new car checklist

[robk46]

Hello all. Just bought an '87 LX with an almost complete 351w swap. I've checked out the 351w sticky, and it's helped me with a lot of questions. I just have a few more that hopefully some of you can answer.

1. How much clearance (inches) do I need to have between the carb (Holly) and the hood to know if I need to get a new hood or add a scoop?

2. The car has sat for about 18 months, I'm planning on draining the oil and priming before firing, is their anything else I should do before starting?

3. It has no exhaust, just some stock manifolds. Will a stock exhaust system from a '93 bolt up? I want to be able to work the bugs out before I order a new system.

4. It has no serpentine belt. How do I measure to see what size I need?

Thanks! Great site!

 

[sunil6784]

2. If it were me, i'd change the plugs, fuel filter, drop the gas tank and drain it. THe last part might just be me, but i'm pretty anal about that stuff.

 

[Scorcher2005]

1) Put a tall piece of clay/silly putty/etc on top of the carb and shut the hood. It will smash down to ho much clearance you have.

4)Wrap a piece of kite string around the pullies and go to the parts storeand get that belt length.

Now you just need an answer for #3

 

[hrspwrjunkie]

Hello all. Just bought an '87 LX with an almost complete 351w swap. I've checked out the 351w sticky, and it's helped me with a lot of questions. I just have a few more that hopefully some of you can answer.

1. How much clearance (inches) do I need to have between the carb (Holly) and the hood to know if I need to get a new hood or add a scoop?

2. The car has sat for about 18 months, I'm planning on draining the oil and priming before firing, is their anything else I should do before starting?

3. It has no exhaust, just some stock manifolds. Will a stock exhaust system from a '93 bolt up? I want to be able to work the bugs out before I order a new system.

4. It has no serpentine belt. How do I measure to see what size I need?

Thanks! Great site!

Your answer to #3 is no. The 351W is taller and wider (I don't know if they are the stock manifolds, because I don't know if they will fit in the chassis with the Windsor, but if they are, no). You will need engine swap headers to match up with commercially produced (and factory) H-pipes.

 

[robk46]

Thanks for the answers. On #3, can any of you recommend a decent exhaust vendor for a good streetable system. We have no emissions checking in Florida, so a nice stainless system with no cats is fine. I'm thinking shorty headers, and a decent true dual system with an x-pipe.

 

[hrspwrjunkie]

Thanks for the answers. On #3, can any of you recommend a decent exhaust vendor for a good streetable system. We have no emissions checking in Florida, so a nice stainless system with no cats is fine. I'm thinking shorty headers, and a decent true dual system with an x-pipe.

Well, MAC and BBK both sell good headers and both can be ordered with ceramic coating. Of course, Bassani has an awesome X-pipe, Magnaflow has another, both are stainless. And as for the catback, I happen to like Flowmaster, MAC, Borla (stainless), Magnaflow (stainless) and Dynomax.

If you want a complete system from one manufacturer...I believe MAC is the only one that can do it all...possibly Bassani, but the headers are $1000. Magnaflow can go headers back.