90ZR1

Yeah, I don't like the high/wide look either. I'm going with the high alt pass side. Lately I'm getting well acquainted with S&P Performance. Mark Hamill works 7 days a week (too).

Colt

90ZR1

Well this week, I've managed to install the gas tank, and attach to the filter/regulator and fuel line. I had to buy a new tank support and straps and brackets.
I lowered the engine in the car but came across new problems: the heater outlet bibs are too close to the frame and the exhaust manifold is too clost to the frame. Soooo, I'll have to spring for some new coated headers from S&P. They have to be side dump to connect to the side pipes.
Tranny still on order....
Yes, I'll have a brand new water pump, exhaust manifolds and T-stat housing to sell now as I've had to buy new or make mods. In the next week, I'll install side-pipes, painted calipers and the new awesome C6 5-spoke wheels with Eagle F1s!

62Jeff

Hi,
On that new tank - it does not look like the flanges where the straps are, are folded over enough. That will keep the filler neck of the new tank from being centered in the body when you lower the body on the frame (if it were a stock frame).

You might consider hammering the flanges over a little more where those straps are located. If I'm not making sense, I can mark up one of your photos for you.

Jeff

90ZR1

Yeah, I'm not sure what you mean? thanks for the help though

62Jeff

The flange is the lip where the top and bottom halves of the tank are bonded. Fold this flange, or lip, over where the strap passes over it. The area in question is circled in orange in my modified version of your photo:


Without this update, the tank may not be properly centered as it can't move forward far enough.

90ZR1

Will do. Thanks for the tip!

90ZR1

This week I attached the side pipes to the rear frame bracket. Still waiting on the headers to arrive to attach up front.
I received the new wheels and Eagle F1 tires. As you can see in the pic, I had to get spacers because they had too much backspace.
Now I'm waiting on the caliper brackets to arrive as well before I can install the brakes.
The transmission arrived so I'll be installing that in the coming week as well. I started measuring with a dial indicator the bell housing as you can see in the pic. (Of course I still need to install all the bell housing bolts and torque down before I can get an accurate reading)

John McGraw

The heater hose nipples are just pressed into the pump. If you pull them out with a pair of vicegrips, you will find that they are the perfect size to tap with a 3/8" and 1/2" NPT tap. Then you can put some 90 degree swivel fittings in, and point the hoses up out of the way.

Which manifolds are those? I tried several different types of manifolds including the GTO, F-body, LS6 Corvette and LS2 Corvette. None would fir except the LS2 Corvette manifolds. I ceramic coated the manifolds and polished the stainless heat shields, and they look great, and I saved a bunch over buying the S&P shorties which really don't perform any better than a stock set of manifolds. My chasssis is different than yours, but just a thought.


Regards, John McGraw

LouieM

YOu are one heck of a brave guy to try doing this all in 2 months. You have my undivided attenton too.

90ZR1

Those are manifolds from a crate motor - not sure wether they are specific for Corvette or GTO. I just hope the S&P headers fit when they get here as they're already ordered...

90ZR1

Well, looks like I'm set back again. The coated headers from S&P don't quite fit either. I couldn't quite get the bolt holes to line up. Actually the stock exhaust manifolds fit but they were just too close to the frame. Here is a pic of the headers and on the other side is a pic of the Z-bar to show how the engine is situated front to back. S&P sells a special motor mount adapter to move the motor back another inch. I may have to do that.

willyv

Lookin' good, Colt. Thanks for doing all this. It's really good to see all the adaptations a swap like this requires and seeing you solve it. I agree with LouieM- you're a brave man. Your responders have been really helpful too.
I've had similar problems with mine- not necessarily the same ones but enough similar that your post makes me feel much better about the process. Keep up the good work.
Will

ST31

Please keep the pictures coming. I dream of doing the same thing to my 63 one day.

A good friend of mine is in the middle of doing the same to a 59. Link to additional pics http://s160.photobucket.com/albums/t...59%20Corvette/

Out with the old


In with the new

John McGraw

[QUOTE=90ZR1;1558949884]Well, looks like I'm set back again. The coated headers from S&P don't quite fit either. I couldn't quite get the bolt holes to line up. Actually the stock exhaust manifolds fit but they were just too close to the frame. Here is a pic of the headers and on the other side is a pic of the Z-bar to show how the engine is situated front to back. S&P sells a special motor mount adapter to move the motor back another inch. I may have to do that.


S&P have some street rod style headers that sweep back a little. I have used these headers on several cars, and they clear real well. Here is a pic of a set of them installed on a LSX engine in a C1 chassis.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-...3/P0000975.JPG

Regards, John McGraw

90ZR1

Thanks for the help and incouragement, guys. Since I'm waiting on parts half the time, it doesn't look like I'll make my original 2 month completion date, but will keep pluggin' along!
Colt

90ZR1

Well, I've had the water pump tapped and the heater hose outlets re-positioned to clear the A-frame.
I also bought the motor mount adapters from Streetshop so had to pull the engine this week and re-install and now the stock exhaust manifolds fit well w/o hitting the frame.
I'm moving on and have installed the clutch and pressure plate.
I've just begun installing the brand new calipers and rotors.
see 4 pics below:

John McGraw

Those are the same manifold that I used. There is one little issue with them that I have not fully resolved, and that is the connection between the head pipes and the manifolds. The LS2 manifolds have a recess in them and there is supposed to be a similar recess in the attaching flange. This recess is supposed to accept a special gasket that is a GM part. Nobody makes the special flange, and having custom flanges milled out will be some bucks! The gasket has a o-ring attached to the center of the gasket. I am considering Just cutting a thick Copper ring to fill the recess, and clamp a flat flange to it to crush out the ring.

Regards, John McGraw

90ZR1

John, I've started to wonder how I'm going to connect the stock C2 side pipes to the LS2 manifolds. Was hoping to just take it to a muffler shop and let them figure it out. Sounds more involved. Thanks a lot!

John McGraw

Yea, that manifold still has me scratching my head! I can't for the life on me figure out why GM felt the need to introduce a new type of connection for the C6 that nodody else in the industry uses! The good news is that the flange is the same dimension as a standard 2 hole flange. All you should really need to do is fabricate a copper or dead-soft aluminum ring that will fit the recess, and then use an off-the-shelf
2 hole exhaust gasket. I think that that is the path that I am going to take. I am going to start bending some template pipes next week to send off and have mandrel-bent stainless pipes made from.

I guess if I had it to do over again, I would have removed the studs and milled the flange flat, and used a standard gasket. The only reason that I am not doing that now, is because I have already smoothed and ceramic coated the manifolds and don't want to barf up the coating job.

Regards, John McGraw

90ZR1

This week I completed the tranny install and am 1\2 way finished with the brakes. In the next week I'll install the harness and hopefully complete the front rotating assembly. I'll work on the above discussed manifold to side-pipe connection.
I rolled it outside to take these pics: