145 replies to this topic

[neglectedtorana]

Small progress, steering column lower bearing was pretty crunchy so I had an aluminium bush made up to hold a needle roller bearing and put a cover over it to stop the bearing falling out. While it was apart I cut some of the column outer tube down to give more exhaust clearance.

 

Opinions welcome

 

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Fitted the tail lights

 

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[neglectedtorana]

Not finished yet but made a little progress today

There is a chance I will put the old 308 back in and enjoy the car a bit before the LS1 finally gos in but am trying to make the mods now so that I can still finish it all later

 

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[neglectedtorana]

Some more small steps forward bought a box of bent pipes and started making extractors. Will only be able to get them tacked together in the car and then do the complete welding next time I take the engine and gearbox out.

 

Some of my welds look like they came out of a birds bum so I may get someone better to do the final welding.

 

 

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[Bigfella237]

Nice Tom, did that come as a kit from somewhere or did you just order individual pieces?

[neglectedtorana]

Thanks Andrew,

It was a kit from Do Fillipo exhausts in Vic, $500 delivered to my door in Sydney.

http://www.dpe.net.au/

2x head flange plates and gaskets
10x 90degree bends in 1-3/4"
14x 45degree bends in 1-3/4"
6x 45degree bends in 2"
Some lengths of pipe in all sizes
The 2-1 collectors
4x 2-1/2" 4 bolt flanges

I looked at ordering individually but this just seemed easier to me

They will also supply a 4-1 kit if you want but I decided it would be too much trouble for me and went with the Tri-y

[neglectedtorana]

Little bit more progress today, bit by bit will get there

 

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[neglectedtorana]

Finished tacking the extractors together, test fitted the LS1 compressor and removed the engine and gearbox to do the finish welding on the extractors and the gearbox tunnel.

 

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[Bigfella237]

Nice work Tom. Have you thought about getting the extractors coated by HPC or someone like that? Last I heard it was about $350 plus freight for a pair, but that was a while ago.

 

What are you doing for cat converters, using the factory ones from the VZ or something after market like Magnaflow or similar?

 

Also, with the benefit of hindsight, was there much left-over from the DeFillipo kit, I guess what I'm asking is, was it worth buying the kit or would we be better off ordering individual bends etc.? It doesn't look like you used anywhere near 10 x 90° and 14 x 45° bends?

[neglectedtorana]

Thanks Jeff and Andrew,

Not forgotten the oxygen sensor bungs, just not put them in yet.

 

I do have some pipe left over, I used 9 of the 90 degree and 7 of the 45 degree in the 1-3/4" and had used 5 of the 45 degree 2"

 

I think you would have to add up all the bits but price would be about the same. The DiFillipo kit came with flange plates, and 4 bolt collectors that will finish the extractors and fit to the pipe to the cat and gaskets too.

 

I did start to add up all the bits on bestmufflers.com and think it was easier to get the kit.

 

Will just buy non-factory cats and mufflers, maybe from DiFillipo

Not sure which brand I will use, I don't like the idea of the mufflers with the flap inside to be quiet at low revs and get loud with heavy throttle use so just some good mufflers, will try get some good advice maybe from Oztrack as they will do my tune

[Doubledip]

Vz dash is cool. Definitely can be done. Have programmed and wired a few into torana said before

[neglectedtorana]

Hi Justin,

I was starting to plan for the original Torana dash as all the auto electricians I spoke to said it won't work without the BCM.

The gearbox extension I am using can be cable drive or electronic as long as I fit the correct parts in the box so thought I would use the Torana dash with a digital yacht adapter.

Can you modify the VZ dash to work without the BCM?
Needs to still have functioning high beam and indicators

[neglectedtorana]

Feels like I have not gt much done lately as the car doesn't look much different.

Have made brake lines for the diff and the line from the master cylinder to the rear and fitted some upper trailing arm mount strengthening plates the engineer told me I should do and also added some extra metal around the shifter hole.

 

LS1 loom has gone to Killa cables for modifying

Have scrapped the floor hand brake idea and will get new cables for the original LX set-up

 

Picture is the extra metal around the shifter hole, am really looking forward to painting over the tunnel and putting some Dynamat etc down so I can stop looking at it.

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Edited by neglectedtorana, 25 August 2015 - 09:56 PM.

[Doubledip]

Hi Justin,
I was starting to plan for the original Torana dash as all the auto electricians I spoke to said it won't work without the BCM.
The gearbox extension I am using can be cable drive or electronic as long as I fit the correct parts in the box so thought I would use the Torana dash with a digital yacht adapter.
Can you modify the VZ dash to work without the BCM?
Needs to still have functioning high beam and indicators

If you want call me and we can discuss. - 0412 293 606

[neglectedtorana]

Minor progress,

Tunnel is done and painted and ok by the engineer, fitted some door trims that were supplied by Cools Auto trim and they look great, front apron did not fit correctly at the bottom so welded on some new tabs for the bolts and sent it to the paint shop,

 

Have written myself quite a long list I hope to follow in order to continue, lots still to do

 

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[GMH-01X]

Hi Tom
Did you get Cools to do the arm rests as well ??

Cheers Aaron

[neglectedtorana]

Hi Aaron,

The arm rests are the originals after Armoral cleaning wipes, surprised how easily they cleaned up

I asked Steve from Cools about sun visors and although he did not make them he said he could cover them if I made a new piece of foam for them

[neglectedtorana]

Not a lot of progress I can post, have temporarily fitted the seats. Temporarily as I don't have carpet but needed somewhere to put the seats.

Made some fuel lines running up the left side of the car

Think I have done so little I can't even remember how little I have done.

 

I did de-grease the engine and half mounted the oil filter enough to wind it over and get oil pressure. Nice to know it makes oil pressure as it was a 2nd hand engine and I did not see it run.

 

I did make some tuning progress though, I had originally planned on sending my loom away to get modified but am sort of working on it myself, will see if I finish it myself one day. But to get the tune and VATS removed I needed to power the PCM and connect a EFI live reader thingy. OzTrack are doing my tune and I have had this device sitting round for over 6 months and had a few hours to spare this arvo and got the tune file out of it and emailed it off.

 

Hope 2016 is good to eeveryone

 

Cheers, Tom

 

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[neglectedtorana]

As it is a second hand engine I thought it would be a good idea to test run it before continuing just in case, hopefully the link works.
Sounded but smelt like old stale fuel so will send injectors out for cleaning but it had oil pressure and was charging

https://m.youtube.co...h?v=actoP9x2WJ8

[Doubledip]

As it is a second hand engine I thought it would be a good idea to test run it before continuing just in case, hopefully the link works.
Sounded but smelt like old stale fuel so will send injectors out for cleaning but it had oil pressure and was charging
https://m.youtube.co...h?v=actoP9x2WJ8

Great to achieve small milestones like getting engine running etc....

Keep it moving forward.

[neglectedtorana]

Yep, bit by bit,
Not sure if the engineer will approve my tank, probably too tall to meet the rear departure rule

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[neglectedtorana]

Thanks Josh, I think it looks cool every time I get to the garage.
Unfortunate my the garage it is in is at least 1-1/4hrs away (traffic dependent) so opportunities and progress are slow but over the last few months I have painted the cross member, fitted a rear bumper from Rates, New dip stick although I am not yet sure where I want the oil level.

Any thoughts on oil level for the LS1? Should it be just below the surface tray? Big difference in original dip stick to the new Lokar one.

Got a new clutch and fitted the gearbox back to the engine
And refitted the engine with detractors to check their fit before again removing them so they can get coated.

Have some new tyres and like the look of the Walkinshaw wheels on the rear

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[neglectedtorana]

Picked up the coated extractors, turned out a lot brighter than I thought but happy with the result.

Got them done at Competition Coatings South Granville $450

 

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Had a few hours to spare and put them on and the engine back in, went in surprisingly easy. Think the ratchet strap pulling the k-frame rear arms in was the trick, thanks LS2LXHatch for that tip on your website. Ran out of time so it may need a tweak sideways to align but happy and thinking there is a chance I have the engine and gearbox in for the last time, lost count how many times it went in and out making extractors and modifying the tunnel etc.

 

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Long list of stuff ahead but feel like I am making progress now