out of depth?

[shuvit-tim]

been feeling out of my depth with this conversion for a little while now.

i'm fine if you give me a part and say change it. Give me an engine and tell me to change it and i'll be fine.

But i'm not sure the conversion is within my ability and it's starting to concern me. I've always been for learning by doing, but I'm very conscious of how accurate everything has to be.

I'm understanding the principles but just not sure if i've got the mechanical ability

the fact that i dont have welding gear and cant weld is someone of a problem for a start!

guess i'll just keep amassing the bits i need for now until the time comes when i've got it all then worry about putting it together!

[Doive]

Just stick with it, learn as you go along and it will all eventually fall into place. Projects like that can seem enormous to start with (note the potential removal of a BeeEm straight six - ulp) but usually turn out to be much easier than you anticipated. Also never be too proud to ask for professional help - the difference between an ok job and an excellent job is someone who was willing to put their hands up and say 'I'm stuck - help!'. Often people will be very sympathetic to this and help you out, but also teach you as they go. Keep at it, take your time, and most of all - enjoy it!

[Neilyman]

Agreed, I couldn`t have put it better myself!

[shuvit-tim]

professional help usually cost money though!

[Shoveitpusher]

assuming your on about the 1600 conversion:

the hard bit has been done. the shell or body in white (don't ask i don't know) has been done, you know it will handle the forces involved. the suspension is done. these really are the hard bits in any design. they are the bits that need accuracy the powertrain is a lot more tollerent.

you will need the kind of mind that can visualise what you want to achieve and where the forces are going when you have to move away from the standard. in your case you are basically putting a manta drivetrain in a chevette - you know the dizzy is a problem (or an oportunity for improvement) but there is a known soulution. the sump is a problem, again gm have done this for you. you know the whole thing will fit.

you even have the engine mounts designed for you.

you have chosen a sensible conversion to do as a first attempt. i don't know where your engineering plans lie but this is very good practice for a multitude of paths.

practicle advice: get a small welder - worth it's weight in gold, it will pay for itself in no time. more valuable than anything else.

do not rush, don't do anything permanently until you are sure it will work. make plans and sketch things out.

above all ASK
bounce ideas of people both here and elsewhere. you don't actually have to listen, i find it helps to sort things out in my mind.

[shuvit-tim]

thanks guys, the encouragement means a lot. Just not seeming to get it from too many of my mates at the moment who have gone down the 'throwing money at someone else to do it' route. It's easy if you've got the money to throw about but I dont.

As for the suspension being done it isnt, i've got the turreting to do. I might try and find a saloon in a scrappy and take the shocks out of that as prescribed by craigm, it seems a fairly foolproof way of getting it right. Only problem is there arent any scrappys in aber and no chevettes in the ones in worcester. Craig m, if you could find another dead saloon and cut out the template for me as you did i'm sure we could come to an arrangement over beer tokens.

[hsr2.6]

never give up,practice makes perfect,as the boys have said ask and last of all satisfaction when you wheel it out of the garage for the first time and fire it up..........................priceless..............................

[shuvit-tim]

i'v dreamed of that I day, I really have, it just seems that every other turn is a hurdle, usually financial!

edit: I've just had a long conversation on th edolg and bone with steve (hsr2.6) and a little of my faith is restored. I'm a lot happier about the turreting, and he's kindly sending me some photo's of his so that I can visualise it as to what has to be done. He also gave me some good advice about alternative set-ups and just some general dont lose the faith talk which has helped my mentality a lot. Thanks mate, I really appreciate it. There are a few diamond people in motorsport who will really go out of their way to help people, these people are irreplacable to the sport and will help the sport live on in the future.

He did also raise a point of concern... but i'll save that for a separate thread!