American Muscle Cars Australia

Tech Talk & Articles => AMCCA Members Tech Talk => Topic started by: sms777 on March 01, 2013, 11:54:07 AM

Title: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: sms777 on March 01, 2013, 11:54:07 AM: Hello boys and girls!
It has been a bigger task than I have expected but we are finally organized and fully operational. The new place is clean, dry and bright. We had some serious rain recently and had not one drop of water in the shop anywhere so it's now safe to leave your prized chariot with us unlike the old place where it has been a risk of concrete stains from the leaking ceiling.
We are currently working on several projects including Bob's silver 94 Camaro which is getting LS1 conversion and new steering rack. It is coming along nicely with the running gear already fitted without major issues. At this stage yet to decide what type of steering rack is most suitable but it lookes like it will be a late model BMW.
I thought having a larger shop will give us more space but we just filled it with more cars. It's all good but we just need more working hours in a day.
Don't forget the services we are providing includes all roadworthy inspections and engineering needs.
Keep you updated on further developments.
PS. We still love fixing Mustangs too.... :smile:

Cheers, Chris. :thumb:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: 69DirtyRat on March 01, 2013, 12:04:40 PM: Where's some pix Chris!
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: sms777 on March 01, 2013, 12:09:38 PM: How about a Channel 9 doco Andy?...... :cool:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: 69DirtyRat on March 01, 2013, 03:18:26 PM: I'll give ACA a call I'm sure they'll find something interesting to film in there???? :pepper: :lol:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: sms777 on March 01, 2013, 05:29:31 PM: Funny bugger........plenty affairs going on here, not all of them current though. Might as well call EPA as well.... get rid of some smokey Mustangs.
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: silverz on March 02, 2013, 10:22:10 AM: The new premises are great Chris and I’m pleased to see the Z28 nearing completion. For those interested I used to get maintenance done at various dubious places. The Camaro was a beast for the eyes, but getn slower than a snail on methadone. Being a time poor 12hr shiftworker at the time, I only lifted the bonnet to ensure the oil leaks were no larger. It felt like dumpster diving behind Ultratune and dirtier than a portaloo at a rock concert. Up to this point I’d been wastin’ more money than an epileptic at an auction. Like two lepers arm wrestling, things kept fallin’ apart.
When the Camaro started acting up, I took it to “the Mopar Magician” who, after exhausting all his expletives, gave the LT1 the last rites. With a quick “control, alt, delete”, Chris and Toby were discussing shoehorning an LS1. Not since Pontius was a pilot was such a drastic decision made! After the palpitations, I thought “only an idiot would go along with this”, and decided to give it a go. This was gonna cost, since retiring early my apartment business, (www.accommodationsydney.com.au (http://www.accommodationsydney.com.au)) had suffered from the GFC. No body read books anymore so sales of my novels slumped, (www.tropicanapress.com.au (http://www.tropicanapress)). It was costing thousands converting them for the global E-book market! But as Gil and Michelle (green 2011 Camaro) advised, “When things get tough, sell your slowest racehorse”.
But at SMS the old adage “Impossibilities done immediately, miracles take a little longer” still applies. However I’m still waiting for a star to rise in the East or an abundance of fishes and loaves. Progress! The LS1 and trans are in! Some issues still remain with the steering, exhaust and rear mount. Can hardly wait to get back on the road, disguised as a skinny old fart with a mid life crisis. Looking forward to club cruises to those Arty-farty towns to find that elusive scented candlewax and stained glass hacksaw. No doubt the re-engined Camaro will be slippery as snail snot, cleaner than a Nun’s hard drive and turn more heads than a chiropractor?
Don’t forget Chris, you offered to autophase my interociters at a discount (whatever they are?).
Cheers, Bob Shaw.
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: 69DirtyRat on March 03, 2013, 10:45:29 AM: What a great piece of writing!
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: sms777 on March 04, 2013, 09:08:41 PM: Quote from: 69DirtyRat on March 03, 2013, 10:45:29 AM
What a great piece of writing!
Bob is a brilliant story teller. He has written a couple of novels based on his true life experiences while he was working in Papua New Guinea. He spent something like 15-20 or so years as an aircraft engineer up there and was involved in salvaging aircrafts from the jungles. See.....us pilots are experts in crashing aeroplanes, Bob finds them, drags them out of the swamps, fixes them up.....so we can crash them again. His books are full of action packed stories like that, very entertaining, highly recommend reading.
I am paying special attention to his car, maybe one day he will write a story about my previous life as a pilot.

