toedrag

Thx, I'll probably take you up on that. Sorry about your scuttle. So true on parts selection being time consuming...I spent the better part of my 4 month lead time researching parts, but I tend to over think things. It's still fun though.

Too funny; I just saw your pictures and noticed that you did it correctly, which made me start wondering what I missed. I literally just pulled up the video again to see if there was some sort of clarification at the end of the video, like Scott saying, "oh, and on the XL, leave this long" in the last 3 seconds. No biggy. Although, it does make me wonder about other differences that I/we haven't discovered yet...

Oh, this was a happy surprise: in the XL, the Steering Shaft doesn't pass through the Firewall Shelf: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26995&g2_serialNumber=3

Scuttle meets the side panel on the driver's side: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26974&g2_serialNumber=3 Scuttle meets the side panel on the passenger's side: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26976&g2_serialNumber=3 Finished for the day: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26968&g2_serialNumber=3

Dash fitted http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26970&g2_serialNumber=3 Scuttle & Firewall Shelf. [EDIT:]In hindsight, BEFORE cutting the firewall panel, I recommend test fitting the hood without the firewall panel in place. This will allow you check the profile of the hood & scuttle. In my case the hood edge was a little taller than the scuttle, and I only realized in mid November that I could actually raise the scuttle lip up about 1/8-1/4" to mate with the hood. (You do that by putting clecos on each side of the scuttle and use a piece of wood or other shim to raise the edge that faces the firewall panel) This means that you'd need to cut the firewall shelf a little taller than you would have otherwise, in order for there to be enough aluminum to add screws to attach the scuttle to the firewall panel. Point being, don't cut the firewall panel too short so that you don't have any aluminum behind the scuttle lip if you end up needing to raise the scuttle a bit. [END EDIT] http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26972&g2_serialNumber=3 With the Scuttle removed, here is the top view looking down at the gap between the Firewall Shelf & Tunnel top http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26978&g2_serialNumber=4 As you can see in the above picture, the Firewall Shelf sits ~2" in front of the crossmember. I've already made a fill-in panel, and it will attach to both the existing tunnel top & the cross member, and it goes under the firewall by about 1/16". I may leave it, or I may ask the Stalker boys to send me another tunnel top panel and I'll re-do it. It's hidden, so it's not high on my priority list...Maybe for version 1.1.

Well, I fitted the dash, scuttle, & firewall shelf over the last 2 days. My list of 'XL build variations/corrections' to the build videos is growing. Most of my notes are inconsequential, but the one I found today will cause me a teeny bit of extra work. You see, the build videos have you cut the front-most edge of the tunnel top cover near the back edge of a frame tube so that it doesn't interfere with the firewall shelf. However, on the XL, the firewall shelf sits about 2" forward of the frame tube, so it creates a little rectangular gap, about 2" x ". I'll take pictures later tonight, and it'll make more sense. In hindsight on the XL, it's probably best to just not trim the front edge of the tunnel top until the firewall shelf has been fitted. The fix will just be a piece of scrap aluminum, of which I have plenty. It's a minor nitpick I realize.

Makes sense, thx.

Good reminder...I think Scott covers how to make a little access panel in the front tunnel cover by making a cut along the line where the dash meets the tunnel cover. Or, did you mean the rear tunnel cover? On the steering shaft bit, I've been studying your gallery pics for a while now Yours was the inspiration for using the telescoping lower shaft.

Had some good garage time over the weekend: Front & Rear tunnel completed (mostly). I'm not sure yet if I'll put screws on top of the rear tunnel piece...The tunnel fits really nicely under the seat back panel. I also tweaked the seat back panel at the top edge by putting a slight bend in it so that it sits flat against the frame. http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26949&g2_serialNumber=2 To locate the position for the firewall mount bearing in the driver's side footwell panel, I ran a string line along the longitudinal center of the car and referenced the steering shaft to that string line. http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26943&g2_serialNumber=3 The result was that the center hole of the bearing needed to be about 1/4" inward, toward the longitudinal center line of the car, from where the pre-drilled (by Stalker) hole was located in the welded mounting tab, which is why the bearing isn't perfectly plumb/vertical as seen below: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26945&g2_serialNumber=4

Jevs, someday, we should meet up and swap cars. Since I went with Scott's recommendation of the T-56 close ratio w/3.73, it'd be fun to do some back to back driving of each.

