American in Austria 83 Build

[44boggers]

Originally Posted by Pro Performance

Build looks great and will be following!

Thanks man!

paul

[jhama78]

Subscribed to Follow the EZ EFI Install.

[44boggers]

Right on bud. I have installed two of these kits already. Pretty straight forward.
Posted via Mobile Device

[44boggers]

Hey guys, Was hoping to get a bit of help.

I need to get new bolts for the engine crossmember as well as the support that goes from the frame to the crossmember (what the engine mount bolts to), but I did not have time before I left to take those bolts out to check the size. I am back in the US and I can finally get some grade 8 bolts.

I believe the engine crossmember bolts are either 7/16 or 1/2" but I am not sure. I also need the length. Maybe 2.5" long.

And the support going to the crossmember, i believe they are 3/8", is that correct? Maybe 1 or 1.25" long?

Thanks guys

Paul

[Bishops Trucks]

Nice work so far. I sat at a table and drank a few beers while my wife and kids went skiing there. Spent 3 years in Vienna, Austria. Tirol is a beautiful place.

[44boggers]

Originally Posted by Bishops Trucks

Nice work so far. I sat at a table and drank a few beers while my wife and kids went skiing there. Spent 3 years in Vienna, Austria. Tirol is a beautiful place.

No kidding, what were you doing in Wien for so many years? Its always a good time sitting down and getting a bit lose with the locals here. They drink like fish.

[Bishops Trucks]

Originally Posted by 44boggers

No kidding, what were you doing in Wien for so many years? Its always a good time sitting down and getting a bit lose with the locals here. They drink like fish.

Wife worked for the US Gov. I ended up working at the embassy for the Diplomatic Security Office. If you ever get the chance, go to the Prater (amusement park) in Wein. I can't remember the name of the restaurant but it seats a couple hundred people. They have a pork knuckle that just melts in your mouth and the beer is great and plentiful.

[44boggers]

Originally Posted by Bishops Trucks

Wife worked for the US Gov. I ended up working at the embassy for the Diplomatic Security Office. If you ever get the chance, go to the Prater (amusement park) in Wein. I can't remember the name of the restaurant but it seats a couple hundred people. They have a pork knuckle that just melts in your mouth and the beer is great and plentiful.

Right on man, I'll remember that. I don't make it that far east usually but when I do i'll check that place out.

[Bishops Trucks]

Originally Posted by 44boggers

Right on man, I'll remember that. I don't make it that far east usually but when I do i'll check that place out.

You'll enjoy it, I guarantee it. Now I made myself hungry. Gotta go dig around the fridge.

[Pro Performance]

I am not sure to be honest, and I don't have a frame here to check. I would imagine 7/16.

- Travis

[44boggers]

Originally Posted by Pro Performance

I am not sure to be honest, and I don't have a frame here to check. I would imagine 7/16.

- Travis

Thanks Travis,

I think its 7/16'' as well. I imagine 2.5" is plenty long enough.

[Jason Banks]

FYI on your octane rating.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf-OYXlhJis

Truck looks great!

[slotard]

I was going to say that octane is rated differently there. My impression is the fuel is fairly similar, although I don't know if they have as much ethanol in it.

Do you mean your roller rockers are 1.55:1? 1:5.5 doesn't really make sense. Is this a factory roller cam engine or are you converting it?

[44boggers]

Some good info on the fuel. I'll look into it more.

Yeah sorry a typo. 1.55:1 rocker. And no it's not a factory roller. I'm converting it to a roller.

Originally Posted by slotard

I was going to say that octane is rated differently there. My impression is the fuel is fairly similar, although I don't know if they have as much ethanol in it.

Do you mean your roller rockers are 1.55:1? 1:5.5 doesn't really make sense. Is this a factory roller cam engine or are you converting it?

Posted via Mobile Device

[44boggers]

Ok, so I ran into an issue today trying to fit my motor back in for some mock up. the problem is, is that I cant get the motor back in. I am new motor mounts and I cant get the holes to line up no matter what I try. The new mounts came with some metal tabs that must act as stop for the clam shell. First those were getting in the way not allowing me to even get the motor close to position. So i ground those tabs off and i could get the motor to fall into place. The issue is that once I have a bolt in one side, the other side is about a 1/2" off (the mount needs to move outboard a 1/2" or so.

The only thing i did not have on the motor which was exactly the same as when I took it out are those "spacers" that mount under the clam shell bolted to the motor.

I have the motor mounts bolted to the top two holes of the engine crossmember support bracket, or whatever you might call it. The part that bolts to the frame and the engine x member.

I was thinking maybe the frame was bent in, but all of the crossmembers and supports bolted right up, no problem.

Any ideas on what is going on here? Did chevy make an offset bushing part to the motor mount at any point. Is it possible that I have the wrong mount, even though it fits perfect between the metal part of the mount?

Thanks guys

Paul

[44boggers]

I am thinking some how the driver side frame is pushed in a bit. If so, I think I have two options. One is to slot the holes on the 45 degree frame support (which the motor mount bolts to) that way I can get the mount to slide up the bracket the 1/2" or so I need.

Or option to, is to use some sort of jack and try to push the frame rail out.

The thing is, is when I got the truck it drove great, drove straight down the road. The frame was cracked from the steering box, right in front of the engine x member. So maybe the frame cracking tweeked the frame inboard a bit?

The truck did have a lot of camber shims, perhaps that was to account for the frame being a little tweeked, I am not sure. I have also seen many other trucks with a lot of shims as well. So it's hard to say.

What do you guys think my next step should be. Kind sucks slot the holes in the plate since it has a fresh powder coat. But I wont go very far without a motor!!!!

