Build Thread The Hoopty Build

CarMichael Angelo · Feb 21, 2012

hoopty5.0 said:
Happy early birfday to me.

By hoopty50 at 2012-02-21

Got some seats too.

By hoopty50 at 2012-02-21

This is the cue for everyone else to start updating their progress threads while I ride a boat for a month with nothing better to do but live vicariously through your builds. Thanks.

The only thing I can comment on (negatively). Is please get rid of those bracket racer wannabe plastic seats. There is nothing that cheapens an interior more than a set of those things. (that is,...unless you intend to bracket race it..........).
Sorry to ruffle feathers, and you do what you want to, but I just hate those things.

hoopty5.0 · Feb 21, 2012

Well the thing about a build thread is that you aren't going to please everyone. I got those seats because they were $80 for the pair and they weigh less than 10 lbs each.

But more importantly,

madmike1157 said:
(that is,...unless you intend to bracket race it..........).

...I do. I don't have the pockets or schedule to run a class, so that is my option. Whenever I get a desk job that doesn't require me to be on a boat 7 months out of the year, I can make this a nice true street car to run the 11.00 index.

Corbeau seats are nice, but come at a hefty price as well.

CarMichael Angelo · Feb 21, 2012

hoopty5.0 said:
Well the thing about a build thread is that you aren't going to please everyone. I got those seats because they were $80 for the pair and they weigh less than 10 lbs each.

But more importantly,

...I do. I don't have the pockets or schedule to run a class, so that is my option. Whenever I get a desk job that doesn't require me to be on a boat 7 months out of the year, I can make this a nice true street car to run the 11.00 index.

Corbeau seats are nice, but come at a hefty price as well.

Then you're gonna take that pretty car and ...... bracket race it?
No body was saying that you had to buy Corbeau seats as opposed to those plastic ones. The fact that you got them for 80.00 should tell you something. They were cheap because all they'll do is cheapen an otherwise good looking car. Nobody was saying you had to run some rich mans class either. Relegating that car to bracket duty is the quickest way to throw about 1000.00 of it's net worth straight into the toilet.

hoopty5.0: You know what man?.....I'm on crack. I have been bouncing between threads and even as I answered you a second time (thinking to myself,...... why is he doing that to that pretty blue hatch,..) I realized, I'm answering you while thinking I was commenting about Reefbluehatchs' car. Clearly, the BLACK COUPE you have is intended for race duty.

It looks like I have been "living vicariously" in my own head.
Nevermind.

hoopty5.0 · Feb 21, 2012

Maybe I should rephrase how this car is going to be used...

"Street/strip car that will be ________ raced occasionally"

Insert whatever you feel above, because it will probably do it at some point. Why bracket? I enjoy it. Heeeeeeyyy, wait a minute. Didn't you have a thread a while back in another section about the pointlessness of bracket racing?

The bottom line is I'm building the car I always dreamed about having while I was growing up. The seats were in my buddies shop collecting dust so I figured I'd use them until I get something better. Eventually, I'd love to have a mint, show quality interior, but the first goal of this build is function over form. I'm going to make it hook and haul, then make it look good doing it.

CarMichael Angelo · Feb 21, 2012

hoopty5.0 said:
Maybe I should rephrase how this car is going to be used...

"Street/strip car that will be ________ raced occasionally"

Insert whatever you feel above, because it will probably do it at some point. Why bracket? I enjoy it. Heeeeeeyyy, wait a minute. Didn't you have a thread a while back in another section about the pointlessness of bracket racing?

The bottom line is I'm building the car I always dreamed about having while I was growing up. The seats were in my buddies shop collecting dust so I figured I'd use them until I get something better. Eventually, I'd love to have a mint, show quality interior, but the first goal of this build is function over form. I'm going to make it hook and haul, then make it look good doing it.

