Finally got the passenger rear seat delete done. They sent me the wrong color carpet so I sent it back. Not sure what Im gonna do so Im just leaving it for now. May get a wild hair and order some one day soon.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sl9jalbix.jpeg

I need to wire the door switches, then put the finishing trim on the doors and the interior, at least the front half. I think the tune is more important so I will focus on that as the weather cooperates and fool with the back half later. May leave it out until i cage it. Brake pedal has been spongy so I re-bled the rears and put the slicks back on, it wasn't gonna be tuned safely on the drag radials. May add a temporary back brace to the seats.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sb1b92fe6.jpeg

First step, remove belt, PS pump, and hoses. Install your two fittings in the rack. Lower fitting is the pressure line.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sqhbmcrmt.jpeg

Fitting side of AN fitting

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...syjraolb1.jpeg

Hose side of AN fitting. The ridges hold the hose, and there is a stop collar.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...soudtiydk.jpeg

Insert the hose fully till it stops on the stop collar ridge. You'll notice the debris from the cutting. You'll need to flush the line before final install.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s5tzhy71g.jpeg

Oil the threads and the angled section. I use any type of oil in a $1 ketchup squirter from the dollar store.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...smphlfpwi.jpeg

Clamp the lower and thread it in carefully.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...scxb9irno.jpeg

Mock everything up so you know length. This fitting needs to be vertical, not slanted in the pic.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sb0gg73w5.jpeg

Cut to length and assemble. Done. Notice I'm using a fuel injection type clamp. This will keep it from digging into the exterior during tightening.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...smfafizms.jpeg

The final result hugs the motor instead of the hotside.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...ssmgf91b8.jpeg

Car hauler is getting a winch soon!! Cause we KNOW something is gonna break.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sdsvlra69.jpeg

So, in conclusion to the door panel portion of the thread.....I selected to lose power mirrors, and dash mount the switch. After careful consideration it seemed like the best choice for ease of installation and aesthetics. I carefully trimmed off the mirror control off the top of the master switch, no need for it anymore. I selected this spot on the underdash panel due to clearance in that area. Make a hole, insert, hot glue from the backside.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s8ztr7z2f.jpeg

If you dont wanna cut/splice/extend, the stock harness will reach your new location. The issue is there are about 25 wires in the door, and about 5 need to stay. So you'll need to separate what goes to the switch, delete what you dont want, then pull it back through the boot. The long strand i have hung on the door is the plug in for the switch, separated and wrapped in tape and just propped up for the pic. The small strand coming out of the kickpanel next to it is power mirror and switch light wiring thats been cut and not needed.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...siuwg1xxb.jpeg

Here's final install. Panel has probably been in storage for a year so its a little dusty but you get the idea. Works great and i can almost reach it when i pretend I'm strapped into a 5 point harness.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s2nn5wia4.jpeg

Big converter issues. Figured why not go ahead and add the deep pan. Adds like 4Q 16oz more then a stock pan.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s7emita9z.jpeg

Not gonna get super technical, but a GM PS pump can put out 12/1300 psi under full load. AN hose is rated around 350psi with a burst strength of like triple that. PTFE AN hose has a rating of 1250psi. Its better suited for the high pressure line. So i bought some and swapped out the pressure side of the power steering. You can see the teflon lining inside the hose.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...ssfpdfnr3.jpeg

I guess I can let the cat out of the bag. Placed an order through Wolfe for their 10 point chromoly cage. Likely gonna add swingouts to it. Im really not going for tech in a racing class, Im doing it for safety and piece of mind. Also told them what the hell, add wheel tubs to the order too.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sn7gqogkv.jpeg

Parachute Mount: CEE-3450, CEE-3451
Door bar kit: RHC-14-0020
5 point harness: RJS 1032001

Going to make the chute mount from scratch, and add in the door swingouts to the cage (wasn't an option from Wolfe).

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sngsu7rhy.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...spvilcxns.jpeg

Good news. We all know times change, and as much hard work and money as we spend, and when we take time to document it we want it to reach as many people as possible. With that being said you FB users can come visit the new page. My plan is to organize pics and info in an easy to find setup and reach more people. So if youre on FB come like the page.

https://www.facebook.com/01ssreda4/

I have sold my XSPower battery, and replaced it with this. Didnt look at the battery size code (not in the pic) but I will get the part numbers for all of it once everything is here and i start the install.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sgjyp8zon.jpeg

Still accumulating stuff, no time to work on it due to having some paying jobs i need to finish first. We are at 1 month wait on the cage/tubs, maybe i will get lucky and get it next week.

Quick recap, on the to-do list: 10 point chromoly cage with swingouts, rear wheel tubs, rear mount battery/box, 5 point harnesses, custom parachute mount. Also, I been looking at the RSM tubular front end kit. I like it, but i think I could make it and save $600. However, the wiring on the front of the car would need to be redone for it to look nice. Im considering moving the fuse boxes and all available wiring to under the dash. IF that happens, I may go straight from this into a tubular front end setup. If Im rewiring the heavy gauge wire for the battery, and the dash is out, its a perfect time to explore these options.. Wouldnt mind the PCM inside the car too for a cleaner look......Hmmm

This is the initial buy, 25ft 2g black and 25ft 2g red, 20ft 4g red. 20 piece 2g terminals, local store battery. Will add stuff as needed as I lay the wire out in the car.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sim8ljfwz.jpeg

Battery size, fits the box like a glove.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sg27jdsqd.jpeg

Some roll cage gussets. Not sure why i bought these, and dont know where I'm gonna put them, will figure it out once the cage is in. These measure 4"x4".

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...smtjldp81.jpeg

Figured I'd step up my wiring game some so I bought this. Biggest available bulkhead weather pack Ive found is 22 wires. My plan is to hook up the big battery, pull all fuses under the hood i dont "think" i need, then check to make sure everything works (lights, engine runs, door locks, hatch pops, etc). Once i get down to only the circuits i need, I can count how many wires need to be moved/extended and how many can be deleted to give me an idea of the difficulty level of this job. What I would really like is maybe to trim the rear side of the glovebox door off (basically make it a flat swingout panel), then make it when you open the door the fuse blocks are there to service. Will look more into that later.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...ssrklzatj.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sulmjaptg.jpeg

I think the very first thing Im gonna tackle is the chute mount and battery cutoff switch in the rear of the car. Its about the only part of this project thats not intertwined with some other part.

New toy:

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sdlgg4zmf.jpeg

Took my 6x6 plates and drilled holes:
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...spcplhby2.jpeg

Needed about 45" of pipe. The old driver door bar needed just a little trimmed off.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sacbgxexf.jpeg

Plan to add some gussets and do powder coat this week coming up.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sjf1kf1ni.jpeg

Test fit....

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...stnpsagvu.jpeg

Removed the mismatched coolers and added a second matching cooler, all new brackets, and got lucky and only had to modify one AN line even though i changed their orientation.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...smbql86cs.jpeg

Getting closer.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...safls8b9s.jpeg

Added some cross bracing and its off to the powder coat shop.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sklwgxjlh.jpeg

Slow progress.

Bought this little dealie. Spot weld cutter.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...szsz0ku4d.jpeg

Works pretty good. Lets see what else I can F up.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...snvcglhmk.jpeg

Back seat armrests kicked my butt. Not removing the rest of the brackets because they will get cut out with the tubs.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...smjyz1c5h.jpeg

Mount back from powder coat.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s4xccuouh.jpeg

Quick mock-up, no bolts in the bumper.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sxt6njg9y.jpeg

Got the battery box mounted to the floor.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sgqnowrag.jpeg

Bought a brass 3/8" bulkhead, trimmed the inner side off, and hooked the box's vent tube to it.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s0bk28vuk.jpeg

These are terminal bulkheads, and a shut off breaker. Shut off breaker will control the alt, so in the event of a wreck (short) the alt line is killed. The rest of the + power will go to the bulkhead on the firewall and be distributed from there. All that will get killed by the external switch of the back panel. The alt will stay live during a power down to save the diodes inside it.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s5j5erezd.jpeg

Car is gutted except the dash. This is trans tunnel padding and all the remaining wire thats not needed from the dash back. Including all audio, center console airbag, power driver seat, and power mirror. If it doesnt make the engine run, lights work, or gauges work, its gone. The exception will be electronic hatch release, and power windows and locks.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sxcznawql.jpeg

Next up is under dash wiring. Wish me luck!!!

Fuse Box Relocate.

First let me say I have 3 afternoons tied up in this. It was not difficult but slow. You will strip every piece of loom and electrical tape off the car so be prepared for sticking fingers and a mess to clean up. Let me also add that I've already removed some audio wiring in the past. There are almost NO wires needing to be altered. You'll see by the end.

First, strip the car, and cut off every plug of the things you do not want/need. I plan to keep all lights, power windows and locks, and electric hatch release. The plugs that were cut were, daytime running lights (module), power driver seat, wipers, washer fluid motor, fog lights, all AC, all audio, all airbags, power mirrors, ABS, traction control, defroster, horn, all emissions, basically if it doesnt run the car, its gone.

Strip it. Mine needed to come out for a cage so it was perfect timing.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sva7ghln9.jpeg

I made this really crappy drawing in MS Paint, but please reference it, the color codes tell you what harnesses do what and how we will move them. The green harness runs about from door to door INSIDE under the windshield, it contains mostly audio and door wiring. You can clearly see this harness in the pic above. The yellow is the BCM harness, its in the passenger kick panel and the harness runs mid-level in the dash. This harness gets basically unaltered except deleting wires out of it. The black goes through the driver firewall through a bulkhead fitting and contains all the power and signal for everything inside to work with everything outside the car. The blue is from the pcm to the car, all its power and interactions strictly dealing with engine functions, it runs along the top of the radiator. This is real easy, where the black meets the yellow, we will disconnect there, pull it through the firewall, back around the top of the radiator and shove it all back in the passenger side AC delete panel.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...pspakrvpb2.jpg

I first pulled every single unneeded wire from both door sills, and center console, that will give you a nice easy start. If you delete audio, there will be no more passenger door side wires. Driver side will still have tail-lights and hatch if you keep those. Just take your time and trace every wire. If you cut the end off, trace it through the harnesses till it terminates and clip it off.

