Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

Derek69SS · Founding Member

What I found when I pulled my oil-pan off???

Enganeer · Mega Poster

Lucky Dog

Derek69SS · Founding Member

I still can't believe it!

The guy said he drove it, and it didn't feel much different than other LS1 F-bodies that he had owned. I'm wondering if it just was never tuned properly.

Lost in the 60s · President

Dave Seitz · Mega Poster

Check cam and all that with it, what are you going to do for software and ECU?

Derek69SS · Founding Member

I'll be pulling the heads and doing some inspection before I put it in the car. Pistons are Diamond Racing Pistons, and compression should be around 10.4. If the heads haven't been reworked much, I'll pick up a set of take-off Z06 heads for a little more power.

I'll be keeping the stock computer, but it will be reprogrammed. I might just use the same cam Steve has in his so when he gets his running good, I can copy his tune. biggrin

OscarZ · Mega Poster

That's great! Can't wait to see how it all turns out. I'm sure I'll be jealous... biggrin

SShink · 3K+ Club

Score double bonus points for finding hi po parts when unexpected! biggrin

Bungy L-76 · Active Member

WOW! Nice score! Do you know what the stroke is and what you now have for ci ?

seagrams72 · Active Member

Derek69SS wrote:

I'll be pulling the heads and doing some inspection before I put it in the car. Pistons are Diamond Racing Pistons, and compression should be around 10.4. If the heads haven't been reworked much, I'll pick up a set of take-off Z06 heads for a little more power.

I'll be keeping the stock computer, but it will be reprogrammed. I might just use the same cam Steve has in his so when he gets his running good, I can copy his tune.

Dump the LS1 heads and pick up some 243's (Z06), can be had for $400 from LS1tech. You will spend about $200 for gaskets and bolts though.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

seagrams72 wrote:
Dump the LS1 heads and pick up some 243's (Z06), can be had for $400 from LS1tech. You will spend about $200 for gaskets and bolts though.

Don't need to buy bolts, they already have ARP studs. biggrin

Derek69SS · Founding Member

Bungy L-76 wrote:
WOW! Nice score! Do you know what the stroke is and what you now have for ci ?

Spec on the pistons is that they're for a 3.904" bore and made for 4" stroke, which makes it a 383ci

seagrams72 · Active Member

Derek69SS wrote:

seagrams72 wrote:
Dump the LS1 heads and pick up some 243's (Z06), can be had for $400 from LS1tech. You will spend about $200 for gaskets and bolts though.

Don't need to buy bolts, they already have ARP studs.

Sounds like you made up your mind! Those studs are about $350 alone!

Derek69SS · Founding Member

Lost in the 60s wrote:

I bought it in October 2008, and finally opened it up today...

Set it in for mock-up

Going to build a new trans tunnel

Yes, I sat in it banging gears and making vroom vroom noises. biggrin

SteveS · Super Poster

You suck. I pull the pan off my stock LS1 and find surprise damage, end up spending a pile of money to get a 383. You pull the pan off of yourstock LS1 to find a surprise 383. Did I mention you suck? biggrin I got to thinking after you called tonight, I wonder if who ever did the build swapped the original heads back on when they sold it? Can't imagine someone building a stout 383 bottom & running stock heads. Let me know when your ready to tear into yours further, I'm anxious to see what else you find.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

That would make sense, good point. I probably won't be doing any more engine disassembly until after the sheetmetal work is done, which might be a couple weeks yet.

I still haven't gotten my Vintage Air yet... will be calling Frank again tomorrow.

SteveS · Super Poster

How did the Autokraft pan fit with the crossmember? I can't tell from the picture, did you end up flipping the mounts over? I called a few places about Vintage Air last Friday. Most told me it would ship in a week so it seems a little strange you haven't seen yours yet. The more I think about it, I might order a compressor for the stock location like you did. I really don't want the compressor on top of the engine, and I could save some money not having to buy the kwik brackets. Unless you come across an extra set of brackets amongst all your other free parts biggrin

Derek69SS · Founding Member

The depth of the pan makes it tough to get the engine dropped into place with the transmission bolted to it. I'll be cutting my tunnel up about 1/2" higher for this reason. I had to get the BFH and a tinsnips out to massage the tunnel just to squeeze it through. It's looking like I'll be fabbing a whole new tunnel anyway all the way back to the rear seat so I can get my driveline angles right with my super-low stance.

