Tech - V8 Speed and Resto Shop

NEW VIDEO: Pro Touring 1978 Trans Am: Independent Rear Suspension, Detroit Speed Subframe, Custom Exhaust, LS3

Posted on by V8 Staff

In our previous video, we showed you our 1978 Pontiac Trans Am project and talked about our plans for a high-end pro touring build. This means that we’re designing the car to drive and handle really well, have great power, but also be very comfortable and serviceable anywhere in the country.

FIRST VIDEO: https://youtu.be/WrxW69RGQv8

The 1978 Pontiac Trans Am features a GM Performance Parts LS3 engine swap, along with a Detroit Speed subframe and front suspension. The brakes are Hydratech boosted WIlwood units, and a Heidt’s independent rear suspension will make the Trans Am handle better than it ever did. We’ve added Vintage Air, and American Autowire harness, YearOne 19” Snowflake wheels, and much more to this TA.

In this video, we’re going to focus on the exhaust system. This is a critical part of any pro touring build, as it needs to be able to flow well enough to support the engine’s power output, but it also needs to be quiet enough to be comfortable on long drives.

We started at the engine, using Hooker cast iron exhaust manifolds for the LS engine. These manifolds package well and flow very well, making them a great choice for our build. We ran the exhaust pipe underneath the center section of the independent rear suspension, which allows us to keep the exhaust tucked up and out of the way.

We also installed a pair of catalytic converters and a set of mufflers underneath the rear seat. The original muffler on this car was a transverse unit that went left to right over the rear axle well, but there’s no more space for that with the independent rear suspension. So, we modified a set of mufflers by cutting them open, reworking the internals, and making the inlet and exhaust on the same side. This gives us a turbo-style muffler that is still able to flow well and keep the sound down.

Since our customer wanted to keep the signature split exhaust tips of the Trans Am, we needed to find a way to route the exhaust pipes to the back of the car. We did this by making a custom muffler that lives underneath the rear axle. This muffler is filled with perforated pipe and packing material, which helps to reduce noise without killing performance.

Finally, we snaked the mandrel bent tubing from the custom muffler to the back of the car. We wanted to exhaust the car all the way at the back, rather than dumping it in front of the rear wheels. This is a much cleaner way to go, and it keeps the fumes out of the car and preserves the classic look of the Trans Am.

We’re really excited to hear how this exhaust system sounds! It’s been a really cool project to figure out how to make all of the pieces fit together and work properly. It is all mandrel bent 2.5” stainless tubing that is TIG welded together. We’re confident that this system will give us the performance and sound that we’re looking for.

In addition to the above, here are some other things to consider when designing an exhaust system for a pro touring car:

Ground clearance: The exhaust system needs to be routed in a way that avoids any ground clearance issues. This is especially important if you plan on driving your car on rough roads or tracks.

Heat management: The exhaust system can generate a lot of heat, so it’s important to make sure that it’s properly insulated. This will help to protect the car’s interior components from heat damage.

Aesthetics: The exhaust system is one of the most visible components on the car, so it’s important to choose a system that looks good. There are many different types of exhaust tips and pipes available, so you can find a system that matches the overall style of your car.

We believe that we have achieved all of our goals with this exhaust system. It is well designed, durable, and will produce a great sound that is both aggressive and refined. We can’t wait to hear what our customer thinks of it!

If you have a pro touring dream car, a custom car, or a cool hot rod that you need help with, please reach out to us at V8 Speed and Resto Shop. We have the experience and expertise to help you create a unique and amazing vehicle that you will be proud to own and drive.

V8 Speed and Resto Shop
817 S. Main Street
Red Bud, IL 62278
314.783.8325
https://www.v8speedshop.com

#protouring #customexhausts #v8speedshop #exhaustfabrication

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1968 Dodge Coronet Fitting Trim After Panel Replacement Before Paint V8 Speed and Resto Shop Video

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This 1968 Dodge Coronet 500 has had extensive metal work done to it, and before it goes to the body and paint shop, the team is test fitting all the trim to make sure it fits properly. This is an important step to ensure that the final product is everything the customer wants it to be.

