355 VN Group A Replica

[ashleysnep]

Been working on the car through the week while waiting for the weekend and parts.

Got the gearbox all bolted up installed the tailshaft. Had to take a chunk out of the stiffener to get it to fit past the gearbox rubber mount, not too much tho its still stiff enough. Filled the clutch resovoir up and then realised I didnt have clutch pedal pin in place, so thats just sitting there. Mounted up the TB cable and bracket.

The next day the gearbox plugs arrived and Phoebe picked up the VDO ratio box for me. For referance it was $257.40. Wired it all up and connected it in with my spedo corrector. Also took the oportunity to also wire up the lvl 3 cluster, alot easier this time for some reason proeberly getting better at it. Got that all done and pluged it in so now all loomed wiring is done.

Today I went and picked up the run in oil, Im using Penrite Run In oil. Also got the Penrite MGO70 for the gearbox. All that earned me a free Penrite hat and Penrite zink Also got some coolant, oil filters, belt for the alternator and a timing light. Then off to bunnings for a 2" hole saw and some 0.5mm think sheet metal. Really did want it a bit thinker but screw paying bunnings prices!

So I spent the afternoon working on the gauge/switch pannel in the middle of the console. Since im not using the radio its old wires becomes the perfect fused supply for all the swtches and gauges Its got all I need, constant 12V, ACC and negative. Ill need to tap into the lights somewhere else, im thinking cig light or heater controls.

Here is a picture, I havnt removed the blue protective thing thats on the metal yet since im proberly going to be doing more to it.

Jacks got the rad and will be down tomorrow with that and all the AN fiitting I need for it. He also got a hold of that filter spacer ive been after! Now the only thing I can see stopping me is this clutch pedal pin, ive tryed a brake and clutch place with no success but ill try holden tomorrow (unhopfull tho)

 

[VKCOMMO]

AS Mischa said, this week has been all about gathering parts.. I've been ringing around the country ordering parts.. Right now next to me I have a Aussie Desert Street & Strip cooler, 1m of -20 braided hose, a couple of -20 fittings (one straight, one 45*), -20 swivel thermostat housing (Peterson branded, calling around to Rocket, VPW and many other performance places, it seems that there are almost no -20 thermo housings in the country, most are due in from the states in about 2 weeks)..

Tomorrow im heading down to Rocket to get a PWR Lever type radiator cap and a 5 1/8" x 1 1/2" air filter spacer.

Deciding what to do on fans, we use this sort at work on a couple of our cars (see pics below for the one on the buggy), But Mischa wants some shineyness, so maybe just make a sheet metal shroud with 2x14" fans, or 1x18" fan.. Speaking with Norm over at Aussie Desert and he said when making the shroud, make it 30mm deep, and then bolt the fans to the outside of that.. So luckily, either way we go itll be done properly.

EDIT: Just read back a couple of comments, The bit about Rocket not having the filter spacer, I went in there and they told me that they could only do spacers between the manifold and the carb/throttle body.. So yesterday I was having a trawl through the rocket book looking for a thermo housing (last minute as usual) and stumbled across the filter spacer..

 

[VKCOMMO]

I'll update this since Mischa is at work..

Yesterday with only a couple of set backs we got the car going and took it up and down the street a couple of times and I must say, even with the restrictive exhaust it goes and sounds do well.


This Afternoon Mischa, Aaron and myself took the car down to Kiama to do the first 250km on it and it was a heap of fun. Can't wait for this car with a proper exhaust and tune..

Stay tuned for Pics and vids

 

[ashleysnep]

Ok ill start off with the saturday. First off jack arrived with the all important radiator.

Jack got to work fitting the rad in the bay (god help me) and I attacked the AU fans to try and make them fit. Along with the rad Jack got some AN fitting, the thermo housing, braided hose and the filter spacer. Soon after starting the hacking away of the AU fan I reliased that they are not going to fit the ADC rad. So down to the shops to pick up a single 16" fan for the time being. My dad finished off the throttle by adding a return spring to the bracket.

There was a hole on the mount for the thermo housing for the heater core that was not needed any more. It didnt have a tap and was ment to be used with a different hosuing. So I taped a 1/2 hole in it and fitted a cut off bolt in it to seal it off. Then fitted the thermo hosuing on. The thermostat itself did not fit in the new housing, have to get a electronic one that will controll the water pump switching it on and off as required.

Go the hose fitted up and done, fitted the water pump and sealed it with gasket goo. Fitted the alternator belt and finised off the wiring for the pump, thermos and all the gauges inside the car. That took up most of the arvo and at 9pm this is where we finished up.

Also a idea about running with the strut brace...

Thats all for the saturday, will post up sundays work later tonight.

 

[Haydz]

looking good boys. not long to go now. you could go a wider and thinner filter to clear the strut brace. go get the exhaust made up. mine only took one day lol. i know its a while off yet. but i want to plan a cruise for the 26th.

 

[VKCOMMO]

Mischa, I spoke to the boss today about an exhaust for you...

 

[mr calais 5.0]

great build and great pics too..What are you going to do with the rocker cover breathers?

 

[ashleysnep]

looking good boys. not long to go now. you could go a wider and thinner filter to clear the strut brace. go get the exhaust made up. mine only took one day lol. i know its a while off yet. but i want to plan a cruise for the 26th.

Yeah I just want to get a flat top for that filter and it should fit the way it is now, btw the induction noise on this thing beats a pod anyday I wanted to get atleast the 250km run in out of the way before exhaust, then i want to see dick so he can double check that all is alright so i can keep runing it in then get the exhaust done then full tune

Mischa, I spoke to the boss today about an exhaust for you...

