I’m on day 15 work wise and pushing to not work this weekend, you know the trade, anything can happen.

8.8 are easy enough to come by, are you using Explorer and shortening the long side or have you got something else in mind? I may add an 8.8 to the list unless you don’t think it’s needed with a much lower power level.

Keep on keepin on!

Ill do an explorer rear and shorten the long side of it.

The stock dana 30 can handle 300 hp all day long. Put in a G80 from a 740/940 and be done with it. My last ls swapped car had the Dana 30 in it the entire time with zero issues. They hold up really well for the most part. You can also get a locker for them.

Sean

Wait, whaaaat? You’re saying to NOT spend money on parts I don’t need? I usually hear....”you need an SLA and a torque arm”, “your car won’t work without an aftermarket K member”....or the best, “you know what you need?”

I may need more friends like you, thanks for the info!

:thumbsup::flag2:

That's funny, when people ask my opinion I tell them all the time they only need to buy x and not y, z or all three for their build. Some people just love to spend money (especially when it isn't theirs) on unnecessary stuff. In my opinion it's all about realistic goals and doing better than you did last time, not trying to beat the other guy.

One neighbour of mine has a car that hasn't moved or even run in almost 10 years because he keeps changing his mind and upgrading parts to beat the other guy. Shame.

What kind of bastage prickfaces have you been talkin with?! :innocent:

All of them :hello: Get that SLA yet?

I think I lucked out on the powder coater. They are about 15 minutes from the house and their work has been top notch. Dropped all this stuff off Monday, picked it up done on Friday, I could not find any issues with any of them. 20% gloss black on every bracket, battery box, lower heat exchanger mount. BLK17 textured black for the strut tower bar and intake tube.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psl2jsddb6.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pscz0ucojf.jpg

I am pretty happy I spent the extra few minutes to do the speed holes and dimple dies on the hood support, it looks a little cleaner and fits the build a little better in my opinion.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3oqr5hx0.jpg

Kind of just stared at it friday night after the long week.

Had a friend down Saturday to help with the fuel system, we gutted all of the old fuel lines and dropped the fuel tank to find a terrible mess. The fuel tank was about 75% water and 25% gasoline. The inside of the tank is totally rusted out. This is the pump and level sender.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pscqj74ifc.jpg

So that kind of left me at a total loss. We changed direction and tore into the heater box to do the worst task on a car ever, blower motor, wheels, resistor and heater core.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psl7pdxzn1.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7opi1zoq.jpg

Got it all back together and bolted in the car and was able to get the pedal assembly installed as well, hooked up the clutch pedal and brake pedals as well.

Pulled the factory pressure pump bracket apart and welded up the bottom of it with a new plate and it gave me a great place to mount the Holley 10 micron filter.

Not much progress but hoping to have a little bit of progress this week.

With the tank being shot and waiting for another one to show up I got to work on what I could keep on.

The fuel pump will mount internally to the tank, it has the pump, hydramat and regulator all in one so it will have a single line running forward.

I have to mount a filter somewhere and the stock under car filter and pump location seemed to make a lot of sense. I fashioned a plate to cover the stock holes and got it all welded up. Didnt have time to get it to powdercoat, but only a handful of people will see it so it got the wrinkle paint on it and then got the Holley 10 micron filter and their brackets to hold it in. I think it turned out pretty well.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psr9otinxn.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psnwodctgo.jpg

I didnt take any pics but I ran the fuel line up front under the car, factory location, head sleeved front to rear as I dont want to have any issues down the road. Russell GM connection at the fuel rail is super clean.

So without the tank that is where the fuel system stopped.

So this then took place.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psxiaxnxmf.jpg

Then everything got cleaned up, brackets all pulled out, brake tabs all hardware soaking in my secret sauce to remove all the grease and undercoating.

Everything got tapped off and shot all new undercoating in the front innerfenders.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pstlz3xzlh.jpg

I dropped off the lower control arms with the rear bushing pockets at the powder coater monday morning. They blasted them and had them back to me by 4 pm on Wednesday and again some killer work.

I had to be up in Seattle on Tuesday and Portland on Wednesday. So I ordered some parts and picked up on my way home.

New steering rack, wheel bearings inner and outer, seals, lower ball joints, outer tie rod ends and some misc parts.

