Big block build for the Starship

Drooling,thinking about all that torque you are going to feel!

I am drooling too, but my bank account is groaning, and whining.

Sounds like it's Murphy's own 462? engine, great to see you're not giving up on this dream.

Fred, are you still planning on using the car on a regular basis? Still going to have a/c? We're all anxious to see what happens next.

It will be a daily driver, and have AC. A car without AC in Florida is a death trap.

What type of compressor are you going to run for the AC?

you could get brackets to run the stock serpentine system.

http://www.fidnet.com/~harleyms/serpentine%20page.htm

he made the brackets but i believe you can buy the brackets pre-made these days.

Sounds like it should be fun, Fred.

I am putting an Olds BB in my 92 OCC, using TBI from a BBC and putting all the SBC moving parts onto the Olds. I am trying to do this using all factory parts, in keeping with the Hurst theme.

I was glad to see the trans discussion because that's next and I have gotten differing opinions on my options. The engine is done and does 375hp and 500 lbs torque on the dyno with a carb.

I have been and Oldsmobile man for in excess of 50 years and I have never had a cracked block, but for this project I had to go thru 3 blocks to get an uncracked one.

Good luck, I hope everything smooths out soon.

Jim

Latest engine build pic.


I picked up the rebuilt and enhanced trans today, and got the parts for the wiring loom made. Working on the throttle/CC/trans linkage.

Everything I get has to be replaced, even the flexplate that came with the engine, and the kickdown cable for the trans. At least the trans will fit, I got it from a 91 OCC, and it is going into my 91 OCC, just with a slightly larger and more powerful engine.

The FEAD is from a 94 C10 with an adapter kit for the BBC. Everything lines up if you use the correct brackets. Requires braces to the heads, and intake manifold, so they do not crack (Ray knows about this).

That's an impressive looking engine. No long tubes?

Long tubes will not fit, because the car is too low. They extend below the frame, and the frame is only 2 3/4 inches from the ground to start with. I could not drive over a dime with long tube headers.

A valid point you make.

Are the headers stainless? I might suggest good ceramic coating instead of the wrap. Plenty of reports that wrap is not really suitable for street cars due to premature metal failure of the tubes.

They are stainless. I am more concerned with whether the right side header will fit. I have been told about metal failure with wraps, but stainless should be more resistant to failure. If they fail, then I will get a set ceramic coated to replace them.

Latest pictures of the build.

That's looking good. How far are you from cutting up that hood?

About 3 weeks.

I have the trans and the TC. Now to figure out the wiring. What I need to save and what needs to get cut out. I am having one difficulty, in that I do not have a 91 harness. The 91 harness is unique to the line. 92s and 93s have a couple of differences.

I have most of it sorted out from the firewall out. Next is the wiring in side of the car.  The new computer will be under the hood, so I will lose the ECM connectors on the interior part of the harness. The only things I have to reroute are the signal wires from the VSS module and maybe a few other small signals. A good bit of it just goes away.

I am still plagued with a leak into the front PS footwell. I am going to find the leak when the engine is out. I have a squirrel cage fan and am going to pressurize the interior, squirt some bubble liquid on the firewall and surrounding areas, and watch for bubbles.

I should have the car in the warehouse, and off the ground this coming week, hopefully by Tuesday.

Any chance the car will be ready for Wagonfest?

That is my goal.

Anybody know if Rays wagon is on the road yet?

nah he's busy buying wheels for a lexus or something

The Starship goes into the spacedock tonight. Getting prepped for Starship 461.0

MalibuSSwagon wrote:

nah he's busy buying wheels for a lexus or something

Leaving the forum,drains your focus.

Tomorrow morning the Starship goes under the knife. I am doing a couple of other chores while I have the engine out. I am replacing all of the bushings for the front arms. I am also going to put some Impala springs in to replace the shimmed 2 inch drop springs there now. Maybe I will be able to drive over a speed bump without scraping the chassis.

I am looking to have the engine in by the end of the week.

I have the front end off, and am ready to remove the LO5 and trans. I have to check for a front passenger's side water leak while the engine is out. I am going to pressurize the car, and put bubble liquid on the outside (have to seal the air intake for the HVAC).

Fred Kiehl wrote:

I have the front end off, and am ready to remove the LO5 and trans. I have to check for a front passenger's side water leak while the engine is out. I am going to pressurize the car, and put bubble liquid on the outside (have to seal the air intake for the HVAC).