[TurboLS]

44boggers, gotta say this is a great build. You are doing some awesome stuff being so far from readily available parts. I love the brakes. But gotta say, as an Aircraft Mechanic your killin me on you safety wire job! Think of it as the wire should be pulling each bolt in the tightening direction. When done it should look like a backwards "S".

Please don't take my criticism the wrong way. Your doing a hell of a job. Can't wait to see it complete.

[44boggers]

Originally Posted by TurboLS

44boggers, gotta say this is a great build. You are doing some awesome stuff being so far from readily available parts. I love the brakes. But gotta say, as an Aircraft Mechanic your killin me on you safety wire job! Think of it as the wire should be pulling each bolt in the tightening direction. When done it should look like a backwards "S".

Please don't take my criticism the wrong way. Your doing a hell of a job. Can't wait to see it complete.

Thanks Turbo, bring on the criticism, only way to learn. But looking at my safety wire job i cant see how they could come loose. If one bolt was to loose it would essentially try to tighten the other. Because they wire is made in an S shape. I swear I did it just like the instructions said plus watching 100 videos on it. But looking at it I cant see how if one was to loosen it would also loosen the other bolt, they would be pulling in the opposite directions.

I mean I believe you know exactly what you are talking about since you do this for a living, but I can't see how my wire job is incorrect. Please enlighten me Turbo.

Thanks

Paul

[TurboLS]

Originally Posted by 44boggers

Thanks Turbo, bring on the criticism, only way to learn. But looking at my safety wire job i cant see how they could come loose. If one bolt was to loose it would essentially try to tighten the other. Because they wire is made in an S shape. I swear I did it just like the instructions said plus watching 100 videos on it. But looking at it I cant see how if one was to loosen it would also loosen the other bolt, they would be pulling in the opposite directions.

I mean I believe you know exactly what you are talking about since you do this for a living, but I can't see how my wire job is incorrect. Please enlighten me Turbo.

Thanks

Paul

So look at it this way, the theory behind safety wire is to prevent the hardware from ever coming loose in the 1st place. And you are correct, if 1 did start to back out the other would hold it tight, when done correctly.

With that said, look at your safety at the 1o'clock position. The top bolt is safetied backwards. Its being pulled loose. Same for the Safety at the 3o'clock. Your best one is at 7o'clock, except its loose. Try putting less turns in the wire and when pulling it through the 2nd bolt have a nice tight safety. I cant see the 6o'clock one, half is cut off. It looks like its good. The ones at 9o'clock and 12o'clock are better, but they are each "neutral" safeties. Meaning 1 bolt is not being pulled in either direction. The wire is coming off the bottom straight.

Im not sure which kind of 12 point bolts those are, do they have multiple holes or just the 1 drilled straight through? If its just 1 hole that does make it more difficult to safety.

More than likely, you will never have a problem. Im just a picky SOB when it come to this stuff.

[streetstar]

Yes- it is safety wired incorrectly- the twisted wire should form an S of sorts as it pulls on both fasteners in the direction of tightening -- i'll try to post a diagram later

Build is lookinge great so far -- you'll be waking the neighbors for sure in that little mountain town

[44boggers]

Originally Posted by streetstar

Yes- it is safety wired incorrectly- the twisted wire should form an S of sorts as it pulls on both fasteners in the direction of tightening -- i'll try to post a diagram later

Build is lookinge great so far -- you'll be waking the neighbors for sure in that little mountain town

Well ****. That's what I get for trying to be extra safe. At least they are red loctited in.

I finally got the balancer off. Heat from a head gun did the trick.

I started today on the exhaust.

Does anyone think it matters where the bends in the system are located? What I mean is after the x pipe I turned the pipes up so they are level with the frame that way I don't need to bend it up over the axle. Does having the bends opposed to going straight until the axle hinder the flow?

Thanks

Paul
Posted via Mobile Device

[Kainedogg]

Great build. Love the brake and suspension setup.

What made you stick with the 305...just want to be different?

[44boggers]

Originally Posted by Kainedogg

Great build. Love the brake and suspension setup.

What made you stick with the 305...just want to be different?

Haha be different. I'm an American living I Austria with a 1983 c10. Can't get much different. But anyway. It's not easy here to just pick up a 350 at a junk yard. So it wasn't more of a choice as it was lack of options.

But regardless I think it will be enough power for a cruiser. Should be mid 300's hp.
Posted via Mobile Device

[TurboLS]

305 is a good motor. But if your ever wanting more reliable power, check out Pacific Fabrication. They are located about 20 miles north of me in California. They specialize in LS swaps ready to go with all necessary parts to run, shipped anywhere in the world. They even run their engines before shipping on a test stand and give you a warranty. I picked up my Cammed 6.0 from them, around 450 hp. Are they cheap, No! But awesome customer support. ...... Food for thought.

PS, again hope you didn't mind the safety wire comments. Either way it doesn't take away from your cool build. Feel free to give me sh*t on my build. We are at about the same place. My link should be below.

[44boggers]

Originally Posted by TurboLS

305 is a good motor. But if your ever wanting more reliable power, check out Pacific Fabrication. They are located about 20 miles north of me in California. They specialize in LS swaps ready to go with all necessary parts to run, shipped anywhere in the world. They even run their engines before shipping on a test stand and give you a warranty. I picked up my Cammed 6.0 from them, around 450 hp. Are they cheap, No! But awesome customer support. ...... Food for thought.

PS, again hope you didn't mind the safety wire comments. Either way it doesn't take away from your cool build. Feel free to give me sh*t on my build. We are at about the same place. My link should be below.

Thanks for the info Turbo,

Dont mind your comments at all. I encourage criticism. Ill check out your build and find 1 thing you did wrong