403 LS2 FD - LS7 Build for 2020!

[CUBA6942]

Cant wait to see this beast run!!!!!

[Frostknight]

Subscribed!!  Great work from what i'm seeing! this is definitely going to be one clean machine.

[MPbdy]

Thanks guys.

After Thanksgiving I will start to focus on this car again.  My dad's race car is back together after a year and a half.  That crosses a huge project off the list around here.  My race car is together for the foreseeable future, and that doesn't leave much else other than my car to work on.  It should go pretty quickly once I get after it.

[Frostknight]

Maybe I should tow my rx7 project over to your place ^^

[RX729]

I enjoyed reading your thread, You're very lucky to have access to all the tools you need in your garage for your build, especially the flow bench.

Good luck and keep us updated.

[MPbdy]

I've definitely had a lot of opportunities in life that I am very thankful for.  My dad is a packrat when it comes to tools and parts. We still use tools that his dad bought to build a race car when my dad was 13!

Slight update I suppose. The block is at the machine shop. Like the trend has been going, all the main housing bores were one thou over spec and the rear main was one thou out of round, with them getting more in round toward the front main.

So now while it gets honed they will align hone it too. Hopefully they don't screw the pooch

[Santorican]

Bump for info

[MPbdy]

Sorry don't have much to update.

I got the block back from the machine shop and measured it tonight.  They did a supreme job of screwing up the align hone.  As best I can tell, the cylinder bores seem correct.  Without a torque plate I can't know for sure.

It needs to go back and it better get fixed for nothing or its going through the front window.

[MPbdy]

Since my last post was so negative I figure I'll update again.

The machine shop redid the align hone for free no questions asked.

The mains are very close now.  I think there is a 5 tenth difference between the 5 mains and they are all within spec.  The out of round isn't perfect, bu it is well within reason.  Machine work is NOT easy.  The stock spec only allows for .0002" out of round. 

So now the process of filling out a build sheet begins.  Micrometers and dial bore gauges everywhere.  Fitting bearings, splitting rods, stretching rod bolts, torquing and untorquing mains.

Very important stuff, but its extremely tedious and time consuming work .  Fun to play with all the goodies I bought months ago though!  They aren't much fun sitting in a box.

[Demon]

Where/what brand is the tool you used to remove the lower front ball joint?

Build is awesome btw. Car looks beautiful and strokers are fun

[MPbdy]

Thanks!

I am pretty sure the ball joint separator is blue point.

It looks similar to this

 

The flat part slides under the spindle and you tighten the threaded part to pull it off the taper.  It gets scary sometimes when it won't pop.  Sometimes its better to get some tension against it and hit the top of the threaded part with a hammer to try and shock it loose.  You could probably break the tool before some tapers let go.

[Demon]

Thanks, I'm about to press out the front lower control arm bushings and would like to do it without the hub in the way

[MPbdy]

I finally made the decision to buy an electric MR2 power steering pump tonight

[mattster03]

so how's this car coming along these days?

[MPbdy]

MIDTERMSSSSS    Seriously though I am swamped with classes.  I would be lying if I said I didn't have free time to work on it, but my motivation just isn't there most of the time.  I also save too much crap to do on the weekends.  Its my cleanup time for all the work I should have done already during the week.

My dad got a lot done on my engine last weekend while I was studying for fluids.  He fit all the main bearings and most of the rod bearings.  The stock oil pump is ported, bagged, and ready to install.  He cleaned up the oil gallery passages in the block and oil pan to get rid of some of the sharp 90 degree bends.  The oil takes a treacherous path through the block in these engines.  It kills flow and creates heat, and there are a few places that can be ground on to help some.

I got my new ls3 heads to replace the lsa heads.  I considered sending the LSA heads out to be ported, but in the long run I need the money to finish the car up.  I've got enough set aside now that I think I can get it on the road with no hangups this summer.  I bought the LSA heads when L92 heads cost $190 each.  I just paid $290 a head for bare ls3 heads...Should have made the switch a long time ago!

For those that didn't see I picked up an 87 turbo 2 with a blown coolant seal to make a track car out of.  I am free from the dual purpose trap of trying to make a street/track car.  I couldn't stop thinking about all the expensive parts I needed to take the car on the track like bigger brakes, an accusump, stiffer suspension, a roll bar etc etc. 

It feels great to have an ending in sight.  Barring any major problems, I can have the car driving this summer.  When it starts to go together it should go fairly quickly.

Here is a quick list of the big things off the top of my head -
Finish the engine
Wiring
Gas tank install and evap system sorted
Sound and heat insulation inside the car to some extent.  I had planned on just doing the trans tunnel, but I am considering going all out.  I have enough dynamat to do the tunnel right now which is making a strong case for doing that and leaving the rest alone.
Exhaust
Cooling system + AC + intake
Battery box in the storage bin
Reinstall the interior and new carpet install
Put the front bodywork back on
Tune it
500 grueling break in miles
Peel out