Cheers, Chris.
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: silverz on March 05, 2013, 03:07:55 PM: :thank:
…And Behold the Mopar Magician spoke. Silence fell across the Temple of Seddon, (ancient Hebrew for “place where American muscle cars gather”). A sleek chariot with silvered wheels was on high, the underbelly exposed to the gathered unbelievers. The Magician issued his parables full of fire and brimstone. “Verily, the magic box behind the horse stables is now secure and stronger than snot strings. Forsooth, the new stable of horses cannot breatheth without specially ordained pipes of extraction. The left shall sufficeth as the almighty intended, but the right is befouled by the chariot reins moved by a demon fool in past ages. This work will not be achieved without much suffering, cursing and gnashing of teeth.
…And so it was, the unbelievers protestations were treated with contempt. “Though shalt desist with red cordial, pleasures of the palm, booger sugar and no longer partake from the cup of fecal matter.” He prophesised. “Yea, though shalt not worry about the sheckles, and stop using thy fingernails as food. Behold, when thy foot is heavy, thy power will forsake thee, the lightning diminished, the thunder subdued. The answer to thy prayer is to seeketh these pipes from the far off land of Generals in Richistan. Behold they shall go forth, not by galley, like Mick’s cars, but on Angel’s wings with the next order of frankincense and mer.
Yea, oh ye believers, this chariot will scream. Ye shall be anointed with much power in the right foot and test thy bladder control. The meek shall staineth their underwear and unbelievers shall be blighted by bowel motions whilst standing.” And so prophesised the Magician.

Sinclairium, verses 9:3

www.tropicanapress.com.au (http://www.tropicanapress.com.au)
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: LeighP on March 06, 2013, 04:26:05 PM: So, I gather that the extractors are off getting fixed? :lol:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: silverz on March 06, 2013, 06:14:30 PM: :sorry:
Yeah Leigh, because of the engine change to the later model, the old LT1 exhaust wont adapt up to the LS1. Chris reckons the left side will be off the shelf but the right may have to be a modified unit maybe ex-US. Could be some cooling system issues later as the LT1 was reverse flow whereas the LS1 is normal flow. Worst case scenario here is a replacement radiator. Hope you guys have a great 'Top Gear' weekend and look forward to catchin' up when I get back on the road.
Cheers Bob.
:way:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: silverz on March 15, 2013, 03:46:44 PM: :way:
“…and Behold! The pipes of extraction arrived at the temple of Seddon on the wings of Angels.” These ready chromed off the shelf extractors arrived ex-U.S. in about a week! Chris and Toby bolted them straight up with no clearance issues. I’ll try to attach some pics if not too large, showing the underside, mounts and special lo-profile sump. Still very busy at the new SMS Seddon St. shop with my Camaro, regular servicing, a Corvette rebuild and Eddie’s monster Ford truck chassis upgrade.
P.S. Thanks Chris for the great review of my novels. I can’t get to many events, (particularly nights) due to strata commitments for our CBD apartment business, but if any club member would like a free copy of my first novel, “Island in the Sky” let me know next time as I keep some in the car.
Cheers Bob. www.tropicanapress.com.au (http://www.tropicanapress.com.au)

(http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg48/joe74ta/IMG_1964.jpg)

(http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg48/joe74ta/IMG_1962.jpg)

(http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg48/joe74ta/IMG_1950.jpg)
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: LeighP on March 30, 2013, 02:38:38 AM: Wow...NICE headers! :cool:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: silverz on September 05, 2013, 09:17:51 AM: Bob's Beast is Back!!

The doormat at SMS states, "We do it right the first time," and Chris reckons for each mechanic with a spark of genius, there's a dozen with ignition problems. Other workshops had the old adage over the door, "You don't have to be mad to work here but it helps." But when it's written in their own crap, it makes you wonder! As I missed the Camaro, Chris "The Mopar Magician" and Toby "The Torque Tweaker" helped with reassuring comments like "if you're lookin' for sympathy it's in the dictionary between sh#t n syphilis" and "it can't fall off there's nothin' to stop it"! Without the Camaro I was deep in sensory deprivation, brushing up on my quantum physics boosted by the occasional therapeutic dose of Wild Turkey. Unfettered by motivation or ambition, I seemed destined to grow old disgracefully with the "Bingo, bowls 'n bex set". Following retirement, lap dance surgery and with the help of performance reducing drugs I was now house trained and even discarded my litter tray, but desperately missed my beloved Z28.