Yes but even if the guy haydz went to charges double what he paid its still cheaper then yours bosses quote....

great build and great pics too..What are you going to do with the rocker cover breathers?

Thanks, alway nice to get pictures up of your work but a pain to take them when your trying to work sometimes! With the breathers ive just got filters on them for now, want to hook up a catch can later.

Sunday

Jack came over to mine at about 11.30 (2 hours late) to help move some things at home before we went to work on the car. Aaron met us over there once we left.

I gave them to the job of working out what way the leads go on and left them to argue over that. I got to work on some final wiring again and sorting out a few little left over bits like bonnet cable and the. More picture of what the car was looking like at this point.

I then went onto the clutch, had no success finding a pin so I went to make up my own. During this at some point Arron and Jack disapeared to get numbers for my leads and didnt reapear for ages and by the time they did didnt even have anything! I ended up making it out of a bolt and nut, I hope i find a pin for it one day tho as this isent really ideal.

I had to grind and file a fair bit of it down to fit in the pedal box without hitting on it. When installing i removed the steering colum completly, was just no room in there otherwise. Jack and Aaron shows up and we bleed the clutch, no problems so far.

By this stage we where ready to put the battery in and fill up the radiator. Also filled and primed the oil. Good thing about that was we could turn the water pump on and check for leaks! Found a leak from the top rad hose radiator side that was slowed up to a very slow drip with a tighten, i belive someone (cough*jack*cough) put a nick in the AN fitting on the rad side causing the leak. Ill be fixing that with liquid steel this week. There was also leaks out of the 2 bungs in the manifold and the bung we made up near the thermo, all fixed with thread tape. We had used the 567 locite originaly. Also had a leak from the fitting going into the bottom of the water pump but slow enough to leave for now as its in a bastard of a spot. We then pushed the car out and put it on charge to get more room around it.

Took this oportunity to replace the door seals on the passanger side aswell. Prepared everything for starting, timing light, 14mm ratchet spanner (for dizzy) battery charger for the prolonged cranking. Pluged in the dignostics plug and removed the engine and fuel pump fuse. Went to give it a crank and the starter motor made some horrible noise! I had a feeling this was going to happen. When I fitted the starter outside the car it was hitting the sump and not 100% stright.

So up the car went again and me and Arron jumped under and got the starter out quick and swaped back in the old one. Went to crank and realised this motor doesnt like a stock starter So out with the angle grinder again, took out a bit of the sump along the block where it bolts up. Was just extra casting spots really, nothing that i was taking out was needed.

(insert picture of me grinding here - jack)

Fitted the high torque one back up, jumped out and gave it another go. Gave it a few turns with the plugs out and then went on installing them. After that pluged all the fuses backed in, double checked everthing one more time before we started it.

Turn the key, primed the fuel system a few times. Checked oporation of thermos, water pump etc via in car switchs. Turn the car over and it kicks in to life fairly quickly! I stare down at the oil pressure gauge hoping that it was not still on 0. 20psi it was reading at idle and i was happy with that! Meanwhile my dad is on the timing light, once again i got it pretty close with the timing setting it staticly. Little bit of a adjustment and its idleing smoothly (for a massivly cammed 355 )

I let it run for a bit and jump in to take it for a spin around the block. First impressions? Well first was the shock reminder I took the power steering out! Apart from that it runs very very smoothly, keeping it low in the rev range aswell. I notice that the Speco temp gauge isent showing anything but I did have temp cause the factory gauge was up there. Another thing to fix before the big first drive. Another notable thing for me was the gear chages in the T56. I have driven holdenmandans VS before and his T56 takes a bit to push it in gear, this was a real worry for me I did not want the same thing. But the shifts where smooth, fast and short! Only differance being the Penrite MGO70 I run and the Castrol Transmax Z that dan runs.

(insert video here - jack)

Back in the driveway it goes, had got to late for a drive as I had work at 11.30 that night. So I arange with Jack and Arron to come down tomorrow after they finish work and before I start to go for that first 250km!

The next day pretty much explained by jack anyway. But I got over there with Arron first while jack was finishing up at work. Sorted out the temp gauge so we had that working and got going by about 6.30. As before the drive was awsome. As I got to lean on the throttle a bit more the noice coming from the engine, intake and exhaust made Jack have mess in pants! (his words, not minre) In particular the intake noise at over about 50% throttle it makes a really deep growl for air that I just love! With a 3500rpm limit I have yet to experiance the top end of the motor where all the power is. Really before 3000rpm it feels kinda ordinary before the cam kicks in, but thats way I wanted it but for now sticking to the rpm limit sucks!

Left the car and raced off to work, will drain the oil and fix a few lose ends this week. But overal im really happy with how this has turned out. Best thing of all? no oil leaks....

 

[Boonz]

Wait till you hear the induction noise at 6000 rpm

Probably the 1 thing im gonna miss about that intake setup

 

[ashleysnep]

Had the car tuned on thursday to make it a bit more drivable, tho this is not the full/final tune. In that process we found the o2 sensor was not working at all and this was contributing to the massive fuel usage. Changed it out for a brand newy and finished up with the tune. Car now runs 98% better. (98% cause its not the final tune)

Okay finished my 1000km on friday, droped oil and filled it up with some full mineral 15-40 Nulon stuff. Also added a k&n oil filter.

Today I washed the car after getting back from the dentist, this took about 4hrs. Way longer then I wanted it to, I had to leave some of the other things I wanted to do undone. But I did get a few things in preparation for tomorrows cruise.

Put some rain x on the front and rear and anti fog on the inside of the front. Also these new blades come with a special coating. You have to run them with the window clean and dry at full speed for a few mins for it to apply it to the windscreen. Sort of like rain x I assume.

Here are some more shots of them, sit lower then supercheap ones to.