goodluck mike, i would get jodys help, your not getting much anywhere else.

thanks Kevin. There are a lot of factors going on here, and it will make more power if Mike decides to make some changes.

Jody

Power
 

Thanks Jody! We have been looking at all options and I thank you for your helpful input.
Kevin

Hey! If I'm not allowed to give up after my project is wrecked right after getting on the road then you're not allowed to give up either!!!

Just take a deep breath and work it out, you have a lot of people here that want to help and I'm sure CAR will stand by their work.

It's easy to give up, but far more rewarding to push through till the end. :yes:

Hey Guys. I went down to CAR today and had a long but productive conversation with Tom today. It's not a they don't know or don't care thing, but a frustrating time consuming, money dropping situation for me. I have had problem after problem with this car from the get go. This car has had a lot of problems due to changes we made and other issues that have come up. I'm mad and upset at a few things and none of those are Kevin or Tom's fault. It's just hard watching the car take one step forward and two steps back. I was really hoping to enjoy the car at length this year and that's not going to happen, and it's hard to digest the amount of money that I have put into this car, and it still remains a paperweight. I counted up all my receipts today and I have 204k and it can't get out of it's own way. There are still so many issues with this thing that I do just want to cut bait and run and take my losses and move on. I spoke to my wife about it, I spoke to Steve Brosco about it and others today and tonight about what I want to do. Everyone has said that I should take a few steps back and just have the car fixed and keep it, as I would kick myself if I sold it. Thing is, I just don't care anymore, and after looking at it today knowing the problems it has, I would not feel bad if I sold it. Right now I hate this car. I hate the fact that I have to spend money I don't have to make it right, and to be honest I don't think it will ever be right. I take a hard turn it stalls, I stop fast it stalls. The clutch needs Godzilla to depress, the driver side rear wheel is bent, there are water leaks, fuel leaks, it just isn't what I had in mind when I first got started with the second rebuild of this car. I don't wish to rant about this or that, but I’m honestly having difficult sleeping, and it's effecting me in all fascists of life right now. I cannot get my mind off the fact that no matter what is done to the car, it's not going to be right. I just cannot deal with this car.

Well Jake I am getting help, it's just not what I had in mind. This project is just beyond everyone at this point.

Well, you forgot one option.. and while it's drastic it sure beats selling it.

Sell the supercharger and spend that cash to just put a good old reliable and easy to tune carb and intake on it.. The money made on the blower sale should more than cover the parts and install of a carb.

It's not as sexy, but the car will still be a blast to drive. I would HATE to see you sell her, I have plans to terrorize shows with you.. someday... hey, you still might have yours on the road before mine ;)

Hang in there.. one way or another it will work out. If it was easy everyone would have a hot rod.

I know you're right Steve, but I'm beaten. If I could get half my money back by crushing the car, Id push the button. I would not have to think twice about it.

I would Steve, and I asked Tom at CAR if he would trade my entire setup for their small block 454 engine today, and he kinda ignored me on that, but I would do that in a heartbeat. I wanted to buy that engine orginally, but they would not sell it to me. I think they are putting it in one of their shop cars down the road.

Hey Frank. I know what you're saying buy I have a real problem asking for people to donate their time to fix a car they don't own and then to charge very little or nothing for their efforts. I just can't do that.

Man you and I sound like we have the same family, different business. I too put my son into a 45 day program the end of this past week and cost big bucks, and Im in the mortgage business (maybe I am kidding about being still being in the Mortgage business) and my plans are now on hold with my Chevelle and the 68 Camaro I was going to buy... I know what you are going through, but remember, Gods in control. Just keep moving forward. I pray for you and your family that your sister will come out clean and sober with a new life ahead. I applaud you that you have such a caring heart and willing to invest in your family and their future. If I was closer I would be on a drive up with ya to help you out. A person like you are a blessing to others and if means anything I think that all of us on Later-g (if its okay to say this for everyone else) knows you have a heart of a saint and this problem will be solved...Be patient and hang in there....:thumbsup:

Blessings,

Thanks buddy, you made my day with that. But the only reason I did what I did, well 2 reasons was my sister has 5 kids, 2 of which are not doing well themselfs, thanks to my sisters poor parenting, and I was the only one with a 15k credit card limit for her rehab.

It's not a matter of asking.. it's a matter of accepting help that's offered. Our community it a "family" of sorts and what makes this hobby better than stamp collectors or others is our willingness to help each other out. No car is built individually, it's a team effort.

If CAR can't help you with a swap to a reliable engine then I'm sure there are plenty of members that would be happy to help you turn a wrench or two.. ok, maybe three. lol

The point is your car can be reliable and fun without the blower. I rather see you keep the car than ditch it and loose faith in the hobby. Later on down the line you will regret it.