Wish you could make a video on of you looking for the leak .

Out with the old.

A real point of don't return.

I R&Red the lower arm bushings today. Used urethane bushings. Tomorrow I do the uppers.

I figured out the easy way to pressurize the car for leak checking...put a small shopvac in the car with the hose sealed at a rear wing (wire through the wing too). Turn it on, and it sucks air into the hose and is filtered going into the car. You can even switch it from the outside with a power strip terminal.

I had questions as to the fit of the right header, but was looking at it again, and it may just fit without modification. If it does, it will be one of the few things that I did not have to do twice.

Looks like it will be done for Wagonfest Daytona. I just sent my registration in.

I am one step closer. The engine is in the car.

That's something of a big step.

Looking at that picture of a big block between the frame rails of a wagon is reminding me of the first time I ever saw boobs.

As lovely as that big block is,big boobs are prettier...IMHO.

I got the front suspension together again for the most part...hard part is done. I still have to mount the anti roll bar, and tighten the bushings with the weight on it.

Trans cross member is all bolted down.

I have to take the headers to the local welder to reshape them in a couple of places, too much for the fine adjustment tool.

Nice .

Looking good, can't wait to see it!

I believe I found my interior leak. I put the vacuum in the car, and sealed the rear wing with a piece of cardboard. Turned the vacuum on, and sprayed the front of the car with bubble liquid...nothing. I was standing on the driver's side by the door, and felt a hefty breeze. I looked down, and behold, the boot from the body to the door was not seated in the door. I never noticed that before, even when I was replacing the fender. The water probably ran down the wires to the door switches (the wires go inside the interior door panel), and to the floor. I will find out if I am correct after the engine install is finished.

Latest pic of assembly.

Im starting to think your serious about this whole big block thing!

I got the wiring done last night. It will probably get to run today. Ii still did not put the hood on to check for clearances.

Lots more for folks to look at with no hood on,..

I cut a big hole in a damaged hood I had laying around. It will accommodate the air cleaner, AC compressor, and the alternator. Here are the latest pics.



It is a really tight fit. I had to move the coil to the left (driver's side) of the engine, because I could not reach the distributor.

So you have to cut the hood? I saw a 454 in a 9C1 at Impala Nats that had the stock hood intact.

maybe your intake and FI system is taller? It was 6 years ago so I don't recall details....

The intake is taller. I have the Holley 550-830 MPFI. The top of the throttle body is at the same height as the top of the hat on my 350. I also used the S10 FEAD, and it puts the alternator just in contact with the hood. I am not sure how high the compressor is, but I did not want to do the hood cutout twice, and cut a space for it as well.

I am going to make a hood bump to fit over all of it, and then make a hood from carbon fiber.

So shes up and running sans hood? Congrats! Looks like a beast in there.

I admire your tenacity with this project Fred,.

Have you had it out for a rip yet?

So sweet...how does it drive?

There are some last minute glitches. I had to get studs and nuts to hook up the battery, because the stock battery bolts are not long enough to go through the heavy duty cable ends, and screw into the battery terminals.

I hooked up the battery today, and the first thing it did was spin the starter...wire was hooked up wrong...took it out, and moved the wire...hooked the cable up again, and the starter runs again. I went to where my friend works, and got another starter...removed the original starter...thick cable worked its way back and touched the wrong post...I put the new starter in anyway, and made sure the cable would not touch the wrong post.

I turned it over with the starter to check for oil pressure (ignition and computer off). I am not sure the gauge is reading correctly or not, and am going to put a mechanical gauge on it to verify the pressure. There weren't any leaks, but you could smell the oil from the breather.

I put the tune in the computer tonight, and want to have someone stand by with a fire extinguisher as a safety factor. I am going to fire it up tomorrow if the oil pressure is good (I believe it is, but I do not trust anything with this build).

I also am going to get some earplugs. This thing will be like standing next to a dragster when it fires.

I turned the motor over with the starter today, and got no oil pressure. I have been reading up on Gen 6 454s, and there are some weird oiling issues. I am going to call a dealer/specialist tomorrow to find out if I need to do some minor mods.

I did not get the pump primed properly, and may have found a way to get some goo into it so that it will prime properly. More on that later.

So I am stalled for the moment, and trying to come up with a solution.