Nice lightening rods, I had thought about picking up a set for this at one point.
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Nice lightening rods, I had thought about picking up a set for this at one point.
Well I’ve finished up the controls for the Hot Rod Air set up. I spent yesterday tracing down the vacuum and electrical circuits on the stock controls as I couldn’t find any diagrams for them…..AHH quality time with an Ohm meter and vacuum pump :whacked:.
Using the supplied controls would not have been hard but I don’t think I would have been have been happy with how the control panel looked compared to the factory setup. I also kind of feel that using the 3 electrically controlled vacuum solenoids (one to change modes from dash vents to floor heat, one for defrost, and one to turn on and off the heater (water) control valve) was a bit over complicated, let alone having to mount all the solenoids. Also with the vacuum controlled heater control valve the heater would either be full on or full off. I do like the feature of the AC temp control switch that controls the amount of AC cooling by cycling the compressor so I will be retaining that feature.
When all was said and done this is what the modified control panel looks like. Vacuum to the HRA vacuum pods is now directly controlled by the switch, and instead of a vacuum heater control (water) valve it is cable operated so I can regulate the temperature from the stock slide lever. I have all 3 fan speeds from the stock switch fan switch and the whole unit is shut down by the mode lever just like the OE setup. I’ll be mounting the HRA AC temp switch right beside the controls in the whole the lighter normally goes in. If I choose I can even have “blend” (heat and AC) on the defrost setting. It works just like the OE setup with the exception of not having the ability to draw outside air in the vent position (an option I did not order with the HRA setup as I never use it anyway).
I am kind of glad I went this route from the standpoint of being able to get replacement parts should I ever need them. I have a couple of spare OE controls laying around so I have spare switched etc should I ever need them.
Looks like a good plan to me, Mike, should work out great! I have a similar unit going in the '36, probably going to steal some of your ideas!
I hadn’t given too much thought to the windows on this figuring they would just drop into the Monte Carlo doors, in fact I was just going to leave the windows in the old El Camino doors until it was time for final assembly. I went to put the doors somewhere out of the way last weekend when I was reminded never to assume.
The back of the El Camino windows angle forward quite a bit more than the Monte windows did. To make up for this the inner sweeps are wider, more forward and there is a guide pin added to the rear of the sweep. A couple hours with a cut of wheel, MIG and die grinder and that little job was done.
Same on every project, isn't it Mike? Always got to be a minor little snag or two or three that shows up!!! But, remember--if it was easy, everybody would be doing it!
Here is my current steering project upgrade for the El Camino. I had read where the 84-96 Jeep Cherokee Steering shaft was an almost bolt in swap on these and replaces the trunion and rag joints with U Joints,
You can still buy the shafts new but they are a bit pricey……there is not much demand for used ones however so they are pretty cheap at the local yards or on E Bay. Even though I had solved my steering shaft to manifold clearance problems the Jeep shaft does give some additional room.
The only mod that needed to be made was a small groove cut for the clamp bolt on the steering column end. It also saved me having to take the original intermediate shaft apart to lube and put a new boot on. :D
I really didn’t think there would be much difference, but you can actually feel that th steering is smoother now with the different shaft.
Mike great info on swap read all 6 pg on post going to start my swap 1987 cutlass .
I've made a bit of progress over the last few weeks.
One of the things I was going to get around to was doing something about the gap left after the under hood portion of the AC was removed. With the housing removed any water coming off the windshield would end up running down the passenger side of the fire wall and probably hitting the exhaust manifold among other things. It turns out there is an outfit that already makes the panel I needed….at a decent price and it actually fits as advertised. I figure that saved me at least half a day of fabricating.
Next I got everything taken apart and ready for the body shop. I found a “nice” surprise waiting for me under the rear window trim. Guess I figured out where the water came from that rotted the section of floor.
