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I know this is a very old topic from the beginning of this thread , but what ever came of your tail light plans? And if you haven't built some awesome replacements yet have you considered having the factory's copied from one of the company's that use 3D printing? You build killer cars man,thanks for sharing your builds and story's..




here is a link to a company that has made some 3D car parts http://www.stratasys.com/industries/automotive
 
I know this is a very old topic from the beginning of this thread , but what ever came of your tail light plans? And if you haven't built some awesome replacements yet have you considered having the factory's copied from one of the company's that use 3D printing? You build killer cars man,thanks for sharing your builds and story's..




here is a link to a company that has made some 3D car parts http://www.stratasys.com/industries/automotive
Thanks, I do have plans for the tail lights.
 
I commented earlier this week on another thread concerning burnout. Now that I'm at the end of the week, I gotta say that if anybody should be burned out, it has to be me.

To demonstrate my point,Lets just talk about the oil system.

When the engine was outside of the car I built a bracket to mount the dual filtration system, and mounted the thing to the side of the engine.
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Lets call this....exibit A

While this all looked like it was gonna work, that changed the minute I started bolting things on the engine, after I installed the motor.
See, in it's original configuration, the filters were too far forward, and possibly just too low. It looked like I'd have a problem getting the filters off after the steering shaft was installed.

So I moved the mount point back 1/2", and I re-installed the thing.

It still looked like there'd be a problem w/ interference. I moved it back another 1/2".

Here is bracket v 1.1, and 1.2
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Stepping the holes back 1/2" at a time had me running outta room on the original bracket, so in a frugal attempt at saving the original bracket, I built "Extendo-Bracket". EB V 1.3 was too far back now as I had gotten too liberal in my judgement of how far back I could go, so I had to move it forward..............twice.

Here is extendo bracket V 1.4, and 1.5 ( This would now be Exibit B) V 1.3 is actually cut off, as it was now full of holes, and I wanted to try and clean the thing up a little.
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It was at this time that I determined that the entire bracket was too low, and I decided to scrap it, and build another one that would place the filters much higher.
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This bracket went though two more versions, w/ me moving the filters further back from the original mount plan. The problem ended up being still the same, the filters were hitting something. This time it was those two hose barb fittings were almost ramming into the bracket that held the water pump under the intake.

I bailed on the stupid dual filtration system yesterday.

I had a single remote filter in a drawer, so I built a bracket to mount that dude to the side of the external oil pump.

It hit the water lines.

I built another bracket that lowered the filter so low that it didn't hit nothing.

Now it was so low, I wasn't concerned what it hit, but what would hit it.

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This is bracket V 1.9, Bracket 1.8 is in the trash.

Finally, I get it figured out I ended up putting the single filter behind the remote pump, perpendicular to the mount surface.

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It took me 10 TIMES to finally get an oil filter mounted on this engine.

This version clears, but it barely clears. If you were looking at it, you'd swear the front sway bar was gonna hit the filter itself. But that's an optical illusion. it clears w/ ample space between it, and said bar.

You may be wondering why I went out, and bought another filter though, given that I have two brand new Fram filters w/ no place to go.

I ended up finding a place for them alright.
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I was in O'reillys last week, and they had a cut open filter display where there was about 8 filters open so you could see build construction, and what internals were actually inside the cannisters. The fram, (despite advertising to the contrary) was the worst of the bunch. 40 pleats as compared to the 60 that comes in a Motorcraft, cardboard end caps as compared to stamped metal, and the thing just looked like ass. Even a WIX filter ( which looked remarkably like the Motorcraft) was better built. Matter of fact, nothing was as bad as the Fram.

I didn't even feel one bit of remorse for throwing the pieces of junk in the trash.

The down pipe coming off the turbo was another fiasco. There simply wasn't enough room to get the completed pipe down between the firewall, and the bellhousing w/ all of the bends that it ended up having. I managed to ding the firewall several times wrestling the stupid thing in, and back out of a passage that it simply wouldn't go through.
Inevitably, I ended up grinding the bellhousing just enough to get the damn thing by. But picture trying to get a 4.5" angle grinder between the bellhousing, and your newly painted engine compartment.

It was a disaster.

But it's in there, I can now build the exhaust from there.

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You can see some of the carnage that the frame rail had to endure as well. I'm gonna have to paint that:grumble:. ( In retrospect, I shoulda just spray bombed the entire engine compartment. What w/ me cramming charge tubes, down pipes, dropping bolts and tools onto it, I have literally trashed the engine compartment):no:

I have been waiting on putting the front drive of the engine back together, because I had to build the bracketry, and the mount for the crank position sensor. This took up most of the day. As it is in this pic, the crank sensor is sitting .060 above the 6th tooth in advance of the missing tooth on my 36-1 trigger wheel.
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That block the sensor is mounted is 1" aluminum square bar. The hole that needed to be drilled was .680, the biggest bit I had was .625 (5/8"). The rest of the hole had to be hand filed to fit. Additionally, the block is held on by two 10-24 ss button head screws. There is a plate that floats behind the mount bracket that has two corresponding holes drilled, and tapped in it, so I don't have to get back there w/ a wrench to tighten the thing up. I can just screw the screws down tight. That little plate took an hour to build.

Shoulda been about 10 minutes,....cut to size, drill two holes, do a little finish grinding to round the ends off, tap both holes, break a tap off in the last of the holes............spend the next 50 minutes trying to get broken tap out of the hole, all while telling your self to just make a new one,.....(which I couldn't do, the only tap I had was now broken off in one of the holes)

If you look, you can see the top corner of my newly made crank trigger bracket had had the top corner butchered off, and ground on. You'll also notice an aluminum bar to the left that replaces the shorter painted steel piece that used to be there. The bracket interfered w/ the mount point of the alternator. The brand new serpentine belt I had was only so long, so I had to make it fit.
*** "Adapted" from Pinnochio,.... Jiminey Cricket singing**
"Hey Diddly Dee,..an Idiot's life for me"

I installed 6 Autolite 64 spark plugs, gapped at .035, and installed the plug wires that I bought. The set doesn't allow you to cut them to length, so you gotta take what you get. I still need to find a way to structure them to a rigid mount point to keep them off of the headers.
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I got a little panicky at first trying to install the plugs,..it seemed like they wouldn't thread in. But after dicking w/ the angle for awhile, I managed. They actually install at a very steep angle. I had a hell of a time getting the plug boots on them.

The engine is now 90% complete. I added the intake tube and filter. It is getting so busy under the hood now several other things have to come off before other things can be removed. I tried to finagle the charge tube off of the turbo, and ended up scratching the hell out of it. Guess I'm gonna have to do a whole bunch of touch up/repainting before I get this thing done.

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The other cooler came in. One will be for the trans, and one is for the engine. They are identical 16 row plate and fin coolers. I plan to hang them beneath the bumper, and build a cowl/shroud to house them in.
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The engine is getting really close to being complete. I still have fuel lines to run to the front fuel rail, I have to make the lower radiator hose (Yes, even the damn hoses are custom), and the power steering pump needs to be plumbed. I'm gonna use soft hose and adapters on those lines, I still gotta buy those fittings. I have to decide on a dipstick for the oil pan (right now the hole is plugged w/ a 1/4NPT pipe plug. I have the complete brake system to plumb still as well.

That about catches you up. I'll start on the exhaust tomorrow.
 

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This:

View attachment 112191


Looks badass. Best pic in this thread so far! :nice:

Mike, is that a real-life 2G alt or is that an upgraded 2G?

At the risk of receiving an e-punch to the face, what are your plans for the water hose? Are you doing rubber or something a bit less likely to detract from the front end of that motor?

One last thought: I don't recall how much boost you were planning to run but is a flange and V-band clamp in the plan for the pressure side of the turbo?
 
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This:

View attachment 112190


Looks badass. Best pic in this thread so far! :nice:

Mike, is that a real-life 2G alt or is that an upgraded 2G?

At the risk of receiving an e-punch to the face, what are your plans for the water hose? Are you doing rubber or something a bit less likely to detract from the front end of that motor?

One last thought: I don't recall how much boost you were planning to run but is a flange and V-band clamp in the plan for the pressure side of the turbo?

Thanks Noobz.

That alt is a Power master 140A one-wire GM ford hybrid. The hoses are what they are. Push loc fittings, with the appropriate hose except the ones that go into the block, which are standard nipple fittings that need a clamp to secure the hose. As many hoses as there are on this car, I would've croaked at the expense of braided stuff. As it is, last time I checked, there was over 500.00 alone in hoses and fittings in the current iteration. Besides that, by the time the upper rad hose is installed, that'll be just one more thing that'll be hidden anyway.

The build is slotted to be tolerant of boost ranging between 16-20 lbs. In the end it'll be solely dictated by what I can get by with on either pump premium, of E85, but I'll have to change my pump if I choose the latter. The new Mallory I have back there now isn't rated for it.

As far as keeping the hose on, there currently is a ring welded onto the end of the steel tube to retain the thing, and if that don't work, there is a tab that is still in place that I can drill, and strap it to the compressor housing. there are tabs welded along the long run to mount, and hold the tube in place as well, so boost would have to push against basically an immovable structure to blow a tube off, except the tube that comes immediately off the turbo.
 
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I definitely understand about the hoses. That's a lot of money to pay for a rubber. :D

I think I might still urge a V-band on the blower outlet to at least past the elbow. I'm a turbo Noob though. My turbo experience is limited to replacing a factory systems with upgraded ones.
 
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Moving on.
I bought this car so I could scratch a custom "itch". I've been wanting to do it for years now. Admittedly, the decision to use a six banger came only recently (comparatively speaking), and that decision to use it came as a byproduct of the ribbing,.....no scratch that,.... harassment solely at the hands of one single man. ZephyrEFI.
Originally, I was gonna install an LS engine in this car, and he and I got into such an argument over that decision, they had to lock the thread. We bumped heads over on a Ford forum where Fairmont was actually the threads purpose. The forum had about three guys total.

Now in hindsight, I'm glad that all that stuff happened, I'm really happy w/ the way that engine looks in there, Nothing else I could of used would say "Mike did this" so well. So in hindsight, I guess I have ZephyrEFI to thank.

The list to complete the mechanicals is getting short (again, relatively speaking). Once the mechanicals are done, I move on to the truly "custom" junk I have planned for this thing.

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Admittedly, a very crude sketch, but it gives a peek into what is planned for the front and rear of this car.

THE FRONT:
Starting at the top, I intend to mold a small steel bulge into the side of the hood where the turbo now lives under it. That bulge will have paint work on top (in a look at what's underneath 60's style that I haven't yet decided on).
The grille will be replaced w/ a recessed piece of mesh fabric similar to what I did w/ the red car.
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A hand made frame, w/ a hex shaped mesh at the rear.
My first Zephyr had an 85GT wanna be "mouth" molded over the top of the existing base, I'm not planning on that as an option though.
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The head lights w/be upgraded to halogen bulb housings, the turn signal lenses (which are trashed) will be replaced w/ lexan, and I'll use individual leds for running and turn signal.
The bumper will remain, only will be painted as opposed to chrome. I may section the thing down if I don't like the overhang on each end though.
Beneath the bumper will be the shroud to house those gi-honkin oil coolers. They'll bolt to the bumper, and that shroud will attach to brackets that surround the coolers.
The splitter will either be a piece of 1/4" plate aluminum, or will be laminated layers of wood covered in fiberglass. It will wrap around, and basically follow a shadow contour of the bumper, so It'll be a big piece of whatever, and a piece of aluminum that big will probably be pricey.
Either way, the splitter serves no purpose other than to detract from the fact that the lower radiator saddle is hanging out there for God and country to see, and now I gotta big assed charge tube down there as well that needs to somewhat disappear from view.