Power
 

Mike,
Sounds like Rupp is "calling you out", lets finish the car it is getting closer everyday and your time line isn't bad when you look at that you've almost built the car twice. Make a time to set down with Mark and Tom and map out the final options/details.
Kevin

if its a major tuning issue with the blower, and spending more money is out.... i would yank the blower belt, swap the carb, and ENJOY the car for a lil while. let things settle down before going back to tuning with the blower.


im not saying its the gonna be a blast to drive, but with the low compression....you can get away with the "cheap" gas.

Yeah Steve is calling me out. He kills me sometimes. ;)
Kevin, here's the problem, I'm working the next few days in Redwood City. I am bidding a large project with Steve tomorrow night, after that I'm busy with my sisters kids and my work. I don't have idle time in the next week or so, plus my now more frequent visits to the pub. I really hate the water injection idea because it's such a low buck item on that high dollar junker in your shop. But it's all I can afford, if that. As your PM said, I would do that deal, but I don't think he would. I would feel like an asshole if I asked again.

I need a loan just for the gas. :P

i have a 750DP i could lend ya.... i could pack the box with empty dew cans..... alum scrap is way up:thumbsup:

Steve, you're 100 percent right about the muscle crowd community. It is a bunch of great guys, that's for sure. I don't mind helping others with stuff, I always do, but for some reason I have always had a big issue with others helping me. On the phone yes, but people have other things to do help with this car. for example. I have a lot of tree friends (arborists) and they say that want to trim my trees, and I say, well ok, they call to come over and I tell them to not worry about it, so what do I do, I get my 12 foot ladder out and do it myself. My trees look like ****, but at least my friends didn't have to come over and do this work for me, I just always had a problem withaccepting help from others. I'm wired weird I guess.

hehe
I already have one. I have 2. CAR has my other BG 750DP.

No they don't ... if they don't come help you then they get stuck at home and their wives make them do crap around the house... You owe it to your fellow men-folk to let them help so they can play with cars rather than do f'ing chores..

:cheers:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: thats funny there...i dont care who you are

Well said!, Mazspeed just another vote here to keep the car. I know this must be getting old hearing this. I think Steve's other idea to just sell the pro charger put a carb on it and drive it is also a good option. I have had similar feelings before and sold...lost my you know what on them and then was bummed. And what do I do......get married, house & two kids etc., and now I am back for more punishment. Once it is in the blood it's hard to get it out. Your car is great and you should be proud.

You kill me. :rofl:

I know what you're saying, but I have to look at my pocket book too. It has cobwebs in it. The thing about selling it and being bummed would only last a few days. I built my race rx-7 by myself, it took years, but I did everything on that car. I built the motor, the chassis, the brake system, the 6 point cage, I fabracated everything. When my wife and I got togther and I decided to buy a house, so the decision was made (by me) to sell it. I felt bad when the guy drove off, but it didn't last that long, and surprised me that I didn't take it worse, and I don't look back and wish I had it back. Maybe a little, but the house was more of a priority, that's why I could part with this thing and not care.
Thank you though. :thumbsup:

priorties
 

ive been lurking for a while, but heres my take:
1. i agree with mazspeed when he says he has to prioritize for the better of his family. his resources may need to be diverted to allow that to happen, there is no counterpoint to that.
2. lateral-g.net and its members are the most supportive and knowledgable ive ever seen. mazspeed, take them up on their offers of help, its liberating.
3. if you have the car-bug in you then if you sell this car, you will definitely buy another one in the future. i can see why people like jody, j. schwartz, t. nelson, k. oeste, and s. rupp are trying to convince you to keep this car...its sooooo close.
4. i had my camaro in line at a now famous builders shop, i chose the "cut your losses" tagline. now i regret it. it would take me to start from scratch, and getting back there again with a possible magazine car would take years and way more money now than it did then. i shouldve have kept the car because it was worth so much more to me than the money. just the joy of driving it....man that's priceless.

i apologize for preaching, but see this thing through. even if you've made mistakes dont compound them. no regrets, because you are living life to the fullest. if you can let go of a camaro (even on the verge of the release of the new one and the old ones dont grow on trees) then its not for you. but when all is said and done, i know God answers prayers and you will get through this thing.

sincerely,
kevin

Mike,

I have a hard time asking for help myself, no sure if it is pride, wanting to do it myself, or what. So I know what you are saying.

But you are sooo close with it, i would be willing to come down and turn wrneches with you, or someone else to help. We are one big community, helping one another. Take up a few offers, for maybe a few days, and see how it goes. You never know what might happen.

I don't know what CAR charges and hour but you can get some help for free if you would accept it.

