I dont get on here much but I like to pop in every now and then and make some updates. Myabee Ill stick around this time.

Probably alot has changed since I was on here making updates late in 2008, other than the fact I havent driven the car more than a mile or so.

Anyway, here is what I can think of thats happend since my last update. I will just post a bunch of updates from other forums to get this one up to date. Maybee after this Ill try to keep it updated.

This might not make much sense until everything is up to date, but I gota jump back in somewhere. (remember Im just copying and pasting right now)

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Mar 2009

FINALLY got the panels back from powdercoat. They turned out perfect. I just love this black textured finish. It took a while to get the panels in as I had to add quite a few nutserts to them and drill out most of the holes. After a couple hours of tinkering I got them in. The sides are riveted in, since they wont need to ever come out, and the large rear ones are bolted in with 10-24 flange cap head screws with nylon washers under them so as to not scratch the finish, and hopefully prevent rattling (recall I put the gaffer tape under all the panels where they would touch another metal surface).

Pics














Trunk view




I also got the new battery tray almost finished up. It just needs the mounting holes drilled and to be powder coated. Ill prob drop it off tues when I have to pick up some other stuff for a friend.





Sat I finished covering all the rest of the interior panels except for hte rear deck, which I need to reamake quick as its too small now, and the rocker area pieces, which still need to be notched for the cage.

The tweeter pods were left over from the previous interior, I think I made them in 98 heh.

To tie the front to the rear better, and to complete the area on the side of the rear deck nicely, I covered a thin piece of aluminum in matching tweed and riveted it in place. I also had to cut the B pillar panels in half to be able to get them behind the cage. Again I used some thin aluminum to make 2 straps that hold the panels together after they are in place, also riveted.

Thats pretty much it. It took almost 3 hours to get those couple panels in there. Most of which was fn around making up the little aluminum straps etc. Im hoping the other side only takes about an hour.








This doesnt fit super perfect, but close enough.




Here you can see the split in the B pillar panel and the rivets.


Side two tomorrow.

Once thats in, I just need to fix the rear deck and then put the bottom "seat" panels in and then the carpet and seats can follow. Im gonna try like hell to have the interior all together minus door panels this week.

Made, covered, and installed the new rear deck panel tonight. It may require a few more rivets to keep it nice and flat, for now its in. I temp put the rear seat bottom pieces in and started trimming the carpet. The carpet I cut off the back of the new molded carpet I got for the car. Its a little wrinkly which Im not sure will come out or not as it sits there. If not, I may buy a yard of new and retrim it. Should be easy since I already have a nice pattern.

Anyway, pics









The other nite I got one of the sil plate panels trimmed to fit around hte cage, if I didnt already mention that. I should be covering them both sat am.


YEP, my 60' times suck

247HP/267ftlbs at 13psi with built motor

Project updates and stuff: www.clubhousecustoms.com
email: dan@clubhousecustoms.com

So its been way to long without an update. Ive been busy working on my "new" GTI and the wifes Audi, among other projects. Anyway, Im off from work this week so I managed to work most of the day on the car.

I finished up adding a few new rivets to the rear deck. Then I made an aluminum trim piece for the rear seat area carpet. A quick trip to lowes for some angle stock, a few rivets, and some black gaffers tape and this is the result.





I also patched some holes in the floor from the old cage, and also two from these factory plugs that were all rusty. You can see the pices of aluminum riveted in place in some of hte pics. I also added just a little padding under the front foot area, and a few small squares of dynamat.






I wanted to move the shifter back so its less of a stretch when firmly strapped in. Only took a few mins to drill new holes in the factory shifter base.





Then I got the carpet in, which I had previously trimmed some. It took a bit more trimming but I have the drivers side and most of the rear part fitting nicely. I also installed the shifter and the ebrake lever.





After dinner I started installing the belts and got the top two pieces of roll bar padding in. The drivers shoulder belts are adjusted. I still need to add the hooks for the lap belts. Should be a simple bolt in tomorrow am.





Tomorrow I should have the belts and seats all installed, and Im gonna start tinkering on the center console and finishing up some wiring. If all goes well, maybee Ill actually try to start it on wed.

