That LSX badge looks great... subtle but righteous. :thumbsup:

Thanks Lance,

Ergos are damn good. Might have to mess with accelerator placement for heel toe action and shifter needs to go a hair to the passenger side, its awkwardly close to the driver but those are very minor adjustments if you ask me. Suprisingly good seating position and very comfortable.

I might have to look into a Borla, what muffler do you have on your car specifically?

You going to be around for the weekend of the 30th? Thinking of jamming down for Pleasanton Good Guys.

Thanks, you nailed it, subtle but righteous. =)

Dan the Hater????:confused59:

Well, one wheel showed up last night.....Hope for the other three today and of course I am out of town on work.

Tires show up today, hoping to test fit tomorrow night and get tires on later this week.

Crappy pics dont do the wheels justice. Matte black inner and outer barrels, matte metallic brown centers. Have caps just not installed in the pics.

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

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pslr5o221s.jpg

Muffler is a Borla ProXS--best I've ever had. Mounting at the rear-most point in the exhaust stream seems to help some too, as does having a turbo, but whatever. My stupid hotrod muffler usage dates back to having early Flowmasters back in 1993 or so on a 400 Firebird. Age and annoyance have proven the Borla in my ears.

Send me a DM or PM or whatever they call it when you're going to be down here. I'm guessing I'll be around, which is pretty much the deal every day.

Wheels look nice--love the continuation of the color theme. They are slightly reminiscent of the stock wheels on my e39 . . .

Eggzachery, thank you. Good or bad I’ll tell ya what I think, especially if I’m asked. Thank sweet baby Jesus the hood didn’t get painted brown, just my opinion. :mock:

I’m feeling a bit like Oprah today, maybe it was the big lunch.

Dave, you get a 🖕🏼

Sean you get a 🖕🏼

Paul, feel free to correct my englishing.

:cheers:

I've got a single 4.5" Borla (not sure which one) and I love the sound it makes with the LS.

I have looked into the Borla but they only have an offset in and out, not sure I can make that work but its worth a shot.

I was really trying to stick with something that was not packing based but also need to get it all buttoned up too.

Back from out of town but have a jacked up finger now so not much is going to happen. Having a tough time even updating the build thread :wtf:

Received one more wheel on Tuesday night and it happened to be a front so I got the wheels all test fit on the car. Like a glove. It was a ton of work to get things all measured up but totally happy with that choice in the end.

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

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0dzuenpb.jpg

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

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

For tires I was dead set on Rivals but upon further reading of them overheating on track days and getting greasy when hot I decided to go with the RE71R, Tires are at 503 awaiting the last wheels to show up.

Hope they arrive today as per my fedex updates.

Been trying to figure out a catch can with no luck. so I am tackling building one on my own that will be perfect shape and size for my needs, also no rad cap.

Still learning on the tig stuff, small cylindrical pieces are very hard still with filler, no problem on fusion like the outside weld.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pshs1rke5t.jpg

This will tuck in behind the radiator support at the passenger headlight area and have a drain to ground if needed.

Sean

Sean, this car gets better with every update.

I liked the concept of the interior when you first mentioned it. Now that I see it all together I really think you have a hit. The whole car is very professional and sophisticated even though it's got a cage, big tires and LSx power.

The wheels look like a perfect match to the theme and take the interior to the outside. Way cool.

Wheels come in yet?

Thanks man, the compliments are much appreciated and yes I was shooting for the entire package, not just a ****ty car with a big engine in it.

...........:ups: Not yet. Should be delivered this afternoon from what the FedEx website says.

Very little work done last night but did manage to get my over flow all buttoned up.

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

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pss8mbxfr9.jpg

The idea was for it to be tucked way back in behind the headlight and have a very clean look to it. I think I pulled it off pretty well. Shot it with some VHT Wrinkle black which is my go to for this kind of stuff it has proven to be very durable in the past.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psj1iokx21.jpg

Still waiting on the other 2 wheels to show up, hopefully today.

Sean

Very well. That is clean.

Thanks man.

FINALLY!!!!

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pso8gfp3ra.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pscptfwe7d.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psij8ymebv.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...psyevqx1po.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pssuk7ezdo.jpg

And a few just for the hell of it. New cell phone takes some surprisingly nice photos.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps40hbnkuj.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pskmkci7hc.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6itlgxcn.jpg

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6nx7jp1v.jpg

Going to work on tidying up the VSS tomorrow and see if I can make that work just some little stuff here and there, gotta order up the rest of the exhaust so I can button that up as well.

Happy Friday all!!

Sean

I still can't get over how factory this all looks, I love it.

What are you using as a hood latch and where did you get it? - Actually looking back it appears to be the factory latch. Is that correct? What year and model is the Volvo?

Thanks, thats kind of the idea behind my builds, how would the factory have done it but cleaner.

Its a 1983 volvo 242 DL. Yep, chopped down factory latch to work with the flathood.

Tinkered with the car this weekend a fair bit, did a lot of little **** that nobody cares about. Got the wiring redone for the VSS directly into the Racepak as well as pulled the wiring from the dash for the oil pressure sender. Apparently you cannot get oil pressure through can bus on this particular racepak dash.......even though everything I read says you can. I also can get oil pressure on HP Tuners so I know its available on the can network. Frustrated with that.

I went to the junk yard and had a great day there. Found a bunch of stuff I needed. But Cheek cover for passenger trunk, a bunch of bolts to get plated for the front fenders and apron so they all match, a great looking antenna and 2 rear decks in amazing uncut condition all for $15.03

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8sae791j.jpg

Got the antenna cleaned, painted and installed. Built a matching panel for the trunk to cover the drivers side hole and got the rear trunk carpet all installed, turned out good, but forgot to take pics.

Fought getting the IPD aluminum skid plate installed as it will not clear the drop bar, messed with that for a few hours. I have some ****ty spacers in there but it needs something more better, will work on that this week.

Pulled the pinstipe off the rest of the car to clean it up and have it match the fenders, buffed as much of the remnants off of it.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0jvvkjx3.jpg

Messing with stupid VSS......still no luck.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5ussyu1l.jpg

Took the car for a spin, got fuel.....have a stinky fuel system I gotta fix, pretty sure I need to figure out a proper vent as my system doesnt really work how I thought it should.

Took it to Red Door Meet on sunday for a few hours. Car starts lots of conversations, its pretty fun. Got on it for the 1-2 shift for the first time, its got great power and the torque is incredible, as soon as you get into 2nd it just pulls.

The howl and rearend noise got worse and worse, weather is garbage up here and the gear guy is wonderful at gears but gravel road, rain so it would be a huge mess so here we go...

5:00 last night when I got home from work.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9ojtzxw4.jpg

6 pm last night, loaded up and ready to drop off.

http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/...pspcyck2um.jpg

He took one spin of the pinion and was like what the hell? So its getting all new bearings, seals, solid pinion spacer if he has the right one and an Eaton True Track.

As long as it doesnt need gears it will be back in the car tomorrow night, we got **** to get to now.

:omg:

Sean

Great progress, Man! I could swear that 50-75% of (the value of) this hobby is just getting that first or second drive after a crapload of obsessive work . . .

As I recall, I think (not fully sure) the e38 computer, at least in some applications, only sends a basic oil pressure signal that amounts to some or none, but not how much. This is why I went with a mechanical pressure gauge instead of trying to use the computer's input.

Where did you tap off of the engine for the oil pressure? Just curious and seriously thinking about a mechanical oil pressure and gauge.....the sender for the race pack is ****ing giant.

Sean

Damn this car looks good! Thanks for sharing your projects with us!

Dave

I used the G-Plus manifold (much like far higher-priced Mishimoto crud) thingy that goes above the stock oil filter location. Its four ports cover the gauge sender, turbo oil supply, and my oil cooler's in and out needs. It's the absolute pinnacle of Chinese manufacturing and value, and I say this in the most serious way possible. G-Plus stuff is freaking awesome--that's me being a product shill.

I still have the standard oil pressure thing for the computer behind the intake, I think . . .

Sean,
So awesome in every way!

Thanks man, been fun.

I just ordered one before you posted this. I think its some chinese stuff but not sure who, I ordered from Summit. Gotta get the secondary switch installed and wired up this week so the racepak oil pressure works.

Your input is much appreciated.

Thank you.


Luckily my parts all showed up last week so I was able to get home after traveling last week and get to it Friday night!!!

Chopped off the tailpipe next to the fuel tank and got to installing some more Vibrant U bends, V bands and the Borla Muffler.

It made a world of difference in volume and tone, there is no more drone and the car is plenty quiet. Sounds good at idle, quiet on the freeway.

I am just learning to TIG and dont have a purge setup yet. Will in the next week though.

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

Got the brakes bled and rolled the rear fenders a little more for some reason the rear axle creeped forward a little bit so I extended the lower control arms to push it back by .125".

Then I drove it, I put fuel in it and drove it. I drove it to Wilsonville for Cars and Coffee and back home, tweaked the rear a bit, checked the fluids, retorqued the wheels and checked things, ran some errands in it, drove out by the air port for a car meet with the stance kids to check things out. Went over it again to check for things to be tight and normal. I adjusted the shifter to better fit seating position and its dialed now.

