1971 Firebird Build ("The Other Woman", a.k.a. Project "T.O.W.")

[cdoggy81]

Thanks for the info Bryan.
I looked into the GMPP intake but it looks like you have to still machine out the injector bosses. Do they make an already machined one?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-88958675/

I also looked at the Accel units & it seems like there are 3 main ones to choose from for my application depending on CFM requirements. Do you know which model you got; 47202s3, 74202s4 or ?

[cpd004]

Awesome project!

[FirstGenZq8]

good seeing you at HPT today. any new pics/progress report?

[cdoggy81]

any new pics/progress report?

Ya, what's the good word on this bad boy :]

[carbuff]

Wow, I really let this thread get behind. Between the car itself and work and life last year, I just didn't have time to keep everything updated. I did a little better over at Lat-G, but even that's pretty far behind:

http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=29609

Since those posts, I engaged Ron Sutton last summer to help me with the handling of my car. I ordered his custom-valved ridetech triple adjustable coilovers, springs, and swaybars to install on TOW. They made a big difference at the events I ran last year. The car is much more neutral to drive now, and I am now much more educated on how to adjust everything to improve my driving.

I did have a few small problems last year: PS rack blew a seal, O2 sensor died, rod ends in the rear suspension became really noisy. But those were all resolved without too much trouble...

But the latest issue is much more troublesome. I finally took TOW to a local LS tuner to dial in the tune in the Holley HP EFI. You can read the results of that experience here. The net result of that thread is that a $15 valve spring is costing me a full engine rebuild. And it seems that I really got shafted on the engine that I originally purchased. Summary of the issues I've found: crankshaft was previously turned, even though it's supposed to be new; potential rocker arm misalignment with the valves, and WAY higher compression ratio than I was originally told (at least 12.0:1 or so based on my calculations).

Right now I've shipped off the crankshaft to be turned and re-hardened. I found out today that my heads are no salvageable, so I'm shopping for a replacement set. And I'm going to be doing a clutch replacement while everything is apart, even with only 4k miles on the current one...

So I'm a bit frustrated at the moment, but I don't want that to take away from the fun I've had with TOW since getting her on the road! I've enjoyed 6 or so auto-cross events, 2 track days, and 3k or so miles of street driving. Above problems aside, she's a great car to drive and performs really well (especially given my limited experience at these events). I'm hoping that I can get everything taken care of in the next 6 weeks or so such that I can make the Fort Worth GG event in March and the USCA event the weekend after...

That's about it. Thanx for asking!

[saltfuture]

Sorry to hear about your troubles, but glad to get an update. I love your car, and it's been a huge inspiration in my own build.