Looks cool. I was going to say whats the go with running another pipe out of the rocker cover straight up?

Then realised its a stick holding the bonnet up!
I'm still in shock from getting a price for my engineering text book, $115 for one book! Highway robbery

Keep those pics rolling in!

your manifold looks heaps better now (the welds) i hope it holds up, (i remember there being a special way to weld cast iron).

Yeah using thicker welding rods now so its a bit easier. I hope it holds up too, Im expecting a few cracks but as long as the turbo doesnt fall off

today I dummied up the dump pipe and tack weleded it ready for the exhaust shop to weld up. The wastegate pipe is giving me grieth so I will run with an open venting gate (screamer!) for a week until I can get the exhaust shop to finish it off... might be some loud noises coming from under the bonnet for a few days
Ive started to mount the battery on the other side of the bay... this is pretty easy, the starter motor cable is simply moved from under the motor and shortend and the other accesory wires are just lengthened.
I made up some alloy brackets to hold a battery tray but the battery is close to the bonnet when shut, about an inch gap so might be ok.
Where the battery was I have mounted a VN dunnydore air box and the orig rubber air hose joins it to the comp housing with the help of a silicon 3 to 2.5in reducer.

Did you pre heat the cast iron manifold befor you welded to it?

No, but its glowed where I was welding

when you weld cast iron you should heat the whole job up befor you weld it.

thanks champ, will have to see what results now

yeh, and there are special welding electrodes for cast iron, you have to heat it up first so you dont carck it when you weld (and so it doesnt crack when it cools)

although i still don't agree with the setup, i'm very interested in the results.
and what happens with a few kms on it.

let me know if you ever need a manifold made up for it. It's some thing i'm really trying to get into at work.

Thanks for the offer tickford6, I will one day, maybe very soon if all goes pearshaped... But I'll get a MIG and make it myself.

All the oil lines are done now, I tapped the sump and finished the oil drain line, mounted everything up and carked over the motor to get some oil up the line... took alot of cranking and I was starting to think I stuffed up the lines but oil finally oozed out the hose.
Then I started the motor and checked the manifold for leaks... there is air escaping from a small section of the head flange. This is a result of when i welded the two piece manifold together it didnt go back flat so I will need to have it decked ( or maybe I can attack it with the grinder), but it all has to come off now so I can fix the leak... I didnt feel any other leaks but I was running it without the main exhaust on so it was a tad loud and I didnt want to piss the niebours off.
I had the dump pipe welded at Liverpool Exhaust and got it home and had to drill a hole for the 02 sensor, I welded the sensors mount on and the sensor screws in nice.




I moved the battery to the otherside so that I have room for the new air box, to start with I am using a VN airbox as its a good "factory" looking box and has the right pipe inlet to suit this job... later on I will make a bigger cold air box.
I made up some alloy brackets for the battery tray to sit on, just have to tie it down now and its done.
The wiring was easy to do... I just extended the small wires and run them along with the headlight loom in front of the radiator, the starter motor cable was just pulled over to the other side and shortened, the earth strap now bolts down on the aircon compressors mount( needed to buy a longer cable )

Not looking too bad, but you might end up wtih no oxy sensor. From memory I think people have said to have it sitting further back as they tend to get quite hot sitting so near the turbo. And whats the go with the hammer? Better at holding the bonnet than the pipe was? Id suggest new bonnet struts. I got mine from supercheap auto, designed for the wagon tailgate off of an ef/el falcon I think. Work excellent, and keep it up at all times. Not the easiest thing to replace on your own though

So the dunnydore's airbox is a decoy is it? Or does a pipe run under the guard -> filter - > airbox? Or is there a pod running straight into turbo under guard?

Looking cool.

LOL yeah need new struts, the pipe is accually the jack handle...

Air box is used as normal at the moment, I just cut the bottom out for some extra (hot) air... will make a decent cold air box soon

Well, all the hardware is on and I took it for a spin and other than a exhaust leak in the dump pipe/main pipe flanges, it all seems ok.
i didnt give it any boost as I havnt changed the manage ment and fuel system yet but tomorow I will throw in the injectors and Walbro pump, hook up the boost guage and vacume hoses for the watsgate... then give it some boost and see what the AR guage reads

dude, i reckon you got about a thousand people waiting to hear how it goes!... c'mon then, im getting impatient!

nah, looking real good hey...