Day 2
The easy part of any project is the demo- tearing things off and ripping things out is fun and yields a great sense of forward momentum. So on day 2 of working on the car I decided to continue that feel good feeling and took more stuff out of the car.
After looking at the original wiring harness that was thoroughly “modified” by the PO when the Pertronix was installed I decided to scrap it and have Dennis (Timmy2) craft me a new CIS-less harness specific for my X-Faktory EFI/ITB setup. Al (X-Faktory) includes some of Dennis’ wiring harnesses for the injectors and comparing them to stock is like going to the Miss America Pageant with someone you met at the bar at last call….
On Dennis’ sage advice I took out the alternator and began preparing for the ClassicRetrofit Wosp alternator that comes with the kit. I’m not thinking about the AC install just yet but given how difficult it was to get the fan off I’m glad I did it now.
Out came the passenger seat and I started preparing for the ECU mounting. These comfort seats are HEAVY! Too bad adding lightness with seats is really expensive…
I installed some rivnuts (my new best friend) and then bolted the ECU to the floor with several rubber shock absorbers on each bolt to isolate the vibrations and keep the ECU off the floor. I thought about fabricating a panel but the fit is tight and I didn’t see it as necessary. Don’t’ worry, the raw metal was coated before the rivnuts.
I also drilled the necessary holes into the tunnel for the ECU harness and the MAP vacuum hose, which will be run next weekend, I hope.
I also began fabricating the mounting panel for the fuel lines and vacuum manifold. The one that RHD supplies is like a wagon wheel and I wanted one that was linear allowing for a tidier install. Once it was painted I installed it loosely with rivnuts and fitted the pressure gauge and vacuum manifold. Unfortunately the MAP vacuum hose fitting, well, doesn’t so I will have to tap and thread the large plug on the right side of the manifold.
While still in the engine bay I started to run the fuel lines. Whenever I do any project be it housework or car work I like to play a game I call “How Many Trips” where I tabulate the number of trip to Lowes, Home Depot, AutoZone, Ace, etc… If it’s more than one I lose. I always lose. True to form I got tripped up without the necessary fittings so an order to Belmetric and the fuel lines will have to wait until next weekend. Ditto with the tapping of the manifold; nobody had a 1/8” NPT/NPS tap and I have Every. Other. Size…grr…
With the EFI/ITB work on hold for fittings, Dennis’ harness and a few other bits I moved to the bodywork.
I purchased a longhood extension panel from Michel Beaudry here on Pelican and began fitting it. Peeling back the front folded edge on the hood was difficult and required lots of hammer/dolly work to get it into a useable state, and that’s putting it generously. I fabricated a pair of pincers to help peel back the seam but even with them it was gross; lots of dents and dings. I understand the utility of doing this but geez, this was kind of ugly and in hindsight I would have probably been better off not peeling back the fold and just butt welding the extension panel; live and learn… This was also the first time that I got a bit uneasy about what I was doing; if the EFI/ITB fails I can always reinstall the CIS (barf) or have a shop correct my mistakes. With the hood it felt like a no turning back moment. Sure, I can always buy a long hood and replace this one but I’d rather save those sheckles.
Breathe. Breathe. Ok.
Once the panel was cut and tack welded I laid down 1,483,273 MIG spot welds. I wanted to TIG weld it but I’m not that proficient so it’ll be grinding, sanding and filing for penance. I suspect my reliance on MIG will be a theme that comes back to bite me later when my hands are numb from grinding and sanding them down.
And with that the hood is long! Feels really great to have the panel on and seeing the car transform. I was very nervous about the bodywork (still am) but I feel much better now and am almost ready to tackle the light boxes and mirror holes. No doubt I’m going to be a stock holder in 3M given the amount of body filler I’m going to need but so what, a concourse car this is not and I’m not opposed to filler; lead or plastic.
A quick clean up of my studio and I called it a day.
A few questions for those who have been down this road before:
1.)On the fuel pressure gauge there’s a small hose barb on the right side but the X-Faktory manual makes no mention of what to do with it; leave it, cap it…?
2.)Charcoal canister- Right now the hose from the fuel tank is connected but that’s all. Do I need to connect the hose to the shroud and the other hose to the rain hats? Do I? Do I?
3.)Poll: I purchased both a small filter for the oil breather hose as well as a catch can. Real estate will be tight with the charcoal canister in place but methinks the catch can will keep the engine bay from being oiled up like a coed on spring break… Thoughts? (on the filter vs catch can, not the coed)