1975 Vega GT

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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby chevyart » Wed Mar 15, 2017 10:42 pm

i think don hardy was sort of a pioneer in making the vega v-8 conversion parts. does any know the guys know the history of his involvement in the hot rod industry. art
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby BadBowtie » Sat Oct 21, 2017 12:52 am

Summer has treated me and my h-body well, Monzaque was a great success, I no longer fear the +800km round trip which has something to say about the cars reliability now (*knock on wood*). It might be a harsh, hot and loud ride but it alway feels worth it at the end of the trip.
2017-08-05 16.49.10.jpg

This summer I worked a lot with my father learning how to wet-sand, compound, polish and wax. Brought out a lot of the shine in my old worn down/resprayed paint. The car actually shines in the daylight and is smooth to the touch.
2017-07-23 20.42.44.jpg

Driveline wise the new clutch is incredible, both from a point of feel and bite. The car drives differently but definitely in a good way. The stop hops seem to be working, although I still occasionally get a little bit of shake but nothing that I would consider wheel hop. Attached here : https://youtu.be/OXDOAXmc2Tw is a quick video of the car fighting for traction from a dead stop and from a roll courtesy of some backcountry roads. When you think about the gearing, 2.20/1.64/1.28/1.00 and a 3.50 rear, the car seems to be making a lot of low - midrange torque and does pull strong right up to 6300-6500rpm without hesitation.

Because I cant leave well enough alone I'm in the process of building my own MPFI setup off an old Edelbrock Pro-Flo kit and what will be a Microsquirt. A lot of research and work will be going into the conversion as I am doing everything myself from harness to base maps. I cant keep myself from designing, building and improving this project. It will be sad to pull off the dual carbs when I get there, but having them run as well as they do I cant help but feel its the next step in what is a long term project.

Past little bit I havent driven the car much but it still comes out for groceries and cruising. Hopefully everyone elses summer has been going well.
Here is a picture of me trying to be incognito getting groceries.
VegaIGA.jpg
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1975 Chevrolet Vega GT

Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby NVEGAR8D » Sat Oct 21, 2017 1:35 am

It doesn't stand out at all! 8)
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby zeke » Sat Oct 21, 2017 9:27 am

Great to meet you and see the bad bowtied Vega! 8) :th:
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby Monza Harry » Sat Oct 21, 2017 2:15 pm

BadBowtie wrote:This summer I worked a lot with my father learning how to wet-sand, compound, polish and wax. Brought out a lot of the shine in my old worn down/resprayed paint. The car actually shines in the daylight and is smooth to the touch.
Because I cant leave well enough alone I'm in the process of building my own MPFI setup off an old Edelbrock Pro-Flo kit and what will be a Microsquirt. A lot of research and work will be going into the conversion as I am doing everything myself from harness to base maps. I cant keep myself from designing, building and improving this project. It will be sad to pull off the dual carbs when I get there, but having them run as well as they do I cant help but feel its the next step in what is a long term project.

Past little bit I havent driven the car much but it still comes out for groceries and cruising. Hopefully everyone elses summer has been going well.
Here is a picture of me trying to be incognito getting groceries.
VegaIGA.jpg

Great, that you and "Dad" can spend some quality time with each other and learn from each other and improve your "Baby"

As for well enough alone I am the same way only I don't finish before my "Rethink's" [that is my official reason for non-completion! :oops: ] I hope you share in detail your progress, I too have thought hard about "MegaSquirt" [the version of their recommendation] for EFI and I really still want it!

Well as for "incognito" you are just short of the subtlety of a 40' inflatable, almost invisible. I LOVE it! :dance: :burn: :burnout: :hob:
Great to have finally met up at the "MonzaQue" this year as Zeke said, and your car looked really good, and now you've made it better, Man your makin' me look bad. :( Harry
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby BadBowtie » Sat Oct 21, 2017 4:33 pm

Its always great to put faces to the cars we see on here at MonzaQue, one day it will be VegaQue when we take over! Great seeing you guys.

