Jump to content

Project Dajiban


Recommended Posts

On 3/7/2023 at 6:57 AM, datsunfreak said:

 

If you think for one second that intake won't be gold by tomorrow...  😁

Except we used up all the gold paint on the other manifold!  So Saturday it becomes gold!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • Replies 1.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

While waiting for John to show up to paint the manifold (see above about why that didn't happen), I decided to change the oil in the Smart Car.  While I was in there, I figured I would check the air filter.  Yeah, apparently I should have done this two or three oil changes ago.

 

IMG_20230308_105514261.thumb.jpg.015e8c8d430a541ee8439a79d999dff0.jpg

 

This is how much crap came out when I banged it on this wheel...

 

IMG_20230308_105542815_HDR.thumb.jpg.6ccd4bffd9514615ac51ee3a8c3ebc9d.jpg

 

I'm surprised the some-bitch even ran, much less was able to pull a ton on the freeway.  I spent half an hour or more washing and scrubbing it and then gave it a nice big soak of ATF to make it pink again...

 

IMG_20230308_113150724.thumb.jpg.2deb5b6dd717b0c48244d2b420aacda6.jpg

 

But before I reinstalled it, I took a hole saw...

 

IMG_20230308_112812135.thumb.jpg.1e49cbfcb23a73170ad814b758f72679.jpg

 

And "Swiss Cheesed" the air box.

 

IMG_20230308_112843090.thumb.jpg.0cc86a2548aa9479510f20da5bce71fe.jpg

 

Does that make a difference?  Meh, probably not.  Does it give the intake more honk?  Usually, but I'm not sure how much I gained.  Do I think it was worth it?  I'll just say it felt a wee bit quicker from 80 to 100 tonight on the way home. 

 

Was that a) the oil change, b) the clean filter, or c) the "Swiss Cheesing"?

 

 

I'm going to be honest and say... d) all in my head!

  • Haha 1
Link to comment

We added a significant amount of lightness today!  Stripped out most of the factory wiring harness, all of the HVAC, and removed the dashboard. 

 

IMG_20230311_125020571.thumb.jpg.2499ca26cdc0e8826c0018ab357f116c.jpg

 

IMG_20230311_125017039.thumb.jpg.96f790de2759858b8d1900d9b4c73c68.jpg

 

IMG_20230311_125004732_HDR.thumb.jpg.681844c0f61bacf45fb7a3723bf838a5.jpg

 

IMG_20230311_125013763.thumb.jpg.6ce0c726f6f8b517f82b760558312576.jpg

 

IMG_20230311_125031048_HDR.thumb.jpg.607f154b7b401f429ddff51610a6f7a8.jpg

 

IMG_20230311_125036241_HDR.thumb.jpg.e2b94174af3fcbbab7129fbeaaf9906d.jpg

 

IMG_20230311_125055320_HDR.thumb.jpg.03cf5557d498b87fc3a82fb19374449a.jpg

 

IMG_20230311_125049940_HDR.thumb.jpg.d26839233ebcfffc37b5f4498454e795.jpg

 

Here's the pile of stuff we removed.

 

IMG_20230311_125117563_HDR.thumb.jpg.ab3696d7aad2897e117a3f2979f04a73.jpg

 

IMG_20230311_125128932_HDR.thumb.jpg.c50c0c3096b4be4b885f042bce459649.jpg

 

IMG_20230311_125122459_HDR.thumb.jpg.74f2541f0025db52d5fc5d6785f3c29a.jpg

 

The dash will get re-faced and stuffed full of gauges...

 

IMG_20230311_125140035_HDR.thumb.jpg.ab5cc025c2ee05a15e569247a8d9693a.jpg

 

I'll start the simplified wiring harness installation as soon as that kit arrives.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

A big pile of parts have arrived (and there's even more waiting at the UPS Store).

 

IMG_20230315_140337706_HDR.thumb.jpg.eb152adcd8946b5034b02a54b55ac461.jpg

 

A 500cfm Elderbrock AVS2 carb...