So here is the haul for the front suspension,

From Ben

JRZ rsone coilovers
machined upper camber plates
adjustable sway bar endlinks
5x114.3 drilled hubs
ARP long wheel studs
mock up roll correction steering arms (new version hopefully coming soon)

STS Machining

R brake mounts

IPD

Lower control arm bushings

Misc,

New 330 mm brake rotors
s60R brake calipers
Custom built braided stainless brake lines, fittings and plugs from Pacific Rubber in Eugene.

Powdercoated lowers

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psizzehvxq.jpg

Had a lot of little issues that hung me up today, wheel bearings just did not want to fit on the JRZ spindles, so a fair bit of finesse went to get this together, chopped off the backing plate so that everything operates like it should with proper dust protection and seals.

New steering rack installed, Lower control arms, cleaned up brackets going back in and stainless lines.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psg4sjzyda.jpg

I only got the one side buttoned up today but its fully plumbed and mostly tightened up on the one side. Its gonna be low.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psacwkvtkk.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pstrku2a3o.jpg

I am really digging the details in this little section.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psnqsx6jyb.jpg

Picking up the 8.8 tomorrow, then off for the weekend to spend some time at the coast. Hope to get back on it sunday for at least a few hours.

Sean

Great progress so far, Sean--it's great to see creative builds like this happening and getting done. It's this kind of build that gives sites like this a legitimate reason for existence. Question: What kind of regulator goes in your fuel tank with the pump and everything? I get the sense that my C5-style setup may piss me off in the near future . . .

Thanks man appreciate the compliments. I am not a big fan of cookie cutter anything so I gotta thing outside the box.

I stumbled onto it to be honest. Was getting ready to order up the same Aeromotive kit I have in the last few F100's but hear about this and started doing some looking.

This has a regulator built directly into the tank, regulated at 60PSI outlet pressure. I adapt directly to -6 from the pump, my entire fuel system is composed of 4 fittings, 1 at the pump, 2 for the filter and 1 at the fuel rail.

I am running the Holley Hydramat that comes in this kit. Not the cheapest setup but I have heard nothing but amazing things about it.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Holley/510/12-133/10002/-1

Fuel tank should be here today so I can drill the holes and get the pump and float assembly mocked up.

Sean

Well, managed to get the driver side suspension all buttoned up and installed. This sides bearings went on much better than the driver side. I fought with the spindle on that side for hours.

Waiting on tender springs for the front to show up from Eibach and I can bolt in the upper struts for good.

I was planning on just leaving the Dana 30 in the rear, but I just cannot do it, I am too deep in this project to cut corners now.

So last Thurdsay I called around with not much luck finding an 8.8. Did a little junkyarding and found a killer junk yard here in Eugene that had several 8.8's. I lucked out and found one with 3.73's and a limited slip, 31 spline and all. They even had another one next to it that I was able to pull the short side shaft out of.

Took a few days off and visited the coast with the wife, did some hiking (hard on the busted up knee) and had a nice few day break.

Got out in the shop early yesterday and got to work. Unloaded from the truck with the cherry picker and onto jack stands.

For those of you not in the know. This axle is from a 95 to 2002 I believe Ford Explorer, its too wide in stock form but has an offset center section. You can cut down the long side of it and run 2 short side axle shafts and narrow the rearend 2-7/8". These are a disc brake 8.8 rear axle and are very, very tough, 31 spline, factory limited slips and are very well supported by the aftermarket.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psyfiqqmtt.jpg

Tear down of anything removable from the housing ends.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psgwvcds1a.jpg

Then the fun began. Even with a plasma cutter and good grinder this was a pain.

Void of all bracketry and cleaned up for the next steps. I followed a good write up and it worked out far better than anticipated.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psf9ekatoc.jpg

Marked out a centerline for alignment, then got my hose clamps out, they make for a nice straight guide line.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psp8scbrbb.jpg

Marked up and ready to chop out a section. I cut the end piece off first, trusty grinder with a cut off wheel worked better than expected.

I cut 2-7/8" out and it was perfect.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psptcsschr.jpg

Ends of the tube got faced and beveled with an 1/8" land and got to jigging everything up to get tacked together.

I used 2- 12" long pieces of 3" C channel and 2 large metal clamps and a quick clamp to hold it together while I got the screw clamps on. It worked good. Clamped this way and tacked, then removed, rotated 90 degrees, re clamped and tacked again.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4lew0smw.jpg

Once tacked together, I put everything back together to make sure I was able to get the C clips back in and the brakes on, with the shafts.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psyo2359sb.jpg

Everything looked great, tore down, and welded.