Over the weekend I picked up some flat-stock and finished up the frame mounts. I slotted the passenger side mount to allow the engine to be installed and removed with the motor mounts attached to the engine. It only seems like I made 100 trips in and out of the engine bay measuring, cutting, welding, grinding and painting to get it all done (I figure I’ll feel that in the morning).
Hopefully I’ll get an estimate on the body work this week and maybe even ship it if to the body shop. With some room freed up I’ll be able to get started on the 500.
Yup, that's why the floor was wet!!!! Looking good Mike, what colors are you thinkin' for the outside or you gonna wait and surprise us????
Dave I've been kicking around different 2 tones, but the typical 2 tone for the Monte Carlo doesn't flow real well into the El Camino bed and I don’t feel the El Camino 2 tone works that well with the Monte nose.
At this point I've been leaning for something subtle like white with some pin stripping to enhance the Monte body lines and pick up the interior color.
I’m still waiting on the body shop to get back to me, so I went ahead and tore the 500 down today. I was a little apprehensive about what I was going find as it would not turn over when I got several years ago and had to oil the cylinders and work it a bit to get it free.
As it turns out one cylinder had gotten some water in it it’s kind of a shame as with the lack of cylinder wear it probably could have gotten by with a set of rings. The good news is the block and crank are both standard and will the block should clean up at .030 and the crank at .010.
I’ll get the freeze plugs out and the 4 soft plugs in the oil galleys (those I’ll tap for pipe plugs) and drill and tap for a heater hose nipple under the thermostat housing then send it out to the machine shop for cleaning and checking for cracks. Then the fun of ordering parts.
Any go fast goodies going with the build, Mike?
For right now just bit more cam and some better springs (the OE springs float the valves at about 4200 RPM).
There's a bunch of neat stuff out there now for these old dinosaurs but just about all the mods move the torque curve up the RPM range. I based all my gearing and tire size calculations on a 2200-2600 RPM cruise range where this combination should be making 500 Ft Lbs of torque.
That being said I am making provisions when I do the heads for even more cam and looking into raising the compression down the road when I start thinking it’s too tame.
Of course after I got the engine tore apart and arrangements to drop it off at the machine shop I talked to the body guy. He came out last night and gave me an estimate on relocating the El Camino body lines to match the Monte nose and doors, fixing the small rust issues making it straight, putting it in primer and blocking it. Basically when it comes back all I should have to do is final sanding and painting it.
The guy that will be doing the work is about my age and an old hot rodder running a 1 man hot rod shop. I’ve seen his work before and a couple of friends have had their cars thru there with good results and pretty quick turn around. Right now he doesn’t have anything else lined up right now so the El Camino is going in Tuesday with an estimate of getting it back to me in about a month.
I’m dealing with a both a new (to me) body shop and machine shop as the businesses I used to use have both gone out of business. If the time estimates on getting the body and engine back are close, it looks like I’ll be busy again in about a month.
Sounds good Mike! Going to be great seeing it all go back together. When the lines are all straightened out and shiny paint on the body it'll sure leave people scratching their heads and wondering what the heck it is they're lookin at!!!!
More progress on the El Camino :D.
I got all the engine parts back from the machine shop Thursday, so the weekend was spent building the 500 (technically a 507 now with the .030 overbore). It's pretty much a stock rebuild, 8.5 compression bit hotter cam and better valve springs that should let it wind a bit tighter.
As I mentioned I'm using a new machine shop so I checked everything when it went together, and everything was right on spec.
I also stopped by the body shop on Friday, progress is also being made there, so maybe in a few weeks that will be home.
I guess this week will be spent getting the TH400 ready to put behind the engine.
wow that really looks great
Looks good. With the rebuild what kind of HP are you expecting from this combo??
Ratty 46
Thanks Barb, I've been looking foward to this part of the project, when things actually start going together for the final time.
Regs there is a reason most Caddy owners don't talk to much about HP :LOL:
In stock form the Caddys don't really wind that tight and the HP figures are not really all that impressive. There was an outfit that did some dyno builds on the 500s a few years back and the baseline on a stock 8:1 compression was only 302HP, but it made 500 Ft Lbs of torque at 2600 RPM. Although I'm running 8.5:1 and a bit more cam I really don't expect to be making much more HP than that but AM looking at above 500 Ft Lbs of torque between 2200 and 2600 RPM.
