I should find out tonight when I finally get home from work!

(by the way, that was me calling for help yesterday, in case you were wondering!)

Oh **** buddy! I am sorry I missed your call. I was out in Stanwood all day and didn't see you called until about 8pm. I would have come out to help had I known.

I know you would have! It was ok anyway, my sister in law was closer.

Fixed a few various leaks today. Tuned the carb just a wee bit more and went for a really, really fun drive. BTW, 7,000rpm comes really quick in 1st gear!

Perhaps a bit of an extended cruise will happen tomorrow and then a drive to Bellingham on Friday. The new hood will have to wait until later...redneck hood is working in the meantime.

Took the car out for a test drive today. Adjusted the idle and put 3/4 of a tank in it and drove it to the waterfront in Mukilteo, WA. Ran well, was responsive and didn't stumble much, so the carb was close. Chugged a bit in 4th gear with the lockup anywhere close to or below 60mph. On the downhill run to the waterfront, a long 2 or 3 mile steep grade where you're essentially coasting, the car started stumbling a bit. Then when I got to the parking lot the idle went to crap and hunted and the car wanted to die. Jumped out and checked everything and it physically seemed fine, so I tried to adjust the carb by ear and messed it up worse.

Took some pictures in a hurry and didn't do my normal good job...but I was too busy thinking about trying to get home. I headed up the hill as quick as possible because at high RPM, the trouble went away. Almost got back to the freeway and I heard an odd sound, like something metalic being tossed from the car. Then, my belt started squealing and the temp started rising. Pulled into a church parking lot (2nd church in two days!) to find out what was wrong.

I almost missed it, but there it was...the supporting bolt on the alternator snapped off in the head. The sound I heard was the spacer going bye-bye. So, there I am, miles from home, a snapped bolt in my head...how the hell do I rig this back up to get me home? I just tucked the support rod under the alternator and wedged it against the main bracket. Worked like a charm..and the car starting running fine again, except for the fact I messed with the idle screws too much.

Started limping it home, and wouldn't you know it, but at the next light some kid in a Honda Civic pulled up next to me. It was the wrong place, wrong time and the roads were wet from a nearby sprinkler system. No way was I going to race him. After we made a left turn (both lanes turn left) he floored it and moved off ever so slowly. Then, a 2003ish Mustang went ripping by from behind and blew past him. Meanwhile, I'm just chugging along hoping my belt won't fly off. Around the next corner, what do I see? The Honda pulled over, oil everywhere, smoke pouring from under the hood and the acrid smell of what I think was burned clutch. Well, I guess that sucks to break when you're racing nobody. On the street. In a dangerous area. Kinda dumb.

So, here are some pictures from tonight.

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3513516_n.jpg

http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._8371272_n.jpg

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...2_542742_n.jpg

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6102911_n.jpg

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._4631319_n.jpg

And the broken alternator support. I think the angle was too sharp and I should have connected the support close to the head with a stronger bolt.

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3985116_n.jpg

Stupid bolt.

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7507387_n.jpg

Fixed the alternator mount and re-tuned the carb. Took it for it's longest drive yet, about 20 miles of mixed freeway and street driving. Both the car and the wife survived the trip. Seems to like idling at ~900rpm in gear, but it idles rich and I can't seem to lean it out much without killing the idle altogether. Part throttle cruise sucks below 2000rpm unless I'm in 4th gear and locked up. There's a bit of a flat spot/hesitation when transitioning out of idle or cruise. WOT works wonderfully...but I suspect I can lean it all out a bit. More tuning to come...along with a lot more driving.

Drove it about 100 miles round trip with a couple of full throttle runs to scare the hell out of my parents when I took them for a ride this weekend. Did maybe 16mpg, still running very rich at idle/cruise. Seems to cruise well at 3200rpm (just shy of 100mph) in 4th gear. Hope to get this thing on the track once before the summer is over...running out of time!

Nice project looks like you know what you want. I do have a question why ls6 heads and not the l92?

The heads are CnC ported and flow close to the same as stock L92(if not slightly better) with a smaller port size and valves. And a smaller combustion chamber (milled down to an even smaller size) for a much needed boost in compression ratio. I was also able to run a much larger cam without having any piston to valve clearance issues some guys with L92 heads run into. The biggest thing was they were actually cheaper than a new L92 setup.

Looks like you've got as great project going, Nathan. As for your running rich problem. I may have a couple of suggestions. First, make sure your power valve doesn't have a blown diaphragm( unless it's been blocked off), then put a vacuum guage on the engine so you can drive it at the rpm range when it runs poorly. Make sure the PV is of a low enough vacuum rating that it isn't opening at part throttle and flooding the engine. I. E.: IF off idle vacuum is 10 inches, try a power valve that's 5-6 inches to keep it from opening too soon, or even a smaller number PV if it's still running rich and stumbling

Next, what are you running for jets front and rear? You may want to try front jets that are 2-4 numbers less than the rears to start to help the part throttle driveability.

Accelerator pump cams and discharge nozzles are a whole 'nuther thing that affect hesitation during throttle transitions.

Good Luck.

Ric

Burnout of the redneck machine. Got caught up trying to keep her straight and shifted to 2nd when my shift light reminded me I was being dumb. (6,500rpm). Shifted to 3rd, hit the brakes. The sound you hear at the end is the serpentine belt slipping when the engine decelerates. Kind of worried about getting caught in the area, so I kept it short and didn't do a full brake stand.

http://youtu.be/_JYqEPle7Ss