my engine builder was to spend my extra money on the hydraulic roller setup. My motor revs sooooo much quicker. The one downside to Strokers though is you can't rev them quite as high as you can a 350, but that isn't a bad thing if all your HP is still gained, you're just gaining it sooner! Regardless of stroker or not, spend the extra on the roller valve train! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

TOny, People who have been doing this have been using DeskTop Dyno to get the numbers and chart the powerband. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

It is extremely light, but it is gonna require some finishing work and I'm not gonna use the Hinges... I've seen better hinges in some of the stock car product magazines. Also, Chris was over and we were looking at how they made the mold of the unit.. It was pulled from a front end that was welded together. You could see welds in the seems between the panels. The grill and headlites will need to be cut out and I'm not sure that I'm gonna make it a tilt unit now. I'm considering cutting a section of hood out of the car to make a custom removable hood! Dzues fasteners are gonna need to be ordered if I go this route... Ron, I'll need some advice from you on this one! Overall I'm happy, but I'd warn everyone, this unit came with no instruction or documentaion whatsoever, and must be installed by someone who knows what they are doing... I'm in trouble! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Fast Frog, I agree whole heartedly! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

....And to add to the complexity, as Simmon can attest, the adjuster for the control arm alone is a very expensive piece to make... We had quotes of $100 each for the adjuster alone... Fortunately Chris has a family member who is a fbricator who can turn them out much cheaper for us, but relying on someone else and their schedule impacts production even further.... Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Kevin, Try adjusting it on your end, but I can take different pics and post them if neccessary. The control arms adjust over 1.5 inches total inboard to outboard to give a bunch of camber. The TC rod his about 2-2.5 inches of thread on them and the total adjustment for the TC rod is 1.5 inches (Both keep within safety spec of their respective heim joint diameter) which will greatly allow for caster adjustment. Terry, the gold rod is an anodized aluminum part that was recommended. It is damned strong, and we do away with the TC rubber at the frame. Chris took a holesaw and made the base with 1/8 plate steel with the 3/4inch bolt welded to it. THe heim bolt through some 1/8inch tabs that were welded to it. This should give much better control over caster/camber deflection and a wide range of adjsutment!!! I know we promissed the stuff sooner, but as you can see from the work I've done on my own car, planning my wedding, work, and generally life getting in the way, I have been WAY busy, and Chris, well he has been even more busy...He has a toddler, a two year old, and has been focusing on trying to decide on which direction his life should take with repsect to his profession... We'll try to get the Rear control arms done asap, but honestly it will be a while longer! BTW, We have enough stock on hand to turn out a set or two of the fronts if anyone is interested in just the front units! Hang in there! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Our TC RODD IS DONE thanks to Chris and his hard efforts! Take a look at them at: http://photos.yahoo.com/dat74z Scroll to the last pics and you can see them. They sell as a set for the front control arms and the TC rods with excahnge for $400 shipped... Let us know what you think! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Just looked in my TigerDirect catelog and they have some pentium 166MMX notebooks for cheap...$499 with extras... Not the deal Jim got but close to my pain level... I might have to go to my local Walmart and complain and get the deal Jim got... ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

The centerlines I just sold were 15X8 with a zero offset (4inch backspacing) and no tire overhang on a stock fendered car with 225-50-15s on stock suspension with 1.5 inches of drop. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

MAS can send it to your door for that price they charged me...I'd suspect them shipping it to you in GA wouldn't cost much more than that! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Well as of right now, Based on the cost of the complete front end ($459), Hinges ($59), and Shipping ($78), and based on prices other members have been quoted for shipping stuff.... I'm only $596 out of pocket for the whole kit. That is an amazing cost if the front end is of good quality! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk [This message has been edited by Mikelly (edited March 14, 2001).]

Well interesting you should mention this... A friend of my Little brothers wrecked his car over the weekend.... Seems he squeezed to wide a low profile tire on to narrow a rim. Caused him to total loss a 89 Mustang 4 banger... He pulled the tire off the wheel on a high speed sweeper out in the country and the tire flew off the rim and over top of the car.... Before it left the road. Anyway, Check with the tire manufacturers of the tire you want to fit. I ran 225-50-15s in the rear with no problems on a 7 inch wheel. They fit ideal. However, a 245 in a 50 (Or lower profile) series requires an 8 inch wheel according to most of your tire manufacturers. If you have more sidewall, then the tolerance increases, although I've been told by tire experts that the leverage used against each tire contact patch increases as well, causing added stress on the bead of the tire. What all this means is don't do what the kid I mentioned above did... He stuck a 255-45-16 on a 7 inch wheel..... Go out to the manufacturuers web site and check their recommended info under the specs section of the tire... BFG, Goodyear, Pirelli, Dunlop, and Bridgestone all cover this Per tire! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk [This message has been edited by Mikelly (edited March 14, 2001).] [This message has been edited by Mikelly (edited March 14, 2001).]

What Scottie is saying is use 1/2 inch line (8AN) for the feed and 3/8th line (6AN) for the return. I also highly recommend this. I'm running 8AN all the way up and back and I can't stress enough flow for the pump and the sytem as a whole! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Ditch the heads... I'd also not spend a dime on anything that isn't aluminum, particularly since the Vortec head is so darned cheap, built and ready to go! I know budgets get tight, but I'd suck it up and get the Vortecs, and plan on getting a little more cam in that motor. Your heads aren't going to do much even with a decent cam. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Plumbed the cell to filter to pump back through two bulkheads and from the return bulk head back to the cell. Also got the filler (Relocated to behind the license plate) done yesterday. Basically I need a straight bulkhead for the vent line to behind the license plate and I need to run the lines up to and back from the engine and the cell will be done. I also need to locate a 2.25 to 2.5 fuel filler hose. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

THat is Darius' wicked quick 240Z. The tail light panel surround is a standard 240 panel that has been painted. The motor is a TPI small block chevy with a supercharger, and the spoiler is the standard unit Victoria British and MSA sell. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

I got a call today from APA shipping in Richmond.. They will be delivering my front end on Friday and informed me that the charges due on delivery were.....$78!!!! SEVENTY EIGHT DOLLARS....From Monessotta to Virginia.... I was budgeting at least $150! Man that is sweet! Expect pics of the front end mounted on the car by the end of the weekend! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

TFL, Have you checked your Pinion angle? I'm running an 87 LSD in my package and I'm throwing down some serious HP and torque numbers to it without any problems. I know that excess wear presure can be applied to that plate if the angle isn't just right, and ussually requires a complete rebuild of the unit. I'm gonna swap to CV axles, as I believe they are the potential weak link. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Scottie, Thanks for the offer. If I don't come up with something that has a bit more HP and Y2K compatibility (Want to use it on trips), then I would absolutley take you up on it, for tuning purposes if nothing else! I greatly appreciate the offer! Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

OK, OK...enough of this...no bragging about cool laptops unless you can cut me a hell of a deal on your old ones! Mike (Who needs a cheap laptop!) ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk

Don't know if it is a good spot for the Oil Presure sender, but most of the oil filter relocation bases have additional ports for this type of thing...I'm gonna run my oil temp sender off on of the ports on my relocator. Mike ------------------ http://hometown.aol.com/dat74z/myhomepage/auto.html "I will not be a spectator in the sport of life!" mjk