Jump to content
Wooders28

Full scale car projects?

Recommended Posts

Feeling a bit better, so a bit of progress.

Bought the gauges a while back, figuring I'd use the senders I already had..

Wrong ohms ,so ended up having to get new senders anyway 🤦‍♂️

Seem a bit better, 80°c ,for water out the kettle.

2022-11-03_05-14-01

 

Finally got the dash cleared off with thinners,  and started again.

Still a bit of orange peel to sand off the clear coat, and maybe a bit lighter colour than wanted (more layers of base coat required?) ,but close enough (although, the speaker grills don't match...again, so need to redo those...😳)

2022-11-03_04-52-29

 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Your opinions? 

I've fitted elec fans, where I've always seen fans, sucking air through the rad -

 

20221103_124618

 

But, the other side of the rad ,is empty space, and if I moved to this side, would give a little bit more room....🤔

20221103_124636

 

Escs always have the fan, blowing onto them, not sucking through, so is there any reason why car fans always seem to be sucking the air through?

Easier on the production line?

Easier design, if you've got aircon options? 

Actually better at cooling?? 

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, Wooders28 said:

Escs always have the fan, blowing onto them, not sucking through, so is there any reason why car fans always seem to be sucking the air through?

Easier on the production line?

Easier design, if you've got aircon options? 

Actually better at cooling?? 

I think it's got to do with air flow. The cooling fan usually doesn't run all the time, only when the car stands still or there isn't enough air flow. So I think if you mount the fan in front of the cooler it might interrupt the air flow.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Aerobert said:

I think it's got to do with air flow. The cooling fan usually doesn't run all the time, only when the car stands still or there isn't enough air flow. So I think if you mount the fan in front of the cooler it might interrupt the air flow.

 

3 hours ago, Wooders28 said:

Your opinions? 

I've fitted elec fans, where I've always seen fans, sucking air through the rad -

 

20221103_124618

 

But, the other side of the rad ,is empty space, and if I moved to this side, would give a little bit more room....🤔

20221103_124636

 

Escs always have the fan, blowing onto them, not sucking through, so is there any reason why car fans always seem to be sucking the air through?

Easier on the production line?

Easier design, if you've got aircon options? 

Actually better at cooling?? 

 

So you suck air through the radiator as it’s usually cooler on the outside of the vehicle.  If you blow air into the radiator as mentioned it limits the amount of cooler air onto the rad as the fan and mechanical brackets will be in the way and could cause hot and cold areas which could damage the radiator in extreme temperature differences.  So mount all fans behind a radiator sucking cooler air which also flows around the engine.  If you are making a lot of heat think about where that heat needs to exist.  A totally sealed bonnet to engine bay isn’t good running modified hot engines.  Louvred bonnet would work well.  If you do that think about placement as if it’s raining or you wash the car, you don’t want water dripping over electrical systems.   You could also fit louvred panels either side of the engine exhaust manifolds so that heat can also dissipate behind the front wheels.   Obviously things can get quite complicated the more you look into it.  But just imagine engine heat getting stuck between the bulkhead and rear of bonnet.  Those rear cylinders will be hotter than the front. 
Hope that explanation helped 🤔🙂

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, Aerobert said:

So I think if you mount the fan in front of the cooler it might interrupt the air flow.

Surely the flow is interrupted, whichever side, as its still to go through the fan?

 

29 minutes ago, Toolmaker72 said:

Hope that explanation helped 🤔🙂

Urm, not really tbh, still pulling or pushing air, from the same area, so any difference would be marginal?

The TransAm has ducts in the wings, and a 'shaker', in the bonnet ,but if heat does become an issue, I'll add washers under the back of the bonnet, and raise it up a bit at the back.

The original fan , for the car (not engine) was a viscous fan off the water pump pulley, so could only fit on the engine side.

 

I'm leaving them as is.

The reason, is I've just had another look, and I've noticed one of the clips holding the fan in, has come off....

