Been driving it around a little here and there... Still need to fix the leaky axle seals and fan PWM. The heim joints all around are a bit noisy being metal/metal.... but otherwise it seems to be good. Haven't even made any boost yet and it feels very peppy.
Dropped it off at Hill's Rod & Custom in Pleasant Hill, CA for some safety stuff/checks, ride height/corner weight/alignment and some rubbing issues to resolve hopefully all related and easy to solve.
Curt Hill races and builds all kinds of cars including his green K5 Blazer that he dropped on top of a C5 Corvette chassis running a 468ci LS engine. He did a ton of work on my buddy Dustin Reed's C10 (gray) with a 416 (I helped build the motor and sold him a T56 Magnum). http://digitaleditiononline.com/publ...articleBrowser
2 weeks ago it was in the high 80's and I was out on my waverunner. This week it has been in mid 30's in the am and low 60's during the day. Fall has arrived in Northern California. Getting some much needed rain also as we have been in drought for waaaaay to many years and lakes are at an all time low level. Can't wait to drive this car... it will be on wastegate spring for the first thousand miles until I break in the clutch/T56 Magnum and work out any other bugs with the car. Thus far the pedal pressure is light and the 11lb aluminum flywheel drives GREAT from McLeod.
Dropped it off at Hill's Rod & Custom in Pleasant Hill, CA for some safety stuff/checks, ride height/corner weight/alignment and some rubbing issues to resolve hopefully all related and easily to solve.
Curt Hill races and builds all kinds of cars including his green K5 Blazer that he dropped on top of a C5 Corvette chassis running a 468ci LS engine. He did a ton of work on my buddy Dustin Reed's C10 (gray) with a 416 (I helped build the motor and sold him a T56 Magnum). http://digitaleditiononline.com/publ...articleBrowser
2 weeks ago it was in the high 80's and I was out on my waverunner. This week it has been in mid 30's in the am and low 60's during the day. Fall has arrived in Northern California. Getting some much needed rain also as we have been in drought for waaaaay to many years and lakes are at an all time low level. Can't wait to drive this car... it will be on wastegate spring for the first thousand miles until I break in the clutch/T56 Magnum and work out any other bugs with the car. Thus far the pedal pressure is light and the 11lb aluminum flywheel drives GREAT from McLeod.
I recognize the name Dustin Reed as I'm a C10 guy & also have a set of Curts raised inner fender wells for my 67/68 C10.
Good shop & that Blazer scoots....
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Had to fix some rubbing issues.... transmission tunnel cut out from behind the transmission (dshaft contact), rear tires luckily just needed thinner spacers, added a shim on both sides of the front sway bar as it was rubbing on the frame bolts to space out the arms on the splined ends of the bar. Added some Crow Racing seat belts.. still more sorting but it drives nicely now without metal on metal contact. Was able to lower the rear a bit as a result of the new tunnel. The 4" driveshaft wasn't helping with clearance either.
Intercooler water pump is on an MSD solid state relay triggered by the Holley Dominator EFI need to make work..... so I can't really make any boost yet since the intake charge isn't getting cooled. Going to get this dialed in next week when I can make some time.
Here is a video of my girlfriend getting her first ride in it... I'm at maybe 20% throttle and barely making boost as I'm in 91 octane and the intercooler not working as it should. It was 70* this day... on Thanksgiving!
Need to tidy up the interior.... thinking about getting the dash flocked... and need some black carpet. I'm going to just rock the original green door panels for now. Headliner needs redone also. Added a Momo 350mm suede wheel with buttons most likely for rolling anti-lag/2 step and maybe some nitrous to spool it up quicker.
The CTSv seats are super comfortable. After driving it around for about 100 miles the spring rates in the coilovers are waaaaay too soft. Need to change them for something quite a bit stiffer. Not sure what rates are in there... will check this week. It drives soooo nice with the current springs it literally could be a daily driver. It is a bit low out back as entering/exiting angles driveways the rear tires are hitting the wheel wells and stopping the car in its tracks.
The steering seems quite slow... even though this is supposedly a Cherokee "quick ratio" box. Not sure what to do there.... Any suggestions?
The water pump for the intercooler isn't being triggered by the Holley Dominator so I need to get that working.... haven't made more than 1-2psi as there is no cooling of the intake charge happening and I'm on 91 octane and it has 59cc heads on the alum 5.3.... but it feels healthy so far. I'm guessing on 8psi it will make around 500rwhp or a touch more. On kill I'm shooting for 1000rwhp on e85.
I have around 300 miles on it mainly in town breaking in the clutch and transmission with truly only about 30% throttle. The engine has 150K+ miles on it so it doesn't need any break in that's for sure. Andrew put a basic conservation tune on it and it drives GREAT. Even on cold starts with 45* water temps it starts right up without issue. I did notice when I would get on the freeway (50% throttle or so) and give it more throttle to actually make the turbo make a couple pounds of boost that the engine didn't seem happy and I was hesitant to give it more...
I added some TORCO to the 91 bringing it up to probably 93-94 octane on the last tank. Getting on the freeway it was doing the same thing.... didn't feel healthy.. Well after getting off the freeway and the car dying (near full tank of gas) with a struggle to get back to my shop.... I tested the fuel pump relay and thought maybe the tank was empty... same symptoms of the pump not powering up/prime upon start. I finally opened the trunk and found most of the wires going to the MSD solid state relay block were not tight. Well next test drive after tightening them going up the on ramp did the same style driving and the turbo comes on and blows the tires off (2nd gear) even with part throttle. The 5.3 doesn't seem to have any problem spooling this 76mm (1150hp rated turbo). I'm guessing the Holley was saving the motor as it was going lean (Dominator EFI). Part throttle it drives the same... but once in boost its painting a smile on my face now. Hope to do some more testing next month and break in miles on the transmission/clutch and then do some E85 and turn it up in spring.
I'm getting some tire rubbing out back going in/out of driveways... so I need to raise it a bit... and maybe space out the rims a little more. Other than that it really drives like a kitten and just needs more power.
Around 500 miles on it.... been beating on it a little harder. Raised the rear ride height about an inch... much less rubbing. Still on wastegate spring pressure... but it certainly pulls good in 2nd and 3rd gear.
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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