That brings us to the 2005 GRM Challenge.
The Nelson family and Devine family loaded up and headed to Gainesville for the event.
For someone who took as many build pictures as they did I am Shocked at how few pictures I have from the event. I guess that makes sense as I remember it being a thrash from start to finish.
Somewhere along the line we hurt the transmission, but we managed to make it through the event without a DNF.
We managed a 11th overall finish.. 1st in the drags (missing 2nd gear) 5th in concourse, and Editors Choice.
We were stoked!!
The Fiat got a well deserved break in 2006 while Team Nelson focused on a '74 Datsun build for the '06 Challenge and the team Devine built their 70 Karmann Ghia for the '06 Challenge.
That doesn't mean the Fiat was ignored though... Our efforts at the 2005 Challenge earned us a feature article in Grassroots Motorsports
Today, I finished the core supports and installed rivnuts to assemble everything. Even used a pair of rivnuts in the bottom of the radiator/shroud to use as locating pins.
Hopefully more progress tomorrow!
Question about the upper heat exchanger "bracket": is that solid rod, or tubing? It looks like it is just enough to do exactly what it needs to do, and that is an elegant solution.
It is absolutely an elegant solution. The Nelsons have mastered Simply Elegant.
It is bent rod with tabs to support the intercooler as well as the top of the radiator. It also slides into rubber bushings at the body and uses clips to hold it in for quick removal.
Slotted the top of my fan shroud so the intercooler mount tabs insert into it and lock it into place. Also, I got the top plate and it’s Mounts worked out.I suck at the welding, but I’ll get it zipped in and cleaned up tomorrow or Tuesday!
Very slick design and execution. I'm impressed...
Little steps whenever you can right? I got the rivnuts in. Now to get paint mixed. BAPS (our local paint store) doesn’t have Saturday hours anymore…. Going to replace the hex bolts with button heads. I just need to pick some up. 
Almost matching paint applied. 🙂 Up next, pull it apart and touch up the underhood area where I welded in the mounts. Then on to making the Burndown Garage fan work, find a lower radiator hose that works, mount plumb and wire the new trans cooler and install the new bigger fuel cell...
Had a visit with Andy and Calvin today and think we found the true source of our cooling issue. I assumed it was poor airflow and an old swap meet radiator. In reality it is likely the thermostat delete that was done when the motor went in. On the 4200 the bypass for the coolant is opposite of the T stat in the block. When the T stat opens it seals the bypass forcing coolant through the radiator. The delete removed that mechanism. They had discovered the issue years ago ( after the Fiat was swapped though ) and since it wasn't an active project, it never got updated. So I probably didn’t “need” to do the work I'm doing, but it can’t hurt so we soldier on. He is going to make me up a new T stat housing to fix the issue. I spent some time today doing the paint work/touch up where I added the top plate mounts for the radiator ducting. It’s not perfect, but race car approved. Also started trying to figure out the lower radiator hose and its routing. A little progress is still progress…
I was always told stickers add horsepower.. I'm pretty sure this particular one adds about 400hp... ;-)
Took a break from radiators and hoses to look at my rocker panel project. The replacement skin I have is way long, so I cut it down a little and used the part I cut off to mock up what I need to do to to the real skin. The top pinch weld bend needs bent the opposite direction so it points in rather than out and the lower bend needs bent to be perpendicular to the upper break. I do not want to change the profile of the rocker though. I need to figure out how to rebend those brakes on a finished part that is 66” long. My break is only 36” long. I also need to source a 2nd rocker skin for the other side. I’m not welding them in, I’m going to make them removable to access the exhaust. When I rebuilt the exhaust I tucked it up in so the header flange would be inside the rocker.
Big shout out to Calvin Nelson for making me up this little gem...
This water inlet a has a feature added to it to block off the coolant bypass which will hopefully go a long way to improving our cooling issues in the 4200.
I also reinstalled the intercooler, radiator and fan for hopefully the last time! ( for this project at least )
One step closer to doing car things again! Next to wire the Burndown Garage Silverado fan and install/wire the trans cooler!
https://youtu.be/v4QLWCksod0?si=NSJ5VQzuStJv2nIM
I had a chance to mock up the trans cooler install. Positioning should work, but I will be adding some brackets to hang it at a bit of an angle.
And…. Too much angle…. lol 
Thats why we 3D print….
I’ll shorten the front up by about half and send it.
And…. Too much angle…. lol
Thats why we 3D print….
I’ll shorten the front up by about half and send it.
