Yeah, I totally agree. I just decided to run them because I'm a poseur and they serve as a practical place to bolt reservoirs. :lol:

Ron, I didn't take your one post as being negative towards what we're doing with my car. You tossed out good info from well respected people in our community, and I just wanted to make sure people knew the intended purpose of the bars on my car - which isn't to add any structural rigidity.

Matt

Pictures for today:

Jon and Jesus are just about done with color sanding the car to 3500 grit and will begin buffing tomorrow.
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop131.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop130.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop134.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop132.jpg

Looks like I'm headed up to Speedway early Wednesday morning to drop off the floater housing to have Frank design and weld brackets on. I never realized the W4A rear brakes came with a 14.25" rear rotor which is just insane and overkill but will definitely look cool along with my engine bay downbars :unibrow: . Because they're 14.25 no one has made a bracket yet, but I guess Speedway figured now was as good a time as any to make one, which is great for me. I would have had Cris from JCG cut a pair, but I would go crazy if I had to drive over there too. I think I'm driving 1000+ miles a week now. Two weeks and it will all be over...

Oh and I have more pictures of how the pedals went in if anyone is interested.

Matt

Matt- is the rear end set up straight or did you do any negitive camber??

I have a pair of brackets for 1.00 deg & 1.5 deg negitive camber..

You're no poser, and a thousand miles a week is nuttin'. SEMA's coming, so get busy...:)

Love that hood !!!!! best thing ive seen done to a first gen hood that i like in years..

Cris, I decided just to set the axle up straight. I figured it would just be simpler and require less maintenance - not having to worry about worn crowned axles and all. I plan on putting some miles on the car so it's one less thing to worry about. being able to have camber on a 9" is cool but the intended purpose of this particular floater is just to make the car more idiot friendly.

Matt

Good call on the cambered house or lack there of. at the end of the day it is a car built to enjoy for many happy miles on the road. The car is coming along nicely Matt. Where are you staying for SEMA? Will you be there all week? I'm leaving saturday night to head east.

Matt those miles will be worth it when its finnished. Its going to be sweet.

I'm not really sure when I'm heading up. I'll definitely be in town Wed-Friday and then head back Saturday. I also might help Dick move the car in whenever that happens to be.

Matt

I, for one, would like
 

to see more pedal pictures. I take it header clearence was not an issue. Love to hear your feedback on the way they feel.

car looks great, cannot wait to see the re-birth

Headers were the least of our worries. The biggest headache was related to fitting everything around the DSE frame, which unlike other aftermarket frames has hydroformed rails which hug the contour of the floor really closely. This little issue required us to punch a hole and do a little trimming on the sides of the bushing mount. The whole process would have been a bit easier on a car with a Morrison, Speedtech or 21st Century frame

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop121.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop129.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop128.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop126.jpg

I dropped the floater off at Speedway this morning after getting stuck in bumper to bumper traffic at 5 a.m. - I hate L.A. - so hopefully I can pick it up Friday. It'll get powder coated next Monday, and likely be under the car Thursday. If everything goes well we'll be driving it next Friday/Saturday, maybe...

Matt

Great update Matt. I figured the hydro formed sub was the issue. Questions for you -

Did you have to fab the floor due to ergonmics (fwd or back) or just to make room to mount the pedals?

Those masters are beautiful! Whose are they?

How/where do you adjust the balance bar in this set up?

I take it these pedals don't work w DBW? If not and I needed to use a GM pedal/double Tiltion, do you think the heel toe action would be as natural?

Sorry for the barrage, but I love the thinking that went into this. I actually brought up floor mounted pedals question to Chris in a thread when he rolled out his beautful billett pedal arms. Thanks to you and Dick for blazing the trail here...:hail:

Very nice Matt. Nice upgrades. Might as well while you have her torn apart, right?:unibrow:
I can't wait to see the hood all painted on the car. I bet it's going to look bad ass.:bow: :cheers:

Ok, let me do my best to answer these questions without forgetting anything,

the floor had to be modified for a couple reasons:
1. the pedal box with the M/Cs installed is pretty deep, and sits at least 4" closer to the driver than the stock hanging pedals. For any normal person to operate the pedals comfortably they'd have to be in the back seat.
2. angle of the pedals: without modification, the pedals would stick straight up and down, perfectly perpendicular to the floor at 90 degrees. Angling the pedals back was predominantly based on ergonomics, but also done to give space because the top of the pedals that the driver's foot rests on is now farther back.

