• More updates…again..

    Posted on by Alex

    Well, it was time to mount the fans on the radiator.  With the guidance of Mike @ RAR Racing here in San Antonio, I put this together.    The fit is perfect and it also provides excellent support to the fans along with a “shroud” like effect.   Also at RAR Racing, the waterpump was tapped and plugged since I’m not going to be using a heater.   Installed both the waterpump and the new fan setup and also got started on the final piece from the intercooler to the throttle body.  Also getting started on the gauge cluster.  Going to remove the gauges my car came with and redoing the aluminum piece and adding the SpeedHut gauges I bought.

     

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    The water pump lines up perfect.

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    Getting started on the last tubing from the IC to the throttle body.  Reused some old tubing I had.  Going from 4″ –> 3.5″ to 3″.

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    Time to setup my gauge cluster…

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    📂This entry was posted in 91 Camaro Fabrication/Welding

  • More updates..

    Posted on by Alex

    Finally got around to doing a few things on my setup.  Installed the fabricated intake, SFI flexplate, converter and put it all back in the car.   Did the final weld on the downpipe and made a small bracket to hold it up.   Next up is mounting the dual fan setup to the radiator.  Its a super tight fit.  Then modifying the water pump to block off the heater since I will not be running one.  I also had to modify my old cold side since it was for the blow-thru setup, not the new EFI setup.  Turbo to IC done, still need to modify what I have from IC to intake.  Cooling setup first though.  The shot under the Camaro is with the new F-body oil pan, much better clearance than before!

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    📂This entry was posted in 91 Camaro Fabrication/Welding TH400

  • Fabricating a turbo kit for a friend.

    Posted on by Alex

    While I’m waiting on my transmission to get finished, I decided to start fabbing up a turbo setup for my friend John.  Best way to learn how to fabricate and to get better at welding is to keep doing it.  I’ve got another setup to do after this for a friend also, that’ll be a twin turbo 5.3 LS.   More on that later.   John’s setup is a 5.3L LS with a gt45 t4 turbo.   Those LS3 manifolds I picked up at the New Braunfels swap meet, well, here they are.  Grinded off some tabs, casting and then the 2 bolt flange was grounded off.  Tac-welded some 3″ v-band flanges on to it.  Still need to grind it a little better where the 2-bolt flange used to be to make it more rounded.  Its not necessary to do so, but it’ll “look better”.   I also made a bracket to hold the gt45 since its heavy.   I’m not super happy with the bracket but it looks ok.  The manifolds had some sort of provision for a sensor, so I filled that in, looks clean.

     

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    📂This entry was posted in Fabrication/Welding

  • Updates on my rig..

    Posted on by Alex

    Well, the turbo Camaro is patiently waiting for a TH400 transmission.  I ended up taking my trans and all parts I bought to Winners Circle Transmissions for them to build it.  I ended up taking the core apart, putting it back together but didnt feel comfortable building one that will go behind a 900hp turbo Camaro.   Here’s some pics of what I bought, it was all from CK Performance.  Not pictured is the TH400 master rebuild kit with Alto red clutches, steels, etc.  Pictured is the reverse manual valve body with a trans brake, billet input shaft, forged steel rollerized forward clutch hub, 6 clutch direct clutch housing w/34 element sprag, 4 clutch billet intermediate pressure plate, billet sun gear shaft.  This setup will easily hold 1500hp at the minimum.   I had to yank out my engine and mockup th400 transmission while I wait for mine to get built.   While that was done, I had to replace the “muscle car oil pan” since it still sat too low and installed a F-body pan, pickup tube, windage tray and also had a -10AN return tapped into the side.  You’ll also notice I test fit the new fabricated intake with a Nick Williams 102mm throttle body onto the engine.  I’ll need to modify the throttle body since it doesnt open up all the way.  The TB hits the intake so I’ll need to grind the throttle cable guide a little to clear (pic shows the interference).  Also pictured is a flexplate that enables my 6.0 LS to bolt up to a TH400 with the converter without needing to round out the converter holes on said flexplate.  The pic under my Camaro is where you can see the muscle car pan.  It just sits too low.

     

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    📂This entry was posted in 91 Camaro Fabrication/Welding TH400

  • New Braunfels Swap Meet 2016

    Posted on by Alex

    Here’s a few pics from the annual New Braunfels Swap Meet.   Its a really cool place to go for hotrodders.  I didnt see many “new” Chevy items for sale (LSx specific).  I dont really look for Ford or other stuff but I think a Ford mod motor would have caught my eye.  Its mostly old school SBC/SBF setups.   I did find a LS3 log manifold setup that I’m using for my friends turbo kit that I am fabbing up.  It had just rained so I figured I’d take a pic of the mud…LOL.   Its a 3 day event, Friday thru Sunday.   If you’re looking for a hotrod, deals can be made here..you’ll also find overpriced junk here too.  There was a guy selling complete engines, turnkey.  Kinda pricey, but they are tested and you can fire them up right on the spot.  Comes with a dyno sheet with full specs also.

