Okay, hear me out.
I'm an impatient man. An impulsive man. Frankly one of those guys who likes getting in over my head and then digging myself back out. From the level of precision and attention to detail that I've seen around this forum, I get the sense that I'm in the minority on that. But let's start from the assumption that I'm not totally nuts.
All that being said, I'm looking for the shortest (safe) path to driving on the road with a 302/T5.
So far I've got a '77B with an almost flawless FL body. It was a project that someone else couldn't finish and I got it specifically for this swap. I found a flat-tappet '85 302 and an '88 T5. To make it all work together, I reached out to Pete Mantell for the install kit (including drive shaft and slave cylinder kit).
My question is, aside from the stuff in Pete's install manual, and any random re-engineering that I'll need to figure out to get the thing in there and wired/piped in, what are the other projects that you would consider crucial to complete before taking it out on a drive?
P.S., I have a much longer-term plan for this car that will involve painting, suspension, etc.. Just hoping to drive it this summer.
Sounds what my son, Andrew and I are doing. I expect we will have it running/driving (but not pretty by the middle of March. Building it with the stock rear end so it's basically minor changes to get the motor in, holes for the headers, drive shaft (we're having a local shop fab it), and exhaust.
Later will be a bunch of body and interior mods and if things pan out the way we plan, a narrowed C4 Corvette IRS.
Rob,
Sounds like fun, is this the car in your profile with the Sebring rear valence? I've been looking at the Sebring front and rear for mine. How do you like it?
Also, what did you end up doing for exhaust?
The car in my profile is my 302 MGB. Omni flares with about 2-1/2-3" added to them in the rear. Nissan based IRS. Sebring rear valance and chrome bumper/special tuning valance on the front. I fabbed my exhaust using stainless tube and bends I bought on eBay. Dual exhaust with an X-pipe (made from two 90° bends sliced at the corners and welded back together). 2-1/2" from the headers to the back side of the mufflers (Dynomax), then drops to 2-1/4" to snake through the IRS.
Car we're building for for my son will be similar.
FWIW, here's my exhaust system - 2-1/4" dia with "X"-pipe and Dynomax mufflers.
Exhaust1.jpg