There is another 3-1/2 - 4 months of good driving left in sunny Campbell Calif.
I built two projects in Campbell last year and it doesn't rain that much around there. The winter months have nice cool air and your car will appreciate that enviroment.
I'm not going to lie, $204k is an awful lot of money, but it's all the more reason to give it another month.

You've come a long way bro.

http://www.sledgehammercamaro.com/im...Stage2_030.jpg




http://www.sledgehammercamaro.com/im...Stage7_070.jpg

Wow, where'd you come to that conclusion? Water injection isn't a cheap low buck item, it's a superb way of increasing the overall efficiency and BMEP of an engine when implemented correctly. Tons and tons of money and effort was poured into water injection research up until the end of the "golden era" of piston aircraft engine development and the conclusion was it works-- and works very well. Things are no different today. When done correctly you will see more overall power but with less peak combustion chamber pressures than you can achieve on fuel alone.

Heck, I still run water injection even with my new intercooler simply because of the benefits it provides-- besides the charge air temp reduction, it keeps the valves & combustion chambers cleaner, provides excellent detonation suppression, and will allow more timing to not only make more power but drop the EGT's... a lot of benefits for such a "low buck" item.

There are a lot of good progressive controllers out now. The only issues you might have is hiding the tank & pump. You could stash both the tank and pump under the inner fenders behind the bumper and never see them.

holy batman!!!

As a matter of fact, its un American to NOT accept help from other car dudes. Well, you can just not accept our help,

BUT WE CAN NOT STAND BY AND LET YOU BAD MOUTH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!:D

Nothing better then a good ole Animal House reference. :cheers:

space or packaging issue?
 

Well I've been quite, but here I go. In re-but to no doing our home work were do you get off with that. People are throw theirr 2 cents in and those ideas were look at from the start. What we have here is a packaging problem, there is no room for a taller hat over the carb. We know the hat is not helping power, also a single plan intake would work better and ducting the air inlet to get air from outside the car would be awesome, but now we are back to packaging. The other thing is Ca's crap gas we may have 91 oct but it doesn't have the btu's that other areas have so yes our numbers are not going to be those high earth shaking numbers.
Bottom line is Mike's car does have more in it, given time to tune and add some way to cool the air inlet charge it will get there as this was the car's first tuning on the Super Flow dyno. And just a note with anymore timing the engine started to pre-ignite, so we are looking strongly at water injection.
Wish we had room for a intercooler.
Kevin
C.A.R.

Kevin,

Why is there no room for an intercooler in Mikes car? I have the same year car, a very similar setup and I run and intercooler, mounted down low in front of the radiator. Mike has serveral pics of my setup. Is there some reason an intercooler would not work for Mike?

Chris

Money. To fab something for my car with my air con rad and my RS lights in the way, it would cost thousands more. 3, 4, 5k

Intercooler
 

Mike,

Got it. I was not accounting for your RS headlights setup. A\C would not be a problem though. At any rate, I hope you remain in the car hobby....either with this car or another one.

Take care,
Chris

Two hundered and f'ing four grand. WOW!

I know the feeling you are having and it can be so distasteful to even think about it that it will make you pyshically ill. I don't even wish that kind of depression on people I don't like. I have had that feeling in the past with a customers aircraft restoration and all I can say is do what you feel will make this right for you and your family. Most importantly is even if the car has to go, don't leave this community of cars and great people that allow distractions from everyday life BS even if it is only for a few minutes of the day.:thumbsup:

Man ain't that the truth...!:thumbsup:

I have been so fed up with my '69 project I too had thoughts of selling them all off and moving on...still do sometimes,not because of the cars...just because sometimes things change,priorities change...needs change.

I personally would take a step back and listen to what others are saying.I know you want to make the blower setup work...and no doubts with enough time & money...you'll get it right:thumbsup: .Sounds like you need to put a smile on your face though...and quickly!It won't be a step backward to get it sorted out with the carb setup and it will go a long way towards getting your life back the way you want it to be.Biggest thing is to get this car running & sorted out while bringing you pleasure.There is always time later down the road as finances permit to tweak it again w/the blower.

I do believe if you off it incomplete without you realizing it's full potential after all the blood & sweat...you will regret that.

I've been there man...we all have at some point.Step away and take a deep breath...

My first car fought me tooth and nail the whole time I owned it. But for some reason it was always worth it when it was on the road. I learned alot of valuable lessons from mistakes. I finally had it just the way I wanted it and it was stolen. Once it's in your blood it doesn't go away. Now almost ten years later I am building another 1st gen and I can't wait. You do what you have to do financially, but I agree a quick decision from frustration may not be the best.

You know it's not too late to sell your engine and SC and later on install an LSx engine with an honest 500+hp, much less headache.