Project Cleaning the Clutter in Our Engine Bay

[572HP]

Originally Posted by EZ SPEED

What coolant overflow tank did you use...I need to change mine out to something smaller than the factory one...I need the space for some other stuff.

BilletSpecialties (8.75" tank)

I had to make up a bracket out of aluminum (but you could use steel). I mounted the new bracket to the pinch weld on top of the frame. I know...a picture would help.

Originally Posted by SS4PK

572,

That looks great. Is your car so fast you don't need windsheild wipers, or did you just not put them back on yet?

Probably not legal without them...but I am leaving them off, as well as the plastic piece that mounts to the hood. I'll leave the wipers in the trunk in the odd case that my planning doesn't work out so well. I don't plan on driving the car in the rain.

Originally Posted by Kronix

@572HP that bay looks great!!
Can you tell me where you got the black bolts & washers & sizes for your strut tower brace?

Thanks Kronix,
The bolts are ARP 12-pt, and are M8 x 30mm. 6 of them are needed. The 5-pack is part 671-1003 for the black. Polished are available, but a different part number. I also used their chamfered washer: part 200-8688. These washers aren't a perfect fit on the M8 bolt, but they are close.

[Nathan Moreno]

Okay, just finished the passenger side. Went by my local powder coater today to look at some options. I thinking I'll powder coat the oil pan, timing chain cover, motor mounts, heat shield that goes mounted to the starter and the valley plate in the same finish powder coated finish.

Got my paint supplies to paint the engine and bay today also. So I moving one step at a time.

Before....




After......

[LC]

Are you blocking those by hand?

Mad patience skills...

[bmbbl be]

nathan i commend you for taking on such a project but you might as well look into removing drivetrain and painting underneath like ezspeed did !

[Nathan Moreno]

Originally Posted by LC

Are you blocking those by hand?

Mad patience skills...

Jitterbug and by hand........ your right on the patience part...... not to sure about the skill, lol

Originally Posted by bmbbl be

nathan i commend you for taking on such a project but you might as well look into removing drivetrain and painting underneath like ezspeed did !

Thanks, I am pulling the trans along with the sub and painting the entire bay in a satin gray. I'm also looking to powder coat the sub in a textured gun metal gray. My local powder coated has a 20 foot oven. I would do the floor pan but I don't have a two post lift. So that might be a future project. At least thats the plan for now, LOL. Next month should be exiting!

I also purchase a mig welder and I'm going to fill all the holes in the engine bay along with some of the seems.

As of right now, I'm looking to pull the heads this weekend, deburing them and sending them to Lingenfelter for some of their magic.

Wish me luck because I have never done any of this before, so I'm going to need it!

[Nathan Moreno]

Got the heads off and was cleaning them some before I send them to Lingenfelter for some of their magic.



I figure I post this shot of the runner as a comparison for when I get the back.



Here's a pic of the rough casting.



And hers after a ton of work, LOL





Notice the red circle and the heads thats been smoothed. The factory casting was squared till I rounded it off to match the others. That only took two minutes..... sure, LOL



Here's a before......



And after but not finished ........



That's it for now. Another friends birth day party. To many parties. I'm going to have to get rid of some friends, they are infringing on my project, LOL

By the way, I need some new addicts..... I mean recruits! Starting to get lonely now that NC-V, Indy, Roctrux, 572HP and PaulSS have all finished their cars. :(

[Synner]

Started smoothing the water pump but going to take me quite a while. The sand casting is horrible. Probably need to do a brushed finish because the surface has tons of imperfections. Would grind all the way through the pump trying to get rid of them all.

[572HP]

Originally Posted by Nathan Moreno

By the way, I need some new addicts..... I mean recruits! Starting to get lonely now that Indy, Roctrux, 572HP and PaulSS have all finished their cars. :(

+1

Need more to watch.

[Nathan Moreno]

Originally Posted by Synner

Started smoothing the water pump but going to take me quite a while. The sand casting is horrible. Probably need to do a brushed finish because the surface has tons of imperfections. Would grind all the way through the pump trying to get rid of them all.

Believe me, I know what you meqan about rough casting!

Originally Posted by 572HP

+1

Need more to watch.

I'm getting a lot of PM's from other guys that are starting on their projects. So we should have more team members soon.

[RocTrux]

Oh I'm not done yet, there are other parts of the car to mod too. I just installed a Pedders 27mm rear sway bar and end links the other day that I got from a C5 member. I'v got another piece of under hood bling on the way and some LED lights. I think I have found where to get the intake bolts that will match the ones I used for the throttle body, then I will paint or powder coat the intake along with a few other tweaks, changes and additions I'll be making so I will be here for a while.

[bmbbl be]

Originally Posted by Synner

Started smoothing the water pump but going to take me quite a while. The sand casting is horrible. Probably need to do a brushed finish because the surface has tons of imperfections. Would grind all the way through the pump trying to get rid of them all.

i'm holding out for a chrome one that is mechanical and not electric. i thought about working on the stock one but i decided it wasnt worth it

[Synner]

I was going to as well but got impatient. Since I was doing some other buffing I figured I might as well since the pump is the biggest piece on the front of the engine that needs attention. I'll do the pump, tensioner, and steering pump bracket and then see how things look. Maybe the pulleys themselves are next but I'd rather put the cash towards a cam.

