Back at it. I want to finish this project. Working on the wiring now. Cutting up the engine harness and setting up a new system. Will have internal regulated alternator, rear mount battery, MSD box and remote solenoid. Multiple terminal post and relays. I really enjoy the electrical work, and this system really simplifies the entire process, and gets good power to all the components. Easy starts, and the main battery cable is dead except for cranking. I have done this on several of our cars, and it has worked great, and handle all modern electrical components with ease. I might create a how to thread later to feature this in case anybody is interested in how to set this up.
Been working on the dash. Put an aftermarket tach in the stock gauge cluster. Looks pretty good. Now painting and cleaning up all the pieces before putting them back. I want to finish the whole dash and under side before I put the front seat in. Ready to assemble the 462, but I lost the gaskets that I had, and had to order some more.
Project update. Fenders, doors, trunk lid are at my friends body shop and stripped. He wants the rest there by Jan 1. So I have a bunch to finish up. Engine/Trans are sitting in. Still not started. Wiring, fuel line, trans line are getting finished up. 462 is in. Putting all the little things back on. Lots of little things when you pull one completely apart. And of course, out of the 100 belts I have pulled from skylarks, none of them fit. uuuggghhh.
if you go to oriellys for your p.s belt get one a little shorter than the computer says. looks good. you will be cruising next summer.
more work Core support is repaired, blasted and painted. So are the inner fenders. Intake is on, Qjet on. I have most of the stuff to wrap it up now, so hopefully won't be long now.
more done. getting there. Should be breaking it in soon, maybe 2 weeks. Got the correct length belts now and they all line up. Working on the wiring to keep it all together nice. Ordered a throttle cable. Radiator is a 33" wide and 19" tall. I won't use the stock radiator cover. Mark VIII fan ordered. Internal regulator alt in place and wiring harness made for that. I have the dash in place. Still need to wire up a delay for the SP400 tranny.
A little more. Hoping to get a bunch done today. New Lokar throttle cable is in. Looks like it will work out very well. Tyler has this one on the red car.
Your correct Chuck. This car, as you can tell from the thread, has changed directions many times. I wanted a daily driver originally, cheap and ugly, but solid drivetrain. 462 seemed like a good round number. That is Tyler putting it together for me, he has all the good tools, and tons of knowledge from studies and hands on. We worked on it yesterday. Plan is to fire it up Monday for break in. Starting to come together with all the little things. Trying to route the wiring to keep it clean in engine bay. This is my modified wiring harness and junction block. Wired MSD box directly in the harness in ignition wire slot. All unnecessary wires removed. Junction block has power from alternator, and then carries power to the trunk junction box and to battery in trunk. Also have relay there for fan. Worked on moving location of the A/C condensor, so the big aluminum radiator would fit with the electric fan set up. Had to do some mods to the core support to make room for the A/C lines. This is my friend Kim, with the tubbed S10 Blazer. Stater wired to work with remote solenoid. I really like this because there is only the 00 battery cable going to starter. And it only has power to it when cranking. No heat problems, no wires to burn, very simple and clean. Test fitting it all. And it fits!!!
By the way, the straps holding the radiator and fan in place are temporary. Kim is a fabricator, and will be building me and Tyler (for the red car) a custom fit cover. And yes, my wife said the convertible had to have A/C. So it does.
Air conditioning "seems" like a waste of power and money on a convertible, but back in the 80s I had a 69 firebird convertible and there is no way when I went looking for a new muscle car that I was going to get one without it. I live in MN and in the summer all the way up here if you so much as stop at a light the heat is unbearable. You maried a smart woman Mark. Air conditioning rocks, even on convertibles:TU:
It's alive. Break in today. Fired up, great oil pressure, temps good. Burned up the power steering pump, oops, otherwise, just sat and watched for problems, and there were none. Yay.
I put relays in the trunk for the top, so the power doesn't have to go through the dash switch. Dash switch works as normal. I will wire up the switch pitch trans and drive it around this weekend.
