2nd Chance Camaro - Let the Project Begin

[syborg tt]

Time to put the Access panel in for the last time. I applied panel bond on the floor and screwed the panel in for the last time.







Applied some paint & primer in one on the bare metal area's





At some point I will clean off all of the finger prints.

[syborg tt]

When we built version 1.0 of the car it had a 700R4. Version 2.0 is getting 4L60e built by Atomic Transmission in Villa Park, IL. What I have learned is that the mounting position on the tailshaft is further back and the top of the case is a little fatter. Which means there is a a whole lot less room on the sides for you to reach up and install the wiring and tighten the coolant line fittings.



For now the empty 700r4 case is going back in as I can't seem to find one. You can see I had to drill new holes in the G-Force Crossmember for the 4L60e which are currently hidden under the tape.

[syborg tt]

So Mike called me to ask what I was doing and I told him I was about to install the headers in the car and that I would call him back in 5 minutes. Every step of the way on this build I wanted to make a car that was easy to work on and fun to drive. Since I a very content with 468hp I didn't see a need for long tube headers and a 3" exhaust. So we took a set of Edelbrock shorty headers and the guys at High Speed Welding made a down tube to connect to the exhaust.

[syborg tt]

After talking with the guys at Holley I decided that I was going to skip making hard lines and just run soft lines front to rear. The benefit is there would only be two possible places it could leak and it would take a lot less time to run.

I started at the Filter/Regulator and plan to run up and over to the rear frame rail and use the OE mounting points for the line.






















In order to keep the line above the frame I took advantage of this slot and ran the line through it.





I am also ordering some aviation wrap from Tech to put around the fuel line as it passes through this area.








Thankfully I have a nice right hand drill attachment as this prevented me from going to Ace Hardware and buying a new tool. Darn !!!

[syborg tt]

The car is progressing nicely and it's time to address the one issue I have with the Holley Intake. I've been working with the guys at Holley and I explained to them the Fuel Log connecting the rails in the front is way to short. It's so tight that it actually bends the rails in when I try to install the Throttle Body.













So I am going to plan "B" and ordering up a few more fitting and going to use the Black PFT line and I will add 1.5" to the length of the line so it fits neatly under the throttle body.

[syborg tt]

So I have the Holley Throttle Bracket and it has got to be the ugliest thing I have ever seen.

Hideous would be the word that comes to mind.



Dear Lord this thing sticks up so high it could possible hit the hood.



Summit Racing an I have become good friends.

[syborg tt]

I ordered up some new hoses to connect the metal coolant hose that Kenny built.

I borrowed the red connection hose from my buddy Ben and I liked how nice it fit and looked.





Knowing that the hose I borrowed worked and looked nice I ordered up some in black.

[syborg tt]

Today I am going to try to figure out a good way to run the transmission coolant lines. I started at the
radiator using the lines Kenny bent as they look great and work perfect. I will most likely change the blue fittings
to black so it blends in with the engine bay.








Once again I pulled out the clear tubbing and layed it out the way I suspect it will go.














There is a lot going on here.

Fuel line, Vintage Air Drain & of course the Trans Coolant Lines which will have DEI heat wrap installed near the headers downpipe.





You can see the green rope as I use that to estimate the length of hose I will need.

[syborg tt]

As previously stated I have no love for the Holley Throttle Cable bracket as it's just fugly looking and there has to be a better solution.








Attempt # 1 - Unfortunately the cable alignment was off a little bit





Attempt # 2 - At least I was a little closer











Attempt #3 - Looks like I am ready to make a Prototype














Off to High Speed Welding to make a prototype out of Aluminum.














Alignment is spot on.





Since I am a mountain biker and I build bikes I grabbed an old school brake cable and mocked up a throttle cable so I could make sure the gas pedal would open the throttle blades completely.

[syborg tt]

Yes, I am aware I have a problem and after I finish this car I will seek therapy.


Racetronix sell black anodized adel clamps and I had to have them even though now one will every notice them.





They also sell a very nice aluminum -6 line clamps.





I also picked up some Knotchead -6 soft line clamps.

[Motown 454]

Nice job on the throttle bracket. It's all looking great.

[syborg tt]

Nice job on the throttle bracket. It's all looking great.

Thank you and I still need to tweak it a little bit.

[syborg tt]

So it has been years since I made brake lines and I figured what the heck I have nothing but time so why not give it a shot. I decided I
was going to make the mock up line in the 3 pieces and then come back and attempt to make the line in one piece.

So out comes the trusty metal coat hangers and I made my first pattern.





Then the next





and finally I made the complete pattern.





Here goes nothing !











Hard to believe my first attempt went so well.





The final bends on the drivers side went well however I was way off on the passenger side.





Opps - oh well I will give it another shot in a couple days.

[syborg tt]

No one ever called me a quitter.


I am going to skip most everything I did to get to this point.





Love this tool from Eastwood.





Looks like I will be doing it again as I miss-calculated where I needed to bend the lines so I straightened it and bent again so I could get closer on the next attempt.





Thankfully brake lines are cheap.

[syborg tt]

Here we go again.

As you can see I was practicing the bends that each tool was able to do and making reference marks on each piece so I would have a much better chance of bending the lines exactly where & how I want them to turn out.





More practice bends











You can see the refence marks on the line.





I used the string to determine exactly how much brake line I will need to make the desired piece.























Back to the Autoparts store.

[Toccoa]

Your attention to detail is amazing! Possibly unhealthy, but amazing!

[syborg tt]

Your attention to detail is amazing! Possibly unhealthy, but amazing!

Thank you and you might be right about it being unhealthy.

[syborg tt]

Picking up where I left off I need to connect both front calipers to the master and my goal was to keep is simple and fairly
easy build. I plan to install a Knotchead line clamp under it to support it.











Time to make the final line.

Since I made reference marks on the practice line I used those to make the new line all in one piece and it turned out exactly how I wanted it.





Yep, I kept practicing with the scrap pieces to help me learn where to line up the tools so I can get the desired bends.





So I was feeling a little bit ambitious and I gave it another crack on the crossover line on the subframe.





I needed an extra hand so I put the brake line bender in my Grandfathers Vice and wow was this a total game changer it was like having Mike in the garage helping me.








I just realized the sweatshirt that I am wearing in this picture was the last gift I received from my Grandmother before she died
in 1989. It had moved with me many times over the years and I never wore it. A few years back I pulled it out and decided I would
finally where it.








Using the reference marks I made allowed me to duplicate the final line all in one piece. I also traced out the line with sting so I new exactly how much line was necessary. It would have sucked if I had started with a 60" line as this line turned out to be 62" in length.








The final flare and yes the fitting is on !!!








The tape makes the line not look centered but it is actually almost perfect.

[Hotwire]

Great job Mary!! My skills are so lacking I had to drop to copper nickel line and cheat.

[syborg tt]

Great job Mary!! My skills are so lacking I had to drop to copper nickel line and cheat.

I was considering the Copper-Nickel but had never used them before. Tell me you thought as I would love to know how it was using those lines.