Then I took it out and actually "drove the car" its good, torque is really good, pulls to limiter. I have a little bit of a soft pedal, think I am going to go through and rebleed the entire system this week and make sure I dont have any remaining air in there. The brakes work great, but pedal has a little more travel than it had before pulling and swapping the rearend.

This is up near Skyline and Germantown, there are some amazing country roads up there and the car was a blast. Letting it cool down a bit and checking the brakes.

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

Ran through an entire tank of fuel this weekend, probably have a few hundred miles on it and its getting better the more it gets driven and I get the little bugs worked out. I dig all the small details and getting it dialed in just right.

3 weeks till I leave for Davis and LS Fest weather is turning to crap here so probably not much more testing till then.

Managed to get lots of honey do's done this weekend, cars all cleaned and detailed, changed the oil on the JK, replaced some lights around the house and did some much needed furnace maintenance.

Sean

Looks good man! I spent the weekend in the Seaside/Manzanita area and thought about running east to come see you, obviously I didn’t. Nice to see that you’re able to put something like this together and have very minor issues, a true testimony of your attention to detail and build quality.

:cheers::flag2:

Sans Pinstripe
 

Car looks AMAZING sans pinstripe!!

Glad to hear you are getting it all dialed in...I think we need a video with good sound from the inside during one of these "driving it" sessions... :D

How in the world does this front tire not rub?

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

Getting there. Still some bugs to work out for sure.

Stiff....its really stiff Lance Believe it or not the rears rub far more than the fronts do. Also remember I am not really worried about the paint so a little rubbing is ok with me.

I suck at video, both taking it an editing it. Ill get my nephew to shoot some video for us all =)

Well, some tinkering last night found my first major snafu in my build so far.

In messing with my brake bias and trying to figure out why the car felt like it was must missing a few calipers I adjusted the proportioning valve and the stopping got worse and I got a pull to the passenger side, like rip the wheel out of your hands pull.

So chatting with volvo buddy Asher he pointed out that I have it all wrong. So some testing of his theory by adjusting the proportioning valve out to add in "rear" brakes gained back all of the stopping power and pedal feel and took the pull away from the passenger side and gave me a little pull to the drivers side.

When I built the plumbing for the brakes I did everything as others have, with the exception of the proportioning valve, but in my head it worked.......Obviously I didnt think too deep on this.

Volvo has a cross plumbed braking system in an effort to be the safest car on the road, they have a network of plumbing that essentially has 4 front brake lines and individual rear brake lines right and left. The master cylinder has 2 lines, but really not a front and rear, its really a dual bowl system. the idea is that if one of the systems were to completley fail you would only lose one of the rear wheels braking 100%.

So in effect my plumbing and proportioning valve is modulating one front and one rear caliper :-P

So I either ditch the prop valve and put a straight piece of pipe in there or I re plumb the entire brake system and start over.

I will say that with the prop valve fully open the car has amazing brakes!!! Cannot wait to get some real pads in there.

But here is my derp moment....always learning something new right?

Sean

love this build! Your execution and attention to detail is what puts your build over so many others. I can put a box in a space, but you put it there with such precision and attention to the details of the space that the box becomes more than just a box. Great job sir!!! You are a role model here.

WOW!!! Thanks for the props Big Dime. Its good to hear when people get my style and vision and its not just all up in my crazy little pea brain.

Been having hosting issues on pics so falling behind.

Lets give this a shot and see if it works...Ok, hosting on Imgur but its a pain in the rear so posting will definately slow down. Its something in the new phone I have that its uploading a huge file. So it takes resizing every photo before its posted up.

I am hoping that I can get the door panels back this week in time to install this weekend and have the car mostly buttoned up.

<a href="https://imgur.com/we4Zm9y"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/we4Zm9yl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Not only did the color and material not match but I also had some sags and a small hole in the drivers side door. I am deleting the pocket and holes for the pocket and making room for some speakers in the future down there.

<a href="https://imgur.com/tF5Arru"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/tF5Arrul.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Started messing around with the trunk area and getting a nice flat floor to work on all the way across. I had previously cut out the driver side filler panel for the butt cheek and used the stock on on the passenger side but even after wetting, flattening and drying it started to sag badly after just a few days in the trunk. So I got to work on making a flat floor. New piece on the passenger side and a filler panel for the center of the floor. This piece is simply just to make the carpet lay flat and give me a nice foundation to build some audio stuff in later down the road.