The rear starts on top w/ another piece of 1/4" plate set at a rake that'll be fixed to the trunk deck. It wont be tall, (probably only 3" max) and unlike the last car wont be blended into the body work. There'll be aluminum blocks that set the rake and will be visable from behind.
The rear will be all custom, as you cannot get replacement futura tail lights. I'll basically just extend the line that the trunk follows, and using a piece of sheetmetal, cut three rectangular openings to house flat tail light material recessed into that. The plate will also be recessed, but not as deep.
The bumper is already cut and sectioned, but I need to take it to someone that can tig aluminum to weld the ends back on. (been waiting on whether or not I'm gonna do that to the front bumper as well.)
Beneath that will be the center mounted tail pipe exit. It probably wont be as big as the sketch makes it look but it'll follow the shape of the shroud in front.
All in all, this guys car has always been my motivation. I love the way he has it raked, and I have the exact same wheel tire package as he does, so mine will basically be a Frankenstein version of this:
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The interior sketch is being drawn on a little computer program for me by my son't GF, so I need to get that back before we even talk about that.
 
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A quick note from a parts guy on filters. Wix is like Royal Purple - both started out as industrial products.

Usually on the cut-open-the-filter displays, The "purr laters" and OEM brands look cheaper than Fram, and the store brand ones are just scary. But I would never run anything less than Wix with synthetic oil.
 
As an addendum to my above post, I finally got the computer drawing of my interior concept. What I'm trying to convey here is a seamless circle of tubing that will appear to float above the transmission tunnel. How I'm gonna make that happen involves the tubing bender that I bought back, and about 100' of 16ga. 1.25" tubing, that and a rabbit lurking in my hat.
The drawing isn't anywhere accurate and it makes it look like there are angles that are cut, and spliced. In reality, I'm planning on that being made up of smooth, fluid bends.

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+20. C'mon guys, do y'all really think the guy really wants his shiny alternator sitting there with his 30 year old valve covers!? Y'all are taking for granted the fact that not all have the luxury of duping thousands of dollars/loonies into their toy all at once. The bullsheet shiny alternators and all the bullcrap bolt-on parts that everyone hates answering questions about keep the hobby and dream alive.
*Rustoleum coat*
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So the solution to the shiny part next to the dirty one takes thousands of dollars to fix?
Last time I checked, you could get your whole engine clean for about 3.oo at the .25 car wash.

I wasn't saying that somebody had to spend thousands of dollars to justify putting a new 3G on their engine before posting a picture of their work. All it takes is a day and about 20.00 to bring a nasty engine compartment back to a level that I'd be OK lifting my hood. Either that process gets lost on a lot of people, or they're just too lazy to spend some time doing it.
The picture that you posted of the engine compartment above is an example of what some time spent cleaning, and painting will yield.

At the same time, I'm also not telling you that everybody has to go out and detail their engine compartments, so I'll reiterate.

"If you are too broke, or too lazy to get a couple cans of Gunk, and don't have the time to devote a Saturday to making the top of your engine compartment look better than the bottom of it, I don't need to see a picture of your brand new 200.00 alternator sitting in the middle of it".
 
The exhaust. Probably the easiest of the fabrications I've done so far, w/ the exception that it was done while on my back. Just one of the perks of having a turbocharged, weenie of an engine.....A single 3" run of pipe, w/ one (probably ricer sounding) Magnaflow stainless muffler at the rear. What isn't depicted is the down pipe that is mounted ( which was a Royal Pain In The Ass), and the tail pipe that I have drawn in the OUTSTANDING sketch a few posts earlier.
Most of it was tigged, ( poorly) but I got tired of the meticulous monotony, threw in the towel, and migged the flex coupler, and the rear v band flange.
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