Impressions of the 62 so far

[IH2LOSE]

Well On friday I took the 62 to get its wheel alignment, Talk about a scary ride,I as was driving I was thinking about all of the nuts and bolts I installed and if I tightened them all. The car took an alignment no problem so it has alot to say for Mike at SR 111 for his frame building skills.

I am not happy with the auto trans,If I manually shift it it runs like a scaired rabit. If I put it in over drive and drive it normall it seems to allways be in too tall a gear and lugs the motor and feels doggy. At this point in a side by side race my 66 would leave this car in the dust. I am going to meet with the tranny guy on monday to see what he car do to fix this.I chose a big block for the plant you in your seat feel and I am not getting it unless the car is manually shifted.

The power rack and pinoin steering is excellent just like driving the wifes C5.

The ride quaility is stiff.Almost go cart like. Handels real well but its a stiffer ride then I personally like but I have a feeling this may be how its supposed to feel with the suspention I have in it.

Mufflers again I feel are just a tad too loud. The end result of building the car was to have a modern running gear car that appeared like a stock 1962 to an average person until you got up close to it. So I really wanted quiet mufflers. The mufflers I have now give the motor motor away right away.

I was followed into a gas station on the way to the alignment shop by a fellow vetter on his way to work to question how I got C5 wheels to fit on it,he lives 10 minutes from me and is in the midst of a C1 modified restoration and we have never met before. I explained I was on my maiden vouage to get an alignment 45 minute ride and I was nervous as to what may go wrong.He offered to follow me there in case there was trouble,he said he just had to call into work.I explained I did not want to put him out and what ever happens I could deal with it. (Prior to owning a vette I thought the vette guys were nasty) I refered him to our forum and he is going to enlist the help of his daughter when she comes back from camp to get him on line. (I thought every one was on line in this day and age)

 

[Sting Ray]

Larry,

Glad the Maiden Voyage went off without a hitch, I hope you didn't break any champagne over the bumper , you don't think a loud exaust makes it sounds like an old car? Try to get alittle gas to leak somewhere so you can get the fumes and it will be just like an old car. Hope you can get it just the way you want it in the near future, and look forward to seeing it at Carlisle.

Tom M

 

[BarryK]

Larry
congrats on your maiden voyage and that nothing went wrong.

i'm sure you will get your tranny and muffler issues sorted out to where you are happy with them but with all the work you have done and in such a relatively short time is truely amazing! The car works so these are just minor issues to tweak and I know you will get them sorted out to your datisfaction soon enough.
I can't wait to see this car at Carlisle!

 

[Subfixer]

Larry, Congrats on getting the car almost done. I'm sure you'll make it to Carlisle with no problems.

I can really relate to the nuts and bolts concern. I still hear rattles that aren't there, and I'm constantly going over the car to make sure I didn't miss anything. As the days go by, I'm getting a little less paranoid..

 

[Z28Canuck]

You've done so much in such a small time frame lately and now you're there! Way to go Larry, great news, congratulations. See you in a couple of weeks. Have a safe trip.

 

[wallyknoch]

What you may have to do is consider whether you want to drive at a buck fifty plus or be quick off the line. If you really want the car to respond at low end with the automatic, shorten up on the gear. I have some suggestions that corresponds to how I set up my automatic BB pieces. Top end speed is fine, but remember it`s really measured in how fast or quick you get there.

 

[IH2LOSE]

What you may have to do is consider whether you want to drive at a buck fifty plus or be quick off the line. If you really want the car to respond at low end with the automatic, shorten up on the gear. I have some suggestions that corresponds to how I set up my automatic BB pieces. Top end speed is fine, but remember it`s really measured in how fast or quick you get there.

I am not a top end type of person but I wanted this car to be a cruiser .

The car has 3:45'S in it and it really gets it off the line.the car has absolutely no traction with my foot in it.

The major problem I am having is the car is short shifting.From a dead stop tonight I was pulling the car into my driveway and within a car lenght the car is shifting to secound gear,the rpms were not even over 1400. I feel it should be shifting around 2500 to 3000 and it would be better.

I am running an MSD dist and 6 al box and I changed the advance springs today to the 2 light silver ones and it woke the motor right up.I also switched to manifold vacum instead of the ported as MSD recomends. I have it set at 36 degrees total timing with no detanotion with sunaco ultra 94 and am wondering if I should try 38. or even go to a lighter spring.

I am shocked for a big block it winds right up now,I am wondering if its because of the roller cam in it. I never had a Big block wind up so fast.

My 66 is very predictable when I have my foot in it,the back starts to come around slowley and a slight correction with the wheel and I am good ready for the next gears kick out. This car is not predictable.A slight correction cause over steer and sends me way out of shape and I end up chasing it back and fourth. Its going to take me a while to fget comfortable with this one.I am monkeying around with the shock settings and it seemed to take some of the stiffnes/jounce out of the car.

 

[IH2LOSE]

Larry, Congrats on getting the car almost done. I'm sure you'll make it to Carlisle with no problems.

I can really relate to the nuts and bolts concern. I still hear rattles that aren't there, and I'm constantly going over the car to make sure I didn't miss anything. As the days go by, I'm getting a little less paranoid..

I may have a compusive disorder as I have checked everthing several times,I know its all tight I just cant stop.

