Thread: Everybody that is currently building a car...

Tweet

keep it Matt. I'm just around the corner from hoping back into my build, now that the weather is dry!
Dave sounds like your going solo again! Sometimes it's nice to play your own music!

Originally Posted by stovens

Dave sounds like your going solo again! Sometimes it's nice to play your own music!

Gonna stay that way this time.. Tired of trying to help people out and getting nothing but screwed for my efforts!!!! Time to go back to just taking care of Dave, I guess.

Sorry to hear that, Dave. It sounded like you were really enjoying yourself over there. But you're right; we have to take care of ourselves first.

I like your car, Matt! Looks like you've got some serious brain juices flowing; keep up the good work.

Dave, I have had to do the same thing as you..two times.Only thing that was supposed to be done that I could not do is the paint. The shop wants money...then your car sits...and sits...then they want more money and give excuses! I brought it home and I have got more done in a couple months then had been done in a year!

Good Luck

Originally Posted by moter

Dave, I have had to do the same thing as you..two times.Only thing that was supposed to be done that I could not do is the paint. The shop wants money...then your car sits...and sits...then they want more money and give excuses! I brought it home and I have got more done in a couple months then had been done in a year!

Good Luck

Nope, wasn't my car... I was working there trying to help a guy out getting a shop going.. Guess I couldn't lower my standards enough to meet his, so I packed up and left. Saw a couple of cars that were not done correctly, too many corners cut in order to get the customer's money. Tried to convince the owner that if you take care of the quality the money will follow, and he didn't believe me. I'm old fashioned I guess, just refuse to sacrifice quality work for a quick buck...

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Tried to convince the owner that if you take care of the quality the money will follow, and he didn't believe me. I'm old fashioned I guess, just refuse to sacrifice quality work for a quick buck...

Well said Dave.. Quality is first on my list at my shop.. And your very right about the money following.. Never have any lack of work here.. Plus it's your name on the work..

A short weekend update on my T project. got the headers built (muffler is just stuck on to see if I like it) drag link and stearing arms fabricated. A few more things to do yet, but the chassis will be coming apart again for finish work and paint before TOO long now.

Russ

LotsaToys, is that a combination mechanical electronic fuel injection systen ur using like a converted englese system of some sort ???

Originally Posted by MrWizard455

LotsaToys, is that a combination mechanical electronic fuel injection systen ur using like a converted englese system of some sort ???

Nope. I built that myself. the TBs are from 2 Susuki GSXR 600s with conciderable modifications. hand made manifold etc. actually uses all stock Caddy sensors (except TPS) fuel rail and injectors, so I guess you could say it's stock, except for the air inlets

Russ

Originally Posted by lotsatoys

Nope. I built that myself. the TBs are from 2 Susuki GSXR 600s with conciderable modifications. hand made manifold etc. actually uses all stock Caddy sensors (except TPS) fuel rail and injectors, so I guess you could say it's stock, except for the air inlets

Russ

Very impressive!

I thought i had some reconition of that system from somewhere. Like YOU lotsatoys, i have and have had LOTS OF TOYS, among them a number of motorcycle and one of which was a Suzuki GSXR750. Nice work man. If ya don't mind me asking WHAT or who's product did u use to manage that system and is it mechanical or electronic, or perhps some combination of both ?
N E way, good work and a very unique project to boot, im anxious to see the finished project, i expect it will b awsome.
I have always gotten a lot of feedback on my BMW, some of it really negative from the import purists as well as the domestic purists. Why did u ruin a BMW like that, WHY did u use a Buick V8, or why a ford 9" rear. All easy questions, Why a BMW ? 1st cause i LOVE the look of the car and the luxury features it has and i was able to keep. Why a Buick V8 ? Cause Im a Buick V8 fanatic. Im a drag racer and seemingly unbeknownst to many drag racers even, drag racing is about QUICK, not so much Fast. QUICK accelleration is a function of TQ and or TQ multiplication and the traction to make use of same. OF all the V8 engines ever mass produced the 400/430/455 Buick is the most TQ laden at much the lowest rpm, My Stage 1 455 based engine in my car began life as a 360bhp@5000 and 510lb/ft @2800rpm. I ported the heads past what the out the box Stage 2 Heads were while keeping the Stage 1 exhaust port which is diff from the Stage 2 which requires special custom made headers. As it is in the car it makes 541bhp @ 5760rpm n 562lb/ft TQ @ 3780 RPM with a hydraulic flat tappet cam om premium pmp gas. PLUS, a 400/430/455 Buick V8 dressed in cast from the factory is just a shade over 50lbs heavier than a dressed in cast from the factory SBC. Add aluminum intake, headers etc and the Buick is nearly 9lbs less than an SBC in the same dress and had a cube capacity of 543", mine is just 464 tho. Why a Ford 9'' ? Cause the 9'' has the best selection of gear ratios and u can have a number of diff center sections set up with diff ratios for easy gear changes. additionally, the 9'' is as strong an axle as u can get at its weight. a DANA 60 is a mite sturdier but its also nearly 60lbs heavier too. Mine is suspended on a Mancini/DC Mopar Super Stock Leaf spring suspension w/ Adjustable pre load links for a 68/69 A-Body Cuda factory racer. This because this is an easily adjustable no brainer tried and true rear suspension system thats simple, durable and WORKS.
More than all the negativity tho, i get a whol;e lot of encouragement from car crafters much about how unique a car i have, i bvelieve when completed ur ride will b every bit as unique and appealing as mine is if not more so.

