Engine compartment mods...

[v6spider]

So I am thinking about filling all the holes in the engine compartment plus shaving off the stock brackets .. in favor of my own custom brackets. And only drill holes that I actually need at the location. Seeing how I am using a custom V6 and different gauges. Only the stock wipers and heater remain... everything else is changing. Any suggestions?

Cheers!
Rob

[racydave]

I suppose you know the trick using some flat copper to weld the holes closed. I found my electric angle grinder with a 4 inch grinding wheel very helpfull also. It would be cool if you could insulate the cowl and trans tunnel while you are there. A good ceramic coating on the headers would help alot too.

[azygoustoyou]

That would be a good idea to fill the holes. I tried putting the clips back on after painting and they don't fit. I don't want to break the paint getting them in. I'm just going to use updated clips and put the bolt through the holes.
Just be careful not to warp your panels. I filled in the antenna hole and it warped that area. What fun it was to straighten it.

[baltobernie]

Will you have enough room with that V6 to use the Fiat brake booster and MC? With all that power and engine weight, I'd scrap the OE rear compensator, and substitute a Wilwood or other proportioning valve. Mine is on the inner fender, near one of your remaining (unused) brackets. Or you could plumb it into your dash for on-the-fly adjustment if you want. With space at a premium, you may end up with a smaller manual competition MC, or maybe a Thunderbird electric booster.

Have you considered a strut brace, before you finish the engine compartment?

[v6spider]

I have pretty much decided that I am going to fill the holes and gleen the brackets. And yes i know the copper trick although access in some spots will be tough if not impossible. Thats ok I know a few tricks/techniques..

Also, I am using aircraft sound deadening and heat proof materials on re-assembly. I am also adding vents to the hood at the upper left and right corners of the hood...The headers are going to be wrapped with thermotec header wrap.

Bernie: The stock brake system fits in nicely with the V6 everything clears and I don't lose too much vacuum with the big cam. So the power assist works great too. I thought about dumping the stock compensator for a wilwood but I will only do that if the linkage gets in the way of the dual exhaust... at this point I think it will clear...just barely like everything else in the car.

BTW the V6 (400lbs roughly) doesn't weigh much more than the TC 2L (330 lbs roughly)..

Cheers!
Rob

[v6spider]

Bernie: I forgot the shock tower brace... YES have an idea about that... hard to explain... stay tuned...