"Christmas" comes early for Biomedtechguy...

[blue69runner]

I ordered the original strut rods from Summit and they sent me the QA1 struts. Will say had a hard time to tighten the back nut up on the K member. Was not happy with the set up but they are on.

 

[biomedtechguy]

.... QA1 struts. Will say had a hard time to tighten the back nut up on the K member. Was not happy with the set up but they are on.

The mechanic didn't say anything about the.QA1 gold anodized aluminum strut rods he just installed on my QA1 K-member and front suspension. He DEFINITELY would have mentioned it if it would have been a problem.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Here's a couple of pics that include the strut rods, FWIW. They "look" ok to me...

 

[biomedtechguy]

Ok, so now that the ugly white plastic reservoir has been replaced with this black aluminum one, the mechanic has moved its location as well.
The cap just clears the "lip" of the cowl firewall sheet metal, and I like the new location.
I dropped off the green bearings, so later this week all 4 Wilwood disc brakes should be installed!

 

[themechanic]

I wish I'd have shipped you my old tires that looked new but for the date. You could have tried out the line lock on them and saved yours.

Make sure you put the socket/wrench for those special nuts on your u-joints in your tool bag in the trunk.

 

[biomedtechguy]

I wish I'd have shipped you my old tires that looked new but for the date. You could have tried out the line lock on them and saved yours.

Thanks for the consideration. My Toyo Proxes TQ drag radials are 3 years old, and although they have a decent amount of tread left, I'm kinda at a crossroads.
For driving on the street and highway, I have ZERO complaints, and that especially includes the possibility of being caught in the rain.
The other job I'd like the next pair of rear tires to do is to have reliably decent traction performance in the 1320, and ALL of the qualities that these Toyo Proxes TQ drag radials have exhibited.
So I'll admit that the 315/35/17 sidewall profile of the tires I've had is less than ideal for launching my behemoth off the line, BUT I also have been lacking ANY help to offer the tires, being as I had worn out leaf springs, "meh" shocks, never adjusted the double adjustable Viking front shocks I do have, nor did I ever disconnect the front sway bar.
So my point doesn't get lost in my rambling, NOW that I have a brigade of support in the traction mission, I intend on using a good bit or all of the remainder of life in my Toyos to determine if I want my next pair of "street tires" to be Toyos, and if they do a great job at the track (that's what I expect honestly) I'm going to see if the next size up fits. They are 345/40/17. If I find that even with all the new traction enhancing goodies I have, the TQ drag radials are not up to the track specific task, well at that point I may still use them on the street, and get a better track focused DOT drag radial like these:

Oh, and from out of nowhere, I have to post this picture of a Bugatti Chiron interior that is EXACTLY what MINE would look like...

Not quite a Chiron, but here is my RR:

 

[biomedtechguy]