As for the EFI project, it will be extensively detailed and shared here. Its something I've always wanted to play with and learn, but going DIY instead of a kit will make for a lot of work/effort rather than straight cash. Nothing wrong with the off the shelf units as I have considered them myself, even as some people have suggested running dual throttle bodies with the crossram. Most of the kits out there will probably work better than what I put together for the first little bit, but it just isnt how I want to set mine up in the long run for adjustability.

Also I am very glad you guys agree on my inconspicuousness, I work hard to blend in.
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby BadBowtie » Sat Dec 08, 2018 2:00 pm

Seeing as the year is coming to an end I figured I should post up to show I'm still hanging around. New job, new place, less garage space has meant I've not been too busy with the car. A quick 2018 review:

Changed intake gaskets again due to a sealing issue, I should have gotten the face of the intake manifold surfaced because I still don't think its sealing 100% which means I've got some oil sucking in. While that was all apart I noticed some issues with my distributor advance mechanism due to the smaller weight springs I had put on previously, this explains why my idle moved around so much as the mechanism would bind and lock up past zero and get all twisted up. Easy fix just spacing out the springs with some tiny washers. I remember there were a few small other things in the distributor that needed adjustment and it all made a difference.

outside.jpg

Went to Monzaque again this year, thanks again for having us. Cant complain getting to see old and new faces, starting to feel like a go-to vacation spot since I know my way there and all the stops I make. It was tough with the new job and getting the car out late but as usual I drove the car around the week before to work a few times and called it good enough. I'm not always easy on the car so I usually know if its going to work out or not.

monzaque2018.jpg

Picked up some parts over the course of the year, I now have 90% of what I need for my fuel injection swap. Pulled the trigger on an Areomotive 450lph and Microsquirt V2 for the big items, shopped throughout the year and managed to save money, USD to CAD is a real killer as some of you guys know. I also installed a cutoff switch as things start to progress I'd like to have some safety equipment.

Also went to a car show / drag event with some friends, I only went down the track once because of the bad track conditions and no shutdown area, they use an old airport runway (year round) but use less than 1/8 mile shutdown area with no timing stripe markers. Completely unacceptable as you're running WOT towards a wall of concrete dividers with no real reference for distance or turnoff. Long story short-ish, spun the tires off the line, broke sideways into second and got out of it just after the 1/8th, then I saw my friend coming up beside me so I stabbed it to keep him behind me and ran 14.2 @ 88, for reference I was 82 in the 1/8th when I backed out of it and still only had a 2.3 60-foot. Needless to say I'm done messing around on the track without proper tires, I wasn't even going to run that day but I figured I'd go easy on it. Beings sideways in 2nd (60-80mph) on a narrow track was not fun and I just parked it for the rest of the day. Between my friends it was funny enough my car was the only one without problems that day and I had the oldest car there by close to 15 years.

meet.jpg

Later in the fall I finally picked up a set of Hoosier QTP 26x9.5 DOT Slicks and mounted them on a spare set of wheels I had been holding onto. The fitment isn't exactly what I wanted but the wheels are cheap and light. I'm looking forward to seeing what the car does with some actual grip next year. Definitely want to lower the rear of the car regardless.

mounted.jpg

slicks.jpg
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby BadBowtie » Sat Nov 09, 2019 8:31 pm

2019 Update

Its been a long busy year but I'm still around lurking the forum!

I converted the car to EFI, major components list:
-Microsquirt ECU
-Aeromotive 450 Phantom
-80lb/hr Snake Eater Performance Injectors
-Edelbrock Pro Flo Intake/accessories

