Did you dig out the new seat covers yet??

 

I took Friday off to work on the vert. I wanted to get the fuel system installed. The fuel injection system I'm installing requires a return line, electric fuel pump, inline filter, and pressure regulator which the 65 wasn't equipped with originally. I bought the Mallory pump and regulator that MassFlo recommended, and bought new 3/8 line, braided hose and AN fittings from SECO.

First thing is to gain a return access point to the tank. I drilled a hole in the sender and bent a new line to run next to the supply line. It was a nice tight fit, but I couldn't solder it like I wanted to. I think I needed silver solder and didn't have any. I checked JB Weld's website and it indicated it would survive contact with gasoline, so I sealed the unit and put a few reinforcing bonds on the inside. I was really pleased with the way it turned out, but when I installed it after sitting for several days, the JB Weld cracked on every joint. So now I'll order another sender, bend another tube, and have it soldered or find some silver solder.

 

I decided to move on and install the pump, filter, and line to the front of the car. I decided to use a stock fuel line for the return, and fabricate a new supply line. I used a handheld tubing bender and worked my way from the back to the front. I pop-riveted hose clamps all along the underside, and it turned out great. I made a bracket to hold the external pump near the bottom of the tank, and mounted the filter up near the frame rails, out of the way of everything.

 

I installed the fuel injectors, fuel rails, brackets, and fabricated a crossover tube at the front with the AN fittings and the braided fuel line. I also fabricated and installed a braided line that connects to the new fuel line I ran to the back. The other side will go to a pressure regulator, but no one had the AN fittings I needed to do that part.

The distributor wouldn't seat all the way down, so I called MassFlo. They told me that I had to cut 3/8 inch off the bottom of the distributor shaft because of the heavy duty ARP oil pump shaft that we used. "OK, I'll just cut this new billet Mallory distributor and hope for the best". It worked just fine, and distributor fell into place. I installed the new Cobra valve covers, and set the new valve body in place just for temporary eye candy.

 

The rack & pinion steering cleared the engine just fine. The problem is finding headers that play well with the steering shaft from the firewall to the rack. The shaft actually runs between tubes of the headers. Unisteer claims to have used Hooker Comps, but installers have tried with no success. One installer noted that the Hooker SuperComps were a close fit, but of course they are twice the price. I noticed that Flowtech makes a header that seems to be a copy of the Hooker SuperComps, so I ordered those. After struggling to install the header, it didn't clear the shaft. I removed it and took it to Clanton muffler, but he wouldn't bend the tube because he was afraid it would distort the mounting flange. I decided to order a set of shorties, hoping they would fit. They came in, and as you can see in the photo, the outlet is exactly in the middle of the two U-joints for the steering shaft.



I quickly removed the shorties and packed them up for return to Summit. I reinstalled the Flowtechs and decided that if it were mounted to the head before I did any "adjusting", the flange wouldn't move. I used pry bars, hammers, c-clamps, straps, blocks of wood, etc. and actually made some progress, although it wasn't quite enough. What I needed was a cylinder head that I could mount the header to (outside the car on a bench). I struggled once again to remove the header from the car. Andy had one, so I ran out to his place. After discussing the situation, he offered up his hydraulic portapower, and suggested I install the header before using the portapower to spread the tubes. Crap, I just pulled it off! I reinstalled the header (getting pretty good at this by now) and used the portapower. Wow, what a great tool. I easily gained the clearance I needed to route not only the steering shaft, but also the cable for the clutch.

View from under the car. Header is ugly, but none of the "adjustment marks" are visible from above. I now hate headers and all that is associated with them.

 

Here's a picture of the undercarriage looking back to front. You can see the foxbody parking brake cables going to the modified parking brake actuator, the header collectors, the new T5, the fuel lines and the rear brake line. I ordered a new driveshaft and should have that early next week.

 

Looking Good!!!

Can't wait for more

 

Looking real good !
I'm curious if the Tri-Y style of headers would have cleared. I have cut out the "interference" area before and install a piece of muffler pipe flipped over backwards to make a clearance channel. Seemed to worked well when it was a whole lot of interference.

 

Tri-Y is a proven failure with the Unisteer R&P. So far, only the Flowtechs and Hooker SuperComps have had any success. Of course, if you want to cut tubes and do that kind of custom work, you can get anything to fit. But then you have to have the header recoated, if you're in to that sort of thing. If this car didn't have aluminum heads and a bunch of bling, I would have tried stock cast iron manifolds.

Thanks for the compliments. The car is shaping up, but I'm getting tired of looking at it. I'd really like to see it drive away.

 

you did a lot of work this weekend! Nice job. I almost felt bad for ya whilst on my 2d, 3d, 5th, heckwhoknowsforsure.... *hic*

 

Pic of one of the seats I covered.

 

nice!

 

Where's the updates, ya lazy fool?

 

He's still a little busy......


http://forums.bradbarnett.net/attach...1&d=1181148434

 

LOL...I luv it

 

That's pretty funny.

 

Any updates? It should be about time for final delivery, right?

 

Getting close. Here's a sneak peek:

 

ya...I think I hate you...no..now that I think about it more...I know I hate you....adopt me please

beautiful!

 

Well, I'm putting the final touches on the car. Sorry I haven't had many updates, but there was no time for progress pictures. With the great help of many RCMC members, I was able to complete this car in time for Billy's homecoming party, which is tomorrow. Thanks to all that helped, especially Andy and Ken who showed up Saturday and helped me knock out the list of things to do.

I'll finish it up tomorrow morning and take some pictures.