For a change of pace I decided it was time to finally swap the wheel studs to the longer ARP ones to accomodate the new wheels and required spacers. I pulled all the hubs, since the studs just cant be done on the car. What I discovered was interesting.

The aftermarket front hubs I bought a few years back seem to have an oversized knurl (spline) size on the studs so the ARPs I got wont fit. Looks like one of the front hubs is junk, so I think Ill just replace both and hope like hell they come with the correct size splines.



The rear hubs were ok, so tonight I pressed out the stockers and in the new ARP studs, got the hubs back on the car and the brakes reassembled.





Going to try and get soem new front hubs at lunch tomorrow so maybee I can finish this up soon.


As promised, pics of the new panels. And yes its lot of gauges. I really wanted to do this all in one dash panel dealeo but I dont wanna switch to AEM or similar to be able to interface with it. At least not yet.

The little holes are for 1/8" LEDs. The ones in the middle are for a shift light, and the ones at the bottom for turn and high beam indicators.



It is going over the cluster I made so that I could remove the panel meter and put the AEM wb02 in its place. And also to remove the giant autometer shift light (of which I am just going to use the circuit of to drive the LEDs).






And the new switch panel to replace this one. Since I took the PLX unit out and a few uneeded switches from my ricer days. The two holes are for fuel level and voltmeter gauges. I had made my own but I didnt like the way they work, so I had the space, figure Id just put regular gauges in and get on with my life.




More of the same. More tinkering, no driving. Im currently trying to figure out how to get it over for an inspection so I can reregister it....

Anyway, pics of it outside (not to bad for BB pics)





And yes I do need to lower it a bit. I took so much weight out since I designed the suspension I am out of downward travel in the rear. I need to order some shorter springs. The front I have about 2" I can come down, but Ill prob only lower it another 1/2" or so.


YEP, my 60' times suck

247HP/267ftlbs at 13psi with built motor

Project updates and stuff: www.clubhousecustoms.com
email: dan@clubhousecustoms.com

So I never really got a chance to figure out exactly what my ignition or w/e issue it was. Now its that time to start working on it again (did I ever stop?).

Anyway, gonna clean up some really basic things that have either bothered me or are just done sketchy (like injectors pointing at the walls of the runners etc).

Plans are:

New intake manifold - most lilely with a dual plenum design
Manual brakes (to make room for the new mani)
New clutch pedal / master to match the aftermarket slave previously installed
Removing the GM Factory DIS unit and going to a 36-1 trigger wheel and 4 coils
Finish up the interior
Continue weight redux

Not much has happened yet. A bit of planning.

The Wilwood brake and clutch assemblies are on the way. I pulled the brake booster and pedals out. The booster alone was 10lbs.

Before


After - Obviously the new masters will stick out some, but Im clearing up ALOT of room. It will also allow me to remove the hydraulic bias assy and a few connections. Also I will be able to take 90 deg out of the charge piping (possibly more) and shorten it by about a foot.





Havent had a chance to touch this much lately. However, I have collected some parts and started on the new intake manifold. So far I just have the basic flange shape cut out, and today I machined the holes in it for the injector bungs. They now match the factory angles, so Im not just spraying fuel on the walls of the runners in the head. Basically I wanted to fix all the things that sucked about the first intake I made 6 years ago. It was pretty much one of hte first things I ever fab'd, so it wasnt that great.

Tomorrow I plan to get the holes machined in the new -8 fuel rail. Up next I need to get the old intake off the car and trace out the ports and mounting holes to transfer to the new flange.

stock mani with the runners cut down. YOu can see the stock injector angle here.



Luckily the mill had enough rotation in the head to bore the holes.



Here is the result. Fuel rail and fittings in the background...





To be able to fit this new intake I needed to adjust the brakes a llittle. I dont have it all worked out yet, as I need at least the fuel rail done first, but here is what I have so far. Mini brake booster, H body master cylinder (has ports on the drivers side vs. pass) and a old vw remote reservoir.





I also got these guys in today



Thats it so far.