Are you talking about the actual master cylinders, or the reservoirs? the masters are from Tilton, and the reservoirs are three of the Ring Brothers clutch reservoirs.

The balance bar is adjusted at the base of the brake pedal. You just loosen the nut and move it left or right depending on whether you want more front or rear bias.

As far as I know the Tilton three pedal assembly is limited to a mechanical throttle cable. If you used the two pedal assembly and the GM drive by wire gas pedal I imagine after a little planning everything could be made to fit "naturally." Personally, I would just use Tilton's hanging brake/clutch setup if I was running a drive by wire pedal - or just ditch drive by wire altogether.

Hope that answers some of your questions.

Matt

^ Great response Matt. Thx...!

The engine and trans was put in place tonight.. :)

That is all....

I know, Dick sent me some photographic proof. I think all of your engine swappage over the last year has really benefited me. This probably only took them 15 minutes today.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop136.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop137.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop138.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop140.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop139.jpg

Matt

Looks awesome! Love the look! That's a mass of killer parts working together right there! :thumbsup:

How many days left? Dick looks tired....but he's still standing!:D

Matt the car is really looking good. Really like the color.
Let the thrash continue!

GORGEOUS!!! It won't be long now my friend! :thumbsup:

She's coming together very nicely. Won't be long now.:cheers:

The guys took care of some more odds and ends, including putting the exhaust on and re-chromed and straightened rear bumper back on. The hood looks like it is ready for it's final prime. The engine bay is coming together nicely as well. Roughly 9 days left, and there might actually be a somewhat manageable amount of work. Well, at least compared to last year.

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop142.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop143.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop144.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop146.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop149.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop150.jpg

Matt

Is that blue hood prop billet or just blue anodized aluminum? LOL :lol:

Matt.. I know you'll make it this time!:D I'm really looking forward to seeing the car this year...:cheers:

The boys at BOS are kicking some tail, must be bud lights superior drinkability.:D

You guys are making some great progress. I can't wait to see the hood all painted and installed. Its going to look great.

Moving right along on that bad boy. Very nice.:thumbsup:

That would be blue anodized aluminum. The same company makes a red anodized can - I mean prop piece - as well so that they can match everyone's old AN fittings.

Well, the last couple days have been busy. We got the engine running again, but it needs to be tuned. Most of the interior went back in and other little things got assembled. Oh yeah, and the hood got painted!

http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...A/DSC_0739.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...A/DSC_0740.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...A/DSC_0742.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...A/DSC_0741.jpg

Matt

Matt, The hood looks great looking forward to seeing the car :thumbsup:

Floater all together and ready to go in...

http://i51.tinypic.com/14nzgyc.jpg

Sweet. I was wondering what had happened in the last couple of days. Thanks for the picture Steve, now go rest up and get better, unless your plan is to be so sick that David has to drive at Optima.

Dick sent me some pictures tonight, and not only is the floater together, its also under the car!


http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop159.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop161.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/o...SA/shop152.jpg

Matt

So Matt is it gonna make Sema?? By the way looks awsome!!

Real sweet Matt. It looks awesome!

Looks great Matt!!
Im going to stop buy tomorrow and get a closer look!!:unibrow:

Me too!

If everything goes as planned you could even go for a ride (around the parking lot). :unibrow:

Rick, barring any unforeseen catastrophe we will be at SEMA. Tomorrow we bleed the clutch and rear brakes. If everything works it will drive into SEMA under its own power!

Matt

Damn dude that looks so mint.

So awesome. Very nice indeed.:thumbsup:

Looks awesome! They really kicked ass on the rebuild! Not to mention all the upgrades that were done to it! :woot:

Now will somebody PLEASE install the RS front end! I remember that was a bitch in the 11th hour a year ago! I personally would feel much better if all those parts were installed and aligned! ;)

Great work guys! Cant wait to see the car and crew next week!! :cheers: :woot:

Here she is..... damn she looks and sounds good. :thumbsup:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rIVWfnV6fQ