I tapped the LIM for a MAT sensor. I will be using it in place of the IAT, so I will have full manifold temp scanning ability.

Can you explain to this newb why the metal ones get hot but this wood one won't? I'm a little confused by that.

wood is non-conductive. It will not conduct electricity, nor will it conduct heat... to contrast aluminum is one of the best conductors besides the precious elements (gold, silver, etc...) Aluminum soaks heat away from the engine very quickly and conducts that heat to the */c, which is also aluminum. Wood spacers have been used on engines under carburetors for 50 years or more to isolate the carb from heat from the intake manifold. I am just applying a little old-school technology to something new.

I hadn't realized wood was that good a heat insulator; I figured it just took longer to heatsoak.

Leave a wooden chair out in the sun next to an aluminum one and then sit in each with your bare butt and tell us how long you can sit in either one.

LOL!!!!! on that note, I think we can end this debate!

I bolted the */c on the i/c today, YEA!!!!

I finished the fuel rails. The turbo has oil feed. The 8-rib belt and pulleys are on. I made the3" turbo dp today and tied it into the existing 3" test-pipe-into-factory-exhaust, muffler, and tips for now. (later, I'll run 3.5" all the way back from the stock cat location to two magnaflow mufflers and GP/GTX stainless tips...)

All I have to do now is run the oil return from the turbo to the pan, run the efi hose from the factory steel lines at the firewall to the fuel rails, mount the turbo i/c (no water/plumbing for now...) and build the charge-air pipes from the i/c to the t.b. I am going to tune it for driveability with the stock MAF in place. After it runs good around town, I will switch to the LS1 MAF. I'm trying not to have too many variables at once. The 65# injectors will be enough to deal with, I'm sure. I'm going to be tuning the transmission as well.

I'll take some pics tomorrow, it'* 1:18am and I'm tired!

Way to go! You're doing such awesome wok, and I hope it all turns out better than you've expected! What did you do with the ebay turbocharger, by the way?

(I heard the "ding-dong" email notification just as I turned out the lights...)

I sold that turbo for $100-more than I paid for it... on ebay!

Awesome job Jeff... any idea when the initial turn of the key is going to happen? Sounds like this weekend.