Ordered my parts!!!!!

[VKREGAL]

I ordered my edelbrock cam and lifter set, timing set, and gaskets. Already have an intake and carb. Hopefully i'll get some more money soon for headers and exhaust ect. Whoo hoo it's about time!:biggrin:

 

[willitell]

I just tossed my headers in today... It was the worst job i've had to do, the hedmans hit the lower A-Arm mount and hug the starter on the pass side, so you have to install the header and the starter at the same time. (and i had to modify the header / A-Arm cap to fit). A little ingenuity, extra time, and a lot of patience, and you'll be fine getting that done.

I've gotta order my cam and lifter set.

Best of Luck!

-Will

 

[Freddie's Buick]

Been there ....done that.:frown:

What I did on the right side header was bolt it in without the starter. I then attached a come-along under the vehicle to pull the header in about 1/2-inch. The other end of the come-along was attached to a big tree.

The header easily bent very well and it cleared the lower A-frame with a 1/2-inch clearance. Next I removed the header and placed the starter in unbolted with my left hand and bolted the header on with one bolt just to hold it.

Once I got one bolt on the rest followed. Now I was able to bolt the starter in. Boy that was rough!

 

[VKREGAL]

Thanks for the header info guys, I'm not quite there yet but i'll remember this thread for that.

Will, I see your combo is similar to what i am planning. Untill i pick up a rear(posi 3.42) i will also be using the stock 2.41 rear. I was just wondering how it performs. Thanks

 

[willitell]

I had the header bungee corded up, and the starter resting on my chest.
Would not want to do that again, thank god the duralast starter worked. If it breaks I'll flip on my local autozone employees.

VK, my car is off the road at the moment (blew a brake line, in the driveway thank god) (and before that I blew a head gasket, and the head turned out to be cracked). But when it was stock it was a dog (kinda reminded me of my first car, a 1990 dodge grand caravan), and I didn't drive it all that much.

I was going to snag a 3.42, but without an overdrive the car would've eaten gas like a monster. I should have the car back on the road inside of a month or so, and then i'll do the cam, lifters, double roller on a weekend around then.

So ask me in a month about the stock rear and what kind of gas mileage I get, that's when i'll be driving it around full time and will be able to give you a full run down on it.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

I had the header bungee corded up, and the starter resting on my chest.......

LOL....yep.....same here, (I remember cursing a lot and wishing I could afford to buy a mini-starter). :biggrin:

 

[Freddie's Buick]

But when it was stock it was a dog (kinda reminded me of my first car, a 1990 dodge grand caravan), and I didn't drive it all that much.......I was going to snag a 3.42, but without an overdrive the car be would've eaten gas like a monster..

Forget the 3.42. That upgrade should be reserved for a turbo car that can crank that type of torque and push the bohemoth.

Go for 3.23 rear gears. Best bang for the buck on an N/A engine and highest you can go w/o overdrive.

 

[willitell]

I remember cursing a lot and wishing I could afford to buy a mini-starter

Same here.

I ordered a set of stainless steel lines from classic tube, and I really hope that the passenger side header remains the most difficult install I've done.

Forget the 3.42. That upgrade should be reserved for a turbo car that can crank that type of torque and push the bohemoth.

Go for 3.23 rear gears. Best bang for the buck on an N/A engine and highest you can go w/o overdrive.

I'm personally thinking about going shallower (3.08) when the time comes.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

3.08...that's another good choice. Yeah the drivers side is a piece of cake. But have you made the choice as to duel or the single?

I had duel but single is by far better. A catback is best for the N/A. Duels are for hot-rods dune buggies and V-8's.

Good luck! :biggrin:

 

[willitell]

I wanted to go single with a really cool custom layout (pass side exit in front of the tires), but I might just end up doing dual for the pure simplicity of it. Two cherry bombs, a couple of 45s, and dump right before the rear tires.
I would just need to figure out the crossmember problem.

 

[VKREGAL]

Im gonna run dual thrush glasspacks and and run some pipe till the rear wheels. By the way the parts came in today, I didn't even notice them outside when I got off the school bus.

 

[willitell]

Sweet! looks like we'll be running the same combo.

Can't wait to hear how your install goes.

 

[VKREGAL]

Yeah pretty much, you've got the closest combo to mine that i've found. Whats the weight of your car? Any suspension upgrades?

 

[VKREGAL]

Forget the 3.42. That upgrade should be reserved for a turbo car that can crank that type of torque and push the bohemoth.

Go for 3.23 rear gears. Best bang for the buck on an N/A engine and highest you can go w/o overdrive.

I'm planning to get a 2004r

 

[Freddie's Buick]

....but I might just end up doing dual for the pure simplicity of it. Two cherry bombs, a couple of 45s, and dump right before the rear tires. I would just need to figure out the crossmember problem.

I figured it out. The simplicity is a catback. The duals are work intensive, (I ran an 'H' system for a several years). Lots of tinkering to get it to fit right. They do sell a crossmember ready made but it's expensive.

A dual does not score well in the HP dept for the trouble of fitting one in. Too much work for no better gain than a catback. But it's your wallet though, (and knuckles too).

Guess in you state they allow pipes before the rear wheels. (Be careful that's a monoxide poisoning danger). Your stereo better be up there in the amps to cover that drone. Even with the windows closed your ears will tire quickly.

If you're hot-rodding that Olds that's cool. If it's a daily driver be very careful. Have fun Bro....:biggrin:

 

[willitell]

Hmm good point, now that you mention it, i don't even know about having the exhaust exit in front of the rear wheels.

I looked at it, and my stock system had rotted out completely, and with the headers, it seems like it'll be a ton of trouble to snake the exhaust over to the pass side. It's still up in the air for me, but if i do go dual, I'm not shelling out $200 for the double notch crossmember, i'll either work around the one hump, or make it work some other way.


And it's not my daily driver at the moment, but that's the plan. A daily driver that's good on gas, and still has some get up and go.

 

[charlief1]

Something to point out is that you wil develop more torque with a single to dual exhaust. You can find a after cat system complete for a monte carlo ss and use it and have pipes out the back with 2.25" pipes. If you all are thinking your headers were a pain I put a set on my Skyhawk years ago and remember having to lift and tilt the engine to get them in on both sides.

 

[Freddie's Buick]

I notched my crossmember. Took a lot of tweaking but I got it right.
Here's an idea I have'nt seen since the old school days. I wonder if they still make Hollywood mufflers? Seems like a simple bolt-up? Just thinking out loud....

 

[willitell]

what's a hollywood muffler?

I'm still tossing around ideas, and I haven't figured out a way to rig the driver side header to dump over to the pass side (what the crossover pipe did on the stock exhaust) in a decent way. If someone could enlighten me on that, I'd be grateful.

yeah I'd have to notch the crossmember, but that seems easier from here than trying to snake the pipes around the inspection cover and tranny pan.

 

[eastwoodad]

I notched my crossmember to run true duals and used dynomax super turbo's and it isnt that loud at all. I was strongly considering fabbing a crossover pipe and running a single but the cost and aggrivation was so much higher. Plus I have a turbo 350 now and might be changing to a 200-4R and didn't want to have to run an exhaust twice. As long as you have access/ability to notch and reinforce the crossmember, I would do that. The muffler shop only charged $140 parts and labor for the duals as compared to over 200-250 for the single (less labor for the duals). In the end, it is up to you I just wanted to give you my experience.

I should have some more pics and video of my car soon for you all.