Let's switch attention to the diffuser and cat-back exhaust for a minute. If you look through the "Diffuser Fascia" thread, you'll notice that I had a bullet-style muffler sticking out the back of the car. It took up space inside the diffuser... space which could've been used for moving air. With my new Ocelot exhaust, I eliminated that. The muffler is tucked in between the engine cradle and the "license plate pod" in the rear fascia. And the muffler's outlet pipes are cut short. See photo below.



Here's a shot of the unobstructed rear diffuser.



I guess you could call it the "stealth exhaust".

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 09-02-2017).]

It took longer than expected to get the dynojet machine back in operation. But today I finally got to do my baseline run. Here's the Silver Freak on the dyno.



Next week, I'll do another dyno run with the Trueleo headers installed, and report the results. See ya then!

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 09-02-2017).]

The Trueleo headers are installed and dyno tested. Here's a quick shot of the headers installed.



And here are the before/after dyno results. The black lines are power/torque with ported stock manifolds and aftermarket Y-pipe. The red lines are power/torque with Trueleo headers.



The numbers are hard to read. So here's the breakdown:
Ported Stock Exhaust -- 117.6 HP / 153.8 ft-lb
Trueleo Headers -- 123.2 HP / 160.8 ft-lb

So I've gained approximately 7 HP / 7 ft-lb compared to ported stock manifolds and an aftermarket Y-pipe, which in turn yields about 8-10 HP more than the stock exhaust.

I'd also like to mention that the exhaust sound is different now. The raspy sound is gone, replaced by a deep, throaty sound. And the idle has that "glub-glub" sound. I like it.

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 09-02-2017).]

Now I'm getting ready to replace my old TH125C with a 5-speed Muncie-Getrag. I decided to use the transmission from an early 90s FWD car. So far, I've spent over $2K on parts. This will not be a cheap swap.

I purchased a 5-speed shifter assembly from a salvage yard, and rebuilt it using Rodney Dickman's kit. Now it's nice and tight, no slop, nice and smooth.



Here's part of the reason why this tranny swap isn't cheap: an aluminum flywheel and Spec Stage 2 clutch. Also, you can see the shifter cable brackets I bought from Rodney Dickman. They allow the Fiero shifter cables to interface with the FWD transmission.

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 09-02-2017).]

Since my Getrag transmission was damaged during shipping (it fell off the truck), the bellhousing needed to be replaced. When I opened up the case, I found more damage. The 1st/2nd shift fork is cracked. This was probably caused by the aforementioned fall.



I was able to order a replacement shift fork from a Chevy dealer. Luckily, there were still a few sitting in a warehouse, because this part was discontinued. It cost me $250. Here's a photo of the new shift fork.



And last but not least, here's a shot of the disassembled Getrag.



It's the first time I've opened up a transmission. So it's kind of fun... "edutainment" if you will. It sure as hell beats fiberglass work!

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 09-02-2017).]

In order to replace that broken shift fork, I have to remove the guts from the transmission case. This is accomplished by pressing out the input/output shafts.



Here is the casing with its guts spilled all over the floor. Clean up on aisle 3!

[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 09-02-2017).]