As a pilot, Chris says flying a chopper gives new meaning to 3D. Dull, Dirty and Dangerous, but then creates this 3D holy trinity of classic muscle car; Delirious! Dazzling and Dynamic! A survey from above or below reveals a very professional retrofit by SMS. The LS1 is a neat but snug fit with the low streamlined bonnet, a dropped coin ain't likely to pass through? Any serious work might require keyhole surgery or a gynecologist. The LS1 is more responsive and has extra power over the LT1 and some extra horses from the K&N intake filter system I fitted ex Dave Clee at USGMSP. This '96 coupe/LS1 combination might now be as rare as an eco-friendly E-type and rarer than an AC/DC Xmas album. The last time I told Susan I wanted something shiny that went from 0-100 in less than 4 seconds, she got me a set of bathroom scales.

What better test run than to the local "all you can eat off the floor", for a hearty slice of pork pavlova and a fish milkshake. I checked my floordrobe but my favourite "Who Farted" T-shirt was dirty. I was soon dodgin' tree huggin' Prius driver 'n smart cars (chrome coffins). So many nuts on the road I nearly went into Anaphylactic shock. One Genus Idiotus Simplicus in a weaving Subaru WTF (Wot The F#$%) was master of the calculated risk. After a bravado breakfast of ball bearings on toast, this Darwin award nominee was clearly seeking a block of granite with his name engraved on it. The census revealed there's 2.4 people per family, this guy had to be a .4?

I gunned the Camaro, ever ready to use my internal organs to cushion any impact. I suddenly had an out of body experience, my voice raised two octaves and I gay screamed for five seconds! The ass end of the Z developed a 10 Stella wobble and there was a strong smell of urine. Couldn't tell if it was burnout smoke or pot haze behind me, I mighta been methed out at the time? An unbelievable increase in power, bought back memories of my drag racing days in an altered '48 Studie! This could possibly be a 13 second car, even without options. There are still some minor issues to iron out, such as a speedo error, and the air-conditioning plumbing and recharge to be done in a few weeks time. Maybe in the meantime I'll get a cameo in "Fat 'n Furious 7"? Thanks Chris and Toby for a quality job but this time the Z28 is on notice. It went to the steering converters, it went to the engine converters. Any more problems and it's off to cash converters!

Cheers, Bob. www.tropicanapress.com.au (http://www.tropicanapress.com.au)
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: sms777 on October 15, 2013, 09:39:08 PM: Thanks for the positive feedback Bob. I am very happy that all is good.
The reason why it took me so long to reply. I thought I wait till the dust settles, see if we still friends after 500 or so miles but it seems we have done everything right so it's safe to come out of the closet. It has been a challenge, we have done it and any of you guys want the same thing done to your LT1 Camaro........GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!
Just kidding.
I have done a lot of research how to do it the easiest and most economical way because it's been done before in the States. Apparently in the US just a matter of sourcing a Gen 111 crossmember out of a later model, get the correct engine mounts to suit, off the shelf headers and exhaust, matching wiring harness and computer and off you go. Unfortunatly in Bob's car some one decided to position the steering wheel to the wrong side, modified the crossmember to mount a steering rack out of a Chrysler New Yorker by turning it upside down ( why not a local Commodore for Chris't sake ) ran the steering shaft so close to the tired old LT1 so no chance of using off the shelf LS1 headers . Solution was to use original LS1 engine mounts and brackets, modify them to suit exsisting crossmember, modify trans mount to suit Commodore four speed auto, modify torque bar with urathene bushes. Unfortunatly the off the shelf headers I have sourced from the US did not fit so we had to get a set made by Exhaust Perfection at Condell Park which fitted perfectly. We have used the original harness and engine management that came with the donor car, integrated it with the Camaro's instrument's. All we had to do was to disable original security and calibrate speedo which took one hour on the dyno. It was a 2005 Calais by the way. Modified BMW steering rack with fabricated mounts, repositioned and fine tuned to eliminate bump steer. Managed to retain original ride height which was already in the weeds, steering is very firm and responsive like driving a Beemer.
As for performance....we all know the potential of LS engines. If Bob thinks it makes him pee in his pants now wait till we do a MAFless tune, install a Paxton supercharger and a 200 hp nitrous kit....... As you would know...Sky is the limit Bob!