Manual brake swap underway...

Adaptor plate is pretty much done. Just need to clean up the edges etc. Turns out that the two middle holes for the booster bracket line right up with the master cylinder at pretty much the perfect height for the new 6.5:1 pedal ratio (Im guessing this isnt by accident). I still need to cut out the firewall a bit too. Probably borrow a greenlee punch from work tomorrow and knock that out quick tomorrow nite.

Anyway, that is pretty much all figured out. I just need to come up with a way to ensure the pushrod doesnt fall out of hte back of the master cylinder. I may just buy a Wilwood unit, or come up with some sort of positvie locking device. I found a rubber one, but Id prefer to have something metal holding the rod in.



Also pulled the blower motor plenum and motor off the firewall. Im going to build something super small inside just for defrost. That really creates alot more room.



Coil driver box is almost done. Just need to mount the devices and bolt down the D connector.




A lot more progress on the manual brakes tonight. I got the new actuator rod mounted to the pedal (for increased ratio). Mounted the master to the firewall, which will need to come off to clean up the mounting plate and get matching bolts. I wanted to redo some of the hardlines and move the bias adjuster, but it just didnt seem worth the extra effort. Luckily I had a shorter premade braided line "in stock" so I put that on for the rear line. Basically I am ready to bleed this now and get everything final mounted. Oh, I also need to make a new simple bracket to help support the bias knob. Ill knock that out at lunch tomorrow.



I also have the heater box out in these pics. It may or may not stay out. I pulled it out thinking I would need the room for the intake mani, but I dont think its necessary now.



Finally a couple pics of the fuel rail Im making and the approx position of it after its all together. The injectors are angled to match the factory injector angle.






YEP, my 60' times suck

247HP/267ftlbs at 13psi with built motor

Project updates and stuff: www.clubhousecustoms.com
email: dan@clubhousecustoms.com

I also have the injector bungs ready to be welded to the flange. I came up with some simple spacers to hold the flange up just right so all the bungs will be even. It was way too fn late to start welding, maybee tomorrow.






I have the firewall braces almost done. I just need to weld the tube ends to the pass side tube and finish welding the triangle tabs to the mounting plate on that side as well (I ran out of shield gas, ugh).

The braces are pretty straight forward. The only part that might need explaining is the mounts at the master cylinder. Basically I just welded some 3/16" bar stock to the head of a 3/8" bolt to create the mounting point for the clevis. The outer mounts are just two triangles that I bought and welded to that same 3/16" bar stock.









I finally got a great start on the crank trigger setup as well. The wheel was easy, it just bolts right onto the outside of the crank pulley (ya, I still need to drill the other 3 mounting holes in it). The sensor mount is in pretty good shape really. Here is whats left to do: tighten up the sensor to wheel gap by machining the bracket on the block thinner, weld the two pieces together (right now they just have one bolt so I could get the angle right etc), shorten the long piece by about 1/16" to get the sensor exactly in line with the wheel laterally. Probably just another hour or so and the setup should be done.





Finally, I think this is how the coils are going to mount. The plan would be to mount them approx 1/2 to 3/4" above the valve cover on an aluminum plate that attaches to the valve cover with some sort of standoffs (maybee something phoenalic to keep heat xfer to a min). Ill prob put some of the gold heat reflective film on the bottom of the plate to help manage the heat. I will still have about 1" of clearance to the bottom of the hood if I space them up 1/2".





Finished welding up the pass side firewall brace. I just need to clean up everything and get it all painted or powdered and do a final assembly.

Test fit the modified crank trigger. It needs just one more small adjustment before I can weld it together. Ill fix that up tomorrow on lunch so it will be set to weld up wed.

Other than paint or powder I completely finished up the mount for the coils. I need to order the rubber standoffs to mount them to the valve cover tomorrow and also some small spacers for under each coil. I think Im going to press PEM studs into the valve cover to attach the rubber standoffs to. This way I dont have to worry about hardware coming loose into the motor.

Also tomorrow Ill get my plug wires back to magnecor to be shortened for the new coil placement. I think they charged me like 12 bux last time, including parts. Totally worth it to have them professionally done.







