Irish's pickup from hell, the 454SS.

[Irishman999]

Thanks man..... you have me thinking about EFI 24/7 now! Damn you! I have been doing more research and came up with this... TPI actually has two different intake bolt patterns for the different middle bolt angles. But... it's probably NOT how we all think. The Corvettes used the old 45* on ALL their TPI intakes. Turns out the "113" aluminum heads they put on the Vettes used the old angle because those heads were also used on a crate motor, ZZ3 I believe. Anyway, in '87 the F-bodies DID go to the new 72* for the intake bolts. So I just need to decide on heads and make sure to get the correct intake for them.

There are a lot of variables, you are right! I was just looking at it again today. I don't see why you couldn't use a Vortec distributor and have MS control it. As long as the connections communicate properly, you should be good to go. Would your current TBI dizzy fit with the new Vortec intake? If it does, I know you could use that and have MS control it. DIY Autotune did that in their '77 Nova build, albeit on a small block. Either way, definitely have the ignition computer controlled. Don't do all this work and not take advantage of the technology.





Do you have the L29 intake, or the Ramjet intake? I am assuming the L29 one, but I just wanted to be sure. Don't get your hopes up with this, but email me that same picture you sent the other guy with a tape measure for size reference. My email is [email protected] I have some chunks of aluminum laying around that followed me home from work.

I have a feeling you are not getting traction with those other places simply because you are asking for a custom one-off project. Once you are done working with them, you don't need to go back to them. They want repeat customers, so they are not going to put much effort into working with you. I say again, don't get your hopes up, but send me that picture, and if I can help you out, I will do my best!

Im not even going to bother sending the pictures because its a waste of time at this point. I even called a guy at a plastic company pleading my case because I was trying to buy the best slabs of plastic for my application based on their spec sheet. The guy was a total moron and mostly concerned the plastic would fail on my car and leave me stranded somewhere, he has no idea I drive experimental **** everywhere I go.

I am going to order some machinable plastic and do my best attempt to manual machine it into the shape I need on a benchtop mill I got from harbor freight in 2006 that I have not used since about 2006. This is my last ditch effort in keeping the image of my engine compartment I have in my head alive. Im not ready to give up just yet and get another type of fuel injection.

 

[Irishman999]

If this doesn't work out try these guys.
http://www.bigbluesaw.com
I think having a drawing would really help you get this done.

This is also a great option, I saw something like this pop up somewhere because of all the searching I have been doing.

To make this work I gotta figure out how to design the part in auto cad. My wife has a laptop from work I can use to design it but I have to re learn how to even use that ****. Im sure there is some youtube video's or something I can use to do it.

Another idea I had was joining the forum with the thread with the guy doing exactly what I am trying to do. He actually did have a cad drawing of the part needed. I wonder if he would send them to me...

 

[yevgenievich]

This is also a great option, I saw something like this pop up somewhere because of all the searching I have been doing.

To make this work I gotta figure out how to design the part in auto cad. My wife has a laptop from work I can use to design it but I have to re learn how to even use that ****. Im sure there is some youtube video's or something I can use to do it.

Another idea I had was joining the forum with the thread with the guy doing exactly what I am trying to do. He actually did have a cad drawing of the part needed. I wonder if he would send them to me...

if somebody already has a drawing, then that would be the best path. They are a lot of tutorials out there for autocad design; however solidworks tends to be easier for beginners. You could probably even use autoscetch to create 2d drawings with views from different directions. A lot more places will be willing to work with you if you have a drawing.

 

[Irishman999]

if somebody already has a drawing, then that would be the best path. They are a lot of tutorials out there for autocad design; however solidworks tends to be easier for beginners. You could probably even use autoscetch to create 2d drawings with views from different directions. A lot more places will be willing to work with you if you have a drawing.

Im on the fence between learning autocad and trying to actually make a mold from scratch and try to cast it in aluminum.

-I can learn autocad and send the file to an online manufacturing website, or the companies with the equipment that wont help me out.

-option two is spend a few hundred bucks on some aluminum blocks and try to manual machine them on a bench top manual mill. I guarantee I will **** it up though.

-Option three is something im considering more each day. I can make a mold by tracing the outside of the intake and using the gasket for the inside. Cut it out and glue it to some 1 inch thick wood like I learned in woodshop about 20 years ago. Use the wood template with everything oversized to create sand mold and build a furnace.

Hotrod magazine had a whole article about doing it, it included how to build the furnace with **** from home depot. As far as the aluminum to melt.... I have plenty of aluminum **** laying around including the brand new barely used edelbrock intake I took off of it no one wants to buy locally. Im actually thinking about cutting it up and melting it down to make this part.