Hey, just another comment about the detailed, conscientious work the shop owner does and has been doing on my Roadrunner.
He told me today that at some point in its 50 year existence someone had put an automatic transmission in it. I suspected as much from my numerous times working on, in, under, around my car, especially a few times installing and removing my 18 spline a833 and the Passon a855. The first "transmission work" I did was replacing the jumbled up mess that was a mix of Hurst Competition Plus shifter parts, most from a 1966 or 67 model shifter, and parts that didn't belong with the shifter like regular nuts holding the shifter mount together, instead of the correct tapered head bolts, etc.
Wayne at Brewer's not only identified the jumbled up mess but he also hooked me up with a nice, billet aluminum mounting plate and the correct Hurst Competition Plus shifter. While the manual transmission shifter mechanism "hump" in the tunnel/floorpan looks original and solid (the fender tag indicates it was born w/an 18 spline a833) it looked like there was an extra cut or two where I imagine a console shifter for the auto transmission was. I think the auto trans was part of some span of time when my car saw mostly track duty, which I also suspect accounted for the demise of the original 440 6bbl engine.
I told him I suspected as much and we both agreed that overall it wasn't a hack job, but he wanted to make a little bracket to better position and hold my brake switch. It has always worked, but from my own (few) escapades under the dash I knew that the switch (that the pedal arm contacts) wasn't "ideal". Anyway he decided to fab a little bracket up to make it nicer, and adjustable should I need a little alteration of its position.
He quoted me a flat rate labor price from the beginning of this saga (which involved a little negotiation on my part) so the little detail things I've mentioned before, like putting all of the same kind of ARP 8 point bolts in around the bellhousing, replacing one of the 2 starter motor bolts w/a stud,
drilling out worn out threads and installing helicoil inserts, and several other things isn't increasing the labor cost, although I had agreed to cover incidental parts.
It's stuff like that that's going to add to the strength, appearance, and reliability of my car, and really further enhances my already high confidence I have in this guy's work. Anyone who goes behind him, myself included, is going to notice that degree of workmanship, conscientiousness, and quality.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Here's a really good before and after comparison.
Once I saw that beautiful Wilwood master cylinder installed, I knew that cheap looking white plastic hydraulic throwout bearing reservoir had to go (I know I posted this already, but I'm going somewhere with this)
I decided that the black billet aluminum hydraulic throwout bearing reservoir would be the solution, BUT (and here's my point) the shop owner ALSO decided to reposition it, and MAN! I think this makes that whole fairly "busy" area much cleaner looking:
Before:

After:

 

[themechanic]

You may want to try a smaller diameter steering wheel after you get back on the road. Especially, with all the front suspension/steering upgrades. Maybe something in a yellow and black?

 

[biomedtechguy]

You may want to try a smaller diameter steering wheel after you get back on the road. Especially, with all the front suspension/steering upgrades. Maybe something in a yellow and black?

I like the factory simulated wood wheel with the Roadrunner horn button. I wouldn't say "No, I'll never do that" but it's not on the list right now.
If I was going the "road course" route, definitely.
I'd say the most likely candidate if I did make a change is the factory "Tuff Wheel" steering wheel. I had one on my 79 Aspen R/T.
Thanks.

 

[Budnicks]

I like the factory simulated wood wheel with the Roadrunner horn button. I wouldn't say "No, I'll never do that" but it's not on the list right now.
If I was going the "road course" route, definitely.
I'd say the most likely candidate if I did make a change is the factory "Tuff Wheel" steering wheel. I had one on my 79 Aspen R/T.
Thanks.

if you go with the smaller diameter & shallower "Tuff Wheel" on a B-body
make sure you space it, it's a much flatter steering wheel
or it will interfere with the directional lever, on the factory column
or heat & bend the directional lever back a tad
(what I did, I wanted my arms extended, instead of the 3" {?} ugly spacer)

it's not a direct fit,
you could get the E-body style rippled looking (fugly) cover & spacer too

nothing to see here
carry on

 

[biomedtechguy]

Thanks Budnicks. Like I said, some other kind of steering wheel beyond my factory simulated wood wheel not even on my mind much less "the list".
Thanks for checking in on the progress though.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Well a little hangup getting the rear brakes finished. Wilwood makes the holes in their rotors an exact size that doesn't take into account the knurled diameter at the base of the wheel lug studs being a little larger. Also the spacer for the calipers is a "one size fits all" that doesn't. Anyway, Monday the shop owner is going to give Quick Performance some dimensions and QP is going to machine the spacers to accommodate my specific needs and send them out, no charge. My point of contact at QP knew right away what was required, but needed the dimensions.
Since my Dakota Digital RTX gauge system has been slightly delayed (about 5 days and it's supposed to be ready to ship) so I still have time. The Wraptor serpentine belt and accessories system and Cold Case radiator is next to go in after a short brakes and front suspension etc "systems check" on the road, and the Vintage Air AC system, then the Dakota Digital gauges will be last.
September was the due month, so as long as I have all the new stuff squared away by October, I'll have a lot of new goodies to show off and enjoy for the 8 days of Cruisin the Coast!

