Project 'Too Much': 1969 P1800S - soon to be P1800 GT

[daemon2]

This isn't a big update but one I'm a bit proud of.
The Corvette front tie rod ends are difficult to source, I wanted to go with an adjustable bump steer rod end and have to connect to the flaming river rack. A lot of people suggested reeming the bore out with a 5/8 bit and running a bolt through but I decided to go the hard way.

This is a GM tie rod end, one of the adjustable bump steer ends with the incorrect taper.


I made a sample for test fitment


These are the two new rod ends


And on the car but needs to be tightened in and adjusted.


This was fun but if I had to charge an hourly rate for the time they were friggin expensive!

[Royalworks]

Yes. Very nice piece. Now find someone to make them and sell them.

[Iamtheonlyreal1]

Originally Posted by Royalworks

Yes. Very nice piece. Now find someone to make them and sell them.

They actually sell those for alot of applications, but I have a machine shop making ours specifically for our front ends, because it was more economic than purchasing kits.. I am using the QA1 Heim Joint as our tie rod end, which attaches directly to the rack and pinion..

[daemon2]

I started some engine work today to check everything and upgrade a few parts. The stock components are in very good shape and I probably could have gotten away with boosting this thing without any upgrades.

Stock head, stock roller lifters and pushrods


This is a close up of the stock roller lifters vs. the LS7 rollers


Some new parts, a few more to come.


COMP billet double roller timing set


and new full roller 1.7 lifters


Maybe Santa will bring the cam.

[Royalworks]

I hope you plan on boosting this car i hope you will be using ARP bolts, forged pistons and rods. Just cheap insurance. Overbuild it for reliability. Nothing worse than finishing a car then having to pull it back out to fix it again. We had two stock LS engines at our last shop that were boosted and they both popped on 8lbs. I don't know who tuned them but still. From what I have learned about factory boosted cars is they definably don't skimp on beefy. I would build a car for 20lbs and drive on 12lbs.

[Royalworks]

Im just really excited to see this thing done.

[daemon2]

Boost is in the plan, but this is where it gets complicated.
Most forged pistons also increase C.R. leading to more work, then do I bore it to a 347, 376...The stock 325 has a boost friendly low CR.
What internals failed on the LS engines you mention that popped?
Pistons or con rods?

Originally Posted by Royalworks

I hope you plan on boosting this car i hope you will be using ARP bolts, forged pistons and rods. Just cheap insurance. Overbuild it for reliability. Nothing worse than finishing a car then having to pull it back out to fix it again. We had two stock LS engines at our last shop that were boosted and they both popped on 8lbs. I don't know who tuned them but still. From what I have learned about factory boosted cars is they definably don't skimp on beefy. I would build a car for 20lbs and drive on 12lbs.

[Royalworks]

Pistons. One broke a ring land. The other melted the top on an edge. Most factory turboed cars have piston oil coolers. You can install them on just about any car. Some people don't like using them because the decrease HP which I think is dumb. Its about 8-10hp difference. I started on Honda's way back when and this was a must on a high hp build. TheOldOne.com has some amazing building tips that you can apply to just about any build. I thought you could get stock compression pistons?

[Royalworks]

If I were to build a boosted engine again I would probably spend my money on cooling things. Oil cooler, piston squirters, big radiator, high flow water pump. Things like that. Heat is the worst enemy. And if your doing any sort of burnout and screwing around with stock stuff its gonna get hot and pop. That's what happened to one of those engines.

And just because I love hondas and amazingly built engines Ill show you this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhghRPqLhP8

[daemon2]

100k on the engine, tear down pics:




And, more slow work on the body, I keep rolling panels, test fit, pull it off, roll it, test fit...
the good news is it seems to be improving with each round:

Framed rear q - thanks for the tip Royalworks:


panelling:


This is approximate ride height: