Trans Am Turbo Prep / build progress

[starkmaster03]

I have had a number of people ask me to share my progress as I'm getting ready for my turbo build (C6 and truck manifold retaining A/C). I have spent the last month tinkering with the car to make the build easier. Here is some of my progress. (Cell phone pictures)

 

 

I started off wanting to clean up the engine bay and move the fuse boxes into the glove box for easy access. So I removed all the complete wiring harness for the fuse box. I mounted the fuse boxes and stripped all of the plastic wrap off of the wiring.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8028/7464771204_ff41c2ed25.jpg

 

I then mounted the glove box back in the car with the wiring all over the place.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8151/7464771216_fe84dd7860.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7464771148_ac4c7685e1.jpg

Edited July 3, 2012 by starkmaster03

[starkmaster03]

I then started by pulling the inner fenders as well as the fenders so that I could run the wiring through the frame to clean up the engine bay area.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8161/7464771234_5c66117471.jpg

 

After finding some rust on the lower radiator support and not much left holding the front cover on I decided to take it off as well.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8147/7464771154_363ee624ac.jpg

 

I then took the foam and front bumper off, removed the A/C condenser as well as the radiator.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7131/7464792638_ca44bafe8d.jpg

[starkmaster03]

I then worked on relocating some of the factory items so that there would be more room up front for the turbo piping. I moved the vacuum canister from the lower front right frame as well as the cruise control from the lower left front frame. I moved them both behind the passenger wheel, in front of the door.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8156/7464792686_b886daa529.jpg

 

I also moved the horn off of the lower right front frame and mounted it behind the drivers front wheel.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8145/7464792696_76a4645dae.jpg

[starkmaster03]

Since the front end was apart and I wasn't in a hurry to put the car back together I decided to try and look for a radiator and possibly an intercooler so that I could also work on converting the car to a pusher setup and get some work out of the way.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7464792662_d16c0a9f0c.jpg

 

 

I ended up picking up an picking up a Griffin radiator and intercooler from Evil8 (thanks again) and started working on standing the A/C condenser and radiator upright.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/7464792650_4e2718a0e8.jpg

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7249/7464792682_2934f965ed.jpg

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7127/7464792724_653d3fb4da.jpg

[starkmaster03]

Evil8 also hooked me up with a friend of his that had a Burkhart front bumper support. So while I was waiting to get that, I decided to clean up the engine bay.

 

There are the before pics.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7464792598_1c6777388b.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8027/7464792652_02dcf6f62c.jpg

 

 

 

I started off with leading in all of the holes where most of the wiring and stock air box mounted. I then sanded them down, added a little body filler and primed.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7137/7464792672_a2b06ec4ea.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8143/7464792660_f8094455c5.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8020/7464792634_f6d3db48f6.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7464792574_8db21c456c.jpg

 

I then added paint.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8162/7464792646_11732a49e3.jpg

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7132/7464792678_932635175f.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8001/7464792588_19244749ec.jpg

[evil8]

Dang brother, that thing is coming along pretty good. Keep it up.

[starkmaster03]

Dang brother, that thing is coming along pretty good. Keep it up.

 

I actually have it together and driving the past two weeks. I'll finish up the progress tomorrow.

[Mattsv8]

Is it turboed already. What kit did you go with

[ForeverMaker]

Very nice.

[Buck531]

Nice.. this pic...

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8009/7464792662_d16c0a9f0c.jpg

 

somehow reminds me of....

 

 

http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/images/4/2012/01/81ddb500eb7a18c841d15c50c6e2bdf1.jpg

[starkmaster03]

Is it turboed already. What kit did you go with

 

No it's not turboed yet, prepping for it now. I'm building it to use the C6 and truck manifolds so that I can retain the AC.

[Mattsv8]

U gona use the bmr turbo k member or

[starkmaster03]

I painted the front as well.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7255/7464810904_5b3c157435.jpg

 

Then I worked on making mounts for the new radiator and condenser.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8145/7464810940_b9ac0d822a.jpg

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7113/7464810926_f2539847ea.jpg

 

I tucked the traction control, fan override box and the other connectors that normally go over the wheel well back behind the PCM and out of the way.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7251/7464792670_b16922fa24.jpg

[starkmaster03]

I then picked up two pusher style fans from Summit that fit perfectly.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8157/7464810958_907488924d.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7464810868_1a78017948.jpg

 

 

 

For the guys that have ran pusher fans, is it worth making a shroud or have you seen an improvement by adding one?

[starkmaster03]

I then cut the fog light mounts off of the Burkhart bumper support mounted it and made some brackets to mount the intercooler to the bumper.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7260/7464810978_9ec21e6e9d.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8163/7464810860_d4eb039b60.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8014/7464810864_e124bea486.jpg

[starkmaster03]

I then cut the front fascia where the license plate is but left the taps so that I can also put the filler panel back in. I mounted the fascia and fenders

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7110/7464811016_23e6da5643.jpg

 

I cut the bottom out of the air box so it will fit in the stock location for the time being.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7254/7464810890_f9a37f674b.jpg

 

I also finally added the tower strut bar that I had laying around for a long time.

 

Now you can see there is quite a bit of room between the radiator and engine.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8142/7464810966_8a4ea57c68.jpg

[starkmaster03]

I compacted all of the nitrous switches that were in the glove box into the ashtray.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7133/7464810932_9827d26a52.jpg

 

 

 

The completed progress so far under the hood.

 

 

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8166/7464810922_29c9b7267c.jpg

 

 

The over all look.

 

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8158/7464810982_abc29550a6.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8159/7464810880_d97ba5323e.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8012/7464810964_41f4d313e6.jpg

[starkmaster03]

Does anyone have some old or new stock LS1 F-body motor mounts?

 

I'm also looking for a PS setup mounting bracket and PS for mock up purposes.

[Alex L.]

Looks great Chad.

[1slow-z]

Does anyone have some old or new stock LS1 F-body motor mounts?

 

I'm also looking for a PS setup mounting bracket and PS for mock up purposes.

 

I may have my stock mounts...give me a call later today and ill check

[Sledhead36]

That thing looks crazy. Great work!

[Fubar231]

The pics don't do justice to how nice this car looks in person

 

:thumbup:

[starkmaster03]

I may have my stock mounts...give me a call later today and ill check

 

Thanks, I'll call you later. I'm putting together a mockup motor now with the basics so that I can start on building the hot side.

 

 

 

Thanks everyone else for the compliments.

[starkmaster03]

Here are a few pictures of my mock up motor that I've thrown together.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7252/7529540270_ab46f38f98.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8008/7529540464_a48e5eab7d.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8148/7529540296_d8411f5e78.jpg

[starkmaster03]

U gona use the bmr turbo k member or

 

Yeah, I plan to use the BMR k-member I was thinking about picking one up this week but they didn't have their annual 4th of July sale so I'll get one when I'm ready. That was going to be my justification...