A-Body Round #2- My '76 Scamp restore...

-
Probably gonna get one of the fancy valve covers, so didn't put any effort into that part. But at least the engine is one color now.

Currently fighting trying to get the steering coupler to slide down onto the MP Power to Manual steering conversion adapter... nothing is ever easy...lol...

20240114_104701.jpg


20240114_104711.jpg
 
Finished the manual steering conversion this morning. Went with the 20:1 box from Mancini.... This wasn't a terrible job at all, but I did end up having to tear apart the coupler and rebuild it and clean the column shaft under it as it just simply wouldn't slide hardly at all... now that it is all clean underneath works perfect... It'll be interesting to see how the manual steering does as both A's I've had have been power.

20240120_091945.jpg
 
Managed to get the old fuel tank and lines out of the car without catching the house on fire, so thats a win.

Tried to get this beauty installed, but was lacking enough hands to hold it up and get the new straps bent and hardware connected. Will wait a few days until my son is here again and get his help with some extra hands.

Excited about continued forward progress.

20240121_130218.jpg
 
And the money pit continues getting deeper... Got the Dutra Duals and Gill Welding Alignment Bar today!

20240125_110425.jpg


EDIT - A FEW HOURS LATER....

but-wait-theres-more.gif


20240125_170638.jpg
 
Last edited:
Well, it kinda hurt my soul a bit, but took a die grinder to that beautiful intake casting on top in order to get it to fit below the Dutra alignment bar... thankfully the ground area is all hidden under the bar and won't be visible.

20240129_181301.jpg


20240129_183124.jpg


I'm in process on locking the distributor so there is no mechanical or vacuum advance, which appears to be what is necessary to work properly with the Sniper since it includes an option for timing control once I bought this special "Coil Control Module"... Hopefully finish that lockout tomorrow. Thinking I'll try to get the motor bolted back into the car this weekend. Then after that there's gonna be a bunch of wiring, fuel lines, tranny cooler lines, exhaust section from the Dutras down to where i hacked off the TTI Headpipe, etc to do... Getting closer and still have a lot to do, but pretty confident it'll be ready to go by the time Spring rolls around...
 
They must have known I was going to need this exact thing, so I'm glad to see this new offering from Gill Welding.

 
Gotta pick up a few #10 flat washers tomorrow, but aside from that I think I'm done with the lockout of the standard electronic distributor... Even managed to use the old tag that was on the distributor along with some more JB Weld to cover the hole left after removing the vacuum advance canister...

Oddly enough, even with all the stuff I'm doing in this project, getting the timing set correctly is the thing that has me the most nervous....

20240131_201323.jpg


20240131_201338.jpg


20240131_201410.jpg


20240131_210605.jpg


20240131_210612.jpg
 
Finished up the distributor lockout and got it reinstalled along with new cap, rotor, and wires. I'd hoped to get the engine bolted back in this weekend but realized I'd forgotten to get a new oil pump, and also found I needed to get the special batwing washers from Aussiespeed for the new manifolds, so got that stuff ordered. Maybe get it in next weekend instead hopefully.
 
Weekend update:
1. Got the radiator and alternator temporarily installed. Didn't realize the mechanical fan wasn't gonna work with the supercharger, so have an electric fan coming.... Also can't bring myself to leave the super crusty alternator on there when everything else is so pretty, so have one of those coming too.
2. Went ahead and installed the carb hat, elbow from S/C to it, and the blow-off valve. I'd like to get the carb hat a bit straighter, but not sure I'm gonna be able to do that and still get the elbow on... may end up trying trimming it a bit more but am hesitant since I'd have to order another Elbow if I mank it up.
3. The spot where the instructions say to put the air filter basically sets it right where the exhaust pipes need to merge after the Dutras, so I ordered a mandrel bent 180 so I can put the air filter about where the battery would normally go. Gonna relocate the battery to the trunk instead.
4. Also used a ton o' zip-ties and took all the wrap off the factory wire harness. I'll put the harness back on soon, make necessary modifications for the new stuff, and also install the headlight relay kit I got from the member here who makes them. When installing that relay kit I'll probably strip the unused stuff out of the harness so I don't end up with extra old headlight plugs just hanging around.
5. Ordered all the junk I need in order to make new fuel lines and new transmission cooler lines as well, so hopefully that all arrives this week.

Pretty happy with progress and feel halfway confident about having it ready by Spring-ish.

20240218_170418.jpg


20240218_170432.jpg


20240218_170100.jpg
 
Last edited:
Just read through the whole thread and I'm super impressed with the progress. Can't wait for you to fire up the new motor, good luck!
 
Weekend update:
1. Electric fan installed and radiator bolted fast. Still need to put in the radiator hoses.
2. New, less crusty alternator mechanically installed.
3. Cut down the length of the mandrel bend and installed the air cleaner.
4. Installed the fuel filter, fuel pressure regulator, and ran the fuel lines from tank to front as well as the few short ones in the engine bay.

Hopefully get tranny cooler lines run one night this week. Also hoping to see my Gill Welding Fat-Pipe this week in UPS.

Next weekend will hopefully be the beginning of wiring.

20240225_164446.jpg


20240225_164452.jpg


20240225_164500.jpg


20240225_164508.jpg


20240225_164520.jpg
 
mygasser said:
i'd have been tempted to fit a v8 dual exhaust system and run seperate pipes from rhe manifolds. it'd give it more burble for sure. :thumbsup:
neil.
Click to expand...

Possibly might at some point, but I'd spent a decent $ last year on the TTI Single exhaust system, so figured I'd at least try utilizing it first before swapping to duals...

Thanks for following along!
 
Weekend update:
1. Radiator hoses installed.
2. Heater hoses ran.
3. Fuel pressure gage installed.
4. Relocation of battery to trunk pretty much done except running the big wire to the front.
5. Currently in process of removing/adding stuff to factory wiring harness in order to function with all the new goodies.
6. Ordered the stuff for throttle and kickdown cables.
7. Of course my washer fluid bottle slipped out of my hand while installing and fell/cracked, so there went another $120...argh...

20240303_173858.jpg


20240303_173922.jpg
 
Progress has been pretty slow for the last month or so... had some family and work stuff to deal with, and I'm now deep into electrical wiring, which is somewhat confusing since some stuff stays, some stuff goes, some gets replaced, etc... Also moving the battery to the trunk and swapping to the 1 wire alternator has been a big change... I did find a thread here on the forum that showed the "right" way to do the trunk mount battery by integrating a shut off switch, Ford starter solenoid, and a continuous duty relay to isolate the alternator, so I did all that too... probably overkill for a slant six car... Oh well- it's only money. I'll make more ...

Been doing a bunch more research and I believe that I also no longer need the voltage regulator (since doing the 1 wire alternator with internal regulator), the ignition control box (since the Sniper will take over that duty since I got the boost control upgrade module), and the ballast resistor (since mine is electronic ignition and I got an upgraded coil), so currently picking through the wiring updates for that.

Also figured out the Gill Welding Fat Pipe to come off the Dutras doesn't fit at all to clear the pitman arm in an A-body, so been working with them on that and expect a resolution pretty soon- they've been really good dudes to work with.

20240413_191358.jpg
20240413_191413.jpg
20240413_191419.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top