[HWYSTR455]

Refresh my memory, where did you mount the regulator?

Sniper injectors are kinda large, and in some situations, can suffer from 'hammering'. The closer the regulator is to the injector(s), the less chance/effect there is.

Dampers are a band aid, it's best to deal with hammering by correcting any areas of the fuel system that needs it.

The seats do look great!

.

[HWYSTR455]

If you try a damper, buy the largest diameter one you can find. There's a formula for calculating the size of a damper, based on injector size & number of.

Hammering can make injectors fail prematurely.

.

[Gator67]

Originally Posted by keith k

Those seats look great in there!

Thanks Keith! One step closer...if only I could eliminate the two steps back.

[Gator67]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

Refresh my memory, where did you mount the regulator?

Sniper injectors are kinda large, and in some situations, can suffer from 'hammering'. The closer the regulator is to the injector(s), the less chance/effect there is.

Dampers are a band aid, it's best to deal with hammering by correcting any areas of the fuel system that needs it.

The seats do look great!

.

Thanks for compliment regarding the seats.

I started a thread in the EFI section that details my set-up...in short, I'm running a GM fuel module & PWM fuel controller so no traditional regulator.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

installed the seats for the first time.

Just have to ask if the black lever at the shoulder area on the inboard side of driver seat is the release lever for folding them forward ? It grabbed my eye

They look great and blend in well too.

[Gator67]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

Just have to ask if the black lever at the shoulder area on the inboard side of driver seat is the release lever for folding them forward ? It grabbed my eye

They look great and blend in well too.

Yes. There are release levers are on both sides of the seats. Because the adjustment knobs are also on both sides, seats are L—R interchangeable. I thought about asking the upholsterer to leave one lever off on each seat so as not to have inboard levers, but I really like having the option of switching seats to keep wear even.

[kingbuzzo]

They look like they belong there...wow

[Gator67]

The erratic fuel pressure issue has been resolved. To make a long story short, the fix involved switching out the safety overpressure valve/regulator in the GM fuel module with a fuel pressure regulator, and installing a map sensor on the firewall. So now the car has a return style fuel system (return happens within the fuel module so no extra lines to run) and the fuel pump speed/PWM is governed by manifold vacuum rather than fuel pressure. Carl at VaporWorx sent me everything I needed, including a new controller.

My next task is to install the carpet. I laid it out over the sound deader materials this past weekend (Dynamat, close cell foam, and 1# mass loaded vinyl for sound deadener) but couldn't bring myself to start cutting. I stared at it for a couple hours but still not quite sure how to deal with the role bar and the subframe connectors that stick up through the floor.

[Gator67]

With the exception of the rear seats, interior is finished. Next week I'll drive it over to the upholsterer....he wants to take measurements to make sure he gets it right. Lighting in this photo is horrible.



I took her out for a drive today. Definitely quieter on the inside now with the carpet in place. No real issues other than minor tweaks here and there. I still need to calibrate the speedometer, install the windshield wipers and cowl seal, charge the A/C, and get an alignment.

Here's the engine bay. Cleaned things up and installed a washer fluid container. I also installed a 76-79 style coolant overflow container (76-79 style). I don't envision making too many more changes.



Time for a bath (first one).



Now that she's almost done, time to make progress on my son's 79 TA. Paint turned out great...ready for assembly.

[Tellyshavilli]

Looking great

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

You built one helluva machine. Congratulations on nearing the end.

Looks like your son will have plenty to keep him busy for a while now too.

[65madgoat]

Just awesome.

[Gator67]

Been putting some miles on the Formula. No issues so far...no leaks, overheating, vibrations, or electrical gremlins. In fact, every time I take it out, it seems to run better as the Sniper learns and suspension settles in.

The car is quick, and handles really well. I was expecting a really stiff jarring ride, but actually no worse than our '19 Mustang GT with track handling package.

I have an appointment at the upholsterer for the rear set on May 1...long drive across town will be a big test. After that it will get an alignment and A/C charge.