The video shows the car in the fabrication shop, where it is completely media blasted and sprayed with a gray epoxy primer. Certain areas are bare steel where the team has been doing welding, panel gap fitment, and rust repair. However, the car is now at the point where the team wants to see how the trim fits before it goes to the body and paint shop.

This step is essential because it allows the team to identify any potential problems early on. For example, if a new or reproduction part doesn’t fit properly, the team can make the necessary adjustments before the car is painted. This saves time and money in the long run.

The 1968 Dodge Coronet 500 is a cool project car, and the team at V8 Speed and Resto Shop is excited to see it finished. The car has a 383 engine, 330 horsepower, and 425 foot-pounds of torque. It also has a fresh suspension. Everything on the car will be essentially brand new when it’s finished.

If you have a project car that you’re thinking about restoring or customizing, the team at V8 Speed and Resto Shop would be happy to chat with you!

Click Here to contact the shop!

1964 Ford Falcon Convertible Suspension Upgrades at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop

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This clean 1964 Ford Falcon Futura came to the V8 Speed and Resto Shop looking for some performance upgrades, and we will be installing new front suspension components from Global West and QA1 Motorsports, a Borgeson steering gear, a Flaming River tilt steering column, and more in phase one.

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Supercharged LS3 Powered Chevrolet Pickup Runs on Hydrogen Gas 2021 SEMA Show

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Hydrogen Powered Chevrolet Pickup 2021 SEMA Show Arrington Performance V8TV

This sweet 1949 Chevy pickup is powered by a supercharged LS3 that has been converted to run on compressed hydrogen gas. It’s not a hydrogen fuel cell, but actual compressed hydrogen fed into Continue reading “Supercharged LS3 Powered Chevrolet Pickup Runs on Hydrogen Gas 2021 SEMA Show” →

Custom Exhaust Considerations

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There are many things to consider when planning a custom mandrel-bent exhaust system for your Classic, Muscle Car, or Hot Rod. Here at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop, we bring up a whole list of question to the customer as we plan a system. Here are some of the high points:

What is the purpose of the car? Street driving, drag racing, road course racing, etc?
What kind of exhaust system is on the car now?
Do you have headers?
Do you have catalytic converters?
Do you want stainless or mild steel?
Do you want any type of coating? Ceramic? Color?
Do you prefer MIG or TIG welding?
Do you want an X or H Pipe?
Do you prefer Tucked tightly to floor or right out of the box fitment?
What kind of tips do you prefer? Where?
What size pipe diameter? 2.5″ is most common, but 3″ can often be accommodated.
Round or oval pipe?
Do you have a brand of mufflers you prefer?
What sound level do you want? Stock / quiet, loud, etc?
What type of tone? Mellow, deep, raspy, etc.?
Do you want cutouts?
Is there a preference for clamps? Standard pipe clamps, welded-on V-Band, etc?

Once these questions are answered, our techs can go to work designing a system that delivers on all requests.

Measuring, Mounting, Balancing, and Aligning Custom Wheels and Tires

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Wheels and tires can make the look of a car, but there are some steps to take to properly measure, order, test, mount, and balance them to avoid issues down the road.

The first challenge is how to properly measure the wheels to fit your car. The following video uses a FORGELINE wheel to demonstrate how to measure Custom wheels are built to order, so it’s important to get the measurements right. In this video, we use a FORGELINE custom racing wheel to demonstrate the techniques used to measure wheel width, backspace, and frontspace, as well as offset. These dimensions are not hard to measure and calculate, and this video will help you get them right.shows what’s involved.

Proper tire clearance is just as important as wheel fitment, and we use some special tools to simulate a wheel and check tire fitment before wheels are ordered. This allows us to turn the steering wheels from lock-to-lock and check for any potential interference.

