Getting my new 406 SBC installed, running, and driving

[The_Bishop]

In my mind, you need to consider two factors:

How much is your car worth to you?

What did those wheels cost?

Personally, I'd scrap 'em. Can they be fixed? Probably. Will they ever be 100% trustworthy again? Nope.

Those spacers aren't helping anything, either. If you need those spacers, then what you really need is a wheel with the correct offset to replace what you have now.

[IROCZman15]

Yup, I get it. but think about how many OTHER thongs could fail or come loose on a car which could cause havoc. Especially a modified car built by a hobbiest like me. A simple 0-ring could go out on a fuel injector (tom bailey), A brake line could blow out, a bizarre ignition issue could wreak havoc on the engine (been there done that September last year), so I am not going to go full blown panic mode about a crack in a wheel. I was more after the scientific and tech info related to how salvageable it could be.

I will eventually bring em to a place for evaluation such as: Kenvil welding which Larry suggested, or USA wheels in Fairfield, or Harry of Harry's Hot Rod Shop in Dover (nearby Fania roofing). My neighbor who passed away from Covid in April of last year was a professional welder his entire life, he would have been great to chat with and practice welding with. RIP John

Just yesterday afternoon, I fired up the TIG welder for the first time I have ever used a Tig welder. Was pretty cool! I will have to get used to the action of using a foot pedal and feeding a rod with a glove on. I get free scrap metal (steel and aluminum) at work and I am all excited to practice as much as I can. I know I am not experienced enough to do it now, especially on cast aluminum like you guys discussed, because it is very tricky. But, perhaps I'll develop the necessary skill to attempt the project. Since I am not yet an accomplished welder, this is why I have opted to have a pro-welder install the roll bar in June. I'm not one to back down on a challenge or be hesitant to improve my mechanical abilities, but a roll bar setup is out of my league now. Going to keep practicing on scrap metal, and then move on to building a rolling cart for the welders and gas cylinders.







As for the spacers, I only use them to clear the brakes on these drag wheels. I had my Boze Forged wheels built to my backspacing specs and they are spot on. The Jegs wheels were a damn good deal from a good buddy so I was lucky to get them that cheap and use them for many drag days and street driving. Having a customs et of drag wheels is not in my price budget now as I have money budgeted for roll bar, and othe stuff mentioned above.


also cool:

[PolarBear]

Honestly, this is something you should be in a full panic over. That crack can be welded over, but unless you grind out the entire crack it will still be there once you, cosmetically, weld over it.
Isn't your car worth more than some cheap wheels? Is it worth the risk of one of them coming apart at speed and totaling your car?

I am not a welder, but I do OK at it. Personally I wouldn't even attempt to do a cast wheel as a first TIG project. It's cast, it's dirty, it's not flat and you'll need to push that welder pretty hard to get enough heat into that flange.

[IROCZman15]

Still
Not
Panicking

These aren’t daily driver wheels on a daily driver and I don’t do the king of the hammers competition with this car. I have plenty of time to decide what do to and how to go about this.

Of MUCH more concern than the cracked wheels, is my
High oil pressure issue that has been present since September/October of last year. Willing to discuss it if the discussion is tech related

[wretched73]

Originally Posted by IROCZman15

Still
Not
Panicking

These aren’t daily driver wheels on a daily driver and I don’t do the king of the hammers competition with this car. I have plenty of time to decide what do to and how to go about this.

Of MUCH more concern than the cracked wheels, is my
High oil pressure issue that has been present since September/October of last year. Willing to discuss it if the discussion is tech related

Glad you aren't panicking lol IMO those guys are blowing the cracked wheel out of proportion. This is NJ, the roads are dog **** on their best day, cast or forged wheels are no match and they are repaired regularly. Get your practice in, clean it up nicely, lay a nice bead.

Did you post about the high oil pressure issue before? It doesn't ring any bells. With your meticulous maintenance, I don't think I'd worry about it much.

[IROCZman15]

I had success today getting the wheels repaired. I am now ready for Drag Week 2021 and the Pikes Peak hill climb.








