Idle progress

This past week a coworker turned a shaft for the idler at the 10 oclock position to the power steering pump. Still work to do - probably located the idler a bit too low, so need a slightly smaller pulley. Have a block of aluminum that can be turned for that pulley. I'm debating another idler below the alternator, but I think a shorter belt is the correct solution. The new plate in the lower right is to accomodate a tensioner for the accessory drive.








Here's the shaft for that idler pulley. I'm making a plate that will attach to the power steering bracket to capture the shaft so it isn't a big lever.

Also this weekend I worked on the motor mount plates. No pictures yet.

One Bracket down

Was out of town last weekend, so no work that weekend, and this weekend was abbreviated with out of town guests and a visit to my CPA to get my taxes going. I did get a few hours in to work on the alternator bracket, and it is now nearly done. I made the two spacers, located the two holes on the top bracket for the spacers, and did some finish shaping on the front and rear plates. Sounds simple, but took the better part of four hours. Next up is getting a coworker to turn down some round stock for a couple idler brackets, and figure out the tensioner bracket.

The TSA probably freaked out last weekend. I pulled a box out of storage, put my ATO fuse block, some miscellaneous wiring, some Aluminum stock and a few other things in the box, and checked it on my flight home. When it came off the conveyor, it had fresh tie wraps securing it, and a TSA inspection form letter inside. With the fuse block now home, I've started modifying the main harness for the modern block, and will be increasing the circuits available with the harness.

Accessory Drive

Last week I received the CTS accessory brackets from Team Chevrolet, and got some aluminum plate and block at Sackin Metal Recycling in Huntington Beach. The CTS bracket will work for the power steering pump. Because of truck accessories, the brackets need to be spaced out from the block an inch. I've got a solid block behind the power steering bracket to bring it in line. I'll trim and lighten the bracket after I figure out where the idler will sit to bring the belt below the throttle body. It started as a 4 lb block, and is probably around 3 lbs now. The alternator will work on the passenger head. I'm using some 5/16 plate to make the mounting bracket. The lower alternator bracket bolts into one hole on the water pump, and will be triangulated with two other holes. The rear bracket catches two of the holes, and the front will catch all three. I still need to drill the front hole for the common bolt for front and rear, and make a 2" spacer to join the plates, and need to make a 7/8" spacer and locate the final hole on the front plate.


Here's the CTS alternator bracket. Unfortunately the steering shaft runs right through the middle of the alternator. I'll use it to mount an idler and tensioner.

Got Fenders

This morning I got the first look at the body sans paint. Unfortunately, the blaster also removed all the gel-coat, including the gel-coat on the aftermarket fender and hood. The hood had more ripples than the land along the San Andreas fault, and will be much cheaper to replace than to repair. The fender will need significant massaging as well to be brought back to it's original form. My 200 hour estimate looks like it took a quick jump to 300 hours of labor at the shop. Hopefully we can hold it there.

Swapped the fenders for the old LT1 with Nick yesterday, and brought them by the body shop this morning. They dropped right over the existing fenders, though install will be a cut and paste, with a large seam across the top of the body along the trunk opening.

Fenders will pull out the side of the car a good 1 1/2 inches, to help accommodate 275/40R17 rubber. You can see the delta here. Finished fender won't be out quite as far, since it's laying on top of the existing fender here, but it will be pretty close.

While I was looking over Mutt, I also got to take a look at another Newman conversion. The owner of that car spent a good $200K on that build-up. It doesn't take long when you're paying someone else to do all the fabrication. The aluminized exhaust was nicely done. I also noticed a few improvements Paul made over the years - the new LS1 mounts, the revised torque arm that doesn't require grinding to clear the driveshaft - little details like that.

Moving On

Finished up the prep work and had a local tow company haul the body over to a local shop that does Soda Blasting. They'll remove all the paint and grime, then it will be towed over to the bodyshop for prep and paint. Now I can turn my attention to the chassis and powertrain, electrical, then the interior prep.

Grind, Glass, Grind

The past couple weeks have been a cycle of grinding, glassing, repeat with a number of areas on the underside of the floorpan. This is the passenger's inner fender well. I've also reglassed a repair on the tunnel, closed several holes on the tunnel, and cleaned up where the serpentine belt and AC delete bracket rubbed on the driver's inner fender panel. Goal is to finish all this in the next nine days and get the body off to the media blaster, then the body shop.

Today while the glass was drying I swapped the deep truck pan for the batwing Corvette pan. The old exhaust got in the way of the wings, so I took the sawzall to them. I'll get new pipes bent when I get the headers. I've got to figure out if the engine needs to move forward or if I need to shorten the driveshaft.

During the week, I hauled the engine harness in the house and started pulling it apart and removing unnecessary wiring. Next step is to lay it on the engine and start working on reconfiguring it to better fit in the Corvette.

Motor In Chassis

Monday I took a couple hours and plucked the old greasy LT1 out of the chassis and put the Gen III motor in it's place. Here's the chassis after the motor was pulled. I was surprised at how much gravel collected in the motor mount cups.

Here's a side shot of the motor. The motor will move forward another 1/4" when I properly fabricate the motor mounts, but it's close enough at the moment. I've got the tailshaft sitting on the X on the frame - it needs a new mount.

Front shot of the motor. I need to remount the alternator and see how it fits and what room I have.