GarageToys

iTrader: (6)

I've been trying to button-up the details and get the car finished. The one time I drove it last year, it stayed cool in traffic and heated up on the highway. I figured out that I didn't have all the plastic for under the bumper cover (the splash shields, air dam, etc.). I ordered it all from Hawks today.

On that one drive, I realized that the car was too low as I heard the coating being scraped off my header collectors onto the pavement. I bought a set of Pro-Kit springs to replace the Sportlines and I blew it apart on Saturday to switch them. When I pulled out the Sportlines, I realized the rubber spring isolators on top were squished down pretty flat. I ordered new ones from GM and they should be here tomorrow so I can get the car back on all four wheels again.

Speaking of wheels, today was a landmark day in my Firebird's life. My new wheels arrived via UPS and I got the tires mounted. I'll wait on the details until I can post pics, but they are pretty trick.

That is all. The board was slow so I thought I'd post something. At least Steve can quit wondering if I'm actually working on my car.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

wait....working on the car....you?










someone get that guy a beer.

Camarothatcould

iTrader: (3)

just sent $566 to Summit Racing last night...

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

an order under $1k ......didn't know they took orders that small

GarageToys

iTrader: (6)

How about it.

I actually cash my checks at Summit racing now.

Camarothatcould

iTrader: (3)

Apparently so... they even felt so bad for poor old me, they didn't make me pay shipping( a whole $10).


I just hope it gets here now though

NVM, they still charged me. It didn't show up on their site, but it did on my bank account.

GarageToys

iTrader: (6)

Get it right: Shipping is free. Handling is $10.95

Camarothatcould

iTrader: (3)

Smokin87TA

iTrader: (2)

dont you just love throwing money into the car. I am getting ready to go through the motor and started picking up parts. Thanks to ls1tech i have gotten some great deals on new stuff. It is actually great being a sponsor and getting great deals on stuff.

What i paid........................................what i should have paid.....
New ARP Head studs $150 .......................$240
New cnc machined oil pump $100 ...............$150
New dual roller timing chain $100 ................$180
New comp lifters $100 ..............................$170
New dual springs $250 .............................$330
New chromoly pushrods $80 ......................$120
Cosmetic head gaskets $140 .....................$180
Trex Cam $300 .......................................$400

Total $1220 ...........................................$1770

I sold my old cam and valvetrain to my buddy and will intsll it and tune his car for $800 so im only really out $420 for all that.

I also have to pick up some 42lb injectors and but a tool to flycut the pistons, along with getting my heads milled. Then pull the motor and rebuilt it with arp rod bolts and everyhing else, along with new poly motor mounts. After that i need to install the 10 point and then re carpet the interior. The list never ends.

Hey kevin what are you doing with the rims and tires on there now? I am probably going to pick up a set of chrome 4th gen ws6 rims with good tires for $400 this weekend. Just to have a decent set with street tires on.

I have another month of school so i probably wont get any of this done till then, with school and porting on the weekends. Ill have about 2 weeks of thrashing before thirdgen fest.

nape

iTrader: (1)

'Tis the season to spend money...

-$130 to Coleman for Hawk Blue pads
-$30 to Ed Miller for the rearend brake line T-block I ripped
-$50 for a bunch of AN fittings from ebay ( a steal!)
-$60 AN reducers, caps, and from-to's
-$50 for tubing to build bumpers
-$140 for ext. fuel pump and fittings

And the list goes on. I still have to go out and buy a fire extinguisher from somewhere and braided line and roll bar padding from Winner's Circle.

Helloooooo poor house

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

i have some extra roll bar padding laying around, it's blue to match my car though.

82whiteZ28

roll bar = race car.

GarageToys

iTrader: (6)

I'll sell them eventually, along with the adapters. WS6 wheels are 17x9 or 9.5 (I forget) but they're actually polished, not chrome. I was looking for a set of those when I bought mine. If you can get a nice set with good tires for $400, definitely buy them. Mine are chrome, but they're only 16x8. The tires on mine are bald, but the wheels couldn't be more perfect.

If you get the WS6's and need adaptors, let me know and I'll figure out what I need for them. I forget what I paid.

nape

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the offer but I ordered some SFI for around my noggin' and regular high density for the rest. Like $110 shipped from the internet vs $150 + tax from WC. Sorry Jim, too expensive again.

Camarothatcould

iTrader: (3)

Smokin87TA

iTrader: (2)

that is a great looking box of parts, better than christmas morning right there.

Camarothatcould

iTrader: (3)

your telling me. Got to ship the heads off and I'll be good. With no issues I'll be up and running in 2 weeks!!!

Then its off to the dyno at work after the cam break-in.