I'll be using a Holly Commander CPU on this motor, with mixed feelings about the unit. I had one already, so that clinched the deal however. There's a GM 7730 (TPI unit) on another Northstar I have and it works really well also. A guy over on the Fiero Forum set that one up for me.
I totally agree with your reasoning on cars. Build what YOU want. the way YOU want it.

keep the shiny side up,

Russ

Thanx Russ, i also tried saome after market fuel injection system management on rides of my own as well as other folks rides.
I used the Edelbrock TBI conversion kit, bout 1500 bucks with the headers and valve covers and breather lid. This system converts a TBI system to a multi point batch fire system which slightly increases the cfm capacity as well as fuel economy and a bit of perf improvement to boot.
On a customer ride i tried the Accell DFI system. This system is rather complex and expensive to say the least but once done and mapped its hard to beat and is adaptable to a wide range of EFI systems including home built units. A friend at the last Buick Nationals i attended used 3 halfs of Holley 1050 Dominators a throttle bodies to make a tri-power EFI system with the DFI management system, w/ 40 lb/hr injectors on a 274 cube normally aspirated v6 Buick engine in a 3750lb 87 Regal T-Type this car managed a respectable and consistant low 10 sec et's(10.2-10.3). Budget permitting u may want to check into this as to how u coud apply it to ur system.
As u have undoubtably found out, there is a BIG trend of installing NorthStar drive trains in FIEROs with great success. Many of these ride have stone stock drivelines and Northstar management systems, quiet as church mice and run consistant 11 sec et's on real street tires not DOT stickies.
As i said in an earlier post, i have a friend in the motor who has 2 of these beasts, one with a stock(300bhp) system from a Seville STS, the other with a much moded 444bhp Northstar from the XLR-V roadster but unlike the XLR_v this car also uses the Seville/ETC FWD 4L80E transaxle rather than the 4L85E rear transaxle used in the C5/C6 vettes and XLR's. This car normally on motor runs consistant 10's and he plans to build a 2 stage fogger spray system for this engine which as u may know is a supercharged engine. Again, jus some info I have on diff aspplication of the Northstar system that u may b able to expand upon and help u better complete ur ride...again, thanx for the info and on ur FI system and best of luck with the project, as i say, i expect it to b a rarely found and unique combination to say the least with performance like as not better than either of us might suspect now...

Originally Posted by MrWizard455

As u have undoubtably found out, there is a BIG trend of installing NorthStar drive trains in FIEROs with great success.

Do they look like this?

88 with widebody kit, 300 VIN9 N* , 5 speed trans, custom dash etc. I really enjoyed building this one, but it's time to move on. want to buy it??? ha ha. 12K would take it home.



Russ

Neither of the ones my friend has do, one is Cadillac Adriatic Blue, the other black, both are Stock Body GT's and still have the above the roof functional air scoop. both have the complete corresponding NorthStar electronics with lap top programing ports, as well as custom dashes, from the exterior, save for exhaust, tires and wheels both cars appear to b STOCK Fiero GT's. The Supercharged car, the black 1, has a rather knarley exhaust note n flowmasters, but the blue stocker isn't any more noisey than i'de imagine it was as a 2.8 chevy v6 stock.
As for the purchase of ur machine, that is an awfully fair price for the work i can imagine u have crafted into the conversion, im certain that i nor u could duplicate the car for that now. But, i must respectfully decline, I am strictly old school, carbed, normally aspirated for all my hot rods, including my bike, that i BUILD. an electronically controled HOT ROD requires tools and equipment i do not wish to purchase, and they require really expensive periphial equipment as well. Having 4 personal hot rods, my Ninja, a 78 4dr Buick Lesabre GS Custom, 77 5spd 455 H.O Pontiac Trans Am, an 88 Stage 2 455 Buick BMW 327A Post coupe, things that are far too expensive to fit comfortably within my budget for hot rodding. Besides, i also hot rod and drag race my work truck/tow vehicle/parts chaser pic up truck, which I am currently replacing. Had a 92 Silverado which burned, replacing it with a 96 GMC Sierra 1500. GMC is currently 4.3 Vortech V6 w/4L65E n 3.73 posi. the plan is to replace same with the Carbed 406'' SBC n TH350 Trans/2500 verter from the Silverado. Insurance gave 5500 and the salvage. So far i have 2500 in the replacement with just the driveline swap to go. Besides, the wife swears before bean and bacon if i bring home another hot rod, one of the others and or ME have to go....LOL
Nice car BTW tho....