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This weeks progress consisted of re-routing brake and fuel lines, fabrication of a new alternator bracket and nearly finishing up the subframe. I made my own alternator bracket out of steel so that I could weld a steel airpump bracket to it. I still have to do the airpump bracket.
The subframe mods consited of completely eliminating the forward mount cups and replacing them with my own which will be 2 1/2" ID tubes welded to a flat plate to accept universal urithane mounts from Energy Suspension. The tubes are not made yet, but will have to have a side slice removed with a flat plate welded across so that clearance can be maintained. the urithane bushings will have a side trimed down to fit in the semi circulare tubes.
The urithane mounts also required me to make fittings that adapt the mounts to the car. This was pretty much 1 days work with my less than stellar machining skills. These fittings are shown in one of the attached photes. Taper boreing urithane was a challange and was acomplished by taking a 1/2" tube and grinding away 90% of its cross section for the last 1" of tube. The edge of theis cut was sharpened to make a very high rake boaring bar. It worked beautifully but the chuck would put high spots on the bore, so each pass of the operation required re-indexing the urithane 60° to make the bore eyeball close to round. A more elaborate chucking solution will be used in the futer.
Before the engine goes in the following needs to be accomplished.
1) Wash engine bay
2) Complete subframe, paint and install
3) Replace front Engine seal
4) Fabricate airpump bracket and install belt
5) Re-seal stearing gear and install.
6) Replace engine oil pan
The suspension can be installed as soon as all parts are overhauled and painted.
The transmission mount, although complete needs to be modified to accept the use of an exhaust pipe mount from the 129.
All exhaust stainless steel, with the exception of 3 custom bends is in house and ready for fitting and welding.
All material for shifter linkage mods is in and ready to weld
Custom PS lines need to be fabricated
Radiator will wait untill first start.
Engine will most likely need to come out again to provide modifications for throttle linkages.
John Roncallo
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