There were 4 total wires i had to cut (to get the black harness out of the car and into the engine bay), but the rest unplugged and the bulkhead under the booster is ready to be disassembled.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...shanduvhi.jpeg

It has a bees wax type stuff injection molded into it. You'll need to melt that with a heat gun and pry it apart.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sxbzxdmge.jpeg

I did a full disassemble bc lots of wire colors are similar, and a lot that you deleted inside led you to here, so you'll need to continue the delete under the hood. And i didnt want to probe wires.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s5w9yt4ty.jpeg

With the 4 wires cut, and a couple off the steering column disconnected, you can pull the whole harness from the drivers side to keep going. At this point the whole thing is only connected through the passenger side.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sls35qszj.jpeg

Pull out fog lights, horn, whatever is along your way and get those fuse boxes un-mounted.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...snlnl3dz8.jpeg

Here's the end of the harness, this was plugged in about where the yellow and black met in the crappy pic above. Once we shove it back through the passenger side, they will reach easily to reconnect, this time on the inside of the car.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s2aghzsco.jpeg

For simplicity sake i tied up each headlight side wiring and fan harness as they have to come too.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sgyy5bmry.jpeg
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sexgtoxsz.jpeg

Take the pcm, its passenger fender connectors, and both fuse boxes and shove em through the delete panel.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s8dkoovqo.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...somu1boxy.jpeg

Notch your plate at the bottom corner for the starter wire, and the top corner for the PCM bulk wiring.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...swj6l72hc.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s9lvxjtkd.jpeg

Im moving my battery to the back so I'm adding bulkheads here to distribute main power wires. Pcm will be mounted right next to them.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sfdrgmjlc.jpeg

Here's the wiring I deleted. Xbox remote for size reference.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sgokxm8wn.jpeg

Other variations for YOUR car will include what you do with your battery, what all you delete, and how you want to get PCM wiring back through OR leave it where it was. I want the PCM inside the car for whatever dumb reason. You'll need to get headlight and fan wiring back to the front. So cut it and extend it (maybe 15 wires), route how you like. I'm doing a tubular front end so I'm waiting on that first. Remember to reconnect the black harness where you disconnected from. Make a PCM/fuse block mount to whatever you fabrication skills allow.

Well here's what Im going for.:

https://rock-solid-motorsports.com/p...ular-front-end

Me and the owner of the company couldnt strike a deal on his kit so I decided to build my own. There is a certain amount of pride when you can say its made by you, instead of ordered off a website. First thing is first, strip the front.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sx37kx3mi.jpeg

I chose to leave the hotside on for now (hoping I had enough room for the cuts) and since about 75% of the kit is uninstalled, and about 50% of it will likely need to be rerouted, it is listed locally for sale. If it sells I will build a t6 kit from scratch, if it doesnt, i wont modify the pipes in this kit just replace certain parts and keep the others intact to sell it later as a complete kit. Cliff notes: t6 turbo coming, but not sure when.

Made the initial cut, just to get the bulk of the metal out of my way. Fun fact: I removed the inner plastic front fender liners, and in like 11/12 years of owning this car are one of the few pieces that have never been off the car. I threw them in the bushes.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...szwic8y1p.jpeg

Here's where we ended up. This was a rough cut and frame rails need to be smoothed out and all that. The plan now is, I have steel plate to cap off the rails and fender area. I need to select pipe, buy it, bend it, and get to welding.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...srkvqusgg.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...squb95fpa.jpeg

The look on my kid's face was priceless when they walked around and thought daddy WTF did you do to your car?? I'm pretty sure no one in the house thinks it will ever run again.

Made some progress with the pipe bender. I selected a 1 5/8" 16 gauge steel. This is easy to crush when bending it so you have to take your time and bend some, then move down the pipe and bend some more. That's why the bends look more rounded. Got a few pieces tacked on just to see how it all went together.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps8uci1fp1.jpg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...psuezgx9a8.jpg

The front of the car sits way up with all this stuff removed as an FYI. Long time F-body buddy Hilton let me borrow his welding 75/25 bottle. I swapped my machine over from flux to gas and started to finish the welding portion. Once done, through careful engineering calculations I determined my design, material selection, and welding procedure WOULD be strong enough for this application. My calculations consisted of......jumping/bouncing on the pipe. Success!!

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...srevqjc2d.jpeg

I started adding gussets and cleaning up welds while waiting for the front hoop bends to arrive (bought two 90 degree mandrel bends) and got delayed, so more to come this weekend. I'm also debating on color for the front pipes? Black? Red? Silver/graphite?

This first pic is off RSMs facebook page. I thought some would find it useful.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...pstdwelkd7.jpg

Got the main hoop made and some simple flat bar brackets welded on to hold the intercooler. The 90 degree bends here are stainless and were found on ebay for 20 bucks. No way I could have made a bend that nice so I decided it was ok to buy/use these.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...syu6zgtnd.jpeg

The intercooler has been flipped where the outlets are up top. With 90 degree elbows they just clear the main hoop, and are just under the headlights. I also made an extension on the main hoop to hold 5 tabs that support the bumper and have holes for the pushpins.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...swdnipfkl.jpeg

Hood latches, and the biggest tap Ive ever owned.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s2y7dikck.jpeg

I cringed a little drilling through the hood. Not a lot but a little.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sdd0ch5fa.jpeg

Some simple square tube and flat bar brackets for the hood latches. This was the first attempt. I realized the angle needed altered. These are welded on the main hoop.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sjzacizo6.jpeg

Homemade lower radiator support. I am using the passenger side rubber donut but otherwise the radiator will be sitting on the square tubing. The metal on the top and bottom of the radiator is fairly thick and by distributing the load over the entire area should not have any rubbing issues.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...slujbvim4.jpeg

Here's the radiator sitting on the lower support. Im keeping it as close to straight up as possible for turbo clearance. Here I'm checking hood clearance. Zip ties are your "little helper".

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sfhee7vek.jpeg

Upper radiator bracket made and fans mounted and back on the rear as they were stock. One bolt and the entire radiator comes out, yeeeah. Again, square tube up top and across to distribute load.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sjvxrx10j.jpeg

Another look.
http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sdxqavq8i.jpeg

And Im done for the weekend. This is way more work then I originally thought. I "hope" my next update will be a road trip and a roll cage on a trailer. We shall see.

Quick update: Hood safety release handle is reinstalled, fenders/bumper are braced, headlight mounts are done, catch can and radiator over flow have mounts. Everything was test fit before disassembly. Radiator and fans have been cleaned and painted. I tried out some Rustoleum brush on paint. I may go back and do this red, haven't decided. I got the call, roll cage and wheel tubs pick up on Tuesday.......so that means, road trip finally!!

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sqgcvjvyp.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...ssor1wx88.jpeg

Long trip to Ft Worth and back. Dallas traffic is crazy......

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...spjhq3flq.jpeg

The tubs appear different sizes due to the car body being non-symmetrical. They will look the same once installed.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sxnkigf70.jpeg

If you ever stop at Bucee's or see this in the store its highly recommended. Cool place, first time I'd been to one.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...so5dkbpmi.jpeg

Turbo and turbo kit is gone. On to bigger and better things.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...slnuhl6p7.jpeg

The bigger and better things I was talking about. VSR 88mm.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s1trzvbh3.jpeg

Tried to make some progress on the tubs. Made an initial cut

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sczh2cwum.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...ssvov45qs.jpeg

After a lot of profanity and sparks flying the drivers side is basically fit in place. At this point its ready to be welded in and sealed up.

​​​​​​​http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sw9ggbbpv.jpeg

Progress has been slow due to work but i picked up a new toy!!! Gonna need it to weld the chromoly cage in. I wasn't in the market for a new machine but when an older one came around for pretty cheap i decided to jump on it.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...syq5203al.jpeg

I'm mentally avoiding finishing the wheeltubs at this point, I'm semi-aggravated so I figured let's shift focus. So we know we can't hang a 40+ pound turbo off the manifolds cause when they get hot they will likely crack. So the first thing was making a bolt in brace for this beast. It is attached to the front tubing, which we know is thin, so I've used roll cage gussets in the corners to distribute load. Where the t6 flange is welded to the square bar it has a gusset on each side as well.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...snct51idp.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s4nde1anr.jpeg

Tossed the radiator in to look at clearance. I set the turbo about as close to the motor as i wanted it, so as long as the radiator clears we are running it.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...slyxopks2.jpeg

Closer pic of turbo to fan clearance. In the next two pictures you can see the upper fan shroud has about 2 inches trimmed off. I was able to do some trading and have a new stock shroud to replace that during final assembly.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...suwy2e02x.jpeg

I bought a LJMS s400 exhaust flange adapter which takes the funky "4.5 beveled vband down to a straight "4 inch pipe connection. I happen to still have some 4 inch laying around so I decided I'd do a short run before I called it a day. This is a rough idea, it still needs to be curved back some and sent out the hole in the bumper, but this gives me an idea for radiator hose clearance etc.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...stuvpyeta.jpeg

I'm still mentally avoiding the wheeltubs so I decided lets make a hotside today. Got a pile of truck manifolds behind the shop so I grabbed a pair to get started. They have a flange with studs, so we will cut that off and install vbands. You can see the vband, flex coupler, and reducer in this pic.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s9ojvlysx.jpeg

The manifold fits very nicely on a 2.5 inch vband, however I dont want pipes that big so we will step down to 2 inch with a reducer. And because the turbo is hard mounted and the engine can move, we need a flex coupler on each side. Make sure you select the kind with the solid metal core for turbo applications. I standard flex coupler will destroy itself rather quickly and possibly take out your turbo from debris.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...spyxb9hny.jpeg

And through the magic of the internet we now have a hotside. I used a little less then 2 180 degree bends from summit. Bc this is a divided turbo/flange, I've opted for dual 44mm wastegates as you can see their position here.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sga9rql0c.jpeg

Quick mock up to check final fitment.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s0ruzuvxx.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...slwzzqlyx.jpeg

Pulled it all back apart and got the manfolds cleaned, painted, and wrapped in fiberglass wrap. Got them reinstalled/torqued and the spark plugs back in. I dont have the 02 bungs for the new piping so thats gotta wait for the time being. Once i get them put in I will wrap the entire hotside.

​​​​​​​http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s1pntoemp.jpeg

Stroud 420, in red of course. Their youtube video is very helpful if you've never packed one of these things.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sgsleoskd.jpeg

In the middle of wheeltubs but I had to test fit and see how she looks. Excuse how dirty it is.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...shjrebyey.jpeg

So I had 3 days off and 3 things to do. 1. Get the 6-50 220v plug installed for the Miller Tig welder. And 2. finish one tub per day so we can start on the cage next week. I bought about 50ft of 6/2 wire, the outlet only used 15-20ft, so now i have a sweet 30ft extension cord so i can weld anywhere in the garage.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...skxf8amui.jpeg

Finished fitting the driver's side, welded it, sealed it. Its surprisingly stiff once it's in place...........That's what she said.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s8ggm0lnl.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s2vir8lkc.jpeg

Next afternoon did the same to the passenger side. The black paint is gonna end up going all the way to the roof bc I do not think Im reinstalling the headliner so I'd like it painted. Not sure how much of the rest of the floor Im gonna paint. Car is getting carpet and interior panels back in.

​​​​​​​http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s5iwaftel.jpeg

First thing Monday I got my welding bottle filled up. Came home and decided where I wanted the three o2 bungs and welded em up. Got the hotside wrapped also.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s6vez0df7.jpeg

Did a really quick coat of red just to decide whether i liked it or not. I think i do. I figure its gonna take 3 coats to look really nice.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sqflnztli.jpeg

Barely dropped the hotside in i just had to get an idea of how it was gonna look. You can also see in this pic I've started welding the holes up on the shock towers. I want them smooth, no holes, and repainted.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s4ezu7g5d.jpeg

Figured I would try my hand at aluminum welding. Its been 10 years since I tig welded aluminum and I wasnt good at it then (didn't do it much). So I popped the valve covers off, welded my 10AN fittings in, then removed the old PCV vents off the tops and sealed them up. They got repainted and reinstalled.

​​​​​​​http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sbbqyt6yy.jpeg

Only way to figure out final routing of all hoses and electrical is to start assembling the dang thing right? Main components in place here, now all that's left is the 5000 details.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...swep7ybz0.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...skg7hsvsg.jpeg

So I been working on this cage, by myself. Its listed as hold and tack but that's easier said then done, plus I've never installed a cage. Here's my initial mock up (first day). I am 75% done now and think i have 3 afternoons in on it so far.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sinyy6za0.jpeg

I am also adding gussets at every joint for added strength. I also did decide to incorporate the decorative gussets, can you spot them?

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sr0piexjy.jpeg

Rear of the car is reassembled for the last time. Drilled for the parachute cable.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...smdk3d11y.jpeg

An up close look, and the reason i made this mount as opposed to buying one, to not destroy the plate. And if i can say so I think I friggen nailed it. Bezel had to be cut and you can see i moved the plate light over but the plate is fully intact.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...psc5pukjsw.jpg

End the day with some hot air ballons and cold beer.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sypvicosh.jpeg

Took some time off the cage and decided to do some other stuff. I started with going over the wiring inside the car, reconnecting those 4 wires that got cut, getting a gameplan for the headlight and fan wiring that had to be extended, and wrapping some stuff with tape. I was able to get the passenger headlight and both fans wired up, so I only have the driver headlight left to wire. Ends up being 6 wires per side needing to be extended. I also figured i would start putting panels back on and getting them lined up. All wiring is run inside the fender.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sidltb7xo.jpeg

Since the bumper, hood, and fenders were in place i figured it was time to finish the exhaust.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sme2fn90z.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sp6yllz7s.jpeg

Originally I had a 3 inch exhaust, into a stainless 3.5" tip, and the trim ring is 4.25". Now i have straight 4 inch, no special tip, still 4.25" ring. Pretty tight fit.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sbdlmktay.jpeg

One last pic, wideband is in and the harness for it run also. I am waiting on cold side piping to show and a couple other little things but Im gonna keep trucking along.

​​​​​​​http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...stthplnut.jpeg

Bought a box of generic intercooler piping off ebay.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s6micebld.jpeg

The goal is to have one solid piece from turbo to intercooler, then from intercooler to throttle body. Mocking the first piece up.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...swe67isbt.jpeg

Woulda been nice if i could have pointed the turbo another direction but it didnt work out that way. Really didn't want silver piping this go round either so i decided to paint it.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...swsyddxxb.jpeg

And through the magic of the internet we have a cold side!

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sap1mqvkg.jpeg

Overall I'm pretty happy with it considering i didnt really know what i was doing.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sf3mmxmad.jpeg

So the cage has fixed door bars. If you have a really good memory you'll remember i posted a pic of some very nice billet swingouts. I need to cut the fixed bar down to a length that it fits with the swingouts on the end. I ended up with a total length of 53.5"ish.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...smz6uqkew.jpeg

Once one swingout end is on, level it, then level your second one before you weld. You want them perfect so it doesn't bind when trying to come on and off the upper clasp.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sxhyxewt3.jpeg

Turned out pretty good I think.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sfsonvuov.jpeg

I do still have a tiny bit of welding to do but not in the door areas so i decided to start on paint. Seems easier to do it in sections and let it dry rather then trying to get the whole thing done at once. Also, if you notice the way i positioned the bars, they are slightly bent from Wolfe. They position the bend to come inward away from the door to clearance the stock door panel and armrest. Since I have flat door panels I decided to move the bend for max elbow room. I decided to put the bend in a way that reminded me of the low slung door bars, mostly cause i like the way it looks. You can also see where it hits in relation to the door handle.

​​​​​​​http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sc9onajy5.jpeg

Sometimes I have lots of pics to update and it didn't take me a lot of labor to get them. Other times I work a lot and only end up with a couple pics looking like i haven't done much. And I don't have much for you this go round but trust me I been busy. I'm pretty dedicated on getting this dumb cage finished. I finally couldn't stand not being able to get in the back of the car so I pulled the battery/battery box. I hate where it was, so it's getting moved (thinking rear passenger side seat area). Gas tank is back in and the pump power wires are shorter and repinned and routed in through the rear floor.

So I finished all the gussets at the intersecting joints, welded the drop bar plates in, and fit the short bars. Plates were a pain bc the floor is super thin in that location. Added some more paint also.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...snbowaacq.jpeg

This parachute handle has got to be the single dumbest thing I've ever installed on the car. Not knowing what I was doing plus crappy instructions make me not a happy camper. After doing some google image searches and pondering for days the correct location here's what I decided. Bc the handle is maybe 8 inches long i took an idea i saw where the base is on one side of the bar, but you throw it on the other, effectively shortening how far it sticks out, towards your head or whatever. This is setup as push, meaning i will reach up and throw it towards the windshield. Also, i took me 4 dang attempts to make that t top bar, that was not included with the cage. I wanted a little extra roll over protection and was a little uneasy with how low the windshield bar turned out. Also, you can see a lot of why this is taking so long, all the gussets at every joint, several are visible here.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...suqllu7y5.jpeg

The chute cable ended up being like 4 foot too long, so it required trimming. Man that thing is hard to cut. Its several layers. But it is trimmed and installed correctly and the chute handle "should" work. No i'm not trying it in the garage.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sbbx8uw22.jpeg

Parts show up often, but I try to keep the parts pics relevant to what I'm working on at the time. A keen eye will see there is some interesting things here.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s7virlvop.jpeg

We will start with the yoke. When I assembled the 12 bolt I bought an ebay (non-branded basically) "forged" yoke. The issue with it was, the tabs that center the ujoint were't machined wide enough. So the ujoint would not fit it the cups properly. I did't realize this until the rear end was assembled and installed so naturally I ground them down till the ujoint fit. Now obviously in my mind I'm worried that the driveshaft may run slightly off center due to the non-precision grinding.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sjtznwkf3.jpeg

Here's the new one. I went with Moser due to Strange's yoke that was around the same price looked too much like the ebay one and their upgraded was quite a bit more expensive. So Moser looked like the best bang for the buck. Also, you can see it's gonna give me a little less trans yoke engagement by it being shorter, which is good cause I was almost bottomed out.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sb2hjmsx6.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...smghlm34z.jpeg


Sanded the kirkeys down and painted the backside of them black. Got em set in so I can see their clearance from the bars and get an idea about what type of backbrace Im gonna make for them. Also got the parachute cable fitted, and adjusted. One thing I dont remember in the instructions were that it needs a stop, it's easy to over throw the handle and extend the cable end out too far. Figured that out and it seems to be working as intended.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...srpogdfrq.jpeg

Bit the bullet, dropped the pan, got rid of the crappy bulkhead turbo drain fitting that was leaking and welded a new one in proper.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s3dkapkha.jpeg

If you were good enough to recognize those blue and white boxes in the first pic, you'll know what comes next. We know the bearings took a little beating before I fixed the oil pump pickup clearance. How much? That's what I had to find out. Upon inspection I was happy to see the crank looked fantastic, with zero signs of wear or overheating. The bearings did their job and took the damage. They on the other hand are pretty gnarly looking, and I reversed one so you can see the heat marks on the back side (present on all). I do realize the cam and mains likely saw some damage as well but the rods are what gets literally hammered with HP so those are the ones that got replaced. The rest are just gonna have to tough it out.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...si8miajr3.jpeg

As I sit here, thinking of the bearing clearances I didnt measure, will the first roll cage I ever installed save my life in the event of a crash, I'm distracted from serious matters and wonder why the hell do these cats love to climb up my lexan windows, and why won't I ever wash this car? Crack another cold one, those are all questions to sit and be pondered gentlemen.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sxr96zo1e.jpeg

Couple people asked for a startup video so I decided to focus on everything it took to make the car start and run and see if these new rod bearings were gonna spin or what. The smoke you see was coolant that was spilled earlier on the hotside. Whoops.


Where we are now, basically everything mechanically under the hood is done. Verified fans run, it doesn't seem to overheat at idle or anything weird. I do have a PS leak and one fuel leak that seems like its just a faulty fitting. During idling the car just randomly died and wouldn't crank back up. I narrowed it down to the fuel pump relays on the hotwire kit that came with the pumps. Yep, both relays were dead. I assume one died at some other time and i was only running on one pump and didn't know it. When the second one died it killed the car. It's highly likely I will be remaking most of that harness with heavier gauge wire and better relays. Not gonna lose an engine over a $5 relay. I finished the headlight wiring for the driver's side, started fitting the gauges up inside the car, and trimmed the kick panels to fit around the cage. 100 little details.

