The H'ell Camino
- Thread starter Greg
- Start date
- Location
- West Bountiful, UT
Woot!
- DAA
- DAA
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
That engine looks damn beautiful in that engine bay.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Yeah it does, really updates the look of the car! I think the hood will be opened, often... to show it off!
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Another big part of the drivetrain showed up yesterday, the 4L60E from Summit Racing. The price is good for what you get and it comes with a great warranty. This rebuilt transmission from Summit has some nice upgrades, Corvette servo, aluminum pan with drain plug, remanufactured with all-new clutches, thrust washers, seals, bushings, and high-energy bands, plus a hardened sunshell. It also includes a rebuilt front pump, a street performance valve body, and high-quality seals and gaskets. People that have bought this trans say the shifts are tight and quick and its rated for up to 450 HP, so it should be perfect for the El Camino!
To go along with the new transmission, I picked up a torque convertor from Boss Hog. It should be a 1800-2000 RPM stall, a bit better than stock but still plenty driveable. I'll plumb some new braided steel lines to the trans cooler in the radiator, after flushing it out.
I also got the new gas tank installed, working on the plumbing and wiring now. It's tedious work, but I want to make sure it's done right the first time so there aren't issues down the road. The Corvette filter & regulator are hanging just forward of the new gas tank, looped the feed lines around so there aren't any restrictions and now just have to plumb one line forward to the engine.
To go along with the new transmission, I picked up a torque convertor from Boss Hog. It should be a 1800-2000 RPM stall, a bit better than stock but still plenty driveable. I'll plumb some new braided steel lines to the trans cooler in the radiator, after flushing it out.
I also got the new gas tank installed, working on the plumbing and wiring now. It's tedious work, but I want to make sure it's done right the first time so there aren't issues down the road. The Corvette filter & regulator are hanging just forward of the new gas tank, looped the feed lines around so there aren't any restrictions and now just have to plumb one line forward to the engine.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Well, it's been 6 months since an update and I've hardly worked on the El Camino... with a work schedule change meaning less time at home, I just haven't been able to do much with this thing. BUT, I've had some time off with the Holiday and have been able to make some great progress and am planning on more to come!
Some minor things that have been done.... transmission, convertor and engine are bolted up. Had to pull engine & trans and beat on firewall to make room for trans cooler lines. Got the transmission and engine oil dipsticks installed. Filled the engine with Amsoil 30w Break In Oil. The radiator is bolted back in place, the transmission cooler lines are mounted and routed (had these custom made $$$). Installed the shorty headers, had to beat one tube on each side for clearance (hitting a-arm mount on pass side, steering shaft on drivers), fit up the exhaust down pipe and crossover tube. Slipped driveshaft into trans output and measured driveshaft for shortening (needs to be 4" shorter).
The exhaust isn't going to have tailpipes, my old '71 Camaro was running Flowmasters that dumped right before the rear axle. I'm going for a similar setup, but adding a crossover this time. This should help with scavening, improve bottom-end torque and tone down the sound, a little.... but I'm expecting it to be pretty damn loud. We will see if tailpipes are a necessity after it's on the road.
I'm hoping I can drop the driveshaft at my local shop and get it shortened, balanced and new joints installed tomorrow and get some exhaust pieces sorted, so I can wrap up the exhaust. I need to order a new transmission crossmember for the 4L60E, may do that tomorrow.
Have some wiring to get started on, that's going to be fun... need to mount the electric fans on the radiator, figure out upper & lower radiator hoses, etc. LOTS progress, lots more to do.
Some minor things that have been done.... transmission, convertor and engine are bolted up. Had to pull engine & trans and beat on firewall to make room for trans cooler lines. Got the transmission and engine oil dipsticks installed. Filled the engine with Amsoil 30w Break In Oil. The radiator is bolted back in place, the transmission cooler lines are mounted and routed (had these custom made $$$). Installed the shorty headers, had to beat one tube on each side for clearance (hitting a-arm mount on pass side, steering shaft on drivers), fit up the exhaust down pipe and crossover tube. Slipped driveshaft into trans output and measured driveshaft for shortening (needs to be 4" shorter).
