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57 Pontiac "Zero Fox"

I find my engine runs best when the electric fan has cycled at least once (turns on at 190, w a 180 thermostat) before the burnout. It has to be thoroughly warmed up to ensure there is no bog. end of pass its about 200-210.
I have just the pump and a small alternator on one belt. Dead nuts reliable w the electric fan.
 
For a good pass you want low coolant temps and hot oil temps.

I run the same thing on my Regal, electric fans and water pump. I put electric fans on the truck too, but a mechanical pump, I don't need to cool that down with the engine off.

I have a "race mode" switch on my Regal that activates the transbrake button, and also lowers the off temp of the fans down to 140, and it will hold the water pump on down to there too with that switch on even if the engine is off.

Back when I had that on a manual switch I forgot to turn it off once for 30 minutes and it was so dead it wouldn't even click. Luckily my uncle was there that day with a 50A battery charger and the whole generator/trailer setup so it was back in action pretty quick! (I had driven the car an hour and 40 minutes to the track).

But with the large fans and radiator it doesn't take long at all to drop the temp to 140 when the engine is off.

I don't run a thermostat in that car, I just let the fans control the temp. Unless you are driving it in the winter and need a heater you don't need the thermostat at all, it just slows or blocks the cooling.

tRustyK5 said:
I guess we'll see but it is the same pump Frieburger used on the '56 field car. He is running a 505 hp 350, solid roller, that he is shifting at 7000 rpm. I never saw them have fueling issues. If it does become a problem I can always replace it with a blue pump.
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You might be OK, when I think back I think it was fine when I was N/A, down to high 11s at 115 MPH in the quarter.

But once I added a little spray it ran out at the big end. I had to go with a rear sump on the tank, and go with a 130 GPH mechanical pump and an external regulator, then it was good.

BTW, I just got some of those Proform vehicle scales like Greg bought, they are nice and low, not too expensive(compared to others), and no wires. I can get them through my distributor if you need. Of course then I started scaling everything I own, ha ha.
 
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Well I have another week of vacation so I am spending some time on the Zero Fox again. I spent some time cleaning the front crossmember, and frame area and removed a shitload of mud from all the crevices. Surprisingly the brake lines were in pretty good shape. I was able to break them all free, clean them up and blow them out. There was still some brake fluid in them...after sitting since 1967. Crazy! I also installed the CPP side engine mount brackets (3/4" forward) and gave it a coat or two of whatever black I had on the shelf.

PXL_20220815_221050924.jpg

Then it was time to get under the car, and I'm not gonna lie I wasn't looking forward to it. I wanted the gas tank out, the fuel feed line and see what's what from there. First thing I felt was that getting the rear bumper off was a good idea as I'd have better sight and access to the filler neck stuff, and the bumper needs some love anyways. I busted out my new creeper, and realized before the bumper could come off the dang 1950's hitch needed to come off. I love using the death wheel in a confined space under a car, on a Monday, on vacation. lol

it fought me most of the way, but I dealt the killing blow with a 13 lb sledge hammer. Take that!

IMG_20220815_111610_01.jpg

29 lbs lighter!

Next was the bumper, and I still can't believe how many bolts just come undone on this thing. Never broke a single one, and now I have much better access to clean things up and get the new tank in.

IMG_20220815_130333_01.jpg

Next up was getting the old tank out. Again I was able to just undo the fuel feed line from the sender after excavating all the mud first. The line was in pretty good shape, a bit of surface rust, but good overall. I got it out from under the car without hacking it up so I can use it for a pattern for the new 3/8" line, and saw this...

IMG_20220815_155150_01.jpg

Stupid phone likes my shoes better, but you can see the line is kinda flat in one area. It looks like it may have been some sort of impact, rock or something. This car has been absolutely buried in mud based on what I have found under the car...

Finally got the tank out. Shot of the old vs new. Gonna do some cleaning and painting under there before installing the new tank and sender.

PXL_20220815_220922511.jpg

PXL_20220815_220913607.jpg

Much more shit work to come!!
 
tRustyK5 said:
Well I have another week of vacation so I am spending some time on the Zero Fox again. I spent some time cleaning the front crossmember, and frame area and removed a shitload of mud from all the crevices. Surprisingly the brake lines were in pretty good shape. I was able to break them all free, clean them up and blow them out. There was still some brake fluid in them...after sitting since 1967. Crazy! I also installed the CPP side engine mount brackets (3/4" forward) and gave it a coat or two of whatever black I had on the shelf.