I've only run the fans, to check direction, and get amp data to order up relays (turned out, you're better just ordering a load of 40amp ,as they're cheaper 🤷‍♂️), so only ran for a minute ,tops...😳

If the fan is infront, physics says ,it'll always be trying to exit the vehicle when running, pulling on these clips, and faith in these clips, has just diminished somewhat...

Screenshot_20221105-134454_Gallery

 

Thanks for your input guys, and listening to me ,argue with myself...🙄🤣

As you where...

 

g79eun8mygxq716ai60l45sswpllqmbxhtrrrhjumo84x5m3ar4sk3vzffe2xj69

 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Bit of progress this week!! 

Heater in, and tested the heater vac operated flaps, using a brake vacuum bleeder. It's all working, but can't find the passenger kick panel, so the recirculation option won't be working until that appears, although, the block off panel seems to have disappeared too, so even with the flap shut on the bulkhead, it'll still pull air from the wipers....🤦‍♂️

The clamps I reemed fit well, but going to add a spacer under the clamp closest the heater, and nail it to the inner wing.

Thats all the hoses on, so could fill the system with coolant , but going to wait until the engine needs run before doing that.

20221116_211936

 

Fitted the vac reservoir to the fibreglass AC delete duct, ran a few earths to make sure the blower works, fitted 3 relays (the original speed control ran through the AC system, which I've chucked in the bin, so...😬) for the blower speeds, cloth wrapped,then ebay pretty wrap stuff ,the motor wiring.

Should be 4 speed, but meant there was no ,OFF , so now 3 speed, with low now being off, 2nd speed is 1st speed, 2nd is 3rd and max is, max! 

 

20221122_202639

 

Now onto the rest of the wiring...

Although, I hate wiring!! Already removed a couple of carrier bags full of redundant wiring (removed all elec seats, mirrors wiring etc)

Wires need lengthened,  shortened or just moved.

Lengthened the headlight wiring,and bought yet another pair of LED flasher units, this time not off ebay, so the switchbacks now actually work...🙄😁

 

20221121_212609

 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Looking good 👍 

my own car has now had the engine fitted so the door shuts can now be painted ready for the outside.  I’m waiting for a few start up issues once the engine is full of coolant.  Takes ages getting old stuff right

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
17 hours ago, Toolmaker72 said:

Looking good 👍 

Cheers mate, 

Even taken to removing the visable penny washers ,and painting them black! (One above the blower motor, is covered by the wing)

 

17 hours ago, Toolmaker72 said:

I’m waiting for a few start up issues once the engine is full of coolant.  

Great news! 

Won't be long now, and brilliant to hear them first make noise!! 🎶🎶

 

Arguing with myself atm (not like me...🙄), if I should fit a digital oil pressure sender for data logging, (i already have a sender for the gauge 🤷‍♂️). This would not only give a log of the oil pressure, but can then programme the ecu for the low pressure warning light, to come on a different pressures, depending on RPM. 5psi oil pressure @ 5000rpm is a bit late! 

Sensors are around £120 (for a reliable one, can get them for £20 off ebay, but....🙈

 

17 hours ago, Toolmaker72 said:

Takes ages getting old stuff right

Taking wayyyyy too long with the soldering the wiring. Every single wire of the original loom, I'm extending or soldering a new plug onto, is oxidised ,and won't take the solder. Having to sand each strand, so to have a slight chance. I'm now starting to just use the crimp connectors, but removing the red/blue plastic outer, and filling with solder......

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Try using plumbing flux as that cleans up copper pipe lovely before soldering. 
I had a call earlier today the bonnet won’t shut as the upgrade carburettor is touching the inside of the outer skin.

so now the bonnet will need a bubble blister to get the required clearance which is a pain as the bonnet is looking perfect at the mo 🙄

 

B5873951-B572-4B6B-BF3B-788E59B580CE.jpeg

30F28CEE-4466-49CF-85A8-634FFCEDA6D3.jpeg

15441575-AF1C-4E1C-B01C-6FE3C7B0F4B0.jpeg

C7EDC432-CEBB-409F-BF54-2AB56812FCC1.png

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 11/28/2022 at 7:41 PM, Toolmaker72 said:

Try using plumbing flux as that cleans up copper pipe lovely before soldering

Aye, I used/using flux, it's eaten a hole in the soldering iron, but still not great with 40yr old wiring! 😳

 

The soldering iron! 

