After removing the "ton" of wires that ran the computer, we were faced withthe task of re-wiring...but this
should be easy.
We only have to run a distributor, cooling fan, alternator, and gauges. A snap!!
Radiator was installed.
A rather unique problem occured. Seems the stock upper radiator hose comes up about 27" too short. We have to come up with
an alternative. No prob. We can use 2 stock 2.5L TBI hoses and mate them to a radiator hose from a Chrysler 318 to come up
with one heck of a
BIG hose..(another view)Now we can't have this
badboy moving around in this tight area. It's time to think about a torque-strut. Here's where we lucked-out. By altering
a
SBC A/C compressor bracket with the engine-side
of the original torque strut, we come up with
this.
Of course you need some
color. And here is the
new dog-bone mount
compared the original. We
made sure the radiator support side of the mount would line up with the engine side to come up with
this.
We still need to get an upright brace installed.
We need to be able to feed it. Unfotunatly, the computer controlled the in-tank fuel pump. We had to do
some fancy re-wiring under the dash to get the pump to fire up. We then routed new fuel lines.
WIRES, WIRES, WIRES everywhere. But not for long. After a few days of head scratching and alot of soldering
all the wires under the hood have been designated and routed. Even took the time to cover some of them. Hanging the new alternator
of the front engine bracket and wiring it up, we needed to make some sort of way to adjust the belt. Problem solved. By using
an early SBC alt. adjuster (in chrome of course) we were able to utilize one of the A/C mounting holes on the ram's-horn manifold.
Only thing... we had to mount the adjuster upside-down. There would have been no room under the alternator for the excess
metal... So we inverted it. So, sue me...It's a custom!!!
Now it's time to think about lubrication. Oil to be exact. We
need to find a place to mount the remote oil filter.
Stretching the oil lines to the limit we decided to make a small bracket and weld it to the front of the
engine adapter.
HERE is a pic showing BOTH
of these mods.
And
HERE is a detail of the
remote oil filter.
But, something is missing.
Oh yeah, a power steering pump. An excursion to the local U-Pull-It bagged
us a
power steering pump from an '87 Pontiac
Grand AM.
For the room needed we will be making a remote resevior for this pump, so the old one has to be
REMOVED.
But this leaves us with the problem of connecting a return line. We removed the
port
from the old resevior and heavily epoxied it to the pump and added
a
barbbed hose fitting. With the pump ready to go in, our attention turns to the bracket needed to bolt it to the block.
After several incarnations, we desided to go with the stock pump bracket from the Grand Am and convert it and we have
..........PIC.........PIC.........PIC.........PIC
ALL this and the belt lines up "perfectly" and the adjuster works better than expected.
Now's the time
to think about how this monster will breathe. I don't want a huge air cleaner sticking forth from the hood. So, how do we
get fresh, filtered air into the tight area above the 4bbl QuadraJet?.
But he needs to keep his cool. Especially when he's got a 305 V8 generating heat. Cooling system-time.
We will be using the stock 3 core radiator. The 2.5 TBI HAD A/C, therefore the large radiator. The cooling
of the radiator will be hastened by the installation of an electric cooling fan from a
Puegeot.
And it even fit without ANY cutting required. This fan is quite powerful and can serve two purposes. Not only can it FORCE
cool air through the radiator but right behind the radiator is the remote oil filter, so it has the potential to give the
oil system some sort of cooling.
