3400 Heads

Well, somewhat off topic, just thought I've give a basic rundown of things I've bought, or have to buy yet, pertaining to the project:

Heads - Bought & P/P
Lower Intake Plenum - Bought & P/P
Upper Intake Plemun - Not made
DIS Module/Coil Packs - Bought
Headers - Not bought/Not made
Pistons/Connecting Rods - Haven't bought, don't know if I will this time around. Was going to do the rotating assembly at the same time, to save time, but the expenses are adding up.

On an unrelated note, just finished sending off my right headlight motor to be repaired and get upgraded internals (Metal gearing). Gretchin will finally stop winking everywhere I go.

I've heard that 3400 heads are better than one.

Whew, got a wee bit accomplished today. It's amazing what an hour and a half, two cutting discs and three showers trying to get metal slivers out can do for productivity.

Got the Doc's slave bracket off and Rodney's put on (Funny story about that later). I got my sway bar sporting three fresh coats of chrome (Ok, so it's chrome spray paint, but shhhh) and the energy suspension bushings were bought. Granted, I'm now concerned my ass-end will be way stiffer than the front. Will need to buy another set of bushings soon. Anyways, I also got started on Gretchin's new Frankenstein (TM) intake system. Those of you who have already been told about it (David and Patty) or those of you not wanting to read a long paragraph (Everyone else) about it may wish to skip the next paragraph.

Because the 3400 heads have the ports spaced differently, and because they're larger than the iron-head intake ports, the Fiero's lower intake plenum wouldn't bolt up, so I had to use the one from the 3400. I left the mid and upper 3400 plenums at the junkyard, because I wish to retain the Fiero upper intake plenum for looks, and because that doesn't line up with the lower plenum, I'll be fabricating a mid plenum to act as a transitional piece (Out of aluminum) between the two. Up front will be the 80mm throttle body of an LS1 (Go big or go home) followed directly by the air filter (A la speed density system. See here: http://www.eficonnection.com/coilpercylinder/33WillysCoilMou nt.jpg) However, as the Fiero upper doesn't breathe too well, I decided to slit it open from about the throttle back, so I can weld in a 2.5" and 3" piece of pipe, significantly increasing flow capablility. Well, that's what I turned my attention to today, cutting into a Fiero intake from the scrapyard.

Gretchin's intake hacked and sliced.

More encompassing shot of my chainsaw (Er, grinder) massacre.

The shiny thing is the sway bar.

Ooohhh, CHROMANCE.

Now, obviousy I still to finish hacking open the intake, and then smoothing out where I've cut. From there, I'm going to smoothen out the inside of the intake next (Where it says "Fiero" there's a mammoth ridge) followed by as much of a polish as I can get. I will worry about welding and painting last (Don't suppose anyone happens to know what paint that intake uses, do they?)

ARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Got tired of using my dad's broken grinder today, so I went out and bought myself one. Nothing special, just a 4.5" disc model with an auto-locking on/off switch. Cost me just a hair over $80 (Doesn't sound like much to you guys, but to me, that's probably the most expensive tool I've ever bought) as well as two grinding discs, two cutting discs, two sanding discs and a scuff pad, which then brought the total to about a hundred-ish. Seeing as how Joe really likes to help me, I let him come out and help me again today. He was my hammer guy (When a piece is hanging on my a thread, he taps it out) and my cord guy (Makes sure the grinder cord stays plugged in to the extension cord, which tends to be rather loose. It wont stay in the right spot on it's own). After about twenty minutes of usage, I was cutting through the EGR port on the intake, but because of the metal bulk there, the grinder kept snagging, so I asked Joe to grab the intake with two hands and hold it steady. Problem was, when he put the entension cord down, the connection to the grinder was broken and it would turn off. I kept setting it to the right spot, and it would move a bit and lose connection again. Having previously cut through the metal gasket, Joe grabbed a nice big piece of it, and before I could see what he was doing, jammed in between the cords to pry it to the right position. Well, due to the 120V short taking place, where the cords connected both burst into flame. I grabbed the cords and yanked them apart as fast as I could, but it was too late for either. The extension, which was actually a treble light, has melted the rubber handle to the point where it is now covering both outlets. And my twenty minute old grinder now has it's prongs sitting on about a 1/8th" piece each (The short acted like a MIG welder and literally cut through most of the metal) and I now consider it way to dangerous to use (I will buy a universal outlet set later and see if I can't fix it).

That IDIOT child was somehow fine through the whole thing (Rubber gloves probably helped) but is now spending the rest of the day in his room. I get to spend the rest of my day buying a universal outlet of sufficient amperage, buying another treble light and being just generally pissed off.

Nah, there's a plug in on the side of the treble light. And while I'd normally appreciate the pun, I'm just in too poor a mood. It was like TWENTY MINUTES OLD.

DAMN IT.

No need, I think I'm just going to grab a file for now. Clean up the area around where the welds will be going. Maybe sand up the insides after.

Grr...

I'll try that first, but I'm assuming the worst first.