• Got the Contributing Memberships stuff finally worked out and made up a thread as a sort of "How-To" to help people figure out how to participate. So if you need help figuring it out, here's the thread you need to take a look at -> http://www.corvetteflorida.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3581 Thank you, everyone! Rich Z.

C5 427 forged motor?

I'm hunting around for some *bling* items to throw under the hood during this drivetrain rebuild and thought about perhaps those stainless steel hose covers I've seen at some of the shows. I think they look pretty sharp, but are there any practical drawbacks to them? Maybe keeping too much heat in the radiator hoses or perhaps abrading against them?

Anyone got any experience or thoughts about them?

Maybe even TOO tacky looking? :confused:
 
Connie and I ran over to XtremeMotorsports yesterday so I could see my new engine first hand. Of course I had to take some pics of it... :D

I was actually surprised at how small it seemed. Beats me why..... :shrug01:

 
Rich Z said:
I'm hunting around for some *bling* items to throw under the hood during this drivetrain rebuild and thought about perhaps those stainless steel hose covers I've seen at some of the shows. I think they look pretty sharp, but are there any practical drawbacks to them? Maybe keeping too much heat in the radiator hoses or perhaps abrading against them?

Anyone got any experience or thoughts about them?

Maybe even TOO tacky looking? :confused:
Click to expand...

I have been thinking of going to the Earls hoses that are the actual hoses and you have a choice of end colors. I'll investigate that a little further.

Motor looks awesome.
 
Right now I'm looking for bling valve covers and coil pack brackets. Chris asked me about them yesterday, saying something along the line that we need taller covers or something. That was kind of a curve ball I wasn't expecting, so I'm not sure what the heck I am supposed to be looking at. I thought the motor was going to be all inclusive with all the stuff necessary. :shrug01:
 
On Chris's recommendation we are going to the LSXR™ 102mm FAST intake manifold instead of the LS7 model. He just got one in for testing and he is impressed with the gains he saw on the dyno on a built LS7 engine. Plus they say it will handle 30psi of boost without any bursting problems.
 
Rich Z said:
On Chris's recommendation we are going to the LSXR™ 102mm FAST intake manifold instead of the LS7 model. He just got one in for testing and he is impressed with the gains he saw on the dyno on a built LS7 engine. Plus they say it will handle 30psi of boost without any bursting problems.
Click to expand...

Yes we saw some pretty good gains on this intake...customer was happy !!

It will be in an article coming up soon.:thumbsup:
 
MRS. XTREME said:
Yes we saw some pretty good gains on this intake...customer was happy !!

It will be in an article coming up soon.:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

That intake looks pretty tall to me. My stock hood WILL clear it, won't it?
 

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VetteHeadz said:
Rich, putting a hood over that work of art would be blasphemy!!:D
Click to expand...

Actually I agree and am very surprised that some third party hasn't offered a completely clear hood. I think it would be a pretty hot seller, personally..

But since I tend to drive even if some showers are looming, I really don't want it to rain directly on my motor. So yes, some sort of hood is a necessity. :shrug01:

I do wish my headers had stayed bright and shiny like they were when I got them. But they eventually lost that gleam. I don't know if it is something that will clean up, or the Jet Hot coating itself has changed from the heat over time.
 
They make clear hoods for the ricers, so I'm sure someone could be persuaded to make one for Corvettes. Of course there's always the concern about it staying on at 188MPH!!!:shrug01:


bicarshow020.jpg
 
It has begun....

I took the C5Z over to XtremeMotorsports today and Chris and gang jumped right on it preparing to yank out the old drivetrain. I got the camcorder up and took footage of some of the preparatory stuff, but had to head on home before the drivetrain actually got removed. But I left the camcorder set up and running, so whatever they get done will be captured even though I'm not there right now. I'll be going back tomorrow morning and try to hang out to get as much video as I can.

I thought it would be traumatic watching my old engine getting stripped down, but no, didn't faze me in the least. I guess having that Warhawk motor in sight the entire time knowing that soon it would be sitting in that engine bay soothed my soul quite a bit. Actually I feel more excited about this now that the process has started then I have been feeling about it earlier. I guess it was just too abstract of a thought thinking it was going to be happening SOMETIME, whereas now I am actually SEEING it beginning to take place. And there is quite a bit of positive feedback at Xtreme, as everyone there seems excited about this project too.
 
We are SOOO excited to finally have it started !!!!

also...

Tell Connie

I LOVE HER , I LOVE HER I LOVE HER !!!!!

After a day I had today I needed a whole bunch of chocolate and she made my dream come true :rofl1:

THANK YOU SO MUCH CONNIE !!!!!!
 
Yesterday the drivetrain was extracted from the frame/body of my car. Pretty interesting watching the separation take place....



Chris discovered that one of my turbos has developed a seal problem and was leaking oil into the intake part of the turbo. So he's going to be sending them both back to STS to be rebuilt. But at least this was discovered before it developed into a more serious problem that could have destroyed the turbo.

Today (Thursday) the guys got a late start, but the torque tube was separated from the transmission/differential, and then both the front and read cradles were taken outside to be cleaned up.

I believe tomorrow some of the new stuff is going to be assembled. I think at least the new carbon fiber driveshaft will be installed into the torque tube, and maybe more stuff will start to be put into place in the drivetrain. So it should be exciting to see this all coming together....
 
Nice video ! But you want to know the first thing I noticed?
Garage doors open, sunny and bright out, and someone wearing SHORTS !
Damn near pi$$ed me off enuf to stop the video :lmao:
I gotta tell you that yesterday it was 52, rainy, damp and miserable up here.
2 1/2 more years till retirement, and I think it's gonna be a LOOOOOOOONG 2 1/2 years. :mad:
I DID like seeing the drivetrain being seperated, and then sitting out there in the open
all by it's self. Glad that the problem with the turbos was discovered before there
was too much damage. Hang in there Rich.......it shouldn't be too much longer. Hell, if I can
go 7 months without seeing my car, this should be a piece of cake for you! :yesnod:
Andy :wavey:
 
Yeah, I think the high temp yesterday hit around 88 degrees or so. Pretty warm for this time of year even in north Florida.

With everything OUT of the car now, the process of putting the new stuff together to put it all back IN the car should begin.

I expected to find a LOT of things that needed fixing when I could get a real close eyeballing underneath the car, but surprisingly that wasn't the case at all. Chris found a hot wire going to the starter had been shorting against a header tube, which might very well explain my battery draining problem I've been having. I also found the back tab to the right front fender at the kick panel was broken, which Chris said he would fix for me. Besides a bunch of stuff that rodents had stuffed here in there, there wasn't anything else damaged. I thought for certain I would find wires chewed through by rodents, but thankfully that wasn't the case at all.

Oh well, got to run out there in a bit again. Honestly, I don't see how Chris bears up under that drive back and forth every day. It's wearing me out and I know I only will be doing it for a little while longer.
 
Keep up the reports Rich. I'm starting to feel like an expectant grandfather with all this waiting for
"news reports". As nice as it is to see the videos and pictures of the work, it's gotta be awesome
being there and seeing it firsthand. And hey....... I'll be more than glad to take some of that
heat off of your hands.:rofl1:
Andy :wavey:
 
Well, today was kind of a bust. Besides being stymied by a monstor snap ring, Chris found that the torque tube bearings were in need of being replaced. Of course Champion Chevy didn't have them in stock, so they won't be in till Monday. Nothing else much they could do on my car, so I got off early today.

I'm beginning to miss seeing my car sitting under the carport.... :nonod: She's been away from home for three days now.
 
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