The DisAstre project

[SuperBuickGuy]

late to join but - stainless is something I've done a lot of....
1) when drilling stainless, much pressure, slow speeds. You know how machinists tell you to relax your drilling to stop with the big spirals? get big spirals. Heat is your enemy because it dulls bits. Often the 'easy' way of drilling is much pressure push and pull the trigger simultaneously - do not use it like a chainsaw.
2) cut off wheels are your friend (as is plasma). Again, let the blade do the work

14 ga is heavy - why 14 ga?

[Hoffbug]

14 ga is heavy - why 14 ga?

The fans are really heavy..Too heavy to mount directly to that small aluminum radiator . Because of the amount of area I need to cut out to concentrate the fan area over the radiator ..It doesn't leave much Center support so I wanted as stiff as possible.

[SuperBuickGuy]

the bends and the fans themselves add a great deal of strength... aluminum, sure, but you need 1/3 more aluminum then steel for the same strength. That puts you in 16 or 18 ga (I say 16 because it's more like 17ga now.... 14 ga will be very heavy.

[Hoffbug]

No bends it's a flat plate. I don't disagree that it will be heavy duty but then again you have to consider there won't be much of it left after the holes are cut. The picture might be a little deceiving but we're talking a Cosworth Vega size radiator here. The outline of the plate is Roughly 25 x15

[SuperBuickGuy]

the other issue you may wish to avoid is most plate - that is, anything 14 ga and thicker comes on a coil so it has a natural curve to it, that can cause havoc. Anyway, my 2 cents, good luck

[Hoffbug]

The trans crossmember and torque arm installed . Will need to tweak pinion angle in the future.

[silver_bullet]

Wow.. that's cool!

[Hoffbug]

I picked up the plate from the laser cutters. The Cutting was great ...the layout wasn't so hot. They have the fans shifted about a half inch over to the passenger side.
It'll bother me forever.. but it's good enough for this wreck.

[SuperBuickGuy]

I picked up the plate from the laser cutters. The Cutting was great ...the layout wasn't so hot. They have the fans shifted about a half inch over to the passenger side.
It'll bother me forever.. but it's good enough for this wreck.

just tell the fastidious observer that it is that way to offset the weight of the driver.... pulls a bit off center, helps the 60' time.

[silver_bullet]

just tell the fastidious observer that it is that way to offset the weight of the driver.... pulls a bit off center, helps the 60' time.

[Hoffbug]

anyone know what the threaded port on the top of this water pump is for? The bypass already goes into a port on the back of the timing cover case.

[DanStokes]

Sadly I don't have any decent engine pics of my 215 Vega swap. If I had to guess I'd think it was a temp sensor but that IS a guess.

Dan

[Hoffbug]

I posted the question on 2 different buick forums. Messaged my machinist and 2 different celebrity 4wd guys. And e-mailed the manufacturer, Cardone. . Nobody knows..

[STINEY]

I got nothing on that port. All of them I have had were simply plugged, and all were pretty original vehicles. Not likely messed with.

[Hoffbug]

I got nothing on that port. All of them I have had were simply plugged, and all were pretty original vehicles. Not likely messed with.

Yeah.. This pump fits a lot of applications. I was thinking it might be Early Jeep V-6 related or maybe Marine? Who knows.