You can get some impressive HP numbers from the big inch Caddys but you are going to spend of bunch of money doing it. Like most people who are playing with these motors for the street, you just leave them fairly stock and play to the stregnth of all that low RPM torque
I figured they were torque monsters from what I'd read & figured about propelling the big caddy .... I just figured they packed a bit more punch in the hp department.
Either way ... nice work so far.
Ratty 46
:LOL: A shop truck that can haul parts and @$$ at the same time
Mike, can you give me the name and paint code on that blue on the motor. I've seen it before, but never could find the data on it. Thanks....
mike as i was taught by some very wise people here torque is the seat of your pants feeling. i am hoping for whiplash. :D
"...... torque is the seat of your pants feeling. i am hoping for whiplash.........":LOL::LOL::LOL:
I don't think you'll be disapointed.
".......Mike, can you give me the name and paint code on that blue on the motor. I've seen it before, but never could find the data on it........"
I wondered when someone would call me on the engine color :D
Richard I believe the can said Ford Blue. Between the body mods and that a lot of people don;t know what these big Caddy engines look like I figure it will leave more than one person scratching their heads :confused:
Of course you KNOW I will run into the guy somewhere who "had one just like it"
hey mike i have a question. i brought the 2115 edelbrock intake manifold for my engine. it has a large threaded hole behind the carb base that goes all the way through. What is this for and can i just put a plug in if i do not need it? thanks.
I'm not Mike, Barb, but I'd venture to say that it's for vacuum.Quote:
Originally Posted by jyardgirl
vacuum? for what? I have 4 vacuum ports on my carb for the pcv, dist, master cyl., and tranny. what is the other vacuum?
Barb, if it is this hole it is for vacuum. The manifold will take a wide range of carburators and not all will have all the vacuum ports.
Actually a couple of the ports you mentioned on the Rochester were probably for the choke pull offs. In many cases (like my stock manifold) there is an additional vacuum T located in the rear runner for a vacuuum sourse for the AC doors and cruise control.
To answer your question it's fine to plug the hole if you're not going to use it.
thanks mike and ntf. appreciate it.
You could use it for power brakes too.
Well, here's a bit more progress, the TH 400 is rebuilt and ready to go behind the engine.
I stoped by the body shop a couple of hours ago and there is still steady progress on that front. The front clip, doors and tailgate are done and he'd starting on the quarters. He's got the body line in front of the wheel and the at the top of the door matched up and getting ready to start on the back of the quarter. I'm very happy with the quality of work, and the pace it's going.
the body looks great and so does the tranny.
With the El Camino in the body shop I've been spending my time the last couple of weeks detainling and painting interior parts. The wheels also came in. The really big one though is that the El Camino came home today after about 4 1/2 weeks in the body shop. The body lines now match up and 27 years od little dings are gone.
I really happpy with the work, and especially the turn around time (anybody who has had a car in body shop purgatory can relate :LOL:)
love the body work. that front end looks really good.
Nice Mike.Won't be long now before your cruising to the hot dog stand for cruise night.
Thanks Barb, Gary.
It will be nice to start getting some of the parts out of the way and on the truck where they belong.
The change in the lines came out great, Mike!!! When a body mod is done right, it looks like it came from the factory that way...The car looks stock. Very nicely done!!
Yeah Dave I couldn't be happier with the work that Steve did on this. He's got some neat projects of his own and is just a heck of a nice guy to boot.
Only problem is he's about my age, and I hope he's still around when I'm ready to do a couple of other projects down the road he's talking aobut moving back to Missouri at some point.
i going to be doing the same style ac setup in my 78 monte, i sill gotta yank out the old ac system, ive got the block off plate. now just gotta find time and money to finish the parts list.