Lazarus Project TPI

[FieroDoug]

If you saw my intro, you know I'm bringing an old project out of the dust.

Lazarus is a 1961 GMC "fender side" short box 1500. Not much stock to begin with, so why not have fun? I've restored gen 1 Firbirds, Mustangs, tri5 Chevys; so wanted to do something different. I had a ton of fun with an '86 Pontiac Fiero V6 fuelie 4-speed.

I will install a 1986 IROC TPI. The donor had 55k miles on whe totaled in a T-bone accident. Originally from Michigan, the externals are either rusty or oily from valve cover leaks. The mechanical parts of this engine build will stay the same unless I see something while replacing gaskets. Otherwise, hopefully I can document the journey of retrofitting EFI for other's benefit.

[FieroDoug]

I have tamed the Hydra! The wiring loom is finally off the engine. :rockon:

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Only one casualty- the PCV tube on driver's side, which was super brittle. It gave up while attempting to reach the cold start injector.
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I was careful to tag each connector, so that I can re-wrap the loom to clean out the smog stuff.
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I do have oddly melted loom cover over the rear passenger valve cover, and a pair of connectors directly under the distributor. It could be possible the loom was moved too close to the exhaust, who knows...but too much heat under the distributor? I will have the valve covers and oil pan off after degreasing the engine and will see what awaits me.
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This is the "stock" computer - it came out of the IROC, but has a reman sticker on the outside, and a broken tang on the chip lock-down on the inside.
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As I stated in my intro, all '86 IROC TPI came with AUM 3236 chip - Fed & Cali smog, A/C, A/T. I will be installing a 1971 Muncie M21 with hydraulic throwout bearing and aluminum bell housing. I will be using a retrofit A/C; but not sure about cruise control yet. The brake pedals are Wilwood performance out of a stock car, working four piston Wilwood calipers up front, stock drums (for now) in back.

The Muncie is going to shop for review and at least new gaskets this weekend, so I will have time to inspect the motor and consider the wiring.

[1project2many]

Lookin' good. You can buy some replacement PCV tubes from Dorman so that might not be a big issue. That melted harness is somewhat common. Lotsa heat in that corner of the engine. Those valve seals usually are first to go, too.

[FieroDoug]

I was meaning to ask, are the pcv tubes critical, or will breathers be fine? (That is the old school talking.) I don't want to remove something that is important?

[FieroDoug]

I degreased the engine today, and uncovered this unusual cut in the distributor housing (photo). Not vertical, but very thin. So, is this typical or a concern?
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[eutu1960]

Looks like someone marked it with a chisel, makes it easier when reinstalling the distributor.


I degreased the engine today, and uncovered this unusual cut in the distributor housing (photo). Not vertical, but very thin. So, is this typical or a concern?
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[FieroDoug]

So, down the rabbit hole I go. I took the stock exhaust manifold off to discover the stock head exhaust ports are just over 1 1/4" square. What is the concern of a pocket port job with the heads on the block? I want to match them to the headers I will be buying, which are more like 1 5/8" square.

OK, that was the crack talking. This engine is in good shape, all it needs is a less restrictive exhaust manifold. I found some nice reproduction Ram horn style exhaust manifolds which will look period correct in a '61 GMC. I will add a heated O2 sensor in the collector after that.

[FieroDoug]

I don't know where all the old images went, maybe my outdated computer (thx APPLE:mad1:); but has it has been 2 years already!? Wow time gets away from me. In that time, I moved from one side of the city to the other; that messes with the progress for sure, and adds to the "now, where did I put that?" quest for things I think I have. Aaaaannnyway...I have made a little progress on the engine refresh. I repainted the block before the move, and the valley cover/bottom of plenum. Those have been put back together. I also installed the ceramic-coated ram horns and the fuel rail with Bosch III injectors. Hopefully these links work:

http://oi66.tinypic.com/29zzt46.jpg
http://oi63.tinypic.com/dyn21l.jpg
http://oi68.tinypic.com/15fludl.jpg

I ported the plenums to help remove the dents, but still need to work out a fews scrapes and things before they are painted and re-installed.
http://oi68.tinypic.com/6zlaf6.jpg