 

[yevgenievich]

What are the parts supposed to look like? If the dimensions do not have a lot of odd angles, then manual mill shoukd have no problems. All the mating surfaces will have gaskets, and holes can positiones +/- 1mm . Cast would be harder to ensure there are no hairline cracks or pin hole.

 

[Georgeb]

I did some looking at pics and think I understand what you want to make. If it were me I wouldn't hesitate to make them myself. I would trace them out using the gaskets on my aluminum, drill all the bolt holes and drill several holes close to each other around the perimeter of the ports then cut between the holes with my sawzall and a thin blade. Then I would use a sanding drum on my die grinder to smooth out to the correct shape and size and wrap it up with a nice polish. As far as the outside shape I would use a band saw to get close to the shape, a belt sander to get closer and my die grinder to remove the rest just enough to clear any possible interference. I would have run out of patience long ago.....

 

[Stewzer55]

I'm not being paid to promote this site, but I recommend you spend a little time on the Bangshift.com forums. There's some incredible EFI knowledge, incredible fabrication knowledge and more. Doesn't matter what it is, one guy has a EFI 455 Buick that ran in drag week and also has a Pontiac OHC-6 also running EFI.

 

[Irishman999]

So I was installing my sbc serpentine system yesterday and the ear that the ac compressor bolts to hit the valve cover. I massaged it down with a grinder for several hours, to the point it was going to get into threads. Then I glued a heli-coil in the threads and decided to grind it all the way to the threads for the most clearance possible. Still hit the valve cover.

So I got the cut off wheel and lobbed the whole ear off, so now the ac compressor will have 3 bolts holding it on instead of 4.

Went to set the ac compressor on its perch and IT ALSO HITS THE VALVE COVER. EVERYTHING ON THE ENGINE HITS THESE ******* VALVE COVERS!!!!

I was to the point of pulling them off and going with stock, then I had to backtrack in my mind how they ended up on the engine. I needed adjustable rocker studs for my cam, the adjustable studs dont clear stock rockers. Then I remembered how much efford I have in this already.

As far as the spacer, we got REALLY creative. My father in law and I spent thanksgiving night creating a drawing of the gasket in autocad. We traced it on paper and scanned it into cad. Since his 3-D printer only has a 10 inch bed were doing it in halves and glueing it together. If it melts were going to print off more and use them to sand cast mold it out of aluminum. I got enough broken transmission cases around to try it several times until I make one good set lol.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Glad you're back on this project. I've had to design stuff in AutoCAD before, most recent was the plate for my brake booster to bolt to. Never designed a part for an engine, that would be cool. Can't wait to see your finished product.

 

[Irishman999]

Glad you're back on this project. I've had to design stuff in AutoCAD before, most recent was the plate for my brake booster to bolt to. Never designed a part for an engine, that would be cool. Can't wait to see your finished product.

Im glad im back on it too, sometimes you just have to realize when your unhappy in life and get your priorities straight. The Impala is a fantastic vehicle but it does not get my heart racing like that bad ass truck I cant seem to look away from!

Last time I ****** with autocad was well over 10 years ago. I thought I was going to watch some video's on youtube and get the hang of it, that did not happen. My wife is alot better at it and we struggled through designing one intake port when her dad walked up and noticed what we were doing. He is a major executive of a mining company in Arizona and all around bad ass, he's got a degree in civil engineering and actually owns a version of autocad he uses on his printer. He said he could knock it out in 20 minuites, we ended up working on it late into the night.

He's like me, he wont leave a challenge alone even if there is nothing to gain but satisfaction of saying "I made it". He said he was going to work on it over the weekend, I really want to call and see how its going but I dont want to bother him either.

Even if we get the spacers 3d printed I have a feeling an oldschool home brew trick is going to be what gets the truck on the road. Im considering making molds out of wood and just trying to perfect the casting procedure. I got a **** load of transmission cases in the garage with broken off peices I could melt down. All I have to do is build the furnace out of **** from home depot, ohh and I have to have the time to do it.

 

[Stewzer55]

Throw a beer can or two into your aluminum as you smelt it, for ***** and giggles.

 

[Old77]

@Irishman999 .....any recent updates, man?

 

[Rusty Nail]

Wait.
I just read 16 pages and he never turned it on?
Did I skip a page?
Wait. When was new baby? Oh geez, nevermind.
I bet he had it.

March? He's long gone.

 

[Stewzer55]

He was DDing it for a while, he comes on every so often.

 

[RetroC10Sport]

He got new wheels for it.