Ken's Engine Project...

[Bullitt]

Hey there Steve! Welcome to the CAC. Listen, if you're looking for a good restaurant in Orlando, I would suggest Giordano's. If I misspelled that Chicago guys, slap me straight. Anyway, it's Chicago based pizza that will knock your socks off. Damn, that stuff is good. I'll try to get the exact location for it tomorrow, but I remember that it was kind of close to Downtown Disney. I think it's the Polynesian Resort that has a buffet on the lower floor that serves Kung Poa chicken. It was almost as good as the Kim Son restaurant's version down here. I like my food spicy! ad Avoid the Denny's or IHOPs, as they are complete garbage. The blues restuarant run by Dan Akroyd was disappointing. My sister said that Emirl Lagasse's stuff was good, but expensive. Then again, everything is expensive around there. Those are also located near Downtown Disney

What time of year are you heading down there? I'll get the name of a book that my sister used that helps the first time Disney visitor and makes it a bit easier. If you want to know about the rides, the shows or anything else, let me know.

--Bullitt

 

[Bullitt]

Hey Ken, whatcha going to call your car now? Since you live near the Coast, how about Blue Beach Bomb? :cool

--Bullitt

 

[Ken]

Blue Beach Bomb?

What? My Corvette is blue? And all this time I thought it was silver! :L

It's still just plain ol' "1987 Z51". Capricious transport of Bro_Ken's questionable persona.

_ken

 

[JHL]

European Tour ???

Hi Ken,

You could drive to New York (should break the motor in nicely) catch a ferry (QE2) motor up through England visiting a few of us on the way, then catch another ferry which leaves from Newcastle (a couple of miles from my office) and you will be in Amsterdam the next morning for the short drive to Utrech to visit Johnny. From there it`s just a short hop up through Holland to the German border for top speed trials on the Autobahn then on to the mountians for some handling trials in the Alpine passes. You won`t have to set foot in an airport.



On the exhaust issue, just buy some earplugs you will be amazed how quiet the car becomes. :L :L :L I ran mine for a whole summer on open pipes and when I took it down to the chassis dyno the guy told me not to bring it back until I put some mufflers on it.

J.

 

[Bullitt]

D'oh! It must be that Cali sky, that's got me confused or maybe the smog down here is getting me. Okay, how about the Silver Surfer? :cool Just don't try to fight that huge robot-looking Marvel villian. :L

That's Silver Surfer. That silver doesn't show up so good.

--Bullitt

 

[ccflorida]

Everyone is welcomed...

.

It's like the Olive Garden (a restaurant chain) commercials we have here in the States where they say "When you come here, you're family." Meeting others from this community is a feeling that you really must experience.

_ken

Ken ,
How true...

Roy
3 1/2 hrs southwest of Orlando

 

[Ken]

Re: European Tour ???

You could drive to New York (should break the motor in nicely) catch a ferry (QE2) motor up through England visiting a few of us on the way, then catch another ferry which leaves from Newcastle (a couple of miles from my office) and you will be in Amsterdam the next morning for the short drive to Utrech to visit Johnny. From there it`s just a short hop up through Holland to the German border for top speed trials on the Autobahn then on to the mountians for some handling trials in the Alpine passes. You won`t have to set foot in an airport.

Man, does that sound like a plan for a "Bon Vivant" or what? It's too bad all the money already went into the engine, but as they say: "Where there's a will, there's a way." :L

_ken

 

[JHL]

Ken,

Just let me know when you are good to go, I have a fancy to do it in my Vette some summer.

J.

 

[maxrevs85]

Ken , did you cruise Ruby's? How was the car this weekend ? Curious about the tuning.

 

[Ken]

Sure did Dave, it's only a mile or two down the road, so I wasn't at too much of a risk of getting a ticket. I did however, have to make a slight detour on the way back because I saw a cop car with his lights on a couple of blocks ahead of me at one point and I thought it would be wise to avoid the area altogether.

It sure drew crowds when I fired it up for my friends to hear.

I've still got some minor glitches to iron out. One of them is a problem I get when it starts to get warm it starts running like a dog. I have a feeling that even though we have the "Flame Guard" by Earl's Performance wrapped around the fuel line near number four cylinder, it is still percolating the fuel and the engine is bordering on vapor lock. I've got to move that fuel line real soon; the return line isn't as close (by a long shot).

