The Silver Buick's well Silver Buick!

[TheSilverBuick]

I have two dash clusters (obviously the one on the couch and the one in the car), so I could always go back to the stock stuff. If the car computer took a dump I can still plug my laptop in and read the same information, though it would be on the passenger seat, OR if the screen isn't the problem, simply run the USB lines to my laptop and be back up on the dash. The only two gauges that are going to be original with this conversion is the speedo (which is way off since the gear change) and the gas gauge. Gotta have a fairly reliable gas gauge though

[TheSilverBuick]

So now I need to decide on a driveshaft. Steel or Aluminum? 3" or 3.5"? There is $100 difference in price between the Steel and Aluminum. It's a relatively short driveshaft at 51.75" and I haven't broken the stock v6 shaft yet (or unwound it so to speak), and I'm inclined to stick with a 3" steel shaft for compactness and I think aluminum starts at 3.5" diameters. Decisions decisions.

[squirrel]

Three inch steel should work fine

[TheSilverBuick]

I still want to do some work on boot time, but I think this weekend I'll install the computer in the car and simply run the screen on the passenger seat (or find a way to temporarily hook it to the dash on the passenger side or under the cigarette lighter). Last night I got the remote desktop to work. So now it boots up, launches TunerStudio and starts broadcasting an ad hoc network. I can remote desktop into the car computer via the ad hoc network and make changes to the gauge cluster. I can build several different cluster layouts and schemes and just load them up as desired. I put a feature request in on the MSextra forums to see if I can make a simple momentary button toggle through different clusters so no need for a laptop. Crossing my fingers on that one.

[Bob Holmes]

Are you speaking english


LMAO. You are the second coming of the Geek. And I mean that in a good way. Next thing I know you'll be drinking chocolate milk at breakfast.

[TheSilverBuick]

lol. I'm struggling like hell to get these things done. I gave up on trying Linux after several months of fustration Took me three days to assemble the computer after it showed up in three boxes instead one already assembled box that I was expecting Then it took me another couple days to figure out how to load software on it as I was not having any luck booting from a USB flash drive. Lost that battle by dropping in the hard drive out of a laptop I had laying around into it Then took me another three or so days to get the remote desktop working Google has been working over time at my place lately, lol. I have a long long way to go to be on Scott's level. One thing is for sure, I'm persistent.

[TheSilverBuick]

Installed the electric exhaust cut out this morning. I had to order some header collector extensions because the cutouts hit stuff under the car or the exhaust pipe itself. So I spaced them out towards the X-pipe some and the driver's side still needed some creative work to clear the parking brake cable but otherwise was good.

Here is the passenger side:


Here is the driver's side:


Here is a little test video I still need to figure out how to make them automatic, but for now the switch will work

[DanStokes]

They seem to seal really well in the closed position which is a surprise to me. Guess we're ALL little kids with playing cards in the spokes!

Dan

[langleylad]

I'm going to pretend that I didn't watch the video . That way I won't be tempted to get my own .

[TheSilverBuick]

Didn't do much today except install the 1" spring spacers on the front to bring it up. I used a nifty trick from this website: http://transamcountry.com/community/...p?topic=4042.0 that said to slide the spring compressor tool through the shock hole and pull the spring up. It worked like a champ and the second side I did only took about 30 minutes. Didn't break the ball joints or anything loose from either side, just removed the shock, compressed the spring, slide the spacer in, used a come-along to pull the spring over the spacer and I opted to use the jack to set the spring on the spacer before removing the spring compressor. It definitely isn't rubbing the ground leaving my house any more, but I might be competeing with Squirrel in the Gasser class this year I think I'm going to do what any sensible person would do and order a rear shackle kit to level up the rear with the front






Interestingly enough I had a fuel pump relay go out on me too. That's a first. I test drove the car up and down the street. Stopped back by the house real quick before intending to go to the parts store when the car wouldn't start. I didn't hear the fuel pump kick on with the key, so I did a quick wiring inspection, checked the fuse, verified with a volt meter that my amp gauge and switch were good, before I tried the simple test of swapping the fuel pump relay with the main relay. Sure enough the megasquirt didn't power up, so I put the main relay back in place and moved the staged fuel pump relay over to the main fuel pump and it fired right up. Got a new relay at the parts store.

Also I did some checking and math and determined I need the red speedo gear with 21 teeth to calibrate my speedo. Currently it has a 19 tooth gear which was pretty close with the 3.42's.

[TheSilverBuick]

Started installing the car computer and LCD in the car today. I got hung up when I found I didn't have enough wire. So tomorrow I'll get the wire I need.

I wanted the computer to be mounted somewhere that should be fairly out of the way and protected so I mounted it to the panel behind the rear seat in the trunk.


But I also wanted it fairly serviceable too and wouldn't be too much of a pain to remove. I noticed there were some slots in the trunk panel that I figured I could hook onto, so I made a panel with some tabs to slide into the slots and a single set screw to hold it in place.


A chisel, block of wood and a few solid hammer hits cut the tab out pretty nicely.


Made a U shaped bracket and bolted it to the LCD panel and hung it on the glove box. If the system works and performs as anticipated I'll replace half my dash cluster with it.

You can also see in this picture where I've zip tied the exhaust cutout switch to the shifter handle. I can reach the switch with my finger tips.

[74NovaMan]

Very nice! I think I remember seeeing the t-handles with a switch where your thumb would be. That would be cool.

[hauen]

Looks good. What is it about your Buick driving guys that always get so much accomplished? You're making the rest of us (by us I really mean me) look bad!

[TheSilverBuick]

There's other Buick driving guys

[hauen]

Well, SBG. Though I don't know if he's actually driving a Buick atm, his intent is there.