 

[Kern Dog]

I'm a little confused by that brake line.

 

[biomedtechguy]

I'm a little confused by that brake line.

Me too. I know he is going to neatly route the brake lines, and I bought an entire kit of stainless steel lines from Inline Tube, and the brakes came with 4 corner line sets, so he has plenty to work with.
Thanks for bringing that to my attention, and I'll follow up.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Some more pix.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Here's the latest picture. The Vintage Air AC system condenser, dryer, and CVF Wraptor AC compressor are installed. The Cold Case radiator is in.
I chose to delete the passenger side fender access panel bulkhead from the Vintage Air system and got a square bulkhead for the firewall, which will be placed in the area where the factory heater hoses go.
Next up is a single 17" two speed electric fan and shroud assembly, controlled by the Dakota Digital PAC-2800BT Bluetooth programmable module. At 2,600 CFM I'm being assured it will keep my engine cool, including the upcoming 541 stroker, and pull enough air volume for the AC condenser as well.

 

[biomedtechguy]

So the mechanic said he had to wind up using the passenger side front wheelwell access panel, as Vintage Air designates, because my idea of using a 4 port square bulkhead on the firewall by the heater hoses wouldn't work from the perspective of inside the car under the dash...
So he's got the lines run, and he is getting a spiral protective loom for the lines running through the access opening (the one by the UCA) from the hydraulic hose shop next door. He added some insulation to my interior firewall too.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Getting close to wrapping it all up. Tuesday morning I got some bad news, but that forced me to make a very good upgrade, one that I had been planning to do anyway, just not yet....
I had found the passenger side lower bellhousing to block bolt had come loose, more than once. The mechanic has gone through all of the driveline related bolts and nuts, and replaced ALL of the bolts that were of the wrong material, and used high quality, high strength bolts as well. He also tapped stripped threaded holes and put helicoils in.
Here's the suspected reason for the bad news: the transmission and bellhousing being out of alignment with the block because of the loose bolts may have tweaked the splined fitting in the center of my McLeod clutch disc, causing the disc to be slightly off level. Also the tips of some of the diaphragm springs in the PP were not aligned, some stood up or down slightly from each other.
SO I jumped in the deep end and per McLeod tech support, AND something I've been looking to do anyway, I bought a McLeod RXT dual disk clutch. It's the 1K HP step up from the entry RST, and it has ceramic metallic friction surface.
It will be delivered Monday, so hopefully that plays well with my hydraulic throwout bearing, and that will be the last of MANY major add ons and upgrades I've finally been able to get done! The Retro Dakota Digital RTX guages have finally been delivered, and the sensors and components are being installed now. WHEW!! I still need 2 new front tires, and I have to get my new QA1 front suspension aligned.
I'm barely getting my car back, but I guess I'll have the whole week of Cruisin the Coast to get acquainted with the new stuff!!

 

[biomedtechguy]