 

IMG_20230315_140357740_HDR.thumb.jpg.117e60ed9388b5a1e1b7118e743c4a28.jpg

 

A 2" phenolic carb spacer...

 

IMG_20230315_140402542_HDR.thumb.jpg.7228a99a2d5498692e2bc743d757f460.jpg

 

An ignition switch...

 

IMG_20230315_140431006.thumb.jpg.f121d5ab49ef460ca299fe523f18a808.jpg

 

A headlight switch...

 

IMG_20230315_140452488.thumb.jpg.e389d6bd5c6d6d3dbff569131c564c5e.jpg

 

A wiper switch...

 

IMG_20230315_140415060.thumb.jpg.1db9f2e6d229ee2bdc6fcd9ca9bef31f.jpg

 

A floor mount dimmer switch...

 

IMG_20230315_140441329.thumb.jpg.2f03e282f20900d99089d0018f642328.jpg

 

A thermostat housing...

 

IMG_20230315_140504410_HDR.thumb.jpg.fa3e4799602a7ace1636708e47a1fbbc.jpg

 

And a turn signal switch...

 

IMG_20230315_140458961.thumb.jpg.69e1b032c8ac76dbfec9e23dbe368882.jpg

 

To which I made a stalk by filling a straw with fiberglass resin and cramming the toggle into it until it hardened...

 

IMG_20230315_151236685.thumb.jpg.1dd7d1cc6d87bdf407fe852dffec696b.jpg

 

Once the resin hardened, it shrank away from the straw so I slid it off...

 

IMG_20230315_153403435.thumb.jpg.aeb024036fd15613bf97e33f95ea2a35.jpg

 

Up next, the intake manifold!

  • Like 2
Link to comment

This manifold is made for either the Chrysler LA small block or the Chrysler Magnum small block.  Therefore, it is double drilled for either splayed (LA) or straight (Magnum) bolts.  It came with little plugs to fill the unused holes.  We pressed these in...

 

IMG_20230315_174426786_HDR.thumb.jpg.e710b942be63ab45e575beee433b11ad.jpg

 

IMG_20230315_174422699_HDR.thumb.jpg.588d3b31fb1c304c9f8889c78806a234.jpg

 

And painted it GOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLD!

 

IMG_20230315_191542287.thumb.jpg.bb80668fa3b9c9e4c1526a2920b6b6ba.jpg

 

IMG_20230315_191601294.thumb.jpg.16c53eac4ef46044af7c1373fec44c2d.jpg

 

IMG_20230315_191554119.thumb.jpg.626173932c10cf9a5178ca5c1be15191.jpg

 

Then we had a look at the defroster vents in the dash frame.  It was decided that we would make the round peg fit the square hole by adding some bits to the registers.

 

IMG_20230315_191500029.thumb.jpg.d112155960d607b686b3cd6ae0129ddc.jpg

 

IMG_20230315_191502834.thumb.jpg.6e131922e999f9d3be538a1db6d4bd22.jpg

 

I have a heater box thingy in my Amazon shopping cart waiting for me to pull the trigger to purchase it.  Stay tuned.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I meant to put this in the post with the turn signal stalk.  One would think that I would know by now to wear rubber gloves when working with fiberglass resin...

 

2081414765_IMG_20230315_154251327(1).thumb.jpg.02fe41dd85279105e3e0d678b12e42e2.jpg

 

1975534945_IMG_20230315_154244323(1).thumb.jpg.2ee933ac01ea1a5a2a38557ad19afab7.jpg

 

One would be wrong!

  • Haha 2
Link to comment

Some more parts arrived.  Wiring harness:

 

IMG_20230318_110434292.thumb.jpg.202a5977562f140222860b5bbb5d463e.jpg

 

Water valve for the heater:

 

IMG_20230318_110438077.thumb.jpg.2a3f5199bbf1dcbc3dadf90db7fca8e2.jpg

 

And the speedo/tach and oil/water/volts/fuel combo gauges... which I totally forgot to photograph.

 

I popped the 2" phenolic spacer and carb on and had a look see...

