This past weekend the weather cleared up, and the sun was out so I took a few pictures.

Nice to have the car done... and back on the road again after working on it all winter :D


http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/...ps667bee8b.jpg


http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/...ps088401e8.jpg


http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9055a69d.jpg


http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8f97738c.jpg


http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/...psaeb84376.jpg

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Nice track weapon! :thumbsup:

Sweet !

Love it, Dale. She's a fine machine. :rockin:

Congrats Dale. :thumbsup:

Very impressive build execution.

Very Clean

T56 Magnum & hydraulic clutch set up
 

Thanks guys, appreciate it! :thumbsup:


I have been driving the car for about a month now with the new T56 Magnum transmission… the Corvette ZR1 twin disc clutch… Fidanza aluminum flywheel… and the hydraulic clutch conversion. The ZR1 clutch is the best clutch I’ve ever had in the car! Very smooth engagement, quiet (no rattles), and the grip is excellent. I bought the modified ZR1 Clutch that is rated for 960 lb-ft torque, and I used a GM ZR1 throwout bearing. Even with the high torque rating the clutch still takes very little effort at the pedal and is extremely smooth on engagement.

I went with a Fidanza 12 LB aluminum flywheel to offset some of the extra weight of the GM twin disc clutch. It takes a bit more RPM to get going but still very easy to drive. I like the feel of the engine with the lighter flywheel.

The T56 magnum transmission has a very short throw, and just seems to click into gear with very little effort.... shifting up or down. The trans shifts at higher RPM with no problems at all. Shifting at peak RPM took a bit more effort on the lever but it still shifted great. I have the close ratio T56 with 0.80 5th gear and 0.63 6th gear… with a 3.73 rear axle in the car it felt just about right in 1st gear. Cruising at 75 mph in 6th gear the RPM is just over 2K.

The only issue I had on the transmission conversion was with the hydraulic clutch kit. The kit came with a Tilton ¾” bore master cylinder with a 1.1”stroke. I ended up using all of the stroke to get the clutch to disengage. I drove the car for about a week with this set up… but didn’t like the feel of the ¾” bore master… it took too much travel on the pedal to disengage the clutch… and it was difficult to shift quickly. Maybe the GM twin disc clutch just takes more travel to disengage than a single disc clutch. I ended up replacing the ¾” bore master cylinder with a Tilton 7/8”bore and now it’s much better. The action is quicker and the clutch feels just right.


Here is pic of the 3/4" bore master cylinder on the bottom, and the new 7/8" master on the top

http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/...psd4e453a5.jpg


Ready to go back in the car

http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/...ps492cbf15.jpg


Here is a list of part numbers for all the bores sizes of the Tilton clutch master cylinder kits for anyone interested. I bought the kit from Summit.

http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/...psbbcc987c.jpg


It took a couple of months work and a lot of time spent under the car before I could stick this part on :D

http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/...ps94ff1b8c.jpg

http://i1048.photobucket.com/albums/...ps40b9580f.jpg


That’s it for the trans and clutch conversion… everything is working good now.
:relax:

Just read thru your thread. I think I ran across your car @ Beaches couple years back. I also had AC rebuild my Pontiac engine as well. He tried to talk me into one of the LS long blocks he had sitting on engine stands, but I was dumb and rebuilt the Pontiac motor instead.

I lived about 10 mins from AC before I moved to Houston. Small world.

I started my engine build with A.C. a couple years ago also. I was there with my cousin who was getting a 500HP 406" SB built... and A.C. pulled me aside and we started talking LS engines... shortly after that I started the LS engine build with him. I was looking to go one up on my cousin with a little more cubic inch and HP, Lol.

What kind of Pontiac do you have?