Happy cruising for now...... :thank:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: silverz on November 18, 2013, 10:23:21 AM: Hi Chris,
Apologies for the long delay as we are moving house in a few weeks so hadn't got the chance to really give the Z a high speed run. It's all running great and interesting to hear some of the behind the scenes detail above. How embarrassing but, to return the car for follow up fixes only to find both were pre-existing conditions. For those interested in some of Chris's trouble shooting, the steering rack was upgraded to BMW as the original conversion rack had wear induced steering wobble. I noticed there was still a minor wobble after the new rack was fitted. It turns out the original rack wear wobble was also masking a warped front brake disc. This car had never had a combination of new discs and new pads and so with the newer 19" alloys there were last minute clearance issues. With some clever and tricky solutions by Chris and Toby all vibration and clearance issues were sorted without resorting to spacers.
The other issue was a scary vibration that progressively got worse from 80kph up through 120kph when the whole car felt like it would shake apart! Who couldn't blame me for thinking the driveline was misaligned or the shortened tailshaft was out of balance? I have had the Camaro up to 210kph, (under strict safety conditions, of course ....or was it the M4?). With its streamlined nose, 2% drag coefficient and a 22 degree raked screen, there is no wind noise, no vibration and only a bit of engine and tyre rumble. I don't know how you found it Chris, (clicked the heels of your magic red slippers 3 times?) but again another pre-existing condition! At some stage in the past the mag wheels had been refitted without the centering hub rings! Once I refitted these it was an instant $20 fix!
Interestingly while chasing hub rings, I found a company, BSA wheels at Norman St Peakhurst who handle all sorts of machining related to wheels, spacers and axles. They offered to machine up custom rings on the spot for around $100. Mine turned out to be off the shelf at Bob Janes. I have now tried the car out up to around 125kph without any vibrations. I was going so fast I thought I saw a vapour trail? (or bladder control issues again?). I was tempted to try the Rolls Royce "balance the pencil smoothness test" but didn't want to drop my Chiko roll or spill my cappuccino.
Thanks again Chris and Toby.
Cheers, Bob. www.tropicanapress.com.au (http://www.tropicanapress.com.au)
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: LeighP on November 18, 2013, 07:56:10 PM: I've seen a couple of cars "fixed" of vibrations by fitting hubcentric rings.....nice to see it was a cheap fix. :exactly:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new it register
Post by: Jethro on May 21, 2014, 09:09:00 PM: Hey Chris, Me and the Mrs are looking at going to the states next year and while over there might look at picking up half decent a C10 and sending it back for the young bloke (he;s a apprentice chippy) been looking at C10's for sale at say about 10K to purchase, then 3 -4 k bring back ? Mick And Yvette and say 2k getting it up and registered ? what say thee ?

Jethro
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: 69DirtyRat on May 22, 2014, 09:11:43 PM: sounds like a good plan to me! What year u thinkin?
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: sms777 on May 23, 2014, 01:21:17 PM: Hi Jethro,
What model C10 are you thinking about?
The reason I am asking because if it's before '72 it makes it a very simple process to register since only a couple of ADR's applicable. It will still cost roughly 2k for initial rego thanks to stamp duty and number plate issue. Also your green slip is higher because first time rego.

Cheers, Chris.
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: Jethro on July 19, 2014, 03:57:02 PM: Sorry Andy & Chris, for not responding before now the young bloke has been a major pain in my :bats: :bats: over the last couple of months so have put this idea on hold :toetapping:. Was looking at something as late but pre 1978 ? That way has fuel injection and more efficient to run, but not as hard to get past EPA ??? Plus the later models aren't fetching as big as dollars as yet and are easy to come by??

Again sozz :cry: :cry: for not responding before now lads.

Jethro
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: silverz on March 29, 2016, 02:48:12 PM: Hi Chris, on the subject of economy and fuel injection, we did well over a 1000kms in the Z28 on the Easter weekend Camaro- Firebird Nats. I brimmed the tank in Sydney then brimmed it again 405km later in Tumut and it only took 40 litres. That’s a respectable 10lt per 100km at an average 100-110kmh and fanging it only a few times overtaking. Not bad for a 350 V8 and probably helped by the new extractors, K&N ram air induction kit and your tuning.
Regards to you and Toby, Cheers, Bob.
:bow: :burnout:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: Zoltan on March 29, 2016, 06:13:49 PM: I ended up clocking over 760 MILES... not as good on the fuel economy though, I figured I got about 12/100, since I took a detour through the snowy mountains run onto Cooma, then through to Sydney. Lost a fair fit of fuel economy getting stuck behind horse floats in the mountains and getting stuck in traffic 3 times on the Highway, thanks to 3 separate accidents, two of which happened only minutes before we got there.

Enjoyed every minute... despite the slow crawl home.

the LS1 with a tune is a great motor and Chris and Toby know their stuff... ;-)
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: 69DirtyRat on March 29, 2016, 09:08:19 PM: I get 12L Per mile, is that good??? :burnout:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: Zoltan on March 29, 2016, 09:25:52 PM: I'm sure it feels good in your car! :exactly:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: 70SS on March 29, 2016, 10:02:44 PM: :zip: Hey Andy, just keep telling yourself it is and all will be good in your world..... :bolt:
Title: Re: SMS is finally settled in at the new place
Post by: Phillip123 on March 29, 2016, 11:36:49 PM: Everything's gonna be alright!