I HATE ELECTRIC FANS!!!!
I got my Roadrunner back from the shop where it's been since June. I have had the shop owner do work on both the GTO and Roadrunner before. Swapped out the factory Pontiac rear axle assembly and suspension for a Quick Performance 9" based unit, and UMI Upper and Lower rear control arms. 4 wheel Wilwood disc brakes, and a line lock.
He did all the work on my car this "event" and even more than we had agreed on at a substantial but set price.
Vintage Air
CVF Wraptor serpentine belt and accessories system including: water pump, 140 AMP alternator, power steering pump, and I like the CVF AC compressor WAY better than the Vintage Air, because it works well and actually looks beautiful. Borgeson power steering box, new steering shaft, complete front suspension from QA1 K-member and all other parts except the center link is factory. SPC UCAs for their adjustability. Cold Case radiator. Hydramax hydraulic throwout bearing conversion kit. McLeod RXT 6923-05 dual disk clutch. HitMaster launch control system. Dakota Digital PAC-2800BT electronic fan control module and RTX-68D-CHG-X gauge system. Calvert split mono leaf springs and sliders, Assassin traction bars. Viking triple adjustable Warrior SX "Street Extreme" rear shocks, Strange rear diff cover, chromoly steel driveshaft, front and rear yokes, 1350 solid U-joints. USCT front and rear torque boxes and subframe connectors.
I thought there may be some "fine tuning" or bugs to work out.
Here's what I know about:
The AC doesn't blow cold or I'm not working it properly. He lacked some AC specific equipment like a "squirrel cage" (whatever that is) and another thing or two, so the story is he put in the exact amount of coolant called for, and deducted an allowance for additional coolant because apparently he knew I'd need it.
Here's a major beef I have, but amazingly he's the second experienced, thoughtful, "trustworthy" shop to do this:
The local shop that pulled and replaced the engine after it was rebuilt in the GTO hooked up the Muncie 4 speed Hurst shifter the wrong way. The shop I just picked my Roadrunner up from swapped 5/R with 3/4. I rearranged the linkage tonight at a separate front suspension alignment and tire shop. I had to drive the car quite some distance before it started shifting better, like into each gear, but it's a ways worse than ever, because I never had any problems shifting my Passon a855 5 speed. Maybe it has to do with the shift throw stops he adjusted, since the 2 levers were swapped wrong, but it's a concern, and one more thing for me to have to do before Sunday when the week of Cruisin the Coast and our ONLY vacation starts.
Now on to the DAMN ELECTRIC FAN!!
I've been fighting an overheating problem with the GTO for a month, since a different mechanic did some of the same systems installation on my wife's GTO. It overheated on the way home from picking up her "it's ready" car...
I've tried 2 different electric fan and shroud assemblies, but for now, only a mechanical fan keeps it from going over 205. I am as sure as I can be without seeing it, and after CtC I'm going to take off most of the Wraptor components so I can get to the water pump, because I just know that although I told him this was critical, I believe he left the gap too big between the water pump impeller vanes and the divider plate, goofy Pontiac design. 1/10th of an inch is what is required for the pump to operate efficiently. For whatever reason, a mechanical fan keeps the water temperature under 205, but the 2,400 CFM 16" electric fan and shroud assembly did not, but only at 3,500 RPM on the highway, when the fan doesn't really count.
So MY 17" FAN from the same company, was doing GREAT the whole 1 hour 20 minutes ride home! I never saw the temperature go above 193, and was usually 187-193. I was even able to use the "power off fan over XX MPH feature, and set it for 55 MPH, and the cooling system temperature was fine! Anyway, I'm on the creepy pitch black road, and I came to a fast stop from 40, 60, 80 miles an hour so I could "bed" the new 4 wheel 6 piston Wilwood disc brakes.
I got about 5 miles from the house and POOF! all the power goes out, ELECTRIC power that is. I checked the 200 AMP circuit breaker in my car and sure enough, it had tripped. I looked and smelled for that distinctive electrical burning smell and I see smoke coming from the fan motor!! The same fan whose praises I was singing earlier this afternoon!!
So what I think happened is despite the 140 AMP alternator, my high beam lights may have caused a current drop and voltage poured in to make up the difference and POOF smoked the motor. The fan manufacturer states a minimum AMP output for the alternator, so it doesn't put out over 14 3/4 volts, for the same reason, voltage trying to trade itself for current just doesn't work well for electronics in general, including these electric fans. I'm going to try to get the manufacturer to overnight one to me tomorrow, and see if I can find out if there's a problem with the wiring or connection point of my headlights or high beams in the near future. Until then, I won't run my highbeams...
DOES ANYONE DO TRUE "TURN KEY" CUSTOM WORK ANYMORE!? ****!!!