 

IMG_20230318_110450788.thumb.jpg.782fba820cbbb25bd58d9d3ea1810b00.jpg

 

IMG_20230318_110459108.thumb.jpg.93b90d78ce0bb2d7a5e116f421b05dea.jpg

 

Then we did the swap!  Oh man, does it look good in there!

 

IMG_20230318_120847433.thumb.jpg.8e765fdf4fc47fa3c4865bb198226df2.jpg

 

We dropped the carb and spacer on in the van and...

IMG_20230318_123420351_HDR.thumb.jpg.ef0fc460ed40f3a72dea8838e6cf5bc1.jpg

 

You can't see the carb from the front.

 

IMG_20230318_123402714.thumb.jpg.c493c6ae7a71b00474126f081933e07a.jpg

 

So, I'm going to send the spacer back.  Then I dropped the HEI distributor in and called it a day.

 

IMG_20230318_140925749_HDR.thumb.jpg.e9c5f1bf7bf4537db4643cfe7d9294fa.jpg

 

IMG_20230318_140938800_HDR.thumb.jpg.67eb057aa6d40eaa3fe69f98e637effb.jpg

 

We also formulated plans with regards to the dash layout and John is making a  plate to facilitate that.  

 

I'll start on the wiring Wednesday.

  • Like 3
Link to comment

So I finally got the scale to the shop so we could see how much lightness we added.  Of course, I don't remember the exact number, but after adding back in the new wiring harness weight and the weight of the new heater core (pix to follow), I think we decided that the van is 150 pounds lighter after this diet!

 

Ok, so I mentioned a new heater core...

 

IMG_20230322_130350486_HDR.thumb.jpg.aaa98c66384d363106f7a04bfaf9753e.jpg

 

It looks a lot like that.  

 

I also bought a throttle cable and bracket kit...

 

IMG_20230322_130339187.thumb.jpg.3df052c4023e8effc2b8c92f49789885.jpg

 

That's a "proof of concept" assembly of it on the carb.

 

Then we put the carb on the donk!

 

IMG_20230322_185638652.thumb.jpg.196ec41acaa4e1ee7a2fecf03c562a41.jpg

 

IMG_20230322_175846157_HDR.thumb.jpg.d20124caf730cc31b1d686ef629dc7d5.jpg

 

IMG_20230322_175905199.thumb.jpg.57d371a2bd118dcdb8537dfd2ea3fe6e.jpg

 

After that, I had a look at mounting a mini, one wire alternator...

 

IMG_20230322_123228895.thumb.jpg.c0cca579d796a2cb1333a5ad3a7896ee.jpg

 

Hmm... no.  I don't like that very much.

 

IMG_20230322_130225410.thumb.jpg.6bf12fd635ef6823546eba96efddc332.jpg

 

Yes!  That's much better.  John cleaned up and painted the angle bracket and the grubby factory bracket once we were happy with the arrangement.  Now we just need to find a seven rib serpentine pulley with a 15mm hole rather than the 17mm hole in the factory unit.  Stay turned.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Alrighty then! Short version of story - I swapped in a built 289 into my Econoline that came from a Fairlane. Carb used was Thermoquad spread-bore with "normal" rear-pull linkage. Problem was the Econoline required a forward-pull, so I'd rigged up a pulley to convert the pull direction. Worked good until it didn't - the transmission mount bolts sheared dropping the engine assembly rearward cranking the throttle wide-open... Quick solution was to weld the crossmember back in place and I traded it for my '77 200SX...

 

Buyer beware!!

  • Haha 1
Link to comment

Ok, so the "GM" one wire alternator arrived the other day.  I got it installed today.

 

IMG_20230329_135740875.thumb.jpg.76677a27e009771971807da17f8e456d.jpg

 

I think I need another washer under the mounting bolts to get the belt alignment more perfecter.

 

IMG_20230329_135753808.thumb.jpg.bf817af368522be03b94cca72dde21e4.jpg

 

I also installed the thermostat, heater hose outlet, and bypass hose in the manifold.