I did have an anti bracket racing thread in another section (very unpopular, I might add) about 6 months ago. I know that you will do whatever you want to do regardless of the input from me. (we all do)and I certainly do not expect you to change your mind because I say so. I have built my share of drag cars as well, and even bracket raced a few (it's where I got my hatred for the class). If you haven't checked, I added a edit to my last reply where I confused you w/ another thread (primarily because the crack smoke obscured my vision). So bottom line sorry. It's my oldzheimers disease

hoopty5.0 · Feb 21, 2012

HAH! yeah, the condition of my car (before the build started) was light years behind reefbluehatch's car. It needs all new exterior sheet metal to be that nice. With that said, input from people like you who have been there and done that is why forums exist. Youngins' like me get on here for information and approval from the seasoned vets. I would never in a million years put those seats in a car that was meant for anything other than racing.

I never would have figured some sh*tty plastic seats would have garnered more attention than a custom cam either.

hoopty5.0 · Mar 16, 2012

Update -

I ordered head studs, working on getting the correct head gaskets, but ran into a problem. To keep the 10.25 CR, I need a .021 head gasket. A) they don't make one that thin in MLS and B) it's not good to run one that thin anyway. SO I called the machine shop and asked to mill the heads to 54cc. Of course, that's gonna cost more money. He thought I was going to boost it now and not later was the reason for ordering a -28cc dish piston and keeping the CR low.

To say that I am frustrated at this point is an understatement. I only hear from the machinist when I call him. It took almost a year to get my short block, and now it's not the way I asked it to be built. I was told it was coming with a balancer, but when I go to pick it up, its not there. I guess that's what I get for not getting anything in writing at the onset of the build. I went with this guy because all of the local people recommended him and he has a reputation for doing a good job. However, I just get the feeling that he's doing me a favor and he works on my stuff if there's ever time or I'm there to pick it up. I don't feel like I'm getting the service that my $3500 has paid for.

But seriously -

HOW CAN YOU BALANCE A ROTATING ASSEMBLY WITH NO BALANCER OR FLYWHEEL?!?!? He says it's internally balanced, but I have to take his word on that because I NEVER GOT THE BUILD SHEET. I asked for it, but he couldn't find it and said he'd have to look. &*^%&%%^$!!!!!!!!! It's also twice as frustrating being 5,000 miles away in the middle of the F'n ocean and not being able to deal with it in person. I'm positive that the other side of the story is 180* opposite of mine, but this is how I'm seeing things.

So anyway, I'm going to order gaskets. I'm working on getting a Super Vic with fuel rails locally (which was a whole other set of issues of with the bank). Hopefully when I get home in a couple of weeks, I can get this thing together and in the car so I can begin wiring it.

CarMichael Angelo · Mar 16, 2012

Sorry to hear of your troubles. I know it can be frustrating doing something like this, and even more so when your out of the country. It happens all the time though, w/ almost all engine shops. Between my own, and my friends experiences there have been incidents at every single machine shop we patronize ( about 8 total ) to include Huntsville engines ( nationally advertised and at one time sold through Summit).My last "experience" w/ my machine shop resulted in 4.5 qts of synthetic oil ending up on my garage floor. People are told all the time to ck the shops work, and it is wise that they heed it. ( if i had done so, I would've found the missing oil galley plug in the head BEFORE I started it). But you'd expect them to to at least be able to document the services they've provided.

Why after installing a dish piston are you wanting your compression back? You realize that milling the heads excessively will require different pushrods, cause port misalignment, And intake bolt hole misalignment issues if you go too far? Right?

hoopty5.0 · Mar 16, 2012

Thats the thing. Before the build started, I met with him and debated forced and natural induction. In the end, I went for naturally aspirated. I figured it would be my first high horsepower car and I need to learn to drive the car with 500 hp before jumping into a turbo setup making 600+.

So that was that. I gave him $1500 to start out last April and paid the rest in installments. It was paid in full by August or September, I can't remember. We agreed on a 10.5:1 408 (even though I wanted more compression). He ordered the parts and they sat and sat and sat and I never heard from him until I got more money and made another payment. He showed me the pistons and I didn't think anything of it because I trusted him that it was going to be 10.5:1 CR.

