Mid- Engine Modified Sports

[manta22]

A bit more done; I re-installed the headers (Schoenfeld) using ARP header bolts this time. I also wired up the Mallory distributor to 12v power and ground and connected the Crane HI-6 trigger to the distributor.

This time I tried some neat little butt connectors made by Raychem instead of the usual crimp connectors. They are made of a very high temperature shrink sleeve with an melt able adhesive ring around the inside of each end and it has a solder ring in the middle. You just insert the stripped ends of the wires into each end and heat the connector with a heat gun. The adhesive melts and secures the wires and the solder ring melts and forms a good electrical connection.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

Here is what that Raychem butt connector looks like. They come in different sizes to fit the wire size that's used.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[tauruck]

That sounds and looks awesome Neil.

[ggl205]

Both axles are bolted back in place now as are the rear uprights and the suspension arms. I've added the required safety washers that prevent the rod end from coming off in case the ball separates from its housing. The cone spacers give the rod end more angular motion before bottoming out.

The alignment is close but I'll need to fine tune it at the proper ride height. One suspension arm is a bit short (see photo) and I'll replace it later with a longer one to give me more thread engagement.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

Hi Neil:

Thought I would give those swaged trailing arms a try. Most of the force these arms will take is tension so I got them as long as I needed to use all the rod end threading.

John

[manta22]

John;

Those swaged tubes are very useful-- and surprisingly cheap! Swaging the tube ends increases the thickness in that area so it maintains its strength when it is tapped for threads.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[ggl205]

Inexpensive and come in one inch length increments. I found a place that offers them in half inch increments if you should ever need them.

John

[manta22]

Thanks, John. I usually order mine from Speedway Motors but being able to buy them in 1/2" increments is an advantage.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[manta22]

I decided to remove my Crower mechanical fuel injection manifold and replace it for now with a carburetor-- one less thing to fiddle with. The carb is a Holley 850CFM double-pumper on an Edelbrock 4+4 manifold. This manifold is out of production but a call to Edelbrock reassured me that it is a good one. It is virtually the same as a Super Victor; I suspect that Marketing goofed in calling it a "4+4"-- too similar to "4x4". I'm sure many people misconstrued it as being designed for a four wheel drive vehicle so they re-named it.

I still need to replace the distributor and fabricate a throttle linkage. I found the carb venturi on eBay for $10 with free shipping! New, spun aluminum-- shoulda bought two.

After the car & engine is sorted out, I'll put the MFI back on.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[tauruck]

Aw man, it's a Chevy!!!
Great work as usual Neil.

[Peter Jack]

Don't be afraid of the mechanical injection Neil. I worked with Hilborn on gas on a sports racing car and Crower on alcohol on a sprint car. Learn how to set them up and they're dead simple. 

Pete

[manta22]

Thanks, Mike.

Pete, I have too many other things to do to take time to learn how to set up my MFI. I'll put that off until I get other, more basic, things sorted out.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[wobblywalrus]

That nice carb would be categorized as "problem permanently solved" for the ol'walrus.

[manta22]

It may seem as if this project has come to a halt but it is continuing in fits and starts. Lots of little things done, not worth mentioning, but they take time. Some travel has slowed things as well. Enough excuses. 

I did get some plumbing done on the radiator vent system and on the fuel system. There is a small line from the top of the radiator back to an aluminum tank that has a pressure cap and a drain line into the water pump inlet line. An overflow line is routed to a small aluminum catch tank. This way any air bubbles in the coolant flow will not air lock the radiator, they will be vented to the tank instead. This also allows the system to be fully filled with coolant. I used 1/4" Nylo-Seal tubing and brass Poly-Flo fittings. I also connected my oil pressure line from the block to the gauge with the same type of tubing and fittings. I've ordered some fire sleeve to cover the exposed oil line.

The fuel lines to the electric fuel pump, filters, and carburetor are done. Setting the float level was a comedy of errors. The first time I tried pressurizing the system I saw leaks around the sight plugs and float level adjusting screws. I didn't have any new Holley washers so I scrounged around and found a few Teflon washers that fit. The next time I pressurized the fuel line, gas shot up out of the bowl vent tubes! Arrgghh... obviously the float level was WAY too high. I lowered the level way down but even the end point was still too high. It eventually dawned on me that the problem was the thickness of the Teflon washer under the float level adjustment screw- it was much thicker than the Holley washer. This did not allow the adjustment to lower the float all the way down. A trip to town- Don's Hot Rod Shop- produced the proper Holley washers and I was able to adjust the float to its approximate level. Lesson learned.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[wobblywalrus]

Neil, sometimes I need to solder two wire ends together.  I strip the insulation off the wires, twist them together, apply flux, then solder the wires.  The soldered wire joint is thicker than the wires on each side and eventually vibration or flexure during handling fatigues a wire adjacent to the joint and it breaks.  Do you have any tricks to make that breakage not happen?

[wheelrdealer]

Neil, sometimes I need to solder two wire ends together.  I strip the insulation off the wires, twist them together, apply flux, then solder the wires.  The soldered wire joint is thicker than the wires on each side and eventually vibration or flexure during handling fatigues a wire adjacent to the joint and it breaks.  Do you have any tricks to make that breakage not happen?

WW
I am sure Neal has an excellent  solution to  your soidering question but for  what it is worth I have had success with using double wall adhesive shrink tubing. http://buyheatshrink.com/ . The thick tubing with the adhesive keeps each end from flexing at the weak area between the solder and the wire insulation.

My 2 cents.