(joking obviously)




Yea, as for the oil pressure, I had noticed it all of a sudden became higher than usual just on my last Test and Tune day at island in October of last year. I did my research, and called the engine builder as well as Melling (oil pump) tech support. Both of them said its on the borderline of being problematic, but to keep an eye on it. So I have kept an very watchful eye on it for sure. I have verified the reading with an auxiliary Maddox pressure gauge and the dash needle is correct. I initially typed a little bit about this on the thread where I got an oil analysis test-kit done, just to make sure everything was healthy in the engine as 2020 came to a close. http://www.njfboa.org/forums/showthread.php?t=69185

I have read a whole ton of internet stuff about high oil pressure. The consensus is that the check valve in the pump is probably stuck closed. (not the check valve bypass valve in the filter) I don't have oil leaks, and when I did the intake manifold repair I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary in the valley tray, under the valve covers, or in the oil or oil filter after I did an oil change when the intake manifold was back on. It is a Dart SHP block, so it has priority-main oiling, meaning that the upper valvetrain could be effected from an oil pressure. Would really suck to have to drop the oil pan just to check for a POSSIBLE "stuck check valve" and find out that it is something different.

Might hookup the auxillary oil pressure gauge again and take a video of cold start, cold warmup, and driving around to help explain what I am seeing, but at idle its 70psi, and while driving and wot it floats above the dash gauges readout of 80, so I am guessing it is in the 95-100 range. It is a melling high-volume pump; not a melling high pressure pump.



I installed the lakewood 90/10 struts a week ago and they definitely helped with the weight transfer of the car at launch. I did not even have a hint of tire spin, but I still can't get the nose airborne, likely because I can only leave from idle or high idle, or up to 1,800 rpm. From m research, nobody makes a great transbrake for a 700R4, and I am skeptical of going that route anyways.

I did make a video about the Lakewood 90/10 front strut install, just because i was impressed with how quickly the struts sprung up. To skip past my chattering, you can start the video at 7:30 mins in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys_FwFkD7hI
- However, since I am not drag racing for a few months, I already took the struts off and put the Koni yellows back on the car, along with the front swaybar.


This weekend there was a big fundraiser car show-cruise event here at Lake Hopatcong, with the Cops-n-Rodders club. They had about 400-425 cars that metup and drove around the lake. Tons of spectators along the route, the mayors and police and firefighters all worked to block off roads and ENCOURAGED BURNOUTS ! There were certain spots along the way where everyone was frying the tires; seriously almost everyone! I did 12 burnouts along the way, some of them using the line-lock an going from 1st, 2nd, and into 3rd gear, right next to police and spectators. Way cool!
















- I was always curious to see if my brake lights were bright enough in the pure daytime sunlight after spray-tinting the rear tail-lights, and this photo answers my question
-Also, just moments after this photo, I did a good burnout directly under that american flag. Someone got videos from far far away of this burnout spot, my car comes across the screen at about 20:05 in the video.....which was apparently filmed with a very bad camera! link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bRA6vtSBYY&t=1247s


lastly, on the way home from the cruise, I stopped by the local concrete quarry to weigh the car as it sits in full street mode. This is with the whole sound system in, empty nitrous bottle, full full tank of fuel, full interior. Weight with me in the car is: 3760 and without me is 3560. Seems legit, as I weigh about 194 pounds. I weighed the car now to find out what it weighs pre-roll-bar-installation. Last time I weighed the car last year was right before a test-and-tune dragstrip event and the car was stripped down in the interior and if I remember correctly, it was 3320 pounds.




Thats it for now.

[IROCZman15]

A buddy of mine sent me these two photos that someone random posted online from that Lake Hopatcong cruise:








Got a great deal on a used NOS nitrous cheater plate from a guy on thirdgen.org. Will clean up the gasket/mounting surfaces and probably paint the outsides of it silver to match the theme of my engine.





The car is currently at the Fabrication shop for the roll bar install. He will be starting on it this week, as the swing-out pieces just arrived.



I ordered the SFi padding for the main hoop, and not sure if I will use the non-SFI padding anywhere else, but I got two pieces anyways since they were only about $5 each. I got this cool 2-part paint, with a button on the bottom that releases an activating agent. Just need to pickup some good etching-primer.


Also, when the car gets back, I need to replace the radiator. It has had a very small pinhole leak somewhere in the lower area of the core/rows, and I can not visibly see it. Champion has LIFETIME FREE REPLACEMENT on these radiators. I have been in contact with them for many months, waiting on an EXACT replacement of my 2-row AE951 radiator, but they have not had any in stock in months. Sadly the cores are made in china, and nothing has come over in a long time. So, instead they shipped me a 3-row replacement. Hopefully it cools just as well, and does not leak. Free shipping both ways, and hopefully I don't loose too much fluid while I do the replacement.







