I wanted to remove my heat shield because it just looks like s**t, but figured it might be a bad idea. I live in New England, so it doesn't get real hot here even in Summer. So can I ditch the shield with causing fuel problems? If it makes a difference, I don't run coolant through my SU's, I eliminated that system when I rebuilt, and I have a 6 - 2 header.

you're fine. i live in NJ. keep in mind that the stock exhaust manifold is much smaller in surface area, giving off heat...the headers have much more surface area...thereby giving off heat ALL OVER the driver side of the engine bay, so the shield is kind of negligable with headers installed IMO.

i fabbed up some 1/8" thick steel bar with tabs to mount to the SU's, to hold the throttle return springs down (pic)

i ditched the SU coolant tubes as well. just think by doing this you eliminate ELEVEN possible sources (all the fittings/juntions associated with them) for coolant leak !!!!

Edited October 11, 200816 yr by 7277

Could make an interesting "booster", otherwise! Is that a 12GA? If so, I've got some 'full' brass ones around here somewhere if you want to dress it up.... they are really pretty when polished.....

Yes it is a 12 Gauge, but I doubt a brass shell would fit. I had to squeeze the end closed to get it started and then hammered it in place. Actually I had several colors to choose from, but I picked a Winchester AA shell because the red plastic matches the original color of the air cleaner.

doradox: Actually Indiana doesn't require a permit to carry around shotguns, and besides it is a hole plug remember?

The heat shield:

I left my heat shield in place when I put headers on because I have owned one car that had vapor-lock issues and didn't want to end up there again.

(It does get hot in Indiana in the summer.) Actually I was so worried about the vapor lock issue that I made the electric radiator fans I installed run just off of a thermostat, independent of the ignition. The only problem that I have with that is people walking up to me after I part my car and wondering why it is still running...

7277, your engine bay is now my benchmark. So clean! I see that you did away with the fuel rail and its return line. Any fuel pressure issues in terms of overflow? Also, the crankcase vent, can't see a filter on it. What did you do?

BTW, this site is great! I mentioned desmogging on the ZCar forum, all I got was bitched at about how illegal it was. Give me a break!

Mike

Mike

7277, your engine bay is now my benchmark. So clean! I see that you did away with the fuel rail and its return line. Any fuel pressure issues in terms of overflow? Also, the crankcase vent, can't see a filter on it. What did you do?

BTW, this site is great! I mentioned desmogging on the ZCar forum, all I got was bitched at about how illegal it was. Give me a break!

Mike

Mike

Ahh yes. i knew you'd ask about fuel overflow...

i ran the 1/4" line from the fuel pump to carb #1 then straight on to #2. THEN, i ran a 3/16 line from carb #2 to the steel line (cut above trans bellhousing) that was normally the upper 'return' of the stock fuel rail.

NOW you'll notice on the stock fuel rail return end it gets crimped down to ~1/16 diameter. it is crimped like that so fuel from the pump doesn't just fly by the carbs leaving them starved and refilling your gas tank. i then cut that little 1/16" diameter end off and inserted it into the new 3/16" rubber return line, just prior to hose clamping it to the steel line above the bellhousing.....this way it STILL functions as intended, both as a (restricted) overflow line and a vapor lock relief..

pic #1 shows rear carb with 3/16" line to return over bellhousing. pic #2 shows where i cut the steel line that would have normally gone to the front of the engine bay. stuffed inside the rubber line at the hose clamp is the cut-off-crimped-1/16" end of the stock fuel rail overflow/vapor line.

look closely. i do have a breather filter on the crankcase tube...

Edited October 12, 200816 yr by 7277

Beautufull carbs.... How do you get them so clean ?

Just gotta love the shotgun shell plug !

zdisease

7277, where did you source the brass fittings?

Mike

Beautufull carbs.... How do you get them so clean ?

Just gotta love the shotgun shell plug !

zdisease

biddljj: about a 60hrs (total) of hand polishing....just to say "i did it myself"... ....never again

mbarjbar: Lowe's or Home Depot... just buy some fuel line and get creative with some barb fittings. i got oversized ones so the fuel line would fit RRREEEEAAALLL tight so i didn't need hose clamps (cleaner look). they're on so tight i CAN'T pull them off no matter how hard i try.

Edited October 18, 200816 yr by 7277