Building ERA Slabside #3012

[fintubi]

Originally Posted by dacobb

The bummer is I have to get the exhaust from ERA, take it to a local exhaust shop to weld the brackets and fit the exhaust to the car, then take it all off and ship it to Jet-Hot. Then reinstall.

I'm in the midst of this process with 3014. I fitted the primary pipes and collector-to-muffler pipes on the car, trimming as needed and marking the alignment of the header tabs. Then had the tabs tacked on at a welding shop, then back on the car to be sure they were in the right spot, then back to the shop for finish welding, and then out for ceramic coating. Now they're back and everything up to and including the mufflers is coated and ready for installation.

For the rest of the system, I really need to get the car to an exhaust shop. Dan at ERA advised that trying to Sharpie the hanger locations on the pipes and having them shop welded without reference to the car is a Bad Idea.

So I need to get the car driveable (or tow it) for the exhaust shop visit. This would also be first firing for a motor I built, so it's a pretty major moment. My plan is to wire up the muffler outlet, rear wheel arch, and tailpipe locations to drive it to a shop for final fitting/welding, then take it all off again for coating as you described.

Has anyone come up with a better way to do this? If I had it to do over again, I'd have spent some of the wait time for kit fabrication teaching myself to weld...

B

[DanEC]

What I did was trial fit the header pipes to the engine while it was on a stand. Then I took a 1x4 board and drilled it for the header bolt pattern. Then I pulled each side off the engine, still assembled and bolted them back to back on the board using the board as a substitute for the engine to hold all the flanges tight and aligned. That also allow you to pretty easily see if it looks like they are fairly symmetrical as far as the collector alignment. I think we tacked the tabs on the collector side before all this and then tacked the tabs on the header pipe side while in the fixture. I had a friend do this as my welding skills are definitely oriented to a lot heavier gage metal. Then I took them apart and sent them off to be ceramic coated along with my mufflers. The ceramic coater I used I think stopped doing customer orders and just does production work now.

Memory is getting a bit foggy now but I think I either didn't realize the collectors were side specific or somehow I got them mixed up. They looked the same but there was a subtle difference side to side when mocked up and under close examination. When I figured it out I had them on the wrong sides. And as it would be I ended up with the tabs on alternating pipes on the collector and header side. After pondering that for a bit, I realized I just needed to get another set of tabs, reassemble the headers in the fixture and tack the tabs in at the opposing pipe positions - i.e. I have tabs at all 4 pipe connections on each header side.

[fintubi]

Originally Posted by DanEC

What I did was trial fit the header pipes to the engine while it was on a stand. Then I took a 1x4 board and drilled it for the header bolt pattern. Then I pulled each side off the engine, still assembled and bolted them back to back on the board using the board as a substitute for the engine to hold all the flanges tight and aligned. That also allow you to pretty easily see if it looks like they are fairly symmetrical as far as the collector alignment.

Ah, I see - you 427 guys have it harder because the collectors are part of the sidepipe, so the tabs need to retain 4 individual primary pipes to the sidepipe assembly.

On the 289, the collectors are integral to the header weldment and the tabs are just used to secure a single, large downpipe leading from the header outlet to the muffler inlet.

[AndrewB]

In keeping with the spirit of the original street cars, I opted to cover the inner rear wheel housings with leather. It was my first time stretching leather and I think it came out really nice.

[dacobb]

Originally Posted by AndrewB

In keeping with the spirit of the original street cars, I opted to cover the inner rear wheel housings with leather. It was my first time stretching leather and I think it came out really nice.

That does look very nice and adds some class.

I imagine the entire rear bulkhead might look good in leather, too, instead of carpet or vinyl.

[DanEC]

That does look great. I covered mine with vinyl I got from ERA. It is a chore to do.

[AndrewB]

3012 is on the road! I still have a lot of tuning, tidying up (especially in the engine compartment), and a few other chores but I have put 6 miles on the car and it's been great. I am pleasantly surprised as to how easy, and dare I say comfortable, the car is to drive.

Alignment appointment is scheduled for tomorrow morning so I'll feel better putting more shakedown miles on once that is dialed in.

I took a few quick pictures but they really don't do it justice.

[dacobb]

Originally Posted by AndrewB

3012 is on the road! I still have a lot of tuning, tidying up (especially in the engine compartment), and a few other chores but I have put 6 miles on the car and it's been great. I am pleasantly surprised as to how easy, and dare I say comfortable, the car is to drive.

Alignment appointment is scheduled for tomorrow morning so I'll feel better putting more shakedown miles on once that is dialed in.

I took a few quick pictures but they really don't do it justice.

Beautiful car!!! I hope mine turns out like that when I’m done.

[jolsen42]

You've done an absolutely beautiful job, and
I couldn't agree with you more in that they are a blast to drive. The people who know what it is give you plenty of thumbs up!
Enjoy yours, I know you will.

John O

Originally Posted by AndrewB

3012 is on the road! I still have a lot of tuning, tidying up (especially in the engine compartment), and a few other chores but I have put 6 miles on the car and it's been great. I am pleasantly surprised as to how easy, and dare I say comfortable, the car is to drive.

Alignment appointment is scheduled for tomorrow morning so I'll feel better putting more shakedown miles on once that is dialed in.

I took a few quick pictures but they really don't do it justice.

[xb-60]

Congratulations Andrew! Well done on finally getting it onto the road.
It looks fantastic!

Cheers,
Glen

[1795]

Nice job, I like the red interior. Nice contrast with the light blue exterior.

[ACHiPo]

Originally Posted by AndrewB

3012 is on the road! I still have a lot of tuning, tidying up (especially in the engine compartment), and a few other chores but I have put 6 miles on the car and it's been great. I am pleasantly surprised as to how easy, and dare I say comfortable, the car is to drive.

Alignment appointment is scheduled for tomorrow morning so I'll feel better putting more shakedown miles on once that is dialed in.

I took a few quick pictures but they really don't do it justice.

Fantastic! Isn’t great to see a dream come together?

[AndrewB]

A few more photos to keep the thread going. Still working on getting the carb tuned and tidying up misc other items but I've got over 100 miles on it and so far, so good.

[xb-60]

Looks great, Andrew. That's a perfect combination of colours for a slabside.
Congratulations!

Cheers,
Glen

[desgros@vtlink.]

Andrew,

Very well done. Your Slabside is beautiful!

John
ERA #3010 Slabside 289 BRG

[DanEC]

You did a great job duplicating CSX2242 as shown in your first post. Beautiful car.

[1985 CCX]

Awesome 289!

[vntgspd]

Wow! That is fantastic. You still have plenty of season to enjoy the ride too!

[fintubi]

Fantastic job! Really looks terrific.

Bill

[AndrewB]

Thanks everyone - I appreciate the kind words. Still plenty to do, but it sure is nice seeing it move under its own power! I'll post more pictures soon that show so some of the fun bits and pieces I've collected from talented folks such as Armrer that really make it a cool tribute to the originals.