Now, I have the short block and the only thing I can do to get from 9.8 to 10.25 is mill the heads. Is it going to give me 100 extra HP? No, not even 10 I bet, but I'm just upset about the principle. Hadn't thought about the port misalignment yet, this all developed yesterday afternoon.

I'm going to ask a question I already know the answer to. Should I just leave it alone and run 9.8:1 CR and be disgruntled the whole time? That is until I swap the heads for a turbo setup...

CarMichael Angelo · Mar 16, 2012

Boosted92LX · Mar 16, 2012

hoopty5.0 We don't live too far from each other, and I'm going to need heads soon. Hit me up if you're interested and maybe we can work something out so you can get diff heads.. What were the ones you had anyway, did I miss it?

RacEoHolic330 · Mar 16, 2012

madmike1157 said:
Yes

Boosted92LX · Mar 16, 2012

hoopty5.0 Alright, just went back and looked through all of it, if it's still the AFR 205's I'll happily drive up and take them off your hands..

PM me if you're interested!

CarMichael Angelo · Mar 16, 2012

Heesleep

hoopty5.0 · Mar 16, 2012

madmike1157 said:
Heesleep

Almost. We just got to Aberdeen and have been taking on supplies. Busy day! Sleep very soon though.

I talked to the machinist earlier today and said to leave the heads alone (he protested and said "let me think about it") as if he has a say in it. He tried to say that he could mill the intake too. I'd rather not, because you have to make this fit that, etc, etc. No thanks. Bolt it on and lets go. I already have $6k tied up in this motor and am ready to get something out of it.

SSeater - I'm just gonna leave it as its sits for now and be happy with it. I figure that even with somewhat lower compression, this thing is going to be an animal unlike anything I've ever had the pleasure of piloting. When I feel like I can handle more, I'll swap the heads for 72cc chambers and strap on a turbo. I am seriously itching to build my own setup after lurking on the turbo forums for over a year now.

Cheers, mates! (as they say over here)

hoopty5.0 · Mar 17, 2012

Just needed to say that St. Pat's day in Scotland was a riot. My opinion in the morning may be different. Good night and be safe this evening.

hoopty5.0 · Mar 18, 2012

Studs are in the mail. Ordered some .040 Cometic MLS heads gaskets (Thanks Rick!), should have the compression @ 9.8:1. How that is going to affect the cam (which was ground for 10.5 CR) I'm not sure. Comments are welcomed from those who have an idea.

Also got some 1262 intake gaskets to go with the Super Vic so *hopefully* all of the main pieces for the engine have been purchased and can be installed. Still need some hardware for the intake and valve covers (need those too), but that will have to wait. My tax return vaporized pretty quickly.

When/if I ever find out what the rotating assy was balanced to, I can buy the harmonic balancer and a flywheel.

hoopty5.0 · Mar 28, 2012

Jeebus help me. I'm bored and started spending again.

Puuuuurrrrrdy. Also got a timing gear set, solid trans mount, and am waiting on an email back to see if a guy still has some other stuff so I can really blow some cash.

I need an elbow and a 90mm throttle body if anybody has one... They're surprisingly hard to find used.

Bullitt347 · Mar 28, 2012

SHINY! I likes shiny.

I have an Accufab 90mm throttle body if your interested. Has maybe 200 miles on it.

hoopty5.0 · Mar 28, 2012

You mean my accufab throttle body?

Thanks again

Build Thread The Hoopty Build

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

mechanicus terribilis

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

mechanicus terribilis

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

mechanicus terribilis

mechanicus terribilis

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

mechanicus terribilis

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

It's only an inch or two. What's the big deal?

I like to dress like a pretty girl

It's only an inch or two. What's the big deal?

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

mechanicus terribilis

mechanicus terribilis

mechanicus terribilis

mechanicus terribilis

I have been doing it wrong this whole time

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