 

[John Mcgraw]

Larry,

I do not know much about the 700 trans, but from what I hear you saying, it sounds like a TVS cable adjustment problem. I am sure that your trans guy can help with the proper adjustment. The cable adjustment is critical to proper operation. You clearly have more than enough torque on tap, if you can keep it in the approiate gear! You should be able to light the tires at any speed below about 50 MPH, by just sticking your foot in it!


Regards, John McGraw

 

[IH2LOSE]

Larry,

I do not know much about the 700 trans, but from what I hear you saying, it sounds like a TVS cable adjustment problem. I am sure that your trans guy can help with the proper adjustment. The cable adjustment is critical to proper operation. You clearly have more than enough torque on tap, if you can keep it in the approiate gear! You should be able to light the tires at any speed below about 50 MPH, by just sticking your foot in it!


Regards, John McGraw

John what is the TVS cable the only thing I have connected to the trans is the kick down cable and the instruction could not be simpler

Floor the car and pull on the kick down cable till there is no slack and then attach it to the throttle on the carb.

The other thing is the torque converter lock up Witch I am still not sure what it does ,but this was a simple installation also

 

[IH2LOSE]

John how does your car drive is it go cart like or comfortable ?

 

[Duntov-097]

My 66 is very predictable when I have my foot in it,the back starts to come around slowley and a slight correction with the wheel and I am good ready for the next gears kick out. This car is not predictable.A slight correction cause over steer and sends me way out of shape and I end up chasing it back and fourth. Its going to take me a while to fget comfortable with this one.I am monkeying around with the shock settings and it seemed to take some of the stiffnes/jounce out of the car.

The 66' has a relatively soft suspension and about 4 inches of sidewall in the tire to give feedback. Combine the light weight, stiff suspension and low profile tires and you have a whole different animal with the 62.

Which steering rack did you use. The lock to lock on the Z51 rack is less and can give some feeling of twitchiness. I have the Z51 rack and have to drive the 57' for about a half hour to get used to how quick the steering is compared to my C5. With more seat time you'll get used to it.

The car looks great.

 

[John Mcgraw]

Larry,

The cable also sets the point at which the trans shifts if I understand correctly, and from what I hear, the adjustment is very critical. I just let my computer decide when to shift mine, Ah, the wonders of modern automotive electronics!:L

My car also rides pretty stiff. It really helped when I backed off the dampning adjustments on the shocks ot the first click, but I am still considering moving my rear springs to the front and buying new softer springs for the rear. QA1 has some new progressive rate springs for their shocks that are really supposed to work well, and I am looking into them. It is not that much money to buy a new set for the rear, and I will probably go that way, but I am going to put a couple of hundred miles on it before I make that decision.

The 65 is going to get the progressive springs on all 4 corners, and I am going to back off 50 lbs on on all 4 corners from the spring rate that mike reccomends. I think he likes to set cars up just a little too stiff for my tastes.

Regards, John McGraw

 

[IH2LOSE]

The 66' has a relatively soft suspension and about 4 inches of sidewall in the tire to give feedback. Combine the light weight, stiff suspension and low profile tires and you have a whole different animal with the 62.

Which steering rack did you use. The lock to lock on the Z51 rack is less and can give some feeling of twitchiness. I have the Z51 rack and have to drive the 57' for about a half hour to get used to how quick the steering is compared to my C5. With more seat time you'll get used to it.

The car looks great.

Thank you.

I have the short rack Thats what mike from SR111 told me to order.I am not sure if its out of a Z51 or not.

But it has a terrible turning radius.

I just went out to the garage and checked .

From left lock to right lock is 2 1/4 to 2 3/8th

So with this new information I did not give it a little correction I gave it alot of correction and that would explain it getting so out of shape on me. How do you feel your car drives comfortable or go cart like.

I dont want to sound like I am complaining as I absolutely love the car I just have to better understand it

 

[John Mcgraw]

Larry,
Check out this link on adjusting the TV cable on a 700R4.

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/techinfo/700R4p1.html

And another:

http://chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/83878/

And the best yet:

http://www.artcarr.com/instructions/documents/GMTVAdjustmentInstructions.pdf

 

[IH2LOSE]

I have
10" 140/250 in the rear and the bottom of the spring is compressed so I think I need to eliminate varitable rate these ones I am about halfway up with the lock nuts

and in the front I have 10" 400 lbs that seem perfect i am about 1inch up with the lock nuts

 

[IH2LOSE]

Thanks again John for the links.after some reading it seems this is not just a kick down lever as I thouhght it controls the pressure and shift points. I am going to let some slack in the line to see if I can draw out a shift till 200o rpms or so . I also have a meeting with the trans guy he will probably adjust it for me

 

[John Mcgraw]

Larry,

I have 250 straight rate springs in the rear, and find them a little too stiff.
I have 300's in the front, so I am just cosidering moving the 250 springs to the front and putting 200 springs in the rear.My adjustment is about half-way up the shock both front and rear, but no matter where this adjustment is, it will not affect the spring rate, only the ride height.

 

[Duntov-097]

If I remember correctly that is the Z51 rack. I've been considering changing mine out.


I like the way my car rides and handles. It rides better than my lowered C5 with the Z06 springs, sway bars, and Bilsteins. The 57' felt like a go cart at the beginning but with suspension adjustment and seat time it seems good now.

 

[John Mcgraw]

Bob,

That is exactly why I am going to accuumulate at least a couple of hundred miles on it before making any changes! I thought at first blush, that my exhaust was too loud, but it is starting to grow on me. It is really only loud when my foot is completely in it, and at cruising RPM's it is acceptable.

Regards, John McGraw