Rebuilding Dad's Panoz; LS1 swap

[Cobra4B]

We can rebuild him... we have the technology...


Done with the post race inspection/next race prep on the Z06. Time to push the Panoz in.


Taking it all apart to paint the chassis/interior gloss white.


Wing was surprisingly heavy; all metal.


The neighbors love me.








That's sitting at an odd angle...


Piece of shit Ford




Will update and bug Eric a bunch as I progress.

~Brian

[Cobra4B]

No more hacked up 15+ year old EFI harness and wiring job...

[Cobra4B]

It's broke good... it'll be interesting to see if something in the bottom-end failed or if the block just let go from being too weak for the application. It was only making around 370 rwhp. Piece of shit.

[Cobra4B]

Body panels all off...




My buddy Sonny brought his son Mason over to check out the racecar

[Cobra4B]

Radiator support and front suspension all removed. Getting ready to pull the engine.




Front suspension assemblies


Brembos going to get rebuilt and fresh powdercoat

[NZGTRA17]

Originally Posted by Cobra4B

Thanks Brian, that brake caliper photo confirmed it...............I thought our calipers were silver before our 4 hour race in the weekend. Now all 4 are a uniform bronze/gold colour from the heat (I was running ducting to the rears as well from a side scoop). Wouldnt believe it if I hadnt seen yours!!

Kel.

[PanozDuke]

Brian,
Thanks for all these photos. Really good reference for how these cars are put together and what is involved in a full disassembly.

Following up on my other post about reducing interior heat, did you add the exhaust wrap and if so how much difference did it make?

Mike

[Cobra4B]

Originally Posted by PanozDuke

Brian,
Thanks for all these photos. Really good reference for how these cars are put together and what is involved in a full disassembly.

Following up on my other post about reducing interior heat, did you add the exhaust wrap and if so how much difference did it make?

Mike

We had the side pipes coated in a 2000 degree "turbo" coating and then we wrapped them. Car was still very hot. I think part of that was due to the location of the muffler right next to the occupant and how close it was to the tub to fit the big Flowmaster in there (in an effort to make the car quieter). This time I'm going to use a 6" diameter magnaflow race muffler and put it much farther forward on the pipe. Probably just aft of the forward exhaust hanger. Car will be loud, but Dad's in his 60s so going deaf isn't a concern

When I cut the cats out of the mid-pipe on my Z06 I left that area unwrapped so I could keep an eye on my shade-tree mechanic welds over time. Laying up under the car with it running, the difference in radiant heat from the wrapped areas vs. unwrapped sections is astounding. So I'd say yes, it makes a big difference.

[Cobra4B]

Trying to figure out if the bottom end failed and the crank snapped. Or, did the block fail first and then take out the bottom end? The thing that pisses me off is that it never completed a track weekend in 2011 w/o some kind of issue. The car was shifted at 6000 rpms and was making around 370 rwhp:

March - Filling up catch can and custom dipstick gets stuck.

July - Breaks a valve spring. Shop used old springs that were on the heads that came off the blown up 5.0 that was swapped out.

October - Car chucks the water pump pulley. Bolts weren't safety wired and I had no idea that was something that had to be checked. Car is my father's and I just don't know Fords like I do LSXs.

February (2012)- Catastrophic failure on the back straight of VIR at top of 4th gear; no warnings, oil pressure fine.

It started ticking when my dad got it back from the valve spring replacement in July last year. Shop swore it was a lazy lifter, but I felt otherwise. It sounded like rod nock to me, but they were adamant it was fine. Of course when it shit the bed in February they said it was that the stock block was too week for the power.

Supposed lifter tick (probably rod knock) - http://youtu.be/VxQLDHpGgeA

Any tips on what to look for as I dig into this thing? Very curious if the block failed or if the crank/bottom end failed.

[PanozDuke]

Brian,
I only have limited personal experience with engine meld downs. I think you will know better when you get a good look at the crank and rods. If the crank is broken, one or more rods broken and bearing(s) melted, it was probably a rod letting go and taking out the block. If the bearings are basically OK and no rods are broken, the block probably failed. From my knowledge, the late model 5.0 blocks are considered safe to about 400 hp. At the rear wheel numbers you had, it was marginal. Mine (331) is about 100 hp less than yours, but I intend to push it up another 25-50 hp. I'm comfortable with that and have taken all the precautions I can think of (28 oz. recipricating assemby with good parts, main studs and girdle, careful block prep. My bet is that you know a rod knock when you hear it. 6000 seems well within the means of the reciprocating assembly and I think the horse power should have been OK. The 400 limit is based on extreme shock loads like power shifting , drag race launches with slicks. I doubt you guys ever did that to the motor. The lateral crack along the side of the lock is a typical 5.0 block failure, but some of the other damage is consistent with a crank or rod failure.When the pan comes off and you look at the bearings it should be clearer. Since my motor is a 5.0 stroker, I'm very interested in your conclusions.

I've never laced the water pump pulley bolts, just used a standard lock washers, grade 5 or 8 bolts and torqued to spec. At the rpm you were turning, it should have been under nothing but a normal load. No special concern regarding the Ford versus GM set ups.

Mike

[Cobra4B]

The eagle has landed. LS1 crate motor for a GTO.

[eric1h]

looking "good". Working on getting the motor mounts boxed up and sent out for the LS motor!

[Cobra4B]

Engine torn down. Only found one bent valve. Other than that heads are fine. Can't get the cam out though... comes 1/2 way out and get stuck. I can see a loose cam bearing and it could be bent, who knows... off to the metal yard it'll go.


Trans cover removed... access is nice to have.


Got it out. Need to finish taking the trans off and seeing if the clutch is worth a heck. If the main shaft isn't messed up the trans will be refreshed and for sale. It's a Tremec 3550 and one of the few things on this car that never gave us any trouble.



Almost ready to roll the frame out for some power-washing then on to the welding and fitting everything.

[PanozDuke]

Eric,
What did you find after the oil pan was off?

Mike

[Cobra4B]

Haven't taken the pan off... got the engine/trans out and put it on a tire. First order of business is to get the chassis ready for the powdercoater which means test fitting the new engine/trans and doing any/all welding i.e. filling holes, relocating mounts/brackets, and welding in a proper harness bar.

~Brian