Its been about two years of collecting parts when deals could be had, the Edelbrock pro flo was a big one being bought as a shelf demo model with no ecu or harness. Perfect for what I wanted since I wanted a more modern ECU that could handle a few more inputs/outputs and maybe some boost as well. I upgraded the injectors from SEP, these things are perfect, super reasonable for prices compared to the name brand stuff available and they are all flow tested before being shipped. The original injectors while new looking were only probably good for 350hp crank and the purpose of this system was to allow headroom to grow. Following the trend with headroom I picked out the phantom 450lph pump. A small side note being factored into the entire fuel system was E85 compatibility, I don't have it available but modern fuels impose higher and higher ethanol content and I wanted to future proof the setup from the start. Finally the Mircosquirt, the smallest, most practical solution in my opinion, it came with an 8' harness and that was it. The way I have it setup I have;
-Batch Fire injection
-CDI ignition (controls my ignition box which fires through the distributor for individual spark control) / the ability to eventually have Waste spark Coil on plug later if needed which would give me +1 Spare output.
-Fan control
-PWM Idle air (using older 2 wire IAC)
-2 Spare inputs left (Eventually one for flex fuel sensor and launch rpm or something)
-1 Spare output left
-Fuel Pressure
-MAP / CLT / MAT / TPS engine sensors + reads my O2 sensor for tuning

I had to completely re-wire my engine compartment and remove a lot of old wiring that had been added to the car over the years layer after layer. Upgraded all my charging system wires, battery isolated ground, engine to chassis ground and battery to chassis ground. Created an engine harness that connectors to the Micro and the relevant other sensors. I fought a lot of issues with grounding issues brought on by the battery being in the trunk and not having sufficient grounds as well as some issues that carbs just don't care about (how things are powered and grounds are connected, especially for electric fans).

The tune is of my own calibration and settings are from reading the manual and the web trying to match as much as I can from the LS guys, and with that brought up some issues. I was immediately able to get the car running which was amazing however I have been fighting with using the CDI / distributor ignition as most setups go Coil on Plug. I think I finally have it under control and running but I need to re-time the car to see if that will fix the issues I'm having. I've been busy non-stop for the past two months and before that had a similar story. I was able to drive the car and go get some gas and I consider that a huge win although it was not at 100%. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to get some time to sort out the bugs and maybe take it for a small test drive between snowfalls (however mandatory winter tires start December 1st so I'll be close).
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby Kenova » Sat Nov 09, 2019 10:56 pm

BadBowtie wrote:2019 Update
Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to get some time to sort out the bugs and maybe take it for a small test drive between snowfalls (however mandatory winter tires start December 1st so I'll be close).


How far are you from the Ontario border? :lol:
Looks good, although a pair of injected throttle bodies on the cross ram would look even better. :th:
Baby steps, right!?

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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby BadBowtie » Sun Nov 10, 2019 11:39 am

I forgot to add one thing. Anyone doing an EFI swap should probably NOT do it this way, I am far too stubborn and picky for my own good. A normal conversion kit would have taken one or two weekends and come pre-calibrated.

Kenova wrote:
BadBowtie wrote:2019 Update
Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be able to get some time to sort out the bugs and maybe take it for a small test drive between snowfalls (however mandatory winter tires start December 1st so I'll be close).


How far are you from the Ontario border? :lol:
Looks good, although a pair of injected throttle bodies on the cross ram would look even better. :th:
Baby steps, right!?

Ken


Unfortunately they are very aggressive on the laws and even people passing through the province are subject to their law. We've had people doing cross Canada drives or people on motorcycles from Ontario on dry sunny days have to get towed to the provincial border.

Also yes! I strongly prefer the multi port injection setup I have but I would have loved to see two throttle bodies. There are one or two gm/mopar crossram EFI's floating around the internet that look great but my not so secret agenda is to add boost. Not that I need it but I just like learning and building and that seems like the next progression to me.
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby 283vega » Sun Nov 10, 2019 2:54 pm

Impressive build and you certainly have the ability to stick to something. I just wish I had a 1/4 of your talent. Keep at it and keep use up to date. :th:
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby BadBowtie » Mon Nov 11, 2019 9:13 am

283vega wrote:Impressive build and you certainly have the ability to stick to something. I just wish I had a 1/4 of your talent. Keep at it and keep use up to date. :th:


Thank you, I appreciate it as this forum has taught me a lot and I like to share what I can. I have a strong technical background with a refusal to quit so I'll always keep hitting my head against the wall until I find a way through or around it. I enjoy documenting the project here because it show a progress from understanding basic maintenance like changing brakes and packing wheel bearings to designing my own parts, tuning a crossram and now EFI. I'm a strong believer that anyone can do anything given the right amount of time and effort!
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby Kenova » Thu Nov 14, 2019 10:12 pm

BadBowtie wrote: I'm a strong believer that anyone can do anything given the right amount of time and effort!


