Planning a new 383 build that is now going to be a 400

[busterrm]

I figured out part of the that mystery line off the portioning valve, the one off the back of the valve is the rear brake line. I followed it and it goes up into a junction under the body and then turns and goes back to the rearend. The mystery line comes from somewhere inside the car, I will have to pull up the carpet to ascertain its origin. It was a allusion to me, they go into the car at the same spot so I of course I thought they were both the same line, as it turns out they aren't.

 

[Indycars]

The mystery line comes from somewhere inside the car,

Must be for driver refreshment during stressful times.

 

[Grumpy]

are you sure that LINE, is not the fuse ,to the EMERGENCY SCUTTLING CHARGE in the bildge

 

[NOT A TA]

Sub frame looks nice!

 

[busterrm]

are you sure that LINE, is not the fuse ,to the EMERGENCY SCUTTLING CHARGE in the bildge

I will have to check that when I pull the carpet up. I don't think so though, that's the line that went up via a rubber line to the windshield wiper reservoir.

 

[busterrm]

I have not got pics, but I have the A frames, springs, shocks, sway bar and spindles cleaned, painted, back on the subframe. I have center link, inner/ outer tie rods and the disk calipers left, then I will put in the new steering column. I have a question, I have the ac evaporator off but I am wondering if the blower motor blows through the behind the motor or it blows the heat through ac evaporator for the heater? If it blows the heated air through the hole behind the motor I will have a easier time with making the plate close off the firewall. Otherwise, I will have to do extensive sheetmetal work to route the heated air where it needs to go. I am happy with added clearance the removal of ac evaporator has given, it will give greater access to make the header install and removal so much easier. Can anyone answer that question for me about heater?

 

[busterrm]

Here are some pics to help answer my question and show progress on the suspension and steering so far. Add the steering box to the list, I have to clean it up and paint it also. As can be seen in the first picture there is a flapper door behind the blower motor, and I think that is where the heat gets in for the car, I just want to make sure I am right before I start my fabrication of the cover for the firewall, once its done I will do a good clean up of the firewall and get it painted also. Where the heat goes into the cab of the car makes a difference in how I will make the cover for the firewall.

 

[87vette81big]

Air is Sucked in from the Big Round Hole Bob & Channeled Blown into the Retangular Hole.
Yes if AC Equipped Hot Air is blown through the AC Evaporator Core.

 

[busterrm]

Okay, so if I am not using the ac I can just put a flat cover over that area right? The blower motor fits inside the fender and I will cut off the big part of the housing and cover the open end. Okay It made sense to me it worked that way but I wanted to make sure before I go to cutting the ac housing off.

 

[87vette81big]

If you want a working heater or Defrosters on cold days then you need the Blower motor & Squirrel cage.
Right now your setup for street use yet.
I myself would want heat.
Without a heater your only heat is up from the Floorpans & Radiant Header & exhaust heat.
Texas has Cool days too.
Most guys Flat plate the Heater AC openings.
Another option is to find the Outside Heater box from a Non AC Nova.
Its compact like used on early Firebirds & Camaros with No AC.
Don't weigh much either.
Look in your local Salvage Yards.
Ebay too.

 

[87vette81big]

The Non AC cars had a Stamped steel Blower motor housing.
That part weighs just 5-7 pounds or so.
Relocating the battery to the Trunk gives best weight transfer advantage in GM X bodied Novas & F bodied Camaro & Firebird.

 

[busterrm]

I am using the blower motor, just block off ac section with sheetmetal, cut the ac section off and put little sheetmetal cover over the that area first, then cover the firewall section.

 

[busterrm]

Thinking about putting battery in back seat area, mount a volt meter on my slant board back there

 

[busterrm]

Sub frame looks nice!

Thanks! And the others that have positive comments, I kinda get caught up in it and forget to say thank you!

 

[busterrm]

The Non AC cars had a Stamped steel Blower motor housing.
That part weighs just 5-7 pounds or so.
Relocating the battery to the Trunk gives best weight transfer advantage in GM X bodied Novas & F bodied Camaro & Firebird.

So what your saying to have a working heater the air has to blow through the rectangle hole in the firewall?

 

[87vette81big]

Yes Bob.
Air has to blow through the Retangler hole in the Firewall .
The Heater box is on the other side of the Firewall .

 

[busterrm]

I have done a lot of measuring and fabricating of the blower motor housing. I had to use some weatherstripping to seal between the blower motor and the channel going to the firewall. You will see it in the middle, I covered the underside with a generous coat of silicon before screwing it down. The firewall got a good coat around the perimeter also, and I will put on a coat on the outside after what is there sets up and it cures enough for me to pressure wash everything and paint the firewall. But, I will have all the clearance for installing and removing the header on that side, rather than the two hour debauchal with that rear header bolt. After I will seal the outside with some RTV silicon. Here is a picture of it.


I had to move the sheet metal around a lot to get it into the blower motor housing and I had several areas the would have leaked without the silicon and weatherstripping.

 

[87vette81big]

Nice Work Bob.
Your very handy with Metal.
With Semi gloss or flat black paint your good to GO.

 

[busterrm]

Thanks Brian, I had to do all the brakes to form the channel by hand. I clamped the piece to a straight edge of 1/4 in plate and then clamped a piece of 1/4 x 1inch flat bar and did the bends manually. They didn't bend perfect so I took a small body hammer and straightened them with flat dolly on the backside slowly tapping along the line of the brake, I think I got it smoothed out pretty good. The frame is 3/4 X 1/8 angle iron. I am real happy with how it turned out, I was thinking it was going to look all cobbled together instead of how it looks. I am going to put in a bypass on the heater core and plugs on the engine for now, I will buy the heater hoses, but keep them for times when/if I ever drive during winter months. I wanted the heater functional and I will test it when the car is up and running.

 

[busterrm]

I got a good bit accomplished today! I went ahead and ran rtv silicon around the blower box, fit it with new heater hoses, put in the tilt steering column, cleaned up and remounted the steering gear box. I didn't paint the gear box, I just thought, I am going to be painting the firewall in the next day or so. I will just paint it then. I still have some holes to plug with silicon and then I will spray down the firewall with this new stuff I found called "Mean Green", after I let the silicon set up for several hours I will pressure wash the firewall. Then let it drip dry in the warm 80 degree temps we're going to have tomorrow. When I mounted the steering column, the new year model column had a different mounting base so I had to drill four hole and bolted it in with 1/4 - 20 bolts. In the picture you can see 3 of them, the fourth is out of site of the camera, I ran some of the foam weather strip around the mount to seal it to the inside of the firewall. all the plugs fit great so once I got it in it was on to the next task. Anyway, here are some pics, I included a picture of the degreaser bottle, I think I got it at walmart, the bottle you see and a gallon jug. I like it and it works pretty good too!!