Finally some progress on the intake manifold. The flange other than some mild porting is done. I have the injector bungs welded in and the port holes cut.

I started cutting the tubing for the main plenum and mostly assembled the jig to hold the runners (so I can flare the ends of them to create the velocity stacks)








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That brings the project up to date as of late last night.


Dan


YEP, my 60' times suck

247HP/267ftlbs at 13psi with built motor

Project updates and stuff: www.clubhousecustoms.com
email: dan@clubhousecustoms.com

favorite 2.2 ever

Very nice build.

Man, I am just in AWWW of all of this........... Good to see you back!!!










~2014 New Z under the knife, same heart different body~
______________________
WHITECAVY no more
2012 numbers - 4SPD AUTOMATIC!!
328 HP
306 TQ

clean






Supercharged 2002 Cavalier Z24
J-Body Bash Veteran

Looking good Dan! I am subscribed!





P&P Tuning
420.5whp / 359.8wtq

Wow! That sir is some amazing work.




Member of J-body of Michigan.

stargazer7467 wrote:favorite 2.2 ever

ʇı ɹǝʍo7 | ǝcoMonstǝrs

i had forgotten about this car. still blows my mind with every picture and attention to detail.

you should be doing this stuff for a living.... and making 6 figures doing it.

very nice. very nice.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/sndsgood/ https://www.facebook.com/#!/Square1Photography

this is sooo full of win i can say anymore






RIP JESSE GERARD.....Youll always be in my thoughts and prayers...

Very cool build, attention to detail is amazing.

I've been following your VW build for the wife on V6z24.com, very cool as well!

I love it! Looks great! Good work!!

I remember this car. GREAT work man. I love it.

Damn I was wondering whatever happened to this. Good to see youre still plugging along.



JGM T-SHIRTS!!!!

In Loving Memory of Phil Martin December 14 2005
Alexis: Dustin, you're ghey, lol. I am better. I have tits, and tits rule all.

Amazing work!!!! Can't wait to see more.




JBO Member since 2006.

Simply amazing. I saw this car in person last fall and it was crazy to see all of the custom brackets and everything else that has been done to it.


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2002 Cavalier LS Sport -- IBM/G/A4 -- *SOLD*
2007 Cobalt SS/SC -- SOM/B/M5 -- *SOLD*
Looking for an Admiral Blue M6 Corvette
Turner Automotive-Corvette's Detailer/Web Designer/Photographer

insane.

Thanks all. Should be another update tonight. Im not sure how exciting it will be yet, only time will tell.

Dan


YEP, my 60' times suck

247HP/267ftlbs at 13psi with built motor

Project updates and stuff: www.clubhousecustoms.com
email: dan@clubhousecustoms.com

I SATCHMOE YOU!!!! wrote:Damn I was wondering whatever happened to this. Good to see youre still plugging along.

x2. I love this build and the new function based interior looks awesome too!

I got a TON done tonight.

Brakes:

- made up a simple pedal stop so the push rod cant fall out
- bead blasted the master cylinder adaptor plate
- painted the firewall brace mounts
- permanently installed the master cylinder, adjusted the pushrod and added a boot as secondary method to insure the pushrod stays in place

The only thing left is to eventually get the firewall brace tubes powder coated. I will probalby do this the next time I have a bunch of parts to go in.

You can see the new location of the master cyl pushrod here as well.





Ignition:

- painted the coil mount bracket
- mounted the coils
- added some thermal heat barrier film to the bottom of the assembly
- did a final test fit of the VR sensor bracket
- welded the two halves together








Intake Manifold:

- managed to get the 4" tube stretched out enough to test fit the baseplate

By removing more material from the 4" tube at one end than the other, a slight taper was created going away from the TB end of the plenum. Its hard to tell in the pics but its a few degrees.










More this weekend

Dan


YEP, my 60' times suck

247HP/267ftlbs at 13psi with built motor

Project updates and stuff: www.clubhousecustoms.com
email: dan@clubhousecustoms.com

Effin' A, Cotton, Effin' A!

that is simply amazing.