My Build Table: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26651&g2_serialNumber=2 Floor Panels fitted: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26774&g2_serialNumber=2 Seat Back, Hip Panels fitted. Starting Tunnel: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26791&g2_serialNumber=2

Order placed: Mar 2014 Picked up from the freight company: Aug 2014 Brunton Options: T-Bar roll cage w/side bars Class 1 hitch receiver Classic Body Hard Top Aluminum Gaz shocks Personal options/plans for the build: GMPP LS3 (430 hp) w/a T-56 Magnum close ratio trans, mated with an LSD w/3.73 final drive. GMPP ECM. Minimalist dash design Seats: Momo Supercup, driver's side on double-locking sliders. Will try to have both 3-pt belts & 6-pt harness. Fiberglass Color: TBD Chassis color: Black, powdercoat Manual Steering ------------------------------------------ Lessons Learned throughout the build I'm adding these notes as I go Most used tools Hand tools: sockets & socket wrench, box-end ratchet wrenches, vise grips/lockjaw pliers, bench vise, mini-sledge/dead blow hammer, regular hammer, angle finder/T-bevel, torque wrenches Power tools: Angle grinder, belt sander, right angle drill, right angle drill attachment (for really close quarters drilling) Tools purchased (or borrowed) Cleco pliers & clecos For temporarily attaching various pieces together, like body panels to the frame Qty 50 clecos has worked well for me [*]Brake line flaring kit I needed this because I routed my brake lines slightly differently than the standard Brunton method due to relocating the rear proportioning valve to be under the hood, adjacent to the brake booster, vs inside the tunnel. I went through two Harbor Freight flaring kits. The wingnut ears broke on both, and the jaws holding the tube weren't square to the tool, which resulted in skewed flares. I ended up using the Autozone loaner kit. [*]Taps 1/4-28, for remote mounting the clutch reservoir 3/8-24, for rear brake line tee-fitting 1/8 NPT, for chasing threads in the brake proportioning valve after one of my npt fittings tried to damage it. 3/8 NPT, for a port out of the water pump 1/2 NPT, for a port out of the water pump M6-1.0, for whatever reason, my engine had un-tapped bolt holes for the plastic flywheel covers [*]Engine hoist, 2-ton would be better if you're keeping your chassis up high on a build table when installing the drivetrain. If the chassis is down low, a 1-ton hoist is sufficient [*]Engine stand [*]3/32's punch for removing the roll pin in the pressure line of the clutch slave cylinder. My local HW store had a set of 3 punches (1/16, 3/32, 1/8) for $8 [*]Magnetic jaws for a bench vice used for assembling AN hose ends Musings on the Stalker hardware kit & bolts in general Most of the bolts in the Stalker hardware kit are used for suspension joints, which are mostly loaded in shear. There are very few bolts loaded in tension. The kit I received was comprised of Grade 8 hardware from Fastenal. I ended up replacing 95% of the included hardware with AN hardware because of the increased shank/grip length AN hardware provides. Plus, where the bolts are used as pivot points, I like knowing that the smooth shank of the bolt is the pivot and not the threads. AN washers are also available in both 1/16" thickness & 1/32" thickness, and the 1/32" ones are useful for shimming various gaps between the heim joints & cone spacers. Having said this, I readily admit that this is more of a 'best practice' and may not have any real improvement over the provided bolts in the kit, given this application. The difference in shear strength between Grade 8 & AN bolts is probably a 'don't care' since the car isn't likely to see shear forces high enough to matter unless it's an accident. I guess in the end, it's probably more personal preference and potentially wasted cost, but I think I'll sleep better at night. Replacing the bolts was only about $150 total. On the other hand, if you want some weight savings, use a half-height AN nut (AN364 type) and either trim the excess threads off the standard AN bolt, or use NAS bolts, which designed to be used with half-height nuts and are uber expensive since I think they originate in the UK, as in $5-$12 per bolt. GM Bolts you may need to purchase. At the time of my build, these weren't called out in the Brunton provided shopping list, but they are mentioned in the build videos. My local GM dealer had reasonable prices for the bolts. Do your own research, but these should generally all be grade 10.9: Transmission to Bellhousing: Qty 7, M10-1.5x40, GM 12523235 Bellhousing to Engine Block: Qty 6, M10-1.5x40, GM 12523235, and Qty 2, same thread specs, but you'll need an Allen Head/aka Socket Head bolt & a washer (not sure of GM p/n for these 2) Slave Cylinder