<a href="https://imgur.com/VvmJp4J"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/VvmJp4Jl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Waiting on 2 turn signal lenses, a hood release cable, door panels and trunk carpet, seatbelts and a car trailer and Ill be good to go!!!

I need to be loaded up in the trailer next Thursday. My route takes me to Sacramento and Davis on Friday, hang with some friends down there, Volvo show on Sunday in Davis, then meander from there to Vegas the following week for LS Fest.

So if anyone wants to get together and shoot the **** for dinner that week in central to SOCAL hit me up =)

Sean

Freakin' cool

Yo, Sean. There's a pretty decent cars & coffee in Folsom (Google cars and coffee Folsom--it's an easy drive from Davis) on Saturday morning (starts at like 7:00 A.M.)--it's right off Highway 50. I can make that one in the Falcon . . .

I might be in Davis on Friday--wife is going to campus library that day . . .

Good to hear the car is rolling!

https://i.imgur.com/we4Zm9yl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tF5Arrul.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/VvmJp4Jl.jpg

There, I fixed it for ya...

The hosting works okay, you just need a bit of help formatting the links...

Good luck getting it buttoned up and along on your journey.

Thanks Lance......I am not really a great IT guy. But I think I have it figured out now...appreciate the help.



Finally got a little time to work on the car for my mad dash to get it done before I take off on Friday for my 3,000 mile road trip to Davis and Vegas.

Got the Schroth seatbelts installed, these were easier than expected and turned out great. I dont love the yellow on the belts but really no option.

https://i.imgur.com/CRakKf2h.jpg

Matches the steering wheel though =)

https://i.imgur.com/rOVhEskh.jpg

Then onto the long list of small stuff that likely nobody will notice.

Sanded and repainted all of the black on the doors and b pillar, turned out great, SEM Trim black, red scotch brite pad and a few coats and looked as new.

https://i.imgur.com/pu8PZk0h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/hnNoeLAh.jpg

The stock door handles were hammered, so I pickup up a better set but they were still bent. SO I got to town with hammering them flat again, cleaned and painted and installed. Looks so much better.

https://i.imgur.com/jI7EH2Bh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/56ijOROh.jpg

Spent a little time getting the trunk closer to buttoned up, pass side is easy, drivers side isnt 100% done but its a lot better than before.

https://i.imgur.com/61gHHhJh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wY6UfF6h.jpg

I feel that my work paid off in here, the floor is nice and flat, the carpet got bound with the same leather that is on the seats and looks pretty tidy. Ill work on getting the stereo in when I get back and covering up the rest of the painted areas, going to add in some leather back here to break up the brown.

https://i.imgur.com/fNocPMyh.jpg

Door panels got done a few days early so I got them installed. Few little issues to address when I get back. Only thing left is to get black armrest, window crank, and door release as its a bit too much brown right now.

For those not in the know we deleted the speaker and door pockets from these panels but kept the stock door card. They turned out a lot better than the stockers. I left the bottom open so I can install some speakers in there. Will be gettting some separates inthat big blank area on the lower part of the door.

https://i.imgur.com/u1jjLl6h.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/FPEAiybh.jpg

In all of the cars I have built, I have never spent this amount of time (and $$$) on an interior and I hope that it shows. I have tried to iron out every little detail as much as I can. I am sure some stuff will change but pretty happy with how the inside of this car looks.

https://i.imgur.com/KFh6lfOh.jpg

Volvo emblems got removed, the entire car got buffed and waxed, some holes in the firewall got plugged, hood latch replaced with a plated one and the hood actually aligned with the fenders and cowl.

Its about ready to load up and head south. Gotta get some license plates on it now.

Sean

Looks great Sean!! You can definitely see that much attention was paid inside.

Only thing I see missing is a sub belt for the harnesses...

Very nice build, like everything you've done to it so far.

WOW, Nice!

Thank you!!

Much appreciated.

Got the plated hardware back and replaced in the engine bay and started to get the door panel accents converted to black. I dont love it yet but its better than mismatched brown. Still need black levers and pull cups, but those will have to wait. Also got the window felts on a little better.......Pretty sure I have the inside scrapers on the outside and the outside on the inside, Ill pick up a set from Dave while we are in Davis to swap at a later date. Rookie mistake there....

https://i.imgur.com/KEthG4ph.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3f2gHgMh.jpg

Tonight is load **** up and get everything ready to hit the road.

Looking forward to a nice break from work and doing something fun for a change.

Sean

Everything is looking great. Your 'detail' efforts are clearly visible.
Best of luck on your trip!

Maybe bright yellow carpet to complement the harnesses? :sarcasm_smiley:

Killed it! You have an eye that many do not have .... or are unwilling to try. :)

Have a safe trip.

