Sooooo.....my new plague is my gas tank
I bought one and sent it to Ricks Hot Rod Shops in Texas for the mods and welding.
Apparently my compression fittings are leaking like pigs.....have to take the welded assembly out and ship it back to them now. They're covering the costs, but so far my car has been in the shop since Oct 20th....:screwup:

This is only the 6th or 7th major issue I've run into....lol
At the rate I'm going, I MIGHT have it back by Spring.....:screwup:

Try sprinkling some holy water on it!

I cant believe you couldnt find a shop in Chicago to do the mods for ya Ace. All the way to Texas for welding mods???

Welcome to the world of High Performance and modifications. Nothing every fits, bolts on, runs correctly, is jetted correctly, tuned out of the box, adapts to any application or seems to work as advertised most of the time. Take comfort in know that if something is advertised or claimed to bolt right in with minimal modifications it means total reengineering job. If you don't have a Bridgeport, lathe, tig welder, cutting torch, big honkin grinder, cut off saw and 2 full Mac tool boxes and a lift, life will be tough(er) some times.

It sucks on your deal and I'm surprised they let it out the door. I'm not surprised they are taking care of you at no cost though. I am surprised the shop you have the car at didn't try to say to Ricks they would correct the tig welds or whatever and get a credit from Ricks to cover the cost. Might have been cheaper for Ricks that way.

Feel comfort in know that 7 or 8 major setbacks aren't bad and Power Tour is still 6 months away. If you don't make that date I'm callin ya a PUTZ!

Don't feel bad though, I'm building up a new set of headers and have only had about 3 major setbacks and only have one side done.

I cant believe you couldnt find a shop in Chicago to do the mods for ya Ace. All the way to Texas for welding mods???

The shop that is local said it would take them 30 - 60 days to complete.
I wasn't going for it, so I shipped it to Texas. I got a massive deal on the shipping ;)
Had it back in 5 days

Now that I've had it done so long, I would have been better off staying local. :screwup:
Oh well, a lesson learned I guess.
It's not like I can drive the car anyways until the Springtime so i'm not too bent about it. :p


Feel comfort in know that 7 or 8 major setbacks aren't bad and Power Tour is still 6 months away. If you don't make that date I'm callin ya a PUTZ!


Screw that, I'm going this year.....damn near the whole car is almost all new now. :confused:
So I SHOULDN"T have anymore setbacks.....gotta get the wiring and gauges done soon though.
I may just have them do it now, I'm working massive OT this week AND I'm on vacation at the sametime......:screwup:
All for the money baby, all for the money.....and I'm sick as a dog 3 days in a row now. Sucks...
It could be worse though.....I could be in school and sick, that would be MUCH worse.

thats sucks maybe the rest will go smooth

Just think about how much more you'll appreciate it when it's done. ;)



I know that doesn't help much, but my Dad always used to say that crap when I was little,









and it didn't help then either

I was wondering how your project was coming along Aces...
Thought about ya today while I was messing with the 5.3 in the '55.

Just for a little bit of motivation :bowtie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDJRG3xMhy4

Just for a little bit of motivation :bowtie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDJRG3xMhy4

Bastard......lol :D

Damn I get wood hearin that!!! Can't wait to hear my sidepipes roar. :
I was going to go out there this week and video tape the progress until I heard about the tank leaks....:(

At this rate you're going to be done before me Jake...lol
She's look'n puuuuuuurday. Is that your new shop?? Looks pimp. :cool:

Question, was your alternator already up high like that??+
I had to relocate mine on the opposite size. ......for the small fee of $500

Yes that's my shop and yes the alternator was up high like that.
It is a 2001 truck 5.3 motor so the accessories differ from the car setups.

You'll get it there.

I installed the shettmetasl on the front of the car to measure for a radiator, and I think I solved my PCM mounting issues too.

I got sidetracked today working on this:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d8/jakeshoe/100_2647.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d8/jakeshoe/100_2646.jpg
'69 'Bird, it will also be getting an LSx motor, probably a 5.3 too.
Doing the suspension work first.