to Transmission: Qty 2, M6-1.0x25mm Clutch Pressure Plate to Flywheel, Qty 6, GM 12561465, M10-1.5x25 - The GM bolts have a smaller flange than a regular hex head bolt. You can't use a regular hex head bolt here, but an Allen/Socket head bolt can work. Flywheel to crankshaft: Qty 6, GM 11569956, M11X1.5X23.5 with thread sealer. Many people re-use the bolts that were holding on the previous flex plate or flywheel, but I chose to buy new bolts from GM. Plastic covers between the block & bellhousing, aka flywheel inspection covers: Qty 2 (one bolt for each of the 2 covers), GM 92138771, M6-1.0x17 Starter: Qty 2, M10-1.5x120, GM 11610787 Where I deviated from the Stalker design: Manual Steering system: I used a lower steering shaft that is a 3/4" double-D telescoping shaft. The upper shaft is a 3/4"-48 spline hollow shaft. The quick release steering hub is also a splined type. AN hardware for suspension Mount the throttle linkage connecting rod higher on the GM pedal. Reinforce the mounting points for the GM pedal mounting base and Brunton throttle linkage bracket Per Spec's instructions for installing the slave cylinder in the transmission, when I calculated the distance between the pressure plate fingers and the throw out bearing, it was within the 0.175" to 0.225" range, so I didn't install the 1/8" thick shim. Fuel System I chose to use a 100 micron pre-pump inline filter and a 1 micron post-pump canister filter, instead of a single 40 micron filter with 1 sq in of filter media The pump mounts under the passenger side half-shaft, instead of on the side of the tank hanging down almost below the bottom of the car The 1 micron post-pump filter mounts to a frame tube behind the passenger seat. The current Stalker design doesn't call for a post-pump filter. Aluminum fittings, instead of a mix of brass, steel, and aluminum that's found in the optional Brunton fuel line kit. I ended up not using any of the Brunton Fuel Line kit...wish I could have that $200 back. RaceFlux fuel line hose & RaceFlux AN hose ends, instead of stainless steel hoses & hose ends from the Brunton Fuel line kit. I had originally planned on using Aeroquip Startlite hose for the fuel lines, but as it turns out, Startlite is a poor choice for fuel, but I do use it elsewhere (google it). [*]Cooling system The deviation here was only caused by the use of the Mark Scott radiator, instead of the custom sandwich radiator that Brunton had been using in prior builds. I tried to order it from them, and Brunton redirected me to Mark Scott. The steam vent connections are all meant to be 1/4 ID hose The overflow connections (that runs from the surge tank to the overflow tank) are meant to be 3/8 ID hose Aeroquip Startlite hose & RaceFlux AN hose ends [*]PCV System Brunton advocates removing the PCV system, but I'm not comfortable with that based on my application/usage of the car. If you're interested in the Pro's & Con's, spend some time on ls1tech. I used two Elite Engineering catch cans (first generation, not the larger E2 cans) and the "hockey stick" bracket from Elite Engineering. One can is on the clean side of the PCV system, i.e. where clean air enters the system, and another can is on the dirty side of the PCV system, i.e. where the dirty air exits the valley cover. 3/8" hose connects everything together. [*]Brake System Mounted rear brake proportioning valve under the hood near the booster Used a check valve in the vacuum line between the booster & intake manifold Added Parking Brake End of Lessons Learned ------------------------------------------ This is my first automotive build of such scale. My application is street & non-competitive twisty track. The full album is here: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=25321&g2_highlightId=26671 I've also set up a camera mount in the garage and will be taking a picture at the end of each build day, which should net a nice timelapse movie later on. The daily album is here: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=26793 Picking it up from the freight company. Yes, the crate saw some trauma, and the plywood end panel is missing from the crate. I have to file a damage claim for a small crack in the fiberglass on the rear body panel; we noted it on the paperwork before taking delivery. It'll be less than $200 to fix. http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26672&g2_serialNumber=4 One of my two helpers: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26685&g2_serialNumber=3 Unpacking http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26689&g2_serialNumber=3 Body panels strung up on the ceiling. Other body panels are scattered about the upper parts of the garage: http://www471.pair.com/stalkerv/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=26693&g2_serialNumber=5

