I've been spending a little to much time in the garage lately. One day I spent 18 hours Couple nights until 3:30 or so. Anyway, this whole engine swap is about 15 times more complicated than it sounds. The new oil and cooling system certainly didn't help but I've basically reengineered most everything under the hood. From wiring harnesses underneath with heat wrap to all weather pack connectors. New clutch meant recentering the bellhousing. Minor fitment issues with the ac compressor brackets. Routing the AC and Heat hoses as cleanly as possible. Just a ton of work that won't look like much work when it's done. That's the key. My mind is so scrambled on the whole deal I'm just going to post up some photos I took. I've slacked on photos since I've been so busy out there. Once it's all done and polished up I'll take photos of all the changes and new look. It's going to be hot.
I'm waiting for a few parts to trickle in so I tackled the rear sway bar. I started out with a generic Hellwig kit and figured out it wasn't going to work of course. The fuel lines are right in the way and honestly routed the best way. I decided to design some brackets where I could sandwich the frame and use a tab for the end link. I designed them with a tab thinking it would be OK. After I got them home and started playing around I realized the bar angle was going to be to much. So I cut off the tabs and decided to use the center hole. I used two shoulder bolts on each side to keep from crunching the frame. The end links are aftermarket C5 adjustable end links. I'm excited to loosen the rear of the car up and have some adjustment. I really think it's going to be a huge plus on some of the slower autocross corners. I can't say I felt it needed it on the road course but time will tell as I get faster. I also am going to try a .25 wheel spacer shown. The other side has a worse rub than this side as you can see at the top of the wheel well and lower bar. With the low ride heights and racing I feel the wheel needs to be cheated to the outside vs. inside. Hopefully this .25 extra will get me just enough.
Nice--as always. Was the bar angled down too much? I had to make longer stands/mounts on the rearend to get mine to sit as level as I could--it still has a bit of a downward rake. Left mine on the front holes, figured I would change it around a bit at the RTTH deal to see how what a diff it will make.
What about spring rate in the rear now? With the bar back there, will you consider going to a lighter one? Thinking about trying it on mine--but need to get it around a track first--unfortunately that will be April 3rd.
Ya, way to much. I didn't think of modifying the rear mounting points but still think I would've went this way just to keep everything tucked up tight. It's going to be interesting with the 150lbs off the nose and rear sway bar. I can tell you the car already sits at least 1/2" higher in the rear vs. before with the jackstands this way. I'm still missing the hood, exhaust, seats, headers but I'm going to have to tweak all the coil overs. It's going to be alot like starting over in driver feel and tuning and I wasn't that far along with the old set up.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
Couple nights until 3:30 or so. Anyway, this whole engine swap is about 15 times more complicated than it sounds. The new oil and cooling system certainly didn't help but I've basically reengineered most everything under the hood. From wiring harnesses underneath with heat wrap to all weather pack connectors. New clutch meant recentering the bellhousing. Minor fitment issues with the ac compressor brackets. Routing the AC and Heat hoses as cleanly as possible. Just a ton of work that won't look like much work when it's done. That's the key. 
My mind is so scrambled on the whole deal I'm just going to post up some photos I took. I've slacked on photos since I've been so busy out there. Once it's all done and polished up I'll take photos of all the changes and new look. It's going to be hot.
Can't wait to see the end result.
The fuel lines are right in the way and honestly routed the best way. I decided to design some brackets where I could sandwich the frame and use a tab for the end link. I designed them with a tab thinking it would be OK. After I got them home and started playing around I realized the bar angle was going to be to much. So I cut off the tabs and decided to use the center hole. I used two shoulder bolts on each side to keep from crunching the frame. The end links are aftermarket C5 adjustable end links. I'm excited to loosen the rear of the car up and have some adjustment. I really think it's going to be a huge plus on some of the slower autocross corners. I can't say I felt it needed it on the road course but time will tell as I get faster. I also am going to try a .25 wheel spacer shown. The other side has a worse rub than this side as you can see at the top of the wheel well and lower bar. With the low ride heights and racing I feel the wheel needs to be cheated to the outside vs. inside. Hopefully this .25 extra will get me just enough.
Hybrid Mode