Also, my exhaust "silencing devices" should be here before long and then I'll be able to actually get out and put some miles on it.

_ken

 

[maxrevs85]

I bet it did draw some attention, not just the decibels , but it really has to sound mean. I'm sure the cam is quite noticable. Well cool , at least no major glitches...I think mine will be done soon now
Dave

 

[Ken]

...I think mine will be soon now

 

[Ken]

I just remembered to tell you guys about the difference now when you walk in front of the car while it's idling. I saw the thread about air cleaner choices that Keith posted a while back, was being revived and it reminded me.

Before, with the stock-size throttle body, there was no noticeable sound coming from the air box, even with a K&N filter installed. Now that there is a 58mm TB on there, it makes a sucking sound like you won't believe! This engine likes to BREATHE! :L

_ken

 

[maxrevs85]

Excellent !!!

 

[maxrevs85]

Ken ,I was thinking about what you were saying on the vaporlock situation. I was wondering how you could get vapor lock when the fuel isnt setting static. its always flowing back through the return under some pressure . Unlike the old carb systems where we had cool cans to help prevent this . I asked my engine builder about it also and he pretty much agreed with me. I would think if it happens when the engine gets warmed up that there is somthing else going on and that it has more to do with fuel and air. I dont know squat about this stuff and I'm not going to pretend to. Just another .05 worth.

 

[Ken]

I know Dave; until I get it on a scope (or rather - a scanner) I won't know exactly what could be the problem. I'm just guessing myself that the fuel is percolating even though it has a return to the tank. If there are any air bubbles forming, it would create havoc with the fuel delivery system whether it's carburetion or injection, I would assume. When I get something to quiet the excessive noise I'll get it into the shop again.

Glitches! Where would an old hot rodder be without them? It's probably not on my "Higher Power's" schedule to allow me to finish this project before a full six months have gone into it. :L

_ken

 

[maxrevs85]

My "Higher Power" says, "All in due time, All in due time".......

Dave

 

[Ken]

:L I got the bill today, for the parts that are even here yet Keith. I still have no idea of how it will sound.

I hope everything's going well for you Keith.

_ken

 

[Ken]

Sometimes it's just plain dumb luck!

Y'all probably don't remember, but when I was re-doing my interior last year I was looking for a replacement piece for my center console, the top piece where the shifter is located. And, if you remember, those pieces have long been dis-continued by GM and are no longer available from any of the aftermarket suppliers either. The automatic transmission plate is available from the aftermarket, but not the manual transmission console plate. I found one or two on eBay at the time and they were asking something like two or three hundred dollars for them. :eek

Today I visited Will's shop to see how he was progressing in his move from the old place. As I pulled into the driveway, I noticed that he had quite a bit of stuff all over the place, and the camper that was parked at the old shop was sitting there as well. He and his lovely wife Leslie were there and she was even wearing a mechanics apron. I figured he had finally picked up what was left of the stuff and were sorting it out. Wrong!

He was sorting it out, but it wasn't initiated by him, it was initiated by his old partner dropping the stuff off sometime after Will left for the day last evening (sometime after five-thirty). Rather disheartening news for me, I thought Larry was a stand-up kind of guy.

Luckily it was all used stuff, so nothing was stolen, or at least he didn't seem to be missing anything. It's a very high-crime area too. :eyerole

The "dumb luck" comes into play because as I was leaving, I noticed a center console plate for a C4 with a Doug Nash 4+3 equipped Corvette. It was a little dirty obviously, but not scratched or broken, and it even had the "4+3" emblem attached. That's another thing I searched for when I first got the car; it wasn't too easy to find either. :eyerole

Will gave that to me, along with five gallons of racing fuel (only a couple of months old), and a piece of front y-pipe with flange for an earlier C4 exhaust system. The flange is what I wanted, and the fuel is nice, they both could come in handy.

When I got back home, I tore into my interior again. I had to take the seat back out to free-up some wiring and install the rest of the center console. That being done, I've gotta get you guys a shot of the shifter now; they said in the magazine articles that the Long shifter protruded somewhat more than the stock unit when they installed it. Well, either Long sent a shorter shifter to me, or they changed sizes somewhere along the line, but my shifter knob is all you can see. Looks cool! :L

Overall a nice day in sunny southern California.

_ken

 

[Tom Bryant]

Some people have all the luck. Way to go Ken.

Tom