The exhaust isn't going to have tailpipes, my old '71 Camaro was running Flowmasters that dumped right before the rear axle. I'm going for a similar setup, but adding a crossover this time. This should help with scavening, improve bottom-end torque and tone down the sound, a little.... but I'm expecting it to be pretty damn loud. We will see if tailpipes are a necessity after it's on the road.
I'm hoping I can drop the driveshaft at my local shop and get it shortened, balanced and new joints installed tomorrow and get some exhaust pieces sorted, so I can wrap up the exhaust. I need to order a new transmission crossmember for the 4L60E, may do that tomorrow.
Have some wiring to get started on, that's going to be fun... need to mount the electric fans on the radiator, figure out upper & lower radiator hoses, etc. LOTS progress, lots more to do.
rholbrook
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Kaysville, Ut
I was going to ask you about the progress and now we know
Magerdgr
Have gun, will travel
- Location
- My secret underground lair
It’s sure looking great Greg! Happy to see progress on this beast!??
kmboren
Recovering XJ owner anonymous
- Location
- Southern Utah
Looks awesome Greg.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Thanks guys, it seems like now that the engine is in bolted up, things are really humming right along!
Jesser04
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Kaysville Utah
Looks fast sitting there! Might want to start buying tires looks like you’ll need them.
glockman
I hate Jeep trucks
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
I'm jealous.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
It's been a long road, more $$$ and time than expected... but it should all be worth it!
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Not as much progress as I wanted today, but some good accomplishments. I took the driveshaft to the local driveline shop and they're still closed for the holidays! I'm hoping they'll be back open Monday, but if not I'll need my wife to drop it off and relay what needs to be done.
Todays big project was the transmission crossmember, I was going to buy a Holley LS/4L60E Swap crossmember but they're $300 and after looking at what I needed, I figured I could modify the original crossmember to work. It was pretty tedious, I moved the crossmember back on it's mount a couple inches which helped. Still, there was lots of fitting, measuring, cutting, grinding and welding. Finally got the 4L60E trans sitting on the new rubber mount cutting into the crossmember, boxing it and building the new mount further back. I used my new ESAB Rebel for the work and it's amazing.... love the Rebel!
I was also able to get the exhaust mostly squared away, still need to get 2 pieces slipped together but everything is tacked together from the crossover on back. It should go together pretty easy at this point, when it's ready. I just need to get the O2 sensors in place, check for clearance and weld the collector to the downpipe and the downpipe to the crossover. I'm thinking about clamping the joint at the downpipe/crossover instead of welding, so it can be dropped out, if needed.
Todays big project was the transmission crossmember, I was going to buy a Holley LS/4L60E Swap crossmember but they're $300 and after looking at what I needed, I figured I could modify the original crossmember to work. It was pretty tedious, I moved the crossmember back on it's mount a couple inches which helped. Still, there was lots of fitting, measuring, cutting, grinding and welding. Finally got the 4L60E trans sitting on the new rubber mount cutting into the crossmember, boxing it and building the new mount further back. I used my new ESAB Rebel for the work and it's amazing.... love the Rebel!
I was also able to get the exhaust mostly squared away, still need to get 2 pieces slipped together but everything is tacked together from the crossover on back. It should go together pretty easy at this point, when it's ready. I just need to get the O2 sensors in place, check for clearance and weld the collector to the downpipe and the downpipe to the crossover. I'm thinking about clamping the joint at the downpipe/crossover instead of welding, so it can be dropped out, if needed.
Best way to do it. Build it right once, no matter how long it takes.
I'm thinking about clamping the joint at the downpipe/crossover instead of welding, so it can be dropped out, if needed.
V band clamps?
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
That would be a super clean way to do it!
That is what I would do. I didn't use any on my exhaust, mine is pretty short, T-bolt clamps at the muffler inlet. But....I had a whole discussion with my brother one day and he said that is one thing he would change on the exhaust of that 57 wagon, V band clamps!
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I've used them on exhaust before, it came out great.