20221129_210455

 

On 11/28/2022 at 7:41 PM, Toolmaker72 said:

the upgrade carburettor is touching the inside of the outer skin.

Oh no!!!

Anyway of machining the carb / inlet to angle it down a bit? 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yesterdays 'garage allotted time' was spent chasing and labelling wires. Alot was done with the loom out of the car, but didn't know what's was what, until I layed it in, and found what went where. Now found, what I thought was an inertia switch, (bridged it to allow it to start in the previous running vid), was actually the oil pressure switch ,so may wire that back in serise, so the fuel pump cuts out with zero oil pressure and/or an impact...🤔

 

20221202_225704

 

Extended the wires for the headlight loom, including the fan control from the Megasquirt.

In two minds, if I should run the 2 fans off the ECU, and the mechanical (?) temp switch in the head just to switch a warning light on the dash, or run as per GM and have the ecu control one fan, and the switch bringing in the 2nd fan and light if its needed.....🤔

 

20221129_124442

 

An issue to try and get my head around, is the side marker lights.

 

2022-12-03_08-27-57

 

The incandescent bulb, is double positive (?) , with the ground running through the turn signal / side light dual bulb (wired in serise on both 🤷‍♂️), so with LED switchbacks wired in, (and a working bulb in the marker light, the one in the pic turned out to be duff), the turn signal lights up all the time, and if I use a T10 LED marker light bulb, it's one or the other (diode)......🤯

Any friends over the pond had a solution for this in the past? Presuming most of the 70-80's GM cars have similar wiring? 

Wondering if I should drill a 3mm hole in the marker, and fit a wee 3mm white top hat LED and wire individually, giving me marker and a working side turn signal?? 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Not a great deal to photograph tbh, instead mostly spending my time shivering in the garage ,soldering the wiring loom...

I've had to add a job to the list, which was already ticked off....the clocks.

'Somebody' thought it would be a good idea, to throw the abundance of Christmas boxes, into the garage, onto the clocks....🤦‍♂️

2023-01-20_07-17-35

 

Too thin just to superglue, so needed to put superglue soaked paper under the length of the needle, which has worked, although not 100% unnoticeable.

 

2023-02-14_10-04-40

 

    ************************************

After actually looking at the installation instructions for the fuel pressure sender, and it not to be fitted directly to the engine, as the vibration will damage it...🤦‍♂️, I've made a pair (one for an oil pressure transducer later on) , of 1/8 npt distribution blocks (?), I can mount on the inner wing, or the bulkhead/firewall. Made them out of 1" stainless, to try and reduce any corrosion from modern alcohol in fuels..

 

2023-02-01_07-06-36

 

                        ************

 

Figured I'd start to remove some of the loose 'surface rust' on the rear filler panel. This sits at the bottom of the rear window, to fill the gap between the window and the boot lid, and is a known trouble area. Unsurprisingly, it's not just surface rust, and full of holes, it's savable ,but new panels are available at just over £50, (£400 for carbon fibre..😳) so, not sure if im going to spent time on it....🤔

 

2023-02-14_09-26-12

 

  • Like 3

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sent this away last summer for a bit of work, ended up with a new chassis and fresh coat of paint.  
Has a few wiring issues currently which I’m working through while it has no interior.  Sometimes I wonder why I give myself expensive grief 😕

 

3CCDABA6-4B29-4893-8B21-2AA290C3C985.jpeg

A41B7442-AA51-4B12-AFB1-50AA3AF17C93.jpeg

FE25EB6A-088A-4849-AE2D-777C96EAE3EF.jpeg

  • Like 7

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 3/12/2023 at 5:48 PM, Toolmaker72 said:

Sometimes I wonder why I give myself expensive grief 😕

Because its stunning!! 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am hoping weather holds up this week so that I can do the oil change and first drive of the season on my Golf-R.   B) 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Progress has been a bit slow of late, daily driver issues, and other projects (ie, wife wanted our bedroom redecorated...🤦‍♂️), then things I'd ticked off the list, back on...

