Big update guys.

Got married, woo!
Drained the bank account $4k

Got a 04 Forester XT on a loan and sold my old pathfinder thinking it would help my financial situation.
FUCKING WRONG. Subie was the lemon of lemons. Lost $4k in repairs and taking a hit when the dealer finally bought it back for what was left on the loan. Bought a $1300 explorer.

Got into 70s-80s motorcycles again, started restoring a few to get extra cash.

Now into the good stuff. Got a call a few weeks ago my engine was getting wrapped up. But bad news, they found the cam gear was dug into and ready to fail. Called COMP and got the same spec cam shipped to the builder. Also sent them my distributor to press a new gear on to and space correctly.

Picked the new sexy girl up last week! Ordered Felpro MLS head gaskets, metal reinforced intake 1262R gaskets, trying a cometic timing cover gasket, and got a melling oil pump as well as a oil pan stud kit.

Also sold off my TKO 600 MMR pt900 yesterday. After doing research I was pushing it past the point when most people break them. One sticky tire away from blowing up. So once I sell one of my motorcycles I will be starting to purchase everything to put a t56 magnum in the car. It seems the case, gears, bearings are much beefier than a regular t56. And they are based off the TR6060 that has proven itself in the ZR1, GT500, viper etc...

So that's the update for now. Life has sucked me dry this year, just trying to recover and things seem to be looking up for me.

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Engine Pron - hell yeah

 

you gonna check the ring gap yourself on one of those slugs?

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I'm glad you're stickin this out and following thru with a new motor. I was bummed when that shit went down with the old one.

 

In hindsight I could have just slapped new slugs in the old engine. But I wanted to elevate the build so to speak.

I've wanted a Dart block since I built the first 408. Now I should have a block that will last a very long time with great reliability.

 

Getting some things done to the engine.

Had to grind the windage tray mounting holes since these are 2.75 mains instead of 3.0 inch

Had to trim the windage tray studs since they hit the pan. Also tweaked the pickup tube so I now have .382 of pickup to pan clearance.

Ordered timing cover dowels and head dowels. Should be here in a few days. Then I'll get the bottom end buttoned up.

 

awe the little things

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once you think you have everything, you'll go to assemble and find out what you really forgot

 

Looks sweet!

 

Me too. I felt for you.

This new motor looks pretty nice.

 

I bet it feels pretty damn good to know that you are gonna have a dead reliable 700+hp street car.

 

Engine wise yes.

 

Got some updates!

I found a really good deal on a full T56 Magnum Swap for my car. Picked that up last weekend. Which then gave me motivation to put the engine together. Oil pump pickup is clearenced , windage tray is on, pan, timing cover, heads are torqued down.

A month ago I found a great deal on a Mcleod RXT clutch as well

Also got my flywheel and pilot bearing, I just need pressure plate bolts and dowel kit and I'll officially have everything to put the whole drivetrain in the car.

Then I need to brace my drivers side header to wastage tube. Send it in for jet hot coating, send my turbo inlet housings to get ported ( jet noises here I come!)

I also want to redo my driveshaft safety loop, it's pretty jank , I did it when I was 18. And I will be pushing the limits of this driveshaft that came with the kit.

I'm very close to getting it running again. Just in time for snow to fly

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Looks like snow Sat. I will be over tonight for a ride.

What kind of torque can that transmission hold?

 

"700ft lbs"
It's an aftermarket TR6060 that comes in the ZR1, Hellcat, GT500. Pretty darn strong.

 

I actually got some good help in the garage this weekend!

Got the pushrods and rockers on and adjusted, bolted down the valve covers. Put on the flywheel, twin disc RXT clutch and bellhousing on. Slid it in the car and bolted up the trans. Only snag I'm running into is the shifter mount plate bolts are hitting the top of the transmission tunnel. Gonna have to pull the trans back out and do some clearencing with a BFH.

Got a chance to hook the clutch cable up. Same pedal feel as my 96 explorer clutch, insanely easy. Pretty excited about this clutch.


Also removed my horribly janky driveshaft safety loop from 12 years ago. Gonna have to weld the holes up in the floor and put a new one in.

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Well, I managed to squeeze a bit more garage time in tonight. The transmission not fitting the tunnel was bugging me. I didn't want to remove the trans, so I let it sag down a bit and tried banging on the tunnel, no luck. Then I took out my handy dandy oscillating cutting tool. Cut out some sheet metal in the tunnel, luckily it's double walled, so I just cut out the bottom metal for clearance.

Everything fits now! I even loosely put on the shifter and made engine noises. With no drivers seat in it, I still managed.

Here is the big bitch!

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Nice updates

Well that sucks about the Forester.

We have one and had very few problems even with bigger turbo ,intercooler exhaust etc.

Only problems we have had is front driveshafts are consumable parts...

 

Yeah, I really wanted to keep that car for awhile. Just very odd issues I haven't found too many people having. But I'm happier driving a $1300 explorer because I have no payments and I don't care what happens to it.

 

Nice build! Subscribing.

 

Did a little more this weekend.

Got the old DS safety loop holes welded up, used seam sealer and painted the old surfaces. I'm going to have to make a custom DS safety loop, with the trans being longer, the floor won't accept a kit anymore. So I'm going to weld tabs off the subframe and hack up a kit, should come out nicely.

Got my turbo compressor housings off, they are being sent to COMP to get ported/anti surge done. Love the sound, that's pretty much the only reason I'm doing it at all, haha!

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I'm running a T56 as well. I have a Metco loop on mine. I like it because it is nice and tight up to the floor of the car, so you have as much clearance under it as possible.

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