Project SicMonte

[Stg1Regal]

xxxturbo6



Scot

"touche"!!

[SicMonte]

Unless you include "Pro Solo", which has a for-real drag strip start against a car beside you running a mirror-image course to yours, autocrossing isn't all that tough on the rear, parts breakage-wise. What autocrossing is tough on is the clutches or cones (power-on, the clutches/cones want to lock, but the tight turns want to make them slip more than they have to in most street driving). The cones in an Auburn are perhaps a little more durable than clutches (and I think you can get a special racer-oriented version of one of the Auburns through Sam Strano).

FWIW, I ran several years of street driving plus three full seasons of autocrossing with 7.5"/7.625" Auburn and Richmond Gear stuff that I installed myself, with zero durability issues.


Norm

My rear is a stock 7.5 that came in the Monte from the factory...Precision 3.73 gears...stock axles...stock drum brakes...aluminum cover and an Auburn Super Brute diff. I use Redline or Amsoil gear oil with the ACDelco friction modifier. The rear has held up very well for what I have been doing to it the last two years!

I rebuilt the drum brakes last year when I installed the longer wheel studs and with the front Baer Track 4 set up...this thing really stops on a dime. It's weird...almost like I don't even need rear disc for what I am using the car for. You can see the brakes being rebuilt earlier on in this build thread.

[SicMonte]

After I got home from RTTH I put the car up on the lift to give it the normal "after race" once over..........and found this huge tear on the inside sidewall of my driver front tire!!!!!!!








I called up a buddy of mine who is an engineer for Michelin/BFG and he advised me to not drive on them b/c a blow out would destroy my CCW wheels. I went back and forth with him about new sizing and in the end BFGoodrich tires supplied me with these bad boys!!!!!

[SicMonte]

The tires I had on the front before were 255/35/18....and these new ones are 275/35/18.






In my HHR and ready to go have them mounted!!!

[SicMonte]

So I took the two front tires to get mounted at my old work...Trick Trucks in Lanham MD. These guys specialize in rim/tire packages so I knew they would take care of my tires and wheels. They did a great job!!!!!










Proof that CCW's are true three piece wheels....the seam is covered in silicone to prevent air leaks.

[SicMonte]

[SicMonte]

Back on the car and looking good!!! No rubbing or anything too!!!







THANK YOU BFGOODRICH TIRES!!!!!!!

[SRD art]

When I was young, I used to think every time I got new sneakers they'd make me run faster. I think I heard that's true for cars too...

[SicMonte]

When I was young, I used to think every time I got new sneakers they'd make me run faster. I think I heard that's true for cars too...

oh...its true....trust me.

[musclecarmatt]

them are some sexy tires!......wish had little better sizing for my 17's....or maybe time go to 18's lol ...

[bonecrrusher]

I have those same size on the front z06 wheels that I am running.

Looking good.

[SicMonte]

drove the car to a cruise in this morning...with no rubbing what so ever. FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SicMonte]

soooo....as many of you already know...my current motor is on it's way out. Very weird oil pressure readings and lots of "glitter" in the oil.

My buddy "Hambone" on here gave me his old LQ4 when we put a Magnacharged L92 into his pickup. The motor has 214,000 miles on it but it was free.

I was talking to him the other day discussing the motors and he mentioned to me that he had a custom ground cam from Comp for that motor...which he would sell to me for cheap. He knows my concern about building a LS engine with the need to buy EVERYTHING new since I currently have a SBC. Thinking it over he remembered that he still has his COMPLETE old front acc system for the LQ4 which he is giving me. Well...this is looking better and better.

To put the icing on the cake I recently realized that through work I have an account with a local Chevy dealership that is a nation wide parts warehouse and I get insane discounts from them for the volume we buy. I went and inspected all our 6.0 outfitted big trucks last week to see if any of them have L92 heads (823's) and a couple did. That means I can get the L92 heads for super cheap too!!!

So...this winter I think I will finally be building the LS. Keeping the stock rods and crank...putting in flat tops with the cam and heads...with a carb...YES A CARB. With my new found parts and deals through the dealership this wont be as bad as I thought it will be!

[srh3trinity]

soooo....as many of you already know...my current motor is on it's way out. Very weird oil pressure readings and lots of "glitter" in the oil.

My buddy "Hambone" on here gave me his old LQ4 when we put a Magnacharged L92 into his pickup. The motor has 214,000 miles on it but it was free.

I was talking to him the other day discussing the motors and he mentioned to me that he had a custom ground cam from Comp for that motor...which he would sell to me for cheap. He knows my concern about building a LS engine with the need to buy EVERYTHING new since I currently have a SBC. Thinking it over he remembered that he still has his COMPLETE old front acc system for the LQ4 which he is giving me. Well...this is looking better and better.

To put the icing on the cake I recently realized that through work I have an account with a local Chevy dealership that is a nation wide parts warehouse and I get insane discounts from them for the volume we buy. I went and inspected all our 6.0 outfitted big trucks last week to see if any of them have L92 heads (823's) and a couple did. That means I can get the L92 heads for super cheap too!!!

So...this winter I think I will finally be building the LS. Keeping the stock rods and crank...putting in flat tops with the cam and heads...with a carb...YES A CARB. With my new found parts and deals through the dealership this wont be as bad as I thought it will be!

Do your research on the cam specs. The LS3 heads on LQ4's can have some PTV clearance issues if you go with too aggressive of a cam. Also they are sensitive to carb vs. FI in regards to cam choice.

[SRD art]

Love it when things come together...

[coolwelder62]

Wow!!! this is an awesome thread.I love this these cars.Will be checking back in to see more.

[89 RS]

Good stuff Doug, great to hear about the motor. Good luck with the build!

[SicMonte]

Well got some of my "free" LS stuff recently.....

L92 Intake....complete with injectors, throttle body and fuel rails.



One part of the front accessory set up...this will look like a jewel once I am done with it!!



And a copy of a very informative DVD all about tuning GM LS engines. After talking to Walter "Hambone" on here we decided to inject the motor instead of use a carb. He gave me all the intake stuff and he has EFI Live software...so we will be tuning it ourselves. A bunch of mad scientists over here!!

[SicMonte]

Went to a cruise in weekend at the beach last weekend. The beach is 3 hours away and it decided to rain all the way home. I have no HVAC system in my car at all so it gets very interesting in the rain!!

This lil guy is a life saver!!!!



My "no drip" towel. A must with the windows down during the rain...yes I said the windows down. I had to b/c the lil fan was only giving me a 6" diameter hole to see out of through all the condensation on the inside of the window. Remember I have no defroster!!




The aftermath once I got it back home and in the shop....

[SicMonte]

Here's a shot of my good friend Michael Weddle doing a photo shoot with my car last weekend at the fall Ocean City Maryland "Endless Summer" cruising weekend. Mike is only 17 years old and is an amazing photographer. He uses a Cannon camera is a master at photo enhancing a digital effects.

Here is his email if you are in the Maryland area and want to get similar photos! He charges between $10-$15 for the highly enhanced pics. You will see what I'm talking about.

[email protected]

Follow this link and go "like" his facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Micha...318172?fref=ts