Reassmbled everything so I can measure for tabs to go on. Scott is burning out some new tabs that might work for me, hope to have them this week.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2poittqk.jpg

Fuel tank should be here today, might be able to get this under the car, fuel pump installed and lines buttoned up by the end of the week.

Rear brakes are ordered, e brake cables, diff cover, fluid, gaskets. Need to figure out some rear coilovers quickly.

Sean

I dont think that there is much interest in a backyard project like mine on this forum but Ill keep the thread updated anyways.

I did a horrible job the last few days of taking photos....sorry for the build thread.

I received the Spectrum replacement fuel tank on Monday and got to work mounting up my new fuel system. The tank is far nicer than expected, even came painted a satin silver that will totally work with my scheme here so saved me some time and money.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psr6f8oj6p.jpg

Located where the new setup will go, marked the location and drilled a 3.25" hole for the new assembly to drop into. This puts the pump out of the way of the stock float for the fuel level and gives me a great location for the Holley Hydramat to lay out as well as miss the factory filler neck too.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psk2dpo0ar.jpg

Followed the ****ty instructions that came with the pump but it worked just fine. This is a big single pump, 450 with an internal regulator regulating the output to 60 PSI. The only fittings coming from the new pump is a supply line and a vent. The vent will be hooked to the factory filler neck opening.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6j5nmgyn.jpg

The new assembly all bolted down to the tank.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pswqzlo75d.jpg

I abandoned the stock fuel line connections on the tank but am utilizing it still for fuel level sender. I am waiting on caps to show up to plug them off. Should be here today, new level sender is installed as well as a new o ring and lock ring, its a clean looking setup and should be plenty for what I am doing.

Scott from STS Machine and I had been going back and forth for a few weeks on 8.8 stuff, he had some killer lazer cut brackets made for the 8.8 to 240, so while in Portland Tuesday and stopped by his place and picked them up with a 25mm front v8 sway bar. I also snagged some 3/4x3/4 heim joints, some bushings, tube and weld inserts.

I got to work yesterday, yarded out the factory Volvo rear axle and got to work locating all of the brackets and getting things tacked up. I spent a little more time than I probably should have but it all worked out.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psjvuxvfho.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psjxniu0cs.jpg

I ditched the factory lower arms all together. It just didnt make sense, I was going to have to cut them down, buy new bushings for the front, Bens Spherical bearings for the rear and then chop off the back and plate it, then build mounts for the coilovers. It was too complicated for something so simple.

I used some Heim joints at the axle, 1.75OD bushings x3" wide and a piece of 2" .120 tubing for the front bushing at the car. a piece of 1.5" .120 DOM tubing for the lower control arm and a 1.25" weld insert for the heim. It worked awesome and I was able to just use some off the shelf 3" laser cut tabs for the lower link mounts. Now everything on the rear is more conventional.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psg5akgm7m.jpg

I have rear coilovers on order, upper and lower shock tabs on order, brakes are shipped, rear ARP wheel studs are on order, I think I am making some progress.

The axle is actually under the car now at ride height, I shortened the lowers .75" and have adjustment to go longer or shorter still. Ben's comfort uppers are in place as well, they have just enough adjustment on them to make the shortened lowers work.

I am hoping that I can set this thing on its own weight next week some time with the fuel system all buttoned up and the suspension mostly buttoned up.

I am getting tired though, been busting my ass lately.

:-P

Sean

Is that little sanitary napkin thing seriously all the "hydramat" consists of? The idea of the internal regulator seems cool (not so much for the price, given the $35.00 for the C5 setup), but it's quite a challenge to believe that little absorbent pad will alleviate the need for baffling under g-loading. We shall soon see. You have a Panhard bar setup in the works?

The lack of interest thing is a challenge. There's a lot of pretense in the world, and if you don't have a really shiny Camaro that will make you look like you really won the world after high school (did that really happen?), you just can't win. This is okay, and it's why I've been using Google Translate to read Swedish and Norwegian build threads lately. The guys over there just want to engineer stuff to go fast, regardless of whether the end product will be appealing at the 30-year high school roundup.:bitchslap:

Man you and I are always on the same page.

I was skeptical as well about the tank tampon....until I started talking around. There are way more people using them than you would think. I have 2 friends that have them in their KOH rigs and zero issues. Lots of the lemons and long distance race cars are using them as they allow them to literally run the tank totally dry. Most of them are able to run an extra 10 to 20 minutes with the hydramat than without. The hydramat is made of cells that open when in contact with fuel and close when out of it. The hydramat only has to touch the fuel to suck it up. There are some amazing videos of it out there and I have several guys local that swear by it.

I just want to build stuff and keep getting better, I dont usually buy anything off the shelf, this build has been a little different but still no mass produced parts. There is some amazing stuff coming out of Europe and even a few of the shops here in the states but you really have to look. I love the pro touring scene but it can get stale pretty quick. Some bad ass cars without a doubt.

We should get together some day man, would love to come down and hang out some weekend.

Sean

I don't care what others think, I'm excited every time I see that Sean has updated this thread...

I dig it so much that I don't even care that the pictures are so huge I have to scroll back and forth to view them. :bitchslap: :lmao:

Outstanding work!

I've been following along since the first post, enjoying the build. Not only is it cool "dare to be different" but I am learning things along the way.

I think this is my first post here and all I have to say is what he said. ^

I read your whole truck build and loved it, this is intriguing to me as well. You can only get into so many Camaro builds. And I am a Chevy guy myself.

I think every car I see has something to offer but in all honesty if I never see another 67-69 Camaro build in any shape or form I will be good with it. Trucks that go fast but shouldn't , rambler station wagons , Volvo P1900's , 64-65 GM A body wagons or El Caminos , anything Mopar and anything else off the beaten path is what I dig. Anyone can build the mundane but the stuff you rarely see is where I get excited.

You'd be surprised how much interest! I look forward to the updates.


Jeff-

I like camaros. :mock:

I agree. This is a very cool build and I like the details and Home built aspect of it. I love threads like Greg’s Mustang but that kind of project is $$$$, this is a cool down to earth build that is more relateable. Especially being built in a garage.

Oh damn!!! I had no idea any of you guys were even paying any attention to this thread. I was not seeing much chatter so I thought it was just me writing to myself =)

Thanks for the encouragement and keeping me motivated!!!!

Thanks man, Appreciate you chiming in and saying something. You going to be at SEMA this year?

I never knew the pics were too big. they look totally normal on my screen on my computer and my phone.


Thank you, I have never really been into cars that are "easy" to build. I like boxy and being a little different. Glad to hear you are picking up a few things here and there, I do a lot of that also.

Thanks Marcellus, Appreciate the feedback and Ill keep them coming. The truck build was super fun, gotta keep learning though right??

We have very similar tastes, I like the less common cars. It was between this and a Maverick and it was all about what I could find for reasonable money. Thanks for the props.

Thanks Jeff, I had no idea. Ill keep the updates coming along.

Oh I know you do buddy. I also know you are following along though. Looks like its time for business on the mustang? You going to do any track days soon?

I love the over the top builds as well and those are what keep me going and trying to do better, I appreciate them but its out of my wheelhouse.

This old girl is all garage built.

Hope to have some parts today, didnt even touch it last night :underchair:

Happy Friday!!

Just finished my plans for the SEMA trip yesterday in fact, so yeah I'll be there. We'll see you at the Lat-G party for sure?

Maybe it's just my Chrome browser but yeah huge scroll bar for me left and right for most of your pics... Not sure why... Still worth looking at though!!

I used 2- 12" long pieces of 3" C channel and 2 large metal clamps and a quick clamp to hold it together while I got the screw clamps on. It worked good. Clamped this way and tacked, then removed, rotated 90 degrees, re clamped and tacked again.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4lew0smw.jpg

Once tacked together, I put everything back together to make sure I was able to get the C clips back in and the brakes on, with the shafts.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psyo2359sb.jpg



Sean, kudo's to you for doing all this work on your own & fabbing things along the way!
I've got a rearend that going to get cut for big Ford bearing ends and a Trutrac. The shop utilizes this product to make sure all is aligned.
https://www.mittlerbros.com/rear-end...l?options=cart

Anyway, keep up your good work, look forward to the updates.
Simon

Thanks man, that setup is pretty nice, a little too much for the maybe a couple times in my life I will narrow an axle.

Appreciate the props.

This project is turning out to be bigger than anticipated. Got shocks and tabs on Friday and got to work for a little bit.

I ended up not using any of the tabs as the shock really needed to be king of low to get some reasonable travel out of them.

I am running a ride tech adjustable coilover. These are very high quality shocks and are 100% tunable. Guys like Ron Sutton can valve them however you want them to be and I want to be able to fine tune them in the future.

its a 4.1" Travel shock, ride height is set at 4.5" from rocker to ground on a 25" tall tire. I am 2.25" of uptravel at that level.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psrn0br9w5.jpg

I ordered up a bad ass mosier diff cover, unfortunately it does not clear anything so looks like Ill need to just run the stamped steel diff cover, it has like .25" clearance at the tightest spot.

