I thought that chip had the VATS removed. We added the +12v lead to the MSD and the distributor and had fire, but no fuel. We traced out most of the wiring, checked the pins on the ecm to make sure the harness was assembled correctly and then (finally) Racerdad916 (Billy) said "why don't you hook up the check engine light and see what it might say, that way we know if the ECM is dead or not". I had considered that we should have it hooked up, but "bah, what's it going to tell us since the ECM is on switched power for both leads" and I didn't do it. 92BVoodoo (Bill....this gets confusing in the garage) and I hooked it up and tried to start it, then just pulled the fuse for the "switched hot", shorted the pins and "poof"...code 46...which is VATS "or trouble at ignition key switch" (I've had the vats wires break there on a car a couple times before as well). I dug out my prom burner and software (which I've never used), read a few help files, found bit B2 for VATS turned on, killed it and burned a prom. Wandered out to the garage, hit the button and it started right up...figures...

Anyway, that takes care of that part.

I called today to see if they had taken it around the block, but the freezing rain and a timing issue put the Kabosh on the road test. I can't wait to flog (wait, did I say that outloud?)um, test drive it (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Well, it is seriously looking like this car might cost me a second "divorce".... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/nutkick.gif)

Anyway, we got the timing sorted out once we got it running again. Bill noticed the fuel pressure gauge showing 5 psi on the fuel rail while we were trying to start it (it suddenly quit running and timing had been "everywhere"). "Think we ran it out of gas?"...."I guess it's possible"...lol (I tried to jumper the fuel pump with a battery box at one point last year and got on the fuel sender leads, so my sending unit might be a bit suspect now, but the gauge is hooked up and showing empty right now). We picked up the can, tossed 2 gallons in it and poof, it fired right up. We set the timing and connected the timing connector and still had timing at TDC (or does the base timing get set at 8 deg with the ECM? I figured I'd error on the side of being retarded, like that's a surprise to anyone here....lol). We recycled the ignition and it all seems to be working right. We see 40+ degrees at idle and it drops under load and appears to generally be working correctly (though we did have to switch from Racerdads nice MAC timing light to a POS actron to get numbers we believed...we'll have to investigate that later).

Anyway, we now have the following hooked up, mounted and functioning:

Fuel gauge (with suspect sending unit)
Tach
MSD Shift light
2 Autometer Pro lights (low oil pressure and low water pressure warnings)
Oil Temp gauge (with a sender on the inlet to the cooler, we'll be adding one after the cooler to the other side of the switch).
Oil pressure gauge (mechanical)
Water temp gauge (mechanical)
Voltmeter
Dash lights
Wide band O2 (and hooked to the ECM under the hood using an old O2 connector to allow us to swap to a standard O2 at the track)
The new high pressure (the extra long) accusump is installed and has been leak checked

We still have to hook up:

Speedometer
Oil temp gauge (a second gauge with a switch for trans and rear end and add the senders to each)

Tie up the wiring, cover the extra holes in the firewall and put a windshield in it.

I'll have to post some pictures when I get a chance to take them...

Great to hear its running again!!

Wiring isn't done and it's not tied up yet, but here's a few current pics.

We now have brake lights. The speedometer works (but needs calibrated...which I can do as soon as the windsheld goes in and the insurance takes effect so I can drive it for a quick spin). All the patch panels for the firewall and various other holes are cut and ready to install and there is a working cigarette lighter (power port) in the dash. I wanted to make sure I could run the laptop and anything else I might need, so I figured it wouldn't hurt to have a power port.

I think I'm going to try to drag it out to the OVR-SCCA autocross on April 2nd and the test and tune on the 9th (if nothing breaks).