 

IMG_20230329_135800830.thumb.jpg.0b2f0e786b5408084e506820b94163ae.jpg

 

I hooked up the throttle cable to the pedal and discovered that there wasn't enough travel.

I did a "Cut & Shut" to introduce some bend in the pedal's arm and now I get "WFO" when the pedal is on the floor.

 

IMG_20230329_153134109_HDR.thumb.jpg.f6a42dcf0a0e2a2f32ea4e88f37857f2.jpg

 

I also bought a Panhard rod mount...

 

IMG_20230329_141953302_HDR.thumb.jpg.2799a506951ef1da84a4d0f59efebcaa.jpg

 

...but it's way smaller than the axle tube.  I don't think it's going to work.

 

Finally, we looked at the heater box, and the controls for it, and have a plan of attack for Saturday.  I'm quite chuffed with the progress.

 

Oh, and the belt being upside down finally got to me!

 

IMG_20230329_140022888.thumb.jpg.14dc061f0828e233864f0eabbc754c61.jpg

Edited by dimlight65
  • Like 1
Link to comment
On 3/29/2023 at 9:38 PM, dimlight65 said:

I hooked up the throttle cable to the pedal and discovered that there wasn't enough travel.

I did a "Cut & Shut" to introduce some bend in the pedal's arm and now I get "WFO" when the pedal is on the floor.

 

IMG_20230329_153134109_HDR.thumb.jpg.f6a42dcf0a0e2a2f32ea4e88f37857f2.jpg

 

I took a couple pix of it in situ today...

 

IMG_20230401_092342357.thumb.jpg.508c3b1df9a1ea92b067e355cff1b584.jpg

 

And the carb end...

 

IMG_20230401_092347574.thumb.jpg.972c313378736455ef65fdfb9b14de01.jpg

 

I'm pretty pleased with how that came out.

Link to comment

We had been planning to mount the heater core vertically with the vents pointing up, necessitating a hard 90 through the firewall.  Well, I wasn't too excited about that plan.  I had a look to see if it could mount vertically with the vents pointing directly into the giant hole in the firewall.  Guess what!

 

IMG_20230401_105800996.thumb.jpg.9c9ec332c9fa3685809746f31c6a578b.jpg

 

It does!

 

IMG_20230401_105811171.thumb.jpg.12f877692beab8b005c6ba3e342acd1a.jpg

 

I then used some CAD to figure out how to close off the slight, almost insignificant, not even sure why I bothered, air leak around the unit...

 

IMG_20230401_110610023.thumb.jpg.9f99bd31eb73e0f215ed8b4be260f8c6.jpg

 

IMG_20230401_110559082.thumb.jpg.7bc5ef3e2f266d4d3558549be1f99e1c.jpg

 

Transferred that shape to a hunk of metal shelf (hope John doesn't try to put anything in the paint cabinet any time soon) and cut it out.

 

IMG_20230401_112855030.thumb.jpg.6b8e91da661fecf43099ef64b2295a18.jpg

 

IMG_20230401_112919410.thumb.jpg.5064a5b1adb8f9ec51e0f2ee67a8f7e8.jpg

 

Then made the hole for the vents to come through.

 

IMG_20230401_114701996.thumb.jpg.5bb7dc95d832b8e1e114d34b3c08535b.jpg

 

We'll pookie that to the wall and bolt it down nice and solid after we clean and paint it.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
On 3/29/2023 at 9:38 PM, dimlight65 said:

I think I need another washer under the mounting bolts to get the belt alignment more perfecter.

 

IMG_20230329_135753808.thumb.jpg.bf817af368522be03b94cca72dde21e4.jpg

 

I went with two more washers under the bolts and I think I am truly happy with the alternator installation now.

 

IMG_20230401_123408770.thumb.jpg.dc7b05b9d6dd2073d6c1845c46c9b78d.jpg

 

Link to comment

So, while I was doing those last two posts worth of work, John was working on my dashboard.

 

A plate for the speedo/tach and oil/water/fuel/volts gauges...

