CELEBRATING 20 YEARS!

This housing just has one hole for the lowers which I'm fairly certain is close to stock.

I just swapped in a completely different designed rear suspension a week before a race...and it's ready to race. I'll get around to the nit picky time consuming details later...

Who else is as excited as I am to see what this thing can do tomorrow?

Course has a ton of transitions in it along with a couple sweepers, exactly the test bed to see how much the 3 link improved the car's rear grip.

https://forum.azsolo.com/index.php?/topic/3283-course-map-amp-spring-2021-event-1-jan-16th/

Car is washed, full of fuel, have a new case for the GoPro and the weather forecast shows high 60s-low 70s and partly clouds tomorrow.

Let's do this!!!

Good luck!

I'm excited to hear the results, the suspense is killing me...

So the day didn't go exactly as planned...

First two runs were great, completely different car yet still very responsive and easy to drive. I was about a second or so ahead of Mike in his Chevelle on both runs, then sitting in line to start 3rd run in neutral I pushed the clutch in to shift to 1st and the pedal went to the floor. Pretty sure I have a clutch fork issue but Barney was out.

Mike graciously let me slip into his seat for my last 3 runs. It was awesome for him to do that and to feel my setup on course then to go directly to his setup (which is very similar to mine) and feel the difference. Final verdict from today, 3 link is the answer!

This video is my second run, only adjustment from first run was 3 clicks softer on rear rebound.

https://youtu.be/E5EX3nboybs

I took a passenger and felt a slight RR tire rub on one long sweeper so I added some tape to verify where, added some compression to rear shocks and had tools out to raise PHB after 3rd run...but it wasn't to be.

Here are the final results for the day.

http://solo-timing-api.herokuapp.co...2147797&filter=comp-class-Open_CAM-T

It'll be a day or two before I can diagnose the clutch, but pretty sure the trans has to come out first too see what's up...so yeah...

Hate that about the transmission. Looking at the rest of the field, I'd say you are doing extremely well regardless, but especially so with the G-body platform.

Can't wait until you get more seat-time with the new set up, dial it in, and be able to compare times at the different tracks with the old setup.

I'm hoping I'll be content in the way mine handles with the "typical" upgrades I made once I'm finally able to get it back on the road. If not, and this 3-link ends up as promising as it sounds, it'll be high on the "things to do after I get it running list" - lol

A shame track time was only two runs, but there is a next time soon. Being able to make two runs and then jump in Mike's car is cool. Did you actually beat him by two tenths in his own car? Shame on you.

Did the clutch slave die? That's an LT1 clutch setup too, was never crazy about that pull setup.
Bob

A borrowed car is always faster.

There is a great picture of me in a slight drift in his car then another lifting the RF tire on corner exit. When I get non-watermarked copies I'll share them and someone my car on course.

If you feel like scrolling you can see them here.

https://veitchcreative.smugmug.com/...LO-Autocross-Spring-2022-Series-Event-1/

Out of curiosity why is the upper link axle mount leaned back that far, I assume to get proper geometry?

To get a longer link and less pinion angle change during suspension travel.

Suspicion confirmed...





Now just have to find time to schedule the uninstall\correct\reinstall procedure...

Well, this should be fun to get out...





Had a very liberal coat of loc-tite on it when it went in the last time about 7 years ago...

Probably will need to be torched to release the loctite.

Easiest way to get broken bolts out of aluminum is to weld a nut onto the broken bolt. Even if it is slightly recessed. A good hot weld that fills the nut will soften the loctite, and you should be able to thread it right out. Done it many times on exhaust manifold bolts. Just let the weld cool briefly before turning on it. If you try it to soon and weld is still soft, it will not work.

It'll have to be a tube of some sort first, inside between those two ridges is only 0.466" and they are about 0.25" deep. Trying to find a small tube with OD less than 1/2" to weld to stud, then weld a nut to it or just use vice grips.

That makes it a little more interesting...nothing is ever easy on cars.

Put a Mig Tack weld on top of bolt, then stack tack on tack until you get height you need then use vice grips or weld nut on. Have had to do it more than once in industrial setting and it works.

Yeah put a nut over the stud and weld it, it's the best way IMO.

Could also cut a slit in it with a Dremel cutoff and then use a flat blade to screw it out after torching. Might need a square shaft flat blade that you can grab with a wench or a flat blade socket. Those two raised ears don't seem to leave much room for a nut and normal socket.

Well, we tried all of the above (except the tack straight on top of stud, good idea) and none of it worked. The nuts were so small they melted down before the weld would burn into the stud

Turns out, several drill bits and an easy out with assist from blue wrench was the answer.



New bolt procured and ready to put all back together now.

Cheap fix, just a PITA to pull the trans to get to the broken bolt.
I had read that the LT1 fork was not available from OEM but Hawk has a good repop.
https://www.hawksmotorsports.com/93...lutch-fork-kit-w-pivot-t-nut-bolt-hawks/

Or just the bolt and Tee.
https://www.hawksmotorsports.com/93...-pivot-t-nut-w-bolt-for-clutch-fork-new/

There is a lot of stress on the bolt with that pull type clutch. The higher the static clutch pressure the more stress. Never understood the need for the LT1 clutch, probably why it was only used for 3 years in Camaro. And of course the LT1 T56 is a piece of that clutch pie.
Bob

One of these days I'll get back on this project and get it all back together.

In the meantime, I'm installing an under counter Ice Maker in our kitchen.

The start



Deconstruct complete. Had to disassemble cabinet in place as the granite had to come out down, not up...because of groove on right side around trim and under the backsplash.



Was able to access a vent stack (for drain), fridge water supply and the disposal plug romex all behind the wall...even though all of these run under the slab over to the island.



Everything test fit perfectly and the appliance works as it is supposed to.



Yesterday I put a couple pieces of tile down under the cabinet and ice maker just to get the height back right and make it easier to slide ice maker in and today I reinstall cabinet and ice maker for final time and finish up the trim.

Then back to the Barney reinstall...

You get to have all the fun while waiting for parts. Me, no fun, stress test this morning.

Parts, used to be easy, even quality nuts and bolts have become scare.

Not much of an ice person, did have to scrape the van windows at 7 am this morning.
My wife bought one of those on the counter top ice cube makers a few months ago, pretty neat little toy. Nothing like that cube maker you installed. Should be able to make cubes fast enough to cool the pool water this Summer.
Bob

Barney moved forward and backward under it's own power again today. Now I just have to reinstall the interior and get back to business tuning the new 3 link. I won't say the reinstall of the trans was easy, but I will say most of the issues were operator error and easily rectified once discovered.

I hated cars most of this afternoon but I've backed off of that strong feeling now.