OK starting to make some steady progress now...
While I was under the dash installing my new gauges and had my interior half apart, I decided to change out my stereo headunit as well. The previous owner had installed a big touch screen but it was showing its age... it had an early navigation system in it that didn't work and no Bluetooth. The plastic trim was also cut up around the screen to make it all fit. I just bought a really simple new headunit that has all the modern Bluetooth features while not being too flashy in the looks department. A quick re-wire and it's ready to go:
To mount my new ECU in the interior, I was able to make it fit in the stock location up under the dash on the passenger side. I took the beige plastic mounting bracket and removed the stock ECU, then drilled out 4 mounting holes to attach the Holley ECU using some short button head screws with some rubber washers for isolation from vibration. When I permanently install it in the car, I will also use some velcro on the back side to give it some further isolation from vibrations and bumps:
With all that wrapped up, my interior is pretty much buttoned up for now. I just have a few trim pieces to put back but I want to get everything up and running first just in case I need to re-check a few wires.
Next focus is on getting my new intake manifold installed. I've mentioned it before, but I am moving from my current Super Ram setup to a Holley Stealth Ram. With the Stealth Ram, I am focusing on figuring out all the plugs, adapters, fuel lines and sensors I need to install to make it all work together.
The first step was getting the intake powdercoated. With my Super Ram, I had painted it black using Duplicolor engine paint and it turned out great but kept getting chipped every time I whacked it with a wrench by accident. So, I bit the bullet on the extra expense and am trying out powdercoating this time. I think it turned out awesome! This is matte black with a satin clear coat on top:
The trickiest part I am working through now is the driver's side rear corner. This is where all the vacuum ports will be on the intake, plus the big adjustable fuel pressure regulator I want to run, the oil pressure sensor, spark plug wires and the fuel line coming off of the regulator. I think I have a layout that's going to work but I need to order a few more little adapters for it all to fit. I may also move the oil pressure sender to the port right above the oil filter. This takes a bit of time but it's much easier working through this stuff on the bench rather than up against the firewall.
Set the intake on the engine just to get a sneak peak of what it's going to look like: