Building ERA Slabside #3012

[dacobb]

Originally Posted by AndrewB

Got the clock bezels back from chroming today. Time to finish off the dash!

Where did you source the clock?

[AndrewB]

Originally Posted by vntgspd

When you say you are finishing the "rear bulkhead", does that include the inner fenders visible in the last photo? I would highly recommend it if you haven't already planned for it. In my car with under car exhaust I find that this area radiates more heat than the footboxes on extended drives. The heat can be uncomfortable on warm days if I'm driving with my left arm/elbow inside the car.

Progress looks great so far!

I had considered insulating the inner fenders but was not sure I would be able to get the carpet (or leather per original) to look right with the insulation underneath due to its curvature. My exhaust is fully ceramic coated so I am anticipating that it will help. If it is indeed an issue, it will be fairly easy to go back and come up with a solution.

[AndrewB]

Originally Posted by dacobb

Where did you source the clock?

One I got from a NOS parts store in BFE Texas for next to nothing because they didn't know if it worked and didn't feel like checking. The other came from EBay.

[DanEC]

I did not cement the carpets on the floor. The seats keep the main sections secured. The floor tunnel mats are secured with snaps. Floor mats will tend to slide around a bit and it helps to secure them in some fashion.

I ceramic coated my exhaust back to - but not including the tailpipes. I have a lot of insulation on the floor so it's not bad down there - but at stop lights the heat is going to well in over the top of the doors from the exhaust no matter what you do. My ceramic coated SpinTech mufflers read around 500 deg when I shut things down after a ride down the road. I'm not sure how much good the ceramic coating does.

[dacobb]

Originally Posted by DanEC

I did not cement the carpets on the floor. The seats keep the main sections secured. The floor tunnel mats are secured with snaps. Floor mats will tend to slide around a bit and it helps to secure them in some fashion.

I ceramic coated my exhaust back to - but not including the tailpipes. I have a lot of insulation on the floor so it's not bad down there - but at stop lights the heat is going to well in over the top of the doors from the exhaust no matter what you do. My ceramic coated SpinTech mufflers read around 500 deg when I shut things down after a ride down the road. I'm not sure how much good the ceramic coating does.

I'm thinking of doing the same thing with the carpets. I'll be using thermal/sound deadening under the carpets and under the car, and am thinking of using Jet-Hot for the ceramic coating of the exhaust. They say their process reduces heat by 65% and they have a lifetime warranty.

Anyone out there used them?

The bummer is I have to get the exhaust from ERA, take it to a local exhaust shop to weld the brackets and fit the exhaust to the car, then take it all off and ship it to Jet-Hot. Then reinstall.

[fintubi]

Originally Posted by dacobb

The bummer is I have to get the exhaust from ERA, take it to a local exhaust shop to weld the brackets and fit the exhaust to the car, then take it all off and ship it to Jet-Hot. Then reinstall.

I'm in the midst of this process with 3014. I fitted the primary pipes and collector-to-muffler pipes on the car, trimming as needed and marking the alignment of the header tabs. Then had the tabs tacked on at a welding shop, then back on the car to be sure they were in the right spot, then back to the shop for finish welding, and then out for ceramic coating. Now they're back and everything up to and including the mufflers is coated and ready for installation.

For the rest of the system, I really need to get the car to an exhaust shop. Dan at ERA advised that trying to Sharpie the hanger locations on the pipes and having them shop welded without reference to the car is a Bad Idea.

So I need to get the car driveable (or tow it) for the exhaust shop visit. This would also be first firing for a motor I built, so it's a pretty major moment. My plan is to wire up the muffler outlet, rear wheel arch, and tailpipe locations to drive it to a shop for final fitting/welding, then take it all off again for coating as you described.

Has anyone come up with a better way to do this? If I had it to do over again, I'd have spent some of the wait time for kit fabrication teaching myself to weld...

B

[DanEC]

What I did was trial fit the header pipes to the engine while it was on a stand. Then I took a 1x4 board and drilled it for the header bolt pattern. Then I pulled each side off the engine, still assembled and bolted them back to back on the board using the board as a substitute for the engine to hold all the flanges tight and aligned. That also allow you to pretty easily see if it looks like they are fairly symmetrical as far as the collector alignment. I think we tacked the tabs on the collector side before all this and then tacked the tabs on the header pipe side while in the fixture. I had a friend do this as my welding skills are definitely oriented to a lot heavier gage metal. Then I took them apart and sent them off to be ceramic coated along with my mufflers. The ceramic coater I used I think stopped doing customer orders and just does production work now.

Memory is getting a bit foggy now but I think I either didn't realize the collectors were side specific or somehow I got them mixed up. They looked the same but there was a subtle difference side to side when mocked up and under close examination. When I figured it out I had them on the wrong sides. And as it would be I ended up with the tabs on alternating pipes on the collector and header side. After pondering that for a bit, I realized I just needed to get another set of tabs, reassemble the headers in the fixture and tack the tabs in at the opposing pipe positions - i.e. I have tabs at all 4 pipe connections on each header side.

[fintubi]

Originally Posted by DanEC

What I did was trial fit the header pipes to the engine while it was on a stand. Then I took a 1x4 board and drilled it for the header bolt pattern. Then I pulled each side off the engine, still assembled and bolted them back to back on the board using the board as a substitute for the engine to hold all the flanges tight and aligned. That also allow you to pretty easily see if it looks like they are fairly symmetrical as far as the collector alignment.

Ah, I see - you 427 guys have it harder because the collectors are part of the sidepipe, so the tabs need to retain 4 individual primary pipes to the sidepipe assembly.

On the 289, the collectors are integral to the header weldment and the tabs are just used to secure a single, large downpipe leading from the header outlet to the muffler inlet.

[AndrewB]

In keeping with the spirit of the original street cars, I opted to cover the inner rear wheel housings with leather. It was my first time stretching leather and I think it came out really nice.

[dacobb]

Originally Posted by AndrewB

In keeping with the spirit of the original street cars, I opted to cover the inner rear wheel housings with leather. It was my first time stretching leather and I think it came out really nice.

That does look very nice and adds some class.

I imagine the entire rear bulkhead might look good in leather, too, instead of carpet or vinyl.

[DanEC]

That does look great. I covered mine with vinyl I got from ERA. It is a chore to do.

[AndrewB]

3012 is on the road! I still have a lot of tuning, tidying up (especially in the engine compartment), and a few other chores but I have put 6 miles on the car and it's been great. I am pleasantly surprised as to how easy, and dare I say comfortable, the car is to drive.

Alignment appointment is scheduled for tomorrow morning so I'll feel better putting more shakedown miles on once that is dialed in.

I took a few quick pictures but they really don't do it justice.

[dacobb]

Originally Posted by AndrewB

3012 is on the road! I still have a lot of tuning, tidying up (especially in the engine compartment), and a few other chores but I have put 6 miles on the car and it's been great. I am pleasantly surprised as to how easy, and dare I say comfortable, the car is to drive.

Alignment appointment is scheduled for tomorrow morning so I'll feel better putting more shakedown miles on once that is dialed in.

I took a few quick pictures but they really don't do it justice.

Beautiful car!!! I hope mine turns out like that when I’m done.

[desgros@vtlink.]

Andrew,

Very well done. Your Slabside is beautiful!

John
ERA #3010 Slabside 289 BRG

[DanEC]

You did a great job duplicating CSX2242 as shown in your first post. Beautiful car.

[jolsen42]

You've done an absolutely beautiful job, and
I couldn't agree with you more in that they are a blast to drive. The people who know what it is give you plenty of thumbs up!
Enjoy yours, I know you will.

John O

Originally Posted by AndrewB

3012 is on the road! I still have a lot of tuning, tidying up (especially in the engine compartment), and a few other chores but I have put 6 miles on the car and it's been great. I am pleasantly surprised as to how easy, and dare I say comfortable, the car is to drive.

Alignment appointment is scheduled for tomorrow morning so I'll feel better putting more shakedown miles on once that is dialed in.

I took a few quick pictures but they really don't do it justice.

[xb-60]

Congratulations Andrew! Well done on finally getting it onto the road.
It looks fantastic!

Cheers,
Glen

[1795]

Nice job, I like the red interior. Nice contrast with the light blue exterior.

[1985 CCX]

Awesome 289!

[vntgspd]

Wow! That is fantastic. You still have plenty of season to enjoy the ride too!