Project V6 Firebird (lots of pics)

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Rip out that rack for an overhaul.

[WarShrike]

Tick clutch master cylinder is installed. Gotta wire up the pedals and all that fun stuff probably on Tuesday. Once I opened up the bolt holes a little more, the cylinder bolted in perfectly! Zip tied the reservoir to the mount for now, and I still need to get under the car and attach the line to the master. I'm gonna need to reroute some wiring after all is said and done. I don't like the spot where I routed my wideband wires, so I'm going to look into running that stuff through another spot instead of the grommet right below the driver's seat. Just looks trashy to me from under the car.

[WarShrike]

Oh hey, I have a thread for posting stuff...

[Young gun]

Needs more parts on da car

[havoc1482]

Oh hey, I have a thread for posting stuff...

What am I looking at? Transmission?

[Killiger2009]

clutch

[WarShrike]

Needs more parts on da car

If it weren't for the fact that I'm having to order other arts as the ones I have don't fit, it already would have the trans installed lol!

[Young gun]

If it weren't for the fact that I'm having to order other arts as the ones I have don't fit, it already would have the trans installed lol!

That is the abosolute WORST

[WarShrike]

Had to mill the notches open a little more to accept the hydraulic lines on the bellhousing. Glad I had a friend with a bridge port.

Trans is bolted in, waiting on crossmember. Found a broken knock sensor (female connector wiggles around a lot), probably one reason why TSP had some odd KR when doing the dyno runs.

Wrestling that mofo in was a lot more enjoyable than the Auto.

[WarShrike]

Progress is being made, I'm a wiring newb so some things like wiring in the reverse lockout solenoid has been a challenge. I'm wiring it into the brake as I didn't feel like trying to figure out the rats nest of the pcm pinouts and couldn't get anything reliable off the old auto pigtail. I've run a grommet through the trans tunnel so I can run my wires cleanly through there and under the console and dash. I'm excited to get things finished and they look to be getting really close.

Especially after this:

I had to modify my T-56 crossmember. It takes a lot of balls/faith/stupidity to modify a brand spanking new crossmember for 1/2" of clearance needed because of the spacer. With a stock crossmember, there's probably enough tolerances in the manufacturing process that you might be able to bolt it up lol! Took it to a welder that used to work for the USAF, damned good guy, has a nice little piece of stainless steel welded to aluminum to showcase some of his work. Got extensions welded on, then had to go to a friend's place that had a drill press and a bridge port mill that had enough reach to work over the plate.

Took it home, test fit (LIKE A GLOVE! MEH MEH MEH!) and now the paint is drying.

I'll try and post here and there, and a writeup will follow at some point after the car is on the road.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Glad to see the progress still coming along here. I admire your will to keep pushing on with the project.

[WarShrike]

Almost there, had to put in new knock sensors. That meant taking out the pass side engine bracket, whick meant I needed to take out the AC compressor lol!

[[ChaosweaveR]]

^ Sounds like the B16 Sentra SE-R V-spec at my shop, just to replace the tensioner unit, the alternator and idler pulley bracket all had to be ripped out of the way. Add in the fact that it's hella cramped, it takes longer than it should! Yay!

Can't wait to see the car back on the road. Has anyone ever successfully swapped a T56 with the L36/L26 yet?

[WarShrike]

Yes, 2 from what I know of on the forums. One uses a T5 bellhousing with the adapter in between, and the other guy, who knows.

I'll be the third but the first I know of to use the aussie adapter plate.

[WarShrike]

So for the first time since April 13, the Firebird went for a drive. Fired it up yesterday after doing the T-56 swap, took a lot longer to do than anticipated, but it is done!

Need to re-tune it and do some final adjustments along with putting the rest of the interior back in the car but I am happy to see the car running.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

That is awesome. Congrats! Get some vids up, soon!

[95naSTA]

Grats man! I bet that thing is going to be a lot more fun to drive now.

[JUSTA6]

Nothin better than than the anticipation of drivin your project. Nice job.

[Young gun]

Super jelly. Bet that thing is a blast

[WarShrike]

Interior is all back in the car, new carpet is in, wish I had done it slightly different but got rushed (single guys take note lol!)...

Also, this car feels like it is an entirely different machine, looking forward to finishing break in and get some tuning done hopefully this week. It is also so much quieter with the rear panels and seats back in, rather nice.

I did take my wife and 2 month old out for a drive though, car seat fit perfectly in the back, my wife is only 5'5" so she fit fine up front in the Corbeau CR1's. Went and got the car washed and picked up some Blizzards at DQ. Oh what a feeling!

Pics later, gonna hit the sack...

[WarShrike]

[WarShrike]

Had some fun, went out on Saturday and froze my butt off. Somebody snapped some pics and I found them on facebook. I've got plans on taking some really good pictures. Car needs a repaint bad as you can now tell.

That's on Konis/Stranos on the lowest perch with 1/2" spacers on the wheels to flush them out a little better.

[WarShrike]

Had a saggy driver's side tailpipe due to a worn out rubber hanger. A&B Muffler here in town welded in a bracket instead, free of charge since they installed the exhaust originally. Good customer service right there!

WHAT IN THE WORLD CAN THAT BE!?

Well, I could have sworn I saw something...

It's a 75mm truck throttle body. Gonna test some things out after doing a few pm's with a certain special someone.

[95naSTA]

Nice on the TB.

Has anyone else ever punched out the neck of a F-body UIM?

[WarShrike]

Not sure. It's possible to do, the coolant passage has to be modified though.