UPDATE Jan. 2010
After ending the last year with the project moving a bit slow the next few weeks should be a bit more hectic as we are planning to have this car ready for April and race season (I know, haven't I said that before - several times now
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The shop has finally finished the engine & tranny mounts and now they will work on finishing the tunnel, mounts the seats and finish the roll cage. The roll cage is not sufficient enough for the 25.1.e classification that we will need.
The engine mount in the picture was taken the day before it was completed so the two pieces of metal that bolt to the frame are welded on yet. I will get a pic the next time I am at the shop. The engine mount/cradle is a custom chromoly piece that is very light as is the transmission mount. The really good thing it that the design of the mounts are that with the removal of only 8 bolts, the whole transmission/engine is ready to drop from the car. I don't even have to unbolt the mounts first.
We also solved the problem of the wheels rubbing on the brakes by simpy going from a 1/4" spacer to a 3/8" spacer and slightly grinding a back caliper. The new spacer is made of 7075 aluminum and is bolted to the hat.
The radiator in the pictures is from Griffin radiator and it is designed to support a 1500hp race motor. The seats in the picture are a big improvement from the Kirkey racing seats that were originally bought for the project. Having said that, these seats are a tight fit for me and definitely not meant for long drives. For those of you that I have promised rides to, be warned that you may need to work a bit to get your butt in/out of the seats.
I have also run into a few more obstacles as we move forward. Because the project was oribinally an Ecotec/turbo build I have way to many parts that won't work for a supercharged application. Some of the parts needing to be changed are both sets of rear-end gears, the back wheels and slicks. I need to go to lower gear sets and taller/wider slicks to hold the power. Sometines it seems that I am falling farther behind because of the changes needed because of the piss poor planning/workmanship of 'you know who'.
Another thing that this year brings is the moving forward of my lawsuit. Certain parts have been tested by independant shops and those results have been given to the shop finishing the project. I expect to have a detailed report within the next 2 weeks which then goes to the lawyer with a mountain of other paper work.
Once the car has the cage finished up then it is coming home for the wiring. Anyways, onto the pictures.
Rod