As I plan my rewiring of the fuel pumps, I decided to investigate further. I contacted the vendor and went over the details and we could find no reason for two relays to fail. They look fine right? No burnt contacts or anything.....

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s7vhlf3ev.jpeg

One hammer later we found our issue. Looking back I remember when the tank was out and on the ground we had a big rain and some water got in and puddled by the tank. The relays had to have been on the ground since I pulled the tank and wiring out together. Ah well, live and learn.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...suqwi4dip.jpeg

The consensus seems to be about 50/50, if you have an 8/10 point cage do you need subframe connectors? I say no, so, they got cut TF off.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s3kjfvscl.jpeg

This helps offset the weight of the cage also.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...smuq7ofrh.jpeg

I was sorta dreading chopping up my (perfect) dash but knew I'd feel better once it was done and back together. So I started trimming.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...ska982sb4.jpeg

Amazing my top dash pad did not break and only required minor nothing in the corners to clear the bar. Overall I'm happy with how it turned out.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s4yzwmzhg.jpeg

Call me crazy but i wanted to easily access the fuse boxes so I decided to trim the storage area off the glove box door. It is essentially for behind dash access at this point.....but looks stock when shut. Haven't quite decided how I'm gonna keep the fuse boxes from flopping around.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sbcyevtiw.jpeg

We are in the belly of the beast now. Fixing screw ups, finding new issues, and doing really boring stuff like running new brake lines. I replaced the leaky fuel fittings and both fuel pump relays. All is well on the fuel side. Still waiting on one -10AN fitting to complete the PCV system. I think the boat driver got lost. PS pump is still leaking a puddle when running, haven't looked into that. And this turbo smokes like a freight train!!!

So I hit up Viren at VS Racing yesterday (Sunday) through PM. Didn't really care when he responded as this is no rush. He proceeded to have an entire conversation with me about my issues. Props to VS Racing for that. I sent him the two pics below of my drain line. He told me a couple things I didn't know. For one, he recommends a -12 drain, which I have a 10. He also does not like the 90 degree bend off the turbo. 45 would be better. I'm pretty sure that is a Teflon drain hose which even further reduces diameter. I also have some other things working against me, very little downward slope on the drain, and 70 psi of oil pressure at idle. I'm not moving the turbo, I'm not pulling the pan back off and putting in a -12 fitting, I can't change oil pressure. So we are gonna start with the easy stuff first.

Here is the 90 fitting, and an idea of the small amount of slope going back to the pan. Pretty sure the rest of the hose is about level. Understand, there is some force (residual pressure) coming down the drain line, it's not 100% dependent on gravity. But may be "sensitive" to it.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...psgcx2ec1b.jpg


The wet leaking can be seen here. It's literally dripping inside and outside the turbo. This causes massive amounts of nasty smelling smoke.


http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps2spkcy6v.jpg


So I'm changing the drain line from -10 teflon with 2x 90s, to -10 standard AN with 2x 45s. Not sure how much this will help but we are gonna see. Plan B is a restrictor. Turbos need oil so my plan is measure the inlet fitting, say its .250, weld it solid, then drill it back out to half so .125. Then keep stepping down (welding and re-drilling) till the smoke goes away. I want the minimum restriction possible to fix the issue.

On a plus side the rear brakes are all done from scratch and finished. Well sort of, I had to order some brake line clips to hold the line to the body. Then final tweaking to avoid any contact where rubbing could occur like in this pic. I may go back and route the line through that crossmember hole. I put this under the driver front floorboard just to keep it out from under the hood for less clutter. I did not follow the stock routing to the driveshaft tunnel because I don't want the lines there in case the DS goes kapoot. The line and valve are nowhere near the lowest thing on the car so I'm not super worried about it. I'm pretty sure I will be redoing most of it because all my flares will leak. Oh well.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sjx9mrngv.jpeg

Quick little update, very little has been going on. I've enjoyed taking a little break from the car. It is time to get it finished though. So yeah I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet and order a scavenge pump. Leveling the car did improve the smoke but there is still too much for my liking. So that's on the way. Grabbed me a $25 LCD and camera setup on ebay, and at this point I'm not even sure if I'm gonna try and mount the rearview mirror, I plan to run this all the time.

I did have to go back and shim this up a little to get the distance behind the car I wanted while still remaining fairly hidden. Width/angle is equal to the width of the car at about 1 to 2 feet behind it, then widens out from there.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sedihwjyb.jpeg

I tried sticking this to the roof and it fell off within an hour. So i just hose clamped it to the roll cage. Really dont want to weld a mount on the cage for an LCD screen. So this is gonna have to work for now. Not sure if its gonna be annoying there but it isnt in my line of sight.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sefq5plwo.jpeg

Brand new POS chinaman scavenge pump. It's big, it's probably gonna be loud, no clue what the fittings are going into it, but it should work well.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sjdrbhrew.jpeg

So looking back I never posted pics of the upper radiator hose in-place. I bought a flex hose and it was a tad too short. So I decided the stock hose was perfect, just needed to be longer. I originally added a straight adapter, and a 6" piece of 1.25 silicone. It worked fine but dangled the hose right over the turbo. So I decided try #3 would be a charm.

