Anything interesting going on in your garage???
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 600
Likes: 1
From: Carnation, Washington
Exhaust system for the Studebaker project
A friend gave me an Audi S4turbo exhaust removed from an almost new car - I cannot imagine what this must cost new. All stainless of course, and has dual path mufflers, the control valves vacuum operated and computer controlled. I will just use a simple cable to control the valves. The center presilencer is neatly dished out to clear the drive shaft, the whole thing looks like it was made for my project. Sean had some stainless tubing and an elbow of the proper size, so all we had to buy was a cat and two chrome tips. Sean always uses a cat on street exhausts because he says it gives the most effective silencing for the least back pressure.
The Skyline has a single exhaust, so the rear sway bar had a single hump. We also have an Infiniti J30 rear suspension, and the J30 has dual exhaust. The J30 sway bar has two humps and bolted right in as shown.
It is all tacked together now, just has to be taken down and TIG welded. It seemed well supported, but had too much side-to-side movement. I had the brilliant idea to put a lateral strut at the back, just like a panhard bar. Naturally, I found a tired RX-7 hatch strut that was the right length. I thought this was a very original idea, but Sean says he has seen it on some high dollar cars, using a solid link of course.
The Skyline has a single exhaust, so the rear sway bar had a single hump. We also have an Infiniti J30 rear suspension, and the J30 has dual exhaust. The J30 sway bar has two humps and bolted right in as shown.
It is all tacked together now, just has to be taken down and TIG welded. It seemed well supported, but had too much side-to-side movement. I had the brilliant idea to put a lateral strut at the back, just like a panhard bar. Naturally, I found a tired RX-7 hatch strut that was the right length. I thought this was a very original idea, but Sean says he has seen it on some high dollar cars, using a solid link of course.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 600
Likes: 1
From: Carnation, Washington
Studebaker frame with Skyline rear suspension
I spent the winter getting everyone to finish their projects and get them out of my shop. Now I am back to work on the Studebaker. A few rust issues have been repaired, and now I am straightening, priming and block sanding the body parts, getting ready for paint. The frame has been sandblasted, powder coated, and various suspension parts blasted and painted. Most of the suspension links have rubber bushings and will not tolerate the 400 degree powder coat process.
Yesterday we assembled the rear suspension, so now we have some idea what it will look like, at least from underneath the car! The rear subframe and suspension parts are most easily installed with the frame inverted. This is stock Skyline R33 rear suspension except for the coilovers.
Yesterday we assembled the rear suspension, so now we have some idea what it will look like, at least from underneath the car! The rear subframe and suspension parts are most easily installed with the frame inverted. This is stock Skyline R33 rear suspension except for the coilovers.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 600
Likes: 1
From: Carnation, Washington
Custom intake manifold
I am still working on the body of the Studebaker, maybe get it painted this month. I painted the firewall and underbody, and we installed the chassis back under the body, installed the front suspension so now it is sitting on its wheels again.
I thought some of you might be interested in how we made our custom intake plenum. The intake manifold of the RB20 motor is two piece - the lower being the six individual runners that feed to each cylinder and the upper part which is a plenum chamber fed by the throttle body. We decided that we should make a custom intake plenum that would be appropriate for the classic period of the car, and Sean got the idea of using an old style cast aluminum valve cover from a V8. I realized that I could get one with the Studebaker name cast into it, and with a little research I got one for a very fair price.
The high power, high dollar super cars are using velocity stacks inside the intake plenums of their turbo systems - the designers say the flow is improved by getting the intakes up off the floor of the plenum. They recommend staggering the heights of the intake tubes so they don't all draw from the same level in the plenum. Velocity stacks are available, but not cheap and not necessarily the right size. I found a piece of soft aluminum tubing (5052-0 alloy) in my materials rack with the inside diameter EXACTLY the same as the runners in the lower intake. I am pretty sure it was for 707 fuel line, complete with Boeing part number and a date in the early 70s. We made a male and female die in the lathe and I formed the flares in a press. The bottom plate is heavy aluminum because Sean has installed the idle air controller, cold start valve and several vacuum fittings in the bottom of the plate to get them out of sight. The flange for the throttle body was welded into the forward end of the valve cover, the velocity stacks welded into the bottom plate and then the cover welded to the plate.
I painted the engine bay a silver grey urethane with clear coat, and the body color will be a sparkling wine red pearl. I plan to paint the intake plenum, cam covers and brake booster the body color.
I thought some of you might be interested in how we made our custom intake plenum. The intake manifold of the RB20 motor is two piece - the lower being the six individual runners that feed to each cylinder and the upper part which is a plenum chamber fed by the throttle body. We decided that we should make a custom intake plenum that would be appropriate for the classic period of the car, and Sean got the idea of using an old style cast aluminum valve cover from a V8. I realized that I could get one with the Studebaker name cast into it, and with a little research I got one for a very fair price.