I agree whole heartedly, but I'm guessing after this little project ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30x_0eBOBvU ) building your own fuel injection won't be that big of a challenge. :th:

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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby zeke » Fri Nov 15, 2019 12:28 am

New induction looking good :th:

Enforcing a winter tire law on motorcycles - wow. smh
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Re: 1975 Vega GT

Postby BadBowtie » Sun Aug 23, 2020 11:35 pm

Update for 2020!

Car has been putting up a good fight with the EFI conversion, last few months one day a week for only a couple of hours I've been putting in slow and patient work.

Got the car on the road earlier in May but couldn't get the car to run worth a darn sometimes running rich, other times lean and ALWAYS had some sort of RPM cut above 3000. When it finally gave me some hope I cracked the seam of my cut non monza oil pan I modified years ago (tie rods kept hitting the hard 90deg edge). So I bought a Milodon v8 swap pan, took a risk pulling the K-member off with the car on a 4 post lift and swapped pans. The risk paid off and I was able to check in on the engine, cam, bore, rods and pistons look good. Slight downside is I used to be able to just slip by with a PF454 short oil filter between the pan and headers for oil changes but the straight edge and deep sump of the pan doesn't allow enough clearance and I'll have to unbolt the headers to change the filter moving forward. Small price to pay but my centerlink and tierods now clear even with saggy engine mounts.

Milodon.jpg

Once all that was done I tried to fire the car up and it just would not run no matter what I did, turns out I ate up a crank sensor from the trigger wheel not being mounted fully concentric. Fixed that pretty easy with a spacer to ride on the crank pulley but putting the accessory belts back on I managed to break a power steering fitting off the plastic reservoir. Finally I got ALL the issues that popped up fixed and from this point forward the car smoked like a chimney just constantly, misfiring and smoking.

Spent weeks trying to figure out what part of the tune or setup was wrong or maybe that I somehow broke an oil ring or the valve seals were just toast. I got to the point where I was ready to pull off the intake and wiring and just throw a carb on it, figure from end of May to early August once or twice a week, problem after problem that the car never had carburated. I even tried running the car off the ignition box without controlling the timing from the ECU, but the timing of everything just never seemed right. Finally I re-read the Microsquirt manual cover to cover and concluded that some of the things I had setup or done might have made the car run better but was still incorrect as per the manual. I re-timed the ignition, crank sensor and put all the ECU setting back to what was supposed to work, clean slate... AND... It still didn't run right no matter what I did the timing events were offset by +80 degrees to be zeroed on the ECU and it ran like fuel / timing were out of sync smoking like a chimney and making your eyes water.

Through pure trial and error, going back and forth between testing changes in every drop down menu and verifying the timing I came to the conclusion that the issue was the trigger-high or trigger-low setting for the ignition box was causing the offset and that I had never realized because I never checked the timing between doing this simple one click change. So now my car doesn't leak oil, doesn't leak power steering fluid and idles consistently at a desired AFR. I managed to drive the car around this weekend for the first time since May and aside from having to pull A LOT of fuel out of the tune I'm left with only a few small issues. I still have to figure out an RPM cut above 5600rpm, might be a sync issue that I need to add a resistor to the trigger wheel or it might just be the tune being overly rich. Its difficult to drive, observe and tune. I now understand why people schedule tuning sessions on a dyno but I wouldn't want to do that without having all the issues ironed out first and by that point I'm pretty sure I'll have a handle on the tuning side of things. Aside from that I'm working on a fuel leak from the filler neck hose and front tire rub issues that I've always had but things are looking up.

That short update really turned into a long one but it covers almost a year of struggle! Sure feels good to have the car fire up and idle but I still have a lot to figure out before the car is truly road worthy again. Its pretty cool that I'm able to tune my car and work on it without physically having to change jets, picture below is me sitting in my dads garage cleaning up the tune after having driven around. The 3D VE table shows a pretty step cliff but thats because the injectors are sized for boost which is my eventual end game.
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