GarageToys

iTrader: (6)

I got the front springs swapped out, went to mock-up the new front wheels and whaddya know... the valve stems are on the inside of the wheel instead of the outside... and they hit my calipers.

It's always something. Time for stubby valve stems. I'll get the wheels on the car someday...

On the plus side, with the Pro-Kit springs I can actually get the jack underneath the crossmember with the wheels on the ground. WooHoo, going side-to-side sucks.

Smokin87TA

iTrader: (2)

Nothing worse than having to drive onto wood blocks just to get the jack under the frame. I still have to do this even with the aluminum motor.

nape

iTrader: (1)

*sigh* Sissies. Try doing it on an uneven, grass hill.



The paved paddock always fills up quick... and is hot as hell.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

tj looks like race car parts there

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

still no pics kevin......gasp

GarageToys

iTrader: (6)

I've been busy trying to figure out the suspension. Riddle me this: Why does the rearend sit so high when I have Eibach Pro-Kit lowering springs? The rearend was supported with jackstands (not the frame) so the suspension was loaded like it's supposed to be when everything was tightened down.

It sat fine when I had the 10-bolt in the car and the Delco shocks. I changed to the 9-inch and Koni yellows at the same time. The only thing I can think of is either the Koni's are so stiff that they hold up the car, or Moser put the shock mounts in the wrong place. Any other ideas?

I have 5 INCHES of air between the top of my rear tires and the fender!!! It has that Hi-Jacker air shocks look of the 1970's. Here's a picture of the left rear, check out the gap. I edited the wheels for you Steve, since you're ancy to see them.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

remove the rear rubber isolators and get back to me, use heater hose on the top of the spring around the top coil and it should settle down quite a bit. My rear sits about an inch higher after the moser install so I'll be doing the same isolator delete and just adding the heat hose around the coil spring. I'd add pics, but since you're blurring yours I'll hold out too. The shocks shouldn't have any effect on the spring height, but I would bounce the rear end a few times to see if the springs lower a bit.

GarageToys

iTrader: (6)

That's what I wanted to know. I'll try the isolator delete, but that's not going to take out that huge 4x4 gap. I might have to break out the cutoff wheel.

paulbuiltbird

well at least we can see that the car is getting a set of MT drag radials.

Smokin87TA

iTrader: (2)

Yea my moser rear sat up about and inch higher as well. I did the rear isolater heater hose trick and it was still higher so i ended up cutting half a coil. Nice choice of tires. i just picked up a set of them 275/40/17 for the trans am wheels i picked up. See my thread below and check out the second video, that explains why i needed new tires.

GarageToys

iTrader: (6)

Yeah, all the way around. I'm going Suburu all wheel drive on yer azzes. It's gonna do massive 4-wheel burnouts that put Tim's to shame. YeeeeHawwww.



I inhaled too many paint fumes this weekend.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

after i finish cutting out my bumpstops, i'll be working on leveling out the slowmaro as well. Need to weld up some areas in the wheelwells then strip them and paint them flat black, then worry about ride height. Car is slowly chugging along at my buddies shop on his lift, which he's kindly allowed me to have my car there for the past week going on week 2 now.

GarageToys

iTrader: (6)

I sanded & repainted my subframe connectors and some other stuff under the car this weekend.

The splash guards that Hawk's sent me were pretty poor and the air dam was JUNK. I had to spend 30 minutes with a heat gun to even make it look like an air dam again. Then prep & paint it all flat black as there was red and white overspray on them. What do you want for 100 FREAKING DOLLARS I guess. That was my first and last dealings with Hawks.

By the way, Steve, we know that your car is on a lift at your buddy's shop because you post "my car is on a lift at my buddy's shop" in every thread. In every forum.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

kevin i had an air dam sitting on a shelf in the garage you could have just had. What's a splash guard? is that those plastic pieces under the nose? If so I've never had any on my car, not sure if I should even bother putting them on. Don't be jealous of the car on a lift, no more working on my back anymore. Still getting just as dirty with cutting and grinding for some reason though.

3.8TransAM

New rear spring isolators for thirdgens has superceded to the newer fourthgen style which are taller to begin with.

New ones alone will make a difference let alone the newer style of them.

later
Jeremy

GarageToys

iTrader: (6)

I read that four times and I still can't figure out what the hell you meant.

GET OUT OF TEXAS NOW!!!!! You're becoming one of them.

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

he is saying that you can't buy stock thirdgen isolators anymore. The dealerships changed the part number over to the stock 4th gen isolators which are like 1-2" taller, so your rear would REALLY raise up more. Do the heater hose trick and report back. Oh yea....rim pics would be nice