While the car is out of the garage, I am doing a bunch of work to have better storage, work areas, and use of the space.

[wretched73]

Nice, looking forward to more updates.

Before you hit anything with self etching primer, make sure the 2K you put over it will not have an adverse reaction. 2k is pretty much the best primer out there and I doubt you'll need a self etching primer under it

[TaKid455]

Regarding the 2k, some are DTM. Some are not. Read the data sheets. Since its a nice car, if its going to react, it will. Meanwhile, a ****box will be fine.

[IROCZman15]

cool, thanks!

great suggestions. I am surprisingly having a bit of difficulty in determining which primer is suggested, even on the spray max websites, and data sheets. Nothing on the back of the actual can says anything about primer, just what I should do when I swallow it, and some stuff in French. On the website, Nobody seems to mention it. They just mention their whole array of primers. Actually, on page #2 under "substrate" they say:
" Metal, Steel, Stainless Steel (cleaned and sanded). Depending on the surface select the appropriate
Primer to achieve maximum adhesion and corrosion protection "
so.... ??!?!

here is a link:
https://www.spraymax.com/en-us/produ...hot-rod-black/

and here is that data sheet Larry mentioned.
https://download.kwasny.com/datashee...212_(US)EN.pdf

This is strange, because I want to get the primer right for the best adhesion, but I can't currently find the answer to which aeresol primer to use.

My initial choice was this SEM etching primer, which is what I used on my engine bay project last winter. I can buy it locally at an auto-body supply store in Denville, but I don't want to buy/use it if it is wrong.
https://www.semproducts.com/product/...g-primer/39683

my other option is to buy the same brand's primer, So, Spray Max Primer. like this:

https://www.spraymax.com/en/products...-epoxy-primer/

Initially I wasn't sure If I would need an etching primer or an epoxy primer. I won't have any thing that needs to have a filler-primer, so really, it is just what will be best on mild-steel, welds, and nearby Sheetmetal. Etching primer? Epoxy primer? I feel like I should definitely know this, but I am drawing a big blank right now


EDIT: Now I am thinking my best choice is probably this DTM Direct-T-Metal Primer by Spray Max
https://www.spraymax.com/en/products...primer-filler/


Thoughts/suggestions?

[wretched73]

I'm not sure what you have. Every time I've heard 2k referenced, it has been 2k epoxy primer.

I'd get any 2k epoxy primer.

For example, eastwood's says not to spray over etching primer-

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-s-...ray-black.html

[IROCZman15]

Had dropped the car off a few weeks ago at the fabrication shop. He had some other projects to finish, but once mine arrived at the shop it was in-line. Miro is a 1-man operation at his shop, but his quality of work is top-notch. He got a good amount of progress done this week, and if all goes well he will be finished with it by Friday of this week. Then my plans are to get the bars primed and painted. Swap the radiators. Get the 4 new Falken tires mounted, and get an alignment. After that I hope to get to a SCCA or MSNE autocross event at Giants Stadium before the UMI event in 1 months time.


Base plates installed (power wires were pulled away from the sheetmetal, that is not how they normally are routed):









He ensured all the interior panels fit and are fully removable with the bars in place, so in the event I ever need to take panels off there wont be any problems.

[sweetbmxrider]

Lookin good

[IROCZman15]

Picked up the car today from M.T. FABRICATION, in Stanhope, NJ...just 15 minutes from my house.

Miro is an incredibly welder and a very easy person to talk to. He took good care of the car while it was there and I highly recommend him to anyone and everyone. Everything is MIG welded except the joints for the swingouts/door bars. Those are TIG welded so that the weld is not raised as it prevents anyone from scraping their hand on the raised metal.




















I will be masking, prepping, priming, and painting the roll bar tomorrow.
in the coming week I still will need to:
- use upholstery dye on the front seats
- get the 4 new Falken tires mounted and balanced
- get a front end alignment
- swap out the Champion radiator with its replacement
- probably get a replacement battery for my 75/25 Optima Red Top battery p/n 8022-091 (one that fits into my battery box, possibly an Odyseey )
-sign up and get to an Autocross event at Met Life Stadium for next weekend.

