Project No-Flight Update
January 2005
Not much getting done this month. I've been gathering up all the parts to finish assembly of the motor so I can drop it into place and make some more room in the garage. I did finally get all the fittings to mount the last parts of the brake plumbing, the proportioning valve and a line-lock. I used the braded lines to allow for any possible flex between the body and the frame. I'm glad I remembered to put them in before the engine is in place, as it's much easier to work standing in the engine bay than squeezing through the wheel well opening. I'll probably still fabricate a stone guard for them since they are in line behind the left front tire.
I refinished the Hilborn intake, using Eastwoods Cast Blast, and plumbed all the manifold lines. There are two sets of vacuum lines, one set connects all of the cylinders to the MAP sensor. The other networks them together and feeds the IAC. You can see the plenum for the two vacuum systems and some of the connecting lines in this picture.
The manifold conversion originally had the IAC remotely mounted and connected by a hose. I didn't want to have to mount it to the firewall or other structure, and didn't want the response lag of a long hose, so modified the plenum and reversed which side of the IAC the port connected to (the old one has the silver plug) so that I could connect it directly to the manifold plenum. The Accel fuel pressure regulator mounted to a section of fuel rail that was also intended to be remotely mounted. To clean this area up I installed a new pressure regulator connected directly to the fuel rail. It will connect to the return line to the tank using an AN6 line from the outlet port. This image also gives a good view of the new surface finish.
I added the velocity stacks and the injector wiring harness. I'm glad I decided to install them before putting the manifold on the engine and in the car as it would be pretty hard to thread all the wiring and get all of the stack mounting screws installed while stretched out leaning over the car. This way I could turn the manifold on it's side and reach into the interior to feed the wires (which was already pretty crowded with all of the vacuum lines). I also dropped the distributor in to make sure everything would clear (good thing I did too) and installed the inlet air temp sensor into the rear stack.
This shot should give you an idea of what I have "finally" decided on for a color scheme, white with a red stinger. The stacks were powdered coated to match the 1967 Corvette Red which will be the stinger stripe color. I'm thinking of having a second hood made, without any scoop at all, just cut for the injectors to stick out of (??).
I had planned to get the engine assembled and in the car in January, but since it's already February and I haven't started disassembling it yet I guess that will go in the next installment.