 

After routing the fuel hoses, and just using cable ties to hold in position, i bought a few of the alloy hose separators and set about tapping more holes in the chassis, to nail them onto.

Splitting the hose, found one cracked, not sure why or when, but needed replaced...🤦‍♂️

20230303_133018

 Spoke with Speedflow, where I got them a good few years back, and they where great. Pulled the hose, and sent it down for them to fit a new end. Also found they do a 1/8 NPT adapter ,so ordered one, and a hose for the oil pressure sender, and seems at home on the inner wing.

 

20230331_210942

 

Drilled and tapped the bulkhead/ firewall and fitted that block I'd made, and also fitted an adjustable pressure switch as a safe guard. Should just be able to run the low oil pressure warning light off the pressure sender through the ECU (pressure @ RPM, so might need a bit of setting up) , but nice having an old reliable switch...

2023-04-10_07-26-56

 

Ordered up a new sump plug from Rockauto while I was ordering some other bits and bobs, drilled and tapped 1/8 NPT and fitted the oil temp sender, hindsight, should have welded another plug in, while the sump was off....

20230311_161413

 

After some procrastinating, and with the weather getting a bit warmer, so I can feel my fingers in the garage, back to the dreaded wiring , label all the wires to the ECU, needed to find the spare ecu inputs for the sender.....

 

20230321_220949

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Don’t envy you with all those wires.  As you say, a little warmer in the garage helps. I’ve been sorting wires also the past couple of weeks.  Key is take your time.  
The TVR loom is too long as standard with it being tied and curled up to all sorts to reduce its length, so thought tidy it up, shorten it, move stuff to better location for future maintenance etc etc.  So fuse box is now in the glovebox, the ecu and it’s relays now sit where the fuse box was.  The battery now clear of excess wiring curled up on top of it, which just had a flap of carpet between to stop it all shorting out.
Currently waiting for new connections to solder in the fuse box when I shorten that main wiring loom.  All fun and games lol.  🙄 

 

0B2AD5B0-3A1B-4A7B-AA53-118CDC9A63D8.jpeg

8D093096-3408-4C46-8A7A-502675E94E34.jpeg

FAE50BCE-D299-47FA-815B-7EAF7D895699.jpeg

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 4/10/2023 at 11:11 PM, Toolmaker72 said:

Don’t envy you with all those wires.  As you say, a little warmer in the garage helps. I’ve been sorting wires also the past couple of weeks.  Key is take your time.  
The TVR loom is too long as standard with it being tied and curled up to all sorts to reduce its length, so thought tidy it up, shorten it, move stuff to better location for future maintenance etc etc.  So fuse box is now in the glovebox, the ecu and it’s relays now sit where the fuse box was.  The battery now clear of excess wiring curled up on top of it, which just had a flap of carpet between to stop it all shorting out.
Currently waiting for new connections to solder in the fuse box when I shorten that main wiring loom.  All fun and games lol.  🙄 

 

0B2AD5B0-3A1B-4A7B-AA53-118CDC9A63D8.jpeg

8D093096-3408-4C46-8A7A-502675E94E34.jpeg

FAE50BCE-D299-47FA-815B-7EAF7D895699.jpeg

Funny how what is absolutely fine for, factory fitment, well, isn't...(although I've had discussions with friends, that I'm overkill..)

I'll be putting the ECU in the glovebox, as I'll need access to the sd card slot and USB connection, for data logging and general faffing. You can plug a tablet in these days and have a digital dash, and if you get the GPS module, an accurate speedo too.

