May 3 - Starter complete

With the option of shimming the starter for deeper engagement, the starter is now installed 100%.  I had to cut a big chunk of the adapter plate out of the way to clear the starter for engagement.  I didn't realize in the previous update that I was actually putting the starter in a bind when I had bolted it up.  So now the piece is cut, the starter sits in there with its tight tolerances but clears everything and now engages nicely too.

Here are a couple of pics (they are hard to get good ones in there, lighting is always not good), and I tried out the flash.

Apr 25 - Starter installed

I will have to pull the transmission to get a 100% verify before engagement, but it looks like the starter is installed properly now.  I don't think it would be an Archie approved install, but it looks plenty solid.  I was worried about flexing and starter engagement getting hosed, but once I worked out a good spacer, those fears subsided.

I took Archie's block that is meant to move the starter to his adapter plate.  And I did do that.  But the depth wasn't working out for me.  So I cut that down and used that cut part to be a spacer for my starter to mount properly.  This will make more sense when I take more pictures with the transmission off of it.  but you'll see in the pictures that I do have that there is a spacer between Archie's mounting block and my starter's mounting plate.  I also have pics of the stock starter and the one I used.

I used this Jeg's Pro Start'r as I already had it on this motor.  I did have to get another stock oil pan as my after-market one was too big and wouldn't allow the starter to sit on the "wrong" side of the motor.

Had to cut a notch into the transmission so I could work a wrench on the nut for the top bolt where the block mounts to the adapter plate.

Also, trying to get a stock starter to mount up on the "wrong" side meant that it had to be mounted at about a 45 deg angle.  That wasn't working out.  So I used the starter I had (the stock one will go back to the guy I got it from).  And I'll pay for the oil pan I got from him and be selling my over sized  triple barn door oil pan with scraper that was on my LT1.  I knot they're a lil over $300 new.  I'll put mine up on eBay.

Apr 22 - Oil filter part came in!

But when I try to spin it on, it hits my oil pan!

It's always something.  :-|

Apr 21 - spotted an MP4

Had to go check it out.  Yeah, that's me, near the end.

Apr 20 - Shimmed bearing mount

I got the bearing mount for the intermediate shaft shimmed to where it is no longer in a bind.  I can turn the shaft by hand pretty smoothly now.  I did 2 washers up top and one washer down low to get the angle just right.  I'll trial fit it again before final torque for assembly once the transmission comes off once more and goes back on for the starter relocation.

Here's a couple of pics of the shaft and its mount.

I'll tidy up the plug wires one day.  When it gets closer to time for when it will matter.  :-)

Apr 19 - Front end welded up

I got my welding buddy over here to weld up the front end after market suspension pieces.  It was meant to be a bolt on application, but I figure no one is going to be swapping out this suspension once it's in anyway.  :-)

I will be posting up pics of that once the steering rack mounts are welded in.

I also handed off the bracket that mounts my bearing carrier for the intermediate shaft.  Its holes needed some horizontal space from their original vertical slots.  That same guy took it to work and hooked me up.  I now have that on the car but will be pulling it off for my starter mounting.  So next pics will show that bearing mount shimmed up and the steering bits took care of.

Apr 17 - tired of the rain

Hadn't gotten much of anything done since it has been cool and rainy all week.  Plus the regular income job raised its head back up again.

I did screw around with the mirror pods and took the flashing out from in between the spars on it.  tried to mount my intermediate shaft and it doesn't fit.  I've got an email out to Archie to see what's up with that.