     

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    📂This entry was posted in Swap Meet

  • Finished the 5″ downpipe, new water pump

    Posted on by Alex

    Not much in the way of accomplishments, but I did get a new waterpump for my LQ4 engine.  Its for a C6 Vette which will give me more room infront of the engine and lines up with my Dirty Dingo alt bracket.   Had some time to finish the 5″ downpipe from my s475 turbo.   Should look good for a street car 😉

    On the pie cuts, they are pretty clean thanks to my Evolution Rage2 metal blade chop saw.

     

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    📂This entry was posted in 91 Camaro Fabrication/Welding Uncategorized

  • More changes to the turbo setup / TH400 build

    Posted on by Alex

    Long time no update..

    I’ve had my car at a local shop since I’ve been busy with work and the real world.  Previously I had to make room for the intercooler and radiator.   The problem was that my turbo hotside from the manifolds to the turbo should have been tucked closer to the engine.  Since I did not do that, the wastegate would hit the dual fan setup.  Talk about a bummer.  That was the biggest issue.   So I took my car to a local shop and they basically redid what I fabbed up.   Oh well, got me a little closer to getting done.   Here are some pics of how the setup looks.   As you can see, there is also PLENTY of room for the drivers side alternator mount.  I also switched to a Corvette LS2 crank pulley that I need to install.  It looks like I took 4 steps forward and 3 back, but actually this was a huge help for me since now everything fits.  Next is the TH400 trans.

     

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    The TH400 that I need is about $1500 that can hold 1000HP, or from someone I’ve used before its $1900.   After watching some Youtube vids on TH400 building and my wife pitching in and buying me two books on TH400 building, I figured I’d get after it and build my own transmission.  Right now I have it torn down and am waiting on parts to come in.

     

    First things first..I need a TH400 bracket that I can bolt to a bench.  They run about $175.   Well I ran across this bench and TH400 bracket for $150.

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    Then I found this working TH400 core, so I put it on the bench.  Looks good next to my toolbox.  🙂   The two books are the ones I’ve been reading.

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    And here is the TH400 and all its innards.

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    The above pic..looks like we have a chipped tooth which holds a retaining ring.  I think it’ll be ok.

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    Another small issue.  Broken piece off where the trans pan bolts to.   I noticed 2 bolts missing but didnt see this until I removed the pan.   If I need to, I’ll have this fixed.

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    Cleaning it off with a pressure washer.   Looks ok, but needs to now be cleaned by hand.

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    Bought new tools for assembly and there’s the case for the TH400.

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    📂This entry was posted in 91 Camaro Repair TH400

  • New sheetmetal intake for the Turbo Camaro

    Posted on by Alex

    Going slowly down here in Texas.  With Christmas around the corner, I decided to get my turbo car a present.  Picked up a 102mm sheetmetal intake off of ebay.

    Specs:

    Height: 9″
    Material Thickness: 3 millimeters
    Throttle Body Opening: 102 millimeters
    Intake total length: 20 inches

    Came with 3/4″ high flow fuel rails, gaskets, hardware and a braided fuel crossover line.  It has 3 vacuum ports.

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    📂This entry was posted in 91 Camaro Auto Parts Fabrication/Welding

  • Updated pics of the Turbo Camaro

    Posted on by Alex

    Had a local shop here in San Antonio, Lethal Performance, do some work for me.  They’ve done quite a bit on my other cars.   Being that I’m a newbie fabricator, I learned the hard way about fitment when fabbing up a turbo setup.  Who better to learn from than Lethal.   It started with me just wanting small stuff, for example, just modify what I have and “make it fit”.  It was easier/cleaner/quicker for the to just redo my hot side.  Being that I want to start the New Year off with much less work to do on my car, I just dropped them a to-do list.  I’ll take better pics a little bit later.

    Hood “pins”, TurboSmart 60mm Wastegate, hot side redone, radiator and intercooler mounted, core support redone.  Not much left at the shop.  Once its back, I’ll start on the TH400 and converter install, then on to other things like gauges, fuel system and the best part, FiTech fuel injection.  1000HP OR BUST!

     

     

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    📂This entry was posted in 91 Camaro Fabrication/Welding

  • New turbo setup coated and installed

    Posted on by Alex

    Its been a long journey..from learning how to weld to fabbing up my own turbo setup.   It took so long because I don’t really spend every day working on it.  Sometimes 4 hours, sometimes 2 weeks later I start up again.  Something called work and family gets in the way 😉   Well, he’s the coated tubing, tubing installed and also a  BG400 fuel pump, filter and gauge I picked up thanks to Kendrick Automotive.  I also sprayed the down pipe with some “Flame Proof” spray paint, supposedly it’ll withstand 1200*.

     

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    📂This entry was posted in 91 Camaro Fabrication/Welding