been awhile- i started posting on LS1tech.com since they have more advise for me setting up the chev motor. Figured i would update this one since alot has changed. Since this post ive picked up....
-LS3 intake - fuel rail - TanksInc.com retro fuel pump- corvette filter/regulator- LY6 harness and ecu - Corvette drive by wire gas pedal- fox body mustang steering rack rebuilt- T56 six speed transmission from an Aston Martin- LS1 bellhousing- 13" rotors and cobra front calipers- stainless gas tank- 95 mustang booster/mc
Ive also been doing alot of welding and fabricating to make things fit. I had to cut the tunnel out around the new trans to get the right pinion angle. After cutting it out, i made a new trans mount using my factory mustang trans mount, extended on each side and mounted between the frame rails. Then i welded the floor up with mm to spare which is now all finish welded, smoothed and POR15'd waiting for seam sealer. I decided to ditch the factory strut braces and make my own so i started with a 1/4" plate mounted to the firewall pinch weld, then bolted two plates to the inside of each strut tower. Then i made tubes from the strut to the firewall and notched them and slide those on and welded them up. Then bent up a strut tower bar that clears my intake and welded that in. The whole piece bolts on in just a couple minutes and fits very nicely- inspired by modern mustang bars.
I decided to use a late model mustang booster and master cylinder to compliment my late model front and rear brakes. The booster really wasnt hard to install as the top two bolts are in the same spot as the factory, and i just had to drill two new lower holes below the factory ones and open up the big hole in the middle alittle. Surprisingly the linkage for the pedal dropped right onto the factory pedal but the pedal was too low. I removed the pedal, popped the pin out and moved it back about an inch to the back side of the pedal, drilled the hole and welded the pin back in. This makes the pedal sits stock and i didnt have to mod the linkage! Then i mounted my Corvette DBW pedal, had to make a heavy bracket for the firewall and a triangulated support and bend the pedal towards the left some but i think it turned out well. Also welded up a bunch of holes in the firewall while i was in there....
On the front of the Chev motor i decided to drop the alternator down to the bottom, but the only mounts i could find either looked terrible, were expensive or required using the factory ps pump on the drivers side. I designed my own mount and had it water jetted out of 1/4" plate then made some spacers to bolt it to the block and used some idler pulleys from online. This works great-just need to get a belt- but now i wanted to mount a mustang power steering pump on the passenger side down low to work with my mustang rack without pressure issues. I found a remote resevoir 05-07 mustang pump and my buddy designed a bracket in solidworks using a gm tensioner to keep the belt tight and it runs off the back of the crank pulley on the ribs the a/c pump used to be on. Looks great and i should be picking up the finished product from the machine shop this week. Then i will mount my newer Gt500 ps resevoir on the motor or strut tower and drop a hose down to the pump.
The rear of the car is still waiting to be figured out. I have a fox body rear end, and with the set of 17" Mach One wheels i picked up fits perfectly but i would like to go wider than 8" in the rear. I found some 10.5x17's i really like but the offset is not enough so i may end up shortening the rear end. After much reading i think i will do this myself - 1" or so on each side- but i really would like to pick up the wheels and maybe the rear
suspension first. Planning on a AJE rear coilover setup but i may end up with the TCI stuff. IM also planning on building my own custom taillights - im keeping this one secret until its further along though it should be pretty cool.
- anyone know how to figure out backspacing- ive read about it but not sure i trust my measurements. With the rear end out and wheels on it-30mm mach one 17" wheels 8" - they fit in the fenders perfect and i have a measurement to the outside of the tires of 66.5 inches. If i went with a 10.5" wheel with 27mm offset how much would i have to shorten the rear end? Thanks.