It's running again!

[007_SuperCoupe]

I just thought I'd post over here for those of you who don't frequent some of the other boards.

I got my SC running finally today. It's been a long haul, but the end is near. The weather is getting warmer, days are getting longer, and now I've got a Super Coupe that will move under its own power again! Just a few more small things to do in order to get it completely ready for the road. It's coming along very nicely and I can't wait to actually get it back on the road.

 

[George]

007 SC: That's great.... and pictures when done??

 

[007_SuperCoupe]

Cosmetically it hasn't changed for a couple years. I just had mechanical (electrical actually) issues that grounded me for a little while. Add a major illness on top of that (cancer) and it sat for a year and a half...September '06 was the last time I drove it.

But what you really want is a picture...so here it is...

It's a little dirtier now than in that picture and it's still up on jackstands, but the engine is running again finally and I'm very close to getting to drive it again. All I have left is changing the O2 sensors, installing my Lentech valve body (along with a complete tranny flush), getting the tires mounted and balanced, 4-wheel alignment, coolant flush, and an oil change and she'll be on the road for sure. Most of that can be done in a day apart from having to take the car in for the tires and alignment. It just got cold again, so there's no working on it today. I'll be able to get a base line dyno with my valve body (able to hold 3rd gear which I haven't been able to do as of yet) to know exactly where I stand for power. I should be around the 260 mark, but maybe just a little higher. I found out I was leaking significant boost on my last dyno because of a cracked intercooler as well as a leaking intercooler joint. Got both of those things fixed now, so I should be up a little more in power. Then I get to get serious with a larger supercharger and a cam...

 

[George]

WOW!! Thanks for posting that picture. What a great ride. It's georgeous!!
And do you have a New Bird as well??
Sorry to hear about your illness but hopefully you are on your road to recovery and getting done all that you want to, so you can start driving it again.
Technically, you sound like a wizard, and I would suspect that with super chargers and all, you have to be, to stay up with it
Good Luck, All the Best and stay well!

 

[007_SuperCoupe]

Thanks for the compliments. It's a labor of love as I'm sure you're well aware of. I don't have a new Thunderbird now. I've got 4 kids ranging in age from 2-1/2 to 13, so a two-seater convertible hasn't been in the "practical" aspect of vehicle selection. In addition, I was sorely disappointed in the performance of the new Thunderbirds. I wanted something a bit more sporty (you can interpret that as meaning "powerful"). The Super Coupe, although tipping the scales at slightly more than the newer Thunderbirds, outperforms them in just about every area.

As for being a "wizard," I think that's giving me a bit more credit than I deserve. Yes, I've become very knowledgeable, but there are guys who know a ton more than I will ever know. Their the wizards...I'm happy with "apprentice."

I'm getting ready to do a lot of custom work to my SC too. I've aquired a larger supercharger from a Jaguar that I'm going to modify with the help of a friend and install it in place of the stock supercharger. That along with a new cam should yeild about another 100 horsepower at the wheels. I'd be very happy with that, to say the least. I'd then be pushing around 360 hp at the wheels, if not just a tad more. The fun part though is the torque...well over 400 at the wheels at less than 2500 rpm. That's fun!

At any rate, thanks again for the compliments. It's been a long haul this last year and a half, but everything is starting to come together again. My health is good, the family is doing great, my job is going well and my SC is running again...

...now if I could just do something about those darn gas prices...

 

[92BIRD]

if it's ever for sale man.... telepathically send me the price tag or something... because that thing is absolutely gorgeous... and the 400 ft pounds of torque sounds like a nice number for a tbird.

 

[007_SuperCoupe]

Thanks...but as you know...it's not for sale... However, given the right offer, I'd consider it. But that offer would have to be at least what I have into it plus a little more for the bloody knuckles I've had over the years with it.

It's got 350+ torque at the wheels right now...and that's a ton of fun...pretty hard on tires though. It'll be about 100+ more than that when it's all done...maybe even approaching 500 torque at the wheels. We'll see though. I don't want to be too overly optomistic about it. I know someone with a similar setup running 465 torque at the wheels right now. I think my heads out perform his, but that doesn't always mean more torque though...probably more horse power, but maybe not torque...we'll just have to see though.

I get to put it on a dyno in less than a month to see where it stands now. I'm fixing my jackshaft tensioner (new spring and maybe increasing the length of the tensioner by about 1/2") so it will provide both more tension on the jackshaft belt, plus more belt wrap around the pullies. I've been slipping there when I get above 4k rpm. Got to get that eliminated. Hopefully, I'll have that done tomorrow. Then I've just got a couple more minor things to get done before I get it on the dyno... Tires and tranny...then I'll be done for now.

I'll keep progress posted... I blog about it on my motortopia page...if you're interested in keeping up on what I do...

 

[007_SuperCoupe]

I did some more work to it last weekend and this. The engine is now starting to look nice once again. So I thought I'd add a pic of how cramped a Super Coupe engine compartment really is. Just getting to the spark plugs is a real challenge...You'll notice that the plug wires area blue...they'll stay that way until they go bad...which could be for a while. I've got red ones, but it is such a pain to actually change them that if I don't have to, I won't!

I've only got a couple more things to do to make it road worthy. If you're interested, I post blogs about it on my web page linked in my signature. Enjoy!

 

[007_SuperCoupe]

Well, now. What a great day...other than the fact that I spent the vast majority of it at work. However, it was sunny, 70* out when I got home, so I took that opportunity to do a couple more things to my car. Yesterday I got the new tires mounted and balanced. For performance truck tires, they look pretty good on the SC. So today, because of the nice weather, I bled the brakes and put the new tires on the car. Tried to start it...and she fired right up. So then I decided to take it off the jackstands it has been sitting on for 6 months or more and drive it around the block. I've got to say that I have really missed driving it. I didn't really get on it just because it has been sitting for a year and a half and I want to get the bad gas out of the tank before I go hog wild driving it. Plus, I have to re-activate the insurance on it too...agent isn't there on a Saturday, so I've got to wait until next week. No big deal since I'm heading out of town tomorrow for a few days anyway. I did get on it enough to get into boost...boy as soon as that kicks in, hold on. It's running very strong. And the tires really impressed me. They grip really well...a lot better than I was expecting. In fact, I don't think that the tires spun at all when I got on it a couple times. Just hooked up and left. And they're only H rated tires I think. But they're also truck tires, so maybe H for a truck is a little different for a car...loads and all that. Not too sure, but they hooked up well. I'm really impressed.

Just thought I'd post an update...no only does it run, but it now drives as well. The only thing I have to do now is the valve body and fuel filter and I'll be ready for the dyno...as long as I get rid of that old gas...