now the fun begins..

[v6spider]

I knew i had cut the firewall for the distributor but now I am going to have to cut the lower radiator support entirely and move it forward. And lower the motor mounts 3/8"... plus get this I may need to cut a hole in the hood after all... don't try this at home folks!

Rob

[v6spider]

I removed the lower radiator support and now I have room for the radiator. It's just a matter of fabricating a new lower radiator support.

Rob

[v6spider]

[76was124]

That looks like it will have some giddy-up!

I take it you have plans for some structural/cross member and suspension reinforcements in the works as well?

[v6spider]

That looks like it will have some giddy-up!

I take it you have plans for some structural/cross member and suspension reinforcements in the works as well?

All the structural reinforcing is done. If you look at some of my previous posts or http://www.v6spider.com you can see what's been done. I have also modified the suspension and steering in order to accommodate the 4.3L v6.

Cheers!
Rob

[76was124]

. you can see what's been done.

Very Nice!

[v6spider]

Very Nice!

Thanks!

Rob

[ClarkTheShark]

Epic.

[speedracer]

Not being critical, and your doing some phenomenal work, but why your doing it all is a bit of a mystery to me.

One of the sweetest parts of a Spider is the DOHC engine, which can put out some nice power and sound pretty awesome when modified. Easily enough to take the chassis, gear box and rear end to their limits anyway. Besides the pretty PininFarina styling, the engine is the reason to buy a Spider, so why dump it in favor of a rather low-tech push rod V-6? I have to wonder whether a Spider is still a Spider after so much modification?

I'm sure you've already heard comments like this before, and your probably sick of defending your reasoning, so please feel free to ignore my post! I'm just wondering out loud...

[SoFlaFiat]

Oh boy...
The can of worms is open again!!

[81SPIDERMATT]

They’re each brilliant, like a master impressionist painter and a master portrait artist. Skill is skill, no matter how it is applied. It’s like comparing a professional quarterback to a 20-game-winning major league pitcher. Who’s better? There’s no way to tell.

stolen from an article about chip foose and paul russell

[v6spider]

Not being critical, and your doing some phenomenal work, but why your doing it all is a bit of a mystery to me.

One of the sweetest parts of a Spider is the DOHC engine, which can put out some nice power and sound pretty awesome when modified. Easily enough to take the chassis, gear box and rear end to their limits anyway. Besides the pretty PininFarina styling, the engine is the reason to buy a Spider, so why dump it in favor of a rather low-tech push rod V-6? I have to wonder whether a Spider is still a Spider after so much modification?

I'm sure you've already heard comments like this before, and your probably sick of defending your reasoning, so please feel free to ignore my post! I'm just wondering out loud...

Well first and foremost I'm doing it because I can and enjoy building something that is unique. I bought my spider with the soul purpose of doing what I am doing and this is the second version of this car. And yes I've been asked this question a million times LOL. But to suggest that the 4.3L Vortec v6 is lo-tech suggests that perhaps you are not too familiar with that engine.

A push rod engine has many advantages over an overhead cam engine. Biggest being that it has the ability to run almost completely frictionless. In my engine each of the lifters have a roller bearing that glides over each cam profile and the rockers are constructed in the same manner with roller bearing pivot points and a roller bearing tip that pushes on the valve. On stock car racing engines they also modify the cam bearings for the usage of roller bearings as well. of course I didn't go that far but you see my point. Less friction means less heat generated and more horsepower. In an engine so equipped you can also run far more aggressive cam profiles then you can on a flat tappet engine because the roller bearing follows the cam profile so much better with no binding not to mention far more torque at lower rpms. My engine puts out over 300hp and over 300 ft lbs of torque on pump gas without any type of forced induction. The twin cam engine is incapable of doing so. It doesn't have the displacement and necessary valve-train to accommodate such a radical cam profile without falling on it's face and having poor drive-ability on the street in my humble opinion.

Rob

[speedracer]

I apologize for saying your V6 is low tech. I had no business saying that! It actually sounds pretty high tech.

Man, 300HP is going to be downright scary in that Spider, at least for me. I'm guessing your going to heavily modify the suspension, chassis, gear box and rear end to handle all of that power and torque, because my mostly stock Spider feels abit to fragile to handle that much power! I'd be more than happy with about 130 or so, which is doable for the 2.0 DOHC. I'm into originality for the most part, so I'm never going to fully understand what your trying to accomplish and I'll always wonder why you don't start with another car in the first place, but in the end, it takes all types and it's your car, so have fun!

I'll be following your build!

[76was124]

Rob,

What year is that engine? Is that the cast aluminum Vortec or the cast iron ( marine ) block? How are you getting the 300 hp? I thought the stock with a 4 barrel was closer to 150hp?

[v6spider]

Hi Jim,
No worries! The twin cam is a great engine and well built. I am a builder that was looking for a unique project. I was finishing up installing a 4 bolt main 350 small block v8 in a Toyota Landcruiser for a close friend. I was looking for another project and this is what i came up with. I wanted great power to weight ratio with great handling and an open top. At the time I thought of this over a decade ago, no one to my knowledge had built such a spider. Now there are a few v8 powered.. still no v6... mine is the only one... I like it that way...


Cheers!
Rob