Cool stuff, thanks for keeping us updated. Good luck getting it ready in time.
No Problem bud. It's nice to have some time to update this and also see what my buddies have been up to. Good times a head.
Let's do it!!!
Yes. Yes it is....er... will be an issue.
Burls - I know the struggles you've had with that last build. Frustrating to say the least. Right now, I'm super stoked on getting the chance to line-up with you again!!! Looking forward to it buddy! Now get your ass to work and get'er done!!!
You're on kiddo, we'll line up for sure. Yeah, the last build damn near had me ready to sell the car, or drop the 5.7 back in... but now, well let's just say I'm optimistic and so stoked.
that 3.6 is a monster, your gonna shit the seat when you run that pig.
Yeah I think you're right. I'm gonna need to borrow a diaper from ya (I'm assuming you'll be packing those from now on after your last pass at Atco).
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hey look, two updates in the same week! It's a miracle.
Ok, so Bill and Dan will have my Conqueror Trans ready first of next week, so I'll pick it up along with my Dominator Torque Converter. I'm hoping to get a helping hand so I can go ahead and drop it into the BadWagon, crossing that big ticket item off the list. The more I can get knocked out before the install weekend, the better off I'll be. At least that's the plan.
Ok, so on to cooling...
Well a few weeks ago, I finally ordered the Afco GT500 HeatExchanger. It's a dual pass unit, with dual fans. This HX is a proven performer, and I feel much better going ahead and installing this from the get go. I did have to delay the build a bit to fit this in the budget, but it gonna be well worth it. I'm not 100% sure how I'm gonna mount it, but we'll figure it out.
ok, pics..
FYI, I picked this up from Lightening Performance in Katy, TX. The guys there we REALLY nice, great customer service and I also saved about $150 ordering it from them. Fantastic!
There have been so many people who've helped me with this build. I'm an extremely lucky guy as I have wonderful friends who are willing to share their knowledge, time, experiences and ideas with me. There's no way I could pull this build off without them. NO WAY... Everything I've learned about these cars, how to wrench, race, troubleshoot issues, has come from my Mopar buddies. I'm literally standing on the shoulders of giants, and I'll give them the credit they deserve as I update this thread.
First and foremost I must thank my good buddy Mr. Karl Schello (lowwlife).
Karl has pushed our platform to new territory and blazed a trail few will have the balls to follow. He's knowledge of running Kenne Bell Superchargers is simply vast. Karl's shared so much with me, crucial information which without it, I'm sure I would be making huge mistakes, setting myself up for failure. Beyond just the information, Karl has been beyond generous with selling or hooking me up with parts I needed for this build. He's also steered me clear of parts I didn't need, which is a HUGE plus.
Karl, brother, I can't thank you enough. I can't wait to see Shockwave run in person. It's gonna be absolutely epic.
One of the items which Karl helped me with is the GT500 Tensioner.
Now these tensioners come with a pulley which doesn't have a C-Clip to hold the bearing in place. Karl has had one fail before, so we're exploring options to upgrade this weak link. The Metco pulley I'll be using in another application would work with a washer in to shim it to the proper offset.
I have another pulley which may be installed on the tensioner instead of the one which comes on it, but I need to do some test fitting first to verify it will work. I'll post up what I decide to do there soon, as this items is almost up on the to do list.
I also picked up a steel power steering pulley from Karl. Now this one is kinda funny, as Mr. Schello didn't know if he still had it or not. Right when I needed it, Karl found it buried in his garage. WOOT!! So this will be getting installed shortly.
I also scooped up Karl's 6.1 radiator, had it flushed and pressure tested. It's good to go, and will be installed into the car shortly. Rollbar fabbed up a lower tube for me which won't compress under boost which should be here today. He came in on a Saturday to knock it out. Another buddy stepping up to help me on this build, thanks Jason!
The parts from Kenne Bell arrived. David and Mike at KB have been extremely helpful. Those guys are super busy. Even so they were able to get my parts out to me quickly, provided wonderful service and insight. I was amazed at the time they took with me to make sure they were sending out the correct parts for my build. Jim Bell should be proud of these two fellas. Thank you so much guys!!
So here's some of what I picked up from KB directly.
New Front Drive Plate (next to the old one)
I learned that KB is no longer polishing these plates due to their tendency to warp when polished. The cost of these plates is very reasonable, which I was not expecting... WINNING!
A new filter was in order as the old one was, well, old. Ya think the filter is large enough?
These filters flow rating is something ridiculous, I can't remember the spec off the top of my head, but I wanna say 750cfm. Don't hold me to it though...
Ok, so one thing that has changed since my original post is tuning. I've been working with Mike Doban for years, and Mike did a great job tuning my car. However, Mike is quite a drive from me and my plan is to turn up the power on this build over time. Basically, this car is gonna hit the dyno a few times over the next year and location of said dyno has more of an impact on my tuning choice than before.
Luckily for me, Brent Hughes is just a state away in VA Beach. Brent has over a decade of Kenne Bell experience. He's tuned some of the fastest KB powered cars in the MSHS, and was highly recommended by the owners of those cars. So I gave Brent a jingle, we discussed the build and my goals over the next 12-18 months. Brent was excited about the build and the chance to tune it and join the team.
I will say that Brent had me rolling, as when he asked what my initial goals are with the new build, I replied: "10.5 full weight". His response: "10.5?? On what, the start up tune?" I'm really looking forward to working with Brent and learning from him. He's been a wealth of knowledge thus far. See ya soon (I hope) kiddo!
Ok, that's all I have time for this morning. I'll be posting up some actual build progress soon. I just wanted to get y'all caught up on the parts of the puzzle.
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