1.25" listed adapter measured 1.50". Dang you Summit.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...stdtgvbze.jpeg

Had to go old school.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s4osl3ox1.jpeg

After some profanity and some wrenches being thrown i got it on. You can see how buldged it is over the fitting. It sits really nice above the fan so I dont think it needs a brace or anything.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sgzmxjh0s.jpeg

Was gonna replace all the carpet then scratched that idea. I'm just gonna add a rear section.......at some point. Right now this will do. Did some quick trimming just to see how it fit with the cage in the way.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sjmdnpqyh.jpeg

Next stop, fajitas and cold beer in the garage.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sxmbshirn.jpeg

So, after further testing the scavenge pump is a success, no more smoke. Everything electrical is wired and working including all the gauges. Decided to throw the seats and harnesses in. I also made rear seat supports that are welded to the cage. The seats are super sturdy now with no flex. Man sitting in here it doesn't even feel like my car, it's so different. I think I only drove it once with the kirkeys before and it didnt even have seatbelts at the time.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s2yphx6vd.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...s72a3d9gh.jpeg

Hot damn we got some good news finally.

Old Hoosier slicks on the left. 28x10x17. On the right, M/T et pro bracket radial 28x10.5x15.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...scax6agb3.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...smtaacq4u.jpeg

On the way:

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...sab9qsupr.jpeg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/j...psvgich7zx.jpg

More to come..................

Small update but feels like a mountain to me. Brakes are bled and she's moving under her own power. I've got a few things lined up, brakes feel hard I'm not sure if the booster gave out, carpet, finish putting the interior together, bolt the battery back down, and a toon. Still waiting on the weld wheels also.




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...sgycbrbzo.jpeg





Built a welding car for my tig and new tiawanese plasma cutter.




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...sdwhy5mcz.jpeg





https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...sbqnqyvpb.jpeg




Hoosier slicks are sold so I figured I'd hang the 10 spokes up in the garage as decoration. Always liked these wheels.




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...sx1knmerd.jpeg

Came home to two boxes sitting in the garage




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...se8zvohwc.jpeg





Put a little dishwashing soap and water on the inner bead and it slipped right on.




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...shwggumjd.jpeg





I decided if i feel any vibes from them Im gonna insert some balancing beads through the tire stem. Until then we are gonna roll like this.




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...sn8ddfp0a.jpeg





Fronts are gonna have to wait for a bit. But for now she should hook pretty well.




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...sjgdn5uep.jpeg

Another small update but feels like a mountain to me. First thing is first, battery back in the box, bolted down, with carpet under it.




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...sfclkcgs2.jpeg





Gonna add some carpet over the trans tunnel and wheel tubs soon. That dont win races so its on the backburner ATM. Got the car on the ground and had no brake assist. Only thing i could figure is the booster was out which made no sense. Bought one online, swapped it out and now i have power assist again. Didnt figure out what went wrong with the original though.......




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...stztchmpt.jpeg





Waxed the wheels for easy cleaning.




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...s3zvstcih.jpeg





https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...svrgvmk00.jpeg





Looks odd with 15s and 18s but whatever. MSD 2step on the way and I think Im gonna add a 110v outlet for laptop charging for tuning.

Some HPTuners ****ery going on today. The booster is hooked to the manifold (for vacuum) and the idle has been funky. New booster, time to get the idle dialed in. That's done. Previously, it would foot brake to about 3k and 0 psi and the tires would go up after that. Started reducing timing and the RPMs got way up there, so did the boost. I did this in the garage. I'm impressed with what it can do on the foot brake, 10 psi is gonna make a heck of a launch. More foot brake tuning when the 2step gets here.




Purple MAP is accurate.




https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...szrxwdhlt.jpeg

Good to have friends in low places. She is "legal" again for tuning. Just need to put this on the windshield.

https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...su2vwvoe1.jpeg

2step is here......but do i need it?

https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...svcqong2r.jpeg

Hit near 15psi at 4200+ rpm on the foot brake in the garage. This seems insane to me, and I have 7lb springs in the gates so how, why? I'm confident i could get that even higher. I have so many questions at this point.....are the gates opening, will i be looking at the sky on launch, did i just waste $250 on a 2step? The future looks exciting.

https://oi275.photobucket.com/albums...s1mzoikrt.jpeg

110v inverter on the way to aid my laptop battery while tuning.

Took the old lady out for a $100 outback lunch. Birthday lunch and she deserves it, a truly good woman.




https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/...sh3pfwzdm.jpeg





Bought an ebay gt45, no clue why, maybe we will put it on the yukon tow *****.




https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/...s0gq5pzb7.jpeg





The guy I sold my old turbo kit to crushed the cold side pipe. So we are doing him a solid and fixing it for him.




https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/...swlbxiu7y.jpeg





https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/...socfjefjy.jpeg





https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/...srrnhgxoj.jpeg





Got hptuners, obd2, and 110v outlet on the passenger side. Actually took it out today and remembered the shocks were loose after I thought the rear end was gonna fall out of the car. But she went down the road and made it back home under her own power. I call that a win. Wrapped the 110v in padding cause I'm just gonna put it under the carpet when not in use.




https://i275.photobucket.com/albums/...sko9jgbxe.jpeg