[EZ SPEED]

Originally Posted by Nathan Moreno

By the way, I need some new addicts..... I mean recruits! Starting to get lonely now that NC-V, Indy, Roctrux, 572HP and PaulSS have all finished their cars. :(

Yep, add me to the "finished" list ...well at least till winter...then it will be time to tear back into it again..LOL

[PAUL SS]

Originally Posted by Synner

Started smoothing the water pump but going to take me quite a while. The sand casting is horrible. Probably need to do a brushed finish because the surface has tons of imperfections. Would grind all the way through the pump trying to get rid of them all.

Sounds like a candidate for powder coating.

By the way, I need some new addicts..... I mean recruits! Starting to get lonely now that NC-V, Indy, Roctrux, 572HP and PaulSS have all finished their cars.

Done for this season, come November, I will have to decide how I want to proceed. I can tell you it won't be as extreme as some others.

[Nathan Moreno]

Okay, updated list:
EZSPEED: Done till winter
572HP: Done till winter
PaulSS: Done till winter
Kyle aka NC-V: Al most done with current project (except for AC lines)
Synner: Work in progress
Roctrux: Work in progress
Blbbl be: Almost done? (I'm thinking .....got to be with as much work as you've done)
Indy: Done for now, LOL
Nathan: I'm updating my projected time to 4 months base on everything I have going. I can put about 10 hours a week into it.

I'll update the list if I left anybody out.

[Synner]

Originally Posted by PAUL SS

Sounds like a candidate for powder coating.

By the way, I need some new addicts..... I mean recruits! Starting to get lonely now that NC-V, Indy, Roctrux, 572HP and PaulSS have all finished their cars.

Done for this season, come November, I will have to decide how I want to proceed. I can tell you it won't be as extreme as some others.

I don't want to open up the seals on the pump, they're pressed in and they never seem to last as long once they start getting messed with. Otherwise I'd agree.

[bmbbl be]

Originally Posted by Nathan Moreno

Okay, updated list:
EZSPEED: Done till winter
572HP: Done till winter
PaulSS: Done till winter
Kyle aka NC-V: Al most done with current project (except for AC lines)
Synner: Work in progress
Roctrux: Work in progress
Blbbl be: Almost done? (I'm thinking .....got to be with as much work as you've done)
Indy: Done for now, LOL
Nathan: I'm updating my projected time to 4 months base on everything I have going. I can put about 10 hours a week into it.

I'll update the list if I left anybody out.

almost done car is at livernois getting supercharger installed ....then i'll be about 90% finished,,,,

[The Stig]

I really want to start this project. Though I feel that once I start I'll end up like Nathan and having to do everything. Maybe I'll just start with some SS braided hoses.

[Nathan Moreno]

Originally Posted by stieger

I really want to start this project. Though I feel that once I start I'll end up like Nathan and having to do everything. Maybe I'll just start with some SS braided hoses.

Okay, updated list:
EZSPEED: Done till winter
572HP: Done till winter
PaulSS: Done till winter
Kyle aka NC-V: Al most done with current project (except for AC lines)
Synner: Work in progress
Roctrux: Work in progress
Blbbl be: Almost done? (I'm thinking .....got to be with as much work as you've done)
Indy: Done for now, LOL
Nathan: I'm updating my projected time to 4 months base on everything I have going. I can put about 10 hours a week into it.

I'll update the list if I left anybody out.

Waiting List:
Stieger:

[SS4PK]

Beginning soon, gathering pieces now. Other things going on for the next few weeks. Nothing as extreme as you crazy people but cool nonetheless.

[572HP]

Originally Posted by stieger

I really want to start this project. Though I feel that once I start I'll end up like Nathan and having to do everything. Maybe I'll just start with some SS braided hoses.

That's a safe start. Just get started! We need more addicts.

[PAUL SS]

Originally Posted by stieger

I really want to start this project. Though I feel that once I start I'll end up like Nathan and having to do everything. Maybe I'll just start with some SS braided hoses.

I started with a heater hose relo and went a bit further than that, but you can do many of these mods in less than a day and many are independent of each other so you can really do a little at a time.

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by Nathan Moreno

Okay, updated list:
EZSPEED: Done till winter
572HP: Done till winter
PaulSS: Done till winter
Kyle aka NC-V: Al most done with current project (except for AC lines)
Synner: Work in progress
Roctrux: Work in progress
Blbbl be: Almost done? (I'm thinking .....got to be with as much work as you've done)
Indy: Done for now, LOL
Nathan: I'm updating my projected time to 4 months base on everything I have going. I can put about 10 hours a week into it.

I'll update the list if I left anybody out.

Waiting List:
Stieger:

give me a few weeks and I'll officially join the list

[Zman12]

I would love to start this project, maybe this winter. I may start a little at a time. I am sure that's what everyone says.

[SS4PK]

Al right I need to know where to get the evap quick connects like Techafx has on their hoses. I need the 90 degrees variety. I'm going to keep the quick connects on flexible fuel line and not go with SS braided AN fittings. I guess they are the same as the fuel line quick connects. I can't seem to find them on the web, and I usually don't have luck on the GM partswharehouse website without part numbers. Who can help a brother out with a lead.

thanks