So built all of my brackets, got everything tacked in, pulled the entire assembly back out, and got to welding. I added gussets to the back and bottom of the shock and lower link tabs to be 100% sure that dont have any flex, pretty sure they are not going anywhere. Also this tied in the two sided of where I shortened the rear axle.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psnrkjrucx.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pswyp9evh1.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psuns2undy.jpg

I got the stock wheel studs pressed out and the new ARP long studs pressed in, cleaned up the faces and slid them in temporarily. I am waiting for brakes to show up should be here this week. I have the new flex lines from the car to the axle made already.

Kind of running out of steam at this point :oops: Now I gotta start on the rear wheelwells to get some real tires in there, its going to be a fair bit of work.

Sean

So, I'm not sure what is different but the first picture in this post is huge and the rest are prefect in size... Is it just me?

I can't wait to see this hanging under the car...looks like a great way to make something work where it probably shouldn't have...

Paint it or blow apart and powdercoat?

If "running out of steam" for you is building a new rear suspension, I don't know what to call my complete lack of interest in replacing the timing cover on my stupid car (which seems necessary to fire it up, given apparently incompatible cam sensor distance).

To reply to a previous response, come on down if you get the chance. I've got a 12-mile test track (curvy river road) that runs right past my yard--you just have to dodge a lot of spandex on certain days . . .

Thanks for the clarity the Holley hydramaxipad thing. I may look into that the next time my fuel pump situation becomes problematic.

Oh, and to be the jerk here (kind of my job), you are going to want some vertical adjustment in that Panhard, if you haven't already planned that in.:hairpullout:

Careful Rustio, I’m pretty sure Sean has the required spandex...nobody wants to see that.😐

And as far as being a jerk, I mentioned the same thing about vertical adjustment with the horizontal locator. Let’s see if two jackasses can make him rework a finished part. :lol:

[QUOTE=SSLance;679940]So, I'm not sure what is different but the first picture in this post is huge and the rest are prefect in size... Is it just me?


I think so.... but you are kinda special. :)

I think so.... but then again you are kinda special. :)

Well ****.......you guys are right. I was trying to take the easy way out on the panhard but its not the right way.

Ill order up some brackets and chop it off when I get back home from working out of town this week.

Thanks for being jerks and calling me out.:twak:

Sean

Please educate the rest of us "not in the know".

I always understood the Panhard bar should be level (@ ride height) & @ axle C/L or slightly below on a street car (track only might be different).
What's the problem here?

Ahhhh.... Thanks... :)

The panhard bar is an excellent tuning tool. Adjusting its location in relation to both the chassis and the rear axle has a direct impact on roll center and can be used to help with grip. If you have adjustability in its mounting points you can tune that rear roll center and make huge improvements in handling.

Ron Sutton has a class that he puts on that was the first real suspension design class I took, he is much better at explaining it than I will ever be.

Flat at ride height is one equation that is taken into account and probably works ok for street cars, but overall height of the panhard bar, from the ground at ride height and being able to go up or down on both ends is huge.

Dropping the axle side of the panhard bar on my F100 made a huge difference and I should know better.

Take a read through this, its an amazing intro to handling.

https://lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=42568

Sean

De nada, dude! If I've got a booger on my nose, it is my hope that somebody will say so. It's the mark of a true friend (not the booger, but the mention thereof)!

You're right in terms of the level setting, but when you're building a car, the weight (which will change) will be something that affects ride height, along with wheel fitment and what you deem fashionable. When ride height changes (and you have a Panhard, which is like a 250-year old design, by the way), diagonal angle in the bar will be induced, and this will jack the axle one way or another (in a fixed position). That's no bueno. If you can't adjust the angle out (via vertical adjusters and the threaded heims on the bar), there will be an unmovable funk in your car's handling.

wow man, my buddy has a turbo LS wagon the same year so i sent this thread over to him.

Dude, I'd watch you build a bicycle if you posted a thread about it!

Always interesting, such quality work, and love the home-built, home-brewed DIY awesome!
Get some rest in there somewhere, I'm tired just from reading about all your work haha!

I get the 'how it works' portion. I guess I interpreted the original statement incorrectly & read it as there was a serious flaw as installed. It looked functional so that's why I inquired.

I built my 64swb Chevy trucks Panhard bar frame mount as adjustable but when I did my Dually I just set it level @ ride height (full weight on the ground).