V8 Project Update, Ready for the 2025 Season Options

[FL000]

Hi World, I am moving on to the next phase of my project, and have enough things planned that I will call it phase 2. Hopefully this thread will motivate me to see it through quicker, and maybe help someone else at the same time.

Phase 1 was my 7 year adventure taking a banged up 73 roller and installing a SBC, renegade kit, and Sheridan body kit. Here is basically what it looks like now



Had fun driving it for a summer and a winter, then realized I am ready to start the next round of upgrades. The list in no particular order and consists of:
Heat and a/c
Audi 01E install
Fuel injection
Boxster brakes
Fix passenger door gap

Time and money varies, so no timeline for when it will get done, but my wife's 62 Lincoln is next in line so I do have some encouragement to finish!

[FL000]

After all that work I was definitely sweating the vacuum test. I took my time on everything but there are so many places a leak could exist. I bought a new hose kit from Harbor Freight (big spender) to replace my old one that had bad hoses.



I connected and drew some vacuum, sealed the valve, turned off the pump, and watched the system slowly lose vacuum (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) WTF. Walked away and slept on it for the night. The next day I thought maybe, just made be it was the HF hose kit and not all my custom work (cocky I know). After some tests sure enough the new quick disconnect couplers that attach to the high and low pressure ports were bad. Luckily my old ones still worked, so on they went and to my surprise it held pressure! Around 26 inches of vacuum after letting it rest for 45 minutes.



After I get the water pump reinstalled I will be able to fill it and enjoy some cool air. Just in time as it got into the 90's this past weekend.