SkinnyG's '61 Chevy Apache 10

Looks great! Love the hydro-boost conversion. I look forward to seeing how all of those items fit. Maybe a radiator with an integrated trans cooler? I have also seen them done under cab with a fan. 

Oh look what was on sale at Princess Auto today! I bought three, so I can make two. My plan is to make decent inner fenders, so keep road crap out of the rust areas.

Is it just me, or are all the pictures gone??

In reply to SkinnyG :

Is that a cached image on your phone?

I'm not seeing anything show up here and another forum I post.

All pictures here for me on my phone 

Must be something wrong with my desktop computer.  That's odd.

Solved it. The Chrome "Privacy Badger" plugin was turning into a "Honey Badger."

Grrrr.

To mount the intercooler, I need to remove the rad support X bracing and chop some metal out of the vertical supports.

To fit the AC Condenser, I need to move the rad back an inch.

To mount the Turbo, I need to decide if I want to go mild steel or stainless on the crossover, and if I want to go 2.5" or 2.25" (though it may not really matter). And decide how I want to clear the PS pump and reservoir.

So.... I spent some time today tidying the shop, and staring at everything.

And removing the end links of the 9" axle's sway bar so I can see where they need to go.

And exciting news, the driveshaft arrived.  1350 ends and high-speed balanced, from Bear's Performance out of Ontario.

And I -will need to take the cab off and cut some more out of the frame to fit this.

I decided, after a WACK of research, to go 2.25" stainless tubing for the turbo crossover piping. Picked up the J-bends locally as they gave me a decent price, and stainless v-bands arrived off Amazon a while back.

The passenger side manifold looks easy to do, but the driver's side looks like I will need to pie-cut and neck down the manifold. I'm look a bit more at it this week, and then hopefully get things welded up this weekend (hope hope hope).

Though I will need to cut out the inner fenders a bit so I can properly place the turbo.

In for pie cuts, lots of pie cuts

Picked up three 2.25" 409 stainless J-bends to do the crossover, and also picked up a big cone filter for the torbo so I can accurately place the turbo. But to be sure exactly where the turbo sits, I need to know where the tires are going to end up, so me and Mr. Plasma got happy.

It will ACTUALLY STEER like this, full lock-to-lock, with the control arms on the ground. Inner fenders will be patched up, outer fenders need to be notched 2.5".

In reply to SkinnyG :

For some reason, despite a general disdain for any other lowered vehicles, a slammed full-size truck always makes me giggle with joy...

Inner fender #1 tacked together.  Some more wee patching to do.

Filler panel for the inner fender.  The outer fender will be attaching to it from underneath, hence the holes.

Wow.  I have SO many hours into these inner fenders.  Oh my gosh.  And I'm out of MIG gas, on Christmas day.

In reply to SkinnyG :

Being out of shielding gas sucks, but those fenders look good...

Hi SkinnyG just wanted to say I have really enjoyed reading thru your builds on the locost, the firefly, and the 77. This Apache is shaping up nicely too, I love the project! Btw your students are lucky to have you!

Thanks, OneSickGNX!

I try to get my own kids in the shop, but neither of them recognize the opportunity they have to learn all this crap; they're just not into it.

I spent a couple hours studying how to run the exhaust, since I can TIG the v-bands onto the manifolds with some 309L rod.

I had intended to run the manifolds flipped up and forward, with the driver's side turning down in front of an below the water pump (so I can remove it if need be), then up to hit the turbo, but I have to move the rad back an inch or more to clear the AC Condenser and that leaves less and less room for an electric fan. And the P/S reservoir and plumbing (return for PS as well as Hydroboost) is proving to be a challenge to clear the exhaust.

So..... if I ran the driver's side down and behind the converter and up the passenger side.  It'll make for interesting plumbing, but I think I can run the AC lines from the pump, as well as the turbo drain to the pan, as well as 4" downpipe from the turbo.

I cut the flanges off the manifolds in anticipation of welding, and tried blasting the manifolds in my cabinet, but I need something more aggressive - crushed glass just isn't cutting it (no pun intended).

Going to get some more MIG mix and some heavier blast media tomorrow.

Is forward and down a possiblity? It seems like you might have more front to back real estate than side to side. Also I know you already bought 2.25” stainless tubing but I wasn’t sure if you had considered using schedule pipe instead?

Forward and down would mean getting another passenger-side manifold (not the end of the world), but I tried that way back when the engine was out, and the outlet points right at the power steering. 

There is quite a bit of room on either side of the motor, and I feel more confident in the potential result of having the driver's pipe crossover under the bellhousing and up the passenger side.  I will have to make sure the starter can be removed easily.

Today I altered the outlet on the driver's side down to 2.25" tubing size (this was a mistake, don't do this), and welded the v-Band on.

Tomorrow I will connect the passenger side outlet to the turbo flange, and see how far I get into making the crossover.

corvette manifolds might be perfect for a forward and down depending on motor mount clearance. Although looking at them I’m not really sure how chevy even fit a motor mount.

 Although given your fab skills a log style manifold on the drivers side and that modified manifold on the left would probably be the best option for a forward and down. The only reason I’m kind of grilling you on this is I would think it would make packaging for a down pipe and AC compressor much easier if you plan to run one. I also think it would make maintenance with the starter, plug changes easier without a cross over in the way. Of course you might end up giving up space needed for the cold side too so... just food for thought. 

Turns out I didn't cut the manifold at an angle for the v-band, and should have.  So I cut it apart again and re-welded it.

Then spent the entire rest of the day trying to devised a mount which would hold the turbo while I fabricate the pipes to run it. Trying to get the right placement so the exhaust can feed it, so the turbo can expel, so the wastegate can be placed, so the turbo compressor can reach the intercooler, so the plugs can be reached, so the oil fill cap won't melt, so the heater hoses will clear, so the AC hoses will clear, so the filter will fit, so the hood will close.........

Not really happy with the mount itself, but I think it's a good placement.

I Like this.  Whoosh.