The high power, high dollar super cars are using velocity stacks inside the intake plenums of their turbo systems - the designers say the flow is improved by getting the intakes up off the floor of the plenum. They recommend staggering the heights of the intake tubes so they don't all draw from the same level in the plenum. Velocity stacks are available, but not cheap and not necessarily the right size. I found a piece of soft aluminum tubing (5052-0 alloy) in my materials rack with the inside diameter EXACTLY the same as the runners in the lower intake. I am pretty sure it was for 707 fuel line, complete with Boeing part number and a date in the early 70s. We made a male and female die in the lathe and I formed the flares in a press. The bottom plate is heavy aluminum because Sean has installed the idle air controller, cold start valve and several vacuum fittings in the bottom of the plate to get them out of sight. The flange for the throttle body was welded into the forward end of the valve cover, the velocity stacks welded into the bottom plate and then the cover welded to the plate.
I painted the engine bay a silver grey urethane with clear coat, and the body color will be a sparkling wine red pearl. I plan to paint the intake plenum, cam covers and brake booster the body color.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 600
Likes: 1
From: Carnation, Washington
We have been upgrading a 68 Mustang convertible, using a lot of Japanese suspension parts, and I thought some of you might find this interesting. I won't post a lot of photos and text here, as it is described in detail on the Pro-Touring web site.
68 Mustang Convertible - Some Unique Upgrades
68 Mustang Convertible - Some Unique Upgrades
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Olympia WA
I picked up Leon Styles 79 RX7 he built down under for the Rim of the World Rally. It was last run by Fling Pu Racing and I found it covered in brush and surrounded by broken down trailers, cars etc. Surprisingly it was a little banged up in very fair condition. looks like the carb will need a rebuild, new breaks and elbow grease but I'll have it race ready for the March 7th Rally Sprint in Shelton...
Spinner
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
From: Washington
^How did you find that steal of an rx8??? lol I doubt that was on craigslist right?
And in my garage I am finishing up some stereo equipment. Making a home stereo out of car stereo components. Reason for car components is that during a party setting I repeatedly cut out signal from home receivers, not enough power, overheats and cannot take the humidity or abuse.
I have a single 15 inch alpine type s with 500 rms on 2 ohm from a kenwood mono amp to reproduce low deep bass, 2 kicker 12's with 250 rms each to get a higher 150 hz bass input signal on 4 ohm, kenwood 6.5 inch component system with kenwood amp pushing 85 rms each channel, another set of components to mount on the ceiling on the opposite wall of the kenwoods, and a pioneer double din deck to make it feel complete. All amps powered up by a massive power converter at 100 amps, and the deck is powered on a computer power supply. All other accessories daisy chained on the CPS.
Deck and amps will be showcased in a single box with recessed lexan. Blue led underglow for the main deck box, Red EL wire for accent, a ton of fans to cool all components, lexan will be sandblast frosted to indicate some script of my choice etc etc. Still waiting on a few pieces for final touches and to drill slots for fan mounts on lexan.
The sealed 12's are built from 3/4 inch MDO boards, the 15 is 1 inch particle board with labyrinth slot port. The sealed components are built from the same 3/4 inch MDO board. All boxes have light pillow packing. All boxes covered in Maple Wood Formica to add a finished touch.
Will try to post pics when the last pieces arrive and I have it all put together and tuned in. Can't wait to have a sound system again that can bump pretty well and shake the house. So far the system sounds way better than previous setup I had running...
And in my garage I am finishing up some stereo equipment. Making a home stereo out of car stereo components. Reason for car components is that during a party setting I repeatedly cut out signal from home receivers, not enough power, overheats and cannot take the humidity or abuse.
I have a single 15 inch alpine type s with 500 rms on 2 ohm from a kenwood mono amp to reproduce low deep bass, 2 kicker 12's with 250 rms each to get a higher 150 hz bass input signal on 4 ohm, kenwood 6.5 inch component system with kenwood amp pushing 85 rms each channel, another set of components to mount on the ceiling on the opposite wall of the kenwoods, and a pioneer double din deck to make it feel complete. All amps powered up by a massive power converter at 100 amps, and the deck is powered on a computer power supply. All other accessories daisy chained on the CPS.
Deck and amps will be showcased in a single box with recessed lexan. Blue led underglow for the main deck box, Red EL wire for accent, a ton of fans to cool all components, lexan will be sandblast frosted to indicate some script of my choice etc etc. Still waiting on a few pieces for final touches and to drill slots for fan mounts on lexan.
The sealed 12's are built from 3/4 inch MDO boards, the 15 is 1 inch particle board with labyrinth slot port. The sealed components are built from the same 3/4 inch MDO board. All boxes have light pillow packing. All boxes covered in Maple Wood Formica to add a finished touch.
Will try to post pics when the last pieces arrive and I have it all put together and tuned in. Can't wait to have a sound system again that can bump pretty well and shake the house. So far the system sounds way better than previous setup I had running...