I did finally get down to get the car out of what should be the last trip to the chassis shop.
They made the final modifications to the Art Morrison frame. Basically we changed the inner frame rails to allow placing the mufflers as far back as possible (where they belong), slotted the original round exhaust pipe openings in the frame to allow for the oval pipe and added some X bracing in the frame to make the NHRA happy. When you remove the floor and large chunk of the firewall, they have some very specific things you need to do for safety.
They added an NHRA legal 8.50 moly cage. We used the Alston pieces that make it possible to remove the door bars and rear cross bar for more comfortable street use.
The custom headers were also fabbed, and I could not be happier. They clear everything, dont hang below the frame at all and are big tube (2.250") primaries which the blown motor will like. We had Spintech fab us a 28 degree bend transition (from 4" round to the equivalent size oval) and just incorporated that piece into the header. Turned out sweet.
And, for the best possible 60 foot times, we added a drag race style torsion bar mounted behind the rearend in a pair of spherical bearings mounted to each frame rail. This is a drag race only piece that easily bolts on and off.
Time to get going on some serious assembly.
And the final stuff to get the motor ready has begun. More on that later.
With everything else starting to move more smoothly, its time to turn my focus to the motor. Originally, the plan was to use the 4 barrel single plane CV-1 intake, modified for EFI. But after a mock up of the intake, Wilsons throttle body and Extreme 4500 hat (I borrowed one of those), the final setup sat a WHOLE bunch higher than we had anticipated. We were going to just live with it and mod the fiberglass hood.
However, a newly available universal tunnel ram is now available for the CV-1 heads. This intake has a 2X4 base with a configurable top. For a carb setup, you add a spacer to the plenum to make it the correct volume for your ci and RPM range. Then you add either a double 4150 or 4500 top depending on which style carbs youre using.
For EFI use, you add the required spacer, and a flat top. Then you modify the front of the manifold to accept a throttle body. And setup this way, its a bunch lower than the single 4 intake and all the required pieces. Pics are of a prototype 2X4 base that I borrowed to do some comparisons. I will be switching to the 2X4 base and front mounted throttle body setup. In addition to a lot less hood interference, it looks a whole lot cooler too.
Quick update. No pics. Been focusing on the motor. The Pontiac CV-1 cylinder heads are almost done. They are getting the full 5 axis CNC treatment. At my net valve lift (.700") we expect just over 400 cfm thru the intakes (with the intake manifold in place) and just over 300 cfm on the exhaust (flowed with a 2.250" tube). The tunnel ram base is being flowed with the heads. Thats done. Has the bungs for the fuel injectors as well as the bosses under the manifold in each port tapped for NOS. Just in case. I ended up getting an Accufab throttle body. Its based on the Cobra/Lightening part, but they cut it completely open and put a single butterfly in it. Procharger already sent me the parts to hook it up on the pressure side. All of the other engine pieces are waiting for the arrival of the cylinder heads/intake. Should have the motor on a dyno by the end of the summer. Good machine shops dont do anything quickly.
On the car front, been getting LOTS of little nit pick items resolved. Running the complete exhaust system, with hangers, thru what little room is there (with the car so low) has been a real challenge. Everything needed to be tack welded in place (centered in its space) and then custom mounts had to be fabricated that would suspend the part without allowing it to move side to side. Dont want any rattles. Even had to move the inlets and outlets (on the mufflers) slightly to get the mufflers in just the 'right' place as well as get each side in a straight line. Getting the 3.5" tailpipes from the mufflers over the big rearend required raising the trunk floor for the needed room. Finally, we had to make custom split tip ends that exit in the factory locations. The rear lower valance needed the spots where the factory exhaust tips fit opened up a bit to have room for the new pieces. Turned out exactly the way I was looking for. If you bend down (way down!) and look under the car, you dont see a single part of the exhaust system. The fabricator has well over 40 hours in this. Big job that needed to be done right. Done.
With the tailpipes in, and the trunk floor raised, were starting the work on the fuel cell can. Target is a 100L (26 gal) and keeping it from hanging below the bottom of the car's body. Mostly. Im thinking we will have to have a little showing because there has to be a sump. Still working on this. Once the can is welded up (.062"-.093" series plate aluminum) it goes to Fuelsafe. They will make the bladder, top, etc.
Still working 60+ hour weeks. So this is taking a lot longer than I want it to. But I aint complaining. I know guys who have been out of work for 6 months.
Brian Hobaugh SCCA National Tour June 2014
First Hemi 'Cuda Convertible Ever Built
Short clips: Goodguys Pleasanton autocross and pit videos
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