Once the wheels arrive, DO NOT simply take them out of the box and mount your tires. ALWAYS to a “dry fit”, were you test the wheel on the car without the tire mounted to double check the fitment. If you mount the tires, the wheels will be yours to keep, and most wheel companies will not swap them out for a different set. Custom wheels are generally yours to keep as soon as they are built, but an unmounted wheel is better than one that has tire mounting damage should something need to change.

Once you’re certain the fit is correct, you can mount your tires and balance the wheel and tire combination. We do this in-house to ensure the wheels are handled with proper care, and prefer to dynamic balance wheels and tires in our shop, and we do this in-house to ensure the wheels are handled with proper care.

Only after all these steps are taken are the wheels and tires mounted finally on the car. We prefer to check and correct any alignment issues at this time, to ensure the new rubber does not wear prematurely and the suspension system delivers optimal performance. Our in-house Hunter digital alignment rack allows us to dial-in our preferred settings as needed.

We have a comprehensive alignment questionnaire for our customers to fill out ahead of time, so that we know what type of suspension modifications and driving styles they will be doing. This allows us to tailor the alignment to the car and driver. See the form here: V8 Speed & Resto Shop Vehicle Alignment Questionnaire

Only after all these steps are complete is the car ready to go out and show off the new wheels and tires to the world! Contact us today for a wheel and tire upgrade on your ride, we’re happy to help!

Tune Request Form

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We perform custom tuning on fuel injected cars, as well as oxygen-sensor measured tuning on carbureted rides as well. If you need a custom tune, we can help! The more we know about your particular car, engine, and driveline combination, the quicker we can focus on tuning it. Please take a moment to fill out this form so we can get a better understanding of your car, engine, and tune needs. Thank you!

Elements of Proper Quarter Panel Replacement at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop

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There are a lot of details to watch when replacing a quarter panel!

Quarter panels are the large, steel body panels that reach from the trailing edge of the door to the rear taillight panel, and from the roof down to the lower rocker panel and wheel opening on a Classic or Muscle Car.

Quarter panels are integral structural parts of the car, and play a significant role in the construction, strength, and safety of the car’s body and chassis. Some cars, like Chevrolet Camaros, are not body-on-frame construction, meaning the body itself is the main structure of the car. These are known as “unit-body” or “unibody” designs, and are also found in Pontiac Firebirds, Chevrolet Novas, Dodge Challengers, Plymouth Roadrunners, Ford Mustangs, and many other popular classic and Muscle Cars.

Over time, quarter panels are prone to wear, rust, and crash damage, and are often in need of repair or replacement. Many new reproduction quarter panels exist for popular cars. When new panels are not available, original equipment panels can often be sourced from a donor car, reconditioned, and installed on another car… if done properly. Continue reading for the details!

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Inertia Fuel Cutoff Switches on Retrofit Fuel Injection Installs at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop

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High-pressure fuel systems required by Electronic Fuel Injection systems pose a possible safety threat should the car ever be involved in an impact. We like to install Inertia Fuel Cutoff Switches in the EFI retrofits performed at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop. The Fuel Cutoff Switch turns off the fuel pump in an impact to prevent dangerous high-pressure gasoline spraying on a hot engine and causing a fire. Continue reading for the video!

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Engine Start Up Checklist from V8 Speed and Resto Shop FREE DOWNLOAD

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Starting a new or freshly rebuilt engine can be stressful, as there are many details to look after. It’s for this reason that we’ve created this detailed checklist to help keep track of all of the safety and performance elements to consider when starting a rebuild new or rebuilt engine for the first time. This also applies to reviving an engine that has been in storage for a long period of time.

Feel free to download this checklist and let it help you keep track of the safety and performance elements, courtesy of your friends at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop!

You can always contact us at the shop for all your restoration, performance, and Classic or Muscle Car needs!

CLICK HERE to Download!

817 S. MAIN STREET – RED BUD, IL 62278

TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE BEST TIMES OF THEIR LIVES THROUGH THINGS WITH WHEELS

Category: Tech

Wheels and tires can make the look of a car, but there are some steps to take to properly measure, order, test, mount, and balance them to avoid issues down the road.

There are a lot of details to watch when replacing a quarter panel!