NICE!!!! Always like those. :D
Looks like you definitely have your hands full in there.
Wish I had the room you have. One day I'll get some property and build my fantasy shop too. :D

Damn even got a Chevelle going too....holy hell :o

The Chevelle is mine, it is in limbo...
I wrecked it last summer. measly 425 HP absolutely got away from me while I was playing with a late model Cobra. I took out about 20 feet of the security fence at work :eek:

Good thing the plant manager knows and likes me (dunno why, but he hired me back from Iraq).

The Chevelle will be getting a frame-off, new quarters, new doors, new rt rocker panel, new bumpers, new hood, new fenders, lol

I haven't had the heart to mess with it. Or the time.

The '55 is my dad's car.

The 'Bird is a customers car. He had a NICE '79 Trans Am but he was new to the car stuff and not being a mechanical type he farms out the work. Probably similar to your situation.
Someone built him a 455, roller motor, etc.. Anyway it wasn't what he was after, he wants a reliable driver. The 455 was high maintenance and not really streetable.
So he sold the '79 and bought this one.
I'm building his a streetable decent handling car. Lots of new Hotchkis stuff, new bushings, large diameter sway bars, etc.
He's after the pro-touring type theme I guess.

I want to find out more about this "hotchkis" suspension stuff I keep hearing about.
I'd also like to upgrade my steering eventually to a more modern style if I can.
I have to order all new Bilstein shocks and struts all around, and was wondering if
I needed to replace the springs up front, if it's a good idea, I'm just doing it.

not familiar with this stuff yet, but it's definitely next on the "to do" list
along with a new rear axle and C5 discs all around.

I was wondering how your project was coming along Aces...
Thought about ya today while I was messing with the 5.3 in the '55.

Just for a little bit of motivation :bowtie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDJRG3xMhy4

Looking good Jake!

Hotchkis is a brand name, there are several suspension companies that make complete "systems".

I cheated on this car and used lower cost Suspension Technologies sway bars, but used the Hotchkis front and rear springs, they lower the car about 1.5-2".
I installed poly body mounts and suspension bushings. There are better options out there but this isn't an all out auto-crosser just a good handling street machine.

I could have done more if absolute handling was the goal, bigger brakes, Guldstrand mod on the upper control arm mounts, etc,

It will be a nice driving car, especially with a fairly lightweight LSx engine up front.

I think the 2nd Gen Camaros had a much better suspension design than the 1st Gens. You shouldn't need anything too crazy to make it handle good.
We have some knowledgable people that can make good suggestions on the suspension side of things, Lowend autocrosses with one so I would ask him when the time comes.

I would approach the suspension, brakes, etc as a package deal, try to come up with a complete plan so that your brakes/spindles work with your control arms, etc..

Looking good Jake!

Michael,
You wouldn't believe the shop... LOL

I was up till 4 am last night cleaning it, about 8 pm to 4 am.

I dunno how much I cleaned, but I moved a bunch of stuff around. LOL

I'm trying to get the Bird rolling so I can move it around. Your power steering pumps are moving up on the to-do list. :p

Michael,
You wouldn't believe the shop... LOL

I was up till 4 am last night cleaning it, about 8 pm to 4 am.

I dunno how much I cleaned, but I moved a bunch of stuff around. LOL

I'm trying to get the Bird rolling so I can move it around. Your power steering pumps are moving up on the to-do list. :p

Your right, I probably wouldn't believe it. haha

Try to keep it clean until sat afternoon, thats when I plan on dropping by and see then. :p

With all the problems your having you might think of having your work done locally.

With all the problems your having you might think of having your work done locally.

It has been. Locally means more money.....
My guy can take care of this cheap, I'd rather use my connection.
There's no "Friends" locally I have that I can rely on for this.
So that means FULL price ......not happenin.

jakeshoe;

Did you buy some new vynil sketchers to match the front suspension or just to clean the shop?
Let us know.

thats a bummer your having problems man, my car has been down since October too, tho it was 2005, when my engine went out. ive had a thousand and one problems too. i too will hopefully be running by spring, tho it looks more and more like summer every day.

Aces, sorry about all of the problems that you have had. If it makes you feel any better my cars plates have tabs on them from 1995 and it looks like this summer will pass it bye also.