Joel's LS1 FC parts list/swap thread (remixed)

[AKINA FC]

Looks good! I agree with Charliem just use zip ties or none permanent method of some sort. I use circle track honey comb so I can replace it regularly.

[ebdyguy]

If I could get it to stay black I'd consider it...  Problem is I just don't trust paint / powder / plasti-dip to hold up well enough long term when it's getting rocks thrown at it.  I am thinking I'll go black on the lip to drive your sight line down.

Have you looked into Black Oxide Coating ? 

[frijolee]

Thanks for pushing me to make this removable fellas.  Took a bit to figure out how to do it, since I just couldn't bring myself to drill holes all around the perimeter.  I also wasn't very keen on showing zip ties, but I had very little backside depth to play with (since I'd already formed the grills) so I had to get creative.  I ended up combining my original plan for seam sealer bonding with both safety wire and zip ties.

Started with 32 carefully formed safety wire Jesus fish.




Bonded these in with seam sealer at evenly spaced positions.  Thorough cleaning of all surfaces prior.  I even wiped down my fish.




Recruited a helper with tiny fingers.




Seems to have worked out well.  You really can't see the zip ties since they tuck just around the corner in each position.




Have to post finished shots when installed (which is being a PITA because all my holes are just slightly off).  I'm leaving it the grills silver for now, but we'll see if I like it on the car.

[gc3]

great idea!

[frijolee]

Well, the headlight misalignment thing sucked but I finally solved it.  Certainly a game of mm.

I ended up cutting out about a 1/4" section on the main lid pivot.  That's about as far as you can go without it crashing.   Checking it while tacked showed I was on the right path.




Then had to shorten the linkages for the side I just dropped down or it would bind up while articulating.  Overdid it a smidge on one side and got to sleeve the tube to reweld.




Then some portions of the inner framework were just barely interferring and rubbing so I got to clearance and massage some more (and some more... and some more yet).




It's not by much but this is the structure landing below the surface I needed it to...






So we're calling that winner winner chicken dinner.  Land cruiser is looking lonely back there but it's stack of parts is ever growing and the RX7 is getting close.

[digitalsolo]

FC is looking great Joel.   Don't let that Land Cruiser sit too long, a case of Sprecher's root beer sounds good this fall. 

Seriously though, it's a ton of work getting it all dialed in just so.   Nice work.

[frijolee]

Ha, roger that.

I'm trying to avoid the "just so" approach on the FJ.  I have a ton of the planning completed just gotta get to it.  By the way, here's that edge trim on the radiator I mentioned a while back.






-Joel

[digitalsolo]

Yup, stealing that idea for sure. 

[frijolee]

FWIW I think the trim above was made by TrimLok...

While I had the nose in the air I made progress on a few other fronts as well.

Resoldered the radiator temp sender wiring I pinched against the ground on re-entry.  It was hard wired to a thermocouple so I repaired what I had.  Some of the smallest soldering I've ever done: 26 maybe 28 gauge?  Finally got to use some of my smallest heat shrink (that stuff that comes in the multi pack that they give you miles of yet is too small for just about anything?  Yeah, that stuff).




Decided to drop my front lip down 3/4".  Also helped with some structural repair.  Spacing down with some cabinet grade plywood that I'll seal up.




Using ProSet 175/273 composite glue (good stuff I discovered while working composites in China this past spring)




And then locking it in with about every midsize c-clamp owned by myself or @65imp.




All that's left is to smooth it out with some filler, drill mounting holes and paint.  We'll see if this drives me batty scraping on stuff, but I think it'll look clean and at least somewhat help balance when I run a wing.  Contemplating black for the lip for some contrast.

Finally, I upgraded my harnesses with some nice lightly used Sparco 6 Points. 




I really dig that the buckle is on the submarine straps so I shouldn't have the same tendency to ride up that my prior harnesses did (I was running them as 4 points and never gotten around to installing the sub belts. 

Still to do:
-Finish wiring headlights and buttoning up nose.
-Integra speedo mod (sold my cable-x box while the car was down)
-Adjust one tailpipe position
-Install new battery
-Fluids

After it's running:
-Rework fuel door pop
-Traction control!!!!

[digitalsolo]

That is a boatload of c clamps, haha.

[Fuhnortoner]

Finally, I redid my relocation for the brake distribution block AKA proportioning valve.  You need to do something with this or it'll conflict with the coil.
 

 
 
Bending the tab out about 100 degrees appears to work well it's just some work getting all the hardlines bent nicely.  You can see my dangling speedo cable waiting for that cable-x box I'm still sitting on too.  That whole statement about don't start driving it until it's done done done or you won't get it finished... 
 
It's true.

Thank you.

[Tomo]

So many C-Clamps!

I fought for quite a while with headlight lids. When I had my miata they were a pain in the ass as well. So hard to know how to tweak the mounting tabs to move the lid correctly.  I ended up just solid mounting my headlights up, and when I end up doing track days and don't want them 'up' I'll put an extra hole on my mount to put them in a dropped position. Glad you got yours to sit well though.

[frijolee]

What's up y'all?  Haven't been posting much, but have been working on the projects plenty...  I'll get around to updates at some point I promise.

At the moment the RX7 drives fine, but it has some little piddly stuff I want to track down before it goes back to full daily status (my goal).

-Finish lip repair and paint that.
-Re-align headlights (it was perfect until I put power to them and they sucked down a 1/4")
-Functional gauges, screwed something up attempting Integra speedo mod and need to troubleshoot.
-Maybe new seats.  Covers are coming loose on mine.  Anyone know anything about replacement covers on fiberglass buckets.  Heard a rumor that was a thing at one point.
-Diagnose a hot start issue.  Behaves like vapor lock, cranks but only coughs and won't fire until it's sat for 10 minutes.  Annoying at gas stations (well that and the lack of a fuel gage is annoying too.
-Want to double check the alignment.  It gets a bit squirrelly on hard throttle

Longer term:
-That damn traction control box needs to get installed.   

[freeskier7791]

Joel, you could have something ignition related going on with hot starts...maybe coils getting heatsoaked?  Could also be too lean when hot and cranking.  Do you have any logs? 

I have seen sparco fiberglass seats recovered, any good upholstery place should be able to do it.  They also have replacement bezels for the harness slots since normally they break during removal

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[frijolee]

Hmmm, I have a spare set of coils but I'm not sure I can swap them in fast enough to make for a meaningful test.  Ice down the outsides?

The car is running a bit hotter with the Evan's coolant than prior.  It seems to find equilibrium at about 210-215F if I'm stuck in traffic.  Moving it's better and rarely breaks 190F. 

The fact that it's noticeably different moving vs still makes me wonder if my radiator fan is seeing voltage drop via a poor connection somewhere and not doing all it should.