[IROCZman15]

Many hours of masking the car off, covering everything exterior and interior, scuffing surfaces with red scuff pads, wiping down with acetone; and finally primer, and paint. Also used some $5 upholstery dye to dye the front seats black.

[sweetbmxrider]

Lookin very nice sir

[IROCZman15]

Thanks! I'm pretty stoked about it for sure.

Got the interior back in today and did a half-setup of the 5-point harnesses too. Gotta spend some time getting them adjusted. No big deal really, just didn't get to it today. Decided to take out the oem seatbelts, I had toyed with the idea of leaving them in place for when I am just doing a short drive, but having them along with the 5-point harness looked too cluttered for me.

This winter I will be redoing the trunk area and stereo system with new subs and a new amp. . Right now it is just laid in place and not wired up, because I have to take it out most weekends in July for some autocross events.

Took some photos, but not really good ones yet. Filmed a video also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8FJ086sR4U

[thehazguy]

Dave, nicely done. Looks excellent

[sweetbmxrider]

It does look excellent

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

I used fabric paint on the vinyl seat of my boatercycle and it's lasted 5+ years in the sun and salt water.

The new setup looks as amazing as promised.

[IROCZman15]

thanks fellas. Glad it turned out well.
Nick, I might try that fabric paint, if ya want to text me the product info, I will do some research. The seats I have are an off-brand and I can't find any info on what exact fabric they are made out of, but I am sure it is a non-natural synthetic type.

Getting the tires mounted Friday as well as the alignment done.
I am thinking of:
- an even 5.5 caster (same numbers for each side, as opposed to bigger # for crown in streets)
- a -1.0 deg camber
- I might go complete 0.0 for tow in/out. Used to go 3/32 toe in for the past 20 years, but I have been told that 0.0 is best for drag racing, and for autocross, actually 3/32 toe OUT is better. Thoughts?


Was hoping to get to an autoX this weekend but there is nothing at the Meadowlands, and the one down in Warminster, PA is some kind of novice driving school thing, so I am not going to go to that. I will be signing up for autoX for July 18, at Met Life.

I also still have to install the roll bar padding.


Did get the new/replacement radiator installed yesterday after work. It went in with no problems. All champion could give me was a 3 row at the current time, when I had previously had the 2 row. Hoping it cools similar enough. If not, I will have to wait until they have the 2-row radiators back in stock and ask them to ship me the proper replacement one.

[wretched73]

I'd shoot for -0.065 to 0 for toe

[IROCZman15]

cool, thanks.

Got the new tires put on. Alignment done also. Put about 80 miles on the tires so far, damn they are great! They do throw around a LOT of road pebbles into the wheel-wells and the outer fenders. yikes. Traveled about 15 of those miles in active rain too, and while I was a bit nervous, they did good and nothing silly happened. Didnt get good photos of them on the car yet.













As mentioned before, the new replacement radiator is installed and doing well. Temps seem to be pretty much about where they usually are, but time will tell if the 3-row is better/same/worse than the 2-row. I am just happy for no leaks.

Decided to dig into the oil pressure issue again because I have some autocross events coming up. Hooked up the mechanical gauge and got readings of 55-60 psi with a cold engine at idle. With some revvs on the cold oil/engine it went to 85-90 i am happy with this. Just the readings on the dashboard gauge tell me a different story and it is unsettling looking at an incorrect gauge wile driving. Did lots of wiring testing, swapped out sending units and pulled out the dashboard. I could get into details but I don't know if it is worth it. I emailed the company who built the tachometer (which has the oil pressure gauge built into it) and he is kind enough to send me out a new board to try out, so hopefully that will be here soon and fix the problem. basically even though i know I have healthy oil pressure, i want to visually see it on the dashboard gauge. Instead, as soon as key on/engine off the needle maxxes out and lives there, showing me that I have 120+ psi of oil pressure with a non running engine.
I have tested grounds and ohms and whatnot.

I just signed up for the MSNE autocross day this upcoming Sunday at Met-Life Stadium. Hopefully it will be sufficient practice prior to the UMI event next weekend.

[Blackbirdws6]

Tires look nice and sticky. They should do well. Oil pressure still seems high on throttle but as you covered before, it will live. Have fun at the auto x.

[RamblerRacer]

Go out and get in man!

JT