View attachment 422391

Then it was time to get under the car, and I'm not gonna lie I wasn't looking forward to it. I wanted the gas tank out, the fuel feed line and see what's what from there. First thing I felt was that getting the rear bumper off was a good idea as I'd have better sight and access to the filler neck stuff, and the bumper needs some love anyways. I busted out my new creeper, and realized before the bumper could come off the dang 1950's hitch needed to come off. I love using the death wheel in a confined space under a car, on a Monday, on vacation. lol

it fought me most of the way, but I dealt the killing blow with a 13 lb sledge hammer. Take that!

View attachment 422392

29 lbs lighter!

Next was the bumper, and I still can't believe how many bolts just come undone on this thing. Never broke a single one, and now I have much better access to clean things up and get the new tank in.

View attachment 422393

Next up was getting the old tank out. Again I was able to just undo the fuel feed line from the sender after excavating all the mud first. The line was in pretty good shape, a bit of surface rust, but good overall. I got it out from under the car without hacking it up so I can use it for a pattern for the new 3/8" line, and saw this...

View attachment 422394

Stupid phone likes my shoes better, but you can see the line is kinda flat in one area. It looks like it may have been some sort of impact, rock or something. This car has been absolutely buried in mud based on what I have found under the car...

Finally got the tank out. Shot of the old vs new. Gonna do some cleaning and painting under there before installing the new tank and sender.

View attachment 422395

View attachment 422396

Much more shit work to come!!
Click to expand...
That’s awesome all that hardware is coming apart. You definitely wouldn’t think so, seeing as it was a mud bogger!
 
The mud underneath is insane, it's packed up above the rear diff for example. You gotta be up to the door handles to get mud up there...

For my own curiosity I have been sweeping up often and shovelling it into a plastic garbage can. Weighed it this morning and already 51 lbs of dirt/dried mud from under the car so far. Floors look good though...
 
Leave yourself a $5 and love yourself long time…
 
I’m amazed at the ease of tear down you had so far. Must be pretty dry up there to buried up to the frame and not have rotten floors.
 
ZooMad75 said:
I’m amazed at the ease of tear down you had so far. Must be pretty dry up there to buried up to the frame and not have rotten floors.
Click to expand...
They never used salt back when this car was on the road, it was wrecked in January '67. Then it sat in a dry garage until...well it's still in a dry garage, but the original owner kept it in his garage until 2014 when he passed away. Check the painted front frame pic, those are original brake lines in that pic...
 
max 02 said:
The guy I bet lived out on a dirt road. This Alberta mud gets everywhere….fills every void, drys like concrete.
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He lived in Calgary, and worked at the University of Calgary. I dunno what was and what wasn't paved in Calgary back then...

I bet there is another 50 lbs of dry mud under this thing. The hardest part is getting it out of the frame in some places. I started to clean the filler neck, then realized the entire inside of it is crusty gunk. I'll be ordering a new one of those. The '57 Pontiac uses the same filler neck as the '55 Chevy.
 
1660662655017.jpegI really am in awe of the fact that these are still in such great condition, I-mean those have to be some vintage Adidas going on there, reminds me of RUN-DMC and the Aerosmith video “walk this way“, and the way those laces are symmetrically stitched is simply artwork!


 
Well today was a day I have been waiting for for quite some time. The Blueprint 389 crate engine arrived!

PXL_20220817_234055445.jpg

PXL_20220817_234644036.jpg

They dyno each engine at their plant, get it run in, checked over and then make some pulls to verify minimum power meets or exceeds what they advertise. This crate is advertised at 491 hp amd 508 ft/bs of tq.

They over delivered...by a fair bit.

IMG_20220817_181513_01.jpg

Fox me I am stoked right now!! :burnout:
 
76zimmer said:
View attachment 422467I really am in awe of the fact that these are still in such great condition, I-mean those have to be some vintage Adidas going on there, reminds me of RUN-DMC and the Aerosmith video “walk this way“, and the way those laces are symmetrically stitched is simply artwork!
Click to expand...
Yo all I rock is shell-tops. I got like 5 pairs. Super comfortable.
 
@tRustyK5

What’s going on in Alberta!?

Was in Bashaw this afternoon and it was like drag week! Cars and trucks with small trailers, trucks with slicks in the box. Seen one 80s Camaro with a roof rack, slicks and skinny fronts tied on. Seen a early 80s Vette no hood big ridiculous rad sticking way up. Awesome sounding 66 Nova. Still pissed at myself for not taking any pics!:doah:
Probably a dozen vehicles I seen in the 5 minutes were driving through.
 
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