[aronhk_md]

After many delays, the engine is running on the break in stand. Here is a video and some pics.

[marks73ta]

Yessereee Bob, it sounds healthy wealthy and wise. Sounds strong Aron. Mark L

[rad400]

Sounds great Aron.

[aronhk_md]

Thanks guys....cant wait to get it in the car and feel the boost from the new turbo......lol

[Silver Judge]

That sounds EVIL, WICKED, MEAN, and NASTY!

Can't wait to hear it when you have the turbocharger on there and doing a hi-rev launch!

Hopefully it will sound like a couple of those automatic assault shotguns being fired at the same time

[Bl1tzw1ng]

wow, awesome!

[RAIV-Z]

Looking good Aron, can't wait to see it running with the turbo!

[aronhk_md]

Thanks guys! I cant wait too. One more run on the stand, then put the other springs back on the valves, run once again to make sure all is good and she should be ready for the car and turbo piping.

[PontiJunk]

Aron...just catching up on your project after meeting you last week. Motor looks and sounds great. It is going to be a serious machine. Can't wait to see the plumbing for the turbo given what you have done so far.

[aronhk_md]

Thanks Joe, good meeting you. I'll be updating soon I hope with engine and turbo installation.

[bankbook]

Sounds good.

Any pics on how you mounted the nose?
Contemplating the same for one I have.

[aronhk_md]

No pics yet, but soon. I had to give up on the hinges I got from Mr Twister. In theory they would have worked great....lifting the nose about 6 inches as it tilted forward and then sliding forward about 18 inches. BUT.....they just wouldnt fit properly into the limited space available.

One problem I have is with the car sitting low and that long beak on the nose, I cant just tilt forward. The nose will hit the ground.

I am designing a new hinge. It is based on 2 pieces of a weightlifting station I cut up. So it has a section of box tubing that slides over another smaller box tubing on either side. This will allow me to raise the nose before tilting. Then the tilt will be a simple hinge. There is nothing easy about doing this, from designing the hinges, to allowing for adjustability of the front end in 3 dimensions to get the proper fit, securing the whole thing front and rear in the down position (I still want to do some roadracing), and providing enough stiffness to wheel openings/fender flares/spoiler so they dont just vibrate around and break. But........I am still hoping to be done with it soon.

Due to the design of the rear bottom section of our fenders that portion had to be cut and mounted to the car. Similar to late model corvettes.

[aronhk_md]

Finally making progress on the beast again. I went through many more prototypes for hinge design on the tilt front end. All worked...but each had its own issues specific to my application. The front end is finally on though and working, but still need to add the linear actuators and replace the wood with steel then glass it in.

Also the turbo is now mounted in its new home recessed in the firewall. Working on hot side piping now.

[floffy]

Aron,

Looks great, good to see you're making some progress.

Daan

[marks73ta]

Getting there Aron. I like that turbo flange mount. Gives me some ideas. Looking forward to vids of you driving the TA again. MArk

[SupergasDil]

Mark, I was thinking the same thing being a fabricator myself. Very nice work. Looks good. Keep the pictures coming on the progress

[aronhk_md]

Thanks guys! Daan...whats new with your car? Mark...I'm looking forward to driving it again too. I had some extra pieces of stainless from the milk plumbing I had purchased, and I am making two C shaped cups that will fit under either side of the turbo snails where they join the center section. They will just allow the weight of the turbo to rest on them...so when I go over goddawful pavement on a roadracing course or just street driving the weight wont be only on the flange mount. Those cups will be welded to a new tube that is going to be added to the rollcage and projecting down through the floor and forward to the subframe to help eliminate flex in the subframe itself.

Dil, fabricating is fun! I never knew how much fun until recently. I hadnt welded since high school and back then it was a few times with a stick welder. Now I make all kinds of things from scratch. I have a 16 ft box truck with a lift gate, and I just welded a mount to the subframe for a removeable receiver hitch. It cant stay on all the time as it is in the way of the lift gate, but now I can actually haul a car when necessary. My subaru wagon wasnt capable. I want to get a tig welder and try aluminum too.

[BruceWilkie]

Glad to see you making progress...
Are you just going to leave the turbo inlet right there or are you going to put an elbow or something there? Behind the tire you have dirt and debris constantly to worry about. Be careful, that turbo sucks better than a Kirby. BTW using the HVAC real-estate is a great idea.

If you can gas weld you can TIG... Its slower than mig or stick but you can get some nice welds done. I've been workin at my friends shop...He has a tig and never learned how to use it... I've been playin with it a bit... need alot more practice but I did do a couple small but nice runs with it today... For what we do the mig is fine and its faster.

I'm in alternate plan B myself...just bought a 90 Firebird minus v6 engine and trans for cheap($300) needs paint and the interior is a bit tattered here n there but NBD... No rust or rot or collision damage... I've put the 84 GP up for sale... should help jump start things... The GP was going to need all the upgrades this 'bird will need and the Firebird is lighter. My daughters think its a bunch "kooler" too... Debs excited to have another Firebird in the family.

[aronhk_md]

Glad to be making progress Bruce. The A/C stuff may just have to go in the trunk. We'll see. My goal is to run bars SOMEHOW from the cage to the subframe, to hopefully eliminate what flex is left, but its going to be very crowded with piping, etc, so we'll see with that too. Everything is a compromise even without inner wheel wells. Still don't know where the 3 quart oil accumulator is going yet. I may put it in the cabin under a custom center console and run the lines through the firewall.

Still trying to figure out placement of a small pair of "EARS"...small engine plates to go from the heads to the subframe. They will have to be small to clear the March track system and all the turbo piping, but small should be fine to lock it down. The engine is mounted with stock engine mounts so far. The real trick will be the drivers side with the head sitting farther to the rear.

Glad to see you working the new firebird...I imagine parts for it are easier to find and I personally like the body style better. Post some pics of it and let us watch you get rolling...

[floffy]

Aron,
Didn't do very much on my car this winter, this weekend i'll continue my some work on the harness and console and i hope my radiator will be here within 2 weeks after that i hope to hear about the headers and fire the car up.

Daan