*!Build of the year candidate!* Strange PNW Build: E30+Volvo

[adam.nonis]

Can we walk through oil pan stuff together? Trying to look at the discrepancies from RN to RNC engines.

So, RNC oil path (as I understand it):

Pickup into pump:



Out of pump into oil cooler:



Cooler inlet and outlet:



Then to oil filter on the side of the block:





RN (in this case B6304):

Pickup into pump:



Out of pump into filter:



Out of filter into block:



(Note that this port exists in the RNC block, but is blocked off by the pan):



So, if I want to use the rear sump pan, do I just need to black off the oil filter in/out on the side of the block and just use the bottom mount filter?

Thoughts?

[adam.nonis]

Worked on my brother’s car today. The handles made it really easy to set the head in place. Also, a little trick my dad taught me was to use dental floss to hold the exhaust gasket in place, then get the studs started and pull the floss. Didn’t get quite as far as I wanted cause I seem to have forgotten to order head bolts. Powder coated some parts. I heart clean parts when putting an engine back together.



It’s making me think maybe I should make extra of the handles. I can’t say if it’s easier than just grabbing the head, but it sure seemed like it.

[adam.nonis]

Got bro’s car back together and back to him. After a few more issues getting sorted out.



Haven’t really spent much time on my own stuff. Too many deliverables at work. The Alodine works great on parts that can be soaked, but just spraying it on the block didn’t result in the color I wanted, so I got creative and just came up with my own custom color. Got the oil pan cut, but not welded yet.



I starting making the equipment to cut the bellhousing and the trans, but haven’t completed it yet, or cut anything. Still dialing in the last stuff. No pictures.

[adam.nonis]

Got the pan welded back together and added some -6 AN fittings onto an OE rail.



I built a table to section the bellhousings. I’ll take some pics tomorrow. It’s supremely overkill, but I made it out of leftover junk from the shop.

[adam.nonis]

Ok, so here’s the table for cutting. I used two thick a$$ plates of aluminum with a lazy Susan bearing between them, put it on some slides with a chunk of allthread (I know it technically should be acme thread, but I’m using scraps) with some nuts welded to the end for adjusting. I welded some C channel uprights and made a fixture to bolt to my angle grinder using the spots where the handles go. That bracket isn’t really square, so my plan was to c-clamp it in place and adjust until I got it to the desired height and level with the table then drill for bolts to “pin” it at that height. Seemed to work alright.



Then on to the cutting. I started by just making a “contact” ring most of the way around so I could be sure that as I cut deeper I could verify the disk wasn’t deflecting or diving. Then I cut through in most spots, leaving a few areas NOT cut all the way through so it wouldn’t pinch the wheel. Then I laid the trans on its side and finished off the last bits.

The rings line up pretty good. I’m going to make a few mounts so I can stand my block on it’s nose, bolt the 960 bellhousing ring in place then put the trans section on and start welding. I plan on putting “straps” of aluminum across the weld to help tie everything together. We’ll see.

[IRON-E]

There's nothing this man can't handle.

[adam.nonis]

So, while sticking the two together, I was a little worried about alignment knowing that the trans input shaft has a bit of slop. I took two precautions. I made a sleeve of thin aluminum that I put around the splined portion of the input shaft and slid it into the throw out guide sleeve and I made basically an extra thick pilot bearing sized block of aluminum hoping that having more engagement on the output shaft would help align things. Then I put everything together and started with some sturdy tacks, then longer welds, then all the way around (where they meet at the moment) and lastly added the “straps”. I’m going to let that sit over the weekend and weld the inside next week. Then before I assemble anything for good, I’m going to take a scrap plate of aluminum and make a fixture so if I need to duplicate this down the road, I don’t need a spare engine laying around.



I’m also going to make some filler plates to cover the gaps between the two.

[rzerob]

This guy needs a special title. Can we get one of the mods to come up with something special and bestow it to him. Something like "Mechanical Wizard" or "Your 100 years to young to compare yourself to me", "Grease Monkey" just isn't cutting it.

[adam.nonis]

This guy needs a special title. Can we get one of the mods to come up with something special and bestow it to him. Something like "Mechanical Wizard" or "Your 100 years to young to compare yourself to me", "Grease Monkey" just isn't cutting it.

Have you seen my fingernails tho?

[ForcedFirebird]

Have you seen my fingernails tho?

If you ate them, it might be a concern....

[gnmzl]

This is truly enjoyable. I think the world will be empty if you ever stopped sharing what you keep yourself busy with.

[jeenyus]

Yes.

[LowR3V'in]

how many other cars like this have you created?

[adam.nonis]

*!Build of the year candidate!* Strange PNW Build: E30+Volvo

how many other cars like this have you created?

With this level of full custom, none. Mostly because no one will pay for it (including myself).

I did a pretty fair amount of custom work on my 87 Buick T-Type (Grand National in colors other than black). It was an insurance total so I put a Euro Cutlass front clip on it and built a bunch of custom intake/intercooler work. Hand made spoiler for this one too. Added GNX flares/vents.



I did a full build on a 66 Nova for my boss back in the day. Some bolt on stuff, plenty of custom stuff including fabbing new rockers to hide the pinch welds. Side exit exhaust, mini tubs (reusing OEM parts, hand built headers to clear all sorts of stuff, I painted it, air ride, hand made all the interior panels, etc.



Every single one of my cars has been “massaged” in some way though. Usually a bit more subdued though.

[LateFan]

^^ All so nice. I dig the 240.

Here's a beater 122 with a 5-pot! Not sure how his camshaft position sensors are gonna fit against the heater housing.