TireSmoke.org

I realized that I never posted a final picture of the motor install, so here it is.

Funny, as I was taking this picture, I couldn't believe I actually got this project together in something just over a year, and "complete" within a year and a half. This time last year we were just fitting the engine. Hard to believe that it's done, and that I've already driven it over 1000miles. I can't wait until this Spring to just drive it, race it, and use it. With this coming year most likely leading to my business going full time, I won't have much time to work on projects like this so getting it done came at a good time.

I am looking forward most to hopefully reaching the 11's. Hopefully early in the year.

-BP

Great result so far!

Could have built an endurance road racing car in that amount of time methinks. Too bad that is not your cup of tea

That truck is sweet! The best part about it is that you've made a turn-key, dependable
and extremely streetable, fast truck that YOU wanted. Bad ass!! You'll make the 11's
I'm sure of it.

GM

There were a million questions that needed to be answered,
a million problems that required solving.
There was some satisfaction every time you answered a question or overcame a problem.

Now you get to enjoy the TOTAL Satisfaction every time you turn the key!

The problem for me with road racing stuff, is the constant maintenance and repairs. I have a business to build and will not have the time for that. Heck, I hardly had the time for this, and I'll be able to enjoy this ALL the time, not just on a track. It's the same reason I sold my Trans Am. Too much single purpose. With the truck, I can actually still use it to haul crap for work, AND have fun at the same time. Plus, I bought this thing new, I even specked out all the options, so it's really and truly mine, in every way. Did I mention it's fast too, with lots more potential should I feel the need to go faster?

It was fun building it, overcoming hurdles, and hanging out with my dad, and now (hopefully) just enjoy not working on it for awhile. I've done A LOT of car building over the last three years... I'm ready for a break. Maybe just driving it to some swap meets, breakfasts, and the track once in awhile will be the break I need.

-BP

Anything that you put THAT much effort into is it's own reward whne you drive/enjoy it. Awesome!!!!!!

Jacin

Not sure how I haven't posted since January on this. Anyway, I've been driving the heck out of it getting ready to race. Hopefully the weather will cooperate on Wednesday. In the meantime, in my quest to go faster, I bought the wheels below yesterday. They're old wheels, but as you can see, one cleaned up pretty well. They're 10 footers, but all the tires were basically brand new (M&H RACEMASTER drag radials) and less than 2 years old. They do fit perfectly and should make the truck noticeably faster.
After some discussion with Smoker yesterday, I got the scale out and weighed them. The Centerlines rears are 41lbs and the stock wheels are 45lbs. The centerline fronts are 28lbs. This saves me about 42lbs of rolling weight and front tire friction. I'm thinking that has to be worth a tenth, but won't know right away. I'm going to run it first with the stock wheels to get an idea of how much the rearend and cal-tracs helped. Plus I need to buy lugs for the rear wheels and get center caps for them too.

-BP

Seems to me you need to update your profile pic with the S-10 - particularly if you can get some pics of it making tiresmoke

I was recently watching episode nine of Truck Tech on-line.

http://www.powernationtv.com/episode/TT ... gine-trans

They were install a modern LT4 into an '67 El Camino. Right at the eleven minute mark
they explain the difference in the blocks and why the converter won't engage properly.
That sounded familiar to me, similar to you're converter issue.
In two minutes they showed a few aftermarket solutions for that problem.

Anyway, I thought it might interest you to see what they did. Grins.

Unfortunately that video kept locking up my computer for some reason. I tried it a bunch of different times... Oh well.

-BP

Sunday AM I go to the infamous Paul Carson for a proper recharge of my A/C system. While doing that we realized that the HVAC controls inside the truck would not engage the compressor. After bypassing the relay with a really cool plug in toggle switch, I know at least that the system can make the truck cold inside, but unfortunately, not on it's own. The computer is supposed to be able to turn this system on by itself and it's not doing that.

Today I emailed the tech guys from Current Performance where I bought all my engine swap parts, including the wiring harness and A/C components. I explained the situation and they promptly told me that when paired with a Camaro ECM like mine, that this is a common problem. My next question was why didn't they tell me Camaro computers wouldn't work correctly since I told them that's what I was going to use from the get-go???? Apparently a Silverado programmed computer is what I really need. Now the question is if Hutter's can put all my tune info into a Silverado computer without much hassle. This should fix my A/C problem, my PRND321 indicator that doesn't work, and hopefully my SECURITY light that's on all the time.

More to come on this, but in the meantime, I'm going racing tomorrow night with the "race wheel" package. We'll see if this helps, hurts, or does nothing. I don't necessarily like the look, but am looking for a low ET at this point.

-BP

Last nights trip to TRP got me a few more hundredths and a little more MPH. Traction was better for me with the new tires, but the air and temp weren't perfect by any means. I was able to coax a 12.16 @ 112.6 with a best 60' for the night of 1.777. Except for getting better air, I don't think my 60' could get better. I'm thinking in the fall that I should have no problem getting solidly into the 11's without modification.

Over the winter I do plan to move the battery to the rear of the bed and try to install tubular control arms up front in hopes to get a more consistent launch and a little more ET. Any other plans right now are all dreams.

Did I mention that racing Dave is always fun and we got to see Tony out there for a nice early summer cruise in his newly re-powered Chevelle.

-BP

So I bought another set of cylinder heads. They are 806's which is exactly what's on my truck now so I can maintain my "perimeter" valve cover mounting which is a bastard to '97-98 LS1 motors. By doing this, I can keep my existing coil set up. I plan to get these hopped up at some point and hopefully have them on by Spring of next year. I've made a lot of passes in this truck so far and am happy to be in the low-mid 12's all the time for now, but would love to run 12 flat always. This will be a step in the right direction, and probably the most cost effective for now.

-BP

I'm a little behind, but nothing too major has happened since my last post. I've put lots of miles on it and you've seen some of the racing fun. I just bought new drag radials for my stock wheels (255-50-16) as my old ones are about one race away from completion. The only company I found that makes that size anymore is M&H. BFG used to, but they got out of the drag radial business all together.
A couple weeks ago I also had Paul Carson move the tailpipes from behind the wheel to straight out the back, stealth style, not West Virginia style. I did this because it adds to the sleeper image, but more important is that it helps keep some of the exhaust from blowing back into the cab at stops and also quiets it down in the cabin under cruising. Behind the truck, you can't see them at all.

-BP

Looking Good, BP! Definitely got your $$$ out of the old drag radials.