Thanks man, Trying something different is tough sometimes.

Saturday, hooked up with Rustomatic for Cars and Coffee in Folsom. Was very impressed with not only his killer Falcon but also the quality and variety of the cars that showed up. Makes me wish I lived somewhere with a little better car culture. Thanks for the meet up Paul, we had fun Saturday morning. Next time, lets meet at T-Hill.

Had a great weekend hanging out with all the Turbobricks folks, met some great new people and had a great time. I took about three pics all weekend, none of them were my car. Was a good trip down there. Got to see our buddy Pat at the go kart track, watch Eric run 11.003 at the drag strip and hung out in the sun at the park all day Sunday.

Headed south to LA on Monday and hung out for a little bit, then to El Segundo early this morning to the Motor Trend Studios where this happened!!

https://i.imgur.com/65RYvOuh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/L6qBrTBh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qlplpCyh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/QialCLkh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/2f4RSzMh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/qRs7buRh.jpg

These guys were awesome to hang out with all day, these are just my camera phone photos, the ones the photog took are simply amazing. Look for an upcoming feature in Super Street!!

Loaded back up and headed for Vegas in the morning to LS Fest. Pretty good few days.

Sean

WOW Sean, Congrats! Well Deserved!

WoW!
 

WoW! Does that thing look AMAZING!! Can't believe you didn't do full paint on the car! Just FANTASTIC!!!

Thank you!!

Quite a few people have said the same thing.....No way that is stock paint =)

Lets get a run down on the weekend....

Got the pit setup on Thursday afternoon, picked up the wife and nephew from the airport Thursday evening.

Friday morning it was go time. Drivers meeting at 8:45 first run at 9 am. Had 2 ok runs in on autocross course, then headed over to the road course.

Car was doing good so far, no issues.

Road course well....got in 4 good laps, car felt great. Probably needs a rear regear to a 3.27 to get some mile per hour in 4th.

I was coming back towards the front straight on the carousel turn and lost all power steering. Luckily I was close to pit area.

Car was smoking, good times :)

Popped the hood to find this mess.

https://i.imgur.com/0XHTBQih.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/uZGgRT7h.jpg

So it boiled the fluid until it melted the reservoir and the cap. The cap melted, the spring and retainer dropped into the pump, blew the cap off. Destroyed the pump in the process.

Got a tow back to the truck and parked the car. Walked away for a little bit. Hot frustrated.

Towed the car over to the LSX clothing booth.

Went and got some dinner, and said **** it. 3 auto parts stores later, we had the biggest power steering cooler ever, new lines, a pump, a cap and a puller/installer tool.

Got back to the car about 7ish. Sent the wife and kid to watch some drifting and got to work.

Pulley has to come off to pull the pump =) Luckily I was able to do that without pulling the radiator, glad I moved that radiator forward....

https://i.imgur.com/jy9rBBih.jpg

New pump on

https://i.imgur.com/VsWC1eZh.jpg


GIANT power steering cooler mounted up and plumbed.

https://i.imgur.com/Qlatqqnh.jpg

Peaceful evening wrenching on the car, nice to clear a foggy head.

https://i.imgur.com/S0365odh.jpg

Little test drive around the parking lot, rack isnt cooked, no leaks, bled the system.

****ing go time!!!

https://i.imgur.com/ukZl2kTh.jpg

Back on track, auto cross for the morning, ran 8 or so passes and got the hang of the track. Had a blast. Kept running till I wasnt getting any faster.

Car feels great, brakes are phenomenal, have way more brake than tire.

Poker run off site.

https://i.imgur.com/eI4qOMJh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/o0Ksbvsh.jpg

Ran the drag strip for the first time in at least 8 years. First pass was the best of the 2. Managed a 13.0 at 110. 2.0 60 foot. Considering I hit the rev limiter in 2nd and short shifted to 4th I know it has 12's in it easy. Pretty damn happy with that.

In line waiting to run.

https://i.imgur.com/yXOEtqrh.jpg

Today was the 3s challenge. I beat on the car for the morning, 6 runs (3 per course) and the car did awesome. I have no clue where I finished, this was way more of a shake down than anything else for me. I was hanging with some proper built pro touring cars. I need more tire.......and more driver, lots more driver.

Ill get some video up a little later.

Beat on the car for 3 days, had a couple issues, had a blast, car got loaded in the trailer on its own power, call that success!!

Nephew and wife took some laps around the complex, he had the biggest smile when he got back.

https://i.imgur.com/LOlvmyph.jpg

All in all, awesome week. Lots more seat time to needed on my part.

Sean