SteveS · Super Poster

I'll be cutting my tunnel up about 1/2" higher for this reason. I had to get the BFH and a tinsnips out to massage the tunnel just to squeeze it through.

I was hoping there would be more room than that. I wonder if my auto will clear easier?

Derek69SS · Founding Member

I don't think it'll fit... you might have to put the trans in separately if you don't want to cut it. You could probably try it first though, you might get lucky.

-- Edited by Derek69SS on Monday 31st of January 2011 04:06:55 PM

SShink · 3K+ Club

Derek69SS wrote:

Yes, I sat in it banging gears and making vroom vroom noises.

You mean like the goofball in the attached pic?!?! biggrin

Yes, I can make fun of myself with the best of them. wink

seagrams72 · Active Member

Derek69SS wrote:

The depth of the pan makes it tough to get the engine dropped into place with the transmission bolted to it. I'll be cutting my tunnel up about 1/2" higher for this reason. I had to get the BFH and a tinsnips out to massage the tunnel just to squeeze it through. It's looking like I'll be fabbing a whole new tunnel anyway all the way back to the rear seat so I can get my driveline angles right with my super-low stance.

Dry Sump cough cough cough

Derek69SS · Founding Member

seagrams72 wrote:

Dry Sump cough cough cough

Wasn't lucky enough to find one of those. wink

Lost in the 60s · President

Derek69SS wrote:

seagrams72 wrote:

Dry Sump cough cough cough

Wasn't lucky enough to find one of those.

You can find them all over the web. The hard part is finding the green in the empty wallet, eh ?

SShink · 3K+ Club

Derek, it's been 7 months without any updates on your project... what's happenin' dude? Need an update!

Derek69SS · Founding Member

A few different factors have stalled out my progress...

Tinkering with the '66 wagon and '23 Model T have both used up a lot of my free time and garage-space. (one reason the wagon is for sale)

Trying to pay off our house, and shopping for another has discouraged me from spending money on the needed parts to finish it.

Kids... A.J. was unable to walk or crawl when I tore the car apart, and a momma's boy too... not anymore. It's hard to weld, cut, and grind with kids that insist on being in the garage with me 100% of the time.

SShink · 3K+ Club

Derek69SS wrote:
A few different factors have stalled out my progress...

Tinkering with the '66 wagon and '23 Model T have both used up a lot of my free time and garage-space. (one reason the wagon is for sale)

Trying to pay off our house, and shopping for another has discouraged me from spending money on the needed parts to finish it.

Kids... A.J. was unable to walk or crawl when I tore the car apart, and a momma's boy too... not anymore. It's hard to weld, cut, and grind with kids that insist on being in the garage with me 100% of the time.

Obviously, all good reasons. You've got your priorities straight though IMO.

Hoping we might see you with the wagon and kids on Sunday on the cruise since we were somewhat down in your area.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

Now with the wagon sold, the Model T put away for the winter, and the garage cleaned enough to work in, I'm finally back on it...

Initially, I wanted it to look "factory", but there's a few things about factory that bother the heck out of me... all the seamsealer on top of the firewall looks terrible IMHO. Going to weld them seams solid so I can make them look smooth and clean. Also, the way the front edge is rolled so crooked looks bad too. If I can't roll it smooth, I'll probably weld an 1/8" rod on the front edge to give it a nice rolled smooth edge. It'll be kept subtle enough to still look somewhat factory, but much cleaner. It will also make things easier to keep clean later.

I also plasma'd out a piece of 16ga steel to replace part of the cowl... there were so many holes and factory divots that would need to be filled, I figured this would be the better way to go. The thicker steel should help keep it from deforming with the weight of the A/C hanging on it... I'll probably add some bracing for that on the inside too.