19 hours ago, Willy iine said:

Oil changes and first drives of the season over the past weekend. :D

 

IMG_2023-4-7-143025.jpg.707fdba2583f84053a903b52ff7dc688.jpg

IMG_2023-4-9-125644.jpg.1b7a446363ea9bbfbe4e5be16f231fe0.jpg

At how many miles do you change the oil? 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

@Wooders28 I usually only drive about 1.5k miles in a year on the Supra and Golf-R so it's once a year for me.  

I removed the clear bra on my Golf-R this am.. I installed it 6 years ago when the car was brand new and started to discolor late last year.  After removal I polished the bumper and sealed it.  Looks brand new.  :D

IMG_2023-4-12-123751.jpg.b48449db821137f434717f3f9aa77a82.jpg

IMG_2023-4-12-124207.jpg.df95aa83dede68a69eca23b9a8aacbad.jpg

IMG_2023-4-12-123813.jpg.825d8ab5522caa2cbd26fbfbbe161cc4.jpg

 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Willy iine said:

@Wooders28 I usually only drive about 1.5k miles in a year on the Supra and Golf-R so it's once a year for me.  

I removed the clear bra on my Golf-R this am.. I installed it 6 years ago when the car was brand new and started to discolor late last year.  After removal I polished the bumper and sealed it.  Looks brand new.  :D

IMG_2023-4-12-123751.jpg.b48449db821137f434717f3f9aa77a82.jpg

IMG_2023-4-12-124207.jpg.df95aa83dede68a69eca23b9a8aacbad.jpg

IMG_2023-4-12-123813.jpg.825d8ab5522caa2cbd26fbfbbe161cc4.jpg

 

1500 miles!??!😲

I run 500 miles on a fresh engine build (cut the filter)  ,not going above 2k rpm, then 500 upto 4k, then 500 upto redline, and if everything looks good, it's every 10k miles. 

Whoever gets your old cars, gets a cracking car!! 

  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
35 minutes ago, Wooders28 said:

1500 miles!??!😲

I run 500 miles on a fresh engine build (cut the filter)  ,not going above 2k rpm, then 500 upto 4k, then 500 upto redline, and if everything looks good, it's every 10k miles. 

Whoever gets your old cars, gets a cracking car!! 

Yeah, for me time limit comes before the wear of the motor oil..  I own 5 cars so for daily tasks I don't run these cars.   I've sold a few of my prior cars to my local friends and they were very pleased getting like new condition cars even though they were more than 6 yrs old.  

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 4/13/2023 at 8:03 AM, Willy iine said:

Yeah, for me time limit comes before the wear of the motor oil..  I own 5 cars so for daily tasks I don't run these cars.   I've sold a few of my prior cars to my local friends and they were very pleased getting like new condition cars even though they were more than 6 yrs old.  

I'm the same, if it hasn't done the milage I will change it annually (used to be 6 monthly!) regardless. I had my Orthia for nearly 20 years, and it had only done 60 thousand kilometres in that time, my Silverado I've had since 2016 and it's only just done 10 thousand miles in my care, so quite a few extra oil changes.

It's been quiet at work recently, so the last few days I've been washing and detailing my work colleagues cars for something to fill the time in. Wish I had taken some pics. Got given money, vouchers and cleaning products for doing it which was nice.

I also did something that's annoyed me for some time. Painted my inner front guards. But only the underside. I would love to remove them completely and paint the engine bay side and also the radiator support panel as this is the same (pitting), but it involves removing the outer guards, bumper etc and as I've never had them off, and since the truck has been painted recently, I'm worried about removing something and scratching it.

Reason I'm doing this is after the last few car meets, in some of the pictures you can see the factory colour behind the wheel, and it's very noticeable.

DNlzPi6.jpeg

C8jSzyt.jpeg

Looks much better now (for some reason my phone makes the truck look far more blue, than green).

VshMqah.jpeg

 

  • Like 4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...