 

IMG_20230401_105750729.thumb.jpg.a3a5b786fa1168ebdfb5a4a0806eb919.jpg

 

 

Which looks like this in place...

 

IMG_20230401_112911453_HDR.thumb.jpg.a0d1b3c11251000bc24987c0fe31eac9.jpg

 

and looks like this when full of said gauges...

 

IMG_20230401_122457124_HDR.thumb.jpg.4797116c39abf99b73b31363cbba4c2a.jpg

 

We didn't get a shot of the gauges in the dash, but we will... eventually.

 

Then he made a plate to mount the shift light and its control knob, which looks like this in situ...

 

IMG_20230401_122624456_HDR.thumb.jpg.b2338ed7b59c3f7718484bb0a2f901d3.jpg

 

and like this when said light and knob are installed.  (Heater controls are going in the black rectangle under the round pods.)

 

IMG_20230401_131856829.thumb.jpg.e2623a81fda4fd7eae24fbfd5eaaf8e1.jpg

 

I also decided that the ignition switch will go where the headlight switch used to live.

 

IMG_20230401_122629023_HDR.thumb.jpg.eae1305a3515e88fc0d67abdd61b4136.jpg

 

The headlight and wiper switches will go in a plate in that giant square hole underneath.

  • Like 3
Link to comment

Bought a 90° fitting and installed the oil pressure sending unit...

 

IMG_20230408_102852067.thumb.jpg.129f5b75ea95a2a43d622048c06edb6f.jpg

 

and popped the air intake snorkel thingy on.

 

IMG_20230408_102856621_HDR.thumb.jpg.dcfb66de82e08d77097cde83c25b3869.jpg

 

Then I had a look at where I want to mount the fuse box.

 

IMG_20230408_111720931.thumb.jpg.d9af6914b28ff6c6bd0aae9e7200bf62.jpg

 

In order to cover those big holes, I started with some CAD

 

IMG_20230408_111714649.thumb.jpg.695d543078b755cdba71a2481ee304d4.jpg

 

and plastic sheet...

 

IMG_20230408_111351526.thumb.jpg.0ada8c0f5efa0b49b38942155ec847c7.jpg

 

to make a cover plate...

 

IMG_20230408_111736217_HDR.thumb.jpg.c7721d0034104a24fddab546d426dd1b.jpg

 

bunged a few holes into it and mounted it up.

 

IMG_20230408_114449768.thumb.jpg.d19ecb3cd170a4ee9063bede5e4b78f6.jpg

 

Then we sorted through the wiring harness, took out a few superfluous wires and rerouted some for my situation.

 

IMG_20230408_125135899.thumb.jpg.2c2d771ceec7b86ceeecef9440b7c4f6.jpg

 

 

 

Then we shoved them through the firewall.

 

IMG_20230408_131301265.thumb.jpg.5cc2fc7481abea7b197636a6527bc199.jpg

 

Of course we left the wires for the engine bay, headlights, taillights, and fuel level & pump on this side of the firewall.  And you can see the relay box on the battery tray there.  We'll get it all bolted up on Wednesday and then start stringing wire around the place.

 

Edited by dimlight65
Link to comment

I would consider remote mounting the oil pressure sender.  I have seen brass fittings break when the mass of the sender is hanging off of them.  Has to do with movement of the engine and vibration.

 

I will say that all of my personal experience with this is on Miata race cars where the sender is on the side of the engine.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
15 hours ago, Satisaii said:

I would consider remote mounting the oil pressure sender.  I have seen brass fittings break when the mass of the sender is hanging off of them.  Has to do with movement of the engine and vibration.

 

I will say that all of my personal experience with this is on Miata race cars where the sender is on the side of the engine.

 

Noted.  I will take it into consideration, but have never experienced the problem myself.

Link to comment

It's a definite thing.  Brass fittings fatigue much more readily that steel or aluminum fittings.  Had a friend lose all his oil that way, bur fortunately he caught it on the gauge quickly enough to shut it down and not lose the engine.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.