This will be the easy part... figuring out what to do around the steering column and clutch M/C will be a little more difficult. I intend to make that look much cleaner too, but subtle and not overly "custom" looking either.

Lost in the 60s · President

I wouldn't stress over the area from the column down or over to the cowl edge. After the mc/booster and fender are installed, one has to look hard to even see the clutch bar or harness connectors.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

Updates! I'm working on it again!!!

I sold the house about a week after the last update, so progress stopped while we packed and moved. I rented a heated shop, but with all the guy's stuff in it, I had to spend 2 weeks cleaning it before I could work on my stuff... then, Christmas parties and wife working evening shift, I just couldn't find any time to work on it until this weekend.

Here's the rental shop... was a masonry business until he retired. He's having some health problems, so he doesn't do any work there anymore, but he keeps it heated so his John Deere will start for snow-removal.

Not bad for $50/month, eh?

So I finally welded in the new firewall...

I don't want any visible seams, so I welded up the double-layer stuff not covered by the DSE wiper motor... also welded all the unneeded holes shut.

Also did a solid weld where the 3 layers of the cowl were just spot welded and seamsealed before... want to keep a somewhat factory look, but without all that ugly seamsealer. I still need to reshape the front edge a little so it's smoother and straighter, and then roll the edge up a bit so water doesn't run down the firewall when I wash the car.

Next step is to finish welding in the trans tunnel so I can cut the driveshaft tunnel out and make that bigger too. I want to get all the welding done so I can put the interior back in... it worries me having all that stuff out and unprotected in someone else's shop.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Did you make the firewall panel yourself or did you buy one of the commercially made ones?

Derek69SS · Founding Member

I made a paper template and traced it onto a sheet, then cut it out with a plasma cutter... took about 30 minutes to make it.

I also welded some studs to the back side for the Vintage Air to hang on so I wouldn't have to have any visible bolts going through the firewall.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Intresting. One of the pre made panels I seen online showed them wanting you to just lay it over the stock firewall and weld it in. Not cut out the original and patch in the smooth panel like you did. I like your way much better. Thats a slick idea to think ahead on welding studs on.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

Mine's all butt-welded too, so it took some extra effort to fit it, but I like the results better. I used 16ga steel which is a little thicker than factory to support the weight of the AC and also for some added torsional rigidity... firewall provides a lot of the torsional strength of a Chevelle body.

Lost in the 60s · President

Glad to see you're making progress again...

$50 a month with heat is a steal...

I know most people don't like moth balls BUT mice don't either. Put a couple small trays of them amongst your interior pile and they should leave the seats alone. I have them in ALL my cars. The smell goes away quickly once I open them up again in the spring.

SteveS · Super Poster

Looks good . Hopefully you've got more room behind the vintage air box than I did, I don't think I could have gotten nuts on those studs on mine. The hardest part I had was getting the hoses to bend through the old vent hole and out the firewall, but I think you got pass through manifolds didn't you?

Derek69SS · Founding Member

I did test fit it to make sure I could get it in before welding everything solid. It's tight, but I can squeeze it in.

I haven't tried running any hoses to it yet. I didn't spend the extra money for the bulkhead connectors, so my hoses will have to be routed through all at once too.

SteveS · Super Poster

Good deal on those studs, it will look much better than mine having those bolts stick through.

I made up several new combinations of swear words trying to get those hoses run. It looks like there was lots of room until you try to get 4 hoses through two sets of grommets with tight bends. Just make sure who ever crimps the AC hoses has the fittings "clocked" the direction you want, the thick hoses don't twist very easy. Everything else on the vintage air was really easy. It's the 2nd best upgrade I did right after the LS engine itself.

Only complaint I have on the VA set-up is the control panel isn't backlit, unless mine is defective. All the fancy electronics and you can't see it at night . I don't drive much at night, so it's a minor annoyance.

bowtie · Secretary

I'll second Mitch's comment on the smell going away. It was gone pretty quick after I could air that back seat out.