Finally confident enough to swap spots in my shop with my son's Y84. Feels good!

[70TA-RAIII]

Love that car! Glad to see it's all coming together!

John

[keith k]

Great to hear it's running well now!

[Gator67]

On Monday I drove the car 30 miles to the shop that's doing my rear seat (Fesler).

5th and 6th gears worked great on the freeway...kept up with 80mph traffic without any problems just like a modern car. The only issue was some gear whine from the 9" above 60mph, which I understand is fairly normal. Not intolerable, but there. If the rear seat doesn't quiet it down, I may look for an OEM set of gears and have them installed. Stop and go traffic in the city was uneventful.

In addition to the rear seat the shop is going to fix a few issues with the carpet, touch-up interior pieces I scratched during the install, and charge the A/C. After that, alignment, though I think I'm pretty close to where I need to be.

One thing I plan to do when she's back home is tame the Sniper's overly aggressive tip-in. I got used to it after a couple drives, but I suspect it will bother folks without as much experience driving a stick. I'll try Holley's throttle lever extension kit, and if that doesn't work, there's also a progressive linkage kit.

[Gator67]

Picked up the car today. Rear seats turned out really nice. Carpet and touchups look terrific. The 30 mile drive home was uneventful...stayed cool in 95 degree heat in traffic with the A/C going full blast. Just a few more minor things to address before I can call her done!

[Gator67]

Well, I spoke too soon. Went to take the car out today and noticed a saucer sized puddle of trans fluid on the floor as I was backing out. It was coming from the shifter, which is only accessible from the top of the transmission, and there is only about .25" of clearance between the six bolts and the transmission tunnel Fortunately, I had a hatch built into the trans tunnel to access the shifter, which is a common source of leaks. Now waiting on an RMA from Tick Performance so I can send it in for repair. Doubly annoying since I bought this shifter because the design is supposed to be less prone to leaking than the original design.

Anyways, anyone who installs a T56 Magnum in their car should consider installing a shifter access hatch. Saved me a ton of work.

[Gator67]

Installed a throttle lever extension on the Sniper. I had to slightly modify the throttle cable bracket, switch out the air cleaner base, and find a more compact throttle cable retainer, but well worth the effort. Pedal is much smoother, not as touchy...huge improvement. Was going to install the progressive throttle linkage, but no need now.

Also installed a Bowler Nightstick shifter. The design is supposed to prevent leaks out the shift stub socket. Drove her hard for 10 miles, and no leaks. Rather than using RTV this time, I used a gasket...it was kind of fussy to install...hopefully it holds up. The shifts are not as short as the Tick Shifter, but really smooth solid feeling, easier to put in reverse, etc.--kind of like an OEM feel now. So another big improvement.

Looking forward to driving her some more this weekend.

[Gator67]

Although my attempt to align the car using a tape measure, carpenter square and digital angle finder got me close, it definitely tracks better after a professional alignment.



Still no major problems with the car. It's been above 110 degrees here all of July and regardless of traffic conditions and length of the drive, coolant temp hasn't gotten above 195 with the A/C on. Fuel injection continues to work well.

I did reseal the mechanical fuel pump cover plate and bolts with Aviation Form a Gasket to stop some oil seepage there. I also found a couple drops of Dexron III after the last drive. I believe it's coming from the shifter, so Bowler sent me a new shifter with a Delrin bushing to try. I'll install it this weekend.

The biggest challenge currently is fuel venting. I drove the car hard after filling the tank, and could smell fuel. I found a loose fitting on the II Much fuel vent I installed in the trunk (vents to the outside) and a small amount of fuel on the trunk floor. Of course, fuel shouldn't be making its way to the vent, so if I want to run a full tank, I'll need to rethink the venting strategy. The vent port on the front of the Rick's tank may be too low, so I may have to rely exclusively on the vent port on the filler neck, or simply use a vented cap.