Last week 92 Voodoo (Bill) cut out all of the aluminum patch panels for the firewall and door openings, etc. This weekend he installed them (a job he billed as "the worst project ever"...thanks Bill!!!). So we are now slightly more fire resistant. I drained the fluid and installed a temp sending unit in the drain plug of the T56 to monitor transmission temps. I also respliced the knock sensor line to allow the thermotec heat protective sleeve to fit over it (it was melting beyond the original sleeve that I had installed, so I covered the rest of it). The passengers side seat belt anchors are installed now and ready for the belts. Most of the wiring is wrapped in split loom, harnessed, wrapped up, tied down, etc. It's not quite finished, but Bill did a great job tying up the wiring. The weather stripping has been placed around the window opening and the lexan is trimmed to a size that should fit...as soon as I figure out the best mounting method.

There's an event in two weeks and I "think" we should have the car there for a shake down run. Just wrapping up the loose ends.

Then we get to pull the engine and trans from Bill's Mustang (the one we took to NFME last year) and turn it into something evil...

Kevin, I'm glad you are still working on this project! It sounds like you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks Chad. I'm about out of time, interest and money, but that's never stopped me before...lol

Any guesses what it weighs?

3250?

Way too high.

I'm guessing below 3k, probably around 2900-2950 assuming he has everything in it.

We ran it across the scales at the truck stop last night and sitting on a 1700 lb trailer, we had a total weight of 4780. Look like about 3080 to me. It had a small battery jump box in the back of the car but no windshield in it (the box is probably lighter than the glass will be). There was no passenger seat in it either. It had about 14 gallons of fuel in it.

I'm starting to think I need to reweigh the car. I was at the shop with Mitch and Glenn and there is "nothing" left in Glenn's new CMC car (compared to mine) and if I pull my fuel, we're at almost the same weight. That can't be possible, can it? Is there that much weight difference between a 3rd and 4th gen? Glenn is at 2950 with 1/4 tank. I'm at 3080 with about 116 lbs of fuel on board. I still can/need to gut the front and rear bumpers, cut out two brackets in the rear, aluminum flywheel and lighter sway bars. I think I can remove at least 100 if not close to 170 more lbs from my car if I decide to (and then there's lexan for the hatch if I decided to try it). Maybe my weight is off?

Don't weigh the car on a trailer, it's just a guess at that point. However, your car is 1.75 x .120 throughout, IIRC. That is .5lb/ft of tube vs. 1.75 x .095, extra brace tubes, NASCAR bars on both sides, Accusump, cast AL valve covers are usually heavier then stock stamped steel, etc.

It is amazing the differences in weight of components when you really start scaling all your parts. Without ballast, without driver, and with 5 gals of fuel my car would be ~2665lbs.

That's with a stock rear bumper, no lexan, and the only fiberglass is the hood.

16ozs in a pound and the way to cut weight is to get obsessed about it. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

I've been living to that motto for the past 4 years and I'll be getting my car corner weighted for the first time here soon hopefully. I can't wait to see that number.

My SWAG is the 3rd gen chassis is about 100# lighter than a 4th gen, at the same level of prep. The extra steel in your cage will make up for about 1/2 of that compared to a typical CMC cage. Other little things add up. It takes a concerted effort to remove weight, or keep it off during a build.

It's useful to get an accurate weigh to judge lightening efforts. Swagging fuel load introduces a huge margin of error when you're trimming ounces off - I suggest topping the tank off, or pumping it dry, before scaling it.

This post has been edited by Blainefab: Mar 28 2011, 07:18 PM

We ran the tank dry, added almost 5 gallons (and let it idle for a bit), added virtually 5 more and then I threw a 4.2 gallon can in it. So it's got to be 13-14 gallons in it now (but it's not full). The trailer was weighed a few weeks ago so it could be titled and we have a very close (exact?) weight on it (placed on the scales and disconnected from the truck, same way we weighed it with the car on it). I wanted a rough idea where the car would be and now I have some guidance. Once I get it back out of storage and get glass in it, I'll tag it and drive it to the scales (or I'll borrow scales and corner weight it). So I won't say this is an exact weight, but it should be a pretty good guide to where I currently stand.

Love the build and really like how you painted the dash. Giving me some ideas as I built a custom dash insert in my camaro also. Keep up the good work!!

Credit for the dash goes to my neighbor (I think he's hot rod and custom art on here). He offered to take an airbrush to it, so I handed it to him and told him to have fun.