Thx for the quick response.

Forgot to ask earlier... For the forward section of the tunnel (not the u-shaped AL piece), I know which piece to use for the top, but for the two side pieces, the two panels I have which I think are to be used for this are quite oversized...I want to say they are 4' long and maybe 15" wide with a 1" flange on the long edge. I'm estimating these measurements since I'm away from the garage at the moment. Is this also what you have? All my other panels are accounted for, so I'm not sure what else these big panels would be used for if not the forward tunnel side pieces.

I noticed this too on my build. Good idea on the door trim.

Ahh, yes, I think you're right based jevs picture above and on the description of the GMPP LS3 (non E-rod): http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-engines/ls3.html "It also includes the EFI intake manifold assembly with injectors and throttle body, exhaust manifolds, water pump, balancer, 58X reluctor wheel, and 14-inch automatic-transmission flexplate. " I missed that before (obviously)

I think it's the E-Rod flavors of GMPP crate engine that have the flex plate.

Another thought...I haven't checked the dimensions of the Flyin Miata Moroso LS pan, but it may be worth looking into... Or another route: a skid plate or sump guard. From [url=http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?p=73869#post73869][/url]http://usa7s.com/vb/showthread.php?p=73869#post73869 http://usa7s.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=5002&stc=1&d=1367087363

Do you already have a low profile oil pan?

Somebody has a great marketing dept. Videos were pretty fun, but I did laugh out loud while sarcastically exclaiming back to the Product Video narrator, "Wait...it's got gas filled coilovers AND a sway bar??!" Need to see a similar video produced with any Seven/variant.

Sub'd. Oh, and I'm quite jealous that you managed to get your kit in a mere 2 weeks.

That can be done when there is a common internal connection between the coil & switch contacts. In fact, it's not uncommon to see that done externally with a 4-terminal relay. http://www.autoshop101.com/trainmodules/relays/relimages/relay%203%20pin.gif

Relays are simply electronically activated switches. Instead of your finger pushing a physical button to close the switch contacts, electric current is used to close the switch contacts. One half of an automotive mechanical relay is the coil side. The coil must be energized in order to close the switch contacts on the other side of the relay. To energize the coil, you simply need current flowing through it. The main application for relays is to relocate the high current carrying circuitry away from where you may not want it. For example, if you have a fan that requires 30 amps, you may not want to put a beefy 30 A switch on your dash. You can put a tiny switch on your dash that handles much lower amperage, say 0.1 A, and allow that switch to drive the coil side of a 30A relay, and then the 30A of current for the fan flows through the relay and on to the fan. Functionally (not schematically), it could look like this: 12V -- dash switch -- relay -- device/appliance Relays don't really have the concept of "inputs" and "outputs" on their terminals, btw. They also have multiple configurations: single pole, single throw (SPST) is the most basic relay and has 2 coil terminals & 2 switch terminals. A single pole, double throw (SPDT) relay will have 2 coil terminals and 3 switch terminals where one terminal is normally closed and the other is normally open, and when the coil is energized, they swap positions. Besides mechanical relays, you can have solid state relays, optical relays, and others. For more info, this site has a pretty good writeup: [url=http://www.mp3car.com/the-faq-emporium/117895-faq-relays-how-they-work-and-how-to-wire-it-up.html][/url]http://www.mp3car.com/the-faq-emporium/117895-faq-relays-how-they-work-and-how-to-wire-it-up.html

That's odd. CAN is a pretty simple protocol, riding on a 2-wire interface, or single wire if you're GM. It's multi-master & broadcast in nature to make it really easy & fast to receive PID data. But, the CAN protocol doesn't define any sort of physical layer pinout/connector; that's left up to the designer or the OBDII standard if so equipped, which apparently, it's not. I don't think the CAN protocol natively has any sort of enable/disable feature. Caterham might have just put the 2 CAN signals on different pins than OBDII specifies, which is why standard OBDII readers wouldn't work. Or, maybe it's CAN single-wire and you'd need an OBDII reader that supports CAN single-wire? Or, they could have gotten creative and might have defined an Enable pin that needs to be shorted to GND or 12V before the CAN Bus data can be read at that connector. Or, if they are really paranoid, they could make a custom cable that contains something like an EEPROM where its contents need to read & validated before CAN Bus data can be read at that connector. I hope they didn't build a customized CAN protocol requiring a secret code to be transmitted through the CAN protocol itself; that's lunacy imo. I'm curious to know the answer to both how it works technically and their justification for implementing it that way. On a related note, if anyone wants to read a doc on how CAN works, TI has a pretty informative doc here: [/url]http://www.ti.com/lit/an/sloa101a/sloa101a.pdf

Must be someone else's since mine is the level 3 kit.